Abdul Karim foresees Pakatan Harapan Sarawak breaking up soon

March 21, 2017

SIBU: It is just a matter of time before members of the newly formed Pakatan Harapan Sarawak scramble for seats and fight each other as they have different agendas and goals.

Hence, whether it is Pakatan Rakyat or Pakatan Harapan or Pakatan with or without PAS or Pakatan with or without Amanah makes no difference to Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) or the people of Sarawak, said Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“It is just a loose pact of political parties which have separate agendas and goals in their struggle. 

This loose pact is just meant for the 14th general election…unlike BN, where the coalition is permanent and having a common BN struggle for the people’s wellbeing and the nation.

“Pakatan pact can be easily summarised as a pack of political parties sleeping together but having different dreams. 

Majority will vote for Najib and BN in GE14 - Karim

January 7, 2017

A PBB supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah was confident that the majority of Malaysians would acknowledge the commitment of the Barisan Nasional government and vote for Najib and BN.

“Looking at how committed BN and our prime minister are in addressing whatever problems faced, whether it’s the economy, political issues, infrastructure development, inter-faith and religious and racial issues."

I have full confidence that the majority of Malaysians will vote for Najib and BN,” said Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports, The Borneo Post reported yesterday.

He was commenting on a report by a research arm of international economic daily Financial Times saying the 14th general election would be held in the third quarter of this year and Najib was on track to retain his grip on power.

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister for Housing, said Najib and BN were also committed in addressing the many nitty-gritty issues thrown at them by the opposition.

‘BN unperturbed by sensationalised issues in the next election’

December 5, 2016

SIBU: The issues sensationalised by the opposition will not affect Barisan Nasional (BN)’s chances of winning in the 14th general election (GE14), in that the current ruling coalition has been managing such issues quite well.

According to Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, there is no country or political system that is ever spared from crises and issues – each has experienced its own ups and downs.

His remarks came following views by political analysts that BN would retain power in the next election.

Specifically, Asia Institute of University of Tasmania director Prof James Chin had said that BN would win in GE14 as the decisive and majority votes would still come from the rural areas.

“At the rate we are going, I have full confidence that BN will still be in power after GE14. Definitely there’s unhappiness here and there, as well as issues cropping up that are being sensationalised by the opposition, but that is normal.

“We just need to manage such crises well and strive to instil confidence in the general public. So far, Malaysia has done pretty well and despite issues like 1MDB, the economic outlook for Malaysia is still much better than most other countries.

“It is on this note that I feel the people will still vote for BN. The opposition is much needed as well, for checks and balances,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post yesterday.

State BN always ready for election

September 6, 2016 

PBB is always ready for an election, says its Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“In fact, PBB machinery has always been actively running activities on the ground, irrespective of whether there’s an election coming or not,” said Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, to a local English daily.

He was commenting on a Bernama report that quoted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as urging BN components to gear up for GE14.

Meanwhile the PBB Secretary General Datuk Dr Stepten Rundi Utom also concurred with Zahid that Barisan Nasional should "make early preparations" for the general election.

He pointed out the present parliamentary term expires in 2018 which is about two years from now.

However, the Secretary General was confident that PBB had no problem to get ready for the GE as the party's election machinery was still intact and fresh from the recent state election.

SPDP revealed that it was heeding Ahmad Zahid’s call and actually had been making preparations.

Karim: BN still relevant

May 07, 2015

KUCHING: The BN's win in the just-concluded Rompin parliamentary by-election is a reflection that BN is still relevant and accepted by the people, says Assistant Minister for Social Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Karim said the reduced majority in the by-election was not a reflection that BN was losing ground.

"The 8,000 plus majority garnered by the BN candidate is a huge majority in itself. We can't compare General Election and By-election. There are different scenarios," he said when asked to give his comments yesterday on the just concluded Rompin parliamentary by-election.

In the just concluded by-election, BN retained the seat with a majority of 8,895 votes. The BN candidate Datuk Hassan Ariffin obtained a total of 23,796 votes or 61 percent of the votes casted which his challenger Nazri Ahmad of PAS secured a total of 14,901 votes (39 percent).

Karim said despite the all out onslaught by the Opposition, BN still managed to win the seat with a handsome majority.

"So all these rumours that BN has lost credibility is just a myth," said Karim, who is also state assemblyman fort Asajaya.

In the 13th General Election held in May 2013, the late Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis retained the seat for BN after defeating PAS candidate Nuridah Mohd Salleh with a majority of 15,144 votes.

‘Ex-reps best channel to gauge people’s sentiments’

November 3, 2014

SIBU: Members of the Malaysian Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) could be of great help in giving input on how to strengthen the Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery as well as address problems faced by the people.

PBB Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said as former elected representatives, they would be the best group to go to when it came to gauging people’s sentiments.

His remark came following a Bernama report stating that the council was setting up a ‘think-tank’ to assist BN in the 14th general election (GE14).

Mubarak president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman was quoted as having said that it would also submit to the government the outcome of its study and survey on the people’s support for BN, which could assist the ruling coalition in its preparation for the next general election.

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, said: “Any move by anybody – especially the ex-Ybs (people’s representatives) to assist BN in the GE14 is very much welcome.

“Being YBs before, they would be in a better position to gauge the sentiments and feeling of the people on the ground.”

In the Bernama report, Abdul Aziz also said the challenge facing BN in the next general election would be in getting the support from new voters, adding that there would be between 40 and 50 per cent increase of them come GE14.

Karim terharu dengan sokongan padu penduduk Kampung Baru terhadap Barisan Nasional

August 7, 2013

ASAJAYA, Selasa — Menteri Muda Perumahan dan Pembangunan Belia (Bandar) Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah melahirkan rasa terharu atas sokongan penduduk Kampung Baru terhadap Barisan Nasional dalam Pilihanraya Umum (PRU) ke-13 yang lepas.

Beliau menyifatkan sokongan yang padu ini telah membantu Barisan Nasional mendapat kemenangan dalam pilihanraya tersebut.

Karim, merangkap ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) N14 Asajaya, berkata sedemikian telah menyempurnakan majlis sumbangan duit raya kepada golongan kurang upaya di kampung berkenaan.

Seramai 139 orang penerima sumbangan tersebut merangkumi 109 orang warga emas dan ibu tunggal selain 30 orang anak-anak yatim.

Menyentuh tentang sambutan hari raya, beliau mengingatkan agar bersederhana dalam menyambut lebaran selain bijak menguruskan perbelanjaan. 

"Setiap kali menjelangnya perayaan pasti besar keperluan yang akan digunakan. 

"Namun, kita harus lebih bijak menguruskan perbelanjaan dan elakkan diri dari berbelanja dengan boros," katanya. 

Don’t think of overthrowing govt via violence — Karim

May 27, 2012

1MALAYSIA: Karim (seventh right, second row) does the ‘1Malaysia’ gesture, joined by veterans at Sibu Gateway.

SIBU: Youth Development Assistant Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday urged anyone with the intention to overthrow the government through violent means to abort the plan.

Abdul Karim warned it could plunder the country into turmoil, causing investors to shy away and bring suffering.

He was responding to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s view that opposition leaders might resort to prolonged violent demonstrations to win the 13th general election (GE) if democratic approach would not yield victory.

“This is the personal opinion of Tun (Dr Mahathir)… I can see some truth in it but I hope this will not happen.

“Probably, some leaders inside PR might have been influenced by what happened in Arab countries (violent demos and taking over the government).

The prelude to the GE looks like some attempt to that nature.

“Could that be why they had this series of Bersih or whatever they call it, suggesting they may be moving along that line?” he told thesundaypost after officiating at the Perhimpunan Sempena Jelajah Pendaftaran Kumpulan Veteran Tentera Tidak Berpencen (KVTTB) at Sibu Gateway here.

Karim: PBB sudah kenal pasti tiga calon untuk Barisan Nasional

April 17, 2012

ASAJAYA: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) sudah mengenal pasti tiga individu untuk disenarai pendek sebagai calon Barisan Nasional (BN) bagi kerusi Parlimen Kota Samarahan pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13) nanti.

Ahli Majlis Tertinggi PBB Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah mendedahkan, salah seorang daripada tiga individu terbabit wanita yang merupakan anak tempatan di kawasan itu.

Jelasnya, ketiga-tiga nama individu berkenaan akan diserahkan kepada pemimpin tertinggi BN dinilai sebelum salah seorang daripada mereka dipilih untuk bertanding dalam pilihan raya dijangka tidak lama lagi.

“Untuk Parlimen Kota Samarahan tiga nama termasuk seorang wanita telah disenarai pendek dan saya rasa tidak akan menghadapi masalah sekiranya seorang daripada mereka dipilih, yang lain saya percaya mereka akan terus memberi sokongan,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai nama-nama individu dari kawasan itu yang akan disenaraikan untuk diserahkan kepada pemimpin tertinggi BN bagi dipilih sebagai calon dalam PRU13 kelak.

Bagaimanapun Karim enggan mendedahkan nama-nama individu tersebut tetapi beliau yakin calon yang akan bertanding untuk mempertahankan kerusi tersebut adalah seorang anak tempatan.

“Saya rasa kali ini seorang anak tempatan akan bertanding (bagi Parlimen Kota Samarahan)… itu saya rasalah,” tambahnya.