Much ado about nothing

June 3, 2012

RFS broadcaster seen in Kuching recently, disappearance beginning to look like publicity stunt

KUCHING: The drama and speculations over the disappearance of Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) announcer Peter John Jaban while on his way from Miri Airport to the city seemed to have fizzled out when it was revealed that he had entered the state earlier without any problem.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when asked about Peter’s ‘houdini’ act disclosed that he had come back to the state and left in the past without any hindrance.

The Asajaya assemblyman added that he had seen Peter driving a classic car with a lady here a few weeks ago and that the RFS broadcaster had also come back for the Gawai last year. He added the whole incident could be just a publicity stunt staged by Peter and Pakatan Rakyat to stir up a storm against the government.

“From what I read in the paper and blogs, he didn’t seem to have been forcibly taken away,” said Abdul Karim.

If that was the case, he said Peter had succeeded and presume he was enjoying the publicity generated but whether it would be good or bad publicity remained to be seen.

However, the assemblyman cautioned that the case could not be considered closed until his disappearance had been reported to the police and investigations concluded.

“Until there is some clue to his disappearance or some police report made on him missing, we can’t speculate,” he said.

  

Welcome tinged with caution to repeal of ISA

Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com

September 16, 2011, Friday

KUCHING: The announcement on the abolition of the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last night received mixed reactions from local law makers from both sides of the political divide and a human rights activist.

Chairman of the state BN Backbenchers’ Club and the chief political secretary to the chief minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he was unsure whether the abolishment of the restrictive law was a right move or not.

“For a multi-ethnic and multi religious country like Malaysia, we surely need restrictive laws like the ISA but what is important is that the usage of these laws must be purely against those who pose security threat to the nation and not against political opponents,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post here last night.

PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian said the prime minister was taking a big gamble by abolishing the restrictive laws.

“We welcomed the announcement as it was really high time, such draconian laws should have been abolished long time ago as our country has achieved its independence for almost 50 years,” he said.

Baru who is also the Ba Kelalan assemblyman also stressed that there were still laws such as those under police custody where abuse could still take place.

“So we have to wait and see the outcome of the announcement,” he said.