KUCHING – Lina Soo has claimed that a coup d’état has taken place in the Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) after a new faction took over its leadership yesterday.
Soo, who insisted she is still the incumbent elected president, said this incident happened during the party’s annual general meeting (AGM), when the other faction declared a new president, treasurer-general, and secretary-general.
Soo claimed she was forcibly ordered out of the meeting room after questioning the legitimacy of the meeting.
She also claimed there were some 100 non-party members present, as she could only establish the identity of fewer than 20 members.
According to Soo, the purpose of the AGM was to receive the party’s financial report for 2022, which needs to be submitted as required by the Registrar of Societies (RoS), and this was not an election year for the party.
“We have notified ROS. We leave it to RoS to investigate the matter. We need to clarify and speak the truth.
“We now have two presidents, two treasurer-generals, and two secretary-generals. Usually, this (coup d’etat) happens to big parties.
“But our party is a small party, whereby our core philosophy is fighting for Sarawak’s rights. We are not big, we are not powerful, and we have no elected YB (elected representative) yet.
“And we are very poor. We don’t take money from others, and we spend our own money. And yet, people want to do a coup d’état and take over our party,” she told reporters here today.
She revealed that based on the list she received, Datuk Lau Pang Heng was declared the new president, Freedy Misin is the new deputy president, while Andygie Gines and Amanda Lee are the new secretary-general and new treasurer-general respectively.
She claimed the election was unconstitutional because the current office bearers are still serving their five-year term from 2021 to 2026, with the last party election held on October 10, 2021.
She said a police report has been lodged and it has been attached with the official letter sent to the RoS headquarters in Putrajaya and its state office in Kuching.
Regarding the AGM, Soo said party chairman George Young Si Ricord Junior blocked her from further speaking about the quorum of the meeting.
She also accused George of being very aggressive when she questioned the meeting’s legitimacy, while the presence of persons in the room who were non-members was very “menacing and intimidating”.
“The task of the party chairman is to chair the AGM. He has no power actually. During the AGM, he is to ensure the process goes smoothly,” she stated.
She added George and Lau are new Aspirasi members having joined in April and September respectively after leaving Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) .
Both George and Lau contested as PSB candidates in the 2021 state election in Stakan and Kota Sentosa.
According to Soo, Freedy and Amanda are not even Aspirasi members, while George is not a fee paying member.
“They did not communicate with me after the meeting, and refused to settle the bill at the hotel where the meeting took place,” she claimed.
George, when contacted, said he will respond to the claim of a coup d’état in the party soon, adding that a statement will be issued in due time.
Lau also refused further comment on the matter when contacted today.
“Please wait for the secretary-general’s announcement,” he said.
Meanwhile, RoS Sarawak director Georgina Apphia Ngau confirmed her office has received a letter from Soo. – Borneo Post Online, February 13, 2023
