SNG IS WANTED

Chief Minister confirms that Sng would have a place in the state cabinet ‘because of his good performance’

by Antonia Chiam. Posted on July 2, 2011, Saturday


Larry Sng

KUCHING: A former assistant minister Larry Sng, who was dropped in the last election, will soon return to work in the Chief Minister’s Department.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday confirmed that Sng would have a place there “because of his good performance”.

“He will be in charge of youth affairs,” Taib said, confirming recent speculation in the political arena of the former Pelagus assemblyman’s possible return.

The Chief Minister told reporters this after he and his wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib were spotted having tea at a hotel here.

Chief Minister does not specify Sng’s exact postTaib said the reason he wanted Sng back was because of the latter’s good experience working with the youths.

“He is a good guy and he did very well previously.”

However, the Chief Minister did not specify the exact post that Sng would be given or when he would officially begin work.

“Probably in two weeks’ time. He is on holiday now. It’s better if you ask him,” said Taib.

Sng could not be reached for comments.

He was not renominated by Barisan Nasional (BN) to defend the seat in the April 16 state election due to his party-less status, after Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) terminated his membership in 2007 for insubordination.

Prior to the election, he held three portfolios as Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office, Social Development and Urbanisation Ministry (Youth Affairs and Training of Youth) and Industrial Development Ministry (Planning).

CM will reshuffle the state cabinet BUT WHEN ?

Massive loss of Chinese seats complicates CM’s desire for balanced cabinet

by Churchill Edward, Johnson K Saai, Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith, Zoee Hillson, Antonia Chiam and Peter Sibon. Posted on June 30, 2011, Thursday


LET’S SEE NOW: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (right) receives updates from State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN). Yesterday was the final day of the DUN sitting, which began on June 20. - Photographer: Jeffery Mostapa

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said he needs more time to think before reshuffling the present state cabinet.

He said it was not about ‘inspiration’ but rather more so about the ‘timing’ of when it would be carried out.

“Honestly it’s not about inspiration of when I will reshuffle the state cabinet but more so about the timing,” Taib told the media after his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly Sitting here yesterday.

Last week, he had told the media that the new state cabinet line-up would be a very complex matter following the massive loss of SUPP in the last state election where they lost 13 out of the 15 Chinese majority seats.

Out of the 13 seats, the DAP had won 12 seats and PKR one. The only two winners from the Chinese community are SUPP deputy secretary general Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh who had won his Bawang Assan seat and SUPP CWC member Datuk Lee Kim Shin in Senadin.

Notable loss to the party are its president and deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan in Piasau, treasurer-general Datuk David Teng (Repok), information chief Datuk Alfred Yap (Kota Sentosa), Youth chief Sih Hua Tong (Batu Lintang) and budding politician and former head of SGH Heart Centre Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian (Pending).

Also last week he was quoted as saying: “In a way yes, But in another way, it is the ups and downs of politics.
And I want to see whether there are ways of encouraging better Chinese participation in the government.

“And that is very important because basically what I want for Sarawak is that it should always be a multi-racial state.

“I think we can say that we are very determined to do so for the simple reason that in Sarawak, we have no race that has the simple majority,” Taib was quoted after attending the opening of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) by Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin at DUN complex here last week.

As such, Taib said he would take some time to study the current political situation before reshuffling the present cabinet.

“Let me think about it properly. I have got to study it (the current political situation) it very well. It’s quite a complex situation here.

“You see the main thing is, I am a bit worried how I can get the Chinese representation to express themselves on a more natural way,” he explained.

Taib who is also the Minister of Planning and Resource Management added that he still believed that most Chinese in Sarawak were quite moderate and decent people.

“But during election, they got excited, they followed the trend. It is okay. We accepted that and I don’t want to comment on that,” he said.

However, Taib was optimistic that SUPP’s recent failure was not going to be a permanent feature in the local politics.

When asked whether Wong would be elevated as deputy chief minister to replace Dr Chan, Taib quipped: “Let’s see what happened. I have got to consult my colleagues in a lot of ways.”

He also refused to speculate on the current sitting arrangement of PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing who had been seated on Dr Chan’s former chair in the DUN arrangement.

“I have not thought about all these things yet. Are we going to have one DCM or three or four, I don’t know yet.

“Let us see the structure of the cabinet,” he said.

Currently, the state cabinet has 10 full ministers and 12 assistant ministers after the recent elevation of Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem as the Minister with Special Functions in the Chief Minister’s office.

The last major state cabinet reshuffle was done at the end of 2009 and minor one in early 2010.

Believes Taib Clean

Masing believes Taib clean

Posted on June 23, 2011, Thursday


CENTRE OF MEDIA ATTENTION: Reporters crowd around a speaker in the Media Room as Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud delivers his personal statement regarding the investigation by the Swiss Federation into his alleged assets in Switzerland.

KUCHING: Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said he believed Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is innocent of all the corruption allegations hurled at him.

The Baleh assemblyman also lauded Taib for being brave enough to tackle the issue head on yesterday.

He said this when asked to comment on Taib’s explanations to the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday that he does not own a Swiss bank account or assets and investments in Switzerland.

“It is very good for him (Taib) to tackle the issue straight on.

“That is what I expected a leader to do. As a politician you must not hide anything. If you have nothing to hide then go straight on because we are judged by public perception,” Masing said.

Masing added that he was “impressed and satisfied” with the Chief Minister’s answer and he eagerly awaits the Swiss authorities to respond.

“The onus of proof is from the other side,” Masing stressed.

Asked whether the public would be convinced of Taib’s innocence, Masing lamented that members of the public always make judgement based on emotion and not the law.

That, he added, represented one of the toughest obstacles which all politicians have to endure.

“We are not judged by the fine lines of the law. We are judged by allegations, half truths and lies.”

Meanwhile, Second Minister of Finance Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said what Taib did yesterday was to make it known to the whole world that the graft allegations were unfair to him.

“Of course once the allegation is made and published in the press, not only the image of the Chief Minister but the state government of Sarawak may be tarnished,” he lamented.

Therefore, he added, it was important for Taib to make the statement in DUN to redeem himself and to clear his name.

“I think it is the right thing to do,” Soon Koh said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s statement failed to impress PKR leaders.

State PKR liaison chief and Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian said it was “quite unfortunate” that Taib’s statement was not put up for debate.

He pointed out that there was no mention of whether the Chief Minister’s letter had been replied to and that PKR would be interested to know what Taib wrote and the reply, if any, to it.

“As it has been reported that this involves MACC, we hope that the whole investigation will continue on in spite of the explanations he (Taib) made in the Dewan…as it is only an explanation. If there is really truth in it, then of course it is of concern to the public at large, especially Sarawakians,” said Baru.

When asked whether the Chief Minister’s denial would help to assuage public concerns, Baru said he did not think so as there was nothing particularly significant about the statement.

“You need to have concrete facts and evidence and decisions made either by the Swiss President or authority of Switzerland, or even from MACC. The report we hear is about an ongoing kind of investigation, so as for now, we’ll leave it as it is.

“Unless they come up with a conclusion, it’s nothing that would wipe out any doubts or anything for that matter.”

Timber Corruption, Please answer! Taib

Taib lambasts Bruno Manser Foundation for allegations

by Peter Sibon, Wilfred Pilo, Lee Ya Yun, Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith, Georgette Tan, Zoee Hillson, Nurul Amarlina and Joanna Yap. Posted on June 23, 2011, Thursday



OOZING CONFIDENCE: Taib looks very much at ease as he leaves the DUN complex.- Photographers: Jeffery Mostapa and Johnathan Bullet

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Abdul Taib Mahmud has categorically denied allegations by the Bruno Manser Foundation (BMF) that he has Swiss bank accounts, assets or investment in Switzerland.

He also made the denial in a personal statement in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting after the question and answer session yesterday morning.

“Let me state categorically that I have no secret Swiss bank account, nor assets or investments of any description. None whatsoever (in Switzerland).

“Indeed, I have so stated in unequivocal terms in a letter last month to the president of the Swiss Federation.

“In my letter, I have specifically asked the president to confirm if she has allegedly ordered any investigation into the allegations by the BMF to the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority or furnish me with a copy of the application so that I can exercise my right to seek and obtain an appropriate legal redress.

“I also pledged to render my fullest cooperation to the Swiss Federation to swiftly bring the truth to light so as to nail down all malicious falsehoods.

“Let me reiterate here that the allegations by BMF are utterly false, evidently politically motivated,” Taib told the august House here yesterday.

Taib who is also the Minister of Planning and Resource Management and Minister of Finance said the BMF had a track record of making scurrilous and scandalous allegations against the state government for many years.

These include claims about the cutting down of 90 per cent of the state’s rainforests, although both local and international forestry experts have certified that 70 per cent of the state’s forests are still being preserved and sustainably managed.

“Therefore, BMF’s false allegations about my assets in Switzerland are a continuation of its malicious efforts to smear the state government, the state and the leaders,” he reiterated.

Taib said his attention has recently been drawn to allegations online in a “disreputable website” that claims the Swiss authority may investigate him and the nature and sources of assets belonging to him located in Switzerland.

“The allegations by BMF have since been used by local politicians to advance their own political agenda against me and the state government that I lead, which once again have received a strong mandate from the people during the last state election. As head of the state government and a member of the legislature, in keeping with the parliamentary practice and tradition, I am accountable to this august house.

“Therefore, it is only proper and right for me to make a personal statement to this august house in accordance of Standing Order 22 on the allegations by BMF, a foreign NGO not at all accountable to the people of Sarawak,” he added.

On Tuesday, Taib had said that he would make his statement on the issue as it has been highlighted by recent reports by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which is also investigating the case. Taib added that the opposition was “barking at the wrong tree”.

“You will have a surprise (from me) tomorrow,” Taib had told the media after attending the opening State Legislative Assembly by head of state Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin at DUN complex here Tuesday.

Before the sitting, DUN Speaker, Dato Sri Asfia Awang Nassar had told the media that the opposition would table a motion over the allegation of the MACC against Taib at the ongoing DUN sitting. The opposition had picked up the issue after MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohammad had confirmed that MACC was investigating Taib on the allegation of timber corruption in the state on June 9.

Taib clear his name

Taib to fully cooperate with Swiss federation to clear his name latest!

Posted on June 22, 2011, Wednesday

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said he would give his full cooperation to the Swiss Federation to clear his name and that of the Sarawak government over allegations of timber corruption by the Bruno Manser Foundation (BMF).

He said his attention had been drawn to the recent allegations by BMF which claimed that the Swiss Anti-Corruption Agency might possibly investigate him and freeze assets belonging to him in Switzerland.

“Let me state categorically that I have no secret Swiss bank account nor asset or investment of any description in Switzerland. None whatsoever,” he said in his personal explanation at the State Legislative Assembly sitting in Petra Jaya, here, today.

Taib, who is also state BN chairman, gave his side of the story on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s investigation into the allegations following the purported decision of the Swiss Anti-Corruption Agency to freeze his assets recently.

He said the allegations had since been used by local politicians to advance their own political agenda against him and the state government, which had once again obtained a strong mandate from the people through the state election in April.

As head of the state government and a member of the legislature in keeping with parliamentary practice and tradition, Taib said he was accountable to the august House to make a personal statement in accordance with Section 22 of the Standing Order.

“Indeed I have stated in clear and unequivocal terms in a letter addressed by me last month to Swiss Federation president Micheline Calmy-Rey to confirm if she had allegedly ordered any investigation into the allegations by BMF,” he said, adding that BMF was a foreign non-governmental organisation that was not at all accountable to the people of Sarawak.

Taib had also asked the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (Finma) to furnish him with a copy of the allegations to enable him to exercise his rights to seek and obtain appropriate legal redress.

In pledging his full cooperation to the Swiss Federation “to swiftly bring the truth to light so as to nail down all malicious falsehood”, he reiterated that the allegations by BMF were false and evidently, politically motivated.

“The BMF has a track record of scurillous and scandalous allegations against the Sarawak government for many years, including the allegation of felling 90 per cent of our rainforest although local and international forest experts have certified that 70 per cent of the forest is still being preserved and sustainably managed.

“Therefore, BMF’s false allegations about assets held in Switzerland by me is a continuation of its malicious effort to smear the state government and leaders,” he added.

On June 9, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed confirmed that MACC was investigating Taib over allegations of timber corruption, while Calmy-Rey was reported to be aware of the allegations and had forwarded the information about Taib’s assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body, Finma, for investigation. – Bernama

CM step down? Can or Cannot ?

Senator Datuk Idris Buang

KUCHING: Opposition parties – PKR, DAP and PAS – were yesterday told to urge the chief ministers and Menteris Besar in the Pakatan Rakyat-held states of Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan to resign instead of calling for Sarawak Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to step down.

In his speech when debating the motion of thanks to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s address in the Senate in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Senator Datuk Idris Buang said these heads of state cabinets held on the posts through a slim majority of their parties while the state BN headed by Taib was holding 78 per cent of all state seats in Sarawak.

He also compared the degree of mandate Taib received after the April 16 state election to that of the result of the last state elections involving the four Pakatan Rakyat chief ministers.

Idris reiterated that the state BN under the leadership of Taib maintained its two-thirds majority in the legislative assembly.

“DAP, PKR and PAS should have been telling their Pakatan CMs to step down in Selangor, Kedah, Kelatan and Penang simply because they are there on slim majority while our (Sarawak’s) CM is on a strong mandate of 78 per cent of all state seats which is more than two-third majority,” he said.

“It’s a thumping, resounding and honourable victory for our CM,” he said when referring to the April 16 state polls.

Idris said Taib would never allow BN to use hate and malicious campaign tactics like what the Pakatan components had done in the just concluded state election.

“He (Taib) talks about building the country and talks about people who should prosper earnestly and also about moving forward. Compare this to the politics of deception by Pakatan leaders who launched unfair character attacks and hatred like the one launched by Communist terrorists in their psy-war during Sarawak emergency,” said Idris.

While it was true that Pakatan succeeded in urban areas in Sarawak, BN government under Taib did not practise corruption as alleged by the opposition.

The state government had for many consecutive years been top rated with multiple ‘As’ for good governance and financial management by world independent professional bodies, he pointed out.

“Does that not mean anything? As a lawyer I know what is and what is not corruption. Taib is clean. He does not interfere in his family members’ business.

“They have every right to do business on their own merit and business acumen without his interference in this country or outs,” he said.

“CMS for example, is a Bumiputera company that provided jobs and spin offs to thousands of people in the state. They have every right to do business and invest like anyone else,” he said.

Pakatan Rakyat had cleverly played the issue of corruption up and create a perception but which is untrue, he said.

Taib wants Wong

CM wants Wong in cabinet

by Johnson K Saai. Posted on April 22, 2011, Friday


CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Taib being interviewed by reporters after he chaired the state cabinet meeting.

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said that no one can stop him from appointing Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh a cabinet minister.

Speaking to the media after chairing the Cabinet meeting here yesterday he asked: “What right do they have to say they agree or not agree to the representation of the Chinese community in the government?”

Taib was responding to SUPP Central Working Committee’s (CWC) objection to Wong’s re-appointment as a state minister and instead requested that the post be given only to its non-Chinese elected representative.

SUPP, which used to be the second biggest state BN component after Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), only won two Chinese-majority seats, namely Bawang Assan through its candidate Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Datuk Lee Kim Shin in Senadin but retained all its Bumiputera majority seats of Bengoh, Simanggang, Engkilili and Opar.

In view of the party’s devastating defeats in Chinese majority seats, the party’s CWC decided that Wong should not accept any state cabinet post since the Chinese community had rejected their representation in the government.

“We need their representation in the government. I promised the Chinese that I want to help them get fair representation so I take what I can get and after all Soon Koh (Wong) was voted on BN ticket and not SUPP,” said Taib.

He added that he would try his best to get the Chinese community to be represented no matter how few seats they have got.

He stressed that it was the commitment of the Barisan Nasional to maintain a multiracial government because for a multiracial society to progress, the government must be multiracial no matter what happened.

“BN is not a marriage of convenience. It is not a coalition that assembles after the election to suit the situation thereafter. It is a kind of permanent coalition. They have a common manifesto…work together during the administration…work out what to do for the next election.

“They stand together during and after election. The government has to or at least try to ensure that no single community in the country is being left out because the moment you give it up, it is going to be bad for us,” he said.

He cited that in 1969, when Tun Abdul Rahman was prime minister, he kept MCA in the national cabinet although the party had no seats to ensure that all races were represented in the government.

Earlier Taib said he had yet to pick his deputy to replace SUPP president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan who lost his seat in the last state election, and that he would only think about it when the time comes.

“I will only think about it when doing the reshuffle. As to when it will be held, I will decide,” he said.

The chief minister also would not say whether the post would still be held by a SUPP state assemblyman as the party only managed to secure six of the 19 seats it contested in.

Taib has taken care of the Chinese — Wong

Posted by admin News Thursday, March 31st, 2011



Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud

SIBU: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has always tried his best to take care of the Chinese community in the state since he took office on March 26, 1981, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh yesterday said.

Wong, who is the Bawang Assan incumbent said people had claimed that despite being chief minister of Sarawak for 30 years Taib still did know not what the Chinese community wanted.

He said this was a remark aimed at discrediting Taib and Chinese leaders in the state.

“It all started when Taib made a statement that after so many years he still does not know what more the Chinese community wants.”

Wong said this remark had been purposely twisted by some people and Chinese non-governmental organisations to give it a negative meaning.

“This is most unfair to our chief minister.”

Wong, who is Second Finance Minister and Minister of Environment and Public Health, pointed out that the chief minister was instrumental in making the land premiums here the cheapest in the country.

“Taib has all along helped to provide land for churches, mission and Chinese schools, temples and cemeteries for the Chinese,” he added.

For schools in Sibu, he pointed out Taib had given a land to build SJK (C) Thian Chin in Permai Road, SJK (C) Su Lai in Apollo Road and SJK(C) Thian Hua in Sibu Jaya.

The chief minister also granted an allocation of RM250,000 each to SJK (C) Sacred Heart, SMK Methodist, SMK Sacred Heart and SMK Saint Elizabeth.

“Besides, he has given two acres for the construction of Hwei Ann Methodist Church and 6.5 acres for Tien Ann Temple in Oya Road,” he said.

The most recent notable contribution by Taib, Wong said, was the allocation of 2000 hectares for the Chinese independent secondary schools.

On the claim that Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) leaders had failed to bring issues and problems faced by the Chinese to the attention of the government, Wong said this was not true.

“We’ve tried our best to highlight the issues and problems. Some of the problems can be resolved easily while some take time.”

He said in a multiracial society like Sarawak, one demand from a community might bring about a counter demand from the other communities.

“We are in a multiracial society. We have to have the spirit of give and take, mutual understanding and goodwill. This is what Sarawak Barisan Nasional is trying to do.”

Source: The Borneo Post

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