Chong Chieng Jen
KUCHING: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has expressed his regret concerning the comments made by some Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leaders against the DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) act.
He said it was unfortunate that those leaders had associated the Dapsy act, which was an act of good intent to preserve the state’s multiculturalism, as an act against the Constitution, an act against the national language, and even associating it as an act of sedition.
“This sort of narrative, this sort of mentality is very typical of Umno. It is very typical and is the manifestation of Umno’s ideology.
“It seems that they cannot tolerate the sight of something that is different from them. So long as something is different from them, it’s against the constitution, it’s a sedition,” he told a press conference at DAP headquarters here yesterday.
The Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman hoped that this type of unhealthy ideology, unhealthy mentality would not spread in Sarawak.
He pointed out that the comment by the younger echelon of PBB leaders seemed to show that they are very inclined to Umno’s mentality.
Chong said this in response to comments made by some PPB leaders against Sarawak Dapsy members, who on Thursday had pasted the stickers in Chinese Characters on several roads signs in the city on the grounds that they need to be translated for the need of tourists from China.
Borneo Post reported that Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs and DBKU) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said such actions by Dapsy Kuching were seen have violated the federal constitution and the National Language Act 1963/1967, which stated that the national language need to be used for all official government businesses, including road signs.
Aside from that, Bernama reported that PBB youth deputy chief Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman had described Dapsy Kuching as deliberate to exploit language issues that could cause tensions between the races.