Sarawak BN slams Khairy, demands apology

KUCHING: The Sarawak BN is up in arms against Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for daring to suggest that Chief Minister Taib Mahmud should resign.

Several leaders of the Sarawak BN have come to Taib’s defence and condemned Khairy. In a joint press statement, the defeated Batu Kawah candidate Tan Joo Phoi (Sarawak United People’s Party) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s Ahmad Ibrahim have demanded that Khairy apologise to Taib.

Their call was also echoed by other state BN coalition leaders, Zainuddin Hamdan of Sarawak Progressive Democratic (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s Lau Ting Ping.

Also taken to task for urging Taib to step down was MCA vice-president Senator Gan Ping Sieu. Acting as spokesman for the group, Ahmad said: “Khairy and Gan must apologise to Taib for asking him to resign as chief minister.

“We feel insulted and offended by their recent remarks. Let it be clear to all Malaysians – the political destiny of the people of Sarawak is determined by and belongs to all the people of Sarawak, and not outsiders.”

Ahmad called on Peninsular Malaysians to respect Sarawak’s political platform as they wanted to keep it that way.

He said that in the recently concluded state election, Sarawak decided that it still needed Taib’s leadership.

Target of opposition

Ahmad said it was entirely up to Taib as to when he wants to retire.

“We demand that Khairy and Gan withdraw their remarks and apologise not only to Taib, but also to the people of Sarawak for being insensitive, ignorant and acting out of line,” he added.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had allegedly described Taib as “pek moi” ( white-haired rajah) and two-legged “crocodile” that devoured the state resources so much so that Sarawak, being the richest state in Malaysia, is was now the poorest state.

It is believed that Taib’s style of leadership was the cause of SUPP’s downfall. SUPP lost an unprecedented 13 out of the 19 seats it contested.

The Chinese-majority party loss all but two seats – Bawang Assan and Senadin – in the election and retained all Dayak-majority seats in  Bengoh, Simanggang and Engkilili.
Among SUPP’s biggest casualties in the 2011 election was party president and deputy Chief Minister George Chan.

It also lost two assistant ministers in the persons of Tan Joo Phoi in Batu Kawah and David Teng (Repok).