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Friday, October 21, 2016

SAPP Delegates Conference this October 23


KOTA KINABALU - The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) will be holding its biennial delegates conference on October 23 at the Dewan Hakka, here.

Held every two years, the local-based party's general meeting will continue to focus on the party's way forward, this time, together with other Sabah local parties, in fighting for the State's rights.

Some 1,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference, including notable leaders of other local-based parties, namely Gabungan Sabah (United Sabah Alliance) chairman Datuk Mohd Noor Mansoor, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing.

According to SAPP secretary-general Datuk Richard Yong, the invitation had also been extended to former Umno vice president Datuk Shafie Apdal's newly-formed Sabah-based party, Parti Warisan Sabah and Angkatan Perubahan Sabah's (APS) Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin.

SAPP deputy president Melanie Chia quoted the Gabungan Sabah's spirit as the main gist of the conference that would see the gathering of all local-based parties.

The conference, she said, was needed, considering that the next general election would be held in place soon.

"In view of the coming election, we need to consolidate and strengthen our alliance. This will be the focus of the conference, in determining the way forward for Gabungan," said Chia.

Gabungan Sabah was formed in March 2015 consisting of local parties STAR, SAPP and PCS together with NGOs like the APS (Angkatan Perubahan Sabah), UBF (United Borneo Front), Sunduvan Sabah and MOSIK (Momogun Movement For Self Determination).

Chia added that considering SAPP's loss in 2013's General Election, the party had learned and would focus on strengthening teamwork among team players.

The party's vice president cum information chief Chong Pit Fah said that the SAPP Biennial Delegates Conference this time would be more meaningful, with more jumping in the wagon of the party's years-long struggles of fighting for Sabah's rights under the helm of local-based parties.

"SAPP was among the few if not the only party fighting for the 'Sabah for Sabahans' sentiment. Now we can see that the awareness had grown and ore are joining in the fight," said Chong.

In the meantime, Yong disclosed that SAPP currently had about 60,000 members in over 400 branches, but only 330 are active.

The party, he said, had been trimming inactive branches and at the same time had also received applications to set up new branches. - BP

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