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Tan: Decision was not unanimous
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Sat, Jun 21, 2008
NST
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>KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA - The Sabah Progressive Party's decision to proceed with the motion of no confidence against the prime minister was not unanimous, its deputy president, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said. "It is totally wrong to say that it was unanimous. The supreme council was not in total agreement. There were opposing views," he said.
Tan, who is also deputy chief minister, said among the party supreme council members who opposed the vote of no confidence against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was Elopura assemblyman and youth chief, Au Kam Wah.
However, Tan could not say for certain how many others were not in favour of the motion as there was no show of hands on the matter at the supreme council meeting yesterday.
Party president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee told a press conference after the meeting that agreement on the motion was unanimous.
"I'm disappointed. It is not right for him to say that it was unanimous.
"He should respect the stand and views of members who were against the motion. He should have said that I was against it," Tan said.
He said he had drafted an item to be included in the meeting agenda for the council not to go ahead with the motion.
"Throughout the meeting I tried to reason why we should not proceed with the motion.
"You cannot say we are staying in BN and yet you want to support a motion of no confidence against the prime minister.
"If the decision to stay with BN was unanimous, then there is no need to support the motion of no confidence.
"I'm upset with Yong's contention that the decision was unanimous.
"I attended the meeting with good intentions and because I have all the respect for the president. I just want to be honest," he said.
Tan and Au walked out of the meeting room before the press conference began to show their disagreement with Yong.
"I would not have walked out if I was in agreement with Yong. He just wanted everybody to agree with him," said Tan, who met Yong for an hour before the meeting began.
Tan was conspicuous at the meeting, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt as opposed to the yellow party uniform worn by other supreme council members.
However, at the insistence of some party members Tan later changed to the party uniform which was brought to him by a party worker.
With the SAPP facing expulsion from BN, Tan, who is Tanjung Papat assemblyman, said he would prefer the party to "continue its struggle within the ruling coalition".
He said the motion of no confidence was tantamount to supporting Anwar (Pakatan Rakyat de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim).
"I can't agree with this," he said.
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