A political era ends

 July 19, 2011

Wong’s demise was a very big loss to Sarawak. -Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min (1922 — 2011)

KUCHING: Former president of Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and the state’s first Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min, passed away at Normah Medical Specialist Centre here at 2pm yesterday.

His son-in-law Dennis Liew said Wong’s remains would be flown to his hometown Limbang, either on Thursday or Friday.

Until then it will lie in state at his home at Jalan Temgah here. Wong had complained of feeling unwell and was brought to the hospital around 10.30am.

He is survived by his wife Datin Amar Valerie Bong, eight children and many grandchildren.

Born on Aug 6, 1922 in Limbang, he received his primary and secondary education at St Mary’s School and St Thomas School here before going for further studies at Serdang College of Agriculture in Selangor but his tertiary education was interrupted by the Second World War and he had to return to Limbang.

He became the pioneer of the hill logging industry in Sarawak in 1949 and in 1953 began his long and distinguished political career with his appointment as member of the Limbang District Council.

He was appointed a member of the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee which negotiated and formulated the terms for Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak in the formation of the new nation.

MoCS patut ukur baju di badan sendiri

July 14, 2011

Ia pertubuhan tidak berdaftar yang tidak layak mempersoalkan sistem demokrasi

KUCHING: Gerakan Mengubah Sarawak (MoCS) wajar ‘mengukur baju di badan sendiri’ sebelum mempertikaikan amalan demokrasi di Sarawak.

Menteri Perancangan dan Pengurusan Sumber Kedua Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan berkata, MoCS perlu sedar kedudukannya sebagai pertubuhan tidak berdaftar yang tidak layak mempersoalkan sistem demokrasi yang diamalkan di negara ini secara keseluruhannya.

Katanya, MoCS tidak mempunyai mandat untuk memerintah tetapi cuba bercakap mengenai transformasi Sarawak.

“Sebelum itu siapa MoCS ini? Difahamkan ia satu organisasi tidak berdaftar pun.

“Kita (Barisan Nasional) telah pun memenangi 55 daripada 71 kerusi dalam pilihan raya negeri lalu dan ini diadakan menerusi proses demokrasi pilihan raya, jadi MoCS harus sedar siapa mereka,” tegasnya.

Beliau diminta mengulas kenyataan dalam sebuah blog mengatakan MoCS akan mengadakan rapat umum bertema ‘Berjalan untuk Demokrasi dan Reformasi’ pada 13 Ogos ini di Kuching.

Awang Tengah berkata, rakyat telah pun membuat pilihan dalam pilihan raya negeri lalu dan mandat sepenuhnya diberikan kepada Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud sebagai Ketua Menteri.

SUPP sentiasa berkhidmat kepada rakyat

July 9, 2011

Kerap turun padang amat penting terutama dalam usaha mendengar dan menyelesaikan masalah rakyat. -Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

SIBU: Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) merupakan sebuah parti yang sentiasa berkhidmat kepada rakyat, mendengar kesusahan mereka dan berusaha mencari jalan penyelesaian kepada masalah yang dihadapi rakyat.

“Bagi kami di Sibu, kita sentiasa turun padang untuk bertemu dengan rakyat,” ujar Pengerusi SUPP Cawangan Sibu, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh kepada pemberita, semalam.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditanya berhubung persediaan SUPP bagi menghadapi pilihan raya umum akan datang, lebih-lebih lagi berhubung kenyataan Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah pada majlis makan malam kelab, baru-baru ini.

Abdul Karim dalam majlis itu memberitahu, memandangkan pilihan raya semakin hampir, semua wakil rakyat BN yang dipilih harus turun padang ke kawasan masing-masing untuk bertemu serta menyelesaikan masalah rakyat.

Menurut beliau, kerap turun padang amat penting terutama dalam usaha mendengar dan menyelesaikan masalah rakyat.

Ditanya mengenai calon yang berpotensi bagi merampas kembali kerusi Parlimen Sibu, Wong berkata, perkara itu masih dibincangkan.

“Kami masih membincangkan siapa calon yang sesuai,” ujarnya yang juga Menteri Alam Sekitar dan Kesihatan Awam merangkap Menteri Kewangan Kedua.

First inter-school swimming meet at Kota Samarahan

July 7, 2011

KUCHING: The Kota Samarahan swimming pool would be filled with young swimmers on July 23 and 24 when an inaugural inter-school swimming meet takes place.

All schools from Samarahan and Kuching divisions have been invited to participate in the First Samarahan-Kuching Divisions Inter-School Secondary/Primary Swimming Championship, which is jointly organised by Kota Samarahan Amateur Swimming Association (KOTAS) and Kota Samarahan Education Department.

KOTAS president and event advisor, Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, noted that this will be the first ever such event to be held at Kota Samarahan Swimming Pool.

He said in a press statement recently that it would be a great opportunity for young swimmers from Samarahan division to gain experience in competing against those from Kuching.

“It is also a great opportunity for schools in Kuching to visit Samarahan division and enjoy competing at a different venue,” he said.

Abdul Karim would be sponsoring the perpetual trophies for the champion primary school and champion secondary school, while Milo (Nestle) will be sponsoring medals and beverage.

“It is our hope that this inter-school championship will continue to be held annually to encourage more children to be involved in swimming as part of a healthy, active lifestyle as well as identifying new talent to enhance Sarawak’s strength in the sports arena,” said Abdul Karim.

Karim lauds organisers for calling off street rally

July 6, 2011

KUCHING: Chief Political Secretary to Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah lauds the organisers of Bersih 2.0 rally for calling off the street protest.

“Street protest disrupts peace and causes inconvenience to the public, including businesses. Such a protest is a nuisance,” Karim said when commenting on the proposed street rally.

He was also glad that Bersih chief organiser Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan had agreed with the government’s suggestion (to hold the rally in a stadium).

He said that any demonstration should be held in a controlled environment to ensure public order and safety.

Karim who is also Asajaya assemblyman stressed that demonstration such as this Bersih rally must only be held with a permit from the relevant authorities especially the police.

In a twist of events, Ambiga who had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, yesterday was said to have called off the street rally and instead hold it in a stadium yet to be announced.

State Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief See Chee How meanwhile commended Bersih leaders and coordinators for seeking an audience with the Agong, and agreed that the rally should be held in a stadium.

Karim thumbs up Sng in state administration

July 3, 2011

“Sng has shown his capability and ability when he was an assistant minister (prior to the April 16 polls).” Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

KUCHING: PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing, who is normally very vocal, was tight-lipped yesterday when asked to comment about former Pelagus assemblyman Larry Sng’s return to the state’s administration.

“Sng is no longer a PRS member and I have nothing more to say about him. We sacked him for reasons which are public knowledge,” Masing said in an SMS to thesundaypost.

The Land Development Minister added that Sng’s appointment was the sole prerogative of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

It was reported yesterday that Sng would soon return to work in the Chief Minister’s Department.

“He (Sng) will be in charge of youth affairs,” Taib told reporters on Friday.

Taib said the reason he wanted Sng back was because of the latter’s good experience working with youths and that he is “a good guy who did very well previously”.

Meanwhile, chief political secretary to the Chief Minister, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said he only knew of this development from the newspapers.

Pembangkang sukakan publisiti murahan

July 1, 2011

SANTAI: Kelihatan ADUN-ADUN yang baru menyanyi ketika majlis makan malam anjuran Kelab Penyokong BN.

KUCHING: Pengerusi Ke­lab Penyokong Barisan Nasional (BN) Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah menyi­fatkan tindakan pihak pem­bangkang keluar dari dewan pada hari terakhir Persi­dangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) yang baru selesai sebagai publisiti murahan.

Katanya, tindakan mereka adalah sekadar untuk meraih perhatian daripada pihak media.

“Pada hari terakhir mereka (pembangkang) terpaksa membuat seolah-olah pub­lisiti murahan di mana mere­ka bertindak meninggalkan dewan sebanyak dua kali untuk mendapat perhatian media.

“Mereka meninggalkan dewan ketika Timbalan Ketua Menteri menyampaikan uca­pan penggulungan dan ketika ADUN Tarat menyampaikan ucapan penggulungan, mere­ka turut keluar,” katanya lanjut.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada majlis makan malam anjuran kelab tersebut, dekat sini, malam kelmarin.

Sementara itu, beliau menyifatkan Persidangan DUN yang lepas telah diadakan dengan jayanya biarpun dengan kehadiran lebih ramai pihak pembangkang.

“Semua orang menanti (DUN) dengan penuh minat kerana pihak pembangkang berkata, inilah masanya untuk mereka menghentam kita.

Walkout a publicity stunt — Karim

July 1, 2011

KUCHING: The ‘walkout’ by DAP assemblypersons on the final day of State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Wednesday is nothing but a publicity stunt.

According to the chairman of Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the opposition’s action was only meant to gain publicity.

All 12 DAP assemblypersons abruptly staged a walkout when Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu delivered his winding-up speech.

Three other opposition members from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) however stayed in the chamber.

The group, led by Wong Ho Leng (Bukit Assek) later told the media that they decided to leave the chamber when the minister refused to take any clarification from them.

At the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club dinner on Wednesday, Karim said: “The walkout by DAP is something they do to gain publicity…it is just a publicity stint (by DAP).

“With their action, you will see and read in the newspaper tomorrow (today),” Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman pointed out.