Tackling the ‘direct candidate’ issue

April 05, 2016

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem will hold a press conference tomorrow on the issue of “Barisan Nasional direct candidates”, according to media invitations sent out yesterday.

The media invitations did not elaborate on the matter, except to say a “direct candidates” announcement would be made at the CM’s Wisma Bapa office at 2pm.

Leaders of Barisan component parties, SUPP and SPDP, declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

Similarly, members of their breakaway parties, UPP and Teras, would not reveal much.

In the past, Barisan direct candidates referred to those contesting under the Barisan ticket without a component party.

Previous examples include Datuk James Dawos and Billy Abit Joo, who later joined Barisan’s PBB and PRS.

But for the coming polls, Adenan has not made clear the mechanisms of direct candidacies.

No place in S’wak for Opposition of ‘noise-makers’

January 3, 2016

The Barisan Nasional (BN) is not saying that Sarawak does not need an Opposition which can act as a check-and-balance but it’s against one which “simply makes noise”.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak has taken the position that the state does not need an Opposition which “simply makes noise”. “We are not saying that Sarawak does not need an Opposition which can act as a check-and-balance,” said Nangka Assemblyman Annuar Rapaee. “What we are saying is that we don’t need an Opposition which simply makes noise.”

Annuar along with Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Assistant Minister of Public Utilities Stephen Rundi were expressing the hope in the local media that the urban seats would return to the ruling coalition but acknowledged that the Chinese, in that case, would have to unite under one political party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak.

“There’s a better chance of BN taking back the urban seats if the Chinese were united under one political party,” said Stephen who is also BN Sarawak Secretary-General.

He noted that Chinese “had begun swinging back to BN given Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s popularity” but thinks the trend wasn’t pronounced enough. “The Chinese must unite under one political party in the BN for the coalition to win back the urban seats.”

Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya Assemblyman and a PPB Supreme Council member, expects his party to retain its urban seats such as Satok, Nangka and Jepak but concedes the ostensibly multiracial but Chinese-led and dominated Sarawak United People’s Party (Supp) will have a tough fight in other urban seats against the DAP. “We hope that Adenan, given his popularity, because of his emphasis on openness and transparency, can play a big role in wooing back urban voters.”

“The Chief Minister is a leader for all communities. It’s not often that we get a leader like this.”

In 2011, the last state election, BN won 55 of the 71 seats contested. The number of seats has since increased by 11 to 82.

Pemimpin UPP, TERAS wajar diterima oleh BN: Abdul Karim

June 6, 2015

KUCHING: Pemimpin Parti Rakyat Bersatu (UPP) dan Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (TERAS) wajar diterima oleh Barisan Nasional (BN) kerana mereka mendukung prinsip-prinsip BN baik pada peringkat persekutuan mahupun negeri.

Menurut Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, pemimpin kedua-dua parti politik itu juga dipilih di bawah logo BN.

“Saya percaya harapan dan keinginan Perdana Menteri (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) adalah agar rakyat bersatu di bawah mana-mana saluran atau parti BN yang mendukung prinsip BN. Saya fikir ia juga prinsip-prinsip yang diguna pakai oleh BN negeri,” ujarnya semalam.

Beliau berkata demikian berhubung kenyataan Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) yang menolak konsep BN Plus yang disokong oleh Najib pada Majlis Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat di Stadium Perpaduan, Khamis lepas.

Kenyataan ahli kanan SPDP menolak konsep tersebut kerana antara lain menurut mereka ia akan memusnahkan kerjasama antara parti komponen BN yang telah menyatu dan mengukuhkan perikatan pemerintah.

Abdul Karim menegaskan pendekatan mesra BN yang dibawa oleh TERAS dan UPP memastikan mereka terus berada dalam kabinet kerajaan negeri selain menghadiri acara rasmi.

“Kita melihat menteri, menteri muda dan ketua parti dari parti mesra BN menghadiri acara ini kerana pemimpin mereka mendukung prinsip BN selain dipilih di bawah logo BN,” katanya.