BN can take back urban seats from opposition – Asfia

SIBU: A good strategy and winnable candidates are keys to Barisan Nasional (BN) unseating the opposition in urban areas in the next state election.

PBB’s permanent chairman Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar expressed optimism that with BN strategising themselves along that line, it could wrest several urban seats in places such as Kuching, Miri, Sibu and even Sarikei.

“That (move) is left entirely to BN high command on a good strategy and most importantly, the choice of candidates.

“Do not choose candidates who cannot win as the key is winnability.

“We must choose candidates who can win and with the BN flag and together with projects, (BN) should be able to win.

“So, we can wrest back the urban seats that are now controlled by the opposition,” Mohamad Asfia, who is State Legislative Assembly (DUN) speaker said.

He was responding to a question on whether BN could unseat the opposition in several urban seats come the next state election.

Asked on the opposition’s stronghold of Bukit Assek constituency, he said this needed to be examined.

He, however, believed there were other urban seats that could be wrested by BN.

Meanwhile, state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen recently claimed that the ongoing disagreement within the BN over the admission of Teras, if not settled amicably, would likely benefit Pakatan Rakyat in the upcoming state election.

Chong was also reported to have said any split in their opponent’s camp was good for them.

Asfia, however, did not think so as the opposition leader had been caught up in many sticky situations.

“The opposition is no longer strong as their (PKR) leader is embroiled in a serious legal problem.”

SPDP, SUPP to contest against BN in next state polls?

KUCHING: Rumours that Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) will team up to challenge Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 11th state election could be real, says Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina.

“In politics nothing is impossible. I also heard of such rumours and personally I think there is some basis to it because if we look at past records disgruntled groups will usually express their dissatisfaction by contesting as oppositions.

“So in this case we all know that SPDP and SUPP have openly voiced their unhappiness over the latest political development in the state and it is not surprising if they will go against BN,” he said.

Ranum, however, said should that happen it would give little or no impact to BN.

SPDP Youth chief Robert Ayu on the other hand dismissed such claim as rumours.

“SPDP and SUPP are BN component parties so why fight BN when they are already in BN,” he said.

Rumuors have it that SPDP and SUPP will contest in all their traditional seats should BN is represented by the incumbents who recently joined Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) in the next state polls due in 2016.

Among the SPDP seats likely to be represented by Teras candidates are Tasik Biru, Pakan, Bekenu, Marudi and Batu Danau while SUPP seats are Opar, Bengoh, Engkilili and Bawang Assan.

Teras headed for ‘BN Plus’, if not BN — Dr Jerip

KUCHING: Bengoh assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil yesterday briefed community leaders and village headmen in Mambong parliamentary constituency on why he had decided to leave Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) for Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

Dr Jerip, who is Assistant Public Health Minister, explained that he and the rest from SUPP and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) had quit their respective parties as they felt that it was the best way to ensure political stability in the state Barisan Nasional (BN).

“We don’t want the internal squabbles in SUPP and SPDP to prolong because it is not good for BN especially with the state expected to face an election in two years’ time.

“So we feel that it is better for us to leave for good and find a new entity for us to continue serving the people as BN elected representatives,” he said.

He stated this at the presentation of appointment letters to community leaders from Bengoh and Tarat state constituencies in Siburan near here.

On their position after joining Teras, Dr Jerip said that their status as BN assembly members remained unchanged, and will continue to serve their areas as usual.

“The Chief Minister (Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem), during our meeting with him soon after we declared that we have joined Teras, has personally welcomed our move.

Of course there are some objections from our fellow BN component parties but that should not be a problem.

“Even if for the time being (if) we cannot join BN, we can always be a ‘BN Plus’ like what was done in 1983 when the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) formed BN Plus before it was formally accepted into BN fold,” he said.

He said there was no reason why a similar formula could not be applied in their case for the interest of the state BN, particularly its various components in the coalition and people in the state as a whole.

Dr Jerip added that he felt it necessary for him to come up with this explanation to avoid confusion among grassroots leaders following misleading claims about their present status after they joined Teras.

“With this brief explanation, I hope you all will be clear about our status and direction we are heading to so that you can spread this information to your people,” he said.

Among those present at the occasion yesterday were Deputy State Speaker and Tarat assemblyman Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Acting Kuching Resident Zamahari Saidi, DO Bau Wong Hie Sieng, SAO Siburan Wilson Spilak Asui, SAO Padawan Rangen Jamang and Kuching district Bidayuh community leader Temenggong Austin Dimin Niyon.

‘Power shift of bigwigs to Teras will strengthen BN’

SARATOK: The combination of 10 state assemblypersons and two MPs in the new party Teras will make Barisan Nasional (BN) stronger.

Former SPDP vice-president Capt Zainuddin Tan Sri Hamdan Sirat said the power combination will be a force to be reckoned with, that will probably change the whole political dynamics in the state.

As far as the state is concerned, it is the second largest party after PBB, with PRS (third) and DAP (fourth) and others down the line, he pointed out.

Teras is a multi-racial party and therefore many people can empathise with it, said Zainuddin at an event in Kabong that saw more than 150 SPDP Kalaka division members quitting SPDP to join Teras recently.

A former SPDP member James Sammy said the move by ex-SPDP president Tan Sri William

Mawan Ikom and other 10 other elected representatives including Baram MP Anyi Ngau, is a wise move to get rid of the problems including a mutiny in their own ranks (SPDP).

“Although we (six elected representatives) have moved out of SPDP, we pledge our allegiance to the BN and we subscribe to the struggles of the BN,” he said.

The five other elected representatives are from SUPP (four) and SWP (one).

James said he was confident that the move made by them in quitting SPDP and joining Tears will get the blessing of the top leadership of the BN.

Among those who quit SPDP yesterday were SPDP division and branch leaders like Councillor Ismail Hussain, Tuai Rumah Abel Gon, Awang Jamil Awang Sulong, Bakawi Ismail alias Mail, Abang Masron Abang Rusdi, Abang Mahron Abang Nordin, Melati Buang and Tuai Rumah Manggie Enchana.

Teras ‘too big a party to be ignored’

Wan Junaidi (wearing hat) presenting prizes to the winners at the programme.

KUCHING: Teras’ application to join the BN may have to be treated a little differently, hinted Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar yesterday.

He said under normal circumstances, all applications to join the BN had to be based on the mutual consensus of all BN component parties.

However, Teras has in its midst 11 elected representatives and thus could not be ignored outright, he told reporters after the prize presentation for the 1Malaysia Folkgames programme at Taman Ria Phase 4 field at Bandar Baru Semariang here, yesterday.

“With 11 YBs, Teras is easily a big political party.”

On arguments that Teras’ elected representatives should not be admitted into the BN as they were elected through their former parties – SPDP and SUPP, Wan Junaidi said the argument might not be strong enough to exclude them from the BN.

“At the moment, it (such argument) is not material as they are still YBs representing the people in their own respective areas.

“Whether their (Teras) admission (into BN) becomes a reality or not is secondary matter. The next election will determine this.”

He added that the state had experienced a similar situation before in 1983 with the now defunct PBDS, and the BN Plus Formula was used then.

It was now up to the people of Sarawak and government leaders to decide on this issue, Wan Junaidi said.

Tuntutan peningkatan royalti minyak dan gas dikemuka

Usul kepada Parlimen bagi tingkatkan bayaran royalti kepada Sarawak daripada 5 peratus kepada 20 peratus

KUCHING: Ahli Parlimen Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen telah menge-mukakan usul kepada Parlimen untuk mendapatkan pertimbangan daripada kerajaan pusat bagi me-ningkatkan bayaran royal-ti minyak dan gas kepada Sarawak daripada lima peratus kepada 20 peratus.

Usul tersebut menurut Chong merupakan susulan daripada keputusan yang dicapai pada Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) pada 6 Mei lepas untuk meluluskan usul bagi meningkatkan bayaran royal-ti minyak dan gas kepada Sarawak.

“Saya telah mengemuka-kan usul hari ini (semalam) untuk dibentangkan pada Parlimen yang akan berlangsung pada 10 Jun depan,” kata Chong pada sidang media di Ibu Pejabat DAP di sini semalam.

Bagaimanapun menurut Chong usul tersebut ber-kemungkinan tidak bersinar memandangkan keutamaan kebiasaannya diberikan kepada Ahli Parlimen untuk membentangkan rang-rang bagi pindaan atau memperkenalkan undang-undang baharu.

Justeru beliau menggesa semua Ahli Parlimen Sarawak sama ada daripada Barisan Nasional (BN), TERAS dan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) memberi sokongan penuh kepada usul tersebut.

Tambah Chong, PR ketika ini mempunyai 87 kerusi di Parlimen manakala 25 kerusi dimiliki BN Sarawak dan TERAS dan keputusan untuk usul itu diluluskan adalah bergantung kepada kesepakatan Sarawak.

“Jika PR memenangi ke-dua-dua Pilihan Raya Kecil akan datang maka kami akan mempunyai 89 Ahli Parlimen ditambah 25 Ahli Parlimen dari Sarawak dan TERAS menjadikan semua 114 yang setuju,” tambahnya.

Chong turut tidak menolak Ahli-ahli Parlimen Sabah berkemungkinan juga akan bersetuju dengan usul tersebut.

Dalam pada itu pada 6 Mei lepas ketika Persidangan DUN, ADUN Semop Abdullah Saidol yang juga pengerusi Kelab Penyokong BN meminda usul asal DAP-Kota Sentosa untuk meningkatkan royal-ti minyak dan gas kepada Sarawak.

Abdullah menjelaskan bahawa kerajaan negeri juga akan mengadakan perjumpaan dengan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak atau kementerian yang berkaitan untuk mengatur rundingan meja bulat bagi membincangkan perkara ini.

TERAS boleh memusnahkan perpaduan BN

KUCHING: Perpaduan dalam Barisan Nasional (BN) akan musnah jika para ahli parti-parti komponen boleh meletak jawatan dan bersama-sama membentuk satu parti baharu dan kemudiannya diterima balik ke dalam perikatan tersebut.

Presiden sementara Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing berkata, BN merupakan perikatan parti-parti politik, bukannya untuk individu-individu dan mengikut perjanjian antara komponen-komponen parti, sesiapa yang meninggalkan parti BN tidak boleh membawa keahlian itu bersama.

Jika perkara itu dibenarkan maka asas yang membawa BN bersama selama ini akan goyah, katanya ketika mengulas kenyataan pemerhati politik Datuk Peter Minos yang mengatakan sesiapa menghalang kemasukan Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (TERAS) ke dalam BN perlu mempertimbangkan perpaduan pentadbir negeri ini.

Dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan semalam, Tiong membidas Minos kerana menuduh tiga parti komponen BN, SPDP, Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) dan Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) tidak mempedulikan perpaduan.

“Kita bersetuju dengan Datuk Peter Minos bahawa kita perlu ada perpaduan dalam BN dan biar saya jelaskan, untuk mengekalkan perpaduan ini kita perlu membantah kemasukan TERAS ke dalam BN,” katanya.

Tiong menambah, jika bekas presiden SPDP Tan Sri William Mawan berminat memelihara perpaduan dalam BN, beliau tidak akan meninggalkan parti malah mencari jalan penyelesaian bagi masalah yang timbul susulan tindakannya menerima semula pemimpin-pemimpin parti disingkirkan sebelum ini.

Krisis dalam SPDP, katanya, bukan disebabkan perjuangan kuasa tetapi disebabkan pelanggaran berulang perlembagaan dan resolusi yang diluluskan dalam Mesyuarat Agung Tiga Tahun Sekali parti.

Beliau turut kesal Minos tidak mengkaji terlebih dahulu isu berhubung TERAS dan tiga komponen parti secara mendalam sebelum membuat sebarang ulasan mengenai perpaduan dalam BN.

“Bagaimana perpaduan boleh wujud jika tiga komponen parti akan kehilangan kerusi BN yang diperuntukkan kepada TERAS jika ia diterima masuk perikatan ini?,” soal Tiong.

Jika TERAS bertanding di mana-mana kerusi diperuntukkan kepada parti komponen BN pada pilihan raya negeri akan datang, Tiong memetik Minos berkata: “Musuh-musuh di pagar akan bersuka ria apabila anda bergaduh.”

Presiden sementara itu menambah, Minos begitu naif kerana memikirkan mana-mana parti BN bersedia menyerahkan kerusi diperuntukkan kepada orang yang meletak jawatan dari parti.

“’Sebagai pemerhati politik, Minos perlu sedar tidak mungkin SPDP, SUPP dan PRS akan menyerahkan kerusi diperuntukkan kepada TERAS. Jika Minos berada dalam mana-mana parti, tidakkah beliau bersependapat?” kata Tiong lagi.