Siah has crossed the red line, says Karim

May 20, 2011

KUCHING: Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) chief Francis Siah’s incitement for mass demonstration against a democratically elected chief minister is against democracy.

As such, he said, PBB and especially its Youth wing were against his call as it is akin to fomenting public disorder.

“Siah said there is nothing wrong in asking Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to quit. My comment is this: Definitely there is nothing wrong in asking a leader to quit. It’s one’s right under freedom of speech.

“But freedom of speech has its limit too. What PBB and its Youth wing are concerned about is that he is giving the ultimatum to the chief minister to quit by August 13 or there will be a mass demonstration ala the one that brought down the Egyptian and Tunisian governments that Siah wanted to organise. It is against public order that is wrong,” Karim told the Borneo Post here yesterday.

He added that the present BN government led by Taib is legitimate as it had won 55 seats out of the 71 contested or more than two thirds of the total seats.

“The rakyat has given its mandate to the BN and no one in the right frame of mind should question that mandate which was conducted fairly and legitimately,” Karim pointed out.

Karim, who is also the BN backbencher club chairman and a PBB supreme council member, reiterated that Siah’s incitement and the call for public disorder after August 13 was what PBB and its Youth wing were protesting about and not Siah’s call for Taib to quit.

Galeri: Hari Jururawat Sedunia

May 19, 2011

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah memerhati bunga disemat di bajunya di Kampung Sampun, Asajaya

Abdul Karim pledges more development for Asajaya

May 18, 2011

CELEBRATION TIME: Abdul Karim and his wife together with other guests cutting the cake to mark the celebration.

ASAJAYA: Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday pledged to bring more development under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) to the constituency.

He said eventhough the area had seen much development more needed to be done, particularly in the villages, to improve the livelihood of the people.

“I believe with the bigger mandate given by the people to me in the April 16 poll, we can work together to bring more development for us to enjoy,” he said at a thanksgiving dinner at Asajaya Sports Complex on Sunday night.

He mentioned five key areas – human capital, economy, social, basic infrastructure and health – as his priority which will be implemented in stages.

The chief political secretary to the chief minister also hoped that the people would maintain their unity and cooperation, and set aside political differences that may have occurred during the election.

Abdul Karim tekad bawa banyak perubahan buat Asajaya

May 18, 2011

ASAJAYA: Ketua Setiausaha Politik Ketua Menteri, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah bertekad akan membawa lebih banyak pembangunan dan perubahan pesat berlaku di Asajaya dalam tempoh Rancangan Malaysia Kesepuluh (RMK-10).

Beliau yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Asajaya berkata, walaupun secara fizikalnya sememangnya Asajaya telah membangun dengan pesat ketika ini.

Namun, katanya, masih banyak perancangan dan pembangunan terutamanya di kampung-kampung akan terus diberi perhatian untuk membangunkan rakyat di kawasan terbabit.

“Saya percaya dengan mandat besar yang diberikan oleh penduduk-penduduk dalam pilihan raya negeri lalu, maka saya dapat bekerja-sama dengan mereka untuk meneruskan kesinambungan pembangunan di sini.

“Justeru, saya mempunyai lima teras perancangan pembangunan untuk kawasan ini yang merangkumi pendidikan (modal insan), ekonomi, so-sial, infrastruktur asas dan kesihatan,” katanya.

Berucap pada majlis me-raikan kemenangan beliau di Kompleks Sukan Asajaya di sini Ahad lalu, Abdul Karim berkata, segala perancangan itu akan diterjemahkan secara berperingkat-peringkat demi kemajuan rakyat di sini.

Beliau yang menang dengan majoriti besar menewaskan calon Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Arip Ameran pada pilihan raya negeri lalu, percaya rakyat di sini akan berdiri teguh di belakang kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN).

Karim blasts MoCS for ultimatum on CM to step down within three months

May 14, 2011

NO NECESSITY TO MONITOR US: Siah (right) and Awang Abdillah (brother of DUN speaker Dato Sri Awang Asfia) at the press conference yesterday.

KUCHING: Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday slammed Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) for asking the Chief Minister to step down within three months.

Its leader Francis Siah who declared this in its ‘Taibetes Operation’ had said at PKR Centre yesterday that he was giving Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday (Friday 13th) till August 13th to step down.

“How many times does he want to launch this campaign? It wouldn’t go far and it never will,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, said that MoCS is a non-governmental organisation that has no respect for the rule of law and the election process in the country.

“The Chief Minister (Taib) was chosen by the people of Sarawak through a genuine democratic election process. People voted for him and it is in accordance with the constitution,” he added.

Karim advised MoCS to be more careful with its statement as it could cause anxiety.

He hoped that the police would look into the matter seriously and monitor MoCS’ activities.

Karim: Shadow cabinet trouble expected

May 7, 2011

Opposition front does not practise spirit of consultationI had expected that the shadow cabinet would not be accepted by (PKR Sarawak chief) Baru Bian. I was proven right today (yesterday).- Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah 

KUCHING: The rejection of the opposition’s shadow cabinet by PKR was expected, said Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday.

He pointed out this is because the opposition front does not practise the spirit of consultation and consensus like the BN.

“I had expected that the shadow cabinet would not be accepted by (PKR Sarawak chief) Baru Bian. I was proven right today (yesterday),” he said when contacted yesterday.

Karim, who is also chief political secretary to the chief minister, was commenting on yesterday’s news reports which quoted Baru as saying that he rejected outright the shadow cabinet lineup announced by state DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng on May 1.

Baru, the newly-elected Ba Kelalan assemblyman, had also said he had decided not to accept the shadow cabinet because the committee meeting chaired by Wong had failed to include his opinion as state PKR liaison chief.

By making such a unilateral decision, Karim said DAP showed its chauvinistic side by naming its men for important portfolios.

As such, he called on PKR as well as SNAP to re-evaluate their working relations with DAP.

Call for mass protest by MoCS a security threat, says Karim

May 5, 2011

KUCHING: The call by the Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) to set an ultimatum to Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to step down within the next three months or face mass protests is a threat that police must monitor and take precautionary action to prevent any untoward incident that could jeopardise peace and harmony in Sarawak.

The warning was issued by the State BN backbencher chairman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah as the threat by MoCS was an incitement to the people to turn against the government.

“I urge the police to monitor the statement from MoCS as it is detrimental to the legitimate government elected by the people,” Karim told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

He added that Sarawak or Malaysia for that matter should not condone street protesters such as those staged by the Egyptians or Tunisians to oust their leaders.

Karim, who is also the chief political secretary to the chief minister also stressed that the people should not listen to MoCS especially its leader Francis Paul Siah, whom he considered as a “Soldier of Fortune” and a “Loner”.

“Who cares about what Francis Siah is saying as he is nobody.

But to issue such as threat is tantamount to threatening national security,” warned Abdul Karim.

Stop trying to put wedge between me and Fadillah, says Karim

May 5, 2011

KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah wants the party’s youth members to stop putting a wedge between him and PBB youth leader Datuk Fadillah Yusof.

Karim, who was formerly PBB youth chief, revealed that there is a group within the wing that is unhappy with Fadillah’s leadership.

He said when the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation did not rebuke Umno youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin for calling on Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to step down, this group took advantage of the situation.

This dissenting group, he said, is not only trying to create chaos within PBB’s youth wing but also out to cause a rift between him and Fadillah.

“We know there is a certain naughty group within PBB youth exco who wish to put a wedge between me and Fadillah. My advice is for youth leaders to stop this nonsense and unite.

“Those renegade dissenters have big plans to take over the PBB youth leadership, but no need to worry. Those with wicked hearts and minds will not go far,” said Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman.

Karim had earlier warned that any form of slander involving him would attract legal action.

PBB concerns with rumours Fadilah's supporters vs Taib's supporters

May 5, 2011

KUCHING: PBB vice-president Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman said he feared that the party would plunge into disunity by rumours of factions within it.

He said it was unfair to say that factions existed, for instance, between supporters of PBB Youth leader Datuk Fadillah Yusof and party president Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Daud cautioned that such allegations by members could destroy PBB, which is the state’s BN backbone.

“Let us stop this labelling and accusations that there is one faction supporting Datuk Fadillah and another supporting the Chief Minister. Between the two, the YB Chief Minister (Taib) is too high in rank when compared to Fadillah,” the Tupong assemblyman told reporters after a meeting of new BN State Legislative Assembly (DUN) members at PBB headquarters here yesterday.

He made the comment following claims that factions existed in the PBB Youth wing.

Youth leaders were said to be divided when Fadillah was accused of failing to satisfactorily rebuke national BN and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for implying that Taib should step down in order to save BN from another political tsunami in the parliamentary election.

Echoing the Umno Youth chief’s sentiment was MCA vice-president Senator Gan Ping Sieu, who is Deputy Youth and Sports minister. Gan had urged Taib to pass the baton to another BN leader as soon as possible.

‘Opposition ministers must behave properly’

May 3, 2011

“It’s a mockery of the multi-ethnic composition of Sarawak.” -Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahmah Hamzah

KUCHING: Land Development Minister Dato Sri Dr James Masing said the formation of a shadow Cabinet is not new but the opposition ‘ministers’ must behave properly.

“What they do now will reflect what they will do as a minister if they take over (the government),” said Masing who is Baleh assemblyman

Masing who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president said he believed the voters were wise enough to know what type of leaders they want to govern them.

“If they are rational in their presentation in the state legislative assembly (DUN) then you (people) will have a rational minister. If they behave like monkeys, then you will have monkeys as your leaders,” he said when asked to comment on the newly formed Pakatan Rakyat state shadow Cabinet.

On the state shadow Cabinet to be led by DAP Sarawak chairman Wong Ho Leng, Masing said; “It happens in countries which practise parliamentary democracy. Opposition leader normally is a Chief Minister-designate. In this case it is Wong Ho Leng.”

“Each shadow ministry including the ‘Chief Minister’ will perform their respective portfolio. The public will judge them accordingly,” he pointed out.

Chief Political secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah did not take kindly to the shadow Cabinet. He alleged the current crop of opposition members had made a mockery of the function.

Telaga Air dikenal pasti destinasi rumah kekal KBS

May 3, 2011

SANTUBONG: Kelab Bot Sarawak (KBS) mengenal pasti Telaga Air sebagai destinasi rumah kelab kekal untuk KBS yang dilengkapi dengan pelbagai kemudahan moden memancing.

Ketua Setiausaha Politik Ketua Menteri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, buat sementara ini KBS ditempatkan di bawah Jambatan Santubong yang kini dalam keadaan uzur akibat air masin.

“Kami telah mengenal pasti empat lokasi tanah di Telaga Air yang sesuai dijadikan rumah kelab ini dan apa yang perlu kami lakukan sekarang adalah mengemukakan permohonan,” katanya pada majlis perasmian pertandingan memancing di sini baru-baru ini.

Karim berkata, rumah kelab baru itu nanti juga akan menjadi platform bagi KBS menganjurkan aktiviti di peringkat yang lebih tinggi di Sarawak.

Tambahnya, Telaga Air adalah tempat yang sesuai bagi kaki pancing kerana kedudukannya yang strategik.

“Di sini (Telaga Air) mudah dikunjungi oleh kaki-kaki pancing kerana sistem jalan rayanya sudah elok dan berdekatan dengan laut,” katanya.

Pada masa yang sama Karim menegaskan bahawa ia merupakan tugasan yang besar bagi KBS untuk mengenal pasti lokasi tepat bagi menambah dana untuk membina kemudahan itu nanti.

Karim: Mengapa Wong dan bukan Baru sebagai KM kabinet bayangan?

May 3, 2011

“Tetapi kenapa pula kabinet bayangan ini meletakkan Wong Ho Leng sebagai Ketua Menteri?" Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

Kabinet bayangan bukan perkara baru tetapi ‘menteri-menteri’ pembangkang mesti berkelakuan baik

KUCHING: Menteri Kemajuan Tanah Dato Sri James Masing berkata pembentukan kabinet bayangan bukan perkara baru tetapi ‘menteri-menteri’ pembangkang mesti berkelakuan baik.

Beliau berkata usaha Pakatan Rakyat (PR) itu akan menggambarkan perkara yang bakal mereka lakukan sebagai menteri jika mereka mengambil alih kerajaan.

“Jika mereka rasional ketika hadir pada persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) maka anda (rakyat) akan mempunyai menteri yang rasional.

“Sekiranya mereka berkelakuan seperti (menteri) monyet, maknanya anda (rakyat) akan menjadikan monyet sebagai pemimpin,” katanya semalam, apabila diminta mengulas tindakan PR menubuhkan kabinet bayangan.

Masing yang juga presiden Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) berkata beliau percaya pengundi cukup bijak dalam memilih pemimpin untuk memimpin serta mentadbir mereka.

Mengulas lanjut mengenai kabinet bayangan yang diketuai pengerusi DAP Negeri Wong Ho Leng, Masing berkata: “Ia berlaku dalam banyak negara, yang mengamalkan demokrasi berparlimen.

“Pemimpin pembangkang lazimnya adalah Ketua Menteri yang tidak rasmi. Dalam kes ini Ketua Menteri tidak rasmi itu ialah Wong Ho Leng.