Editor’s note: Article updated to reflect confirmation of debate.
By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, March 10: The proposed ‘Youth and Employment in Sarawak’ Forum will materialise after all, most probably on March 16.
Rise of Sarawak Efforts (ROSE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will be taking up the challenge to put together the forum.
According to ROSE chairperson Ann Teo, the forum was its initiative and it will be the first in a series.
She said the panelists are Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Datuk Idris Buang and Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo.
In a press notification today, ROSE invited the media to a press conference tomorrow (March 11) to reveal details of the proposed forum.
The forum has been seen to be conducted to settle the dispute between Idris and Lo.
The Muara Tuang assemblyman and Lo have been involved in a spat in the media following Lo’s first statement criticising the state government over a wide range of issues, including the recent Cambodia job scam, tourism, ‘Sarawak for Sarawakians’ movement, the Sarawak First policy, greater autonomy and the minimum wage policy.
His statement was countered by Idris, who believed that Lo’s statement was the latter’s personal opinion and did not represent that of the union. He asserted that it was unethical and improper for Lo to use his position within MTUC to issue the statement.
In response, Lo said PBB was ultra-defensive and paranoid. He also expressed shock that PBB launched personal attacks against him.
The spat continued in the media until the proposal of ROSE to step in and organise a forum on youth and employment. — DayakDaily
