PKR eyeing four Iban heartlands of Betong, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Selangau

Noel Changgai Bucking

Nicholas Bawin Anggat

KUCHING: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) mulls fielding a candidate in the Iban heartlands of Betong, Lubok Antu, Kanowit and Selangau in the upcoming general election but has yet to make an official announcement.

With no overlapping claims of seats in these parliamentary constituencies, PKR is said to be gauging the performance of their potential candidates, said an insider.

A name bandied about to contest in Betong is that of Noel Changgai Bucking, a businessman with a degree in Economics, who has opted for early retirement from the civil service to enter politics.

PKR information chief Vernon Kedit was suggested earlier but the party’s top leaders were of the view that he (Vernon) should go for any of the state seats in Betong in two years’ time, the insider claimed.

Names bandied about to stand in Lubok Antu is social activist Nicholas Bawin Anggat while insurance agent Joshua Jabeng is eyeing Selangau and former school principal Thomas Laja (Kanowit).

There is no tussling of seats among the Pakatan Rakyat components in these Iban-dominant constituencies.

Businessman Boniface Willy Tumek is said to be eyeing the Bidayuh-majority seat of Mas Gading while IT engineer Willie Mongin is PKR’s potential candidate in another Bidayuh area, Mambong.

PKR is said to be interested in the Malay-dominant areas of Santubong, Kota Samarahan

and Petra Jaya.

However, PKR could not claim these as their ‘confirmed seats’as they were still fighting with fellow state Pakatan Rakyat components DAP and PAS, according to an insider.

PAS, for instance, had expressed their intention of fielding candidate in Kota Samarahan, Petra Jaya and Santubong while the DAP wanted to field theirs in Mas Gading and Mambong.

As for Kota Samarahan, a name bandied about to stand there for PKR is former civil servant Ramlan Rahmat who has a doctorate degree in

business administration and a working experience with cooperatives.

State PKR Women chief Nurhanim Mokhsen is said to be interested in Petra Jaya.

Another businessman Ali Hossen Abang who stood under PKR ticket in the last state election in Demak Laut is said to be canvassing for support in Santubong.

PKR national women vice-chairman Voon Shiak Ni apparently is not giving up hope in Stampin where the DAP may be fielding its state secretary Chong Chieng Jen who is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman.

Social activist Nicholas Mujah is said to be the only PKR potential candidate in Sri Aman where DAP would also be fielding its DAP Sri Aman chief Leon Jimat Donald.

Stampin and Sri Aman seats are made up of various races and are hot seats as DAP and PKR are still fighting over them.

A few weeks ago, PKR confirmed that Limbang, Saratok, Baram, Hulu Rajang and Batang Lupar are theirs following no indication of overlapping claims fron the its state Pakatan Rakyat partners.

State PKR liaison chief Baru Bian who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman would be contesting in Limbang while Krian assemblyman-businessman Ali Biju (Saratok), lawyer-pastor Abun Sui Anyit (Hulu Rajang), lawyer and social activist Roland Engan (Baram) and businessman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh (Batang Lupar).

SUMBER:theborneopost

Parliment dissolves, Election soon

POLITICAL parties are like prize fighters warming up in the dressing room whereas political pundits resemble ringside commentators, running out of opinions and conjectures but constantly looking, as they always do, for fresh angles and something new to say as they wait for the big fight that never seems to start.

Today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has finally rung the bell – it’s time to rumble and what a fight the 13th General Elections promise to be.

If the drama and vitriol emanating from both sides of the political divide in the protracted build-up to polling day were taken as a measure of its intensity, then the election this time around will be the mother of all elections in the nation’s history.

GE13 is the acid test of Najib’s leadership in the Barisan Nasional and his political career hinges on how much ground – lost in the last general elections on March 8 2008 – could be clawed back from the opposition by the ruling coalition.

In what the opposition gloated as a political tsunami, BN lost its two-thirds majority, winning only 140 out of the 222 seats in parliament.

BN traditional strongholds such as Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak all fell to opposition parties under the umbrella of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) while Kelantan remained an opposition bastion through Parti Islam SeMalaysia (Pas).

The devastating results of GE12 shortened the term of former premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Umno members, backbone of the national BN, called for an immediate change in the top leadership.

Bowing to intense pressure, Abdullah did not seek re-election for Umno presidency but instead appointed his deputy Najib as his successor. Najib who won the party’s presidential elections unopposed in 2008, was sworn in as the nation’s sixth prime minister on April 3, 2009.

Taking over from his predecessor without going through the litmus test of a general election, the GE13 will be a baptism of fire for Najib.

The prime minister has been working very hard in preparing for his first “title defence” through his 1Malaysia transformation programmes and aid packages to the poor.

While these efforts have boosted his popularity and BN’s chances in this election, they are not without hiccups and loopholes, drawing both approvals and criticisms from the people. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of Najib’s initiatives in rallying the people behind BN as the verdict will only be delivered after all the votes are counted.

With so much scrutiny on Najib’s leadership in BN, it is easy to forget that the opposition too are under intense pressure, especially in states where they are presenting their “report cards” for the first time.

How will the voters judge them?

It has not been plain sailing for all PR-held states since they came into power in 2008 and the opposition group have been beset with squabbles over seats, different views on key issues and controversies and internal power struggles within their component parties.

In the opposition-ruled states, the roles have been reversed with DAP, PKR and PAS finding themselves in the firing line. They were asked to explain a host of issues by BN backbenchers and, at times, found themselves on the backfoot, fending off accusations and demands to explain the actions they have taken.

Will the PR state governments in Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan survive GE13?

While the ground battle in the campaigning period will be fierce, the temperature in the cyber confrontation, which has been raging all this while, is expected to rise even more from its already red hot intensity.

With the social media, online news portals and radio stations dominating the political debates, the winners of GE13 could be decided by battles in the cyber theatre and over the airwaves.

The simmering political confrontation has now broken out into full-scale war but hopefully, after the dust has settled, Malaysians will bury the hatchet and allow the newly-elected government to get down to the business of running the nation.

SUMBER: theborneopost

Sng throws Masing a challenge to step down

KUCHING: Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) president Larry Sng is putting up a challenge to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing to step down even if SWP wins just one seat in the upcoming 13th general election.

Sng threw down the gauntlet in response to Masing’s recent statement that PRS would retain all the seats allocated to it, leaving SWP empty handed.

“Since Masing is so confident on wining all PRS seats, I am prepared to throw him a challenge.

“If PRS wins ALL the 6 seats, I will relinquish my post as SWP president.

“However, if PRS loses ANY of its seats, is Masing honourable and brave enough to step down as PRS president, Minister of Land Development and assemblyman for Baleh?” said Larry in a press statement.

When contacted, Masing brushed aside the challenge and refused to attend to it.

“I have better things to do than respond to him (Sng),” Masing told The Borneo Post.

SWP is making its foray into elections by contesting in all PRS seats; namely Selangau, Hulu Rajang, Kanowit, Sri Aman, Labok Antu and Julau which are all predominantly Iban majority areas, during the coming 13th general election.

Just recently, Sng said he was confident of winning Lubok Antu, Julau and Selangau when responding to Masing’s statement that PRS would win all its seats.

So far, SWP has announced its candidates – George Lagong in Hulu Rajang, Wong Judat (Julau) and Sng himself (Lubok Antu).

SUMBER: theborneopost

Mawan ready for Saratok

SPDP chief says he’s willing to contest for the sake of BN and party survival

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan looks ready to defend Saratok for the BN in the coming general election if the top Barisan Nasional leaders should nominate him.

The Minister of Social Development said he was more than willing to contest in Saratok if it meant winning the seat for the BN, the party’s survival and for the sake of BN as a whole.

“However, we cannot and should not conclude things ourselves at this moment because the proposed list is subject to a review by the top (BN) leadership,” he said.

Mawan was posed this public query after the presentation of more than RM5 million in government grants to 45 sports associations and six youth organisations at the civic centre here yesterday.

“If it’s a decision from the top to make BN win then let’s forget about personal opinions feelings. I am willing to stand in Saratok for the sake of BN, for the sake of the party and for the sake of winning,” he said.

Mawan said he had been working around –the-clock in constituencies entrusted to SPDP namely Baram, Mas Gading, Saratok and Bintulu “to ensure that the weaker areas become stronger over time but this does not imply that I want to be the candidate”.

Mawan used to be elusive on the (Saratok) subject saying instead that any rumour on it was just ‘coffee shop talk’. His body language, however, suggested that he was quite worried about the state of affair in the Iban-majority constituency following the BN’s defeat in Krian in the last state polls. Krian and Kalaka are two state seats under Saratok.

PKR has indicated that Krian assemblyman Ali Biju would contest in Saratok this time around.

On a related subject Mawan said that no one could rule out the possibility of a last minute change of candidate in Baram “until the final list is out”. The incumbent MP is Datuk Jacob Sagan who is also the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry.

“As far as SPDP is concerned the supreme council has already made the decision a long time ago. But as loyal member of the big BN family we cannot and should not conclude anything, especially on the choice of candidates, ourselves.

SUMBER:theborneopost

BN negeri mampu menang sekurang-kurangnya 23 kerusi: KM

KUCHING: Barisan Nasional (BN) negeri mampu memenangi sekurang-kurangnya 23 kerusi daripada 31 kerusi Parlimen pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13) akan datang, kata Ketua Menteri Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Beliau juga berpendapat, empat kerusi lagi masih boleh dimenangi bergantung kepada keadaan pengundi, terutama di kawasan bandar.

“Saya fikir paling rendah (BN negeri) akan dapat menang ialah 23 kerusi dan yang paling tinggi mungkin 27. Kami menganggarkan ini berdasarkan realiti politik hari ini.

“Mungkin di kawasan bandar, seolah-olah pembangkang mendapat sokongan tetapi ia bukan untuk PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat). PKR tidak dialu-alukan di sini (di Sarawak).

“DAP (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) pula agak agresif dan mereka juga cuba untuk menyerap masuk ke dalam masyarakat Iban,” kata Taib menerusi blog ‘The Mole’ semalam.

Menyentuh mengenai topik sama, sumber yang boleh dipercayai berkata, empat parti komponen negeri iaitu Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sara-wak (PRS) dan Parti De-mokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) diyakini mampu memenangi kesemua kerusi yang diperuntukkan ke- pada mereka kecuali Parti Rakyat Bersatu Rakyat (SUPP).

Bagaimanapun, dengan kesediaan Ahli Parlimen Stampin Datuk Yong Khoon Seng menimbang semula pelan persaraannya, terdapat peluang yang lebih cerah bagi SUPP untuk mengekalkan kerusi terbabit.

Di kerusi SUPP yang lain, Serian tidak seharusnya menjadi masalah bagi penyandang, Datuk Richard Riot Jaem, yang juga Timbalan Menteri Luar Negeri, untuk mengekalkannya.

Sumber itu menambah, BN negeri juga yakin SUPP mampu merampas kembali kerusi Bandar Sibu daripada DAP, yang hilang berikutan kematian penyandang Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew pada April 2010.

SUPP akan menampilkan wajah baharu di Bandar Sibu, iaitu Temenggung Vincent Lau untuk menentang DAP.

SUMBER:theborneopost

'Resipi malapetaka ekonomi'

Oleh METRA SYAHRIL MOHAMED

pengarang@utusan.com.my

Najib Tun Razak bersalaman dengan kakitangan Petronas dalam majlis perjumpaan 

bersama warga Petronas di Pusat Konvensyen Kuala Lumpu, semalam. 

- UTUSAN/MOHD. NOOR MAT AMIN

KUALA LUMPUR 2 April - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, janji pembangkang untuk menurunkan harga minyak, selain menuntut Petroliam Nasional Bhd. (Petronas) meningkatkan royalti minyak kepada 20 peratus akan memberikan kesan buruk ke atas syarikat tersebut serta pembangunan negara.

Tegas Perdana Menteri, janji yang disifatkan sebagai 'resipi malapetaka kepada ekonomi' dan tidak masuk akal itu hanya akan menghalang keupayaan Petronas untuk berkembang, melabur atau membuat pelaburan semula kerana sektor minyak dan gas memerlukan modal perbelanjaan yang besar.

Malah jelasnya, tuntutan pembangkang untuk membentuk satu jawatankuasa khas Parlimen berhubung Petronas akan menampakkan 'cengkaman' kerajaan terhadap syarikat itu yang pada asalnya diwujudkan dengan idea perlu bergerak sebagai organisasi bebas tanpa dibebani campur tangan yang banyak daripada kerajaan.

''Bukan hanya menjejaskan perbendaharaan negara, tetapi keupayaan Petronas untuk melabur dan membuat pelaburan semula, meneroka sumber-sumber baharu, di samping mempertahankan sumber sedia ada akan terjejas teruk. Anda di Petronas seharusnya lebih mengetahui akan perkara itu.

''Ini adalah fakta. Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas (Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Petronas) selalu menegaskan kepada saya bahawa Petronas perlu memiliki sumber yang cukup untuk membuat pelaburan semula,'' katanya.

Najib berkata demikian ketika berucap dalam satu perjumpaan beliau bersama warga Petronas di Pusat Konvensyen Kuala Lumpur di sini hari ini.

Majlis itu dihadiri oleh 4,000 orang kakitangan Petronas termasuk Pengerusinya, Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan.

Perjumpaan tersebut merupakan satu nostalgia kepada Najib yang pernah memulakan karier bersama Petronas sebagai Eksekutif Muda pada 1974 sebelum menceburi bidang politik.

Najib memberitahu, janji menurunkan harga minyak akan menyebabkan jumlah subsidi kerajaan meningkat kepada RM30 bilion setahun dan ini memberikan implikasi besar terhadap pelaburan-pelaburan Petronas yang produktif.

''Petronas tidak akan berjaya menjadi organisasi terbaik seperti sekarang tanpa rizab yang kukuh dan kemampuan untuk melabur. Jika subsidi terpaksa ditingkatkan, sumber Petronas untuk pelaburan produktif terpaksa disalurkan kepada penggunaan persendirian.

''Ini yang saya katakan akan membawa kepada bencana ekonomi,'' tegasnya.

Beliau dalam pada itu membidas tindakan pembangkang yang dilihat menggunakan 'gear undur' terhadap pembangunan Projek Pembangunan Bersepadu Penapisan Minyak dan Petrokimia (RAPID) Petronas di Pengerang, Johor.

''Apabila saya kata tentang RAPID, saya selalu kata, saya mahukan pembangunan yang 'rapid' (pantas). Tetapi pembangkang, mereka mahu guna gear undur dan tindakan ini bertentangan dengan kepentingan Petronas,'' ujarnya.

Sementara itu, katanya, walaupun Petronas bergerak dengan campur tangan yang minimum daripada kerajaan, hubungan syarikat minyak dan gas itu dan kerajaan adalah seperti seorang 'ayah dan anak'.

''Jika kita menguruskan hubungan itu dengan baik dan positif, akan menguntungkan kedua-dua pihak. Hubungan baik ini telah banyak menguntungkan apabila kerajaan berjaya membawa Petronas dalam memainkan peranan di Tapak Rawatan Gas Kiyanli dan Terminal Gas Petronas, Turkmenistan.

''Ini termasuklah menyelesaikan perjanjian untuk Petronas mengambil alih syarikat pengeluar gas Kanada, Progress Energy Resources. Semasa pentadbiran Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Petronas dapat beroperasi di Sudan,'' katanya.

Beliau turut melahirkan rasa bangga dengan pencapaian Petronas selama ini apabila berkembang daripada modal perintis RM10 juta pada 1974 kepada satu sumbangan kumulatif berjumlah RM733 bilion, tahun lalu.

''Daripada kedudukan 311 pada 2000, kini Petronas berada di tangga 68 dalam senarai 500 Fortune Global. Ini membawa makna Petronas menjadi syarikat kebanggaan negara,'' tambahnya.  © Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd

BN sedia hadapi PRU-13

Oleh METRA SYAHRIL MOHAMED

pengarang@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR 2 April - Segala urusan penting Barisan Nasional (BN) bagi menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 difahamkan telah dipersiapkan sepenuhnya.

Antaranya, senarai calon bertanding bagi kerusi Parlimen dan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) telah dimuktamadkan oleh Pengerusi BN, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Perkara itu dimuktamadkan selepas Najib yang juga Perdana Menteri mengadakan beberapa siri perbincangan dengan barisan pimpinan UMNO, parti-parti komponen, menteri-menteri besar serta ketua menteri bagi negeri-negeri dikuasai BN.

Manifesto BN juga akan dilancarkan beberapa hari selepas Parlimen dibubarkan.

Esok, Putrajaya akan menjadi tumpuan kerana desas-desus yang berlegar mengatakan Najib akan mempengerusikan mesyuarat Kabinet dipercayai mesyuarat terakhir sebelum pilihan raya umum diadakan.

Esok juga genap empat tahun Najib mentadbir negara selepas dilantik sebagai Perdana Menteri keenam pada 3 April 2009, menggantikan Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Pembubaran Parlimen bagi membolehkan Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 diadakan boleh berlaku pada bila-bila masa dari sekarang, lebih-lebih lagi setelah pelbagai program Najib termasuk turun padang dan siri bantuan kepada rakyat selesai dilaksanakan.

Walau bagaimanapun, Perdana Menteri masih mempunyai mandat sehingga 30 April bagi memenuhi tempoh lima tahun pemerintahan.

Selepas tarikh tersebut, Parlimen akan bubar secara automatik dan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) mempunyai masa selama 60 hari untuk mengadakan Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13.

Setakat ini, spekulasi berhubung bila tarikh pilihan raya yang dibuat pelbagai pihak ternyata meleset.

Pada 28 Mac lalu, SPR menerima watikah rasmi pembubaran Sidang DUN Negeri Sembilan ke-12, sekali gus mencatat sejarah pembubaran DUN pertama secara automatik di negara ini.

Pembubaran Sidang DUN bagi negeri lain adalah seperti berikut : Pahang (7 April); Melaka (21 April); Johor (21 April); Selangor (22 April); Perak (25 April); Perlis (28 April); Kelantan (28 April); Pulau Pinang (2 Mei) manakala Terengganu, Kedah dan Sabah (5 Mei).

© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd