Someone higher up is behind crisis in SPDP, claims Baru Bian

Kuching (Jan 11, 2012): Sarawak PKR boss Baru Bian said he believed someone higher up is behind the crisis in Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP.

"If you reporters want to conduct an investigation why the crisis started, there is a lead for you to start.The lead is someone higher up," he told reporters at the party headquarters at Batu Tiga bazaar here today.

Baru, the state assemblyman for Ba'Kelalan, however, declined to identify who he referred to as someone higher up, but suggested that SPDP is being manipulated to trigger the crisis.

"It appears that someone does not want to see SPDP, being a Dayak-based party, stable," he said.

Asked whether the four parliamentary seats now held by SPDP would be wrested by Pakatan Rakyat in the coming general election, Baru said he did not think that PK should advantage of SPDP's weakness.

"We should focus on our strengths and issues that we have raised, not on the weaknesses of other people," he said.

He said the people should give PK a chance to govern the country based on its strengths and agenda for the people.

"Try us. Vote us in the coming election," he said.-Sematong Express

Jabu slammed for his below par performance

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu has been slammed for his below par performance as chairman of the state disaster and relief management committee.

"I am very disappointed with him. He keeps on disappearing when Sarawak is under seiged by the floods. So far he has been giving two press conferences regarding the floods and relief assistance,” Sarawak PKR vice chairman See Chee How complained today.

“I must say that his performance as the state disaster and relief management committee chairman is really below par,” the PKR Batu Lintang state assemblyman, told reporters.

He said he had received many complaints from the flood victims of their inability to seek assistance from the state government and the state flood operations room.

He said the operations room should inform the public of its contact numbers to call when there was floods occurring in their areas.

“I personally feel that the disaster and relief management committee is led by a wrong person,” he insisted.

See said former Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan was always on the grounds when he was heading the committee.

“He (Dr Chan) would have a daily press briefing to inform the public, especially those who were staying in low-lying areas,” he said.

See said he was in Siburan last night after receiving calls that some parts of the area were under one metre of water, after a heavy downpour over the last 24 hours.

“They (residents) have been calling their Barisan Nasional’s elected representative to attend to their problems, but nobody came, so they called us,” he said.

Taman Durandah Emas in Siburan, which is under the Bengoh state constituency, was the worst affected area.

See said that there was no problem in areas under Kuching Division.

"I must commend the Kuching Division relief committee. They have done a good job," he said.

He said he was in the dark as to what were happening to the flood victims in other parts of Sarawak because Jabu was not giving out information on them.

See urged Jabu to buck up, and be more responsible towards the flood victims.

Jugol is set to be next SNAP's president

 Outgoing  Sarawak National Party (SNAP) secretary-general Stanley Jugol is set to be the next party’s president as his name was the only one received to contest for the post at the triennial delegates conference this Sunday.

Nominations for all the contested posts closed last Friday.

The party’s credentials committee chairman Frankie Jurem said in the absence of any other candidate for the post, Jugol would automatically be the next party’s president, taking over from Edwin Dundang who declined to seek re-election.

The TDC, originally scheduled to be held on Sept 25 last year, was postponed to Jan 15, 2012 after it was discovered that one of the presidential candidates, Michael Lias, was found to be not a member of the party.

It was revealed that he was a member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Lias was also a proposer of three other candidates.

Lias has since been sacked from SNAP for dual membership.

Meanwhile, the rest of the elected posts in the party would also be won unopposed.

Former Telang Usan state assemblyman Kebing Wan is be confirmed as deputy president.

He has been the acting deputy president after the sacking of Ting Ling Kiew in 2010 for campaigning for the Barisan Nasional in the Batang Ai by-election in 2009.

Kebing’s name was the only received by the credentials committee to contest for the post.

Hotelier Jimmy Wong would also be returned unopposed as senior vice president, taking over from Kebing.

Jurem said he and four other candidates would be returned unopposed as vice presidents of the party.

Apart from Jurem, the others are oil palm plantation manager Dan Giang,  businessman Walter Dayrell Entrie, lawyer Anthony Liman Sujang and businessman Roland Teo.

The TDC will endorse the eligibility of the candidates.

Jurem said the TDC would also be discussing plans and strategies for the coming general election anticipated to be called this year. by Sematong Express