Asst Minister: I was provoked with baseless accusations during long house visit

Antonio presenting the Ministry's Organisational Anti-Corruption Agency Plan(OACP) to Penguang during the event.

MIRI, 25 Nov: Assistant Minister for Local Government and Housing Datu Dr Penguang Manggil on Wednesday clarified what actually had happened during his visit to Rumah Kajan Sigeh, Long Teru Tinjar Baram last month.

The supposed to be ‘meet-people-session’ which was held on October 25, had turned into a ‘disorder’ situation when one of the programme’s attendees came up to Penguang and started provoking him with baseless accusations.

Following the incident, some irresponsible people had put up half of the video on the incident in social media and labelled Penguang as a bad-tempered person.

“I’ve been a victim of a viral attack in the social media, whereby these people (an irresponsible group of people) provoked the public with baseless issues.

He said people have taken advantage of the digital world to spread malicious threats against others.

He also revealed that there was a record of (2:03 seconds) conversation which had spread in the social media prior to his visit to the longhouse where some people recorded some threats to harm him (Penguang).

Penguang disclosed this during the State local council’s Excellent Service Award 2019 today in Miri at a hotel here.

Meanwhile, at today’s event, a total 214 recipients from 23 local councils (PBT) Statewide including those from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Sarawak (DID) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Sarawak received their Excellent Service Award which was presented by Penguang and witnessed by Permanent secretary to the Minister of Local Government and Housing Datu Antonio Kahti Galis.

Penguang who representing Minister For Local Government and Housing Sarawak Dato Sri Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian has also reminded PBT’s staff to be proactive to serve the community.

Sim was not able to attend to the programme as he has work commitment in Kuala Lumpur.

Also present was Miri Mayor Adam Yii.

“Not many know, that staff at the PBT (local councils) are also frontliners, as they have also played an important role during the movement control and recovery movement order during Covid-19 to ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being followed,” he pointed out. – DayakDaily