MoCS rally a cheap publicity stunt — Karim

Posted on August 9, 2011, Tuesday

KUCHING: Call it by any other name, this Saturday’s planned rally by Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) is just a cheap publicity attempt by its prime movers, said Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday.

Asked to comment on MoCS’ decision to tone down their rally, Karim said this showed that those behind MoCS were a confused political group who would flip-flop in order to achieve their aims.

“MoCS better make up their mind on what they want. Their first call was for Chief Minister to step down by August 13 or they will call a massive rally in Kuching ala the demostration in Tunisia or Egypt.

“Now after the Bersih 2.0 rally in KL and the state election which saw Barisan Nasional winning three quarters of the total state seats, they had changed their slogan and theme.

“Better for them to just shut up and let BN run the State with the present DAP and PKR opposition reps doing their part as responsible oppostion members,” he said.

Yesterday, MoCS leader Francis Siah issued a statement saying that it would tone down its rally to a peaceful gathering without any march or procession.

Siah also said that instead of anti-Taib Mahmud rally, the rally will be called Walk for Democracy and Reform’ in order to appear less confrontational and more civil during the holy month of Ramadan.

MoCS patut ukur baju di badan sendiri

July 14, 2011

Ia pertubuhan tidak berdaftar yang tidak layak mempersoalkan sistem demokrasi

KUCHING: Gerakan Mengubah Sarawak (MoCS) wajar ‘mengukur baju di badan sendiri’ sebelum mempertikaikan amalan demokrasi di Sarawak.

Menteri Perancangan dan Pengurusan Sumber Kedua Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan berkata, MoCS perlu sedar kedudukannya sebagai pertubuhan tidak berdaftar yang tidak layak mempersoalkan sistem demokrasi yang diamalkan di negara ini secara keseluruhannya.

Katanya, MoCS tidak mempunyai mandat untuk memerintah tetapi cuba bercakap mengenai transformasi Sarawak.

“Sebelum itu siapa MoCS ini? Difahamkan ia satu organisasi tidak berdaftar pun.

“Kita (Barisan Nasional) telah pun memenangi 55 daripada 71 kerusi dalam pilihan raya negeri lalu dan ini diadakan menerusi proses demokrasi pilihan raya, jadi MoCS harus sedar siapa mereka,” tegasnya.

Beliau diminta mengulas kenyataan dalam sebuah blog mengatakan MoCS akan mengadakan rapat umum bertema ‘Berjalan untuk Demokrasi dan Reformasi’ pada 13 Ogos ini di Kuching.

Awang Tengah berkata, rakyat telah pun membuat pilihan dalam pilihan raya negeri lalu dan mandat sepenuhnya diberikan kepada Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud sebagai Ketua Menteri.

Siah has crossed the red line, says Karim

May 20, 2011

KUCHING: Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) chief Francis Siah’s incitement for mass demonstration against a democratically elected chief minister is against democracy.

As such, he said, PBB and especially its Youth wing were against his call as it is akin to fomenting public disorder.

“Siah said there is nothing wrong in asking Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to quit. My comment is this: Definitely there is nothing wrong in asking a leader to quit. It’s one’s right under freedom of speech.

“But freedom of speech has its limit too. What PBB and its Youth wing are concerned about is that he is giving the ultimatum to the chief minister to quit by August 13 or there will be a mass demonstration ala the one that brought down the Egyptian and Tunisian governments that Siah wanted to organise. It is against public order that is wrong,” Karim told the Borneo Post here yesterday.

He added that the present BN government led by Taib is legitimate as it had won 55 seats out of the 71 contested or more than two thirds of the total seats.

“The rakyat has given its mandate to the BN and no one in the right frame of mind should question that mandate which was conducted fairly and legitimately,” Karim pointed out.

Karim, who is also the BN backbencher club chairman and a PBB supreme council member, reiterated that Siah’s incitement and the call for public disorder after August 13 was what PBB and its Youth wing were protesting about and not Siah’s call for Taib to quit.

Karim blasts MoCS for ultimatum on CM to step down within three months

May 14, 2011

NO NECESSITY TO MONITOR US: Siah (right) and Awang Abdillah (brother of DUN speaker Dato Sri Awang Asfia) at the press conference yesterday.

KUCHING: Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday slammed Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) for asking the Chief Minister to step down within three months.

Its leader Francis Siah who declared this in its ‘Taibetes Operation’ had said at PKR Centre yesterday that he was giving Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday (Friday 13th) till August 13th to step down.

“How many times does he want to launch this campaign? It wouldn’t go far and it never will,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, said that MoCS is a non-governmental organisation that has no respect for the rule of law and the election process in the country.

“The Chief Minister (Taib) was chosen by the people of Sarawak through a genuine democratic election process. People voted for him and it is in accordance with the constitution,” he added.

Karim advised MoCS to be more careful with its statement as it could cause anxiety.

He hoped that the police would look into the matter seriously and monitor MoCS’ activities.

Call for mass protest by MoCS a security threat, says Karim

May 5, 2011

KUCHING: The call by the Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) to set an ultimatum to Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to step down within the next three months or face mass protests is a threat that police must monitor and take precautionary action to prevent any untoward incident that could jeopardise peace and harmony in Sarawak.

The warning was issued by the State BN backbencher chairman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah as the threat by MoCS was an incitement to the people to turn against the government.

“I urge the police to monitor the statement from MoCS as it is detrimental to the legitimate government elected by the people,” Karim told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

He added that Sarawak or Malaysia for that matter should not condone street protesters such as those staged by the Egyptians or Tunisians to oust their leaders.

Karim, who is also the chief political secretary to the chief minister also stressed that the people should not listen to MoCS especially its leader Francis Paul Siah, whom he considered as a “Soldier of Fortune” and a “Loner”.

“Who cares about what Francis Siah is saying as he is nobody.

But to issue such as threat is tantamount to threatening national security,” warned Abdul Karim.