Karim appointed as assistant minister

By RINTOS MAIL rintos@thestar.com.my

September 29, 2011

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has announced his full Cabinet line-up, keeping all the existing ministers in their respective portfolios in a concerted effort to improve and accelerate service delivery in the state.

All the existing assistant ministers are not affected in the reshuffle as they have also been retained in their respective portfolios.

The reshuffle yesterday, done five months after the state Barisan Nasional was returned to power, saw seven new assistant ministers appointed to fill up posts made vacant after the state election in April.

Announcing the changes, which come into effect tomorrow, in his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday, Taib said he had also decided to promote three ministers, namely PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan and SUPP deputy secretary general Datuk Sri Wong Soon Koh to the rank of Senior Minister.

However, in as far as their respective ministries are concer- ned, Masing is still designated as Land Development Minister; Mawan, because his ministry has been renamed, is Social Develop- ment Minister, while Wong is Second Finance Minister as well as Local Government and Com- munity Development Minister, another ministry which has been renamed.

Taib said the role of the Senior Ministers was to cordinate and supervise the changes set to take place in the various ministries.

He said he had decided to keep all the experienced ministers in their respective portfolios because he wanted them to continue supervising the machinery of the government under their ministries as well as the new assistant ministers.

New ministry, seven new faces in Sarawak cabinet reshuffle

September 29, 2011

KUCHING: The state cabinet reshuffle that will take effect on Friday will see a new ministry being created, five ministries renamed and seven new faces including a woman to be appointed as assistant ministers.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the new ministry would be named the Welfare, Women and Family Development Ministry, to be headed by Datuk Fatimah Abdullah and assisted by two new assistant ministers who are also new faces, Rosey Yunus and Robert Lawson Chuat Vincent.

“The other new faces as assistant ministers are Julaihi Narawi, Abdul Karim Hamzah, Datu Len Talif Salleh, Dr Jerip Susil and Liwan Lagang,” he said, adding that the seven would be sworn in on Friday.

Julaihi will be appointed as Industrial Development Assistant Minister (Investment and Promotion) and Rural Development Assistant Minister, and Abdul Karim as Housing Assistant Minister and Social Development Assistant Minister (Youth Development).

Datu Len Talif will be appointed as Resource Planning and Environment Assistant Minister (Environment) and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Technical Education Promotion), Dr Jerip as Local Government and Community Development Assistant Minister (Public Health), and Liwan as Social Development Assistant Minister (Culture and Heritage).

“All the full ministers will be retained and some of their ministries renamed,” he said.

The five ministries renamed include the Social Development and Urbanisation Ministry, which is now known as Social Development Ministry and headed by Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and Environment and Public Health Ministry, now known as Local Government and Community Development Ministry, headed by Sarawak United People’s Party deputy secretary-general Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.

Abdul Karim’s comments draw flak from DBNA stalwart

Posted on September 23, 2011, Friday

KUCHING: A former senior civil servant and long serving DBNA supreme council member finds the comments by Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah on the controversial statement by Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik “very confusing”.

He told The Borneo Post here yesterday that he did not quite agree with the Asajaya assemblyman’s view as reported in the newspaper.

“When YB Karim said Pahon’s statement must be seen from the right context he has to first of all remember that DBNA is a non-political organisation and therefore the leaders are not supposed to mix the association with politics.

“Because of that Pahon’s statement can never be seen from the right context. It is already wrong in the perspective of DBNA when the association, under its constitution, is supposed to be non-political,” he said.

He said under the DBNA constitution the objectives of the association were to promote unity, mutual help, cooperation, understanding and friendship among the Bidayuh community, foster cooperation and goodwill with other races, inculcate self-reliance among Bidayuhs and encourage them to raise their standard of living.

“Other objectives are to instill among the community a sense of devotion and undivided loyalty to the country, to promote the spiritual, mental, physical and social well-being of its members and the community as a whole, to encourage Bidayuhs to take full measure of responsibility in civic affairs and to participate actively in nation building; and to work in close cooperation with the government and other relevant agencies for the welfare and socio-economic progress of the community,” he said in quoting the DBNA constitution.

Wishing to be known as Sukuh Manggeng, he said Pahon’s statement that the three incumbent Bidayuh MPs should give way to young blood was not only wrong in his capacity as president of DBNA but also against the general orders in the civil service.

Abdul Karim bangga Piala Perpaduan capai matlamat

September 21, 2011

JUARA: Abdul Karim (dua kiri) menyampaikan piala juara kepada ketua pasukan Kaslo FC sambil disaksikan Zawawi (kiri), Haidel dan Buang (belakang) di Kampung Sambir, Asajaya.

ASAJAYA: Ketua Setiausaha Politik Ketua Menteri, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah melahirkan rasa bangga dengan penganjuran kejohanan tertua, Piala Perpaduan Sambir yang telah mencapai matlamatnya untuk menyatupadukan rakyat.

Beliau yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Asajaya ternyata kagum dengan penganjuran kejohanan itu yang kini sudah mencecah edisi ke-45.

“Saya amat gembira dengan kejayaan pihak penganjur kejohanan Piala Perpaduan Sambir yang menjadikan acara sukan itu berprestij diadakan setiap tahun,” katanya berucap merasmikan penutupan kejohanan itu di sini Ahad lalu.

Hadir sama Naib Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Sarawak (FAS) Haidel Heli, Setiausaha Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Asajaya Buang Bolhassan dan pengerusi penganjur, Zawawi Keri.

Kejohanan berkenaan pada mulanya dinamakan Piala Ekspress Sambir ditukarkan kepada Piala Ketua Menteri dan kemudiannya ditukar kini sebagai Piala Abdul Karim.

Abdul Karim berkata kejohanan itu bukan sahaja menjadi medan bagi menyatupadukan penduduk, malah sebagai gelanggang melahirkan pemain-pemain bola sepak berbakat di peringkat akar umbi.

Menurutnya, kejohanan Piala Perpaduan Sambir juga sinonim dengan memeriahkan sambutan perayaan Hari Raya Aidilfitri kerana dianjurkan selepas Hari Raya terbabit.

‘See Ik Pahon’s comments from proper perspective’

September 21, 2011

KUCHING: The so-called controversial statement made by Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik that the three Bidayuh MPs give way to young blood must be seen from the right context, said chief political secretary to the chief minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He pointed out that when the statement was made, Ik Pahon did it in his capacity as the president of Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) and not as a senior civil servant.

“Surely DBNA members should be proud to have a president who is outspoken and not condemn him (force him) to seal his lips just because he is a civil servant.

If that is what the (DBNA) members want, then amend the DBNA constitution to forbid civil servants to hold office in DBNA because by him holding office and barring him (Ik Pahon) from commenting on Bidayuh affairs will not help the community,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Ik Pahon, who is the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage, recently caused a stir when he said it was high time that the three Bidayuh MPs give way to young persons.

Abdul Karim said he regarded the comment as being made sincerely in his (Ik Pahon’s) capacity as DBNA president.

“Nobody should be emotional about it.