‘1 country, 2 systems’ - Divisive and Dangerous?

August 19, 2011

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing described United Borneo Front (UBF) founder Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s advocacy for Malaysia to be “one country, two systems” as divisive and dangerous.

He said the proposal was against the objective of the formation of Malaysia and should be rejected outright by all peace-loving Malaysians.

“His (Dr Jeffery) view is very dangerous for nation building because we already are moving forward as one nation under 1Malaysia.

“To think otherwise means that he wants to break up this country. This, we should never allow,” Masing told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

Jeffery had said that the federal government should allow Sabah and Sarawak to be developed based on their own capitalist economic and political systems.

He explained that the two states should be allowed to have their own systems as they were different from Peninsular Malaysia.

“Our rights are not the same as theirs. Our geographical condition is different and we do not have economic growth as the other states in the peninsular have,” said Jeffery, adding that the 20 Point Agreement had clearly stated that Sabah and Sarawak were equal partners with Malaya and not one of the states in Malaysia.

MoCS rally a cheap publicity stunt — Karim

Posted on August 9, 2011, Tuesday

KUCHING: Call it by any other name, this Saturday’s planned rally by Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) is just a cheap publicity attempt by its prime movers, said Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday.

Asked to comment on MoCS’ decision to tone down their rally, Karim said this showed that those behind MoCS were a confused political group who would flip-flop in order to achieve their aims.

“MoCS better make up their mind on what they want. Their first call was for Chief Minister to step down by August 13 or they will call a massive rally in Kuching ala the demostration in Tunisia or Egypt.

“Now after the Bersih 2.0 rally in KL and the state election which saw Barisan Nasional winning three quarters of the total state seats, they had changed their slogan and theme.

“Better for them to just shut up and let BN run the State with the present DAP and PKR opposition reps doing their part as responsible oppostion members,” he said.

Yesterday, MoCS leader Francis Siah issued a statement saying that it would tone down its rally to a peaceful gathering without any march or procession.

Siah also said that instead of anti-Taib Mahmud rally, the rally will be called Walk for Democracy and Reform’ in order to appear less confrontational and more civil during the holy month of Ramadan.