KUCHING, Sept 16: Sarawak government must take a firm stand against federal government from interfering into the State’s internal affairs.
This is the view of Santubong MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who alleged that Peninsular Malaysian leaders are systematically interfering with Sarawak’s internal matters which will cause discord and disunity.
“The West Malaysians’ arrogance and untowardness in planting the seed of discord and disunity in Sarawak (can be seen) by (them) systematically interfering with internal affairs of the State which is under the purview of the local government of Sarawak.
“The State must put its foot down hard to stop this uncalled for effort. We don’t need this brand of politics in Sarawak,” said Wan Junaidi in a statement today.
Wan Junaidi said Sarawak could not allow Malayan brand of politics to enter Sarawak and create disunity by having another set of community leaders.
“If we allow this West Malaysia brand of politics to come to Sarawak to create disunity and hatred among the people by having their own community leaders and Ketua-ketua Masyarakat, can we imagine the confusion it can create in the kampongs and longhouses?
“The incident of 1987 to 1990 should never happen again.
“We could not afford the disunity and friction in our harmonious Sarawak. They have done enough to split and divide the people in the Peninsula Malaysia. That is enough. We do not want them here,” said Wan Junaidi.
Wan Junaidi was responding to Deputy Rural Development Minister Sivarasa Rasiah, who announced that the federal government will appoint their own Tuai Rumah or community leaders in the state.
Sivarasa said the idea was mooted after the federal cabinet decided to revamp and rebrand the Village Development and Safety Committee (JKKK) to Village Community Management Council (MPKK) in June last year.
At Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Branch Annual General Meeting (AGM) opening dinner last night (Sept 15), Sivarasa had said that the mechanics of the appointment of Tuai Rumah and community leaders in Sarawak will be worked out by the ministry, and is expected to be revealed some time in January next year.
During the Ming Court Affairs which broke out in 1987, the struggles of power between two former chief ministers Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya’kub and Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had resulted in Malay villages and longhouses having two sets of community leaders. — DayakDaily
