BN issues Sapp show-cause letter
Malaysiakini.com
Jun 26, 2008
Chan Kok Leong

Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) earned themselves another 30 days before action is taken against them for its rebellion after Barisan Nasional supreme council's second meeting tonight.
MCPX

najib pc at parliament 260608In the interest of natural justice, BN deputy president Najib Abdul Razak said that the party will be asked to show cause within 30 days.

"Despite what Sapp did was against the principles of BN, we've decided to ask them to show cause first before taking any further action," said Najib.

Najib, who chaired the BN supreme council meeting on the Sapp issue in the absence of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, however, did not elaborate what kind of punishment would be meted out after the show cause process.

The issue which sparked the show-cause letter was Sapp's proposal of a no-confidence motion against Abdullah last Wednesday.

Abdullah, who is also the BN president, left the room during the discussion on Sapp as it involved him.

This is the second time in as many weeks that the BN supreme council has met to discuss the matter.

After its first meeting last week, the supreme council decided to put off taking action as it was unsure whether the no-confidence motion was Yong's personal initiative or the party's stand.

Following that, the Sapp supreme council endorsed their president Yong Teck Lee's suggestion that a vote of no confidence be brought in Parliament against Abdullah.

"After they (Sapp) reply (to the show-cause letter), the BN supreme council will meet again to discuss the issue. As for action, it could be a suspension or an expulsion, but we can't say anything until we've gotten their explanation."

Need to rebrand Barisan

The decision to send a show-cause letter to Sapp is widely expected as it gives BN another month before it has to make the hard decision on what to do with the rebel party.

Malaysiakini has yesterday reported that Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan has moved a motion for Sapp to be expelled during the BN's management committee meeting.

The motion was seconded by VK Liew, president of another Sabah-based party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), according to a source from a BN component party at the meeting.

The supreme council meeting tonight was attended by all the heads of component parties with the exception of Sapp, which was not invited for the meeting. The party was also not asked to attend BN's first meeting on the matter.

abdullah ahmad badawi pak lah angry barisan nasional bnBesides the Sapp issue, Abdullah also told reporters that their meeting discussed ways to improve BN after its poor performance in the last general election.

"Four new committees has be formed to improve BN's image and the working relationship with other component parties," said Abdullah.

The committees will be headed by former Terengganu Menteri Besar Idris Jusoh (rebranding BN), PPP's M Kayveas (strengthening the leadership and administration of BN), MCA's Dr Wee Ka Siong (improving delivery and public services) and PBB's Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar (media and improving the image of BN).

Ezam readmitted to Umno

During the press conference, Abdullah also said that former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor's application to rejoin Umno had been approved.

ezam joins back umno 280508 03However, it was decided in the earlier held Umno Supreme Council meeting - which met just before the BN supreme council - that Ezam will not be eligible to contest in party polls this December.

Along with Ezam's application (photo), Abdullah said that 25 members, including former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Isa Abdul Samad, had their suspensions lifted.

But when asked on Isa's status as Umno's vice-president, Abdullah said that the matter was not discussed.

Isa was elected vice-president for the 2004-2007 term with the highest vote but in 2005 he was suspended after the disciplinary board found him guilty of money politics.

His two-term or six-year suspension was subsequently reduced to three years after he appealed to the supreme council.

When asked about upcoming by-election in Sallang, Perlis, Abdullah said that former Perlis Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim will lead the team.

"Shahidan is still the Umno chief of Perlis and it is by tradition that he will lead the by-election team.

"As such, divisional AGM for Arau will be postponed till after the by-election," said Abdullah.

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