PKR SARAWAK PRESS STATEMENTS ON DAP (Slumbering PKR?), PRS (Hudud) AND PBB (Roadmap).
7 JULY 2015
WHAT IS DAP SARAWAK’S AGENDA?
It is obvious to Sarawakians that YB Chong Chieng Jen has been intent on picking a fight with PKR Sarawak since July last year. At that time, they accused our Chairman of not having an unequivocal stand on the implementation of hudud when it was a well-known fact that YB Baru had in fact made his stand very clear on at least 2 occasions before then. When that excuse was proved to be an embarrassing untruth, YB Chong accused our party of greedily wanting to contest in 50 seats in the next elections when we had merely proposed that for the purposes of a baseline for seat negotiations, the 3 parties start from the seats we contested in the last state elections. We were very disappointed that YB Chong saw fit to disclose the proceedings of our meeting without our consent, and in fact, twisted the facts to suit his purposes.
Let us be clear that YB Chong had declared that DAP would no longer have anything to do with PKR even before the Kelantan government passed their Hudud Law Bill on 19 March this year. Our Chairman had said on numerous occasions that DAP and PKR knew all along that hudud law was an agenda of PAS ever since the party came into existence, but the coalition was agreed to nevertheless. YB Baru has also said that hudud was never an agenda of Pakatan Raykat and he has made his stand against the implementation of hudud very clear, to the point of submitting a private member’s motion in the State Assembly in April this year that hudud should never be implemented in Sarawak.
On our part, we have always been consistent in our principles and our stand on the issues facing the raykat. We have never lost sight of the fact that the BN is our opposition, and not DAP. This brings us to a question that has been burning in the minds of many Sarawakians. On 15 March this year, YB Chong had offered Sarawak BN the option of forming a unity government with PR once Putrajaya is won by Pakatan Rakyat. As expected YB Chong’s statement was rejected by the state BN leaders. However, we would like YB Chong to explain his invitation to the Sarawak BN to form a unity government so that we fully understand what he plans he has for Sarawak. What was he hoping to achieve by that invitation and what role would the Sarawak BN have in his Unity Government?
After being rebuffed by the Sarawak BN, in April this year, YB Chong asked PKR Sarawak to leave PR and form a new alliance with DAP. He had chosen to cut off ties with us for dubious reasons and then he wanted to talk to us again, which is rather puzzling.
When his overture to PKR met with no response, YB Chong grasped at another reason to train his guns on us, accusing PKR of not moving in the rural areas, and therefore his DAP has to step in to save the rural community. All we have to say to that is, perhaps he should take care of his own backyard before passing judgment on others and belittling their efforts. PKR has been working hard to engage with and build relationships with the rural communities for many years and is continuing to do so.
Finally, if DAP is so keen to help the rural community, why have their lawyers not taken up the fight for NCR to defend the lands of the indigenous people? In fact, perhaps YB Chong can explain why some DAP lawyers are acting for timber and plantation companies in NCR cases. There is no point trumpeting about championing the cause of the rural community when you do not address the core issue that affects them, and that is their rights to land, but worse still, act against their interest. What DAP is doing seems to echo BN’s patronising tactic of giving the people projects but at the same time enable others to deprive them of their lands, which are the people’s life and blood.
PKR hopes that DAP will cease baiting PKR for this is not a playground fight between schoolchildren. We must always bear in mind that we are in this battle for the good of the people of Sarawak, and not to feed our egos.
Nicholas Bawin
Secretary, PKR Sarawak.
PRS YOUTH, WHERE WERE YOU?
Of late, there seems to be a lot of people barking up the wrong tree. One case in point is the PRS Youth yesterday challenging YB Baru Bian to state his stand on hudud. It appears that PRS Youth has caught the disease from DAP a bit too slowly when it is already yesterday’s news that PKR and YB Baru Bian have stated their stand on the issues of hudud very clearly. It just goes to show that PRS Youth probably do not keep up with current affairs in Sarawak if until today they still do not know PKR and YB Baru’s stand on hudud. His statements on hudud have been published in both the mainstream press and in online news portals so it is rather incredible that PRS Youth should issue this silly challenge.
To make it easy for PRS Youth, I refer them to YB Baru’s statements as follows:-
1) “Sarawak under no obligation to follow PM on Hudud Law” dated 30 April 2014,
2) “Sarawak agreed to the formation of a Secular Malaysia,” dated 18 June 2014,
3) “PKR Calls For A United Non-Partisan Sarawakian Front To Safeguard The Constitution And Our Secular State” dated 25 March 2015
All these statements were published in the local papers and shared widely on social media. They should also make an effort to do some research on the proceedings of the most recent DUN sitting where YB Baru submitted a private member’s motion that there should be no implementation of hudud in Sarawak. However YB Baru’s private member’s motion was dismissed by the Dewan Speaker. It begs the question, where were the PRS President James Masing when the Dewan Speaker dismissed YB Baru’s private motion. If PRS Youth feels that research would involve too much effort, I would be more than happy to supply them with copies of YB Baru’s statements and motion.
PKR YOUTH CHALLENGE JAMES MASING TO STATE HIS STAND ON THE ALLAH ISSUE AND NCR LAND
I would like to take this opportunity to also challenge James Masing and PRS on what their party’s stand is on the ‘Allah’ issue and on the NCR of the indigenous Sarawakians. Do they know that the BN government of which they are a part, is the source of the ‘Allah/Alkitab’ controversy? How can they support a government that supports the restriction of their Constitutional and human rights? The so-called 10 point solution offered by the PM had failed to solve the issue and the BN government is in fact now drawing up a ‘SOP on BM Bibles’, which is unacceptable to Borneo Christians. Why doesn’t PRS Youth take up this issue with their main body and the BN government instead of making silly challenges to YB Baru Bian? If they are really sincere about standing up for their people, they should ask their leaders to quit the BN, as a matter of principle.
What does PRS Youth have to offer to the rural population who are fighting for their lands against the logging companies, timber companies and dam builders? What is their stand on the native customary rights of the people? Are they not aware that the Courts have recognized the practice of pemakai menua and pulau galau and it is the BN Government who continues to disregard the Court’s decision and continue to issue timber licences and leases over pemakai menua and pulau galau. As we speak, the Sarawak BN has instructed the State Attorney General to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision in TR Sandah ak Tabau case on the recognition of pemakai menua and pulau galau as being part of the native land ownership in Sarawak. Are they even aware of the fight that our lawyers have been engaged in over the definition of NCR? Do they support the government’s stand and disrespectful disregard of the court’s definition of NCR? In recent months, we even have their own party members from Baleh whose NCR land has been encroached by timber companies and approaching us to help them.
Since PRS Youth is feeling so gung ho about issuing challenges, I would invite them to just explain their stand on these two issues first. If they are unable to give us a clear answer, then they should just stop embarrassing themselves any further and apply some effort in keeping informed of developments in the political arena. They would do well to learn from the saying “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Simon Siah Sy Jen
Deputy Chairman
PKR Youth Sarawak
WHY IS PBB FREAKING OUT EVEN BEFORE READING THE PKR ROADMAP WHICH HAS YET TO BE LAUNCHED?
1. Vernon chuckled to himself and said, “PBB is the last party on earth to take the high ground and talk about promises. When it comes to unfulfilled promises, PBB has outdone even UMNO as its track record in not fulfilling promises to the rakyat spans 53 years and the entire state of Sarawak! How can it have the audacity to even consider accusing others of not fulfilling promises when PBB itself has been denying Sarawakians for 53 long years what is rightfully ours?”
2. “Let us look at BN’s Manifestos for Sarawak. Let me ask Idris Buang, how many promises has BN Sarawak fulfilled since 2011 and subsequently 2013? Where is the Sri Aman Hospital? Where is the Jalan Song – Kapit? Where is the Jalan Spak – Ulu Padeh? Where is the double lane Pan Borneo Highway? Please Idris Buang, give me facts and figures to substantiate your argument instead of hot air. This is not facebook. This is the State’s future at stake,” Vernon jibed, referring to Idris Buang’s penchant for commenting on facebook.
3. Vernon further rebuffed Chief political secretary to Chief Minister, Abdullah Saidol, “Before PBB even considers removing the speck out of the eye of PKR in Selangor, it should first get immediate critical remedy to remove the fossilised planks in its own eyes. The Sarawak State Government is not exactly known for its excellence in governance, so it should not draw attention to its failures these past 53 years. In fact, allegations upon heaps of allegations have yet to be investigated about the State’s mismanagement of policies that look good on paper but have yet to see the light of day, not to mention blatant land grabbing, fraudulent accounting and unmitigated legalised cronyism!
4. The Manifesto Committee of PKR Sarawak chaired by Vernon Aji Kedit is in the midst of fine-tuning the final draft of the Roadmap which promises to be a stunningly detailed document laying out new policies that would catapult Sarawak into the 21st century and prepare it for the 22nd century. The 20 Point Roadmap is touted to be launced on the 22nd of July, Sarawak Independence Day.
5. “Please PBB, do not shoot down the Roadmap until you have read it. You are only showing the public how rattled you are by PKR. Do not applaud the tenor for clearing his throat before he even starts singing, and make sure this time do not copy and fish from our policies like how you have done with our previous manifestoes. If our manifestoes are useless, why steal our ideas and then look like a plagiarising copycat?” reminded Vernon.
Vernon Aji Kedit
State Information Chief
Facebook PKR Sarawak
-SarawakLIVE
-SarawakLIVE
Post a Comment