Second time Yong pulls out of governing majority

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said the party was withdrawing support for the federal leadership, as his Barisan Nasional colleagues scrambled to dissociate themselves from the maverick politician.

For the second time in his career, Yong declared he was leaving a governing majority because of a purported loss of confidence in its leaders.

After weeks of haggling with the Federal Government, his decision to pull his support for the prime minister did not come as a surprise.

In 1994, he had abandoned the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president and then chief minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who was instrumental in bringing him into politics.

Yong had then led a group of Chinese assemblymen and members of parliament to leave the PBS to form SAPP.
He was part of a massive defection from the PBS, engineered by then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which successfully deposed Pairin.

Yesterday, Yong admitted he had met Anwar, the de facto head of Pakatan Rakyat, twice since the March 8 general election.

In an immediate response, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi indicated that Yong’s decision and the motives behind it were more personal than political.

“I have not been able to satisfy his personal greed,” he told Bernama without elaborating. He said he would make a further statement at a later date.

Yong said at a press conference here that a vote of no confidence in the prime minister would be tabled in Parliament on June 23 and its two members of parliament Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) and Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun (Sepanggar) would support it.

“Whether the motion will be tabled by our party MP or another MP will be decided in due course.”

Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, the MP for Jerlun who has been campaigning to unseat Abdullah as president of Umno, said he would not support such a motion if it meant the oppo- sition Pakatan Rakyat would gain power.

Although both SAPP MPs issued signed statements to back their president, Yong did not have the party supreme council behind him.

Party deputy president Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah was upset by the press conference, calling it a move to support the opposition.

“There is no reason to do this. It is completely wrong,” he said.

Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party, among other BN component parties nationwide, was in no doubt where it stood. “I find it absolutely deplorable for SAPP to make such an absurd and nonsensical move,” its president Datuk V.K. Liew said.

“Yong’s move is personal and he does not have the interest of the state and the people in mind. He is doing it for his own agenda.

“It is calculated to destabilise the coalition government and to oust Abdullah who is a legitimate prime minister voted by the people in the last election.

“The LDP will remain loyal and dedicated to the cause and struggles of the BN. We will continue to support Abdullah as our prime minister.

“By calling for a vote of no confidence against Abdullah, Yong is also sending a similar message to all those in the cabinet. What has Abdullah done anyway to deserve such a call? I think this is personal because he did not get what he wanted,” Liew said.

Among the notable absentees at yesterday’s press conference were deputy president Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, who is deputy chief minister, women’s chief Melanie Chia, who is state assistant finance minister, Youth chief Au Kam Wah, who is Elopura assemblyman, another deputy president, Datuk Liew Teck Chan, who is Likas assemblyman, and vice-president Datuk Frankie Chong, who is state assembly deputy speaker.

Majimbun, who is also a party deputy president, was not present but a statement purportedly signed by him declaring he had no confidence in the prime minister was distributed to the media.

When asked about the absences, Yong said Majimbun, Liew Teck Chan and Chong were overseas, but he did not say where Tan, Chia and Au were.

Yong said the SAPP was making its stand before the “window of opportunity” closed.

He claimed that by August, Sabah would be “forgotten again”.

“The nation’s attention would switch to the MCA and Umno elections, people will be preoccupied with the fasting month, Hari Raya, school exams and other year-end events.

“Political fatigue in the national mainstream over ‘Sabah-Sabah-Sabah’ issues would set in.”

He accused the Federal Government of “delaying tactics” in dealing with issues raised by the party and other state leaders, including a demand for 20 per cent oil royalty and a return of the Labuan federal territory, the illegal immigrants problem, and alleged unfair laws and taxes.

Abdullah was here on Tuesday to reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to boost development and end poverty in Sabah.