Selamat Ari Gawai 2011

Audie61 and the management team would like to take this opportunity to wish all our friends,supporters,allies,FELLOW SARAWAK BLOGGERS a very ‘ Happy Gawai Dayak ″ Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai“

 

Its also a time for reflections and to move on to a more healthy lifestyle and  also to share the love of  the community spirit and togetherness to everyone.

HAPPY GAWAI HOLIDAYS………..

SUPP “Najib Will Wait Don’t worry..!!”

It seems that the GE13 will not be called anytime soon. One of the indicators will be SUPP which will only have its TDC in December 2011. If they are to be held anytime soon BN will be looking at close to 7 seats losts if the State election results are to be studied indepth. No need to say where the seats will be as its clearly marked,”SUPP AREAS/CONSTITUENCIES” Even at a recent BN Supreme council meeting the SUPP seats were already marked as dangerous seats.

Isn’t the message crystal clear and sources have even put it as Sabah will break from the norm to have State elections in November to gauge the BN winning edge and also secure Sabah first like Sarawak as BN states. If Sabah is in November fingers are pointing to GE in March 2012 where the ‘prophets of doom’ and also “practitioners of chinese metaphysics” has indicated Najibs chances are so much brighter after February 2012. Najib holds the trump card and he will not want to go into battle knowing he doesnt have upper hand.

Even Koh Tsu Koon (Gerakan president )has said that the  media probably the ones who indulged in the speculation. He added,”we will let you know when the time comes.Sometimes when you talk too much (about it), it will not come. When you stop talking (about it), it happens,”

” YOUR PICK ON THE DATES….??”

SUPPs date with destiny:- The article from an internet portal

Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), badly bruised in the recent state elections, is to make sweeping changes at all levels, party president Dr George Chan announced after the central working committee meeting yesterday.

The move will see the top five leaders giving up their posts at the triennial delegates conference (TDC) scheduled for the end of the year.

They are Dr Chan (left), deputy president Lau Hieng Ding, secretary-general Sim Kheng Hui, deputy secretary-general Wong Soon Koh and treasurer-general David Teng Lung Chi.

“Other party leaders have also indicated to me that they are not going to seek re-election to their party posts,” Dr Chan said.

Among them is vice-president and Deputy Works Minister Yong Khoon Seng, who had also indicated that he would not be defending his Stampin parliamentary seat in the coming general elections.

Dr Chan said most branch chairmen will be asked to bow out in favour of new faces and more from that group will be tapped for the Women and Youth wings executive committees.

Old age obstacle to change

“The sweeping changes are to create a new image for the party, especially among the young generation,” Dr Chan told reporters.

“You cannot make the changes if I am still around,’ he said.

Dr Chan and Sim had offered to resign down immediately after the polls to take responsibility for the party’s worst ever performance in such an outing.

However, the CWC, which met after polling day, had asked them to stay on until the TDC.

Wong, who is also the State Minister of Public Health and Environment, had recently offered to quit his party post during the TDC.

He also indicated that he will not be defending his Bawang Assan seat in the next state elections.

Lau, former federal minister of science, technology and environment, has long wanted to step down as deputy president due to poor health.

Dr Chan and Teng failed to retain their respective seats in April while Sim lost his in Pending in the 2006 election.

In that elections, SUPP lost in 13 seats to the Opposition, out of 19 contested.

Dr Chan said that party leaders will be going to the ground, starting in August, to explain the proposed changes to the members.

“There are about 110,000 of them who want to hear from us about the changes,” he said, adding that as such the annual central committee meeting scheduled to be held before the TDC will be scrapped.

On Wong’s (left) and Lee Khim Sin’s positions in the state cabinet, Dr Chan said the CWC had decided unanimously that they should remain.

A flip and a flop

At the previous meeting, the CWC wanted them not accept any state cabinet position in response to the poor support from the Chinese community.

The CWC, however, recommended that the four Dayak state assemblypersons replace them in the state cabinet.

At yesterday’s meeting, however, the CWC decided that Wong and Lee be allowed accept cabinet positions.

Dr Chan explained that the two will act as links between the party and the government.

“Moreover, we have accepted the advice of Prime Minister Najib Razak and Chief Minister Taib Mahmud for SUPP to remain part and parcel of the government.

“We have a lot to lose if we are not in the government,” he said.

 

SPDP..”Really..Benarkah..??”

There can only be one No.1 says a political observer. Is that what the SPDP Group of 5 are trying to push for their No.1? Someone musts have pushed the envelope further for their own personal gains. It seems the “HIDDEN HAND” is again involved to push the President of SPDP William Mawan to the edge of the corner the only one left.Hehas Wong Judat as State assemblyman with him only.

In  the last state elections Mawan losts his allies in the same group 2 YBs one Peter Nyarok Deputy President who losts to PKR candidate Ali Biju in Krian while SG Nelson Balan was not renominated to defend. An SPDP insider asks,” When is the next AGM? Are they going to move a vote of no confidence or have they checked up on the party’s amended constitution to move their plan forward? They have a right to sound it out but going public is like opening old wounds.

Anything and everything is possible in politics and the Separatists group should have used the avenue for them to speak and express in the Supreme Council instead of publicly washing dirty linen again. The Deputy Secretary General when contacted by phone this morning by audie61 have this to say,”let them reflect on their actions and we will deal it in the Supreme Council. Post- mortem for public consumption will depend very much on the election committee to reveal it. 

As for the silence of the President he said,”Is that so..Really /Benarkah..?” The President have attended/spoken at State official functions and as for party matters he will deal with it in his own time and he knows best when to do that.”

The political observer added.”Mawan is very much his own man and he can be just like Louis XIV a man of very few words. Mawan with few words is showing his power and with his silence as with life,the less you say.the more profound and mysterious you appear.Thats why the group is saying,”The silence is deafening.”

Mawan would not want to be in a situation where he would be caught to have spoken something which might be detrimental to the party and be even termed,”foolish” by his own members.

Mawan has learnt through time and his strategists must have told him this,’Never start moving your lips or teeth before you subordinates do.The longer you keep quiet,they will move their lips and teeth.Exactly the point that the Separatists 5 moved first.They have shown their intentions and they want to take over at the earliest possible opportunity available. They are turning the pages and seekeing political manouverings to oust the President and questioning the Presidents SILENCE is just an excuse the kickstart needed.

Mawan also knows that there are times when it is unwise to be silent. He knows that the timing is absolutely crucial to put a stop to all the infighting and distrusts which appears to be penetrating into the party. There musts something BIGGER which Mawan is looking towards which only a select few are privelege to be associated with for now.

For now it seems Mawans silence is the norm and he will just blow you of the ground soon.

SPDP,”HE IS VERY MUCH IN CONTROL……YOU BELIEVE..??

SUPP “Dead Man Walking.!!”

SUPP has had too much infighting and also the bad blood spilled has not healed and the urban voters have not forgotten the episode. Its not only the Chinese voters but also the natives who sees that their representatives are given ‘raw deals” especially been so loyal to the party. From the boardrooms to the coffeshops mosts Sarawakians are already saying,”SUPP is living on borrowed time and it will not be long before it will be “wiped out”. Mosts of the leaders are seen to be like “Dead Man Walking” as the party itself is directionless with the veteran leaders still hanging on and clinging on to past glories etched in history.

The news media and the internet blogs have been harping on SUPP as “Times out” but still the leaders are so persistent that they are not willing to give in to new blood. They fear mosts that they will be shown the abyss and thats the main reason for not letting go. Crying for public sympathy as much as they want to but still the fact remains the party needs to be reshaped,renewed,renamed or even re-grouped with new alliances.

It will be very much like a Phoenix and its up to the leaders to rethink what they need to do or else SUPP will surely be shown the exit especially with the Parliamentary elections very soon.

Will they be enough time to rise from the ashes.?

The Prophets of Doom are already writing the script and the President of the party knows his time has indeed been “poisoned by too much infighting which was swept under the carpet.” It would have been better if they had it all out then rather than now as another component party PRS must thank their lucky stars for “fighting it out in the ring’

The toxins which has seaped into the blood of the party is beyond repair and only if the changes in  TOTALITY nothing will heal it. PRS without its bold leaders slugging it out openly and also using the ruthlessness way of “winner takes all” we would be saying PRS “dead man walking” instead of SUPP if the factions have not crossed swords. PRS chopped and reengineered from its bitter infighting to free itself to be a major component party today.

Today the instigators and detractors of the party are clearly identified and BN has really to thank the ‘people” who are so instumental in getting the mandate in the last State elections. SUPP’s urban losses are their own doing and nobody else and they have themselves to be blamed instead of still pinning the blame conveniently to one man “pek moh” or CM Taib Mahmud.

Of course everyone says he has overstayed and ruled for too long but have they forgotten what good he has done for Sarawak. audie61 had the pleasure to interview SAPP Information Chief Chong Pit Fah in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and he said,”Sarawakians should be proud to have a leader like Taib Mahmud as he has maintained Sarawaks ‘autonomy” { 1. The condition or quality of being autonomous; independence. 2. a. Self-government or the right of self …}

Whats wrong with him being sworned in at 10.30pm on the night of the election results as he being the BN Chairman Sarawak he has the legal right to be sworn in. Why the fuss.? Chong is a person known not to beat around the bush and he said ” That’s autonomy too.”

He also said that he knows Sarawak CM Taib as also very vocal especially when Sarawakians are pitted against each other in religious hatred or toying around with their sentiments. He ensures that religious freedom is maintained and Chong too was told of the speech which CM Taib delivered in the last BN convention in KL.

Dont just judge him for now but judge him for the whole duration and Chong does feel that Sarawakians have not been short changed by his thirty years of rule.

He will eventually go and when he does it will not be the same again for Sarawak.He does fear for Sarawak when the time comes for the change and many would be singing the same tune like what Sabahans are facing. The good old days will never come back again.

SUPP will need to address the leadership changes sooner rather than later as it is rotting from within very soon the outside will just cave in when he was asked on SUPP’s losses. I would say if the veterans still hogs the limelight the second echelon leaders will not be able push forward and make their stand. The party will be very like many other political parties before them which remains but not supported by members and the public and are termed…

 “..DEAD MAN WALKING..”

related:- 1.http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/24/chan-urges-peers-to-make-way-for-fresh-faces/ 

 2.http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/164984

N54 “Winner has not taken all the Spoils”

It seems that N54 Pelagus will remain in the news for sometime to come. A battle won today might not bring the victor much peace as long as the enemy thinks that the “war” is not over yet. The bad blood spilled between the Sngs and Masings has even spilled so far as words coming out from Masings camp as”very good reason to believe that money politics was involved there in the state election”.

The full article can be read below from an English Daily which we have extracted. The point when George Lagong who returned called was very simple,” I am a God fearing man and I am a Poor man eventhough they perceive George is very Rich and can afford to buy votes.As my name initials the acronym is simple either its  George Lagong as G.L. is “GOOD LUCK or GODS LOVE ”

PRS can file the petition and even if they force a by election they will not win the seat again. Its very simple and try they can. Its not even about CM Taib in this seat but the fight is very clear its between you know who.I dont need to spell it out,do I.?

George Lagong won against BN,PKR in a three cornered fight and he has proven to hold his own. He was defeated in the Ulu Rajang Parliamentary seat in 2008 where the “capsized boat carrying the ballot boxes” was headline news. The Petition made by PRS is again giving him the ‘publicity which he did not himself seek.

Sources told us that PRS was even asked to consider Larry Sng at the very last minute as this will be a BN sure seat.{BN independant candidate} However it was turned down eventhough “persuasive powers” were used and there was also a written agreement to the PM from PRS.

Could this Petition be used to ask George to join PRS..?

N54 Pelagus was a very hot issue before the elections and this petition will not stop the ‘fire” that is still burning between the parties concerned. PRS will do well not to publicly issue statements which might come back to haunt them especially ‘money politics” 

The extracted article below:-

SIBU: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has filed an election petition to nulify the result of the contest for the Pelagus seat in the April 16 state election.PRS Pelagus division chief Philimon Nuing accompanied by party Information chief Wilson Nyabong and lawyer Sim Hoi Chuan filed the petition at the Sibu High Court today.

According to Nyabong, who is the Pelagus seat director of operations, the party had “very good reason to believe that money politics was involved there in the state election”.

The petition was filed before senior assistant registrar Suhailla Selag.

In the election, PRS/BN candidate Stanley Nyitar @ Unja ak Malang was involved in a three-cornered fight with Edward Sumbang of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and George Lagong who stood as an independent.

George won the election with a 2,837-vote majority.

He garnered 5,740 votes against 2,903 obtained by Stanley and the 1,171 obtained by Edward.

The voter turnout was 9,986. This is the first petition filed after the election. – Bernama

35 “Won”PBB seats still have to step down meh..?

On May 3rd we wrote this article,”Exit sounds familiar” and exactly two weeks later this comes out again. Francis Siah repeatedly saying,’ “We will continue to pressure him to step down if he does not do so by Aug 13 ”

The question now according to a former editor is who has given him not only the GUTS but it does seem that some” higher authority” is giving the word Go” GREEN LIGHT”? It’s not very likely that he is just using Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS).Honestly if there are thousands and thousands of Sarawakians behind him I will stand down and not even thought otherwise. Surely,next he will deny all this and says he is doing it for Sarawak.

If Taib has led his party PBB to a disastrous outing and garnered just 15 out of 35 seats he will also make an EXIT. But this is out of the extraordinary and winning 35 seats is no mean feat. The Party Presidents of SUPP,PRS and SPDP did not even get a 100%?

Francis Oh Francis please look around and see who can boast that record as compared to Taib. 2 State elections (2006 and now 2011) he has led PBB to exemplanary results and you  are barking at PBB the party. They have enough leaders in PBB to oust Taib if he did not perform as a PRESIDENT of the party. Abdullah Badawi suffered the same fate and if UMNO has achieved 100% would Badawi be asks or pressured to abdicate?

We can go on and on but in the end you will be saying we are no better just ‘apple polishing” But this is a fact and you are running away and using other issues to attack Taib. He is no angel and we agree on that and so are many other leaders who came before him. Do we need to name them? There is no need and you are just blinded by your obsession of attacking Taib and whatever anyone says or threats or police action will not stop you.

When people attack STAR your political platform at one time you will obviously stand up and defend.Whats wrong with PBB members defending Taib? Anything wrong my friend Francis..?

This article clearly proves it:- MoCS leader: Cops no cause to arrest me

A further indicator of what we meant can be clearly seen with this article which we copied for your reference on this topic:-

Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: Despite threats of arrests from the police, Movement for  Change, Sarawak (MoCS) will continue to do what it has pledged to do –  that of demanding Chief Minister Taib Mahmud to step down.

“We will continue to demand Taib to step down,” said MoCS leader Francis Siah when contacted today.

Siah, who is presently in Sabah, said that the CID (Criminal  Investigation Department) officers had wanted to see him regarding his  statement asking Taib to step down.

“I will not see the CID officers without the presence of my lawyers,”  he said, adding that a police officer from Kuching had called him over  the statement.

“Now they (Barisan Nasional leaders) are using the police to harass me.

“But we are not afraid of the threats by the police, and we will  continue to do what we have pledged to do, that is asking Taib to step  down.

“We will continue to pressure him to step down if he does not do so by Aug 13,” he added.

Jelly fish Jabu

Replying to Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu’s condemnation of MoCS  recently, Siah said it was pointless trading barbs with Jabu, whom he  likened to a “jelly fish without back bone”.

“He is best known for saying or doing things against his own  conscience by taking all sorts of instructions from his boss,” he added.

In criticising MoCS, Jabu had said the movement was going against the wishes of the people in asking Taib to step down.

He said that Taib should not entertain MoCS’ call which was coming  from “the mouth of frustrated individuals advocating politics of  backwardness and hatred against the wish of the majority of  Sarawakians”.

Jabu suggested that MoCS should be changed to ‘Movement for change  for backwardness in Sarawak’ to better reflect their ignorance,  frustration and denial.

Another PBB leader, Abdul Aziz Adenan, who is also the PBB Youth  information chief, has described MoCS as a public threat because it  undermined the legitimate process of election by demanding Taib to step  down in three months.

Pointing out that no one has the right to make such a demand, Abdul  Aziz said that Taib and other BN leaders have been given fresh mandate  by the people to continue leading the state.

“By giving Taib an ultimatum to step down by Aug 13, MoCS is actually making a mockery of democracy in the state.

“MoCS has no right to ask the chief minister to vacate his post when the rakyat have decided otherwise.

“This shows that MoCS has no respect at all for the rule of law in  the country,” he said although admitting that as an NGO, MoCS has a  democratic right to express its opinion on any subject.

“But it should know that questioning the mandate of the rakyat is not a wise move,” Abdul Aziz said.

We say again “35 PBB seats returned Party President asks to leave..??”

SPDP “SUPP”s losses lessons to be learnt..”

SUPP is now paying a very heavy price for not listening to its second echelon and grassroots. Was the BN coalition ready for this? Of course they were and judging from what CM Taib uttered before the elections he knew it all along that SUPP will suffer at this State elections 2011. He even said to his detractors “BN will still have 2/3rds and my gosh he was absolutely spot on. Opposition leader Anwar did utter before 308 and he was not far wrong. Leaders of this calibre are born to lead and read the ground factors and their movements and they tend to go through some rough times to succeed.

PM Najib belongs to the aristocracy of Malaysian politics and he will not know too much of what Taibs family went through in their early years. The Chinese in the urban areas took the trouble to see a change and voted out SUPP. Mosts of the SUPP leaders behind Taibs back blamed him for the parties downfall. Is Taib solely to be blamed? SPDP on the other hand cannot blamed Taib eventhough their margins of votes took a battering.

Taibs uncle Tun Abdul Rahman has paved the way for him long time ago. Tun was called the “Sang Kancil” amongst his melanau friends. Taibs family members were given the chance to be business entrepreneurs and they came good through tough times toiling to break even at the bests of times and at worst some of their family members struggled just to put food on the table.

Business as my better half puts it is not difficult but its the people who has the power and the richness which makes it difficult. There is nothing different fromn one business to another. Busines is about agreeing to put the disagreements to the back burner. SUPP leaders had all these while been given the authority to perservere in the business fields.

Many have made it but many too have forgotten where they came from. Their business have grown tremendously and built their own empires but they have grown too big to remember that some SUPP members are just beginning to earn their stripes in politics and in the business fields.

On the other hand PBB as a party has slowly caught up with their chinese friends in business and the difference with the party they know how to take care of their own political people and their constituencies. The grassroot Chinese SUPP members are disgruntled,unhappy that their oldish and veteran party faithful are still there. Yes,they are experience but only fools say they learn by experience and these young leaders in SUPP knows how to profit from others experience.

Taib has learnt from the ancient Chinese,”giving before you take” he gave leeway to the chinese but along the way he taught his generals well and they took advantage of the SUPPs follies and capitalise to their advantage. 35 seats is no mean feat my friends and to win this battle against mosts odds, Taib is very much a leader to be reckoned with. The people of Sarawak through PBB has given him a new solid mandate and the urban chinese knows that and they are teaching SUPP a very bitter and honest lesson.

George Chan and his team should just walk away and leave the party to reengineer by itself instead of staying on and waiting for the party to throw them out. They are enough calibre professionals and young political minds and willpower to take the party out of the abyss and chart the new direction of the party. The oldish leaders are already in their twilight years and what more can they do to bring back power to the party.

The younger set of leaders though weak will need to gather themselves into a unit to make them dependant on each other and they too in time will be a very powerful and solid unit to catapult the party back to where it belongs. If and only if the people still believes in their honesty of giving back to the people as a party it will survive.The remaining peoples representative will needs to show that they deserve their places and they need to look after the constituency interests instead of after personal gains,glory and wealth.

SPDP will be no different in the next couple of years if the younger set of leaders are not given the opportunity to excel and come good as politicians. The lesson of losing the 2 seats in Krian and Ba’kelalan must not be taken too lightly.

We were made to understand from our source that certain proposals were put forward to the President. He did not ignore it but failed to take charge and proclaimed that he is indeed the commander in chief and a leader for SPDP.

 They were suggestions to drop Peter Nyarok but he stood by his man which  is good and also to swap  for Telang Usan seat with PBB.Both these suggestions if it was carried out SPDP would not have losts any seat. Too right..!! One might say as there are other conspiracy theories emerging very soon. The candidates knows better and its bests for them to reveal it to the Supreme Council when they meet for a post mortem meeting.

SPDP needs to know that the party will need to chart its direction soonest and the coffers needs to be build solidly as an overdependance of funds from outside sources does more harm than good. There are even rumours that SPDP candidates having to seek assistance on the last lap and the assistance helped them to cross the finishing line. During elections there are many possibilities ,hearsays and rumours and SPDP has to thank their supporters that all efforts and contributions bore the necessary results.

SPDP needs very much to learn from SUPPs diminishing powers and not to be caught in this situation in the years to come. The lesson for SUPP will be very hard to swallow and making them relevant and great again will very much hinge on the political marriage of alliances. A new entity will bring a breadth of fresh air  but it needs to be nurtured to see of the challenges the opposition has to offer.

My emeritus professor reminds me all the time ,”Change is good but be careful what you asks for.!!” SPDP and SUPP are not too dissimilar as both are multi racial parties and the duck somehow has to be broken. Many have harped on the possibilty of a new entity being born out of losses which in a way is good and will benefit the whole political scenario for Sarawak. Its not a change but its a new political reengineering and its a bigger playing field.

Harsh lessons but even children also needs to go to pre-school. Politicians must know when their time is over and they need to pass the baton over. CM Taib is an exceptional leader with well over 30 years as the chief administrator and he drew his powers from learning from the bests by making use and capitalising on the whole ground zero peoples movements.

SPDP and SUPP needs to look at themselves closely.Don’t be too shy to learn SOMETHING VALUABLE from PBB.

SUPP “Hurry or Face Annihiliation..??”

A former news editor of  an English daily based in Sabah told me to check up this bernama report(below). He said SUPP is facing its greatest enemy and many have said,”the veteran,oldish,outdated and defeated politicians does not want to let go” Everyone it seems just “Hantam SUPP” “{Hit out at SUPP}“as they still think they are so high and mighty.”

If they don’t solve their internal feuds and go for renewal of new blood and see to it that changes are put in place thats the end game for the once mighty SUPP party. One good idea to pursue would be the market talks of “SUPP/SPDP” merging to a new identity which might just be the right tonic to get the people from all races and backgrounds coming back to support this entity.

WILL SUPP/SPDP SEE THE LIGHT OF THE DAY..??

Response to the news that the Sarawak United People’s Party is to undergo a “complete overhaul” has been lukewarm despite assurances from SUPP president Dr George Chan Hong Nam that the change would be drastic, with new leaders at all levels.

Political analysts are not convinced that the revival plan will work as long as core problems and long-standing issues within the predominantly Chinese-based party are not addressed.

“The revival plan for SUPP will not work if it is designed by the old guard. When the old guard refused to pass the baton, many potential young leaders left the party,” said political analyst James Chin from the Kuching branch of Monash University.

He said that a clear succession plan was too long overdue in SUPP, causing able young leaders to see no prospect for them to be active in the party and to contribute new ideas.

“Also, SUPP is unlikely to be revived until it has resolved the problem of factionalism in the party. For example, the move to stop Dr Wong Soon Koh (left) from taking up a ministerial position in the state cabinet despite retaining his seat is seen as an attempt to stop the Foochows from leading the party,” Chin said.

Another political analyst, Ahi Sarok of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, shares the view about the old guard.

He said the biggest problem facing the party was in not having young and new leaders of calibre because the old guard had refused to bow out.

“Yes, the old guard must go, but what I see is that they don’t have any young leaders. That’s the problem. If you don’t have any young leaders, how to revive the party?” he said.

They may still be some young leaders in SUPP but they have been defeated in the election, including Alan Sim who failed to wrest the Bandar Kuching parliamentary constituency from the DAP in the 2008 general election.

‘Chan in no position to propose successor’

“To revive the party, you should give space and chances to the young leaders. You should have pools of potential leaders as other political parties do with their Putera and Puteri wings and the like,” Ahi said.

Chan (top photo, left), when announcing his resignation which was subsequently postponed, has proposed that SUPP’s defeated candidate for Pending, Dr Sim Kui Hian (top photo, right), be nominated to take over the party leadership.

However, some party members, including veterans, demanded that Chan and the current central working committee members resign immediately and let the delegates openly nominate candidates and choose the new leadership.

SUPP Bintulu Youth founding member Nicholas Tang said the party should call for an extraordinary general meeting to decide on the new party leadership instead of waiting until the triennial general meeting scheduled for the year-end.

“Chan is in no position to propose or nominate his successor,” he said, commenting on reports that Chan preferred cardiologist Dr Sim because he had “no political baggage” and was of an immaculate pedigree.

Dr Sim, the son of a former deputy chief minister, quit his job as head of the Sarawak General Hospital cardiac unit to contest in Pending but lost to DAP’s Violet Yong (right) with a margin of 7,595 votes.

“The party must undergo a total revamp and the choice of president and the CWC members must be decided by the delegates themselves. It is not the prerogative of Chan to pick any candidate to lead the party,” said Tang.

Former president Wong Soon Kai, who could not foresee SUPP solving some of its major problems in such a short time, has called for a “collective leadership”.

Between now and the next general election, SUPP must be made relevant to Sarawakians and their political aspirations, he said.

Without a new president and so many issues to resolve, the party must be managed by a collective leadership, at least for the time being, Wong said.

Bernama

“Stop this Nonsense…!!

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia as enshrined in the Constitution. This is very clear and as a Malaysian citizens we fully subscribed to that. There should not be any questions asked on that and whoever is playing and fanning religious sentiments should be shown and thrown the book. The longer this is brought up and played to the Malaysian gallery it will be very detrimental to uphold the peace,religious and racial harmony.

We as strong believers in our own faith are indeed disturbed and angered and we strongly hope that the ruling government and the administrative powers that exists in the country should come down hard on the overzealous and overreactive reports that has surfaced.

We do not need to overelaborate on this subject as many has jumped on the bandwagon and criticize the enthusiastic over the top reporting. This has got to stop and this report we extract from the internet portal will be sufficient to inform the editors/writers that they have indeed crossed the line. Please get back on track and be more responsible to all Malaysians of all FAITHS.

We also ask Politicians and Political parties from both sides of the divide to use all the POWERS which has been bestowed to you by Malaysians of all races to protect the Country from all these religious bigots and curb all the sowers of hatred on religion and racial issues. This NONSENSE will be more harmful to the country than anyone can perceive.

Archbishop slams ‘irresponsible, baseless, provocative’ reporting

Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Murphy Nicholas Pakiam, has slammed reports alleging a conspiracy to turn the country into a Christian state.

Describing the reports as “irresponsible, baseless and provocative”, Pakiam demanded that the authorities take action against what it said were quarters that seek to threaten the harmonious, multi-cultural and multi-religious make-up of the country.

A “thorough investigation” into the matter should be made to determine the source of these “insidious, provocative and malicious lies” and take action against those behind it, said Pakiam in a statement.

He was responding to the blog postings, on which an Utusan Malaysiareport was based, accusing DAP of colluding with Christian pastors to make Christianity the country’s official religion so that a Christian can become prime minister.

‘We’ve never been treasonous, hateful’

Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi (left) was named in the blog postings as the DAP leader who attended the meeting and joined the prayer session with the pastors, who were reportedly attending a mega-ceramah at the Catholic Christian Centre in Penang on Saturday.

“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Malaysia, I would like to categorically refute the allegation that such a meeting had taken place or will take place in a Catholic venue in Penang,

“It is clear that this reporting is baseless and highly irresponsible as the reporters and editors of the above newspaper have not taken any reasonable steps whatsoever to verify the allegations made by anonymous bloggers.

“Furthermore, this report comes after the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), one of the organizers of the above meeting, having refuted the claims of those bloggers and the same was carried on online media.

“The NECF has further clarified that this meeting only covered the topic of ethical leadership and had no treasonous agenda as alleged by the bloggers and news report,” said Pakiam.

Pakiam said Christian authorities teach the community to be God-fearing and law-abiding citizens and conscientious decision-makers “based on justice which is reflective of moral and divine laws.”

Even in the Al-Kitab issue over which the Christian Federation of Malaysia has been in dispute with the government, Church leaders had always reiterated their commitment and readiness “to dialogue and work together with the government” and all parties for a just and reasonable solution.

“It is clear that our position has never been treasonous nor have we advocated hatred, antagonism or animosity towards any religion or groups of persons,” said Pakiam.

“I continue to call upon all Catholics, Christians and all Malaysians to pray, dialogue and work together to strengthen national unity and harmony. May God bless our leaders with a firm vision and the courage and strength to uphold and realise it.”

‘Utusan playing with fire’

Lending his voice in support of Pakiam’s remarks, PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan (right) also described the blog and Utusan reports over the alleged conspiracy as “irresponsible” and potentially destabilising.

“Other than potentially threatening the peace, such speculations are seen as a means of seeking cheap political publicity and (part of) continuous efforts to hide weaknesses and failure in protecting the sanctity of the (Islamic) religion,” said Nasrudin in a statement entitled ‘Utusan playing with fire’.

Nasrudin said it is a well-known fact that Islam is enshrined as the official religion of the federation, with Muslims making up the majority in Malaysia’s pluralistic population.

“For these reasons, Islam should not be in a position of being jeopardised and the Muslims would not allow Islam to be threatened,” he added.

If Islam is indeed perceived as getting weaker, said Nasruin, it was because of Umno’s failure to fulfil the mandate with which it had been entrusted to govern the nation, particularly in protecting religious practices and the people’s welfare.

“If Umno had taken care of (the practice of) Islam well and strengthened it, I believe and am convinced that such speculations (by Utusan) of moves to make Christianity the official religion of the nation would not have arisen.

“At the same time, Muslims would feel at peace and comfortable with practising their religion,” he added.

Digi “Is this your Premium Customer Service..??”

Sometimes it just takes a moment of ones time to answer queries or to look into matters. Mosts organisations will take pains to solve and look into problems immediately and will at all costs avoid uncalled for “bad publicity.”

This customer who told us that he has more or less given up hope on Digi as he was given a merry go round (understatement of the year) to lodge the complaint. He was driven to Digi for the Tag line”Always the Smarter Choice.” 

audie61 has to agree in someways that Digi has innovative and good packages but when you have problems we think nobody seems willing to give a helping hand. Just looking at this which Digi puts it so convincingly ”At DiGi, your needs are at the centre of everything we do. Whoever you are, wherever you go and whatever your needs may be, we’re there for you!

Wow! How TRUE but when it happens to this customer. Could this happen to you one day.?? You make your own judgement……….

In Audie61 we BELIEVE that when we pay for the bests and we also expect the bests…