Anak Negeri suspends ex-leaders

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) has suspended three former leaders and a member for breaching party discipline.

Acting Secretary General Milkusin Abdillah Sulai has confirmed former party treasurer Thomas Tsen, former secretary general Dr Paul Porodong, former Supreme Council member Dr Oswald Iggau and ordinary member Wahid Ismail have been suspended as members effective September 25.

Milkusin said the six former Anak Negeri candidates who lost the election, had breached party discipline for issuing an unauthorized press statement dated May 22, 2018 which was widely published in the newspapers supporting the Warisan-led State Government which was in breach of the party official stand to remain an opposition political party.

He said the party had earlier issued a letter to inform them of the party Supreme Council decision and they were given 14 days to reply and explain themselves.

The Supreme Council which met on Sept 25 had rejected outright the defiant replies from Thomas, Paul, Oswald and Wahid but accepted in principle the explanation from two others whose suspension will either be lifted or shortened.

Milkusin said a member of the original six whose names were quoted in the news report on May 22 supporting the Warisan government denied knowing the content of the press statement as he only attended a coffee session and was shocked to find his name implicated and picture published in the newspapers.

Milkusin also refuted claim by these four individuals in their latest press statement dated October 1 that they were Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri branch leaders since their purported branches have not been formed and therefore do not exist.

He said for the record, Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri has three registered and functioning branches namely Ranau, Spanggar and Penampang.

While the party has since received written approval from Registrar of Society (ROS) dated June 28 2018 to form eight new branches, the party’s Supreme Council has decided to postpone the setting up of these new branches because of the political uncertainties after the 14th General Election (GE14).

Milkusin said the party is investigating the membership and leadership of several branches on the approved list by ROS such as Kudat and Kota Marudu whose protem chairman Thomas Tsen and Dr Paul Porodong have actually ditched the Anak Negeri symbol in favor of PCS when they contested in the last GE14.

“In the light of the doubtful loyalty of these party leaders and the fact their actions after the election deemed to be detrimental to party interest, the Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri Supreme Council has acted prudently to protect the interest of the party against party members or leaders whose loyalty and committment to the long-term objectives of the party political struggle are in serious doubt,” he said.