Chong: Sarawak PR sets to win 12 to 16 seats in Sarawak

KUCHING, May 3, 2013:  With two days more to polling day, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is confident of winning 12 to 16 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen told reporters today.

“I will not name the seats that we are confident of winning,” he said when pressed to name the seats at a press conference.

“After 12 days of campaigning, it is quite clear what the rakyat want. The trend is that PR is going to win 12 to 16 seats,” he added.

Chong, who is defending his Bandar Kuching seat, said that the projection to win 12 to 16 seats is based on the positive feedback from the ground.

“Nation-wide, I feel it is a matter of days when PR comes to power and a change in the federal government. I am telling you that the change is just two days away,” he said confidently.

Chong, however, stressed that only four “obstacles” can stop PR from forming the next federal government.

The obstacles are:

. Illegal workers issued with blue identity cards that entitled them to register as voters; 

. Foreign nationals, possessing travel documents, issued with blue identity cards that entitled them to register as voters;

. Buying of votes; and

. Gambling on the election results.

He said illegal workers and foreign nationals are deciding factors in hotly contested seats, especially in Selangor and Sabah, and this could work in favour the Barisan Nasional.

“As for buying of votes, it has a great influence in deciding the results of the rural areas while gambling or betting can influence the outcome of the results in the urban seats,” he said.

He said the people want a change in the government “so the people can expect a change to take place in two days’ time,” he said.

Chong called on the people, especially PR supporters, to come out in full force and be part of a history.

He said by coming in full force to come and vote, the people can counter the underhand tactics of the Barisan Nasional of using various means, like giving illegal workers and foreign nationals the blue identity cards so they can register as voters.

“Every vote counts in this election,” he said, adding that election is a serious matter because it determines the future direction of the country and decides who will form the next government.

He said that a change in government means an end to corruption, an end to race-based policies and a creation of a two-party system in Malaysia.

“The creation of a two-party system is important because it provides check and balance.

“The two-party system also helps to prevent corruption and abuse of power. If the people are not happy with the government they have elected because of corruption and abuse of power, then they can change the government with another one in the next election,” he said.

“With the system in place, the government of the day will not abuse its power as what the BN government has been doing over the last 55 years,” he said.

“Therefore, we must come out in full force. We are almost there (forming the federal government),” he added. By Sematong Express.

SUPP has no integrity left, charges Chong Chieng Jen

KUCHING, May 1, 2013: SUPP has been accused of lacking in integrity in its campaign for support from the voters in Stampin and Bandar Kuching parliamentary constituencies.

“There is no integrity and pride left in the party. If the founding fathers like Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui and Tan Sri Stephen Yong were to see what the present leaders are doing now, I am sure they will roll in their graves,” Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen said at a press conference.

Chong was incense with the SUPP by putting up banners using red as the background and white lettering, similar to the banners put up by the DAP.  

“The problem is that the SUPP banners are asking the people to think carefully and that change in government will cause suffering to the people,” he said.

Picture (left): SUPP banner in Chinese characters is seen at the bottom right of the picture.

He said the SUPP banners are being put up alongside the DAP’s banners.

“The SUPP banners do not carry the party logo or symbol, but it says the banners were from SUPP carry a small print,” Chong stressed.

He said the SUPP is stooping low by coming up with the banners which can confuse the people.

“As the SUPP banners carry our DAP corporate colour, the people may think that those banners are from us,” he added.

On another matter, Chong said he will not accept a debate dare from his SUPP-BN challenger Tan Kai as he considered the debate as a joke of the century and Tan Kai as a joker.

“It is meaningless to debate with him because he himself is not sure of the topic, time, date and venue.

“First Tan Kai said the debate be on hudud only, and the debate to be held on May 2, starting at 7pm at Kuching Town Hall.

Picture (right): Chong holding a picture of the DAP banners and billboard, with the SUPP banner in Chinese characters is seen at the bottom right of the picture.

“Then he changed the topic to how uphold a clean and just future government of Malaysia and the debate be held on May 4 at the 101 Commercial Centre,” Chong said.

With Tan Kai unsure of himself, Chong said there is no point accepting the debate dare.

“If you want to challenge people to a debate, make sure that you fix the topic, date and time and venue, at least two weeks in advance.

“To debate with him on May 4, Saturday, is completely being ruled out because we have our Super Saturday ceramah throughout the country,” Chong said, adding that the Kuching DAP Super Saturday ceramah will be at the open space of the Stutong Commercial Centre.

He invited Tan Kai and other SUPP leaders to come and listen to the Kuching DAP Super Saturday ceramah. By Sematong Express

Baru Bian slams Awang Tengah, James Masing over NCR land issue, says PR government will not abolish native rights over customary land

KUCHING, April 29, 2013: Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Awang Tengah Ali Hassan has been accused of telling lies against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) on the issue of native customary rights land.

“His statement that PR will abolish the rights to NCR ownership fills me with disbelief and revulsion,” Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian told reporters today.

He said Awang Tengah, being a senior minister, would resort to telling lies to win over the people is extremely unbecoming and undignified and it certainly reflects poorly on him.

Baru also found Land Development Minister James Masing’s statement that the Dayaks would lose their NCR land if the people do not vote for the BN in the May 5 polls as baseless and another example of fearmongering by politicians bankrupt of better ideas to offer to the people.

He said that PR, when it comes to power at the Federal level after the general election, will not abolish rights of the natives over their customary lands as claimed by two State senior ministers.

“The special privileges of the natives in Sarawak are safeguarded in the Federal Constitution and PR has no intention of abolishing these rights,” he explained.

Baru, who is also the Ba’Kelalan State Assemblyman, said he finds the claims by the two ministers as lies and seditious.

He said that Sarawak PKR election director See Chee How and Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Cheing Jen have already lodged police against Awang Tengah last Friday for making seditious statements.

On Masing’s statement that the Dayaks would lose their NCR land if PR becomes the new government and implement the “Malaysian Malaysia” concept, Baru said that such statement is baseless and another example of fearmongering by politicians lacking of better ideas to offer to the people.

He assured that PR has no intention to abolish the rights of the natives over their customary rights.

“It is safe for me to just state that my record of defending the NCR landownership of downtrodden people speaks for itself.

“It has been and still is my life’s work and indeed my calling to ensure that the NCR lands of the natives are safeguarded,” he said, adding that his law firm has over 200 active files on cases of land grabs by logging, plantation and construction companies, almost all of them having connection with the BN politicians and their families.

He stressed that none of the Opposition leaders, be they from PKR or the DAP, or their family members, are the defendants in any NCR land cases.

He said that most of the NCR land cases which have been decided by the court are in favour of the natives.

“The courts have recognized NCR ownerships of the people in over 20 cases but the problem remains that the Sarawak state government is showing its contempt of court rulings by refusing to abide by the courts’ decisions, especially with regard to the definition of NCR land,” Baru, who is also a NCR land law expert, said.

“It is very well for the Sarawak ministers to make promises about resolving NCR land issues by carrying out perimeter surveys, what is the state government’s definion of NCR land? Up till today, they refuse to include the “pemakai menoa” (territorial domain) and “pulau galau” (communal reserve land), but restrict their definition to the temuda (cultivated or farmed land), in clear breach and disregard of the decision of the courts,” he said.

Baru also questioned the state government’s persistence in conducting surveys of NCR land under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code which only grants a communal reserve status on the surveyed land, instead of Section 18 which grants title.

“Do the people know that the government can decide to degazette their communal reserve land, in which event it becomes state land and not NCR land? he asked.

Baru urged the NCR landowners to ask Awang Tengah on the use of Section 6, not Section 18 of the Sarawak, when undertaking perimeter survey on NCR land, the next time he visits them.

“They can also ask him about his personal wealth and his own family’s shares in big companies which are profiting from Sarawak’s wealth,” he said.

Baru also reiterated PR’s promises to set up a Land Commission to investigate NCR land claims and to right the wrongs done to the people by those in authority, including ministers and their families and cronies.

“The PR government will act in accordance with the law against those who are found to have obtained their wealth through illegal means,” he said.

“The people have hoodwinked for far too long. My social contract with the people of Sarawak is to protect what is their birthright, their life and their livelihood,” he said. The Sematong Express

SPDP will be fighting an uphill battles in the four parliamentary seats it is contesting

An analysis on SPDP’s chances in the parliamentary election

Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) is facing the toughest battles in the four seats it is contesting in the parliamentary election on May 5.

Only party deputy president Tiong King Sing is a good bet to retain his Bintulu seat.

However,  party president William Mawan is fighting an uphill battle in Saratok after the resignation of a large number of party members to protest against  candidacy.

Those who resigned include the party’s grassroots leaders.

 It is even reported that deputy transport minister Jelaing Mersat is opposing Mawan’s move to contest in Saratok.

Jelaing was strongly tipped to defend his Saratok seat. He was said to have been replaced as the SPDP-BN candidate at the last minute as it was felt that he would not stand a chance against Ali Biju of PKR.

It was Ali who defeated SPDP deputy president Peter Nyarok in Krian in the 2011 state election.

Mawan, in response to reporters’ questions, had stressed that his move to contest in Saratok was to take the lead in the party’s battle in the four seats.

As president of the party, he said he would be responsible for whatever the outcomes of the contests in the four seats would be.

He claimed that the BN leadership decided to pick him to replace Jelaing  after getting  “unfavourable”  ground reports.

In Mas Gading, SPDP’s Anthony Nogeh will be fighting for survival should incumbent Tiki Lafe decides to enter the fray.

With the support of BN Club members, Tiki would have an edge over Nogeh, a political novice.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) members in Mas Gading are also backing Tiki, who was sacked from SPDP in 2011, along with four other senior members, who are also elected representatives, for alleged breaching party discipline.

The others four are Bekenu State Assemblywoman and Assistant Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Rosey Yunus, Batu Danau State Assemblyman Paulus Gumbang, Marudi State Assemblyman and Assistant Minister of Public Utilities Sylvester Entrie and Tasik Biru State Assemblyman and Assistant Minister of Industrial Development Peter Nansian.

After they were dismissed from the party, they formed BN Club as a channel for them to air their political views.

DAP’s Modi Bimol and State Reform Party’s (Star) Patrick Anek Uren are also expected to contest in Mas Gading.

SPDP is also facing a tough fight in Baram after incumbent Member of Parliament Jacob Sagan Dungau is not picked to defend the seat.

Over 100 influential SPDP grassroots leaders in Baram have rebelled against the candidacy of Anyi Ngau, who has been assigned to retain the seat for BN.

They claimed that they were not consulted when SPDP and BN leadership decided to pick Ngau instead of Sagan.

They were also  unhappy that Ngau is not a party supporter, but is closely associated with the PBB leadership.

Apart from the anti-Anyi stance by the community and grassroots leaders, SPDP has to face to the anti-Baram dam protesters.

At least five Miri-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are spearheading the anti-dam campaign as well as to campaign for the PKR candidate.

Over 20,000 people from 25 villages are to be displaced once the construction begins.

One possible reason for replacing Sagan with Anyi is to secure the support of the Iban voters from Marudi, one of the two state seats under Baram parliamentary constituency. The other is Telang Usan, which is held by Dennis Ngau of PBB.

In the 2008 parliamentary election, Sagan won because more Ibans,- the largest single race in Baram - were giving their support to him. However, he received lesser votes from the Kenyah, Kayan and Kelabit communities.

He managed to get the Iban support largely due to the influence of Sylvester Entrie, the Marudi State Assemblyman.

Now that Sylvester Entrie is no longer with SPDP after he was sacked, the support from the Ibans for Sagan would be weakened.

Sylvester Entrie has indicated that he would stay away from Baram if Sagan is nominated again to contest, but pledged to campaign for the BN if other candidate is chosen.

Baram is expected to see a three-cornered or even a four-cornered fight.

PKR is fielding lawyer Roland Engan and it is believed that a PKR member may contest as an Independent.

PKR and DAP make last minutes changes to their candidate line-ups, involving Mas Gading, Sri Aman and Miri

KUCHING, April 19, 2013: PKR and DAP have made last minutes  switches to their candidate line-ups, involving Mas Gading, Sri Aman and Miri.

DAP is now given Mas Gading, but giving up Sri Aman and Miri to the PKR.

DAP has picked Modi Bimol for Mas Gading.

Last night, PKR handed over Letter of Authorisation to Boniface Willy Tumek to contest in Mas Gading,  but this afternoon, the party central leadership withdrew the letter to allow DAP to contest seat on behalf Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

However, DAP surrendered Sri Aman to PKR.

With the surrender, DAP has withdrawn its selection of  Sri Aman branch chief Leon Jimat Donald to  allow PKR to nominate human rights activist and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) secretary general Nicholas Mujah to contest.

PKR is also given Miri to contest. It is fielding its Miri chief Dr Michael Teo.

DAP has earlier named Lim Su Kian to vie for the Miri seat.

The switches were announced by Sarawak PKR vice chairman See Chee How, who is also the Batu Lintang State Assemblyman, at a press conference at 4pm, two hours after the federal leaders from DAP and PKR made the changes.

See explained that Mujah and Dr Teo are PR candidates.

With the latest development, PKR will be contesting in Mambong (Willie Mongin), Batang Lupar (Abang Zulkifly Abang Engkeh), Sri Aman (Nicholas Mujah) , Lubok Antu (Nicholas Bawin), Betong (Cecilia Siti Una), Saratok (Ali Biju), Julau (Andy Wong Hong Yu), Kanowit (Thomas Laja), Hulu Rajang (Abun Sui Anyit), Selangau (Joshua Jabeng), Baram (Roland Engan), Miri (Dr Michael Teo), Limbang (Baru Bian), Petra Jaya (Ahmad Nazip Johari) and Santubong (Zulrusdi Mohd Hol).

DAP will contest in Bandar Kuching (Chong Chieng Jen), Julian Tan (Stampin), Mas Gading (Modi Bimol), Sarikei (Andrew Wong), Sibu (Oscar Ling), Lanang (Alice Lau), Kapit (Ramli Malaka), Bintulu (John Anthony Brian), Serian (Edward Andrew Luak), Mukah (Hai Merawin) and Lawas (Dr Bob Baru).

PAS will contest in Kota Samarahan, Batang Sadong, Igan, Tanjung Manis and Sibuti.

Meanwhile, Boniface Willy, speaking at the press conference with See, said he would consider taking legal action against PKR if the DAP candidate for Mas Gading is using PKR logo in the election.

He said he was given to understand that the DAP candidate would be using PAS logo in the election.

“I will be asking my men and supporters to video record the DAP activities, starting from nomination, whether they are using PKR logo in their campaign or using PKR logo in the contest,” he said.

“I was rather shocked and surprised when the party leadership told me to stand down and surrender the Letter of Authorisation and to give way to candidate from PAS, not candidate from DAP.

“I am greatly saddened by these turns of events and a deep regret and a big disappointment caused to the PKR members and supporters in Mas Gading.

“As a partyman, I have agreed to abide by the decision of the top leaders and I have surrendered the Letter of Authorisation and that is because I am looking at a bigger picture, and think of the long term interests of PKR in Mas Gading,” he said.

Boniface Willy called on PKR supporters and members to remain calm and on this matter, he left it to their good judgment to make the decision.

He said he and his family suffered a “a certain amount of humiliation” after he was forced to withdraw from contesting.

“I am very disappointed and very troubled as it appears that Mas Gading was sacrificed in the greater interest of Pakatan Ra