Taib’s got the rally jitters?
(FMT) – KUCHING: Is Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, whose Barisan Nasional coalition swept 55 seats in the April 16 state election, ruffled by the possibility of a Bersih 2.0-styled march in Kuching?
It would appear so going by his sudden outburst here.
The usually unaffected Taib pounced on Movement for Change Sarawak’s (MoCS) call for a “Walk For Democracy and Reform” on Aug 13 when asked to comment by reporters.
“MoCS rally!…You find out who MoCS represents, whose voice they are carrying and by what authority is Francis Siah claiming to be the leader.
“People can see why I am a leader and who I represent… and you can ask him (Siah) the same question…who does he represent,” he lashed out.
Inspired by the success of Bersih 2.0′s “Walk For Democracy” on July 9 and the fact that some 100 Sarawakians had taken part, Siah on Wednesday announced that MoCS would hold its own rally.
He said the movement’s leaders decided to organise the peaceful walk instead of an anti-Taib Mahmud rally (their original idea) which had also been planned for Aug 13.
Siah said the rally would be a citizens’ initiative with no political affiliation or involvement and urged Sarawakians to join the walk or hold their own activity wherever they were.
He also said that the rally would be a compromised version of the original street protest planned by MoCs to force Taib to step down.
Following the state election, rife with allegations of money politics having aided BN’s victory, MoCS called for Taib to step down by Aug 13, failing which the movement would mobilise a mass protest.
On Wednesday, Siah was reported to have said: “For too long, the state has been trapped in a quagmire of widespread corruption and the politics of fear and intimidation.
