Group withdraws Judicial Review application against ROS decision not to deregister SUPP
KUCHING: Former leaders of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) who filed a Judicial Review against the decision of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) not to deregister the party after issuing the party a show-cause letter, have decided to discontinue their court action.
The discontinuation of the suit was announced in a joint statement issued yesterday by three state assemblymen who are now with United People’s Party (UPP), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Dr Johnichal Rayong and Ranum Mina, on behalf of the group which includes Datuk Tiong Thai King, Suzanne Lee, Shilling Banggit and Sia Jii Ming.
The decision which spares SUPP the danger of being deregistered came in the nick of time as the Judicial Review is scheduled to be heard in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
Explaining why they initiated the action against ROS, the statement said that the group did so for themselves and for all other SUPP members who were sacked, suspended or marginalised by those who controlled the party after 2011 Triennial Delegates Conference which they believed was tainted by serious electoral irregularities.
“We took the court action against ROS for its decision on SUPP as we truly believed that there were electoral irregularities and as a result ROS decision, we were marginalised and denied in our efforts to serve our supporters and the people,” the statement said.
However, having established a new platform to serve the people through United People’s Party (UPP), the group felt that it was best to withdraw their Judicial Review application so that SUPP would not have to face the possibility of deregistration.
In a show of magnanimity the group said, “Let bygones be bygones and hope that together we can move on to provide political stability and harmony in Sarawak.”
The statement added that the group would continue with the spirit of righteousness, justice
and compassion adhered to fervently by SUPP in the past.