Assistant minister calls for review of statutory rape law

Thursday August 30, 2012

KUCHING: Assistant Youth Development Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah feels the law on statutory rape should be reviewed, saying many such cases involved consensual sex.

He said statutory rape was defined as a sexual act committed against a minor below the age of 16, notwithstanding whether the victim consented to it or not.

“Why I say there should be a review of this law is because in many of the cases, the ‘victims’ are consenting partners.

“Their partners got charged because the parents of the girls lodged police reports of rape against them,” he told The Star yesterday.

A lawyer by training, Abdul Karim also pointed out that children nowadays matured physically and mentally at a much younger age, including in their understanding of sex.

“Whether in the west or east, the ages of kids experimenting or indulging in sexual acts are getting lower. Thus it’s not fair to crucify the boy for statutory rape in cases where the partner is a willing partner,” he said.

However, he added that if the victim was not a consenting or willing partner, he fully agreed that the perpetrator should be charged for rape.

Kementerian Perumahan utama reka bentuk rumah

August 24, 2012

KUCHING: Kerajaan negeri menerusi Kementerian Perumahan sentiasa menitikberatkan kesesuaian reka bentuk rumah mampu milik dengan keperluan serta kepelbagaian kategori pemohon.

Menteri Muda Perumahan Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata rumah kos rendah dibina akan dipastikan tidak hanya mampu dimiliki tetapi menjadi tempat yang sesuai didiami oleh individu dan keluarga.

Bagaimanapun katanya, kementerian terbuka untuk melihat, mengkaji dan menerima idea-idea serta reka bentuk rumah mampu milik yang lebih baik, murah dan aspek paling penting ia sesuai dijadikan tempat kediaman.

“Kalau harga rumah murah tetapi keadaannya tidak sesuai untuk didiami oleh sebuah keluarga atau individu, saya rasa ia bukan idea yang bagus.

“Apa yang boleh saya katakan ialah kerajaan sememangnya ada reka bentuk-reka bentuk rumah sesuai untuk pelbagai kategori pemohon dan pada masa sama mengambil kira pelbagai aspek keperluan semasa,” katanya ketika dihubungi, semalam.

Beliau berkata demikian apabila diminta mengulas kenyataan Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung yang menyatakan bahawa kerajaan sedang menimbang untuk memperkenalkan konsep pembinaan rumah asas, idea yang dicadangkan oleh Persatuan Pemaju Perumahan dan Hartanah Malaysia (REHDA) dan kementerian itu.

Menurut Chor, rumah asas itu hanya dilengkapi dapur dan bilik air serta sistem pendawaian elektrik dan paip tanpa dinding untuk ruang tamu atau bilik tidur dijual 30 peratus lebih murah daripada harga rumah sekarang.

 

Anwar should follow Karpal Singh’s example — Abdul Karim

August 23, 2012

KUCHING: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pix right) should follow DAP chairman Karpal Singh’s stand when it comes to instigating party hopping among elected representatives in the country.

In stating this, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah agreed with the Bukit Gelugor MP’s (Karpal Singh) stand that party hopping is likened to an act of betrayal for the people who had elected their MPs and assemblymen.

“Party hopping is not encouraged. It reflects one’s ‘insecurity’, inability to work together and does have an impact on one’s credibility. I’m against elected representatives hopping from one party to another and ‘carrying the seat’ along. If a YB wants to jump party, vacate the seat first and let there be a by-election. It’s morally wrong for him to ‘carry along’ the seat as he is voted and given the mandate by virtue of him representing his earlier party.

“Karpal (pix right) should teach him (Anwar) on this ‘political morality’ as he (Anwar) is the number one advocate of ‘reps pinching and hopping’ and crossover from the backdoor. Since 2008, he’s (Anwar) notorious for that with the latest in Sabah,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Abdul Karim who is also Asajaya assemblyman said while Karpal was promoting loyalty among DAP elected representatives; his team mate from PKR (Anwar) seemed to be advocating the opposite.

Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar also echoed Abdul Karim’s sentiment. Stating that party hopping is against the principle of good democratic practice, he said Anwar’s obsession to take over Putrajaya has led him to abandon the basic principle of virtue and integrity of elected representatives. Their credibility will be thrown into the gutter.

“It confuses the people,..the party’s followers and sympathisers as a whole. The people expect the parties which wish to propagate the alternative party system to settle their basic differences first before thinking of governing the country.

Karim says Bruno Manser Fund ‘kurang ajar’

August 23, 2012

KUCHING: Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah lambasted Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) as ‘kurang ajar’ (rude) and arrogant when issuing sarcastic remarks through a news portal in its (BMF) efforts to demonise state leaders.

“Who do they think they are in trying to interfere in anything we (state) do?” he asked.

“They demonise our leaders. They instigate our people. They go around the world running us down. Now, they want to interfere in our sports and sports awards,” he said when commenting on BMF’s apparent sarcasms in the news portal that London Olympic bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong should not accept special gift from the Chief Minister.

Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Housing and a PBB supreme council member, claimed that BMF had not only interfered with Sarawak’s forestry policy but also pit Sarawak’s multi-ethnic races against each other.

“Who do they think they are? They think Sarawak is still their colony which they could manipulate, smear and twist around? They don’t have to teach us how to run our country. Their colonialistic mentality doesn’t belong to this era. They should be looking after their own backyard and need not have to teach us what to do.”

BMF is a charitable organisation and/or human right group based in Switzerland but has been aggressively attacking the state’s policies, particularly on its forest, environment and communal affairs.

BMF cited ‘political manipulation’ on Tuesday as a reason why Pandelela should be rejecting the honorary award from the state.

Abdul Karim does not mix friendship with politics

Tuesday August 21, 2012

KUCHING: When it comes to politics, he is among one of the more vocal elected representatives in the State Legislative Assembly.

But outside of the august house, what has been argued with the Opposition members would be put aside.

Assistant Youth Development and Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is Asajaya assemblyman and chief political secretary to the Chief Minister, said he did not mix friendship with politics.

This was proven during the first day of his Hari Raya open house near Jalan Astana here, receiving numerous guests and even DAP leaders such as Chong Chieng Jen, Violet Yong and Wong King Wei.

Friendship made and renewed: Karim (background right) ushering guests during

his Hari Raya open house near Jln Astana here yesterday.

“This is the kind of maturity we see in our politics nowadays. Of course we argue during the State Legislative Assembly, but when it comes to celebrating festivals such as Hari Raya, all of them from different racial and religious, even political backgrounds come together and celebrate,” he said yesterday.

Abdul Karim said he was honoured that people from all walks of life and society came to his open house, including his constituents, community leaders and even the opposition.

“I hope other YBs and MPs would do the same. This shows the peace and harmony our country is enjoying,” he said.

Wang jangan dijadikan motivasi untuk atlet buru kejayaan: Karim

August 21, 2012, Tuesday

KUCHING: Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia dan Perumahan, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah menyeru atlet khususnya di negeri ini agar tidak memandang faktor kewangan semata-mata sebagai motivasi untuk mereka memburu kejayaan.

Beliau berkata atlet yang bersikap seperti itu tidak akan bertahan lama dalam sukan yang disertai kerana mereka akan cepat berputus asa jika menemui jalan buntu.

Situasi ini, tegas Karim, tidak baik untuk Sarawak kerana negeri memerlukan atlet sukan yang benar-benar berjuang dengan sepenuh hati untuk negara.

“Kita tidak mahu atlet sukan terlalu dimanja-manjakan sehingga menyebabkan mereka lupa akan misi dan komitmen sebenar mereka dalam sukan.

Mereka harus sedar bahawa penglibatan mereka dalam sukan adalah untuk mengharumkan nama negeri dan juga negara kita ini,” tegasnya.

Abdul Karim mengambil bola sepak sebagai salah satu contoh wang tidak harus dijadikan sebagai motivasi dalam sukan, khususnya di negara barat.

Apabila mereka dibayar dengan gaji lumayan, ada di antara mereka yang mula hilang fokus terhadap bola sepak dan tenggelam dalam dunia yang penuh glamour.

Hari Raya visiting by Chong and DAP Sarawak YBs

August 21, 2012

LIGHT MOMENT: Abdul Karim (second right) sharing a joke with Chong (third left), with (from left) Wong, Lee and Chiew looking on.

KUCHING: Politics took a backseat as outspoken PBB supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah played gracious host to DAP Sarawak secretary Chong Chieng Jen who visited him on the first day of Hari Raya last Sunday.

Karim and Chong had often engaged in heated debates in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) meetings.

But on Hari Raya, they put aside their political difference as they sat together, joked and laughed like old friends.

Together in Chong’s visiting group were Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei and Batu Kawa assemblywoman Christina Chiew.

Assistant Minister of Sports Datuk Lee Kim Shin of SUPP who arrived later also joined in for a while before leaving to visit another open house.

Commenting on the visit of Chong, Abdul Karim said the Hari Raya celebrations should be about sharing the festive spirit with everyone regardless of political leanings.

“The way I see it, politics is politics but when it comes to celebrating each other’s religious festival, it should be across the board. There are times for politics, there are times for us to be together.

Galeri: Welcome home, our Olympians!

August 21, 2012

Our Olympians Pandelela Rinong Pamg, Traisy Vivien Tukiet and Bryan Nickson Lomas trying to make their way through the media frenzy

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (left) and Datuk Lee Kim Shin (right) welcoming the Olympians to the lunch held in their honour.

Tiada kesilapan terhadap Seksyen 114A, Akta Keterangan, kata Karim

August 21, 2012

AMALAN PERAYAAN: Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah bersembang dengan Chong Chieng Jen (tengah). Turut kelihatan ialah Menteri Muda Sukan Datuk Lee Kim Shin (kiri).

KUCHING: Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, beliau secara peribadi tidak melihat sebarang kesilapan terhadap Seksyen 114A, Akta Keterangan yang diwartakan baru-baru ini.

Menurut Menteri Muda Belia merangkap Menteri Muda Perumahan yang berlatarbelakangkan karier peguam itu, ia hanyalah persepsi yang ditimbulkan oleh ahli-ahli politik dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO).

“Ia telah diluluskan di Parlimen dan dilunaskan oleh Jabatan Peguam Negara… hanya menunggu dikuatkuasakan sahaja tetapi sekarang sebaliknya (dibantah),” katanya.

Beliau ditemui pada Majlis Rumah Terbuka Hari Raya Aidilfitri di kediamannya, Kampung Astana Lot, Petra Jaya dekat sini, kelmarin.

Karim yang juga merupakan ADUN Asajaya berkata sesiapa yang terlibat dalam media sosial harus tahu garis panduannya.

“Jika anda mengatakan sesuatu yang buruk mengenai orang lain atau kerajaan, kemudian telah didapati bersalah dari segi undang-undang dan didakwa, anda kena menghadapinya.

“Maka, anda kena berhati-hati… itulah sudut wajar yang saya lihat terhadap seksyen ini dan secara peribadi saya merasakan tiada apa-apa yang salah mengenainya,” katanya.

Old folks’ home resident spent six years without visits from loved ones

By RUSSELL TING

russell@thestar.com.my

Friday August 10, 2012

Close ties: (From left) Korniah happily talking to Abdul Karim and Saptuyah as they present

the residents with Aidilfitri goodies.

KUCHING: It will be a lonely Hari Raya for some of the residents of Rumah Seri Kenangan Kuching this coming festive season.

Ex-soldier Morshidi Abdullah (pic) has no children, no wife and no relatives to visit him during the time he needs them the most.

“I have spent the last six years here with no friends or loved ones visiting me.

“It gets very lonely sometimes, especially during the holiday season, when I see others getting visitors but not me,” he said, wiping away a tear.

The 69-year-old is also bound to a wheelchair due to a leg injury.

Assistant Youth Development Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah along with Rumah Sri Kenangan Kuching principal Saptuyah Sazali visited Morshidi as well as the 62 residents of Rumah Seri Kenangan Kuching yesterday to present them with Aidilfitri goodies; just in time for Hari Raya.

Others are a bit luckier, like husband and wife pair Bujang Junit and Mazinah Tubo, who met and were married at the home in 2003.

Ziarah warga emas walau bukan musim perayaan

August 10, 2012

MENCERIAKAN AIDILFITRI: Abdul Karim (dua kanan) menyampaikan sumbangan raya berupa makanan dan wang tunai kepada salah seorang daripada 62 penghuni RSK iaitu Ponia Sarbini berusia 85 tahun, semalam. Turut kelihatan Juita (kanan), Zawawi (tiga kanan) dan Saptuyah (belakang).

KUCHING: Pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO), orang perseorangan, korporat mahupun ahli keluarga penghuni Rumah Seri Kenangan (RSK) Kuching diingat untuk menziarahi warga emas yang tinggal di situ tanpa perlu menunggu musim perayaan.

Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia (Bandar) Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, ia bagi menggelakkan penghuni terus terasa dipinggir oleh masyarakat.

“Kita menyeru kepada masyarakat agar datang melawat penghuni di RSK tanpa menunggu pada musim perayaan sebaliknya bila-bila masa sahaja.

“Saya percaya kebanyakan penghuni di sini ada ahli keluarga mereka di luar sana dan mereka terpaksa menghantar mereka ke sini mungkin atas sebab tertentu,” kata Menteri Muda Perumahan itu.

Bagaimanapun beliau berkata, ahli keluarga penghuni sekurang-kurangnya dua bulan sekali hendaklah datang melawat sekiranya tidak ada masa untuk sebulan sekali.

Beliau yang juga Pengerusi Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Sarawak (DUBS) Cawangan Kuching berkata demikian ketika berucap pada majlis Penyampaian Sumbangan Raya anjuran DUBS Cawangan Kuching yang dihadiri Timbalan Presiden DUBS Negeri Zawawi Embong dan Ketua Dewanita DUBS Juita Drap di RSK di Semenggok di sini, semalam.

Namun kata Abdul Karim, setiap tahun dan setiap musim perayaan penghuni-penghuni RSK Kuching khasnya tidak ketinggalan diceriakan oleh pelbagai badan yang datang beramal.

Chong Wei has done Malaysia proud

August 6, 2012

KUCHING: Despite not able to clinch the coveted gold medal at the London Olympics, Datuk Lee Chong Wei received glowing tributes from badminton fans and sports personalities.

A courageous Lee went down fighting in rubber sets, 21-15, 10-21 and 21-19 in the hands of nemesis Lin Dan in one of the most closely contested finals in the history of badminton in the Olympics.

The match last night brought Malaysia to a stand still as the nation watched with bated breath, history in the making.

“It was a very close game. Datuk Lee Chong Wei has done Malaysia proud. He has been ranked No.1 in the world for record time. He won silver in the Beijing Olympics. Despite still recovering from his recent injury, Lee fought his way to the finals in London. Now he brought us another silver medal,” remarked Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister of Tourism.

“Well done. That is true grit. This is determination that we all as Malaysians could be proud of. Although some Malaysians are disappointed with the result, we must still say thank you to Lee. Hopefully, Malaysian will send messages of gratitude to Lee regardless of race and hope that parents will name their boys after him. That would be the best form of honouring our hero,” added Talib who is also chairman of SEDC Sarawak.

“It was a great game by two great badminton players. Lee lost because Lin Dan was a better player tonight. We hope Malaysia could produce many more badminton players like Lee Chong Wei in future,” commented Abdul Karim Hamzah, the Sukma XV deputy chef de mission who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development.

“The match was a game of badminton at the highest level.

We all wanted Lee to win the first Olympic gold for the country, but its not to be this time.

“However, we must still be proud of Lee’s performance. We can never know how he feels right now. Imagine, this match will be playing in his mind over and over. It is a case of so near, yet so far”, said Football Association of Sarawak president Datu Sudarsono Osman.

Bernas does provide help to the needy — Abdul Karim

August 4, 2012

FOR CHARITY: Abdul Karim (third left), Kamaluddin (centre) and others stir the porridge.

KUCHING: Beras Corporation Sdn Bhd (Bernas) has always provided in providing help to the less fortunate.

Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this at the ‘bubur pedas’ and ‘bubur lambuk’ distribution event at Bernas office here yesterday.

He said: “Bernas has always been supportive and generous in donating necessities to those in need and disaster victims in my constituency”.

He said he hoped the spirit of sharing and caring in the society can be promoted through the event. It also helped to keep the volunteers away from bad influence.

He said at Asajaya, the less fortunate were given the porridge for their breaking of fast.

Bernas, in collaboration with Saberkas, would hold this event throughout the state during the Ramadan month. This is their eighth consecutive year of holding the event.

Bernas sponsored 480 kg of rice to cook 25,000 packs of porridge to be distributed at 24 locations in the state.

Abdul Karim predicts November election

August 3, 2012

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The 13th general election (GE13) could be held latest by this November.

This is the prediction by Assistant Youth Development Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“Even though the final say to dissolve the parliament or to announce the dissolution is the prime minister’s from the way I see it, I personally predict that election will be within the next three months,” he said.

The Asajaya assemblyman said this is because the election cannot be held too late or too early.

“Initially many say the election would be in October or November last year but probably the prime minister decided not to because he may have the feelers that the opposition parties don’t want to dissolve the state assemblies held by them.

“So this could be the thing which stopped the prime minister from calling for dissolution at that moment of time even if he had wanted to because there was no point for him to call for election knowing very well that after the election you still lose four states. But if we are to dissolve parliament now the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states cannot afford not to dissolve,” he said. He told reporters this after giving away agricultural inputs to farmers at the Integrated Agriculture Development Areas (IADA) here yesterday.

He said his prediction was also based on the movement on the ground, including the frequent visits by the prime minister and other federal ministers to the state of late. He believed the briefing by Election Commission (EC) for political parties here for two days as yet another good and strong indication that election was near.

Abdul Karim explains his tiff with Dr Teo

August 3, 2012

TICKED OFF: A file photo of the commotion during the EC question and answer session on Wednesday.

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Assistant Youth Development Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the commotion between him and PKR representative Dr Michael Teo during the Election Commission (EC) question and answer session on Wednesday started after he was irked by the way Dr Teo asked questions.

He felt that Dr Teo should not have made such a sweeping statement implicating and accusing the Army and EC of being unfair in the conduct of the election when he was supposed to ask questions on matters he was unclear about.

“I feel it is a question and answer session whereby you put forward your questions to EC if you have any queries but don’t make a sweeping statement.

“I was there when he said when EC conduct postal voting at a camp the ballot box was kept in the army camp after the voting was over. We don’t trust the commander we never know what is happening inside there and when you open the ballot box all the votes go to BN”.

“This to me is wild so I told him that if he doesn’t know the procedure he should asked EC how it was done instead of hurling wild accusations. I told him not to ask stupid questions and something like that but he straight away thought that I was calling him stupid which was not the case”.

“In fact I have the full respect for him and I did not regard him as stupid but it was the manner he had asked questions because you don’t assume, don’t imply and don’t make accusations like that,” he said.

Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Housing Minister and Asajaya assemblyman, told reporters this whey clarifying the incident during the EC briefing session at a leading hotel here on Wednesday.

Fracas over postal votes at EC briefing

Thursday August 2, 2012

Getting heated: Dr Teo (right) trading barbs with Abdul Karim (second from left)

and some PBB members during the question and answer session.

KUCHING: A brief fracas broke out between PKR’s Dr Michael Teo and Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah during a question and answer session at the Election Commission briefing here yesterday.

The incident erupted when Dr Teo claimed that the postal votes cast by uniformed personnel could be manipulated if the ballot boxes were not placed at the tallying centres after the voting process as it might lead to vote tampering.

This led to Abdul Karim retorting the claims by saying that Dr Teo was raising a stupid question.

An argument then ensued between them before Abdul Karim and his PBB colleagues walked out of the conference room.

The briefing was held to update political parties and media representatives on the latest election rules which will be implemented in the coming general election.

Later, Abdul Karim told reporters that it was wrong for Dr Teo to make an allegation.

“It was a question and answer session after the briefing and Dr Teo should have just asked relevant questions.