Two businessmen and Asajaya district officer in the fray for Kota Samarahan

By RINTOS MAIL rintos@thestar.com.my

Friday January 11, 2013

KUCHING: The list of potential candidates to replace Kota Samarahan MP Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Taib has been narrowed down to three from at least five previously.

The three are businessmen Hamzah Ibrahim and Ismawi Mohamad and Asajaya district officer Rubiah Wang.

Except for Rubiah, both Hamzah and Ismawi are PBB members. Hamzah, who is also formerly a PBB Youth exco, is currently Muara Tuang PBB deputy chief while Ismawi is PBB Kpg Baru, Kota Samarahan deputy youth chief.

Sources close to PBB said Hamzah and Ismawi’s names were recommended by two different groups in the party. All three are locals with Rubiah from Kampung Tanjong Parang in Kota Samarahan.

The source said the party was expected to have a tough time to pick who among the three to be the candidate.

According to the source, the party’s top leadership is keen on fielding a woman candidate but the majority of its grassroots members want a male candidate.

Previously, at least five names were mentioned to replace Sulaiman, who has informed the party he was not keen to seek a re-election.

BN will win Kota Samarahan — Abdul Karim

February 3, 2012

ASAJAYA: Several people who are said to be capable grassroots leaders are ready to be shortlisted as the new Barisan Nasional candidate for Kota Samarahan if the incumbent MP Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib is not re-nominated.

Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, however, did not want to say if Sulaiman’s elder brother Dato Sri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib was among them.

He was nonetheless confident that whoever the candidate is, BN would still win in Kota Samarahan in the coming general election because the people’s support for BN in the constituency was still very strong.

“At one time, I heard rumour about him (Abu Bekir), but the rumour has since fizzled out. I’m not too sure whether he’s interested or not (in the seat).

“But if he were to contest, it should not be a problem. Kota Samarahan is a BN stronghold,” he told reporters after presenting the Kota Samarahan parliamentary-level Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash aid at Asajaya Sports Complex here yesterday.

According to Karim, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member, the list of potential new candidates for Kota Samarahan had been narrowed down to a few names.

However, Abdul Karim did not want to reveal the numbers and their identities, except to say that the top leaders would make the announcement in due time.

Asajaya representative taking over duties of Kota Samarahan MP

Saturday October 15, 2011

KUCHING: Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Hamzah has taken over funding allocation and administration duties from Kota Samarahan MP Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib.

Karim, who is the newly appointed Youth Development and Housing Assistant Minister, told reporters here yesterday that he had a “good relationship” with Samarahan residents.

“Whatever money is allocated to him (Sulaiman), I’m the one who is handling it,” Karim said in response to a question on whether an assemblyman like him felt “handicapped” that the Kota Samarahan MP “has not been on the ground much”.

“That problem does not arise at all,” Karim said. “The committees which are supposed to be held by him, most of them are handled by me.”

Asked what was Sulaiman’s reason for his absence, Karim replied: “I believe he has got some personal problems himself.”

On whether Karim had communicated with Sulaiman recently, Karim said: “Not really.”

“A long time ago, yes (we communicated). Each MP is allocated certain amount of funds, those funds are looked after by his (Sulaiman’s) office, together with myself and Datuk Seri Ali,” Karim said, referring to Muara Tuang assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mahmud.

Karim defends Mahmud’s political standing

September 11, 2011

KUCHING: Dato Sri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib is a capable individual to perform as a member of parliament for Kota Samarahan if he is nominated in the next general election.

According to Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Mahmud as a corporate figure will be able to carry the responsibilities of an elected representative well.

Answering a question by a reporter during his Hari Raya open house at Jalan Astana yesterday, Karim said claims made by certain individuals that Mahmud will not perform, just like his brother Dato Sri Sulaiman Taib, is unfounded.

“In my opinion, each individual has his own style. We cannot generalise,” he said.

Karim, who is state Barisan Nasional backbenchers chairman, said each individual is different.

“Take, for example, the political scenario in Sarawak, the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) speaker Dato Asfia’s brother is in the opposition,” he added. Therefore, Karim said it is not fair to look at Mahmud in the same light as Sulaiman who might have his own personal issues and could not perform in serving the people in his full capacity.

“However, Kota Samarahan is developing rapidly from various efforts between BN and community leaders, and the result itself is important,” he said. On the question of the risk taken if nominating Mahmud who does not reside in Sarawak, Karim said the news has not been confirmed and no official statement has been made.

Karim: Bekir is not the only one fit for Kota Samarahan

September 11, 2011

KUCHING: PBB has many good candidates to contest in Kota Samarahan in the event that incumbent Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib decides not to seek re-election in the next general election.

Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir, the eldest son of Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, was not the only possible candidate for the constituency.

Raya cheer: Karim (second right) and wife Zuraini Abdul Jabbar (left) welcoming guests to their open house.

“PBB is never short of good candidates. We have dozens of good candidates which we can throw in at any time in an election and we’ll win handsomely.

“I don’t mean to be arrogant but I’m sure when we face the parliamentary polls, the majority can easily be in five-digit figure. Kota Samarahan is Barisan Nasional’s bastion,” he told reporters at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house.

It was recently reported that Bekir, a corporate leader, had stated his intention to be a politician.

A member of PBB, since he was 19, he had also said he hoped to get his father’s blessing for his move into politics.

Taib did not mention where his son would contest in the coming general election although it is speculated that he would replace his brother Sulaiman in Kota Samarahan.