KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) vice president Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said he regretted his announcement to vie for a higher post and blamed himself for causing the recent turn of events in the party.
“I didn’t mean for things to reach this level. It was just my simple suggestion, my expression of desire to contest. At certain times, I regret what is happening today,” he said.
However, he said the recent events could be attributed to the grassroots’ wishes (for a change of leadership).
“I think most people praised me and respected me for daring to speak up. If I have not spoken out what’s in the hearts of the delegates, there will not be any quarrel today,” he told the media after a press conference called by LDP deputy president Senator Datuk Chin Su Phin, former secretary general Datuk Teo Chee Kang and deputy secretary general Ho Jia Lit here yesterday.
Pang said he supported the requisition for a supreme council meeting as he was the one who proposed it when officiating at the LDP Moyog divisional conference recently.
“A lot of issues could be solved within the supreme council without publicizing them in the media because it is not good for a party like us. Everybody should stand down, don’t make too much negative publicity, and resolve these issues within our party,” he urged.
Pang did, however, said that the resolution by the supreme council for a ‘no contest’ for the party top two posts should be respected because it was decided by the party leaders.
“The resolution still stands. Till today I have not announced my indication (which posts to vie for) because I feel that I have to respect the resolution. If I go against the supreme council’s wishes, it will look bad on me; if I want to contest, the first thing would be for the resolution to be retracted.
“If there is no supreme council meeting to retract the resolution, the resolution will stand until the party congress when it will then be decided upon.
“If the party congress (delegates) support the resolution, that means none of us can contest,” Pang said.
If the resolution still stands, Pang said he would quietly accept his nomination and wait till the party congress to decide whether his nominations were valid. Nonetheless, he said the supreme council should retract the resolution before the party congress.
He added it would only be suitable for him to announce his candidacy after a supreme council meeting was held to retract the resolution.