Still on Raymond Tan

Tan sets poser over SAPP membership

Adopted from HERE
KOTA KINABALU, MON: Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah has set a poser over his membership in the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Asked if he had resigned from SAPP, Tan said: “You have to ask them (SAPP).

Did you ask them whether they are sending a letter to Barisan Nasional (BN) officially, to say SAPP is out of the BN?

“I learnt it from them, that’s how they do it. They declare they are out of BN, so I also declare I’m out of SAPP.”

He spoke to reporters before meeting Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman to discuss his position in the State Cabinet following SAPP’s announced withdrawal from the BN on Sept 17.

Asked if he still considered himself a member of the SAPP, Tan replied: “Consider myself? Myself is not important, I think it is more of how SAPP considers me.”

Tan said that since he had not sent any resignation letter to the party, he was leaving it to the party as to how it wanted to go about the matter.

“I asked them during the supreme council meeting (last week) whether it is right to leave BN by just declaring (through announcement). That’s why you have to ask them. I have declared I am out of SAPP. Is it enough or not enough?” he said.

On another question, Tan said he did receive invitations from other BN component parties and even opposition parties like the DAP to join them, and said he would consider all these options.

However, when asked if he had made contact with them, he said he had met many of the parties’ leaders at functions but not particularly on this issue.

Asked if the members who quit SAPP had decided on a new party, a name and the leadership line-up, Tan said they had not reached that stage yet.

“But I told them that they would have to obtain feedback from the grassroots in my constituency and other areas in Sabah. That will take time.

“Many of the grassroots have asked and voiced the option to set up a new party, but a party which can be well accepted by the BN,” he said.

On Sept 17, SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee announced the party’s decision to pull out of the ruling BN coalition, three months after SAPP declared that it had lost confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Following the decision, Tan, who was SAPP deputy president, declared that he was no longer a member but did not submit his resignation. This was followed by the resignation of hundreds of other members in 15 branches in Tan’s Tanjong Papat state constituency.

The 49-year-old politician was among three senior SAPP leaders who disagreed with the party’s decision to leave the BN coalition. The other two are SAPP youth chief Au Kam Wah, who is also the Elopura state assemblyman, and vice-president Jimmy Wong. The SAPP central leadership yesterday confirmed receiving the resignation letters from the duo.

In the last general election, Tan retained the Tanjong Papat state seat with a majority of 3,926 votes. Tan secured 6,418 votes while his opponent, DAP’s Teo Yan Boon alias Anthony, garnered 2,492 votes.