Hampir 100 hari pentadbiran PH, mana royalti minyak 20 peratus? - Karim

August 09, 2018

KUCHING: Kerajaan Pakatan Harapan (PH) mempunyai tujuh hari lagi untuk menunaikan semua perkara yang dijanjikan dalam tempoh 100 hari pemerintahan mereka. 

Bagaimanapun, Naib Presiden Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (gambar) tidak yakin kerajaan PH mampu memenuhi semua janji ini dalam tempoh tersebut. 

Katanya, jika dilihat kembali hampir semua janji PH dalam manifesto Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-14 (PRU14) masih belum dipenuhi meskipun sudah hampir 100 hari selepas pilihan raya 9 Mei lepas. 

Minister lauds opening of new arts and culture hub in capital

June 7, 2018

KUCHING: Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has welcomed the setting up of anew hub for arts and culture here.

Abdul Karim said the venue, 11Ridgeway, was a space for like-minded people to share their ideas and build an interest in arts, culture and community engagement.

“It’s good to see young entrepreneurs having a passion for arts, culture and the community.

‘Nothing new in Pakatan’s alternative Budget 2018’

October 27, 2017

KUCHING: The promises made by Pakatan Harapan (PH) in its alternative Budget 2018 has been described as nothing new by Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

According to him, they are sugar-laced promises which they make before every election, which do not contain much substance.

Abdul Karim, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member, said the promises made in the alternative budget looked sweet and juicy but it remained to be seen if the coalition could commit to what was being promised.

State govt has no plan to impose Heritage Tax, Sarawakians assured

September 11, 2017

KUCHING: The state government has no plan to impose the Heritage Tax on Sarawakians as it does not want to add to their burden.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who confirmed this yesterday, said the state government could do it but chose not to burden the people further.

“We can also do it, but then we don’t want to burden people more because when they see the bill, there would be so many taxes – GST (Goods and Services Tax), Tourism Tax, services tax, Heritage Tax. It’s not really good for the industry,” he told reporters after launching the ‘Paint The World (PTW) Concert 2017’ at the civic centre here yesterday.

DAP ‘hitting below the belt’, says Abdul Karim

April 2, 2016

KUCHING: PBB Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has criticised the DAP for ‘hitting below the belt’, with its latest video clip on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife.

The video clip launched by DAP as its campaign tool for the upcoming state election merely reflected their desperation for lack of issues, Abdul Karim said to the Borneo Post yesterday.

“This is ‘hitting below the belt’, malicious and totally irrelevant. This probably is DAP’s attempt to drag vicious ‘Semenanjung’ style politics into Sarawak,” said Abdul Karim, unamused of the clip which was launched by DAP Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on March 31.

He added that the clip was ridiculous and silly as it barked at the wrong tree especially when the video clip depicted the Dayak cultural background.

“Using the Dayak cultural background for an insulting video is tantamount to degrading the Dayak who are known to be a polite race full of finesse, and not one who will openly insult another,” said Abdul Karim who is also Assistant Minister for Youth Development (Urban) and Assistant Minister of Housing.

He added that DAP should openly apologise to the Dayak community for using their culture to degrade, insult and mock the prime minister and his wife as well as telling untrue facts about the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

He also questioned as to why nothing was mentioned about the numerous good decisions made by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem over the last two years in office in the over three minutes video clip.

DAP ‘desperate’, running out of ideas – PBB leaders

March 28, 2016

KUCHING: Two PBB leaders Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Abdullah Saidol shot down attempts by the state DAP to make the coming state election a referendum against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and described it as ‘desperate’.

Abdul Karim, who is also PBB supreme council member and Asajaya assemblyman, said such attempt showed DAP was running out of issues against Barisan Nasional (BN) for the state election.

“The GST is a tax imposed by the federal government, whereas an election is a venue for the ‘rakyat’ (people) to choose who should be their elected representative or YB and, which party should be the government for the next five years.

“By proposing GST as the ‘referendum’ to gauge acceptance and popularity shows how desperate DAP is in trying to win votes. Next, probably they would say the recent heavy rain and flooding are because of BN government’s inability to stop the rain,” said the Assistant Minister of Housing and Assistant Minister of Youth Development.

“I am sure the ‘rakyat’ are not easily influenced by this cheap tactic,” he added.

He explained GST, introduced in April 1 last year, had helped the government tremendously especially when the price of oil and gas had gone down so low and affected the country’s development plans.

“We are lucky that Malaysia has good leaders that could foresee this coming and introduced GST as an alternative. Even Brunei and other oil producing countries are feeling the pinch from this low oil price and Malaysia is not spared.

Jambatan Batang Sadong sudah hampir siap: Karim

August 6, 2015

ASAJAYA: Menteri Muda Perumahan dan Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia (Bandar) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah memaklumkan Jambatan Batang Sadong hampir siap dan Batang Samarahan siap dalam tempoh satu setengah tahun lagi.

Abdul Karim yang juga ADUN Asajaya menjelaskan dengan jambatan itu nanti, perjalanan dari Samarahan disingkatkan dan ekonomi penduduk dapat ditingkatkan.

“Dengan jambatan ini, perjalanan dahulunya mengambil masa satu jam dapat disingkatkan iaitu kira-kira 30 minit sahaja,” jelasnya.

Beliau berkata demikian semasa Majlis Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri Bahagian Samarahan 2015 di Kompleks Sukan Asajaya yang di hadiri Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem dan isteri, Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu.

Sehubungan itu, Abdul Karim berharap penduduk di situ dapat berdiri teguh dengan Barisan Nasional.

“Seperti kawasan lain, harapan saya agar masyarakat di sini agar dapat berdiri teguh di bawah kepimpinan Ketua Menteri,” katanya.

Tambahnya, pelbagai perubahan beliau dapat bawa kepada masyarakat negeri ini.

Karim says Adenan deserves good rating in survey

July 31, 2015

SIBU: There are positive vibes towards Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem among people from all walks of life, noted Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Karim said he agreed with PKR state vice chairman See Chee How’s statement that Adenan received the 74 per cent approval rating from Sarawakians because of the timing of the survey but it could not be denied that the people were warming up to the chief minister

“I do agree with YB See that timing of survey does reflect the way public opinion goes.

But we cannot take away credit from our CM as everywhere we go, from coffee shops  to the villagers, from students to civil servants and those in the private sectors, from among Malays, Chinese and Dayak,  there is this “feeling” of liking for him.”

Karim added there are other national issues that could have influenced the survey like 1MDB, imposition of GST, fuel prices but somehow these issues did not negate the rating for Adenan.

See has also said despite enjoying a good rating, the Merdeka Centre survey results also showed that 56 per cent of those interviewed opined that corruption was a serious issue in Sarawak, while only 27 per cent thought that it was not serious.

See added that the approval rating for Adenan did not necessarily mean approval for BN Sarawak as a whole, adding that the chief minister’s high approval rating would not necessarily translated into a substantial vote swing towards the BN.

BN will win Dudong, Meradong, Ba Kelalan, Krian at next polls

July 19, 2015

KUCHING: A PBB Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes the state Barisan Nasional (BN) can wrest Dudong, Meradong, Ba Kelalan and Krian from the opposition in the next state election while maintaining the two-thirds majority track record.

He said some of the presently opposition-held urban seats such as Dudong and Meradong that BN failed to defend in the last election was due to in-fighting in the party.

“Do not be surprised that we may be able to capture all these seats. I think DAP knows about that also,” he said when met at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Jalan Astana yesterday.

Karim, who is Assistant Minister for Youth Development (Urban Areas) and Assistant Minister of Housing, said the state BN would still win the election with two-thirds majority – with or without the 11 new seats.

“Whether the 11 new seats are going to come into play or not does not really affect us. Personally, I see that the 11 new seats will give more leeway to the chief minister to patch up the component parties and the splinter group.

“If the 11 new seats come into play, of course the chief minister will have more space to arrange. But without those 11 new seats, we will have a landslide win also. With the new seats, we may probably lose one or two of them. It is not going to be 100 per cent ours.”

He said the verdict on the appeal of the 11 new seats could be expected on July 20, adding “if we win the appeal, the 11 new seats will be there. If we lose, we may have to stay put with the 71 seats.”

Karim predicted that the next election would be called either end of this year or early this year.

Bank patut nendurka atur, nyaup orang ti begaji mit

May 27, 2015

KUCHING: Bank di menua tu dipinta nendurka atur ngemendarka loan ngagai peranak menua ke deka nginjau duit meli rumah.

Menteri Muda Pengawa Berumah Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah madah, kitai minta bank enti ulih nendur mimit ngemendarka loan ungkup pemeli rumah ti begaji mit.

“Taja pan ari sepiak perintah, baka Rumah Mampu Milik (RMM) rega ngaga nya entara RM140,000 ngagai RM150,000 tang rega ti dijual Perintah semina urung RM50,000 ‘intermediate’ tauka RM59,000 ba ujung.

Orang ti begaji mit deka meli rumah RM50,000 nya pan enda ulih, ngambi duit ari Opis KWSP, laluh nginjau ari bank. Taja udah dikemendar ari opis kami tang lebuh minta loan ari bank, peminta sida ditulak.

Kitai ngarapka bank bisi penyinu nendurka atur nya mimit, beri lunggar mimit ngambi tau ngelantangka sida ke bepenatai pemisi mit,” ku Abdul Karim, pengudah bejadika laman web Hitmenten ba sebengkah hotel ditu, ensana.

Ngenang pasal Chukai Barang enggau Servis (GST) iya madah, rega rumah endang niki ninting taun.

“Kitai bedau ngasaika rega rumah nurun, lalu ba sekeda endur rumah nya jauh mar ari tempat bukai. Tu ketegal kuasa pemeli jauh besai ari penyampau rumah ke bisi dijual.

Assistant minister: House prices might go down this year

May 26, 2015

KUCHING: Regardless of Goods and Services Tax (GST), prices of houses still very much depend on demand, said Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He pointed out based on the trend of the past one to five years, prices of houses increase at 10 per cent per annum.

Though they had been on an uphill trend, he said there was a probability that prices might go down this year, as the demand might slow down due to the implementation of GST on April 1.

“The demand might go down this year as people may put owning a home on the backburner to level out the burden of GST. The drop in prices of houses has happened in Australia and may happen to us,” he said when met after the launching of hitmenten website yesterday.

Meanwhile, he is also supportive of the state government’s absorption of GST on services provided by local councils and government agencies.

Three other states – Johor, Penang and Terengganu – had done this, he said.

Thumbs-up on move to absorb GST from council services

May 25, 2015

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah welcomes the move by the state government to absorb the goods and services tax (GST) imposed for services provided by local authorities.

He said although he was unsure on which services that it was referring to, he hoped that the federal government could see such move by several states in ‘exempting’ services provided by state councils from GST.

“As it is, the local councils are seen by the people as an extension of the government and their responsibility is to provide good services. If (absorption of) this council’s services tax could reduce the people’s burden, then I would welcome it.

“We do not want the added burden (coming) from government agencies, which include local councils,” Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development, told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.

For the record, Sarawak has 26 local councils, divided into northern, southern and central regions under the purview of the Local Government and Community Development Ministry.

The latest announcement by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem hints that Sarawak would soon join Johor, Terengganu and Penang in absorbing the GST for services rendered by local councils, while Selangor is still seeking exemption from the Finance Ministry.

On another note, Abdul Karim – who is also Asajaya assemblyman – believed that the government, through the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry and Customs Department, must come down hard on traders who were taking advantage of the GST by unnecessarily increasing prices of items.

Abdul Karim: PKR Sarawak is still sleeping

April 12, 2015

SIBU: Assistant Minister of Youth Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah lambasted PKR yesterday for wanting to rally against the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on May 1.

He described it as just another political rally aimed at causing a nuisance and inciting hatred towards the government.

He was commenting on a recent media report saying that PKR Kanowit would work with other non-governmental organisation (NGOs) to stage a rally against GST implementation in Kanowit town this May 1.

Its secretary George Chen had claimed the implementation of GST was burdening the people and pushing up the prices of most goods.

“What does PKR hope to achieve with this proposed rally?” Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, said.

“PKR Sarawak is still sleeping and does not know the mechanism of its (GST’s) application. I advise them to wake up from their slumber.”

He added that PKR should know that the majority of countries in the world are using GST.

Rakyat will see wisdom of GST — Abdul Karim

April 4, 2015

KUCHING: The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on April 1 will not erode public confidence towards the government.

In stating this, Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, believed that the public confidence would increase with the new tax system.

“I don’t see that public confidence (towards Barisan Nasional government) will erode, but instead, given time, public confidence will increase.

“I’m saying this because I expect the Malaysian coffers will increase with the new tax implementation and with that, bigger and better projects could be implemented and by then the rakyat and public will be able to see what the government did was good,” Abdul Karim said in his Whatsapp message yesterday.

The Assistant Minister of Housing also believed that the implementation of GST definitely would not have an adverse effect on BN in the forthcoming state election.

According to him, the rakyat was prepared for GST, adding that the anxiety over the new tax system was expected as the media had been publishing the issue day and night.

“The rakyat, I can see has accepted the fact that GST is here to stay and Malaysia will be among the many countries in the world that would be implementing the GST system,” the Asajaya assemblyman stressed.

Abd Karim: ‘Too early to see GST’s impact on house prices’

April 3, 2015 

BINTULU: Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday said it was still too early to see the real impact of the Good and Services Tax (GST) on the price of houses in the state. 

“It will be a slight change but at the end of the day it will be always market forces that will determine the price of houses. 

“How much the unscrupulous developers try to capitalise, they want to jump into the bandwagon because all other things might seem to go up in price, so they start to increase the price but with no takers or no buyers they still need to settle the loan with the bank. 

“This kind of thing we will have to see as it goes, after a while then you will be able to see whether there is really a big jump, small jump or even a reduction on the price of houses,” he said in a media conference after officiating at the seminar on Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Ordinance 2013, Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 2014 and Housing Development (Control and Licensing) (Amendments) Regulations 2015 at ParkCity Everly Hotel yesterday. 

He said if many houses were developed at the same time, especially in Bintulu, the price of houses would definitely go down. 

But with increase in demand every year, he added, prices tend to increase. 

“Now we have to see whether the introduction of GST might have an effect on the price of houses but as it is I would say there might be a small increase in price, on how much percentage we would not be able to see but at the end of the day it is still determined by market forces, the consumer is the one who rules the day,” he elaborated. 

Kesan GST ke atas pembelian rumah dikaji

April 1, 2015

MIRI: Kerajaan sedang mengkaji dan akan memain peranan meminimumkan kesan pelaksanaan Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) ke atas harga rumah melalui pelbagai cara.

Menteri Muda Perumahan Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, ini termasuk pemberian sumbangan modal, levi dan beberapa perkara berkaitan.

“Kerajaan cuba meminimumkan kesan GST ke atas kos pembelian pelbagai cara supaya ia tidak membebankan rakyat,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam ucapan perasmian Seminar Kesedaran anjuran bersama Kementerian Perumahan (MOH) dan Persatuan Pemaju Perumahan dan Hartanah Sarawak (SHEDA) di sebuah hotel di sini semalam.

Menurutnya, pembeli tidak harus terbeban dengan kewujudan GST dan pada masa sama tidak mahu pemaju mengambil kesempatan ke atas perkara itu.

“Bagaimanapun, kita turut akan lihat situasi apabila GST sudah dilaksana sepenuhnya nanti,”katanya.

Terdahulu, beliau memberitahu bahawa seminar itu bertujuan memberi kesedaran dan pemahaman lebih kepada pemaju perumahan dan pihak berkaitan seperti bank dan firma guaman mengenai penguatkuasaan serta keperluan Ordinan Pembangunan Perumahan (HDO) 2013 dan pindaan-pindaan dalam Syarat Pembangunan Perumahan (HDR) 2014 dan 2015.