KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) acting president Senator Datuk Chin Su Phin, who is in Datuk Teo Chee Kang’s faction, officially took over the party headquarters yesterday afternoon.
Members of the faction have changed the security code and locks of the gate leading to the party headquarters, and barred Datuk Liew Vui Keong and Loretto S Padua Jr from entering the office.
Twenty-seven supreme council members of Teo’s faction which held a supreme council meeting have resolved to remove Liew as party president and to suspend Liew and his newly-appointed secretary general Loretto’s party membership.
After the meeting, Chin, Teo and several other members headed for the party headquarters at Kepayan Perdana, whereby Chin explained the current situation and the supreme council resolutions to Datuk Tan Sui Fu and three other staff at the office.
Chin assured that the party headquarters would operate as normal while the staff would be retained.
“The Election Committee members will be here at the party headquarters tomorrow to prepare for the party congress and party election on October 19 and October 20.”
Chin said the supreme council had issued a notice for the party congress on October 19 and October 20 and tthe party delegates have purchased their air tickets and accommodation.
“If Datuk Liew Vui Keong attempts to change the date for the party congress, that would be a total disregard of the money already spent by the party congress delegates.”
He also confirmed that letters have been submitted to three banks to temporarily freeze the party’s accounts, one of which has frozen the party’s account.
On the other hand, Chin said the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) slated to be held on October 19 might be moved forward.
He said the process of collecting signatures to hold the EGM had begun and the date of the EGM would depend on the response.
Chin added that there are around 800 party congress delegates and an EGM could be held with the request from one-third of the delegates in accordance with the party constitution.