Taib ‘pressured’ to purge ‘winnable’ Rohani

Joseph Tawie May 29, 2012

Dropping hardworking and people-friendly Sarawak MP Rohani Abdul Karim from the list of candidates may cost Barisan Nasional-PBB the Batu Lupar parliamentary seat.

KUCHING: Speculation is rife that Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Deputy Minister Rohani Abdul Karim may be forced to give up her seat in Batang Lupar or face being unceremoniously purged.

Rohani, who is Sarawak‘s only woman minister in the federal cabinet and has represented the Batang Lupar constituency since 2004, is under ‘heavy pressure’ from Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) leaders to give way to a ‘local’ candidate.

Sarawak has two women members of parliament. The other is Nancy Shukri, the MP for Batang Sadong. But only Rohani is a federal level deputy minister.

These ‘pressures’ have been brewing since she swapped her Santubong seat with Batang Lupar whose incumbent at that time was Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

“Local PBB leaders do not like outsiders to be their representatives.

“Both Wan Junaidi and Rohani do not come from Batang Lupar, although Wan Junaidi was born in (nearby) Pendam now known as Sadong Jaya which is next to Sebuyau,” said a former PBB member from Sebuyau, who did not wish to be named.

He said that although Rohani was elected unopposed in the 2004 general election, her transfer to Batang Lupar had created a lot of ill-will towards her.

“The animosity against her increases in intensity. Just before the 2008 general election, a group of PBB grassroots leaders led by Bolhassan Di, then the Beting Maro assemblyman wanted Rohani to be removed from the constituency and be replaced by a local.

“His demand at a PBB meeting which was attended by PBB president and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud was also backed by Sebuyau assemblyman Julaihi Narawi and Lingga assemblywoman Simoi Peri,” he said.

Taib warned

Although Taib was surprised at the outburst, he however ignored it and re-nominated Rohani to defend the seat in the 2008 general election.

Bolhassan, who was then assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication, paid the price for being vocal.

He was dropped as assistant minister in a cabinet reshuffle and was not nominated to defend his Beting Maro seat in the 2011 state election.

“But for the coming general election, Bolhassan’s supporters and disgruntled voices against Rohani are getting louder. This time they say that Taib has to listen to them especially when PKR is steadily increasing its influence in the constituency.

“Because if Taib does not listen to them, these disgruntled PBB members and supporters may vote against Rohani,” he said.

But judging by Taib’s recent statements, it seems that he is ‘giving in’ to the pressure. He reportedly said that PBB will include several new women faces among its list of candidates for the next general election.

Many have interpreted this as meaning that both Rohani and Nancy will be dropped.

Said a former PBB leader: “Dropping Rohani would mean appeasing the ‘anti-Rohani’ faction but at the same time it will deprive Sarawak and PBB of the service of a hard working and talented woman.

“It could also mean that Sarawak may lose the opportunity of another ministerial post given to a woman in Sarawak in the immediate future as the next crop of women leaders would be too junior to be given any ministerial post,” he said, pointing out that Rohani is a very experienced leader.

‘Close to Iban community’
Rohani who holds a degree in Agribusiness from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia has held various positions in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Social Development, before moving into politics. She first contested and won the Santubong parliamentary constituency in 1990.

When asked to comment on the rumours that she might be dropped as a candidate, Rohani said that she is placing her political life in the hands of Taib and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

“I place my political future in the hands of Chief Minister and Prime Minister,” Rohani told FMT adding that she will continue to serve her constituency.

As for the grapevine, she said that they “rumours are rumours” and it would not stop her performing her duties in the three state seats of Sebuyau, Lingga and Beting Maro which form the Batang Lupar parliamentary constituency.

Meanwhile Rohani is busy with Gawai celebrations. She has a more than cordial relationship with the Iban community which form a quarter of the 23,417-strong electorate in Batang Lupar.

The Ibans feel that they are going to lose not only a true friend but would also a leader and a senior woman deputy minister in the federal cabinet if she is to be dropped from contesting.

Besides Rohani, nine other MPs from the PBB list of 14 MPs are expected to be dropped.

Meanwhile, three persons are tipped to replace Rohani. They are former Beting Maro assemblyman Bolhassan Di, engineer Mohd Eden and Professor Dr Ahmad Ridzuan Abang Awit.

Topping the list is Ahmad Ridzuan who was a former deputy director of Sarawak Campus of UiTM and a local from Kampung Pusa, Saribas.