Electric bus debuts on Friday, passengers ride for free for 3 months

February 26, 2019

The bus will operate hourly, have free WiFi and cover 26 stops around Kuching city centre.

KUCHING: Sarawak’s first electric bus will hit the roads this Friday (March 1) enabling locals and visitors here to travel around the city centre with ease.

Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the CRRC electric bus will go on a three-month trial run covering 26 stations that include the Open Air Market, Kuching Waterfront, iCom Square and Sarawak Museum, among others.

“The free electric bus will provide commuters with the convenience to travel around the city centre, especially for those who are from outside Kuching.

Plan to set up cultural centre for Biannah Bidayuhs gets minister’s nod

July 10, 2017

Abdul Karim (standing back, eighth left), with Dr Jerip on his right and Rangen (standing, left), joins representatives of the 14 Biannah villages in Upper Padawan in a photo-call.

KUCHING: The setting up of a cultural centre for the Biannah Bidayuhs gets the backing from Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The minister himself had proposed for such a centre to be built for the Biannah clan as a proper platform for them to hold events and showcase their rich culture and traditions.

“Looking at the very rich culture of the Biannah clan, I see the need to develop a cultural centre here (Biannah area).

“So I want the Biannah leaders to sit down and have a meeting on finding a suitable site,” he said in closing the two-day Biannah Cultural Festival 2017 at Kampung Annah Rais in Upper Padawan near here on Saturday night.

Held for the first time, the festival showcased the culture and traditions of the people from 14 Biannah villages.

Tackling the ‘direct candidate’ issue

April 05, 2016

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem will hold a press conference tomorrow on the issue of “Barisan Nasional direct candidates”, according to media invitations sent out yesterday.

The media invitations did not elaborate on the matter, except to say a “direct candidates” announcement would be made at the CM’s Wisma Bapa office at 2pm.

Leaders of Barisan component parties, SUPP and SPDP, declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

Similarly, members of their breakaway parties, UPP and Teras, would not reveal much.

In the past, Barisan direct candidates referred to those contesting under the Barisan ticket without a component party.

Previous examples include Datuk James Dawos and Billy Abit Joo, who later joined Barisan’s PBB and PRS.

But for the coming polls, Adenan has not made clear the mechanisms of direct candidacies.

Samarahan Municipal Council by next year?

December 21, 2014

KUCHING: Samarahan District Council (SDC) could be upgraded to Samarahan Municipal Council buy next year in line with its status as the faster growing township in Sarawak.

Assistant Minister of Housing, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah revealed this during the 30th Anniversary Appreciation Dinner of Samarahan District Council at Imperial Hotel here on Friday night.

"The State Government has already approved the upgrading of SDC. SDC is supposed to change to Samarahan Municipal Council this year," he added.

Karim, who is also the Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya State Assemblyman, said the District Council needed to be upgraded as Samarahan developing fast.

However, money was needed from the Federal government for the upgrading./

"I hope and believe that by next year, SDC will be able to change its name to Samarahan Municipal Council."

Karim said that currently, SDC had 60 Councillors.

Karim condemns the shooting of Wong Soon Koh's house

August 15, 2014

KUCHING: Political leaders in the state strongly condemn the shooting of a house belonging to Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

They hoped that a thorough investigation would be carried out soonest to solve the problem.

Assistant Minister of Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil described the shooting as life-threatening and should be strongly condemned.

“We don’t know the motive of the shooting but definitely it is life-threatening and as such we hope the authorities concerned such as the police will carry out a thorough investigation and bring the culprit to book,” he said.

In the incident, one of the windows at the minister’s residence in Sibu was fired at using shotgun.

He said what was obvious was that the shooter was trying to put the law into his own hands and this was something most unwarranted for in a peaceful state like Sarawak.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was shocked to hear a senior minister’s house being shot at.

 

Galeri: Signing of Letter of Appointment

March 4, 2014

Assistant ministers (from left) Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Datuk Dr Jerip Susil sign their letters of appointment.

18 pintu ruang bilik bulih surat pala tanah ba Mambong

May 1, 2013

MAMBONG : Pengudah ti kelalu lama nganti iya nya semak 20 taun, 18 pintu ruang bilik ke nguan Kampung Mambong berasai gaga pengudah perintah ngemendarka surat pala tanah ungkup tanah sida ti bisi kena bungkur ketegal projek sebuah Kilang Semen ba endur nya maya taun 1996.

Penulung Menteri Pengawa Berumah enggau Pemansang Nembiak (Bandar) Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah madah, surat pala tanah ke diberi perintah nya asil ari peminta pengari rayat ke endang udah dipilih rayat ngelama tu iya nya pengari BN ba sitak Parlimen Mambong ti deka bediri ba Pengawa Bepilih Besai Ke -13 (PRU13) tu iya nya Dr. James Dawos.

“Nya alai, rayat patut milih orang ke ulih dipechaya ba Dr. James laban iya endang gawa enggau perintah. Kitai enggai meda rayat ba Parlimen Mambong rugi ketegal ngundi penyakal laban udah tu ila nyangka iya (Dr James) dipadu nyadi menteri penuh tauka mengkang megai tanggung pengawa iya ke diatu,” ku Karim.

Iya madah munyi nya rambau Pengerami Nyuaka Surat Pala Tanah Enggau Program RMR Skim Berumah Baru Kampung Mambong ke ditur ba Dewan Mambong, Kampung Mambong semak Jalai Puncak Borneo Kuching kemari (Hari Dua).

Ba pengerami nya, bisi semilan buah ruang bilik dulu nerima surat pala tanah ari 18 buah peminta lalu semua peminta nya bulih pemendar magang. Semilan agi ruang bilik ke bukai deka diberi enda lama agi.

Nangkan ke nya mega, Karim madah ungkup Projek Rumah Mesra Rayat Skim Individu P.198 Mambong, bisi 29 unit rumah udah tembu digaga ba parlimen Mambong.

Projek tu berengkah digaga kena 13 Oktober 2011 lalu tembu kena 11 Oktober 2012.

Impian miliki rumah kini tercapai

May 1, 2013

TERIMA KASIH: (Dari lima kiri) Dr Jerip dan Abdul Karim bergambar bersama penerima-penerima surat Kelulusan Hak Milik Tanah dan Program RMR Skim Penempatan Semula di Kampung Mambong semalam.

KUCHING: Penantian selama 17 tahun bagi 18 keluarga di Kampung Mambong kira-kira 30 kilometer dari sini memiliki rumah sendiri berakhir semalam apabila Kementerian Perumahan bersetuju membina Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) individu untuk mereka.

Menteri Muda Perumahan Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata di bawah skim itu kementeriannya akan mendirikan RMR dengan satu pertiga daripada kos pembinaan akan ditanggung oleh kerajaan manakala bakinya oleh pemilik.

“Walaupun lama, saya berharap apa yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan sekurang-kurangnya akan mengakhiri penantian anda semua…difahamkan kelewatan ini disebabkan beberapa perkara yang tidak dapat dielakkan, antaranya tapak penempatan semula.

“Semua ini adalah usaha keras wakil rakyat anda di sini iaitu Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Bengoh Dr Jerip Susil dan calon BN Parlimen Mambong Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit,” katanya pada Majlis Penyerahan Surat Kelulusan Hak Milik Tanah dan Program RMR Skim Penempatan Semula Kampung Mambong, mewakili Menteri Perumahan Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg, semalam.

Abdul Karim berkata peserta penempatan semula hanya perlu membayar RM40,000 daripada kos sebenar rumah berkenaan iaitu RM68,000 seunit.

Mengulas lanjut mengenai skim RMR individu Kampung Mambong sehingga semalam, 18 daripada yang memohon sembilan telah diluluskan manakala permohonan daripada sembilan lagi keluarga akan diluluskan dalam waktu terdekat ini.

Terdapat 19 keluarga di kampung itu yang terjejas ekoran pembinaan loji pemprosesan simen di kampung itu yang dulunya dikenali Sarawak Clinker Plant yang dibina pada 1996 dan dikendalikan oleh sebuah syarikat dari negara jiran sebelum ia diambil oleh syarikat tempatan.

Kampung Taba Sait first to move to Bengoh resettlement

January 30, 2013

KUCHING: Kampung Taba Sait will be the first village, affected by the Bengoh Dam construction, to move to the Bengoh resettlement scheme (BRS) expected in March.

Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who disclosed this said that there were 58 units of Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) to be handed over to the villagers.

“The developer had given assurance that all the houses could be completed in March. After this, they can start to move to their new house,” he said at a press conference after a briefing session on the relocation of those villagers affected by the Bengoh Dam resettlement site at Borneo Height Road here yesterday.
  

DAP, stay out of rural area !

October 11, 2011

KUCHING: The failure of the Dayak Consultative Council (DCC) seminar organised by the DAP in Siburan last Sunday afternoon has prompted several state BN leaders to advise the opposition party to forget about bringing their brand of politics to the rural or semi-rural areas.

The seminar had Dr John Brian Anthony, chairman of DCC, as main speaker and state DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng and secretary Chong Chieng Jen as supporting speakers. Also present at the event to lend moral support were DCC members Edward Luak and Ben Diomedes

As only a few people turned up, the DAP had to convert the seminar into a press conference attended by six reporters, mostly from the Chinese press. There were about 80 empty seats at the venue.

The failure was a massive blow to the Chinese-based opposition party’s effort to penetrate the rural areas. John Brian had flown all the way from Kuala Lumpur, hoping to deliver his speech in front of a full house audience.

Ho Leng, the Sibu MP and Bukit Assek assemblyman, explained that the people in Siburan had other commitments and that was why they could not attend the so called non-political Dayak seminar.

The Borneo Post asked state BN leaders on what they thought about this ill-fated seminar.

Bengoh assemblyman Dr Jerip Susil, who is also Assistant Minister of Public Health, said: “They (DAP) are trying to penetrate Bengoh, but the people are not keen on their brand of politics.”

Karim appointed as assistant minister

By RINTOS MAIL rintos@thestar.com.my

September 29, 2011

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has announced his full Cabinet line-up, keeping all the existing ministers in their respective portfolios in a concerted effort to improve and accelerate service delivery in the state.

All the existing assistant ministers are not affected in the reshuffle as they have also been retained in their respective portfolios.

The reshuffle yesterday, done five months after the state Barisan Nasional was returned to power, saw seven new assistant ministers appointed to fill up posts made vacant after the state election in April.

Announcing the changes, which come into effect tomorrow, in his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday, Taib said he had also decided to promote three ministers, namely PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan and SUPP deputy secretary general Datuk Sri Wong Soon Koh to the rank of Senior Minister.

However, in as far as their respective ministries are concer- ned, Masing is still designated as Land Development Minister; Mawan, because his ministry has been renamed, is Social Develop- ment Minister, while Wong is Second Finance Minister as well as Local Government and Com- munity Development Minister, another ministry which has been renamed.

Taib said the role of the Senior Ministers was to cordinate and supervise the changes set to take place in the various ministries.

He said he had decided to keep all the experienced ministers in their respective portfolios because he wanted them to continue supervising the machinery of the government under their ministries as well as the new assistant ministers.