SARAWAK LIVE: STAR

STAR yakin sapu bersih lima kerusi di wilayah tengah

KUCHING: Parti Reformasi Negeri (STAR) Sarawak melahirkan keyakinan tinggi untuk menyapu bersih lima kerusi di wilayah tengah pada Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) Ke-11 ini.

Lima kerusi itu adalah Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan dan Nangka yang masing-masing ditandingi Moh Hiong King, Mary Ting Yiik Hong, Wong Sing Wei, Priscilla Lau dan Simon Tiong Ing Tung.

Lau bagi mewakili calon di kawasan itu memberitahu, penyandang di kerusi terbabit sama ada Barisan Nasional (BN) mahupun Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) gagal melaksanakan tugas dengan baik meskipun rakyat telah memberi mereka peluang untuk berkhidmat sebelum ini.

“Mereka (penyandang kerusi) telah diberi peluang selama bertahun-tahun namun tidak memberi banyak sumbangan kepada rakyat dan pasukan STAR mampu melakukan tugas itu dengan baik,” katanya pada sidang media di sini, semalam.

Lau juga seorang peguam turut menggesa supaya pengundi di kawasan untuk memberi mereka peluang memperjuang hak asas seperti pendidikan dan pembangunan asas.

“Kami rakyat yang mahu berkhidmat dengan baik kepada rakyat. Jangan undi atas sebab kawan, tetapi undi jika anda rasa saya, dan pasukan kami dapat membawa masa depan lebih baik untuk anda dan anak,” katanya.

Pada sidang media tersebut Presiden STAR Sarawak Lina Soo mengumumkan 12 calon bakal bertanding dalam PRN11, termasuk di dua kerusi baru iaitu Serembu dan Bukit Semuja.

Tujuh calon lain ialah Mura Kadir di Tanjung Batu, Teo Kuang Kim (Padungan), Buln Ribos (Serembu), Johnny Aput (Bukit Semuja), Marcus Kanyong (Bukit Begunan), Mohammed Annuar Abd Hamid (Jepak) dan Chieng Lea Phing (Tanjong Batu).

Menurut Lina, parti itu akan menampilkan dua lagi calon namun nama mereka hanya akan diumumkan pada hari penamaan calon iaitu esok.

Beliau tidak menolak kemungkinan akan bertanding namun tidak mengulas lanjut kerana ia sedang dimuktamadkan dan menambah, barisan calon itu dipilih dua minggu lalu selepas pemilihan jawatankuasa parti.

“Ini merupakan barisan calon kuat, selepas kali terakhir menyertai pilihan raya pada 2006, kami semua bersedia untuk menang.

“Kita merupakan parti tempatan prorakyat yang mahu memperjuangkan hak Sarawak dan status politik Sarawak,” katanya.

STAR Sarawak turut melancarkan manifesto pilihan raya yang memperjuang slogan poli

- Borneo Post Online

STAR plans to convert ‘fixed deposit’ status to ‘overdraft’

KUCHING: Sarawak-based opposition party State Reform Party (STAR) has pledged to help Sarawak shed its ‘fixed deposit’ label.

How it hopes to achieve this after lying dormant for several years is anybody’s guess.

After the party’s annual general meeting which saw the election of the new office bearers on April 10 in Kuching, newly-elected president Lina Soo confidently announced that STAR intends to convert Putrajaya’s ‘fixed deposit’ to an ‘overdraft’.

This is to be achieved by pressuring both the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan lawmakers to recognise Sarawak’s rights via the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

“We seek the restoration of Sarawak’s rights which were lost as a consequence of Constitutional Amendment Act A354 Sec. 2 effective Aug 27 1976, which downgraded Sarawak to be the 13th state, instead of one of three component territories as per Malaysia Agreement 1963.

“STAR seeks to have a voice in DUN where we can pressure the Sarawak government to legislate and take action to seek to repeal Act 354 sec. 2 in Parliament.

“We also seek to restore the ‘K’ back in our identity cards as opposed to ‘13’ which only accentuates our loss of political status to the 13th state,” Soo said.

But first, she said STAR has to send representatives to the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) and to do that it has to contest in the coming state election.

The party is appealing to voters to send its first lawmakers to the DUN where its representatives can voice out Sarawak voters’ legitimate concerns to regain, as Soo describes, “their political status, our pride and our dignity”.

STAR is eyeing 30 seats and is said to have identified its potential candidates.

The seats are Tasik Biru, Tg Datu, Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Batu Kitang, Batu Kawah, Stakan, Serembu, Mambong, Kedup, Bukit Semuja, Semop, Daro, Jemoreng, Repok, Meradong, Machan, Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Nangka, Dalat, Tellian, Balingian, Jepak, Tanjong Batu, Kemena and Samalaju.

But the cash-strapped party which laid bare its 2015 financial statements at the AGM last Saturday, showing a balance of only RM1,368.65 with zero tangible assets, will have to fork out an election deposit of RM15,000 per constituency.

With the party eyeing an ambitious 30 seats, this works out to nearly half a million ringgit.

“We will put up 30 candidates provided we’re successful in our public fund-raising appeal to raise RM15,000 per constituency which will amount to RM450,000 for 30 seats.

“Otherwise, STAR will have to abort its election plan,” says Soo.

The party suffered a major setback when its permanent chairman Dr Patau Rubis collapsed and died following a massive stroke during the AGM late last month. The party elections had to be postponed and resumed last Saturday.

Soo claimed the party never had any ‘towkay’ financing the party in its 20 years of existence.

“Also STAR has never ever received any funding from overseas NGOs. Therefore, the party is beholden to no one except Sarawak voters,” she said.

Meanwhile, the party manifesto will be unveiled before nomination day.

The new office bearers for the 2016-2021 term:

Permanent chairman: Johnny Bob Aput

Deputy permanent chairman I: Buln Ribos

Deputy permanent chairman II: Tambi Pilang

President: Lina Soo

Deputy president I:_James Undau

Deputy president II: Mura Kadir

Deputy president III: Zulfaqar Sa`adi

Vice presidents: Fatric Nawi, Jotem Kipa@Joseph, Mohammed Annuar Abd Hamid, Richard Revis Jimin, Vincent Augustine Bagat, Adam Wong Sing Wei, Moh Hiong King, Marcus Kayong and Mesah Suhaili

Hon. secretary: Simon Tiong Ing Tung

Assistant hon. secretary I: Patrick Teo Kuong Kim

Assistant hon. secretary II: Paul Dahop

Hon. treasurer: Chieng Lea Phing

Hon. assistant treasurer I: Jiju Ak Sulit

Hon. assistant treasurer II: Albert Voon

Committee: Ting Siong Ann, Simi Gindang, Mac Sunting, Lee Shak Fah, Lau Kee Ling, Mathew Igoh, Adeline Teng, Ting Chek Yii and Winston Way

Women’s chief: Sylvia John Gemok

ADUN elected lawmaker: Dr Jeffrey Kitingan

Advisor: Danny Ruing

Legal advisor: Daren Ling

-The Ant Daily

Parti STAR tampil calon S4S di DUN Samalaju

Parti STAR bakal menampilan Jack Voon di DUN N.70 Samalaju pada Pilihanraya Negeri Sarawak ke 11 akan datang.

Beliau yang terkenal sebagai salah seorang pejuang tegar gerakan S4S kini telah mula bergerak ke kawasan sekitar DUN Samalaju hasil bantuan kewangan dari orang ramai.

"Perjuangan saya sentiasa mengutamakan perjuangan untuk menuntut hak Sarawak. Walau bagaimanapun, saya perlu menghadapi realiti, keadaan pengumpulan dana kempen berjalan tidak seperti yang diharapkan. Setakat ini, saya hanya menerima sumbangan RM36.70. Ini adalah disebabkan oleh pelbagai batasan. Pada masa yang sama kekurangan sumber manusia dan bahan, keadaan semasa membataskan pergerakan saya,"ujar beliau.

Menurutnya lagi, beliau berpegang kepada prinsip untuk tidak mengambil peluang ini untuk menjana wang untuk mengelak konflik berkepentingan sekiranya terpilih sebagai wakil rakyat.

"Daripada Rakyat, Untuk Rakyat. Hanya wakil Rakyat yang dibiayai sepenuhnya oleh Rakyat sahaja yang akan bersama-sama bersatu hati berjuang untuk Rakyat. Jika wakil Rakyat dibiayai oleh parti politik, atau segelintir orang kaya sahaja, dan sekiranya calon tersebut berjaya di dalam Pilihanraya, kepada siapa harus dia pulangkan budi tersebut?", tambah beliau.

Jack amat berharap dengan bantuan orang ramai untuk selama hampir 2 bulan terakhir ini bagi memastikan beliau dapat melaukan pembaharuan politik di DUN Samalaju.

"Jika saya boleh memenangi pilihan raya ini, saya akan menumpukan perhatian untuk berkhidmat kepada rakyat, serta di DUN untuk menjalankan perjuangan yang komprehensif untuk kedaulatan negara Sarawak."-SarawakLive

PKR vice president Tian Chua allowed to enter state for 3 days

KUCHING: Batu MP Tian Chua has been granted permission to enter the state for three days.

This was confirmed by the Chief Minister’s Office today (March 23) to enable him to attend State Reform Party (STAR) founder Dr Patau Rubis’ funeral.

It is understood that Tian Chua, who is PKR vice president, has arrived in Kuching today for the funeral.

Dr Patau passed away on Sunday.

Tian Chua or his real name Chua Tian Chang is among the opposition leaders who were barred from entering the state. - Utusan Borneo.

Dr Patau Rubis meninggal dunia

KUCHING: Pengasas Parti Reformasi Negeri (STAR) Dr Patau Rubis meninggal dunia semalam selepas jatuh pengsan ketika menghadiri mesyuarat agung tahunan parti itu di sebuah hotel di sini semalam.

Bekas menteri muda Sarawak itu dikatakan jatuh pengsan sekitar jam 4 petang dan kemudian dikejarkan ke Hospital Umum Sarawak (HUS) namun disahkan meninggal dunia pada jam 5 petang.

Dr Patau, 70, meninggal seorang balu, Tessie dan tiga anak, dua perempuan, seorang lelaki (Jennifer, June dan Sean).

Beliau bertanding buat pertama kalinya di kerusi Mas Gading di bawah tiket Barisan Nasional (BN) pada pilihan raya umum (PRU) 1986, namun tewas dalam pertandingan lima penjuru itu kepada calon Bebas, Patrick Anek Uren.

Pada 1990, Dr Patau bertanding semula di kerusi Mas Gading dalam pertandingan tiga penjuru dan menang dengan majoriti 3,232 undi.

Beliau mempertahankan kerusi itu pada 1995, selepas memperoleh majoriti 14,871 undi menentang dua pencabarnya.

Pada Oktober 1995, Dr Patau dipecat daripada kabinet negeri kerana didapati menyokong beberapa calon Bebas menentang calon BN pada PRU 1995.

STAR didaftar pada 9 Oktober 1996 dan Dr Patau menjadi presiden pertama semasa perhimpunan tiga tahun sekali parti pada 9 Mac 1997.

Pada PRU 2004, Dr Patau cuba mempertahankan kerusi Mas Gading di bawah tiket Parti Kebangsaan Sarawak (SNAP) menentang calon BN iaitu Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe namun usaha beliau tidak berjaya.

Tidak mahu mengaku kalah lebih awal, beliau kemudiannya bertanding semula pada PRU 2008 menentang Dr Tiki, bagaimanapun usahanya itu juga gagal. - Utusan Borneo

Star announces candidates for state election

KUCHING: State Reform Party (Star) yesterday announced that 39-year-old Jack Voon Kuet Fui will be the party’s candidate for Samalaju in the coming state election.

The party’s president Dripin Sakoi announced this in a press conference at the party’s premises in Jalan Batu Kawa.

“We will be coming up with more names later on. We want to try and contest in as many seats as possible because Star is a multi-racial party so we are aiming to contest in as many seats as possible in different areas,” Dripin said.

He also revealed that Simon Tiong would be contesting in Nangka while Wong Sing Wei would contest in Bawang Assan. Voon, an activist, said his mission was to restore Sarawak’s status.

“I want to restore Sarawak’s status back to being a country and unite the people. We should work together and not have people divide us. There have been many attempts to divide us by using race and religion.

“I am calling all Sarawakian nationalists to fight for Sarawak – whoever is capable should stand up and fight for Sarawak. But of course, we will do this legally and according to the law,” Voon remarked.

Also present at the press conference were Star member Johnny Bob, party treasurer Lina Soo and committee member Mesah Suhaili. - Borneo Post.

STAR umum tanding 27 kerusi DUN wilayah tengah

SIBU: Parti Reformasi Negeri (STAR) akan bertanding di 27 kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) kawasan wilayah tengah termasuk meletakkan calon di kerusi Kakus, Semop termasuk kawasan Parlimen Bintulu.

Presidennya Dr Dripin Sakoi berkata di Sibu dua daripada lima kerusi telah disah ditandingi termasuk meletakkan bekas Pengerusi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Simon Tiong di DUN Nangka.

Manakala Wong Sing Wei, 40, seorang ahli perniagaan pula akan bertanding di Bawang Assan dan calon bertanding di tiga lagi kerusi Bukit Assek, Dudong dan Pelawan telah dikenal pasti tetapi belum diumum identiti masing-masing.

“Pencalonan mereka telah dipersetujui dalam mesyuarat parti peringkat pusat yang diadakan di ibu pejabat parti di Kuching pada Disember tahun lalu,” katanya selain turut menamakan Simon sebagai naib presiden STAR serta pengerusi STAR kawasan wilayah tengah.

Terdahulu, beliau merasmikan bilik gerakan STAR yang terletak di Jalan Persiaran Brooke di sini semalam dan majlis itu turut dihadiri Setiausaha Agung dan Bendahari STAR Pusat Donny Ruing serta Lina Soo.

Menurut Dripin, STAR lebih kepada perjuangan dalam menuntut hak serta membela nasib rakyat negeri ini.

Sementara itu, Lina berkata STAR turut bekerjasama dengan parti-parti lain kecuali Barisan Nasional (BN) namun ia dilakukan menerusi perbincangan biasa.

“Kami juga bekerjasama dengan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) dan para aktivis,” jelas beliau.

Dalam pada itu, Simon berharap STAR akan diterima baik oleh masyarakat di wilayah tengah khususnya, termasuk memberi sokongan padu pada PRN nanti.-Utusan Borneo.

Let PBS come. Parti Star was already in Sabah in 1998

Anak Bidayuh: I do not understand the opposition to the intended entry of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) into Sarawak. I am surprised that even Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem is not quite happy with Joseph Pairin’s intention.

I can consider PBS a friendly party from Sabah, BN or not – it doesn’t really bother me. In the long run, politicians from Sabah and Sarawak should be working together. We are in this together and we have a lot in common. This thing about Pairin doing the work of Umno to ‘break’ Sarawak does not make sense to me. That Pairin has a close working relationship with Musa Aman, the Umno chief minister of Sabah, does not make him an Umno stooge. Pairin is made of sterner stuff than that.

It must be noted that the State Reform Party (Star) was actually the first political party from Sarawak to establish roots in Sabah. In 1998, a year after it was registered, Star started a recruitment drive in Sabah. The party also fielded a candidate for a parliamentary seat in Sabah during the 1999 general election.

In 2012, Dr Jeffrey Kitingan took Star to Sabah in a big way. He established the Star chapter in Sabah and became its chairman. Sabah Star participated in GE13, contested in more than 40 parliamentary and state seats. However, only Jeffrey himself managed to win the Bingkor state seat.

Jeffrey’s intention to link the Sarawak-based Star with Sabah was a noble one. Long an advocate of autonomy for the Borneo states, Jeffrey’s plan was long term. Now, could his elder brother, Pairin, be sharing the same vision – a common agenda for the similarly downtrodden Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak.

I can only think of a lot of good for the people of Sabah and Sarawak if politicians from the two states, whether in BN or the Opposition, work together. We have long been shortchanged by Malaya. Together, we have a better chance of claiming back what rightfully belongs to us. Together, we shall overcome.

Oh Malaysia: Sarawakians, be wary! Umno Baru is a party which has no principle, integrity, dignity or honour. Remember the proverb “Once bitten twice shy”. And what Shakespeare said, "A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool”. Don't be fooled by this fool from PBS or the foolhardy Zahid.

Mikey: Nobody can break Sarawak If Sarawakians stay united. When you are united, you can do practically anything like your own education system and 100% oil revenue. Don't tell me Sarawakians do not want 100% of their own oil? When Najib Janji/promise he will not let Umno invade Sarawak, that does not mean anything because Najib Janji is worthless and most of the time, it will turn out to be Janji di-capati.

TheNextSaga: At the end of the day, Sarawakians need to wake up to the reality that so long as the State government is subservient to the Federal government, it will always be subjected to the federal's whims and fancies.

Sweetnoob: Amen!

JacqMike77: No to PBS aka Parti Bersatu Sabah. Please solve Sabah problems first.

Dingy: It's time for the Sarawak government to review its position in BN. This is to teach Zahid to mind his own business and stay out of Sarawak affairs. Indeed spineless Pairin of PBS is a disgrace to the Kadazadusun community by becoming a stooge for Umno. He is also a disgrace to the Christian community of Sabah. He is willing to be used by his Umno master to infiltrate Sarawak to prepare the ground for Umno to set foot in Sarawak.

Michel Wright: A man with no principles, had done nothing much for his people.

Woo Chee Seng: Useless bugger.

Michael Guan: Blinded by money.

Leo Nathan: Now a backside licker.

Tan Ek Kiang: Let's see if Sarawakians are so easily fooled!

Susan Tay: Maybe it will be his Armageddon instead?

C Cheng Lee: Please don’t let the wolf enter your barn.

Keok SH: Better take care of your own backyard. It's full of unwanted weeds.

These comments are in response to the article Pairin looks to be on Umno mission to ‘break’ Sarawak published on Nov 18.

-The Ant Daily

STAR bukan parti mesra BN: Lina

SIBU: Parti Reformasi Sarawak (STAR) bukan parti mesra Barisan Nasional (BN), kata Bendahari STAR Lina Soo.

Menurutnya, STAR adalah parti mesra rakyat dan khidmatnya untuk rakyat Sarawak serta mengiktiraf rakyat sebagai ‘political master’.

“Kami akan menyertai Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) akan datang sebagai parti pembangkang di Sarawak.

“Pendirian kami adalah landasan pro-Negara Sarawak, sebagai sebuah kuasa politik baharu khusus memperjuang hak-hak rakyat Sarawak,” katanya pada sidang media di sini semalam.

Beliau memberitahu, STAR meletakkan calon di kawasan yang berpotensi menang serta kawasan banyak memberi sokongan terhadap parti mereka.

“Kami menumpukan kepada kedua-dua kawasan iaitu luar bandar dan bandar kerana STAR adalah sebuah parti pelbagai kaum.

“Pada masa ini kami sedang membuat persediaan,” katanya sambil menambah, kini STAR mempunyai kira-kira 30,000 pengikut di seluruh Sarawak.

Justeru, Lina menjemput parti politik lain yang berpangkalan di Sarawak, NGO, kumpulan masyarakat sivil dan aktivis serta individu sealiran dengan mereka bersama-sama ke arah mencorakkan masa depan Sarawak yang lebih cerah.

STAR juga mengalu-alukan penubuhan sekumpulan aktivis dipanggil CIA (calon bebas Bebas) membuat keputusan menawarkan diri mereka sebagai ahli Parlimen dan wakil-wakil rakyat pada PRN akan datang.

“Ini belum pernah berlaku dalam sejarah politik Malaysia.

“Kami menghargai semangat dan keinginan mereka mewakilkan diri sebagai ahli politik Sarawak apabila kedua-dua kerajaan dan pembangkang gagal mewakili kepentingan aspirasi dan pengundi,” katanya.

Hadir sama Timbalan Pengerusi STAR Bintulu Chieng Lea Phing, Setiausaha Penganjur STAR Midi Johrek dan ahli-ahli daripada Sarawak 4 Sarawakians (S4S).-Utusan Borneo