KUCHING, June 11: There was no public speech and no large gatherings during Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s visit to Kapit recently.
This was the assertion of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Women who came to Abang Johari’s defense, claiming that Parti Sarawak Bersatu Pelagus candidate Kristoffer Nyuak’s statement was just hearsay.
“As far as we know, he was not there. No PSB people were there,” said PRS Women chief Dato Sri Doris Brodie in a press statement today.
She claimed that apart from the Chief Minister’s entourage, only a handful of people were in the Town Square as the area was cordoned off and no uninvited guest were present at the area.
“Even our PRS Women chiefs from Baleh and Pelagus divisions were not present, not out of disrespect but to adhere fully to the standard operating procedures (SOP). Thus we believed that Nyuak’s statement was a publicity stunt to gain political mileage,” said Doris in response to Kristoffer’s statement which claimed that Abang Johari’s visit to Kapit yesterday had violated Covid-19 preventive SOPs.
She said Abang Johari and a few of his cabinet minister came to Kapit yesterday to check on the progress of Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang 6.0 food aid distribution and Covid-19 vaccination process considering Kapit is amongst the few areas badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It (the visit) was done out of deep concern and commitment. While in Kapit, the Chief Minister sought to be briefed on the status of vaccination programme in Kapit by the Health Ministry.
“SDMC (Sarawak Disaster Management Committee) Chairman Datuk (Amar Douglas) Uggah (Embas) himself was also present throughout the function and thus it was impossible to let loose adherence to SOP before his scrutiny eyes,” said Doris.
She further pointed out that while in Kapit, the Chief Minister also made a point to visit Angkatan Tentara Malaysian (ATM) Hospital Medan, the first to have been set-up in Sarawak and to ascertain its effectiveness in serving the people.
For this visit, PRS women said other than the officers in-charge and the chief minister’s entourage, there was no uninvited guest there.
“The chief minister also conducted a symbolic handing over of a food basket where the food baskets were later taken only by the tuai rumah (longhouse headmen) and ketua kampung (village chiefs) of the specific longhouses and villages for the village folks.
“We also learned that the local enforcement team in Kapit were on hand to see that the SOP was adhered to during all these occasions. On top of that, there were no public speeches, not even from the chief minister throughout the whole programme while he was there,” said Doris. — DayakDaily
