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Soon Koh’s faction drops quit bombshell BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Soon Koh’s faction drops quit bombshell

Posted: 24 Dec 2013 09:44 AM PST

by Raymond Tan reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 25, 2013, Wednesday

Nine aligned to SUPP Sibu branch chief threaten to leave party if he is sacked

SIBU: The crisis gripping Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) deepens with the declaration by the party's five state assemblymen and four political secretaries to the Chief Minister that they will quit the party if Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh was sacked.

Making their stand through press statement yesterday, the group which is aligned to Wong in the internal dispute said, "We sink or swim with Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. If he is suspended or expelled from the party, we shall leave with him."

The nine who issued the joint statement are  Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Andrew Shilling, Datuk Francis Harden, Suzanne Lee, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Ku Fut Po, Ranun Mina, Phang Dah Nan and Dr Johnical Rayong.

The group warned that any action taken by the disciplinary committee against Soon Koh would irrevocably and permanently split the party.

With the party's disciplinary panel showing no sign to back down from its decision to censure Soon Koh the internal power struggle looks like spiralling into the eventual destruction of the state's oldest party.

The statement added: "If this happens, the destruction of SUPP will rest squarely on the present Central Working Committee and the persons behind the move to weed out Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. They must bear full responsibility…."

They stressed they did not recognise the legality of the Central Committee because its members were elected in the last Triennial Delegates Conference which was tainted by voting irregularities, starting from the branch levels.

"Neither the Central Committee nor the Central Working Committee has the legal standing to set up any disciplinary committee. They also cannot take any action against any member while the validity of the election is awaiting confirmation from ROS."

The dispute besetting SUPP sprang from alleged election irregularities from branch levels to the party's Triennial General Meeting in 2011.

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Head of State lauds tradition of festive open houses in Christmas message

Posted: 24 Dec 2013 09:43 AM PST

by Jacob Achoi reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 25, 2013, Wednesday

KUCHING:  Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin commended the government's effort to continue organising open houses during every festive celebrations at national level.

He said such gesture, which is only practised in Malaysia, would further promote unity and harmony among the people of various races and religions.

"Open houses is a traditional way which is still very effective to enhance harmony among us who embrace different religions, and for this reason, the effort by the government to organise open houses for the different festive celebrations is very much lauded," he said in his Christmas message.

He said he had repeatedly pointed out that through open houses people of various races and religions visit one another.

Salahuddin also stressed that tolerance among the people of different religious beliefs must continue to prevail and flourish, to preserve the existing harmony, peace and unity.

He pointed out that Christians had played a very important role within the plural society of the state.

"Co-operation and tolerance among the people of different races and religions has been the pillar of strength for Sarawak to move forward," Salahuddin said.

Encouraging economic growth had brought about progressive development for the state to continue moving forward allowing the people to enjoy prosperity, he added.

Salahuddin also urged the people to help promote the Visit Sarawak Year 2014.

The Head of State also called on the younger generation to face challenges with patience, knowing that they will become the future leaders of the country.

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Alarm foils bid to rob deputy minister’s house

Posted: 24 Dec 2013 09:39 AM PST

KUCHING: Burglars attempted to sneak into Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar's double-storey bungalow in Green Road yesterday, but their effort was thwarted by the alarm.

Only an Indonesian maid was in the house when the incident unfolded at about 3.15am, and she was believed to be fast asleep upstairs. Wan Junaidi and his family were away on holiday.

Kuching police chief ACP Roslan Bek Ahmad said the burglars entered the compound through a cap in the fence behind Wan Junaidi's house. That fence is shared with a vacant house.

The alarm was triggered when the burglars tried to force open a window, and they managed to give five personnel guarding the house the slip on a motorcycle, he said.

"The alarm went off when they (burglars) tried to force open the window, and this alerted the two GOF and three Rela personnel on duty guarding the house.

"One of the GOF personnel released a warning shot to the air while chasing after them, but they fled on a Honda EX5," he said, adding it was raining heavily then.

Roslan said initial investigation showed no one was injured, no missing items were reported, and no thumb prints were found at the scene.  The case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 511 of the same Code for attempted robbery.

Roslan advised members of the public to install alarm and CCTV (closed-circuit TV), if they could afford, to keep criminals at bay.

He said it was effective against house break-in attempts.

Meanwhile, Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, in a statement, said with the spat of robbery and snatch thefts happening in Kuching lately, those who are going for holidays should be more careful.

"The police are trying their best to maintain security, but house owners must assist by not leaving their houses unattended for too long," said Masing, who is also PRS president.

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No closure of Malaysia-Indonesia border check-point in Tebedu – Police

Posted: 24 Dec 2013 09:38 AM PST

KUCHING: Police dismissed rumours that the Malaysia-Indonesia border checkpoint at Tebedu, Serian, about 95km from here, had been temporarily closed following alleged public unrest in Pontianak, the capital of Indonesia's West Kalimantan province.

Serian police chief DSP Mohd Jamali Uni said the checkpoint remained open as usual and was operating 12 hours daily from 6am.

He told Bernama Tuesday that public bus services between Kuching and Pontianak had also resumed operations as normal after being affected last week by alleged extortion along the route (within the Indonesian province).

"Despite such allegations, we have not received any report yet (from the bus operators) and although the situation seems to be back to normal, we will continue to monitor," he said.

Meanwhile, a source from the Immigration here concurred with Mohd Jamali and said no order had been issued to close the checkpoint temporarily due to security reasons.

The Tebedu border checkpoint is one of several routes linking Sarawak and Indonesia's Kalimantan which is serviced by four Sarawak express bus companies and two from Indonesia.

There were allegations from bus operators that buses entering Pontianak from Sarawak were stopped by groups that demand money to continue their journey, following which a number of bus operators in Sarawak refused to service the route. — Bernama

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Third suspect in Liwan carjacking case collared

Posted: 24 Dec 2013 09:36 AM PST

KUCHING: A car repossesser was yesterday arrested in connection with the case of a stolen Toyota Fortuner belonging to Culture and Heritage Assistant Minister Liwan Lagang, which was recovered near Kpg Serikin last week.

According to a police source, the 29-year-old suspect, who hails from Serian, was arrested at his house in Jalan Bayor Bukit. He was detained following the arrest of two other suspects earlier on.

The latest suspect was brought to Tabuan Jaya police station for further questioning to facilitate the investigation.

Last Sunday, the two other suspects, aged 47 and 29, were arrested together while the vehicle was seized in an army inspection near Kpg Serikin around 6am.

It was believed that the duo were trying to smuggle the car into the neighbouring country. The car was bearing a fake registration number when it was recovered.

On Dec 16, at around 6.10am, Liwan was confronted by two strangers at knifepoint at a parking lot in the vicinity of Kota Sentosa market.

One of the men attacked him causing a struggle between them. Liwan, who is also Belaga assemblyman, said he shouted for help but the men managed to spirit away with his Toyota Fortuner bearing carplate QAT6559.

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Woman reports husband over alleged domestic violence

Posted: 24 Dec 2013 09:35 AM PST

SIBU: A woman decided to lodge a police report against her husband on Christmas Eve because she said she could no longer stand his violence at home.

The woman in her 30s said her husband kicked and punched her again yesterday, and although it was Christmas Eve, she

decided to lodge a report against him.

She said her husband was jobless, and this had forced her to work to feed him and their three children.

The woman has even once borrowed money when her husband said he wanted to start a business.

But, that money has been spent and the woman said she was shouldering the debt now.

She admitted she and her husband had been quarrelling, and each time, she would end up being beaten.

In the domestic violence case she reported yesterday, the woman said she was hurt on her jaws and face.

She also lost one tooth. Her friend accompanied her to lodge a report yesterday morning.

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