CONTEMPORARY MALAYSIA

KOTA KINABALU (June 18, 2008): Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee today declared that his party had lost confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, further fuelling speculation that the Chinese-based party will leave the ruling front on Friday (June 20).

He claimed that the party's two Members of Parliament (Sepanggar and Tawau) would support a motion for a vote of no confidence against the prime minister in the coming Parliament sitting on Monday (June 23).

Whether the motion will be tabled by the two MPs or another MP will be decided in due course, the party said in a statement.

Yong, who was a former Sabah Chief Minister, said party deputy president, Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun, who is now overseas on official duty, had made his stand in a signed press statement, while Tawau MP Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui, who is a party vice-president, will also take a similar position in a signed statement.

"Whether the motion will be tabled by our MPs or another MP will be decided in due course," he told a press conference.

Bernama quoted Yong as saying Eric is expected to return to Malaysia in time for the Parliament session on June 23.

SAPP is one of the 14 components of the Barisan Nasional (BN), the ruling coalition in the federal government.

Chua, who was present in the press conference, said in her statement that SAPP is of the opinion that if the top leadership cannot perform, then he should make way for other able leader to take over.

"People have lost confidence in the present leadership of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Even Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and other Umno leaders have asked their own president to step down," she said.

She added that no concrete actions had been taken despite repeated requests made by SAPP to the PM on illegal immigrants. "Our sovereignty is threatened."

She said the people, especially in Sabah, "the poorest state", are burdened by the sharp fuel price hikes, and there are no holistic economic solutions planned.

"We would fail in our role as elected representatives if the issues raised by the Sabah people on poor delivery systems, corruption, wastage of resources, lack of transparency and no sense of accountability were ignored. These issues have been similarly expressed by my MP colleagues from Umno, Datuk Ghapur (Salleh), Datuk Anifah (Aman) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar."

According to a statement posted on SAPP's official website under "breaking news" today, SAPP is calling a press conference after its supreme council meeting on Friday (June 20) to address the question of the party's membership in the BN.

On why it is making this stand now, the statement said it was because there is a window of opportunity which closes by August after which Sabah would be "forgotten" again.

"The nation's attention would switch to MCA and Umno elections, people will be pre-occupied with the fasting month, Hari Raya, school exams and year end events. Political fatigue in the national mainstream over Sabah issues would set in."

The food and energy crises have compounded the problems faced by Sabah and made its claim for a 20% oil royalty a more urgent one, so that she could "insulate" themselves from the effects of rising oil prices. The federal government had said no to this request.

In the 2008 polls, Umno won 13 parliament and 36 state seats, MCA (one state), PBS (three parliament, 11 state), Upko (four parliament and four state), PBRS (one parliament, one state), LDP (one parliament, three state). DAP has one parliament and a state seat.

Key facts on Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP)

-Registered on Jan 21, 1994, and founded by Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee after resigning from the ruling Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) on Jan 20 also as deputy president of PBS as well as Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Industrial Development in the state cabinet.

-It contested in state elections, only weeks after its formation.

-Under BN's Chief Minister rotation system, Yong was made chief minister in 1996 for two years.

-It currently has two MPs and four state assemblymen, namely Datuk Liew Teck Chan (Likas), Melanie Chia Chui Ket (Luyang), Au Kam Wah (Elopura) and Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah (Tanjong Papat).

REACTION to Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee's statement yesterday that his party had lost confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and that the party's two MPs would support a motion for a vote of no confidence against the prime minister when the Dewan Rakyat resumes sitting on Monday:

-Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim congratulated the bravery of SAPP and its two MPs for defending the rights of Malaysians, and especially those of Sabahans.

He said he had two discussions with Datuk Yong Teck Lee on good governance and dedication to the principles of accountability.

He said PKR's commitment to Sabahans, bumiputra and otherwise, include 20% oil royalties to Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu, as well as proportionate and just representation for Sabah and Sarawak.

"I call upon other friends to act quickly in order to guarantee stable politics and efficient economic management that will lead to dynamic growth and equitable distribution," Anwar said.

-MCA president and MP for Kulai Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said his party will stand steadfastly with Abdullah and the coalition

"The economy is suffering from escalating inflationary pressures, rising food and fuel prices now. The country and the people are going through very challenging times. What the country needs now is political and economic stability," he said.

"It would be best that all of us, both the BN and the PR, accept the results of the 12th general election. Our priority should be to continue to work hard to fulfill our election pledges, restore confidence and stability for the nation."

-MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the party, with about 630,000 members, will remain loyal with BN and continue to support the prime minister.

He has instructed the three MIC members of parliament to support the prime minister especially in parliament. This is the first time we have a BN component party not supporting the prime minister. We will not let the prime minister down because he was elected by the people."

-Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he found it "unusual" for SAPP to support or move a no-confidence motion against the prime minister and yet still remain in the BN. He said their move would have been more effective if they were to leave the coalition.

No provision for no-faith motion

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP)'s bid to be make history by supporting a vote of no-confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday (June 23) when the Dewan Rakyat resumes meeting, may not happen as planned.

The Parliamentary Standing Orders do not have special provision for a no-confidence motion, and as such it needs to be tabled as an ordinary motion under Standing Order 27, which requires 14 days notice.

Veteran MP and former parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) said he saw little possibility of this motion being tabled on Monday.

"The only way for a no-confidence motion to be tabled and debated on Monday is for the Speaker to treat it as a substantive and extraordinary motion which should take precedence and priority over all parliamentary business which does not need to comply with the requisite 14-day notice and publishing it as the first item of parliamentary business after Question Time in the Parliamentary Order of Business on Monday," he said in a statement today.

"In doing so, however, the Speaker is likely to be in direct loggerheads with the government of the day and must be prepared to pay the consequences of such a decision."

Lim said there had never been any no-confidence motion against the prime minister in Malaysian parliamentary history.