PBB man sees Azmin as arrogant and patronising

August 4, 2018

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah bristles over the minister's statement about the meaning of 'royalty'.

Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali has been accused of ‘redefining rights and royalties’.

PETALING JAYA: PBB vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has accused Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali of displaying arrogance and harbouring a condescending attitude towards the East Malaysian states with his statement about the meaning of “oil royalty”.

Malaysia Agreement: Don’t rewrite history

Joseph Tawie | June 14, 2012

“Sarawakians will always regard the 18-point agreement as legally binding despite arguments to the contrary." - Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

One fact stands out in Sabah and Sarawak – grassroots politicians on both sides of the political divide are united on the issue of the Malaysia Agreement.

KUCHING: In the run-up to what is likely to be a highly charged 13th general election, political mischieve-makers abound, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, on which both Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim are dependent on for a victorious run to Putrajaya.

It was only a short while ago that Sabah State Legislative Speaker Salleh Keruak came in for a shelling for dismissing the state’s 20-point agreement. Now, Sabahans and Sarawakians have to contend with former Sabah Archives director Tigabelas Zainal Abidin’s equally disconcerting views.

Both Sarawakians and Sabahans believe that the 18-20 points in the Malaysia Agreement were the foundation on which the two states agreed to form the federation of Malaysia together with Malaya and Singapore.

It was to guarantee and safeguard their interests and rights in the federation.

But Tigabelas, in his latest comment, said that the “20-point” document was “just a memorandum” and not an “actual agreement” that was signed during the formation of Malaysia.

He called the “agreement” a “memorandum of conditions”.

Tigabelas touches a raw nerve

Posted on June 13, 2012, Wednesday

KUCHING: Former Sabah Archives director Datuk Datu Tigabelas Datu Zainal Abidin upset Sabahans and Sarawakians when he said in a statement on Monday that the 20-point and 18-point agreements for the two states to form Malaysia was a memorandum of conditions and not an agreement.

A memorandum is not only inferior to an agreement but might not have legal binding effect.

The reaction yesterday to this stand from netizens in news portals and social networks was furious and vitriolic as it was seen as an attempt to deny people of the two states their safeguards and rights promised them as a condition for the merger of the then four territories (Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah) to form Malaysia.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when asked on his view on the issue said, “History must not be rewritten by mere single opinion of the former Sabah Archive director (Datu Tigabelas), whoever he is.”

“What is important to see is the ‘intention’ of the parties when they discussed and finally agreed to ‘merge’ and formed what is today’s Malaysia,” he added.

Karim said: “Nobody should reduce the strength, terms and conditions that had been agreed and/or put it aside as it was on that ‘terms and conditions’ that the people of Sabah and Sarawak had agreed pursuant to the formation of Malaysia.

“During that discussion (pursuant to formation of Malaysia), certain ‘terms’ and ‘conditions’ were agreed upon by Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and the then Malaya.

‘1 country, 2 systems’ - Divisive and Dangerous?

August 19, 2011

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing described United Borneo Front (UBF) founder Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s advocacy for Malaysia to be “one country, two systems” as divisive and dangerous.

He said the proposal was against the objective of the formation of Malaysia and should be rejected outright by all peace-loving Malaysians.

“His (Dr Jeffery) view is very dangerous for nation building because we already are moving forward as one nation under 1Malaysia.

“To think otherwise means that he wants to break up this country. This, we should never allow,” Masing told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

Jeffery had said that the federal government should allow Sabah and Sarawak to be developed based on their own capitalist economic and political systems.

He explained that the two states should be allowed to have their own systems as they were different from Peninsular Malaysia.

“Our rights are not the same as theirs. Our geographical condition is different and we do not have economic growth as the other states in the peninsular have,” said Jeffery, adding that the 20 Point Agreement had clearly stated that Sabah and Sarawak were equal partners with Malaya and not one of the states in Malaysia.

Sarawakians don’t need Jeffrey to teach them politics — Abdul Karim

February 7, 2011

KUCHING: Sarawakians do not need a Sabahan ‘frog’ in the form of Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan and his United Borneo Front (UBF) to teach them politics.

Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said it was very absurd to see a person like Jeffrey coming to Sarawak, trying to advise its people on politics.

“His political career is so tainted by jumping from one party to another that I don’t see him as a good adviser or teacher to Sarawak except to those who wear the same feather as him,” he said when contacted recently.

Karim advised Sarawak National Party (SNAP) to be wary of Jeffrey and also his UBF because from the way he looked at it, the Sabahan was merely looking for a platform in Sarawak to sustain his political agenda. 

He pointed out that Jeffrey is known as a politician who has failed numerous times in his political career in Sabah.

The chief political secretary added it would be sad for the people of Sarawak if an illustrious party like SNAP would fall into Jeffrey’s trick in providing him a political platform for him to boost his political career.

“SNAP has an illustrious history in Sarawak politics and surely its present leaders would not want it tainted with flimsy political characters like Jeffrey,” he added.

PKR fighting for justice without justice within — Karim

January 4, 2011

KUCHING: Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, chief political secretary to the Chief Minister, yesterday chided Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for claiming to fight for justice while failing to dispense justice within the party itself.

He reminded PKR vice-president Baru Bian to ‘cakap mesti mau serupa bikin’ (walk the talk) and not hoodwink the rakyat by brushing aside fundamental issues in PKR as petty issues.

“How can you claim to fight for justice, good governance and transparency when you and your party are not practising it?” he asked in reference to the many unresolved internal PKR issues as claimed by several party former leaders like Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

Baru, who is also PKR Sarawak chief, when asked last Sunday to comment on the resignation of Jeffrey said the party would not lose its strength in Sarawak.

He believed voters in Sarawak would still vote for PKR and Pakatan Rakyat for a change in government as there were more important issues like land rights and the need for better infrastructure to look into.

“Whether it will affect the ground support or not, it’s just speculation (at the moment). The bottom line is bread-and-butter issues for the people,” said Baru.

Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman and State Barisan Nasional Backbenchers chairman, pointed out that Baru and PKR could not brush aside fundamental issues against the party.