KUCHING: Peninsula-based Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) was given a tongue lashing yesterday for planning a campaign aimed to call for the resignation of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Sarawakians do not need West Malaysians without in-depth knowledge about the state’s political history and its
multi-racial harmonious culture to ‘teach’ them on how to manage the state.
He pointed out that SAMM, which is closely related to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth movement, should just focus on building up good racial and religious harmony in West Malaysia, and leave Sarawak alone.
“We don’t need (young turks) from there to tell us how to manage our state or tell us what to do. Our CM has served Malaysia from the day the country was formed, and his (Taib’s) service to Sarawak and Malaysia is beyond what SAMM or any of its leaders or those in Pakatan could ever emulate.
“Sarawak for what it is today owes a lot to the visionary leadership of our CM. Those from the peninsula especially from SAMM will not be able to ‘feel’ or see this changes which happen through the years. They could only criticise and demonise our leaders,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Social Development (Youth) and Assistant Minister of Housing, was asked to comment on an Internet news portal report of a campaign organised by SAMM which would be launched here this Sunday.
Called the ‘Kempen Nyah Taib’, SAMM founder Badrul Hisham Shahrin or Che’Gubard said the campaign would not involve street protests but more of an awareness drive whereby materials in both written and audio visual forms would be distributed including to the interior areas.
He also claimed the campaign had nothing to do with PKR, but was a joint effort with activists from all backgrounds. He even invited BN supporters to go to the ground and support the programme.
Although claiming the campaign to be neutral, the link between Che’Gubard and PKR is still evident since he contested under the party’s ticket in Rembau parliamentary seat in the last election in May where he was defeated by Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
Abdul Karim added that since the campaign would likely create hate and thwart efforts on nation building and racial harmony, the proper authorities should stop it.
Based on the internet news portal’s report, the launching of the programme was part of Che’GuBard’s four-day working visit to Sarawak which includes a visit to Baram. SAMM has also been asking for funds through its website to fund the visit and items to be donated to protesters of the Baram Dam.