Sarawak - Taib Mahmud : 'Saya sedia undur'

...terpulang kepada Perdana Menteri, parti tentu nasib saya

KUCHING: Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, yang sudah 43 tahun aktif dalam politik, termasuk 29 tahun menerajui kerajaan negeri, semalam menyatakan kesediaannya untuk berundur jika khidmatnya tidak diperlukan lagi.

Ramai yang mengatakan saya sudah tidak diperlukan lagi. Jika benar saya tidak diperlukan lagi, maka saya sedia berundur, katanya ketika ditanya apakah beliau akan bertanding lagi pada pilihan raya Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) akan datang, yang perlu diadakan sebelum Julai tahun depan. Abdul Taib yang ditemui selepas majlis penyampaian zakat dan biasiswa Amanah Rakyat Berhad (ARB) di pejabatnya di sini, bagaimanapun berkata, biarlah Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, menentukan nasibnya pada pilihan raya negeri ke-10 nanti.

"Saya sendiri tidak tahu nasib saya, terpulang kepada Perdana Menteri. Terpulang kepada parti menentukan sama ada saya akan bertanding atau tidak. Jika tidak diperlukan, saya akan berundur," katanya.

Terdahulu, Abdul Taib menerima zakat perniagaan sebanyak RM10,000 untuk diagihkan kepada anak yatim daripada Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan ARB, Datuk Ahmad Rodzi Pawanteh.

Abdul Taib turut menyampaikan biasiswa kepada tiga pelajar tajaan ARB ke program khas Pengajian Ulum Islamiah dan Bahasa Arab di Universiti Al-Azhar, Kaherah, dengan setiap pelajar menerima tajaan bernilai RM80,000. Tiga pelajar berkenaan ialah Mohammad Zubair Mustafa; Faliq Asraf Jafri dan Nadira Hamapei, ketiga-tiganya berusia 18 tahun.
Abdul Taib pertama kali mengangkat sumpah sebagai Ahli Parlimen di bawah Perdana Menteri pertama, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra pada 1967 ketika berusia 31 tahun dan selepas itu dilantik Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan dan Industri pada 1968.

Di bawah Perdana Menteri kedua, Tun Abdul Razak, beliau dilantik Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri pada September 1970. Pada 1972, beliau dilantik Menteri Sumber Asli dan selepas itu memegang pelbagai portfolio di bawah Tun Razak dan Tun Hussein Onn sehingga 1981. Beliau juga pernah dilantik Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan yang pertama pada 1980.

Abdul Taib mempertahankan kerusinya dalam pilihan raya umum 1969, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999 dan 2004 termasuk beberapa kali menang tanpa bertanding sebelum memutuskan untuk tidak bertanding kerusi Parlimen pada 2008, dengan anaknya Datuk Seri Sulaiman Taib menggantikannya.

Pada 1981, beliau turut bertanding di kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Sebandi bagi membolehkannya kembali ke Sarawak dan menjadi Ketua Menteri, menggantikan Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub. Beliau juga mempertahankan kerusi DUN Sebandi pada 1983, 1987; kerusi DUN Asajaya (1991, 1996) dan DUN Balingian (2001 dan 2006).

Mengulas isu lain, Abdul Taib berkata, beliau tidak akan campur tangan dalam hal ehwal dalaman Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) yang pernah kalah teruk pada Pilihan Raya Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak 2006.

"Selama ini saya sudah banyak membantu SUPP, sama ada mereka mahu menerimanya atau tidak, ia perkara lain. Saya sudah memberikan analisis dan nasihat mengenai masalah mereka sebelum ini.

"Kini terpulang kepada mereka. Jika saya melakukan lebih dari itu, ada di kalangan pemimpin SUPP akan mengkritik saya kerana mencampuri hal ehwal dalaman parti itu," katanya sambil menambah SUPP sebenarnya lebih perlu membantu diri mereka sendiri, bukannya mengharapkan bantuan dari luar dalam memulihkan kekuatan parti berkenaan

Berita Harian 2010/08/25

‘Dredge the Rajang River now’

SIBU: The dredging of the Rajang River should be done now and not wait until the implementation of the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

A councillor from Sibu Municipal Council, Chieng Buong Toon, said yesterday this suggestion came from a member of the public.

Chieng concurred with the person that the dredging of the river was a matter of priority and there should not be any more waiting.

According to earlier newspaper reports, the federal government has set aside RM30 million under the 10MP for the dredging of the river.

Chieng said the person who reacted to the reports, said flooding was a regular occurrence in the Rajang basin, which warranted dredging of the Rajang River as part of flood mitigation measures.

The person, he said, expressed conviction that the dredging of the river would to a certain extent reduce the severity of flooding.

“Let the people see their wish fulfilled. Even if dredging may not be effective as a means to address the flooding problem, the government should at least give it a try,” said the member of the public.

Chieng himself suggested that residents in flood-prone areas form their own committees to provide relief to victims during emergencies like flooding and fires.

He said committees of this nature were popular in Japan.

“In my seven years in Japan, I noted that the Japanese had special committees in the respective areas to provide relief aid to victims of natural calamities such as earthquake and floods.

“Perhaps, this should be emulated in Sibu,” he said.


BP August 25, 2010, Wednesday

Sarawak Politics : Former Telang Usan assemblyman may contest in next election

Former Telang Usan assemblyman Kebing Wan looks set to contest against the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate in the constituency during the coming state election.

This is because he was often seen moving around to various Iban and Kayan longhouses in the constituency.

Just last Friday night, he was accompanied by Sarawak National Party (SNAP) president Edwin Dundang Bugak on a visit to Rumah Lansam, Sg Dabai about five km from here where they held a dialogue, purportedly well-attended by the longhouse folks.

On Saturday night, Kebing visited and held a meeting with the people of Long Panai in Tutoh Region.

He also claimed to have received encouraging response when visiting several longhouses in Upper Baram and Lio Mato.

Kebing, a well-known figure in this constituency, served as a political secretary to the Chief Minister for about 16 years and a chairman of PBB Telang Usan before joining the opposition. In the 2006 state election, he stood on a SNAP ticket but lost to BN candidate and incumbent Lihan Jok in a three-cornered fight for the seat. He managed to garner 1,822 votes while Lihan obtained 4,593 votes. The other contender, Independent candidate Lidam Janang managed only 144 votes.

Known for his never-say-die attitude even though defeated in previous elections, Kebing won the Telang Usan seat when he defeated political secretary to the Chief Minister Robert Laing Anyie in the 1998 state election.

Besides Kebing, there are rumours that another Orang Ulu businessman will join the fray. Reliable sources said the coming state election will see a keen fight in Telang Usan.


Winning Belaga would be a breeze — Entulu


Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is upbeat about winning the Belaga state seat comfortably in the next state election.
Its deputy president Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun said this was because major issues facing Belaga folk had been substantially addressed.

The issues already addressed include compensation to longhouses affected by the building of the Bakun hydroelectric dam project, payments for new longhouses and the Native Customary Right (NCR) land.

“This time we are very sure we will win very comfortably,” he told The Borneo Post and Utusan Borneo when met at Sibu Airport yesterday.

The three-cornered fight in the 2006 state election saw PRS incumbent Liwan Lagang winning the seat by a 227-majority.

He garnered 1,855 votes against independent Stanley Ajang Batok’s 1,628 votes. The other contender, John Bampa, from the Sarawak National Party obtained 912 votes.

“Thanks to the assemblyman (Liwan) and Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo for their initiatives to address the problems. They had also brought up issues to the relevant authorities,” Entulu said.

On a related matter, he said PRS was intensifying its preparations to face the 10th state election.

“Special focus is on Pelagus and Tamin constituencies,” he revealed.

It has been widely speculated that the election, which must be called by July next year, would be called after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Besides Pelagus, Tamin and Belaga, other PRS-held seats are Kakus, Balai Ringin, Baleh, Batang Ai, and Bukit Begunan.

The party lost Ngemah to the opposition in the 2006 state election.

Entulu said the party planned to organise major events at each state constituency soon.

“The first of such event will be at Rumah Nyawin at Mile 36 in Sibu/Selangau Road. This area is under Tamin,” he said.

“In Pelagus, our information chief Wilson Nyabong Ijang has visited many longhouses.

“On my part, we have organised barbecue sessions with senior government officers and community leaders to explain to them the current political scenario in Pelagus.”

Entulu, who is Selangau MP, has words for those lobbying for candidacies in Pelagus and Tamin seats.

For Pelagus, the candidate will be a local who is born and bred in Pelagus. For Tamin, as usual, the priority is given to the incumbent. But should there be a need for change, we are also ready.

“We have a specific person in mind.

It is important for the leaders to consider geographical representation in choosing the candidate for Tamin,” he said.