Pakatan wives to pursue Bunga Tanjung debacle
Athi VeeranganPublished: May 6, 2008 7:19 PM | Updated: May 6, 2008 7:32 PM
It’s now an issue between Barisan Nasional wives (BNWs) and Pakatan Rakyat wives (PRWs)
After their husbands started it, wives of Pakatan elected representatives in Penang will now take over to get to the bottom of the controversy surrounding the Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung (PBT).
It’s now an issue between Barisan Nasional wives (BNWs) and Pakatan Rakyat wives (PRWs)
After their husbands started it, wives of Pakatan elected representatives in Penang will now take over to get to the bottom of the controversy surrounding the Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung (PBT).
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it is now up to the PRWs to pursue the matter with BNWs.
The BNWs have allegedly committed a legal infringement by dissolving PBT and disbursing more than half a million ringgit belong to the association to several organisations.
"The wives of Pakatan elected representatives will now pursue the matter by requesting the Registrar of Society to intervene and investigate the alleged breach of the law when PBT was dissolved," Lim told a press conference in Penang today.
The state government decided to hand over the matter to the PRWs since Lim, his Chief-of-Staff Jeff Ooi Chuan Ann and his political secretary Ng Wei Aik have made their points and feelings clear on the issue.
PRWs are expected to meet the ROS tomorrow to deliberate on the case and request the relevant authority to probe deep into PBT's controversial dissolution and quick transfer of funds to other bodies.
The controversy surfaced a week ago when PBT was found to have been dissolved on March 9, the day after the Gerakan-led BN coalition was toppled.
Until the controversy surfaced, many Penangites were unaware of the existence of such a charitable organisation which involved wives of elected representatives from the state.
Annual RM10,000 from state
Now PTB has emerged as the talk of the town. Its controversial dissolution and overnight disbursement of funds have raised many eyebrows.
At the centre of the controversy is former PBT president and former Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon's wife Chui Kah Peng, who put up a courageous media show in recent days by challenging Lim and Jeff Ooi to an open debate on the issue.
Chui was one of the founding members of the association which was registered in 1992.
The association received an annual grant of RM10,000 from the state government to assist it in its yearly operating expenses, while all other funds were raised through fund–raising events and advertisements in its publications.
Be it a show of courage, corollary of naivety or sheer ignorance of the law, Chui ought to have sought the advice of her husband, since Koh was PBT advisor at the time, before dissolving the association, disbursing its funds, throwing tantrums and ranting about open debates.
Such `show of strength' was perhaps to conceal PBT leadership’s sense of insecurity in a public attempt to right the wrongs.
On Monday, however Chui has announced an unconditional `ceasefire' over the media war with the state government.
In an official letter from the Chief Minister's office to Chui early this week, Ng questioned the former PBT president on whether she acted with the knowledge of the advisor.
Koh was called upon to declare openly whether he endorsed PBT members' decision to dissolve the association and disburse its money remaining in its account amounting to RM590, 665 to various organisations,
PBT gave away RM350,000 to Bakti - a federal organisation for wives of ministers and deputy ministers; RM220,000 to the Bureau on Learning Difficulties which was to support the Bold-PBT Centre activities in Penang, and RM20,665 shared between the Penang Cheshire Home, Mental Health Association of Penang and Mount Miriam Hospital.
No more legal rights
Chui has been warned to be mindful about what she says since she was embroiled in a serious legal and moral obligation that ought to be addressed immediately.
Although she claimed it was an exclusive club for the wives of BN elected representatives, PBT constitution was unambiguous in classifying it as an exclusive club for wives of state assemblypersons and members of Parliament of the ruling party in Penang.
So it is unclear whether wives of state assemblypersons and MPs from the opposition are not eligible to be PBT members.
A perusal revealed that the term `Barisan Nasional' had not appeared at all in any part of the PBT constitution.
As their husbands were defeated on March 8, BNWs were facing scorching political heat to safeguard PBT interests.
An AGM of the association’s 45 members was called the next day to make two final decisions - a hasty dissolution and speedy distribution of its funds.
Their oversight about the PBT constitution could be caused by the ‘rush’ to prevent the funds from falling into the hands of the opposition.
If PBT is a charitable organisation and its money meant for charity, the former PBT leadership should have gracefully handed over the association and funds to the rightful incoming wives of the new elected representatives.
Why the hurry to dissolve PBT in the first place?
Jeff Ooi described it as an act of `desperate housewives' in his blog, which provoked an angry retaliation from Chui calling for an open debate.
Not keen to pick up a public mud slugging match with a woman, Lim threw the gauntlet to Koh for answers.
"The former chief minister should answer. Koh is duty bound to clear the air over the matter," he said.
Questions to ponder over the issue are:
(1) Legally, is it not that an association can only be dissolved at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), not at an AGM, and upon a written request for one or a certain number of members.
(2) In most cases, a 14-day notice of this EGM shall be sent to all members to validate the meeting. Was this done?
(3) After March 8, BNWs had automatically lost their membership since their husbands were no longer in power. Hence, do they still have any legal right to conduct an AGM, let alone dissolve the organisation..
It is best for Koh and the BNWs to cooperate with the new state government and find an amicable solution to the issue.
After their husbands started it, wives of Pakatan elected representatives in Penang will now take over to get to the bottom of the controversy surrounding the Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung (PBT).
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it is now up to the PRWs to pursue the matter with BNWs.The BNWs have allegedly committed a legal infringement by dissolving PBT and disbursing more than half a million ringgit belong to the association to several organisations.
"The wives of Pakatan elected representatives will now pursue the matter by requesting the Registrar of Society to intervene and investigate the alleged breach of the law when PBT was dissolved," Lim told a press conference in Penang today.
The state government decided to hand over the matter to the PRWs since Lim, his Chief-of-Staff Jeff Ooi Chuan Ann and his political secretary Ng Wei Aik have made their points and feelings clear on the issue.
PRWs are expected to meet the ROS tomorrow to deliberate on the case and request the relevant authority to probe deep into PBT's controversial dissolution and quick transfer of funds to other bodies.
The controversy surfaced a week ago when PBT was found to have been dissolved on March 9, the day after the Gerakan-led BN coalition was toppled.
Until the controversy surfaced, many Penangites were unaware of the existence of such a charitable organisation which involved wives of elected representatives from the state.
Annual RM10,000 from state
Now PTB has emerged as the talk of the town. Its controversial dissolution and overnight disbursement of funds have raised many eyebrows.
At the centre of the controversy is former PBT president and former Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon's wife Chui Kah Peng, who put up a courageous media show in recent days by challenging Lim and Jeff Ooi to an open debate on the issue.
Chui was one of the founding members of the association which was registered in 1992.
The association received an annual grant of RM10,000 from the state government to assist it in its yearly operating expenses, while all other funds were raised through fund–raising events and advertisements in its publications.
Be it a show of courage, corollary of naivety or sheer ignorance of the law, Chui ought to have sought the advice of her husband, since Koh was PBT advisor at the time, before dissolving the association, disbursing its funds, throwing tantrums and ranting about open debates.
Such `show of strength' was perhaps to conceal PBT leadership’s sense of insecurity in a public attempt to right the wrongs.
On Monday, however Chui has announced an unconditional `ceasefire' over the media war with the state government.
In an official letter from the Chief Minister's office to Chui early this week, Ng questioned the former PBT president on whether she acted with the knowledge of the advisor.
Koh was called upon to declare openly whether he endorsed PBT members' decision to dissolve the association and disburse its money remaining in its account amounting to RM590, 665 to various organisations,
PBT gave away RM350,000 to Bakti - a federal organisation for wives of ministers and deputy ministers; RM220,000 to the Bureau on Learning Difficulties which was to support the Bold-PBT Centre activities in Penang, and RM20,665 shared between the Penang Cheshire Home, Mental Health Association of Penang and Mount Miriam Hospital.
No more legal rights
Chui has been warned to be mindful about what she says since she was embroiled in a serious legal and moral obligation that ought to be addressed immediately.
Although she claimed it was an exclusive club for the wives of BN elected representatives, PBT constitution was unambiguous in classifying it as an exclusive club for wives of state assemblypersons and members of Parliament of the ruling party in Penang.
So it is unclear whether wives of state assemblypersons and MPs from the opposition are not eligible to be PBT members.
A perusal revealed that the term `Barisan Nasional' had not appeared at all in any part of the PBT constitution.
As their husbands were defeated on March 8, BNWs were facing scorching political heat to safeguard PBT interests.
An AGM of the association’s 45 members was called the next day to make two final decisions - a hasty dissolution and speedy distribution of its funds.
Their oversight about the PBT constitution could be caused by the ‘rush’ to prevent the funds from falling into the hands of the opposition.
If PBT is a charitable organisation and its money meant for charity, the former PBT leadership should have gracefully handed over the association and funds to the rightful incoming wives of the new elected representatives.
Why the hurry to dissolve PBT in the first place?
Jeff Ooi described it as an act of `desperate housewives' in his blog, which provoked an angry retaliation from Chui calling for an open debate.
Not keen to pick up a public mud slugging match with a woman, Lim threw the gauntlet to Koh for answers."The former chief minister should answer. Koh is duty bound to clear the air over the matter," he said.
Questions to ponder over the issue are:
(1) Legally, is it not that an association can only be dissolved at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), not at an AGM, and upon a written request for one or a certain number of members.
(2) In most cases, a 14-day notice of this EGM shall be sent to all members to validate the meeting. Was this done?
(3) After March 8, BNWs had automatically lost their membership since their husbands were no longer in power. Hence, do they still have any legal right to conduct an AGM, let alone dissolve the organisation..
It is best for Koh and the BNWs to cooperate with the new state government and find an amicable solution to the issue.
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