SAPP should not be punished

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 10 - As the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) cools its heels waiting for Barisan Nasional to decide its membership, another Sabah leader, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said it was not necessary for the coalition to take action against the rebel party for its no-confidence stand on the Prime Minister.

The United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said no action had been taken against certain key leaders from Umno who also made a similar stand, with several even calling on the premier to step down.

Upko has four MPs: Dompok , Datuk Wilfred Bumburing who is also Tuaran MP, Datuk Dr Marcus Majigoh (Putatan MP) and Datuk Siringan Gubat (Ranau MP).

The Barisan supreme council last Wednesday put on ice any action against SAPP, whose president Datuk Yong Teck Lee announced on June 18 that the party's two MPs would support any parliamentary motion of no confidence against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Barisan had issued SAPP with a show cause letter for the statement and SAPP stood firm with its stand in their reply submitted on July 30. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Najib Tun Razak said SAPP's reply must be studied in detail.

Speaking to reporters after opening a workshop on "Impact of Laws and Government Policies on Indigenous People in Sabah" on Friday, Dompok said Upko and SAPP had stood up for the rights of the Sabah people.

"SAPP, as one of the Barisan component parties in Sabah, has delivered its views about Sabah issues and we also have similar views on the problems faced by the people in the state," The Star quoted Dompok as saying.

He said that Upko and SAPP would continue to defend the rights of the state and its people.

Other Sabah-based political parties like Parti Bersatu Sabah led by Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Liberal Democratic Party led by Datuk V.K. Liew have been critical of SAPP's no-confidence stand.

-TMI