KUCHING, Feb 13: Lina Soo, who insists that she is still Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president, has rebuked a statement by Andygie Gines, who claims to be the party’s new secretary-general.
In her latest statement, she claimed that Andygie did not read the party constitution.
She declared Gines as a non-member of the party, stating that the latter applied to join the party in 2022 but has never made any payment to settle the registration fee and annual subscription under Article (1) of the party’s constitution.
Soo was responding to Andygie’s recent statement claiming that Soo’s removal from the party was constitutionally done according to procedures.
Andygie’s statement was issued after Soo, in her first statement, claimed that there was an alleged attempt to oust her as Aspirasi president.
“Under Article 5(3), it is stipulated that any application which has been approved by the Central Working Committee can only be confirmed by payment of the registration fee to legitimise his membership.
“As Gines has never made any payment in any amount to the party, this disqualifies him as a member of Aspirasi, and he is not entitled to the rights of membership. Gines’ attendance at the scheduled annual general meeting (AGM) on Feb 12 is thus null and void, what more to say of his declaration as secretary-general,” she said in a statement today.
She also pointed out that Gines should also know that a party member, what more to say, a life member, cannot be removed on the spot at the AGM.
“The procedure to suspend or remove a member is provided for in Article 7 (2), where the member must be given a show cause letter in writing and given reasonable time to give an explanation.
“Only when the appeal process has been exhausted, only then the Supreme Council can expel the member.
“It is ridiculous for Gines to claim that all procedures are constitutional when he doesn’t even read the party constitution and has no idea of the procedure for sacking a member,” she added.
Soo further claimed Gines’ claim that the people at the meeting were party members was inaccurate.
She stressed that Gines does not know the procedure for membership under Article 5 (2), where the authority to approve the membership application is from the Central Working Committee (Jawatankuasa Kerja Pusat) and not the party president.
“The party president cannot approve any membership application; the president can only endorse the decision made by the Central Working Committee by signing the application form.
“Therefore, the people that Gines claims are party members are, in reality, have not been approved by the Central Working Committee, have not been endorsed by the party president and secretary general, and no payment for registration fee and annual subscription has ever been received from them.
“Gines should know that any member who has not paid up his membership dues has no right to take part in any proceeding in a party meeting,” she noted.
Additionally, Soo goes on to confirm that Gines and George Young Si Ricord Junior being non-fee paying individuals who have not paid up the due registration fees and subscription fees, have no right to take part in any proceedings at the party meeting.
She reiterated once again that 90 per cent of the people at the party AGM are not party members because their applications have not been sighted nor approved by the Central Working Committee, and there was no payment of registration fee and annual subscription dues to the party as per the constitution.
“Gines’ reply to my allegation that his group has done an illegal and unconstitutional takeover of Aspirasi is full of nonsense, as all their procedures are in contravention of the party’s constitution from day one,” Soo said. — DayakDaily
