‘BN has its political familes too’

Newly appointed DAP central executive committee member Dr John Brian has slammed Sarawak BN secretary-general Stephen Rundi for wearing the blinkers.

KUCHING: Sarawak Barisan Nasional secretary-general Stephen Rundi’s remark that DAP is “controlled” by the same families has irked the party’s local leaders.

Pointing out Rundi’s “ignorance”, Dayak Consultative Committee chairman Dr John Brian reminded him that the Malaysian government under BN had a history of being “dominated” by the same families.

“Has Rundi forgotten that Malaysia under BN has the same family dominating the federal government?

“Perhaps I should remind him that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and a Cabinet member Hishammuddin Hussein are cousins. Also, both Najib and Mukhriz Mahathir are sons of former prime ministers.

“In fact today, it is known that a former prime minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) is promoting the political future of his son (Mukhriz), ” said Brian, who was recently appointed to the party’s central executive committee (CEC).

Brian also pointed out the same scenario was in place in Sarawak where Chief Minister Taib Mahmud had ruled since 1981.

“The same is true in Sarawak, where the son of the chief minister was made a deputy federal minister (Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib, Kota Samarahan MP) but that ended prematurely.

“In the coming election another son [Mahmud Abu Bekir] of the chief minister has started his preparation to contest in one of the seats.

“Is it a healthy practice by BN government leaders?” he asked, seeking Rundi’s further clarification.

Rundi had earlier this week said that “the same group and the same family are still dominating DAP in reference to Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim Guan Eng’s election to the party’s highest body.

No Malays, blame Tunku Aziz
Both father and son had received the most number of votes in the party’s 16th national congress and election last weekend. In third place was Karpal Singh who polled 1,411 votes.

A total of 1,823 delegates voted for 20 CEC members out of the 61 nominees.

Seventeen Chinese and three Indians – Karpal Singh, his son Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo and Ipoh Barat MP M.Kulasegaran – were voted in.

Among the Chinese, cousins Nga Kor Ming and Ngeh Koo Ham were voted in. Both are known to be Perak “strongmen”. Nga is Taiping MP and Pantai Remis assemblyman while Ngeh is Beruan MP and Sitiawan state representative.

No Malays were voted in despite eight candidates vying for a seat.

A disappointed veteran DAP leader Zulkifli Mohd Noor, 64, blamed former DAP vice-president Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim for Malays not being voted in.

He reportedly said: “I am upset that the chair I vacated for Tunku Aziz was not returned. He ruined the chances for Malays to be on the line-up.”

Tunku Aziz quit DAP in May and has now become a vocal critic of the party.