KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Liew Vui Keong has continued to insist that he is still the rightful president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
“I have not been deposed and as I said, I will abide by the decision of the delegates in the forthcoming party election in March,” Liew said in a statement yesterday.
He said his removal by the group led by former LDP secretary-general Datuk Teo Chee Kang was illegal and against the party’s constitution.
“They also excluded me from their ‘election’ and unilaterally declared Teo as the winner without contest, which in itself was not right. (So) what decision has ROS made that requires me to accept?” Liew asked in response to Teo’s statement, claiming that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) has determined his presidency in the LDP.
“At the moment, I have not received anything from ROS concerning this issue. All I heard and read were from the newspapers allegedly claiming that ROS has declared Teo a winner of an illegal party election.
“I need to see the contents of the letter, if any. I think it is only right and fair that I be given a copy of the letter, if any. At least I will know under what provision of the law in the Societies Act 1966 that the ROS had invoked to recognise an illegal party election.
“We must not forget that the election committee set up by Teo was not validly constituted and any pronouncement made by Teo’s purported election committee is null and void.
“Therefore, I demand to see the letter and know the reasons for the ROS’ decision,” he stressed.
Liew disclosed that since September last year, the LDP has notified the ROS on Teo’s removal as the party’s Secretary-General and his subsequent suspension by the Disciplinary Committee in October last year.
Teo’s removal and suspension under the Party’s Constitution was valid, he said, adding, “We have also complained to the ROS about Teo’s illegally constituted Extraordinary General Meeting and their subsequent election on October 19 and 20, 2013.
“We have also notified the ROS of many other issues in writing on many occasions throughout the last few months, but up until today, it has not responded at all to any of our letters.
“On December 30, 2013, I directed the LDP Secretary-General to hold a special party conference on March 29 and 30 so that, among others, all party members can exercise their lawful right to elect the office bearers of their choice.
“The lawful right of the party members to elect the LDP’s office bearers cannot be frustrated in any manner by Teo or any other party.
“On January 2, when the report surfaced in local newspapers concerning the impugned news, I have instructed my lawyer to write to the ROS demanding it verify the truth or otherwise the contents of the reports, in particular to the allegation that they issued a letter to Teo dated January 2, 2014.
“At the same time, I have also demanded that the ROS reply to all the letters that we had written to them since September last year and I hereby strongly urge the ROS to immediately issue a written directive to clarify all of these issues within the next few days, failing which I will have no alternative but to refer this matter to my legal team to pursue action against the ROS in court,” Liew said.
Meanwhile, he urged LDP members to remain calm and not believe the speculations made, which were calculated to confuse not only them but also other political leaders in the country.
“I wish to assure all my party members that I am fully committed to their democratic right to vote for the party’s office bearers of their choice at the party conference and I will abide by whatever decision they wish to make.
“Such a democratic process must be upheld and I will resist any unlawful attempt by any person to derail this democratic process,” Liew said.
The ROS was reported to have issued an official letter to Teo on Thursday informing him that it found the LDP congress and election held on October 19 and 20 last year by Teo and his supporters to be legal, thus cementing the Special Tasks Minister’s claim to the party presidency.
On the following day, Teo released a statement urging Liew and his supporters to respect the ROS’ decision and to return to the party fold, saying that the LDP’s main priority under his leadership was for all its leaders and members to close ranks.