Julian Petrus Jout
KUCHING: The founder of Peace Party Julian Petrus Jout has refuted claims by Pok Ungkut that the latter is the legitimate president of the party.
Petrus said in a statement yesterday that Pok, who is a former secretary general of the party, even had the audacity to claim that he is no longer a member of the party in his press statement published on Jan 6.
“How could I as the founder of Peace Party be no longer a member of the party because he has terminated my membership when he himself admitted that he had resigned from the party.”
Petrus said he has all the necessary documents to show that the Registrar of Society (ROS) still recognised him as the president of Peace Party and that his house at Jalan Satok here is still the party’s headquarters.
He added that he accepted Pok into the party in good faith and appointed him as secretary general but he had failed to perform his duty.
“He resigned from the party in a letter he signed on May 15 2014 but now declare himself to be the legitimate president of the party and using his false position even claimed to have expelled me.
“It is obvious that this is a power grab attempt by Pok and his group.”
Petrus added that he had made a report to the police against Pok and members of the committee he set up illegally and that copies of the report had been sent to the Election Commission and ROS.
“I appeal to the authorities to take action against these individuals for trying to usurp my position as president of Peace Party and sowing confusion among our party members.”
On Pok’s claim that he retracted his resignation within 24 hours Petrus pointed out the former never submitted his retraction in letter and the supreme council of the party never accepted his retraction since he never submitted it.