Kebebasan bersuara secara sederhana

September 15, 2011

ANUGERAH PELAJAR DIPLOMA TERBAIK: Jamil (enam kiri) berdiri bersebelahan Karim (tujuh kiri) sewaktu sesi bergambar berkumpulan di Pusat Konvensyen Borneo Kuching (BCCK) malam kelmarin.

KUCHING: Ketua Setiausaha Politik Ketua Menteri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah mahu kebebasan bersuara, memberi pendapat dan luahan direbut mahasiswa tetapi dilakukan secara berpada-pada.

Karim yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Asajaya berkata mahasiswa perlu ‘keluar dari kepompong lama’ dan bertindak sebagai ejen perubahan tanpa membuta tuli.

“Mahasiswa perlu melengkapkan diri dengan kemahiran insaniah dan pengetahuan agar menjadi bangsa yang lebih bertamadun, kompetitif dan berkualiti demi membantu membangunkan negara,”ujarnya ketika berucap di Majlis Makan Malam Pragraduan Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sesi Mei-Oktober 2011 di sini malam kelmarin.

Beliau turut meluahkan kekesalan terhadap golongan mahasiswa yang kurang peka kepada isu nasional dan antarabangsa dan menggesa mereka berubah.

“Mereka kekok untuk berbicara dalam menyatakan pendirian tentang sesuatu isu dan cetek dalam persoalan disiplin ilmu.

“Jika dilihat pada waktu dulu, mereka merupakan golongan yang sentiasa menjuarai isu-isu besar dalam negara malahan dianggap suara hati rakyat dalam membela nasib dan merungkai keperitan hidup masyarakat,” tambahnya.

Sementara itu beliau memberitahu bahawa kadar pengangguran di kalangan mahasiswa lepasan diploma dan sarjana semakin meningkat.

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.

Karim: PBB not scared of opposition candidate in Kota Samarahan

September 6, 2011

KUCHING: Voters in Kota Samarahan are certain to show the opposition the exit door come the next general election.

Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this is because Kota Samarahan is a stronghold of Barisan Nasional (BN) and will always remain that way.

“PKR, PAS, DAP or whoever are keen (to contest in Kota Samarahan) can try their luck there. We are prepared for anybody,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He said PBB was not scared by news that the opposition was keen to field its candidate there because the party had contributed a lot to the development of the parliamentary constituency.

“PKR, PAS or DAP contributed nothing to the development of Kota Semarahan except instigating the rakyat there to go against the government, creating suspicion among the races and demonising our leaders.

“The rakyat in Kota Samarahan do not welcome the opposition and come the general election, they will show the door to them,” he said.

Last Saturday, state PKR vice chief See Chee How said there was a possibility that Hussain Abang Apok, who contested under the party’s banner in the last state election, would contest in Kota Samarahan.

‘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.