Dropped Perlis exco man denies quitting
(NST) KANGAR: Perlis state leaders, who are intent on avoiding a by-election, have managed to persuade Yip Sun Onn to reconsider his decision to step down as Titi Tinggi state assemblyman.
In an SMS which he sent to several reporters, Yip said he was still the Titi Tinggi state assemblyman and apologised for the inconvenience he had caused.
He said he needed some time to think but that he was still a Barisan Nasional assemblyman and fully supported Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu as the menteri besar of Perlis.
He also said that he would continue to support the state government in developing Perlis.
Yip had tendered his resignation letter to Isa on Monday and had also given a copy to Speaker Datuk Yazid Mat.
He was dropped as state Housing and Local Government and New Township Development Committee chairman last Friday. He was replaced by Dr Por Choo Chor (BN-Indera Kayangan).
Isa believed that Yip was unhappy that he had been replaced, and explained that the decision had nothing to do with Yip’s performance.
“We’ve used this rotating system since a few terms ago and this had been agreed on by MCA.
“Now it is the time for the Indera Kayangan assemblyman to hold the post.”
Isa said state leaders were “very sure that there will not be a by-election in Titi Tinggi”.
“Yip has not submitted his resignation letter to the Election Committee and we are in talks with him to reconsider his decision. This could negatively affect MCA and Barisan Nasional.”
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat confirmed that the change in the executive councillor line-up was based on the agreement made by his party and the state government.
“I took over as party president in October 2008 and was only carrying out what had been agreed on,” hesaid after a meeting with Perlis MCA delegates here.
Ong said under the agreement, MCA would have one of its two representatives as an exco member, and this person would be replaced by the other after two years.
In the 2008 general election, Yip won the Titi Tinggi state seat against Keria Senawi of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Mohammad Radzi Mustaffa (independent) with a majority of 1,841 votes.
Titi Tinggi has 7,830 voters with 73.52 per cent being Malay, 23.2 per cent Chinese and 2.8 per cent Indian.
