YB Fong should not utter words that tantamount to treason -Karim

April 24, 2015

KUCHING: Sixteen questions and 20 supplementary questions were answered by a minister and assistant ministers during the question-and-answer session of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday.

All of them came from Barisan Nasional (BN) elected representatives except for five posed by See Chee How (PKR-Batu Lintang) and Fong Pau Teck (IND-Pujut).

The one-hour session went well without bickering while the only minister taking questions was Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who replied on behalf of the chief minister.

Fong asked the chief minister about the number of Bangladeshi and Indonesian workers in the state. After Jabu responded to his question, Fong further queried how many out of the numbers provided were illegal workers.

Maintaining his cool, Jabu said the figures he told the House were based on the records of the Immigration Department, which would not indicate the number of those entering the state illegally.

When pressed, Jabu reiterated: “We do not know the figure on the illegal workers, that is why I asked Pujut to tell us.”

Earlier, instead of posing his question the usual way by reading out the number, Abu Seman Jahwie (BN-Jemoreng) stressed the importance of being given a hearty answer.

Galeri: Launching the Baram Regatta 2014 logo

April 11, 2014

Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg (fifth left) launching the Baram Regatta 2014 logo at the ‘kick-off’ as Datuk Sylvester Entri (right) and (from left) Richard Wil Uban, Abu Seman Jahwie, Dennis Ngau (background) and Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah applaud.

Karim: What 'Justice for Balingian' you are talking about?

March 21, 2014

“If they expect an overnight metropolitan Balingian like KL or Kuching, then maybe PKR needs to have an ‘Alladdin Lamp’ as even BN won’t be able to do that. -Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

SIBU: Barisan Nasional (BN) translates people’s support into physical development for their betterment, state BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi said yesterday.

“The opposition, on the other hand, only makes empty promises,” he said, adding that people in constituencies represented by PKR/Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had become increasingly frustrated.

“PKR’s slogan of ‘Justice for Balingian’ was merely to attract people’s attention,” he said.

“It’s an attempt by the opposition to manipulate the issues at hand.

“But they never reveal what they can afford to do that is better than what BN has delivered thus far,” he said.

Dr Rundi, who is Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications), was asked on PKR’s slogan of fighting for the long-term needs of Balingian folk.

State PKR vice-chairman See Chee How claimed that people of Balingian would not be swayed by the goodies dished out by BN during the by-election because what the people wanted were long-term facilities.

Karim: Baru is not CM Adenan’s level for a debate

March 8, 2014

SIBU: The government has formulated a clear policy on NCR land, hence any opposition call for debate on the matter is nothing more than a political gimmick, PBB supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said.

He described the proposal by PKR Belaga chief Abun Sui that Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem debate with state PKR chief Baru Bian on the NCR issue as another cheap gimmick by PKR to get publicity.

“Baru is not Adenan’s level for a debate.

“Even in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN), I notice Baru has been quiet and passive. Why out of the blue this sudden challenge for a debate?” asked Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman.

Abun was quoted to have said there was a need for such a debate as many people were affected by the

government policy on NCR land.

Jemoreng assemblyman Abu Seman Jahwie yesterday said the BN government, being a caring government and serious about NCR matters, has a clear policy and allocated budget to carry out the perimeter survey.

“To me there is no issue at all. It is just the opposition who are trying to rack up issues as they know land issue is central to the heart of the people.

‘Special committee shows govt’s seriousness in caring for the people’



January 17, 2014

SIBU: The setting up of a special committee to address problems arising from the rising cost of living shows the seriousness of the government in looking after the people’s welfare.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stated this yesterday.

He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement on Wednesday that the formation of the committee was to tackle the rising cost of living.

“I am happy to see the government taking this lead to ensure that the people’s welfare and needs are monitored. Only a caring and responsible government would take these initiatives,” he said.

Abdul Karim, who is PBB supreme council member, pointed out such issue was not confined to Malaysia, but was a global phenomenon caused by high costs of fuel, manufacturing, transport and services.

He added that Malaysia had been able to sustain all this because of the huge subsidies given by the government.

With the increase in population, cost and so on, he said the government needed to restructure its subsidy policy, resulting in the increased cost of living.

    

Farming a lucrative industry, says assistant minister

July 30, 2012

SIBU: Agriculture has taken on a new facet, enabling modern farmers to reap good returns if they are prepared to toil the field.

Saying this was Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who pointed out that farming methods were not as what they were before.

“We can be very successful as a modern farmer if we are willing to indulge into it. Agriculture and being a farmer can bring ‘good returns’,” he said via sms.

Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, was asked on the notion that these days youth preferred to work in the comfort of an air-conditioned environment than to toil under the sun.

The matter was brought up by deputy managing director of KTS group of companies Temenggong Vincent Lau Lee Ming in his speech last week at the ‘Young Potential Development Programme for Plantation Management’.

In reply, Karim figured there might be some truth to it.

“The present lifestyle, career, outlook and the way parents, society and leaders portray academic excellence as the gauge for success in life has created a perception that tilling the farm and agriculture is a substandard career.

“Many do not want to be associated with it and modern youths do not want to treat it as a career,” he observed.

Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee concurred with the view, saying that youths preferred the more relaxed environment. Dr Annuar, however, was quick to point out that they needed to climb the corporate ladder to move up the office hierarchy.

“But in agriculture, your return will depend on your own effort. Therefore, the return can increase very fast if you double your efforts,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jemoreng assemblyman Abu Seman Jahwie noted the growing potential of agriculture.

“Youths should take every opportunity to venture into farming to carve a living or make a career out of it,” said Abu Seman, who is a political secretary to the chief minister.

Lau was reported to have said that agriculture, including oil palm plantation, was a growing industry that required a lot of manpower.

He also said while population kept increasing agricultural land was not growing.

This, he figured, partially soared up the demand for food, making agriculture a very important contributor to the state’s economy.