SAPP to reply show-cause letter today

KOTA KINABALU, July 29 —Today is the day the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) will submit its reply to the show-cause letter issued by the Barisan Nasional supreme council.

Party president Datuk Yong Teck Lee said the letter would be sent via courier, the way it was received, exactly 30 days for the party to explain its actions.

“The contents of the reply will be to reiterate the reasons for the no-confidence vote on the prime minister, the eight-point declaration and that we maintain our stand.

“It is up to BN to take whatever action on us. SAPP is ready for any consequences,” he told reporters after meeting party members and supporters here last night.

On June 20, the SAPP supreme council endorsed the decision to support a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but no decision was made to pull out from the BN coalition.

The declarations endorsed by the SAPP supreme council, among others, were that the government shall be people-centric based on good governance and civil society and non-racial politics based on a progressive, just and harmonious society; that Sabah shall have political autonomy whereby the government shall be formed and run by the people of Sabah; that Sabah and other oil-producing states shall be entitled to a 20 per cent petroleum royalty and that the Labuan Federal Territory be returned to Sabah and be governed as a special region.

Meanwhile, Yong also stated that throughout the 30-day period, SAPP was not invited to three BN meetings, on June 19, 24 and 26, and felt it was improper, adding that “it was as though we (SAPP) were no longer part of the coalition.”

He also claimed the talks between Umno and Pas was not intended for a muzakarah, but had a political agenda.

“The current political scenario is uncertain. That’s why SAPP wants autonomy in Sabah so that we won’t be played out by others,” he added. — Bernama