PRS candidates' silence in the run-up to triennial delegates conference

 

By a political observer

KUCHING, Oct 4, 2025: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will hold its triennial delegates conference (TDC) middle of this month, during which elections for the new office bearers of the party for the year 2025-2028 will be held.

 At the same time, the Youth and women wings will also elect their respective new office bearers .

Unlike other component parties of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), things have been rather very quiet for PRS in the run-up to the TDC  as the candidates go about on their campaign trails to secure support from among the delegates.

We don’t see any candidate issuing public statements or holding press conferences to announce their political stands on any issue.

We don’t even hear them talking to the media.  Are being told to keep the contests for the various posts within a PRS family?

We don’t even know what the candidates are doing. Are their movements to seek support from among the delegates so secretive that whatever they want to do must have been chopped as “Top Secret.”

But then again, PRS is a rural party and this explains why the candidates are not making any media statements. The claim is that the Dayaks living in the rural areas, who are PRS supporters, don’t read what are published in the media.

That is why we don’t even hear any candidate holding dinner gatherings, which are considered as normal in other parties. Or maybe they do, but there is no publicity given because the media practitioners are not invited.

With each candidate not making any statement on what they stand for the consumption of the general public, except among the delegates, has left many of us to wonder what PRS is fighting for.

The highlight of the TDC will be the battle for the top post between Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai and Pelagus State Legislative Member (SLM) Wilson Nyabong Ijang.

Whoever wins the post of the party president for the three-year term, he will have a great responsibility to carry to make sure that PRS will remain united and stable and not a burden to GPS.

As one political analyst had said, PRS is a Dayak-based party, but it cannot to be a party that represents the Dayak community. Only its leadership is made up of Dayaks.

The Dayaks are also present in Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

The TDC, scheduled for October 18 and 19, will also elect the deputy president, vice presidents and 15 ordinary supreme council members of the party.

The Youth wing will also elect a new chief after incumbent Datuk Snowdan Lawan decides to give way. He is gunning for the party deputy president, facing incumbent Datuk Majang Renggie.

The post of the Youth chief will be fought between Tamin SLM Christopher Gira Sambang and Murum SLM Kennedy Chupkai Ugon.

However, Sri Aman MP Datuk Seri Doris Brodie was returned unopposed as the Women chief. She was the only one nominated by the women delegates for the post.

PRS was formed by a group led by Tan Sri James Masing after Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) was deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (Ros) in 2004.

After Masing died in 2021, Datuk Joseph Salang took over, first as acting president, and then was elected president in 2022.

 

 

 

 

Our planned visit to Ulu Baram is related to complaints on human rights abuse, clarifies Suhakam

 

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, October 4, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) clarified that its planned visit to Ba Data Bila in Ulu Baram is unrelated to and separate from the judicial review proceedings currently held before the Miri High Court. 

It said that its investigation in Ulu Baram was initiated following complaints  received by its Sarawak Office regarding alleged human rights violations.

“This is in line with Section 14(1) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999, which empowers Suhakam to investigate complaints relating to human rights.

“In this regard, Section 12(3) of the same Act is not applicable in this case. The investigation aims to gather views from multiple stakeholders to ensure fairness and balance,” it said in a statement  when clarifying a news report carried by Utusan Sarawak on October 2, quoting Sarawak Forestry Department as saying.

Suhakam said on the postponement of its visit to Ba Data Bila, prior notice of the intended

meeting and investigative visit was formally communicated to the village headman of Ba Data Bila through an official letter.

It added copies of this letter were also furnished to the Long Lama Sub-District Office and the Telang Usan District Office.

“Initially, the village headman of Ba Data Bila expressed no objection to Suhakam’s visit.

“However, before the scheduled date, he requested for the visit to be deferred until after the

conclusion of the judicial review proceedings before the Miri High Court on October 30, 2025,” it said, adding that it respected and acceded to the request.

It reiterated that its visit to Ulu Baram is solely related to complaints of human rights violations received by its Sarawak Office and does not concern or interfere with the subject matter of any ongoing court proceedings.

It said it will continue to engage with relevant agencies to ensure that the issues raised are

addressed comprehensively and effectively.

PBK will definitely "turun padang" in Sabah election

 

By Simon Peter

KUCHING (October 3 2025): Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) will definitely be fielding candidates in the upcoming Sabah election, its president Voon Lee Shan said today. 

“(We) will surely turun padang, but (we) don’t know how many seats (we will be contesting),” he said when asked if PBK will be contesting in the state election.

Voon, however, said that he will not announce the number of seats the party will contest now nor the names of the potential candidates.

“Sabah politics is very volatile with many are offering themselves for sale which we are not able to buy,” Voon added.

He said, PBK being a nationalist party, will leave it to the conscience of the people who come to offer themselves as candidates for PBK.

He said PBK candidates contesting in the Sabah election will have to foot their own campaign

He said PBK urges the Sabahans to reject Malayan political parties.

 He said seats won by Malayan political parties in Sabah are depriving the voice of Sabahans in parliament.

“By parliamentary rule, Sabahans who won seats in Sabah for Malayan political parties are to follow the directives of their bosses in Malaya,” he speculated.

Voon said Sarawakians and Sabahans may need to know that Article 47 of the Federal Constitution allows Malayans and Malayan political parties to stand elections in Sabah and Sarawak.  

“Therefore, the Federal Constitution provides a mechanism for Malaya to hold its grips on Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

CSO Platform: Why impose restriction on NGOs to engage with Baram communities?

MIRI, October 3, 2025: CSO Platform for Reform expresses deep concern over the recent imposition of official approval requirements for NGO engagement with communities in Upper Baram. 

In a statement, CSO Platform, a coalition of 73 CSOs,  said that such measures represent undue restrictions on civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights defenders, who play an indispensable role in advancing and protecting community rights.

“We stand in solidarity with the NGOs and defenders facing increased administrative barriers and state oversight.

“These constraints risk undermining their legitimate and essential work in promoting social justice, sustainable development, and democratic participation,” it said.

It added the systematic targeting of NGOs through procedural requirements threatens to erode civic space and limit meaningful public engagement.

In light of this situation, CSO Platform for Reform calls for the following actions:

1. Immediate cessation of all practices that intimidate, restrict, or target NGOs and human rights defenders.

2. Government authorities and local leadership create an enabling environment that allows for transparent, constructive, and unhindered collaboration between civil society and local communities.

3. Establish clear legal protections that safeguard NGOs and human rights defenders from harassment and intimidation in the course of their work.

Solidarity with civil society is essential for building communities that are fair, inclusive, and empowered.

Protecting the independence and freedom of NGOs and human rights defenders ensures that all voices are heard and rights are respected.

CSO Platform urges all parties to work together in fostering an environment where transparency, accountability, and participation are valued, laying the foundation for a society built on equality, dignity, and respect for all.