Taib has no business talking politics, says Sarawak NGO

Sarawak Governor Abdul Taib Mahmud has no business talking politics, says local NGO Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS).

“If it is true that he was engaged in a political discussion with newly minted Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday as reported, then he has brought disrepute to the office of the governor,” says MoCS leader Francis Paul Siah.

According to Malaysiakini yesterday, an unnamed source said that Mahathir had met with Taib in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

The source also added that former finance minister Daim Zainuddin was present at the meeting.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister James Masing later confirmed that the meeting had taken place.

According to the report, the PBB leader did not dismiss the possibility of forming a state-based coalition, as there had been a plan even before the general election to quit BN if Putrajaya changed hands.

'End BN abuse of power'

In an immediate response to the news in Malaysiakini, state Harapan chairperson, Chong Chieng Jen, said that the coalition members in Sarawak would not accept any BN representative from the state into the Harapan coalition.  

Chong, who is also Stampin MP and DAP Sarawak chairperson, said Harapan Sarawak cannot and will not accept Sarawak BN, especially PBB, into the fold of Sarawak’s Harapan.

Siah in his statement today praised Chong for taking a bold and astute stand in saying that the Harapan coalition in the state would not accept any BN party into its coalition.   

“Chong in taking such a stand has spoken for the majority of Sarawakians,” added Siah.  

“The time has finally arrived to end BN’s blatant abuse of power and rampant corrupt practices in Sarawak,” Siah said.

“Sarawakians have waited for decades for this moment. For too long, certain BN leaders in Sarawak have acted with impunity as if they were lords and masters over the land.

“The reign of the ‘untouchables’ is over”, he added.

Siah also stressed that a top priority of the federal Harapan government has to be the revamp of the MACC into an independent, accountable and fearless agency with “teeth”.

“Put the fear of God into those who are corrupt. Those who abuse their powers to enrich themselves and their families must not be allowed to escape the long arm of the law.

Siah also welcomed Chong’s statement that if any individual BN member wants to join the Harapan coalition, they would be accepted only after vetting by the MACC. -Mkini