In 1987, Never stop bite the hand that feeds you! But now, Never stop kiss the hand that feeds you!!!!
__________________
Accept reality, group tells CM
Sarawak Tribune, 12 March 1987
KUALA LUMPUR – The group of 28 elected representatives of Bersatu yesterday welcomed Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir’s advice to the Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, that the present crisis be handled within the bounds of the State constitution.
Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir was reported as having told the Chief Minister this on Tuesday when he met a delegation of Barisan Nasional leaders from the state at Seri Perdana.
The group also described as “unwise” the calling of a snap state election to solve the crisis.
A spokeman for the group, Dr James Masing of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), said that “in the period of political turmoil, uncertainty and the emergence of polarisation in the state, there is no guarantee that issues detrimental to racial harmony and stability will not be brought forth during an election campaign”
Dr Masing said this in a statement issued at a hotel here which is the group’s temporary base in the city.
The statement was issued after one of its delegations met Umno Youth head Anwar Ibrahim.
Dr Masing said the group wanted to “get down to the business of the government without delay, for any further delay is bound to afffect the welfare of the people.”
He said that since 28 of the 48 state assemblymen had expressed their loss of confidence in Datuk Patinggi Taib, the Chief Minister was constitutionally bound to tender his resignation and allow the group to form a new government.
He reminded the Chief Minister of the meaning of Article 7-1 of the State constitution which states: If the Chief Minister ceases to command the confidence of a majority of the members of Dewan Undangan Negeri, then unless at his request the Yang di-Pertua Negeri dissolves the Dewan Undangan Negeri, the Chief Minister shall tender the resignation of the members of Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri.”
Datuk Taib and company must accept this because this is what the State constitution provides. The Chief Minister should not cling to power when he knows for certain that he has ceased to command the majority support in Council Negeri. If Datuk Taib truly cares for the people of Sarawak, then he must resign forthwith,” he said.
“Bersatu does not wish to wash dirty linen in public nor involve in mud-slinging because this will only bring about bitter recriminations and will not help to solve the problem. We want to get down to the business of government without delay for any further is bound to affect the welfare of the people.” he added.
He said Tun Rahman has denied an allegation that Tengku Razaleigh and himself are the prime movers in the move by Bersatu. “This allegation is part of Datuk Taib’s effort to pit Bersatu against the Prime Minister,” he added.
The Bersatu group and Tun Rahman fully support the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, he said.
____________________________
No place for traitors: CM
The Borneo Post, Friday 31 August 2001
KUCHING: Members of Barisan Nasional component parties will be sacked if they are found to be campaigning or contesting against BN candidates in the coming state election.
Sarawak BN chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, who gave the warning, said severe action had to be taken to uphold the trust among the component parties.
“We have built the trust among the four component parties over the years with great pain and patience and we (are) determined to preserve this trust…” said Taib at a press conference held at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) headquarters here, yesterday.
He said it was important to have strong ties among the component parties to ensure the coalition would continue to give Sarawak a stable government capable of working for the people with confidence on a long-term perspective.
According to him, all parties in the state BN had reached an understanding that no individual member of any component party would be allowed to contest against the BN candidates.
“If we found any body, we will sack … we have to sack them … the same will be applied to those found actively campaigning against Barisan Nasional in the next election,” he said.
So far SNAP Assemblyman for Meluan, Geman Itam, who has been dropped from the party’s list of candidates, has openly said that he would defend his seat as an independent. The party has replaced Geman, who won the seat four times, with secretary-general Justin Jinggut.
He also expressed confidence that all BN component parties would work together as a team pointing out that at the same time all members of the BN component parties were expected to give their votes to the BN candidates. The full list of the candidates would be announced just before nomination day, he said.
__________________
Masing believes Taib clean
Borneo Post, June 23, 2011, Thursday
CENTRE OF MEDIA ATTENTION: Reporters crowd around a speaker in the Media Room as Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud delivers his personal statement regarding the investigation by the Swiss Federation into his alleged assets in Switzerland.
KUCHING: Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said he believed Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is innocent of all the corruption allegations hurled at him.
The Baleh assemblyman also lauded Taib for being brave enough to tackle the issue head on yesterday.
He said this when asked to comment on Taib’s explanations to the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday that he does not own a Swiss bank account or assets and investments in Switzerland.
“It is very good for him (Taib) to tackle the issue straight on.
“That is what I expected a leader to do. As a politician you must not hide anything. If you have nothing to hide then go straight on because we are judged by public perception,” Masing said.
Masing added that he was “impressed and satisfied” with the Chief Minister’s answer and he eagerly awaits the Swiss authorities to respond.
“The onus of proof is from the other side,” Masing stressed.
Asked whether the public would be convinced of Taib’s innocence, Masing lamented that members of the public always make judgement based on emotion and not the law.
That, he added, represented one of the toughest obstacles which all politicians have to endure.
“We are not judged by the fine lines of the law. We are judged by allegations, half truths and lies.”
Meanwhile, Second Minister of Finance Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said what Taib did yesterday was to make it known to the whole world that the graft allegations were unfair to him.
“Of course once the allegation is made and published in the press, not only the image of the Chief Minister but the state government of Sarawak may be tarnished,” he lamented.
Therefore, he added, it was important for Taib to make the statement in DUN to redeem himself and to clear his name.
“I think it is the right thing to do,” Soon Koh said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s statement failed to impress PKR leaders.
State PKR liaison chief and Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian said it was “quite unfortunate” that Taib’s statement was not put up for debate.
He pointed out that there was no mention of whether the Chief Minister’s letter had been replied to and that PKR would be interested to know what Taib wrote and the reply, if any, to it.
“As it has been reported that this involves MACC, we hope that the whole investigation will continue on in spite of the explanations he (Taib) made in the Dewan…as it is only an explanation. If there is really truth in it, then of course it is of concern to the public at large, especially Sarawakians,” said Baru.
When asked whether the Chief Minister’s denial would help to assuage public concerns, Baru said he did not think so as there was nothing particularly significant about the statement.
“You need to have concrete facts and evidence and decisions made either by the Swiss President or authority of Switzerland, or even from MACC. The report we hear is about an ongoing kind of investigation, so as for now, we’ll leave it as it is.
“Unless they come up with a conclusion, it’s nothing that would wipe out any doubts or anything for that matter.”