Puppets of BN-Umno Sabah

Kota Kinabalu, June 28, 2010: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Kudat CLC Chairman, Datuk Wong Yit Ming, today urged Tanjung Kapor Assemblyman Datuk Teo Chee Kang to leave Sabah BN in order to prove UMNO Sabah is wrong.

"The ill treatment and disrespect by UMNO Kudat division leaders showed that UMNO Sabah never practice consensus among the component members.

"UMNO is always the big brother and never consult other component parties on any decision making.

"The controversial sport's betting licence is a very good example. Even though component parties like LDP, MCA and MIC publicly announced that they support the government to issue this licence, the Prime Minister however, announced the cancellation of the sports betting licence after they reached a decision through the Umno Supreme Council meeting and not through Barisan Nasional (BN) meeting.

Wong said he fully agreed with Datuk Teo Chee Kang, as the elected representative of Tanjung Kapor, should have the prerogative or right to appoint the community leaders who are political appointees. As an elected assemblyman he (Teo) should be consulted on any termination of political appointees in his area, otherwise, Datuk Teo will appear to be only a puppet of Umno Sabah.

Wong, who is also SAPP Treasurer-General, pointed out that LDP Kudat's inability to 'protect' their own appointed community leaders showed that Sabah UMNO under the leadership of Datuk Musa Aman's arrogance and disrespect of the elected assemblyman from Tanjong Kapor.

"I therefore call on Datuk Teo Chee Kang to be brave enough to leave BN in order to protect his dignity as the elected respresentative.

Wong also felt that it is meaningless for Teo to continue as a wakil rakyat of the BN, either he leave BN or resign his Tanjong Kapor seat to force a by-election which could see more development funds and grants to the area as what we have witnessed in the Sibu by-election.

"In according to the Sibu experience, the local communities will benefit more in by-elections. If there was a by-election in Tanjong Kapor, Sabah BN will definitely allocate more funds for local infrastructure development and the local Chinese communities will also benefit from receiving more government grants for the temples and Chinese schools.