Abdul Karim ‘sad’ at how PKR S’wak leaders are treated

November 20, 2018

KUCHING: Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he felt ‘sad’ for Sarawakian leaders in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) over their treatment in the Peninsula-based parties.

Abdul Karim, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president, was referring to outgoing PKR Sarawak chairman Baru Bian who was ticked off by his own party president and Julau MP Larry Sng being booed at the 13th PKR National Congress last weekend.

“I pity Baru Bian for being reprimanded and ticked off by the party and its president for putting the nation and his ministry’s work before that of the party. I guess by now, he would know what ‘Malayan style’ politics is. It’s always ‘Party First, Nation Second’.

DAP wants to be the lead party in PR Sarawak - Karim

May 13, 2014

SIBU: The pinching of members among Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties does not surprise Asajaya assemblyman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development, noted that DAP had always looked down on its PR partners.

“It is for this reason that DAP is intensively recruiting Malays, Dayaks and other native races into their fold and organising programmes like ‘Impian Sarawak’ in Bumi areas, where their PR partners have been contesting all these years,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He was asked if the alleged member-pinching among Pakatan parties was an indication that the opposition could not work together.

According to news report, cracks were appearing in the state PR after one of two elected representatives of Sarawak Workers Party (SWP), and a senior supreme council member of the party were allegedly approached by another PR component party to jump ship.

SWP president Larry Sng reportedly said the members had declined the offer.

Sng was further quoted as saying that this would damage to their working relationship and derail their road map to join the opposition coalition.

   

Karim: No impact on BN if SWP joins PR

January 17, 2014

KUCHING: The possibility of the Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) joining Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would have no impact on the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he is not worried about the proposed coalition and wished them success.

“It is normal to see opposition parties having a pact to fight BN. BN has faced so many pacts and mergers before this and this is just another one,” he said in a text message yesterday.

“Birds of a feather flock together.”

He pointed out that although PR has a common agenda – to go against BN – its coalition members have different dreams.

“It’s just a matter of time before they will start squabbling among each other over who is the boss, and who will take which seat,” said the Asajaya assemblyman.

He was commenting on SWP president Larry Sng’s recent indication that the party would join PR soon.

Voters no longer taken in by ‘sunset parties’ like SWP and Pakatan — Abd Karim

January 13, 2014

SIBU: Political maturity among Malaysians is high, and political parties that emerge when an election is near will be sent packing.

PBB supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this was because voters, whether in urban or rural areas, could not be easily hoodwinked nowadays.

“The people are already familiar with the political culture of some parties. They appear only when the election is near, and they (people) would reject them.

“Voters are now able to evaluate and do their own analysis of the objectives and struggles of each party and their leaders,” Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He was commenting on news reports yesterday that Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) considered Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan) as a potential working partner to serve as an ‘alternative voice’ for the people.

SWP president Larry Sng said working with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was one of his party’s “top priorities”, especially after the 13th general election in May last year.

Sng added that it was essential for the people to have an alternative voice, and SWP could work closely with Pakatan towards this end.

   

Karim believes Najib, Taib mean what they say

Posted on June 6, 2012, Wednesday

KUCHING: Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah doubts that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud would have two sets of advice or directions for political parties in their speeches.

“I don’t think the Prime Minister and Chief Minister would have two sets of advice or direction whenever they give speeches – one for “public consumption” and another for among our colleagues,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development, was asked to comment on a statement by Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP) president Larry Sng who described the recent comments by Najib on the party as just “for the public consumption”.

“I am not surprised by PM’s comments. That is for public consumption,” Sng said through short messaging system (SMS) when asked to comment on the statement by Najib during his visit to Julau on first day of Gawai.

The Asajaya state assemblyman strongly believed that when Najib and Taib gave an opinion, directive or advice, they meant it sincerely from their hearts.

During his Gawai visit to Julau last Sunday, Najib said if SWP were truly BN, friendly they should not stand against Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the coming 13th general election.

Najib also advised SWP to stop claiming to be BN friendly as that would create confusion among the people of Sarawak.

Karim thumbs up Sng in state administration

July 3, 2011

“Sng has shown his capability and ability when he was an assistant minister (prior to the April 16 polls).” Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

KUCHING: PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing, who is normally very vocal, was tight-lipped yesterday when asked to comment about former Pelagus assemblyman Larry Sng’s return to the state’s administration.

“Sng is no longer a PRS member and I have nothing more to say about him. We sacked him for reasons which are public knowledge,” Masing said in an SMS to thesundaypost.

The Land Development Minister added that Sng’s appointment was the sole prerogative of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

It was reported yesterday that Sng would soon return to work in the Chief Minister’s Department.

“He (Sng) will be in charge of youth affairs,” Taib told reporters on Friday.

Taib said the reason he wanted Sng back was because of the latter’s good experience working with youths and that he is “a good guy who did very well previously”.

Meanwhile, chief political secretary to the Chief Minister, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said he only knew of this development from the newspapers.