‘BN’s clear victory in S’wak proof of people’s support’

May 7, 2013, Tuesday

SIBU: State Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi yesterday praised Sarawakians for being staunch BN supporters.

“Thank you Sarawakians who steadfastly stood by, supported and voted for BN despite the onslaught by the opposition and we will continue to work hard to serve the people,” the Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications) said of BN’s victory in the 13th general election.

PBB supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, on the other hand, said the result showed that Sarawakians wanted to give a very clear mandate to BN, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

“It is a manifestation that Sarawakians are happy with BN and its policies. The only unfortunate part of it was a glaring trend of Chinese voting for the opposition.

“This glaring polarisation is not healthy for racial harmony especially in a multi-ethnic society like Sarawak or Malaysia. This trend which seems to continue since the last state election and ever since a west Malaysian political party started ‘importing’ Semenanjung style of racial politics has clearly created a divisive racial trend in Sarawak politics too.

“This is the price we have to pay for democracy,” he noted.

Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, however, hoped leaders of that particular party could see politics and nation building from another perspective.

“Party leaders must be responsible to everyone irrespective of race or religion and must avoid harping on issues that could arouse hatred, ill-will among races or towards leaders,” he stressed.

Concurring with them, state BN youth chief Datuk Fadillah Yusof said the positive outcome also showed that Malaysians wanted Najib to continue leading the country so as to continue with the various transformation programmes.

And with the strong support registered by BN, particularly in Sarawak, he expressed confidence that the NKRA objectives for the state under the Rural Transformation Programme could be achieved.

He was also optimistic that BN would fulfil the promises it gave to Sarawak, such as the upgrading of the Pan Borneo trunk road.

Abdul Karim ticks off Pakatan

January 8, 2013, Tuesday

KUCHING: The pledge by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to build the Trans-Borneo Highway from Tanjung Datu to Kudat, Sabah is just an empty promise made to hoodwink voters as the general election approaches said PBB supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“They also promise to reduce price of petrol within 24 hours after forming government. These promises, however tempting are ‘carrots dangled’ to voters. Fortunately, not many Sarawakians will fall for them,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Abdul Karim, also Assistant Youth Development Minister, was commenting on the pledge made by PKR Sarawak youth chief Ahmad Nazib Johari who had said the party would build the highway if given mandate by the people to form the new federal government.

Ahmad Nazib who made the promises at a political talk in Kota Samarahan on Sunday said with the highway, travelling by road from here to Miri which usually took 14 hours could be shortened to just four hours.

According to Abdul Karim, such a promise was impossible to keep even if PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim were to be the Prime Minister.

“The rakyat are beginning to see who this Anwar really is. He could have lobbied for this highway when he was the deputy prime minister and finance minister but then what did he do? We have enough of these sweet promises,” he said.

Karim said Barisan Nasional had many plans for the gradual development of the state and would not resort to making election promises just to win votes.