Chong is playing dumb on date issue, says Karim

January 30, 2016

KUCHING: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Ching Chieng Jen has irked a PBB supreme council member for playing dumb on the Election Commission’s freedom to decide nomination and polling dates.

Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is also the Asajaya assemblyman, said Chong was trying to conjure up a negative perception that the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was trying to dictate the dates.

"How petty and ridiculous YB Chong can be. 

"The Chief Minister is just making a proposal on the dates of Nomination and Polling for the State Election to be on the 18th and 30th April," he said in his Whatsapp message, adding: "Surely YB Chong knows" what is a "proposal".

Adenan had made known the proposed dates – April 18 for nomination and April 30 as polling day – when launching an election seminar for Satok constituency at the Damai Beach Resort on Friday night.

Karim said even if the commission decided to agree with the proposal, "it does not mean that the Chief Minister controls the Election Commission" as alleged by Chong, who is also the State DAP Chairman.

Chong was reported as saying the chief minister had chosen April as the date for the polls in order to coincide with his Bersih 4 trial.

‘Budget 2016 adjustment for country’s good’

January 30, 2016

KUCHING: The readjustment of the Budget 2016 is for Malaysia to be able to move on and for the rakyat to be less burdened.

This was according to Assistant Minister for Housing and Youth Development (Urban) Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday.

Commenting on the readjustment to the Budget 2016 which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak who is also Finance Minister on Thursday, Karim hoped that the measures were just temporary and the world economy as well as Malaysia’s would improve slowly.

“As much as we wish that a readjustment of the 2016 Budget would not happen, we have to be realistic,” he pointed out when asked to give his comment on the readjustment of the Budget 2016. 

Karim said when the Budget was presented in parliament in October last year, it was based on the country’s reserve and economic projection last year.

“The world economy has taken a down turn especially with the drastic drop in oil prices and Malaysia, just like all other countries in the world, is not spared,” he pointed out. 

“The readjustment to the Budget 2016 is for Malaysia to be able to move on and for the rakyat to be less burdened on the way. We hoped that the measures were just temporary and the world economy as well as Malaysia’s would improve slowly,” he said. 

BN diyakini terus tadbir Sarawak

January 28, 2016

Malah dapat meningkatkan undi popular cecah 60 peratus

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (dua dari kiri), Dr. Jeneri Amir (tiga dari kiri), Dr. Shamrahayu Ab. Aziz (dua dari kanan), Dr. Neilson Ilan Mersat (kanan) dan Zaini Hassan ketika menjayakan Program Advokasi Ilmuwan Majlis Profesor Negara bersama Utusan Malaysia dan Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) di Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, semalam. utusan/MOHAMAD GUSTIE NOORAMBIA

Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
dan Dr. Jeniri Amir mendengar soalan
yang diajukan oleh Datuk Zaini
Hassan. -@ybkarimsays

KOTA SAMARAHAN 27 Jan. - Barisan Nasional (BN) diyakini dapat mengekalkan kemenangan pada Pilihan Raya Negeri Ke-11 (PRN-11) berdasarkan populariti Ketua Menteri, Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

Penganalisis politik, Prof. Madya Dr. Jeniri Amir berkata, parti itu juga dipercayai dapat meningkatkan undi popular mencecah 60 peratus berbanding 55 peratus pada pilihan raya negeri sebelum ini.

Beliau yang juga Pensyarah Kanan Fakulti Sains Sosial Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) berkata, dalam tempoh lima tahun selepas memenangi pilihan raya kali ini, Adenan bagaimanapun perlu pantas dan bersuara lebih nyaring untuk menterjemahkan idea serta melaksanakan mandat yang diberikan.

Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman
Hamzah mendengar soalan
dengan sepenuh perhatian.
-@ybkarimsays

“Rakyat Sarawak mengidamkan pembangunan luar bandar sama maju dengan bandar, semua etnik menikmati kemajuan, negeri ini dapat berdiri sama tinggi dengan Semenanjung.

“Hanya melalui pembangunan rancak dan peluang ekonomi yang luas dapat terus mengekalkan BN di Sarawak,” ujarnya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika menjadi salah seorang ahli panel dalam Program Advokasi Ilmuwan Majlis Profesor Negara (MPN) Bersama Utusan Malaysia dan Radio Te­levisyen Malaysia (RTM) yang membincangkan forum bertajuk Sudah Sejahterakah Rakyat Sarawak? di Panggung Eksperimen, Fakulti Sains Gunaan dan Kreatif, Unimas di sini hari ini.

Selain Jeniri, program itu turut menampilkan ahli panel terdiri daripada Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia (Bandar) Sarawak, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Dekan Fakulti Sains Sosial Unimas, Prof. Madya Dr. Neilson Illan Mersat dan pakar perlembagaan dari Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIA) mewakili MPN, Prof. Madya Dr. Shamrahayu Ab. Aziz, manakala Penolong Ketua Pengarang 1 Kumpulan Utusan, Datuk Zaini Hassan bertindak sebagai moderator.

Happy BirthdayTok Nan

Biodata

Adenan coy on Uggah taking over Bukit Saban seat

January 25, 2016

Jabu gives the thumbs-up while posing for a group photo with his wife Dato Sri Empiang Jabu (fourth right), Dr Rundi (fifth right) and others. — Photos by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

KUCHING: Election fever in the state is beginning to heat up as rumours are swelling that there is a possibility Betong MP Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas might swap seat with Bukit Saban assemblyman Robert Lawson Chuat in the coming state election.

However, PBB president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was decidedly coy on the matter and merely hinted that there was a possibility that this might happen.

“There is always the possibility but it does not only apply to the state elected representative for Bukit Saban,” he told a press conference after chairing the PBB Supreme Council meeting at the party’s headquarters yesterday.

This led reporters to ask if other MPs from Sarawak including Petra Jaya MP Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof might contest during the state election.

Not one to be persuaded so easily, Adenan, who is also Chief Minister, quipped: “Your guess is as good as mine.”

The rumour mill has been on overdrive for the past two weeks as there are whispers from the grassroots that Uggah’s move to contest the state seat is to pave the way for him to become the next deputy chief minister.

Another rumour heard from the grapevine was that Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang might vacate his Layar seat to make way for his son Gerald Rentap.

MP slammed for stating BN leaders incompetent

January 24, 2016

SIBU: Stampin Member of Parliament Julian Tan has been slammed for stating that uncertainties with Public Service Department (JPA) funding reflect the incompetence of Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders.

Assistant Youth Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Tan needed to view the problem in a holistic manner instead of commenting for the sake of political mileage.

“MP Julian is commenting as if he is not keeping himself updated with the current situation, news and global economic slowdown.

“There are ups and downs in a nation’s economy and sometimes it’s beyond what the nation can do as it is the result of outside factors,” Abdul Karim told thesundaypost yesterday.

Abdul Karim pointed out that when Malaysia faced an economic crisis in 1997, scholarship for overseas students were suspended but these were reinstated as soon as the country’s economy had improved.

The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member pointed out that even if the Democratic Action Party (DAP) was in government, the party would have to find a practical solution.

“As much as we want to see our younger generation be given the best education and knowledge, we have to be practical and rational,” he said.

Happy Thaipusam

State DAP chief running out of issues to ‘yell’ about — Abdul Karim

January 23, 2016

SIBU: Assistant Minister of Youth Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes that the reason behind state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen’s claim of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem practising ‘gutter politics’ is because he (Chong) is running out of issues to shout about.

“From what I can see in CM Adenan — he remains steadfast and committed in his cause and will deliver what he says.

“Things that he (Adenan) has promised, he acknowledges (all about) the difficulties on why they could not be delivered just as yet. Still, he promised to continue fighting for them.

“We can see the sincerity in him in whatever things that he advocates and has promised to do,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post yesterday, in response to Chong’s statement claiming that Adenan had reduced himself to ‘gutter politics’ by making baseless accusations that the opposition was belittling the state’s fight for greater autonomy.

On this, Abdul Karim — who is PBB supreme council member — remarked: “I don’t see where is the ‘gutter’ that YB Chong was accusing him (Adenan) of.

“The chief minister had promised to reduce electricity tariffs for Sarawak; now, we are enjoying the cheapest electricity in this region. He promised no more alienation of land for private oil palm (companies); so far, he has kept his words.

“He promised that he would come down hard on illegal immigrants; we do know many Suluks and illegals (foreigners) are being repatriated. He promised stern action against illegal logging — we do know that there have been many seizures of illegal logs and (illegally run) sawmills being closed down. CM Adenan promised to ensure that there would be no illegal trawlers coming to steal our fishes — now, stricter enforcement is being undertaken.”

Karim hopes ‘militant ideology report’ not true

January 21, 2016

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Youth Development (Urban) Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he hoped that the news report on attempts to bring militant ideology to Sarawak was not true.

“I hope this news is not true. We seem to be getting alarming news like this but difficult to substantiate as no arrest has been known to be made.

“I hope the police that come up with the news could give public information as ‘half news’ can lead to a lot of speculations,” he said yesterday when asked to comment on news report yesterday quoting Supt Ahmad Norisham Ma’arus of the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division (Investigation and Legal) that the police had detected attempts to bring militant ideology influenced by Daesh terrorists’ activities to Sarawak.

Supt Ahmad Norisham Ma’arus was reported to have disclosed to reporters after a briefing on ‘Awareness of extremism and IS threat’ in Miri on Tuesday that monitoring and investigation was still ongoing by Sarawak police, and so far the identity or nationality of those trying to bring in such militant ideology to Sarawak could not be made public. 

“If we expose all, those involved will be alerted of being monitored and this involves not only one party but a big network,” he was quoted as saying. 

Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Housing said a few days ago he read about an arrest being made of a suspect bomber in Ampang who was about to go on a ‘bombing’ mission.

Sarawak tuan rumah Kejohanan YoYo Malaysia 2016

January 17, 2016 

KUCHING: Sarawak dipilih sebagai tuan rumah bagi Kejohanan YoYo Malaysia 2016 yang dijadual berlangsung pada 3 hingga 5 Jun tahun ini.

Kejohanan memasuki edisi ke-11 tahun ini bakal menghimpunkan lebih 100 pemain yoyo seluruh negara.

Menteri Muda Belia, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata kerajaan negeri menerusi Kementerian Pembangunan Sosial menyokong penuh kejohanan itu.

Plaza Merdeka Mall venue of M’sia YoYo Championship 2016

January 16, 2016

YOYO DEMO: Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah attentively watches a demo by the national champion Adi Hisham Moktar aftr the press conference. Also seen in the picture are (from left) Persatuan Rakan Bestnye Sarawak chairman Athanasius Chua, Han and Plaza Merdeka General Manager Cheah Kheng Mun. -Photo by: @ybkarimsays

Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
during the press conference.
-@ybkarimsays

KUCHING: Yoyo enthusiasts in Sarawak will be thrilled to know that hundreds of YoYo players from all over Malaysia will converge on Kuching to participate in the Malaysia YoYo Championship 2016 from Jun 3 to 5.

Kelab Yo-Blitz Kuching chairman Ryan Han said the championship would be jointly organised by them and Persatuan Rakan Bestnye Sarawak, and would be held for the first time away from Kuala Lumpur.

“We won the 11th championship bid and it will be held at Plaza Merdeka Mall,” he told the press to announce the championship at Wisma Sultan Tengah here yesterday.

Kemuyang new village can become a satellite town

January 15, 2016

SIBU: A new satellite town similar to that of Sibu Jaya may be in the offing in Kemuyang area near here.

Assistant Housing Development Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said yesterday this could happen if the new village in Kemuyang to house the extended family members of the fire victims of Kampung Datu/Hilir meets the population’s requirement in future.

There are 441 lots approved for the extended families for phase one of the project, covering 149 acres.

Galeri: Press Conference on Program Sejiwa Senada 2016

 January 15, 2016

(From left) Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee, Deputy State Secretary Datu Misnu Taha, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Gramong Juna, Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee during the press conference.

Abdul Karim blasts Baru over statement

January 13, 2016

SIBU: Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday blasted state PKR chairman Baru Bian over his statement that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s barb at the opposition was “insincere and silly”.

Abdul Karim said the statement showed that Baru lacked understanding of what Adenan as the Chief Minister had done thus far to benefit people of Sarawak.

In a press statement, Baru had said he found Adenan’s latest jibe at the opposition on keeping Peninsular Malaysia based parties out of Sarawak rather “insincere and silly” although he had on many occasions tended to agree with the latter’s statements pertaining to the rights of Sarawakians.

The state PKR chief had also pointed out although Adenan had not said so, he (Adenan) did not have the power to restrict the registration of Umno or any other political party in any part of the federation under the laws of Malaysia, adding that the latter was conveniently letting the public labour under the misconception that he did have such power.

The Ba Kelalan assemblyman further said: “By saying ‘not allowing’, we mean that there is an understanding between the state BN and Umno that as long as PBB and its partners hold the majority of seats in Sarawak, Umno will not set up officially in Sarawak.”

On this, Abdul Karim who is Asajaya assemblyman said: “Baru’s latest comment reflects his shallow knowledge and understanding of what Adenan as CM has done this far.

“It was Adenan who as CEO of the state who specifically stated that Umno is not welcome in Sarawak. Not because the Law prohibits them, but because we have state BN parties; PBB, SUPP, PRS and SPDP that could look after Sarawak and its interest.”

Galeri: Perjumpaan AJK Cawangan Ranting PBB N14 Asajaya

January 06, 2015

Abdul Karim: Check vaping in schools, colleges

January 7, 2016

SIBU: The Education Ministry is urged to put a check on vaping before it reaches a critical level.

In giving this reminder, Assistant Minister of Social Development (Youth) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was reacting to the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation’s (MCPF) call for the ministry to expedite the issuance of a circular to all schools and educational institutions on the guidelines to prohibit vaping.

Its vice-chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, reportedly said the use of vape in schools and educational institutions should be disallowed in view of the long-term disastrous effects on the students’ health.

Lee was also reported to support fully the ministry’s decision to ban vaping among students and teachers in schools and other educational institutions.

Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, said: “I fully agree that the Education Ministry must prohibit vaping in all schools and educational institutions.”

Apart from the findings that vaping had a long term disastrous effect on health, it also did not help in students and teachers economically, he added.

Galeri: Press Conference on Sejiwa Senada

January 5, 2016

Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and other carnival committee members during the press conference. -TheBorneoPost

‘Better for BN if Chinese united under one party’

January 3, 2016

SIBU: There is a higher chance for Barisan Nasional (BN) to wrest back the urban seats in the next state election if the Chinese remained united under one party.

Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications) Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi, who is state BN secretary-general, was asked if the coming polls would see urban seats returning to BN as well as the swing of support from the Chinese community to the coalition, given the soaring popularity of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

“There is swing to BN, definitely but if the Chinese are united under one party, the chances of winning would be better,” Dr Rundi, who is Kemena assemblyman, told thesundaypost.

In the 2011 state election, BN won 55 of 71 seats.

PBB secured all 35 seats it contested in, while SUPP only managed six out of 19; PRS eight out of nine; and SPDP six out of eight. Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is Asajaya assemblyman, personally hoped to see the urban seats returning to BN in the next state election.

He said urban seats to be contested by PBB such as Satok, Nangka and Jepak would definitely be going to BN but those eyed by SUPP, or maybe united People’s Party (UPP) would present a tough fight for the candidates.

“We do hope that the soaring popularity, openness and transparency of the chief minister in his short stint so far, he could bring more urban voters to lean towards BN.

No place in S’wak for Opposition of ‘noise-makers’

January 3, 2016

The Barisan Nasional (BN) is not saying that Sarawak does not need an Opposition which can act as a check-and-balance but it’s against one which “simply makes noise”.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak has taken the position that the state does not need an Opposition which “simply makes noise”. “We are not saying that Sarawak does not need an Opposition which can act as a check-and-balance,” said Nangka Assemblyman Annuar Rapaee. “What we are saying is that we don’t need an Opposition which simply makes noise.”

Annuar along with Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Assistant Minister of Public Utilities Stephen Rundi were expressing the hope in the local media that the urban seats would return to the ruling coalition but acknowledged that the Chinese, in that case, would have to unite under one political party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak.

“There’s a better chance of BN taking back the urban seats if the Chinese were united under one political party,” said Stephen who is also BN Sarawak Secretary-General.

He noted that Chinese “had begun swinging back to BN given Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s popularity” but thinks the trend wasn’t pronounced enough. “The Chinese must unite under one political party in the BN for the coalition to win back the urban seats.”

Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya Assemblyman and a PPB Supreme Council member, expects his party to retain its urban seats such as Satok, Nangka and Jepak but concedes the ostensibly multiracial but Chinese-led and dominated Sarawak United People’s Party (Supp) will have a tough fight in other urban seats against the DAP. “We hope that Adenan, given his popularity, because of his emphasis on openness and transparency, can play a big role in wooing back urban voters.”

“The Chief Minister is a leader for all communities. It’s not often that we get a leader like this.”

In 2011, the last state election, BN won 55 of the 71 seats contested. The number of seats has since increased by 11 to 82.