SUPP hantar surat rasmi kepada ROS

Beliau belum mengadakan sebarang perbincangan dengan ketua-ketua cawangan SUPP di negeri ini.

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) akan mengemukakan surat jawapan rasmi dalam tempoh 30 hari kepada Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan Malaysia (ROS) berhubung isu pembatalan dua cawangan SUPP di Piasau dan Bekenu.

Setiausaha Agung SUPP Prof. Sim Kui Hian (gambar) berkata, ROS menyatakan mengirim surat pembatalan dua cawangannya pada 6 Januari tetapi hanya diterima pihaknya (SUPP) pada 8 Januari 2014.

Sehubungan itu, beliau belum mengadakan sebarang perbincangan dengan ketua-ketua cawangan SUPP di negeri ini, kerana sibuk menubuhkan pasukan undang-undang berhubung perkara berkenaan.

“SUPP akan memberi jawapan rasmi kepada ROS dalam tempoh yang ditetapkan (30 hari). SUPP juga berharap ROS dapat memberi jawapan balas mengenai perkara sama kerana apabila melibatkan parti politik, ia tidak pernah menerima jawapan balas segera,” katanya.

Justeru, kata Sim, perkara pokok kini adalah berbincang dengan barisan kepimpinan dan ahli parti mengenai kedudukan parti berhubung perkara tersebut kerana sekiranya parti terus mendiamkan diri, ahli-ahli akan berpendapat bahawa parti melakukan sesuatu yang salah.

“Kita tidak mahu bercakap perkara ini dengan pihak media kerana sebaik sahaja menerima surat daripada ROS pada minggu lalu, kita terus menubuhkan pasukan undang-undang tersebut.

“Tidak lama lagi Tahun Baru Cina pula akan menjelang, maka, banyak kerja harus diselesaikan segera terutamanya dari segi maklumat yang diperlukan oleh peguam-peguam yang dilantik,” jelasnya ketika ditemui pemberita di Ibu Pejabat SUPP selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat bersama lima wakil cawangan SUPP.

Oleh itu, beliau mengesa semua pemimpin parti untuk terus berkhidmat kepada rakyat kerana masalah berhubung surat berkenaan pasti akan diselesaikan.

Sim juga berkata, individu yang ingin memberi nasihat berhubung dengan masalah yang berlaku dalam parti agar terus berhubung dengannya bukan membuat kenyataan terbuka dalam media.

“Adakah mengadakan sidang media dan memberi kenyataan secara terbuka adalah untuk orang awam atau untuk parti, kerana bukan semua di luar sana ahli parti SUPP.

“Kenapa tidak datang kepada saya sebaliknya bercakap dengan pihak media? Adakah anda bercakap kepada orang awam atau bercakap dengan saya sebenarnya?,” soal Sim sambil memberitahu pihak berkenaan mungkin mempunyai agenda tersendiri.

Menurutnya, setakat ini beliau belum pernah menolak sesiapa yang ingin bertemu dengannya dan pihak yang ingin memberi ‘nasihat’ kepadanya sangat dialukan.

Sim juga berkata, surat rayuan akan dikemukakan kepada Menteri Dalam Negeri untuk pertimbangan.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, katanya, meskipun cawangan SUPP di Bekenu dan Piasau dibatalkan namun semua ahlinya masih ahli SUPP yang sah.

“Seseorang itu bukan lagi ahli parti sekiranya, dia meninggal dunia, dibuang parti atau keluar dari parti,” tegasnya. - FMT Staff

Johari: Tourism to rake in RM8.6 bil for S’wak

He also said that leaders and policy-makers have no choice but to grow simultaneously with the advancement of information communication technologies.

KUCHING: Sarawak Tourism Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg said today the advent of the Internet has undeniably change the travel landscape, pattern as well as trend, and has a profound impact on the industry.

He said over 60% of travel and tourism bookings were made through the Internet because it provided unlimited information directly accessible at low cost and great speed.

Abang Johari said travel and tourism had become the single largest category of products and services sold over the Internet and the proportion of business being transacted through this medium constantly.

“As leaders and policy-makers, we have no choice but to grow simultaneously with the advancement of information communication technologies if we want to survive and succeed,” he said when officiating the Asean Tourism Conference 2014 here.

Abang Johari represented Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud. Also present was Federal Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Abang Johari said that as of November 2013, Sarawak received a total of 3.9 million visitors, an increase of 6.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2012.

He said the tourism sector was expected to contribute RM8.6 billion or 15% to the state’s Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013, totalling RM57.77 billion.

“This is the result of the government’s continued and concerted efforts and initiatives to promote the Culture, Adventure and Nature (CAN) and Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) segment as the main tourism attractions in the state,” he said.

Abang Johari said that last year, Sarawak won 57 bids as compared to 45 in 2012 for both national and international events, bringing in a total of 248 conference days.

“This accumulated to 37,865 delegates and an estimated RM42.3 million in direct delegates’ expenditure,” he said.

Bernama

Bible seizure: Taib moves to protect ‘pure values’

BN member party, PBB, said the move was prompted by the seizure of the Malay bible by Selangor Religious Affairs Department (JAIS) officers recently.

KUCHING: Wary Chief Minister Taib Mahmud-led Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Sarawak has appointed a Muslim and a Christian as joint chairman of its religious bureau in a move to “protect” the state and its “pure values”.

The decision follows further discord in peninsular Malaysia after last Thursday’s raid on the Bible Society Malaysia and confistication of over 300 Al-Kitabs and Iban language bibles meant for Borneo.

PBB women’s wing secretary, Nancy Shukri said the appointment of Lingga state assemblyman Simoi Peri, a Muslim, and Esther Balan a Christian is in line with the party’s efforts to preserve unity among various races and religions in the state.

“The seizure of the Malay bible by Selangor Religious Affairs Department (JAIS) officers recently has prompted Wanita PBB Sarawak to take immediate steps to strengthen racial harmony in the state,” she said in a press statement yesterday.

Majority of Sarawak’s population are Christians.

She said the appointment of Simoi and Esther would ensure that the objective to strengthen harmony in Sarawak would be achieved.

They would oversee matters relating to religion and plan strategies and best practices to ensure unity at the grassroots level is preserved and strengthened.

Nancy, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the concept of Wanita PBB religious bureau is based on the sharing of “pure values in every religion”.

“The concept looks at every aspect in which followers of different faiths will become people who love peace and universal values.”

The ongoing religious discord in West Malaysia is being closely monitored by the political leaders and clergy in Borneo.

On Saturday, Southeast Asia’s Anglican Archbishop Bolly Lapok described last Thursday’s raid by Jais as “treason” given they had ignored the 10 point solution document announced and signed by Prime Minister Najib Razak allowing Christians in Sabah and Sarawak to freely practice their faith.

Holding to the 10-point solution promise by Najib to Borneo Christians back in April 2011 and reiterated following the contentious Court of Appeal ruling on the Allah term, Lapok said the raid had shown no respect to Najib’s words.

In April 2011 the Federal Cabinet issued a 10-point solution to address the Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia Bible and other related issues.

Najib further reiterated assurances that the contentious Oct 14 Court of Appeal ruling on the Herald ‘s use of the Allah term in its Malay publications had no bearing on Christians in Borneo.

The Court of Appeal decision over-ruled a December 2009 verdict favouring The Herald. The decision saw raging anti-Christian sentiments including arson against churches in the early days of January 2010. - FMT