Taib’s got the rally jitters?

The chief minister blows his top when quizzed on a rally planned by MoCS, which has been inspired by the success of Bersih 2.0's rally.

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.

“We wish to educate all Sarawakians that politicians whom they elect to public office should be there to serve them and not vice-versa. The people are the masters, not those who govern.”

‘MoCS as legit as Freemasons’

Yesterday Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Awang Tengah Ali Hassan hit out at Siah’s plans.

“MoCS should be conscious of its own position. What mandate do they have? MoCS is a movement which is not registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS)… as such illegal,” he had told reporters in an immediate reaction to Siah’s announcement.

Earlier, a former deputy education minister and PBB ally Salleh Jafaruddin slammed Awang Tengah, saying that MoCS was as legit as the Freemason secret society which Taib was a member of.

“Does Awang Tengah realise that not all unregistered societies are considered illegal?

“The Freemasons are a well-known weird secret society having a branch in Sarawak. Its members are prominent personalities in the state like Taib Mahmud, Mr JC Fung (a former attorney-general of Sarawak) and many others, too many to list.

“Why hasn’t the ROS declared the organisation illegal?” he asked.