No chance for opposition in Mas Gading, Serian and Mambong

Chinese in Bau are for BN-SPDP Anthony Nogeh Gumbek.

KUCHING: Political observers said the opposition’s hope of winning the three Bidayuh majority seats of Serian, Mambong and Mas Gading looks to be nothing more than a dream which they will never realise.

They said this was so because the Bidayuh voters have already set their mind not to support the party as it is their understanding that DAP is a Chinese based party that will only fight for the Chinese rights while PKR is a Semenanjung based that will never look after the natives in Sarawak .

The Bidayuh already have enough of SUPP, the Sarawak Chinese based party which is now being rejected by the Chinese themselves but still being accepted in two state constituencies which are Bidayuh-majority area of Opar and Bengoh and Serian Parliamentary seats.

“The reason why they voted SUPP was because the voters have no choice – they still prefer BN and only through SUPP their wish to be in BN are granted or maybe because of the personalities – Datuk Richard Riot (Serian), Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh) and Ranum Mina (Opar).

“If not the voters would prefer to be represented by other three BN component parties, either PBB, SPDP or PRS,” they said.

DAP has been promoting Bandar Kuching MP’s special assistant and former reporter Mordi Bimol as the likely candidate for Mas Gading while in Serian will be the branch chairman Edward Andrew Luwak and PKR Willie Mongin in Mambong.

A political observer, who is a senior lecturer and head of publication in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Dr Ahli Sarok said it was impossible for any opposition candidate to win the Bidayuh-majority seat.

He said DAP have their branch in the constituency but not at the village level like what the BN component parties have.

“Without their branches at village level how can they mobilise their machineries to win support from the voters at the grass root level?,” asked Dr Ahli who does political science and public sector management research at Unimas.

He said the Bidayuh voters will not vote for candidates who are young, inexperienced and have no credibility.

Dr Ahi however said based on the trends in the previous parliamentary and state general election the opposition candidates will still receive quite good number of sympathy votes in the Bidayuh-majority areas.

He said the trend in past Parliamentary elections showed that candidates from the opposition parties usually garnered more than 7,000 votes.

According to Dr Ahi, PKR would have stronger support in the Bidayuh-majority area compare to DAP and PAS.

He was quick to caution the Bidayuh on whether the Pakatan Rakyat government will look into the welfare and the interest of the Bidayuh as compare to the BN government.

“Will the Bidayuh YBs from DAP and PKR be given positions in the federal government?” he asked again.

He said there is no way Willie Mongin (PKR) and Mordi (DAP) will be given any post in the federal cabinet because both are without position in the party in the federal level.

In contrast he said Datuk Richard Riot is the deputy president of SUPP and Datuk Dr James Dawos is the Supreme Council member of PBB and both are deputy ministers in the federal cabinet.

STAR office and BN Tasik Biru Service centre is side by side in Bau town. Why?

"Pakatan Rakyat has no interest in Bidayuh and even if they form the next government they will not fight for the Bidayuh interests,” he added.

Dr Ahi said DAP intention to filed one or two Bidayuh in the general election was just to show that they are a multi-racial party.

On the Bidayuh worries that if DAP in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) govern the state and country they would lose their rights, especially their Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands which are their only asset, Dr Ahi said that is yet to be seen.

The Bidayuh most fear is when the Pakatan Rakyat government especially DAP fight for the amendment to the Land Code to allow the non-Bumiputera to purchase and own NCR land.

Should this happen money will splash around and most of the Bidayuh will lose their NCR land.

“That may happen if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the state government but then they have to amend the state land code and the state election is still four more years to come,” said Dr Ahi.

DAP has announced its intention to field its candidates in Mas Gading and Serian but political observers are of the opinion that PKR would be more acceptable in these two constituencies.

In Mas Gading, the ‘hottest’ there are expected to be stiff competition not only among BN potential candidates but also among the opposition parties.

Within BN, the potential candidates from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and BN Club have been going around to promote themselves.

As for BN, SPDP has been promoting Salcra deputy general manager Anthony Nogeh Gumbek but the illegal BN Club has also been organising events to promote Dr Tiki in the hope he would be re-nominated as direct BN candidate.

Pakatan Rakyat allies DAP and PKR are also vying among themselves for the right to represent the opposition pact to contest in the constituency.

Recently State Reform Party (STAR) announced it was determined to put up a candidate and even urged Pakatan to stay out from Mas Gading.

STAR vice-president Patrick Anek Uren claimed STAR was the strongest in Mas Gading and would focus all its resources there.

He said STAR, which is the political vehicle of United Borneo Front (UBF), had informally made known its intentions to Pakatan leaders and hoped that the opposition alliance would respect its wishes to pave the way for the party to have straight fight against BN.

Anek, a former Mas Gading MP from 1974 to 1986 and Tasik Biru assemblyman from 1974 to 1983 under SNAP, said if DAP and PKR refused to give way, then the two constituencies would see multi-cornered fights.

DAP has been promoting Bandar Kuching MP’s special assistant and former reporter Mordi Bimol as the likely candidate for Mas Gading.

PKR, on the other hand, roused speculation that it was also interested in the seat after its de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited two villages there last month.

Kampung Rukam village chief Charles Chonggat said the people in Biawak and Lundu will not vote for the opposition party candidates especially DAP candidate.

“The people in these two areas still strongly believe in the BN government,” he said.

He said DAP candidate have no chance to win there as he have no support from the people in the area.

“Even other opposition party candidates and Independent candidates would also not win in Mas Gading,” he added.

In Serian DAP is propsing to field the branch chairman Edward Andrew Luwak but the latter had said Serian branch will adhere to the decision of Pakatan Rakyat’s top leadership on the candidate for the seat.

Andrew said the branch has been consistent in this stand to leave it to the top leaders in Pakatan to pick the candidate.

“We believe they are prudent and able to pick a winnable candidate whether from DAP or PKR to take on Barisan Nasional in seats including Serian. We are not fighting a mosquito party here, we are fighting a giant,” he said.

It has been reported that a group from PKR is lobbying for the party’s candidates to be nominated in all three Bidayuh-majority seats of Mas Gading, Mambong and Serian.

Except for Mambong, PKR’s interest in Mas Gading and Serian was seen by some quarters as a last minute ditch considering DAP has been doing more groundwork in those seats since 2011.

Andrew said DAP Serian branch has been moving on the ground since 2011 after the branch was re-activated that year following a dormant period.

He said the branch has organised activities to promote the party to the people in Serian, telling voters DAP is not Chinese-based party as portrayed by its detractors.

“Through our programmes, we were able to tell the people in rural areas that DAP is not a party that fights only for the interests of the Chinese. They are now more aware that DAP’s struggle is for all Malaysians including Dayaks and Malays in Serian,” he said.

Serian, a Bidayuh majority seat comprising Tebedu and Kedup state seats, was represented by BN component SUPP deputy president Datuk Richard Riot for five terms.

If DAP gets picked for the seat, it will be the first time it has contested in Serian.

DAP and PKR have yet to resolve overlapping claims in several of the 31 parliamentary seats in the state.

Some 60% of Sarawak PKR’s candidates in the coming 13th general election are likely to be professionals but ‘political novices’.

Taking the que from Sarawak DAP, opposition PKR is set to field greenhorns in the 13th general election which will see contest in 31 parliamentary seats in the state.

Both state DAP and PKR are reportedly vying for 12 seats each. The more confident of the two is DAP having scored unprecedented win in last April’s state election.

DAP won 12 of the 15 seats it contested literally wiping off Sarawak political landscape of BN’s SUPP.

PKR on its part contested in 49 seats but only managed to win three seats in Ba’ Kelalan, Krian and Batu Lintang.

Going into the 13th GE, DAP has already revealed that about 50% of the candidates would be in their 20s and are graduates.

PKR on its part has declared that at least 60% of its potential YBs would be below 40-years old.

According to PKR Election Committee Secretariat’s state representative Baharuddin Mokhsen although the candidates were “political novices” they were professionals and “highly intellectual.”

“It won’t be easy to intimidate them.  Most importantly, their youthful presence would appeal to the young voters,” he reportedly said.

Baharuddin said seat negotiations between component parties of Pakatan Rakyat were moving along well “except for certain seats.”

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Mistake to renominate Dr Tiki in Mas Gading

By ROBERET KENNETH

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Tasik Biru and Opar branch chairman John Nyigor and Dato’ Peter Minos has issued a stern warning that it will be Barisan Nasional’s biggest mistake to renominate incumbent Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe to defend the seat in the 13th general election.

Nyigor said Dr Tiki had never been able to consolidate his grassroots support from the first day he was voted as MP.

“In fact, Dr Tiki’s popularity graph continued to slide at the polls,” Nyigor said, as he read out figures to substantiate his argument.

In 1999 Dr Tiki garnered 10,684 votes. This dropped to 10,579 in 2004 and 8,557 in 2008; while his closest contender Dr Patau Rubis of STAR garnered 6,664 votes in 1999, 7,867 in 2004 and 4,250 in 2008.

Nyigor, who was addressing a joint gathering organised by SPDP Tasik Biru and Opar at the house of prominent businessman Majen Minos here yesterday night, said a lot of factors did not favour Dr Tiki if he were to be renominated.

He said far from being the winnable candidate that the Group of 5 (G5) claimed that he was, the partyless Dr Tiki would be BN’s incumbrance.

He said Dr Tiki was known in Mas Gading as an unfriendly character who hardly ever connected with voters and the common folk.

“Dr Tiki as direct BN candidate in Mas Gading will surely lose in the election,” he stressed, adding that those who used to be behind his previous victories now rejected him.

Nyigor said he and Opar PBB chairman Datuk Peter Minos were fighting very hard for Tiki to become BN candidate in 1999 but now both were against any decision to re-nominate Dr Tiki because the incumbent had lost a lot of ground support.

He said the incumbent MP had won in the past solely because he was standing on BN ticket and coalition members like PBB and SUPP felt obliged to support him out of BN brotherhood.

“But now that he is partyless, and SPDP has got its own candidate to field, the support of coalition members are with SPDP’s nominee,” Nyigor said, adding that SPDP’s machinery and the machinery of the BN in Mas Gading as a whole had been geared towards ensuring that SPDP’s nominee would win the election.

“Since SPDP has made known that it has picked Anthony Nogeh (the Salcra deputy general manager) we will give him our fullest support,” added Nyigor.

Minos, who also spoke at the gathering, was very blunt about his observation of the political goings-on in Mas Gading.

He said Dr Tiki was no longer a winnable candidate from the day he was dropped from his post of Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister after the 2008 election.

Minos said today Dr Tiki had lost all the support he would need to win Mas Gading because being partyless meant that he had no machinery to face the polls.

“All he has is the G5 or the BN Club, and if G5 strongly believes Dr Tiki can win, then put him up as an independent.

“We in the Mas Gading BN will make sure that he lose and regret that he ever entered the fray,” Minos said.

Dr Tiki was sacked from SPDP in 2011 over alleged indiscipline and insubordination together with four other assemblymen Datuk Peter Nansian Nguse (Tasik Biru), Datuk Sylvester Entrie Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau).

Dr Tiki together with the four, known as the G5, set up the BN Club, an illegal establishment as it has never been registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

On this, Minos said he had read BN constitution which says that a person is a BN member if he or she is a member of any BN component party.

“In Dr Tiki’s case he has been sacked from SPDP and automatically his membership is ceased and so he is not eligible to be direct BN candidate,” said Minos.

Minos went on to express his full support for BN to nominate Nogeh as the new BN candidate in Mas Gading, saying he believed Nogeh was not only a better person but capable of doing a much better job than Dr Tiki.

About 200 people attended the gathering which was held to introduce Nogeh as the candidate in Mas Gading.

To the group of five (G5), Minos told them to stop disturbing BN and stop sabotaging BN.

“PBB isn't amused,” said Minos, adding that those calling themselves BN - friendly or pro-BN  ought to help BN all the way instead of  creating havoc to BN’s ground activities and functions.

“We in PBB Opar have solid evidences that some people are really hostile to BN by their words and actions.

“At times they even subtlely disturb PBB and community functions. This is definitely not BN- friendly but BN-hostility,” he added.

Minos said it will be very tough for BN if it is being subverted from within.

“I hope when BN top leaders make the final decision on the candidates the recalcitrant ones will turn a new leaf and act like true BN.

“A united BN is formidable and can beat Pakatan in Mas Gading as elsewhere. Unity is BN's strength and disunity is its worst enemy,” he said.

He said PBB Opar agreed with the deputy prime minister’s recent statement that action will be taken against any BN member sabotaging BN in any form, direct or indirect.

“BN cannot win the people's hearts and minds with renegades around,” he added.

Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) vice president Ryan Narong is highly confident that Anthony Nogeh will be nominated as Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate in Mas Gading and not the partyless incumbent MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.

“The Chief Minister during SPDP Annual General Meeting in Bintulu last year had said he would not interfere in SPDP choice of candidate while the Deputy Prime Minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) had said in Siniawan that there will be no direct BN candidate in the coming general election.

“The Prime Minister also did not say that there will be direct candidate …he merely said he did not want to jump the gun and that does mean that there will definitely be direct BN candidate.

“Even if there is (direct BN candidate) I believe that it would be in Mas Gading because the party has stated its stand that it want its own pick for the seat,” said Ryan who is SPDP Opar chief.

He said SPDP Supremne Councul has agreed that Nogeh to be BN candidate for Mas Gading because the party believed he is the most winnable candidate compare to Dr Tiki.

Ryan said Nogeh is more popular than Dr Tike as he has helped many people in the area though Salcra land development projects.

“He has helped to develop the local community land for oil palm estates through Salcra and many land owners are already well off now with of them receiving RM30,000 to RM50,000 yearly dividend,” said Ryan at SPDP gathering held at Majen’s house here yesterday night.

Hence, Ryan called on all the voters in Mas Gading to give their full support to Nogeh in the election to ensure BN retain Mas Gading seat.

“We should support somebody like Nogeh who can help to improve the people economy,” he added.

Meanwhile SPDP Tasik Biru chairman Michael Sitien said the gathering was to introduce Nogeh as the candidate and to meet party workers for the coming General Election.

He said BN has set more than 40 District Polling Centres with 20 persons manning each centre.

“The BN machineries in Mas Gading are all ready for the election,” he added.

Sitien who is from Singai area also stressed that Nogeh is the right choice of candidate for BN in the constituency.

Nogeh also spoke saying that he is well prepared for the challenge and all the BN component parties for their support.

About 200 people attended the gathering including several village chiefs and representatives from PBB, SUPP and PRS.

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Political analysts believes BN will still govern

PKR suppoters during Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visit to Marudi in December 2012. 

By ROBERT KENNETH

Despite internal crises in Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties in Sarawak and issues raised by the oppositions, political analysts still believed BN will win in Sarawak in the 13^th General election.

Nevertheless, they said hard campaigning is needed and no room for complacency.

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) senior lecturer Dr Jeniri Amir believed BN will still win the election and form the minority government in Putrajaya.

He believed that it was impossible for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to form the next government because they will not win enough seats from Sabah and Sarawak to add up their seats in Peninsula Malaysia to form the next federal government.

“In Peninsula Malaysia BN will still win but difficult to get the two third majority and they will win even less seats compare to the number of seats they won in 2008 General election.

Pakatan Rakyat target is to win a minimum of 18 seats in Sabah and Sarawak but Jeniri  predicted that they will only win 12 seats at the most.

“Sabah and Sarawak will be the king maker and BN may lose five to seven seats in Sarawak,” he said.

He said MCA will be losing more seats because Chinese voters will not support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and BN.

“I am quite confident BN will still win the election because of the non-Chinese increasing support towards BN following Najib’s political transformation and also the goodies he announced for the rakyat lately,” he said.

On these problematic seats in Sarawak like Hulu Rejang, Mas Gading, Baram and Seratok, Jeniri said BN will need to work very hard in these seats.

He said BN leaders need to solve the candidacy problem immediately in order not to confuse the voters as well as maintaining the voters’ confidence towards BN.

“In Hulu Rejang PRS may lose the seat because whoever will be fielded between Datuk Billy Abit and Wilson Ugak Kumbong there will certainly be no cooperation among both parties,” he said.

The quarrel between both parties according to Dr Jeniri is only give the advantage to the opposition to wrest the seat.

Dr Jeniri predicted the opposition (PKR) will win in Hulu Rejang.

On Mas Gading seat, Dr Jeniri said the incumbent MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe should give way to SDDP to pick the new candidate for the seat.

He said if Dr Tiki is re-nominated to defend the seat it will definitely create bad precedent and not good for BN as the seat belongs to SPDP and the latter has been sacked from the party.

Jeniri opined that it will be easy for BN to retain Mas Gading if Dr Tiki give way and SPDP enjoy full support from all BN component parties including members of the BN Club.

Dr Jeniri said PBB will most probably retain all the seats it contested.

But for SUPP, PRS and SPDP, Dr Jeniri said their strength wouldn’t be as strong as in the 2008 election, adding that SPDP might lose Baram and Saratok, PRS may lose in Hulu Rajang and Lubok Antu while SUPP may lose two more seats.

He said the present trend of Chinese voters is not favouring BN and it was evident in 2011 state election which saw 20 percent drop in Chinese support for BN and 7.6 percent in non-muslim area.

Meanwhile PBB deputy information chief Datuk Peter Minos also strongly believed that BN will still win the general election.

He said of the four state BN component parties PBB will win all the seats it contested.

“PBB is solid as it is united and disciplined and will do well. Voters and people respect unity in a party and tend to go for it, as unity reflects good leadership, ability, responsibility and effectiveness.

“If SUPP and SPDP can somehow regroup their members they have chances but whether it can be done is yet to be seen.

“Hopefully they can win as many seats as possible. As for PRS it has to do hard battle against their old gang now in SWP,” said Minos.

Minos said in some seats in SUPP, SPDP and PRS, good candidates and hard campaigning will help and there is no room for complacency.

“Pakatan will throw in everything for sure and will use any issue against BN. They always say they have nothing to lose but all to gain. That why BN must fight as a team and never allow any internal division for Pakatan to exploit.

“A truly united BN is something Pakatan fears most. Unity within and between BN parties is a must,” he added. 

Minos said this round it will be tougher than 2008 election as Pakatan has experience in looking after four states and  probably has more resources for campaigning.

“But Pakatan is disadvantaged with too many leaders with big egos and divided over many issues like the hudud law and  who to be Prime Minister from among them if victorious. So Pakatan is not all angels as they like to tell us,” Minos said.

He said the issues will be national, state, local and even personal, adding that parties and candidates must know how to articulate or counter them.

“Pakatan will definitely create issues that put BN in bad light and BN has got to rebut or counter. If not, some voters can get hoodwinked.

“Now is the time for BN to know the positive issues and the negative ones harp by Pakatan.

“The young voters are a worry. They can swing anywhere. BN just got to win them, by actions and persuasions. Luckily BN has Najib who really works very hard, moving non-stop and winning people's hearts.

“We hope Umno will do better than in 2008 General election. With Najib around it should win over some wayward ones and indications are that many are coming back. But Pakatan is not making life easy for Umno as they know that a broken Umno is their best bet to Putrajaya,” he said.

Fortunately, he said the Prime Minister frustrates Pakatan's chances.

He said MCA is trying hard but urban voters are a difficult lot, adding that its president Datuk Seri Chua Choi Lek has done his best to win the Chinese votes.

“MIC will have a tough time as the Indians are divided over too many parties and loyalties while Gerakan and PPP seem lost,” he said.

Sabah BN he said as usual squabbling and the opposition is having a fun time.

“Najib has repaired some damages and I am told of 'defections' coming up in Sabah and overall I am confident BN will retain in Putrajaya. Pakatan may or may not get more states, depending on issues raised up and how united is BN.

“One thing is for sure nobody is giving any quarters and it will be a 'mother' of all elections in Malaysia,” he concluded.

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Voters wants Tiki to give way to new face

Calls for incumbent Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe not to contest in the 13^th General Election has increased from voters in the constituency in order to pave way for new face Anthony Nogeh Gumbek from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

Besides calls from leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties in Tasik Biru and Opar (two state constituencies in Mas Gading Parliamentary seat) similar calls also came from voters in Mas Gading itself.

Tan Sri William Mawan (standing second from left) and Anthony
 Nogeh (standing third from left) meeting with BN supporters in Bau.

Johnny Jalin, said it would be honorable for members of Club BN-5 to relinquish their ministerial positions in the state cabinet to maintain their accountability and responsibility to the president and the party that had given them to "serve" the people via the party.

He said in mature democratic countries like Britain, Germany, France and USA any tint in their ethic and integrity the person would resign voluntarily without been pushed.

But in Malaysia, he said this is not the case.

“If joining a political can bring you far in position and economic status, that is exactly what politicians are in Malaysia,” he said.

Another voter Petrus Kuju said Tiki Lafe has been given enough power and time to help people of their basic needs:- electricity and water.

“However, look at villages in Lundu area, Bokah, Simpang Bokah, Silok, Selampit and other are which are just few minutes drive from Lundu still do not have clean water. “Even for the last 50 years in so called independence, we still do not have any water. How long, how many years more do you want to suffer?” bhe asked.

Meanwhile PBB Opar branch fully respects Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party’s decision to nominate  Nogeh to replace Tiki in Mas Gading this coming general election.

Its chairman Datuk Peter Minos said that SPDP was a BN component party and as such PBB would accordingly respect the party’s (SPDP) decisions.

He added that it was public knowledge that SPDP had decided that Nogeh would be its candidate for Mas Gading and that they in PBB would respect that decision.

“That includes us in PBB Opar branch. It is not our business at the branch level to question the decision of BN or the main body and its top leaders or BN component parties.

“We follow our top leader and his decision in accordance with party culture and discipline. It is unthinkable for us in PBB to disobey our leaders,” said Minos, who is also PBB deputy information chief.

He said PBB Opar branch was an integral part of PBB, which is Sarawak’s BN backbone party and would do anything necessary to help BN win all its seats in the coming general election.

Minos added that they in PBB Opar were deeply concerned about the bickering between SPDP and its former members who called themselves BN-friendly in the BN Club.

“We very much prefer that all those calling themselves BN and BN-friendly members to immediately stop the bickering because this is detrimental to BN,” he said, adding that BN might lose Mas Gading by default if the squabbling and back-biting were to go on.

He thus appealed to BN top leaders to do something and do so before the election.

“Election is just around corner and all BN members must unite to renew solidarity.

Nogeh (middle with SUPP Tasik Biru chairman, Chong during
 the Chinese New Year Open house.

“Pakatan Rakyat is not taking things easy and is all out to win all the seats. We have seen that and we are hearing PR making the moves,” he said.

Nogeh’s candidacy also has the backing of PBB Tasik Biru branch.

Its chairman John Nyigor, publicity chief Patrick Sibon, Youth chief Lobot Jumap and PBB Opar deputy chairman Asiang Gihep all expressed their full support to Nogeh during the Bratak Jagoi Gathering (Ngarom Tikuruk Jagoi Bratak) at Brooke Homestay in Pejiru Bau recently.

Nyigor had said they fully supported the candidate recommended by SPDP to contest in Mas Gading.

Representatives from villages in Jagoi Bratak also expressed similar support to Nogeh, whom they regarded as the most suitable candidate for BN to contest the Mas Gading seat in the 13th general election.

They said they liked Nogeh because he was close to the people and very approachable. His vast experience as deputy general manager of Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) would be useful to make Mas Gading a socio-economic centre.

They also said they had trust in Nogeh who would be fair to all races when discharging his duties and distribution of projects, which they claimed the present MP had failed to do.

Several headmen in Mas Gading constituency, meanwhile, denied that they were supporting Dr Tiki’s re-nomination.

Jimu Nobey from Spadak said that as far he was concerned he had never expressed his support for the re-nomination of Dr Tiki.

Instead, he advised Dr Tiki to take a break and give chance to a new face (Anthony Nogeh) to contest the seat.

Motion Sadiap from Stenggang also said he had never said that he supported Tiki’s re-nomination.

“I only attended Tiki’s function because he invited me to come. He is the incumbent MP and I as the headman am obliged to attend his function.

“When we (village’s headmen) attended his function it doesn’t mean that we are all supporting him and he should know that.”

SPDP has recommended Nogeh to replace Dr Tiki as the BN candidate to contest the Mas Gading seat following the dismissal of Dr Tiki from the party for gross insubordination early last year.

Minos has warned SPDP – its coalition Sarawak Barisan Nasional partner – not to lose the contentious Mas Gading parliamentary seat “by default”.

He said the current discord between SPDP and its former members – five elected representatives – was confusing voters.

He said the continued “bickering” between SPDP leaders and the five, who have formed a “Kelab BN Sarawak”, will likely cost BN the seat if not stopped immediately.

“Election is very near, most likely in March, and moves for unity should be made now and not at or just before election day.

“Do it before it is too late. BN in Mas Gading must not lose by default, a seat which it can win easily if not for the internal split,” he said.

Minos, who is an influential figure in Bau, was referring to the squabbling between SPDP and members of “Kelab BN Sarawak” over the right to contest in Mas Gading.

The group of five comprises Mas Gading MP Tiki Lafe, and assemblymen Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru), Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau) and Rosey Yunus (Bekenu). All five were were sacked from SPDP in November 2011 following a crisis with the party leadership.

The five, who are now partyless, went on to form “Kelab BN Sarawak” in order to justify them holding office under Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s administration.

Using the “Kelab BN Sarawak” as a platform, they are demanding that the seat (Mas Gading) be given to them and they want Lafe to defend the seat.

This goes against the BN spirit and “understanding” between coalition partners within BN.

‘Don’t frustrate voters’

Under the BN understanding, the Mas Gading seat is allocated to SPDP which has nominated Nogeh to contest the seat.

“The BN leadership must put a stop to the bickering. If the bickering continues to escalate further, BN may lose the seat to the opposition.

“I call on BN leaders to do something to unify the BN groups in the constituency and not leave things as they are now.

“Voters in Mas Gading must not be made to feel fed up and so frustrated of the internal squabbling that they are forced to feel indifferent and go for the opposition. Should this happen, this is most regrettable,” he said.

Referring to PKR’s political rally in Bau recently, Minos warned that the opposition’s efforts to capture Mas Gading should not be taken lightly.

“They are all out to capture Mas Gading,” he added.

Some 3,000 people attended the function which saw de- facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as the main speaker.

“The presence of the opposition leader [Anwar] at the function must not be taken lightly by BN in order to retain Mas Gading in the coming general election.

“Anwar is of course fishing in muddy waters, knowing that BN in Mas Gading is not in the best of conditions.

“However, history has shown that the Bidayuhs, being the majority, have always been pro-BN no matter what happened,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pakatan Rakyat is yet to decide on which partner-party will contest in Mas Gading.

Both PKR’s Willy Tumek and DAP’s Mordi Bimol have been active in the constituency.

If both DAP and PKR want to stand, the chance for Pakatan to win is very slim. Even a Primary School boy knows that a split vote among Pakatan will certainly give a great victory for Barisan. This has been a scenerio for the last 50 years. If we want to have a change just nominate one Pakatan candidate.

SPDP Youth has left it to the party leaders to decide on the choice of its candidate in Mas Gading.

Its secretary Khairuddin Abdul Kadir said if the party has chosen Nogeh as the candidate, the party youth, women, putera and puteri wings will give their full supports to the candidate.

“We (youth, women, putera and puteri) are the party’s machinery and we have put in place our machineries ready for the election,” said Khairuddin.

Khairuddin however stressed that they are against any candidate outside the party, including from the BN Club promoted by Tasik Biru Assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian and Dr Tiki.

Meanwhile SPDP Tasik Biru chief, who is also a member of the party supreme council Michael Siten said the candidate should be Nogeh as the party has only submitted his name as the candidate for Mas Gading.

He said there was no way Dr Tiki be re-nominated as the candidate as the incumbent has been sacked from the party.

“The deputy prime minister (Tan Sri Muyiddin Yassin) who is the chairman of the selection committee for BN candidates has said that no direct BN candidate.

“I believe he would not have said that if he did not get the blessing from the prime minister,” added Siten.

Siten admited that their toughest task in the coming election would come from the BN Club as he expect the group will whatever means to sabotage BN-SPDP candidate.

“If only the group work together with BN in the election it would be easy for BN-SPDP candidate to retain the seat,” he added.  

Nogeh’s candidacy has also received the support of PBB Tasik Biru and Opar as well as SUPP Tasik Biru and Opar.

However, the G5 Group under BN Club led by  Nansian and Tiki are said to be still moving actively in Mas Gading promoting the incumbent Tiki as the candidate in Mas Gading.

The BN Club members are said to have been meeting with community leaders and planning activities in the constituency and telling people that Tiki will still be the candidate despite the announcement made my Muhyiddin recently that there will be no direct BN candidates in the coming election.

Several weeks ago the BN Club had a gathering in Kampung Suba Bada, Bau where they formed a group of 10 people in every village in the Jagoi Bratak area and each group has been given the fund to operate.

Their modus operandi is to convince voters in the area to give their support to Tiki as the BN candidate in Mas Gading.

The group is also going around convincing the community leaders and the people in Mas Gading that BN will re-nominate Tiki and not Nogeh Gumbek as the candidate in Mas Gading.

SPDP vice secretary-general Paul Igai said he had checked with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and was told that the club is an illegal establishment because it has never been registered with ROS (the application to register the club was rejected by ROS).

He said appropriate action is being taken by SPDP and the relevant authorities to stop the club from continuing with their illegal activities.

It is believed that the club’s flag and other promotional materials as well as photographs on their illegal activities has been forwarded to ROS for the necessary action.

Datuk Peter Minos in expressing his support to SPDP in Mas Gading has warned the possibility of the G5 sabotaging BN candidate in Mas Gading.

Opar State Assemblyman Ranum Mina who expressed his support to SPDP candidacy in Mas Gading said he have the ‘secret weapons’ to counter the opposition allegations and accusations against BN in Mas Gading.

Ranum said he will discuss with SPDP and use the ‘weapon’ to help SPDP-BN candidate in his election campaign to ensure BN retain the Mas Gading seat.

He said there was no reason for the voters in Mas Gading to give their votes to the opposition as it will only bring unnecessary problem to the people in the area.

Ranum who is SUPP Opar Branch chairman has made an open support to SPDP and its nominee Anthony Nogeh Gumbek.

Hence, Ranum called other BN component parties including Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) in rallying their full support to SPDP to ensure BN retain Mas Gading seat in the coming election.

Ranum said he came out to make his open support to SPDP and Nogeh after the deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had made public announcement that all BN candidates in the in the coming election must come from BN component parties.

Ranum stressed that there must be working cooperation among all the three BN component parties in the constituency to ensure BN retain Mas Gading seat.

“We in SUPP will help SPDP and its candidate (Nogeh) and PBB has clearly and openly expressed their support. This is a very good cooperation and we must move fast to counter the opposition propaganda and allegations.

“We need BN representative in Mas Gading and don’t say that you are from SUPP, PBB or PRS and you don’t bother to help. It is very important that we all help to ensure BN victory here,” said Ranum.

Ranum further said there shouldn’t be anybody to question why SPDP should put its candidate in Mas Gading, adding that everybody should acknowledged that Mas Gading has always been SPDP seat.

“If the candidate from SPDP is Anthony Nogeh then he is the candidate that we all should support because what is most important we have a representative who can work for us in at the federal government.

“It is very clear now that SPDP will get the seat and be fielding their chosen candidate,” said Ranum.

Ranum further said Ranum is a qualified person having served  Salcra for 17 years as the deputy general manager and worked together with the people in Mas Gading in developing Salcra projects in the area.

He said Nogeh is also a qualified lawyer being the only three from more than 200 lawyers in Sarawak who scored second class in his bar examination in United Kingdom together with Datuk Wan Junaidi and a chinese lawyer.

“We got to work together for the success of BN and the people in Mas Gading because we want continued development and the people in the area,” added Ranum.

Ranum also promised that he will discuss with SPDP leaders and Nogeh on the strategies to be used in the campaigns, particularly in countering the opposition allegations and propaganda.

Many youths including those from the Chinese community in Mas Gading parliamentary constituency are now turning their support over to Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), said the party’s Tasik Biru branch Youth deputy chief Chong Chun Min.

According to Chong more than 300 Chinese youths has joined SPDP mainly because they felt at ease with Anthony Nogeh Gumbek, the SPDP recommended candidate for Mas Gading.

“Previously, there were not that many Chinese youths who supported SPDP. They used to support the opposition, but now they support BN because of Anthony Nogeh,” said Chong.

The three-term incumbent MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, however, is still harbouring hope of being re-nominated by BN although he is now partyless alongside four other sacked SPDP leaders. Together with Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian, they have organised many programmes involving community leaders.

The Nansian-led group, who formed the BN Supporters Club, has been promoting the idea of having Dr Tiki re-nominated as a BN direct candidate.

Meanwhile, SPDP presiden William Mawan said the chances of SPDP winning the seat is good ever since another potential candidate Henry Harry Jinep withdrew to pave way for consolidation within the supporters.

“We know this is a Barisan stronghold all the while and we are building on that. So if we work on this basis, Barisan will remain strong.

“But if we play self-serving politics, then the people will be split. Those who are with Tiki and his group, Nansian and his group, are somehow still very strong Barisan supporters,” he said, adding there should no longer be sabotaging within BN.

He believed there would be a three-cornered fight in Mas Gading involving BN, Pakatan Rakyat either DAP or PKR, and State Reform Party (STAR).

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Village folks plead for a stop to acquisition of their remaining NCR land

Villagers of Kampung Semadang in Borneo Highlands about 40km from Kuching who lost most of their native customary rights (NCR) land for the development of the Bengoh Resettlement Scheme (BRS) appealed to the government to stop acquiring their remaining NCR land.

The latest photograph taken on Feb 15, 2013 showing the houses still
under construction at BRS.

They were worried that they will lose more of their land following the request of the four villages affected by the construction of the RM310 million Bengoh Dam to be granted at least 10 acres of agriculture land to each family resettled at the scheme.

The four villages are Kampung Taba Sait, Kampung Rejoi, Kampong Pain Bojong and Kampung Semban along the Borneo Highlands.

The development of BRS has affected the livelihood of villagers in Kampung Semadang and nearby Kampung Giam whose NCR land were acquired by the government to accommodate the resettlement scheme.

Kampung Semadang village chief Samson Mangang who is very worried of the situation, said should the government agreed to the request of the 204 families that were to be resettled at BRS, it would create deeper problems to people in the two villages (Kampung Semadang and Kampung Giam).

“Our village is expanding and more families are going to build their houses but where are they going to build them if the government continue to acquire our land. Furthermore, we also need land to do our farming.

“We have sacrificed a lot for others and we strongly oppose to any move to acquire more of our remaining land. It must be put to a stop,” Samson added.

Meanwhile land owners whose land was acquired for the purpose are also complaining that they were paid low compensations.

Samson said many villagers of Kampung Semadang had given away big area of their NCR land, thus resulted in some were now left with no land to carry out farming.

“We have sacrificed our land for the development of Bengoh Dam and BRS but until now our request for a piece of land near to BRS for our village extension programme has not been approved by the government,” said Samson.

According to Samson, he together with Penghulu Rimong Sutur and the then secretary Kampung Semadang Village  Development and Security Committee Robert Kenneth had submitted the application in writing to the state government through Mambong MP Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit several years ago.

Samson said in the application they also requested the government to provide basic infrastructure like water supply, electricity and a school at the new village.

The fear raised by Samson is also shared by villagers of the nerby Kampung Giam and Kampung Skio.

Meanwhile many envied the houses and the infrastructure  provided by the government at BRS for the 204 families affected by the Bengoh Dam.

However, for Itido Peu, chairman of the Bengoh Dam Resettlement Liason Committee, their struggle for the last six years has never been easy.

“Our dreams and requests have not been easy. Until now we are still not sure whether the houses will be provided free to us or we have to buy them.

“At this point of time we only wait and see what the government are going to do for us,” said Peu.

“We want all our requests to be fulfilled including our request for 10 acres of agriculture land near to BRS so as not to burden the affected villagers once they more to the resettlement scheme,” he added.

During his visit to BRS on Saturday, the Chief Minister of Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the 204 families will only have to pay RM10,000 for the new houses which cost RM20,000 each.

Nevertheless, Taib’s announcement has created doubt as it is learnt that each unit of the house cost RM80,000 but why her mentioned RM20,000 for each unit.

The Chief Minister also said the government will pay the remaining amount and compensate them for the affected land and houses.

He also assured that the government would compensate their land located above the dam, including their agriculture land in one to two years’ time.

The villagers from Kampung Semban, involving 59 families, Kampung Rejoi (40 families), Kampung Taba Sait (58 families) and Kampung Pain Bojong (47 families) are to be resettled at the BRS, a 130 ha-site in Penrissen adjacent to Kampung Semadang along the Puncak Borneo Road near here, about 20km from the Bengoh Dam.

Peu said in their memorandum to the state government in 2007 villagers from the four villages demanded for free houses at BRS and 10 acres of land for each family for agriculture purposes.

“But as of now we are only assured of three acres and that is far not enough because our families are expanding in years to come,” he said.

Itido said they worries now is the compensations of their land, houses and other properties at their present village which has yet to be fully paid to them.

Itido also said they are not to be blamed for the suffering faced by the people of Kampung Semadang, Kampong Giam and Kampung Skio.

“It was not our choice to be resettled at BRS. In the first place the government should have look for a bigger area for the resettlement,” he said.

Commenting on Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah statement that Kampung Taba Sait will be the first village, affected by the Bengoh Dam construction, to move to BRS expected in March, Peu said it wouldn’t be that fast as most of the houses and the infrastructure facilities has not been completed.

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said there were 58 units of Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) to be handed over to the villagers.

Karim said developer had given assurance that all the houses could be completed in March and after that they can start to move to their new house in March.

Karim said this at a press conference after a briefing session on the relocation of those villagers affected by the Bengoh Dam resettlement site at Borneo Height Road he
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No direct BN candidates in PRU 13

Anthony Nogeh with his supporters during Muhyiddin's visit to Siniawan 

Bazaar.

There will be no Barisan Nasional (BN) direct candidates in Sarawak for the upcoming 13^th General election and the state BN is confident of winning two-thirds of the parliamentary seats in Sarawak.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said it clear that there will be no BN direct candidates in the coming general election.

Muhyiddin’s announcement has immediately received the support of Tasik Biru PBB and Opar PBB. Both branches are in total agreement with Muhyiddin that there will be no BN direct candidates in the 13th general election.

The deputy prime minister stressed that all candidates who were being considered by BN were from component parties, adding that the ruling party hold on to the principle that all candidates are picked from BN component parties.

He stressed that for Sarawak all candidates are from (BN) component parties.

Of late, talk is on the possibility of BN direct candidates in Sarawak in the coming parliamentary elections, particularly in the persons of Mas Gading incumbent Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe and Hulu Rajang incumbent Datuk Billy Abit Joo.

After Muhyiddin’s announcement talks about such arrangement has somehow subsided.

PBB Tasik Biru John Nyigor making his speech during the gathering
of  "Ngarom Tikuruk Jagoi Bratak in Bau recently.

Dr Tiki is now partyless after being sacked by SPDP for gross insubordination and the party has nominated Anthony Nogeh Gumbek to replace him in the seat. Dr Tiki, however, is still harbouring hope of being re-nominated by BN as he seeks re-election for the fourth term.

He has also maintained that he would be defending the seat on BN ticket, resulting in talk that he could be a BN direct candidate.

After Muhyiddin’s announcement, Dr Tiki nevertheless refused to comment about the direct candidacy and the same goes to his promoter Datuk Peter Nansian, the leader of the Gang Five (G5).

As for Hulu Rajang, the situation appears to be silent a lot since Abit first made public his dissatisfaction with PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing’s decision to replace him with new face, Wilson Ugak Kumbong.

Ignoring Masing’s declaration that PRS had nominated Ugak,  Abit has continued with his visits in his constituency as if he will defend the seat.

Talk of direct candidacy is actually nothing new each election but the fact is that there has only been two direct BN candidates ever to contest in Sarawak and it is Abit and Mambong MP Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit.

Abit, a Orang Ulu won the 1995 general election in Hulu Rajang as a direct BN candidate but joined the now defunct PBDS and later PRS while Dawos (a fresh candidate at that time) stood as BN direct candidate and won and later joined PBB.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said he believed internal bickering within BN component parties could be resolved in time for the election.

He told reporters in Kuching that during his meeting with state BN leaders at the PBB headquarters he was briefed on the situation in the state and that any squabble within the parties would be resolved promptly.

He said the component parties are taking initiatives to resolve their issues.

"They are showing determination to find solutions because the factions involved understood that as we are approaching the polls everyone must be united.

“There cannot be any squabble which can affect the image of parties representing BN which would then affect the parties’ performance during the election. I am confident they can resolve their issues,” said Muhyiddin.

He added that as far as Sarawak was concerned, the state was ready to face the election at any time, although he remained tight-lipped on the dates. He said he was confident that BN would continue to dominate rural voters with bigger majority.

Muhyiddin said based on reports from the ground and the change in trends and attitude of voters, BN might be able to wrestle back some of the seats which it had lost to the Opposition.

“We put our focus on a few areas. Seats we have we will defend and increase support ... and for the lost seats we will find ways to gain voters’ support.

“We have a good chance in the urban areas in the coming polls because of major development brought by us (BN) and some changes in the voters’ attitude. However we still need to work very hard to ensure success,” he added.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the State BN is confident of winning more than two-thirds majority.

 “We are quite confident that in Sarawak we will win more than two-thirds of the seats,” the PBB president and state Barisan chairman said.

The two-hour-long meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is PBB deputy president, SUPP president Datuk Seri Peter Chin, PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan, other party leaders and state and Federal Cabinet members.

Elaborating on what Taib said, state Barisan secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi said the urban seats would be very critical for the ruling coalition in the coming polls.

“We have to admit that. But two thirds is not a problem for us,” he said.

Barisan currently holds 29 of the state’s 31 parliamentary seats, while DAP has Bandar Kuching and Sibu.

During the meeting the party leaders briefed Muhyiddin on their preparedness to face the elections at any time, including getting their machinery ready.

The candidate list, however, was not discussed during the briefing.

Rundi said the list is still top secret and cannot be disclosed yet, adding that they only updated the Deputy Prime Minister on what have been done and all the strategies that BN have.

Meanwhile Tasik Biru PBB chief John Nyigor said Muhyiddin’s announcement was in line with BN principle that the candidates must be a member of a BN component party.

He said these candidates should not be someone from outside BN or one who merely claimed to be BN-friendly but not a member of a BN component party.

“In the case of Mas Gading, Datuk Dr Tiki (Lafe) can’t go against that principle. The seat (Mas Gading) belongs to SPDP and it is up to the party to nominate its winnable candidate for the seat,” said Nyigor yesterday.

Nyigor said whatever the quarrel in SPDP was about, the fact that Dr Tiki had been sacked from the party meant that the Mas Gading incumbent was automatically disqualified from becoming BN candidate under the BN principle.

He cited the case of former Pelagus assemblyman Larry Sng, who was sacked from PRS in 2002 for insubordination, as an example.

He said Sng was not re-nominated as BN candidate to defend the seat in the last state election even though he was at that time the Industrial Development Assistant Minister and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office.

Nyigor said Sng’s case was a clear example of what the BN principle was all about.

Sng, however, was appointed special advisor (youth matters) to the state government after the state election until he resigned from the post to become Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) president.

Believing that Mas Gading was and will always be BN’s strong hold, Nyigor said: “Personally I believe that SPDP or BN will continue to win in Mas Gading, unless backstabbing and sabotaging happen.”

Nyigor went on to call upon all BN supporters in Mas Gading to give their full support to SPDP/BN candidate in the coming poll, assuring that PBB Tasik Biru would throw its support behind the the BN candidate.

SPDP has nominated Salcra deputy manager Anthony Nogeh who has gone on a flurry of activities meeting the voters of Mas Gading in recent weeks.

Nogeh, a lawyer by training, has been well-received with many grassroots leaders banking on him to deliver what Dr Tiki had failed to despite being their MP for close to 15 years already.

PBB deputy publicity chief and Opar PBB chairman Datuk Peter Minos said it was only logical that there should not be any BN direct candidates as the component parties’ wishes must be respected in the BN spirit of brotherhood.

“This is political common sense as this will ensure unity and harmony in BN. Any other way will plant seeds of disunity and unhappiness in the ruling coalition. As I used to say, BN components must respect each other and each other’s decisions.

“As for those outside BN we have to say “we cannot control them”. They can say or do what they want but what they do or say must not have any bearing on BN,” said Minos.

Minos said there was logic in BN being consistent in its basic policies as this helped in solidifying unity among individual members and among the components.

Such consistency facilitated and generated predictability of decisions, thus would not cast aspersions and distrust, he added.

“If decisions are made merely to suit the day’s political convenience, this will surely generate misunderstanding, even suspicion, sooner or later.”

On the Mas Gading seat, Minos said SPDP as a BN partner had every right to nominate its candidate and its choice must be respected by all parties, including the Group of Five (G5) led by Datuk Peter Nansian.

“Non-BN people may not agree but what is there for them to stop BN from adhering to its long-standing policies? BN business is its own.

“In saying what he said, the Deputy Prime Minister most likely does not consider those calling themselves pro-BN or BN-friendly to be in any position to influence BN top leaders’ decisions. That is my interpretation,” he stressed.

On Nansian’s call for the “right formula” in the selection of candidate in Mas Gading, Minos asked: “What formula does Nansian want to suggest?”

Minos said there was no need for those outside BN to decide on the candidacy, adding that Nansian should not question the BN leaders’ intelligence.

“The right formula is that there must not be any candidates from outside BN component parties, that the component parties have the right to choose their own candidates, and that the Prime Minister has the final say on the choice of the candidates.”

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