PKR win in Batang Ai will bring turmoil to S’wak: Jabu
(The Borneo Post) LUBOK ANTU: The political turmoil in the peninsula could creep into Sarawak if Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) wins the Batang Ai by-election, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu warned yesterday.
He said recent incidents in West Malaysia involving PKR and its Pakatan Rakyat partners were evident that the opposition was disrespectful of culture, customs and even the royal institution.
“Batang Ai must be retained as a BN fortress. Do not give way for them to win here,” he said at the swearing-in ceremony of chairman, deputy chairman and councillors of Lubok Antu District Council (LADC) at Lubok Antu Sports Complex yesterday.
Jabu, who is also deputy president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), said even in Sarawak there were incidents where PR showed disrespect for the culture and customs of locals.
He said the Pakatan leaders, many of whom are from the peninsula, did not even know the customs when visiting a longhouse or when critising BN leaders.
“We, Ibans, hold strongly to our customs but sadly the opposition do not respect them,” he said.
Unlike Barisan Nasional, he said, they did not enjoy the kind of consensus found in BN.
“In Sri Aman, the former MP Jimmy Donald who now heads PKR there is telling everybody how good PKR is. Yet, his son (Leon) is the head of the DAP (Democratic Action Party) branch in Sri Aman.
“So, this shows that even in a family, they are not together in one party,” he said.
As such, he urged the people not to be hoodwinked by the invitation to support or vote for PKR in the by-election.
“We should vote for more development by BN in Batang Ai. The late (Batang Ai assemblyman) Datuk Dublin Unting had a good working relationship with Lubok Antu MP William Nyalau Badak.
“Because of the good relationship (in the past two years), many development projects were planned for Batang Ai. Let’s keep this relationship intact,” he said, adding that the projects included a new district office building, a police headquarters and a CIQ complex.
The Batang Ai seat is vacant following the death of Unting on February 24. Election Commission has set nomination day for March 29, while polling is April 7, in the event of contest.
Unting was an assistant minister and also the vice president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).
Meanwhile, the LADC chairman and 25 councillors took their oath of office in front of Jabu yesterday.
Lubok Antu district officer Nelson Mujah Girie is the council chairman while Gerang Juben from PRS is his deputy.
There are altogether nine councillors from PRS, six from PBB, six from Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and four from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).
The attendees yesterday also observed one minute silence to respect the late Unting.
Also present yesterday were Nyallau, Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong, Bukit Saban assemblyman Robert Lawson Chuat and political secretary to the chief minister Paul Igai.
