Don't use religious issues, opposition told

KUCHING, April 12 (Bernama) -- Religious and racial harmony is a very precious asset that every Malaysian should strive to preserve, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said today.
He said the opposition should not use religious issues in the Sarawak election because this could threaten harmony in this state of various races and creeds.
"We know this state has its own culture of peace, courtesy and tolerance, with respect for all, regardless of race or religion," he told reporters after closing a course for Quran teachers.
This culture must be protected for the wellbeing of the people and continued development, he added.
At the closing ceremony, Minister in the Chief Minister's Office Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman questioned the motive of PAS contesting the state polls.
Daud, who is PBB vice-president, wondered how PAS could champion Islam when it was vying for only five seats.
He said the peninsula-based party had come to Sarawak to split Muslims in the state for opposition advantage.

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/56043

Opposition harping on Taib's tenure

SIBU, April 12 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud's 30-year tenure has been turned into a burning issue by the opposition in the Sarawak state election, polling of which is on Saturday.
More often than not, DAP leaders do not call the 74-year old veteran leader who has been responsible for the tremendous development of Sarawak by name but "pa moh" - referring to his silvery white-hair.
Despite Taib having announced that he will hand over power to his successor, who has yet to be named, the opposition front consisting of DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS has not stopped kicking up dust on the subject.
Running out of substantial issues, it appears that the opposition has to make the best out of the situation to stir up sentiments, especially among the Chinese population.
It took Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to neutralise the issue with Najib saying that he and Taib had discussed the matter and would make an announcement at the appropriate time.
But Taib's extended reign is not the only debate, as the opposition is also training its guns on the tenure of other state leaders like deputy chief ministers Tan Sri Dr George Chan and Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.
Dr Chan heads the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) while Jabu is one of two deputy presidents of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the backbone of the State Barisan Nasional (BN). SUPP is the second biggest component in the State BN.
Dr Chan said to SUPP's supporters and sympathisers, Taib's strong leadership was still needed at least for now as he (Taib) always adopted a balanced approach in handling delicate ethnic issues.
"He can go with ease to various places in the state, whether longhouses or houses of worship. He is a moderate leader who bonds well with various groups," he said.
Former Lambir assemblyman Aidan Wing, can attest to Taib's attributes. He said the government contributed to the building of various houses of worship in the state, such as the St Peter/St Paul Church in Mukah, a Melanau heartland in Sarawak's central region.
"Taib even had a hand in the design of the church which gives better functionality to its structure. That is why we invited him to officiate the opening of the church," said Aidan, who also hails from Mukah and is board chairman of Mukah Catholic Church Charitable Trust.
Such balancing act augurs well for the multi-racial and laid-back society in Sarawak where religious diversity and differences are not an issue.
Within the local political context, Taib's strong leadership has also kept the current political status-quo in check from outside influence.
Sarawak Minister of Housing and Urban Development Datuk Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg, reported to be in the front line to take over from Taib, said the opposition had been attacking the moderate stance of the state government in matters of race and religion.
"When we (Muslim leaders) open a church, they (opposition) say we are not Muslims. When I went to officiate a Chinese school, they said I'm pro-Chinese.
"For us here, it is normal, but for these opposition parties, they try to create an issue and stir up emotions among the various ethnic groups," he said.
SUPP's publicity chief Daniel Ngieng said the reason for DAP to pick on the "Pa Moh" issue was to stir up Chinese sentiments.
"To me, what is more important is whether the Chinese want bigger representation in the government for their long term benefit or just to ride on their emotions and lose everything later," he said.
Ngieng said if the opposition wants to talk about Taib overstaying his welcome, they should go to the mirror and look at themselves.
"They will see their veteran leaders stand out very clearly such as Lim Kit Siang who has been dominating DAP for 42 years and DAP chairman Karpal Singh who has been around 32 years," he said.
Ngieng said the DAP was only contesting in 15 seats and if it was serious about toppling Taib, the party should have contested the Balingian seat (Taib's seat).
"Taib will stay on as 56 bumiputera seats are in the hands of the BN. That is why we believe the DAP has a covert agenda. After the election, they will go back to KL (Kuala Lumpur). Then who is going to defend the Chinese's interest here?," he asked.

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/56059

No discrimination in Sarawak: Taib

KUCHING, April 12 (Bernama) -- Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has slammed Peninsular-based opposition parties for waging a sustained campaign of "lies, instigation and racism allegations" in the state election.
He said allegations of racial discrimination and that non-Muslims in Sarawak were unsafe were "all fiction."
Taib said most of the DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) campaign workers were not Sarawakians.
"Most of the people of Sarawak know that there are more Christians than Muslims in Sarawak. So there is no question of Muslims wanting to dominate or to discriminate against other faiths," he said in an interview today.
Even the small Indian population found it comfortable living in the state, he added.
Taib said he was saddened by such attempts to disrupt unity in the state.
"I tell the religious leaders and community leaders frankly that the politics propagated by the DAP and PKR is unsuitable to ensure peace and solidarity or for the convenience and progress of Sarawak in future," Taib said.
He said the state government must have long-term planning so that the young generation were not influenced by the opposition propaganda.
"This trend is most dangerous. Probably after the state election, Sarawak will come up with a White Paper to preserve Sarawak's harmonious political atmosphere and to preserve stability," he said.
He said it would help to forge a common programme and understanding among the various races, religions and cultures in the state including minority groups.

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/56060

Taib confident of two-thirds majority

KUCHING, April 12 (Bernama) -- The first vote in the 10th Sarawak state election will be cast tomorrow as police and security forces personnel take to the ballot box first with three days to go to polling day (Saturday).
Postal voters number 18,363 of the 979,796 on the electoral roll.
The next 72 hours will see campaigning going into overdrive as Barisan Nasional (BN) defends its ground against the opposition spearheaded by Peninsular-based DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said today that the BN would win more than two-thirds majority on Saturday because bumiputeras continue to back the government.
Taib, who is Sarawak BN chairman, said that he also sees some change in Chinese-dominated so-called black areas and older Chinese voters were more serious about weighing the community' representation in the government.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is national BN chairman, and his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, will continue with their offensive in the interior Dayak areas and Chinese urban towns.
They are scheduled separately to swing by Miri where the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), the Chinese component of the state BN, is locked in an intense fight for the Chinese-dominated seats here against the DAP.
Among the seats is the Piasau constituency which being defended by SUPP president Tan Sri Dr George Chan.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to visit Sibu before returning to Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Meanwhile, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), which is making its debut in the election with 10 candidates, said Sarawakians should not vote for the opposition front of DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS.
Party vice-president Huan Cheng Guan of the Penang-based PCM said if the opposition front took over Sarawak, the parties involved would import their people to Sarawak to "cari makan" (for bounty).
He said the DAP had done the same thing in Penang when they won the state in the 2008 general election and treated the locals badly.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohmad Salleh said another 250 permits were issued in the last 24 hours and he again reminded the political parties not to touch on racial sensitivities.

MySinchew 2011.04.13

 

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/56061 

BN needs to win urban seats: Najib

KUCHING, April 13 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) needs to step up efforts to win urban seats in the Sarawak state election this Saturday, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The prime minister said the BN must work extra hard to win these seats because the coalition's candidates fielded for them were people of very high calibre.
Najib said it could not be denied that the BN's ability to win these seats would be a tough challenge.
Voters in urban areas (in Sarawak) should have faith in the BN to assure their future based on the transformation programmes that have already been implemented by the government, he told a press conference after attending a "meet-the-people" session in Sadong Jaya near here today.
"We have already introduced the 1Malaysia concept whereby all races will be treated fairly," he said.
In the last Sarawak state election in 2006, the BN lost nine seats mostly in urban areas like Pending, Pandungan, Kota Sentosa and Batu Lintang.
Earlier, Najib, who arrived here last night for a four-day visit to Sarawak, had held "meet-the-people" sessions with the townsfolk of Pusa, Serian and in Sebuyau in the Sri Aman division.

MySinchew 2011.04.13

 

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/56082 

PM dismisses Sarawak opposition manifesto as mere election promises

PEKAN, April 9 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today dismissed the Sarawak election manifesto of the opposition pact as mere election promises, unlike what he said was the ongoing infrastructure development of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in that state.
He said the BN government's ongoing massive infrastructure development in Sarawak was not tied to the state election as it had been going on since last year.
"The opposition makes promises; it does not give guarantees. Our (the BN) manifesto is on ongoing efforts. The proof is in the implementation of the NKRA (National Key Result Area). We give preference to infrastructure development," he told reporters after opening the One-Stop Marketing Complex of the Pekan Automotive Industrial Park, here.
Najib, who is also BN chairman, was asked to comment on the opposition pact's "Jom Ubah Sarawak" (Let's Go for Change, Sarawak) manifesto for the state election, polling for which is on April 16.
The prime minister said the federal government was undertaking many infrastructure projects in Sarawak, and that it would be the biggest achievement yet of the BN government in terms of development of water, electricity and road projects as well as repair of houses and such.

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/55871

Chinese must vote for a stake in post-Taib government, says Sim

KUCHING, April 9 (Bernama) -- He may be a new face at the polls but Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Pending state here, is no stranger to the demands of public life.
He learned what serving the public meant from his father, the late deputy chief minister Tan Sri Sim Kheng Hong, who was treasurer of the Sarawak United People's Party.
"I followed my parents around, meeting a lot of people. People could drop by the house any time. A lot of people still remember him very well," Dr Sim said.
"Not many people now know this of my father, but one of his greatest qualities was that he didn't speak much, he just served, he worked to produce results. This is what I call real action to create real change," added the 46-year-old renowned cardiologist who is the second youngest of eight siblings.
The SUPP member is adopting his father's ethics with a little twist to project his identity in his slogan for the April 16 state election.
Above the catch phrases of "real action" and "real change" is "real heart" emblazoned in red.
"It's simple, I am a cardiologist, I speak from the heart," said Dr Sim.
Many still shake their heads at his decision to return from Australia after 17 years to his home state and set up from scratch a full fledged cardiac unit at the Sarawak General Hospital.
"I came back from Australia because I find much more value here. If I had stayed on, I would make like six million a year but I came back to serve the country. I spent 10 years to build up the cardiac unit as a doctor but if I want to do more, I have to go beyond that," he said.
Violet Yong, the opposition DAP incumbent in Pending, is aware of the credentials of her rival but insists the bigger picture in the election is not a fight between individuals but between the BN and the opposition.
Dr Sim disagrees.
"This election is about when CM steps down, do the Chinese have any representation in the government or not," he said, referring to the stated intention of Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to bow out in two or three years.
"We are living in Malaysia and if you are not participating in the government of your own choice, how are you going to get involved later on? How are you going to give your input on resource development and resource sharing?"
Dr Sim said the DAP's pitch to voters to change the Taib-led government was nothing new as the party had asked the chief minister to step down at every election.
"In Malaysia, we believe in transformation change, we don't believe in revolution change. CM has said he is stepping down and stated clearly he wants young people in the succession line," Dr Sim added.
The DAP, which won six Chinese majority seats in 2006, are contesting in 15 this time, posing the main challenge to SUPP, which it hopes to replace as the representative of the Chinese.
Dr Sim said the Chinese must look at the reality that they cannot change the government with just 15 of the 71 seats in the state assembly.
"I always tell people if we miss this chance we have to wait for another 20 years. The CM is already 75, when he steps down, the next generation will come in.
"The choice for the Chinese people is: Do you want to choose to stay outside and remain unhappy that you cannot effect change or do you want to be part of the transformation of BN?" he said.

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/55864