Money motives: Look at your own backyard, BN leaders told

The opposition in Sarawak has advised Barisan Nasional leaders not to 'parrot nonsensical statements' in their bid to win over the rakyat.

KUCHING: Barisan Nasional leaders should look at their own backyard first before accusing the opposition leaders of being “motivated” by money.

State PKR leader Baru Bian hit out at federal Deputy Tourism Minister James Mamit who had reportedly said that this was the reason why opposition leaders, who were mostly lawyers, took up native customary rights (NCR) cases in rural areas.

“Let me also say that the rural people will not take up legal suit against the government for no good reason, especially when it comes to violation of their rights.

“As for money motive, I need not say much except that the deputy minister should take a good look at his greedy BN compatriots and their insatiable leader before accusing the opposition of being motivated by money.

“The unashamed rent-seeking rampage and the relentless raping and pillaging of the land by the ravenous BN have done irreparable damage to the state and ruined innumerable lives in the rural communities.


“Just last week, we were treated to the Assistant Minister of Agriculture’s unsavoury letter demanding kickbacks for a land development scheme.

“And the revelation that his party leader and No 1 defender is his alleged partner in the kickback business is equally repugnant,” he said, alluding to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president Mong Dagang and party president James Masing being allegedly business partners.

Many pro bono cases

Online investigative portal Sarawak Report had last week revealed that Dagang and Masing were involved in Noble Rewards Sdn Bhd, a company which had allegedly demanded almost RM70 million in kickbacks on a land deal in Sri Aman.

The main shareholders of Noble Rewards are Dagang’s wife Bawang Anak Deru, Masing’s brother Henry and Masing’s private secretary’s wife Leyta Kupa.

The portal revealed proof in the form of a letter allegedly signed by Dagang. The letter “makes clear” that Dagang is seeking kickbacks from participants in a land scheme which involved 70,000 acres of native NCR land belonging to his constituents.

Said Bian: “Given the track record of the BN, any politician motivated by money would have signed up with any of their component parties, instead of choosing to join the struggle of the opposition.

“Of course, as lawyers we survive on legal fees, but I wish to inform the deputy minister that money is not everything and that many of these cases are partly taken up on a pro bono basis.

“It is obvious that the BN component parties are desperately trying to cling to power and that incumbent ministers are falling over themselves to make an impression in the hope of being the chosen ones to contest in the general election.”

He urged the BN leaders not to “parrot nonsensical statements” in their bid to win over the rakyat. “To parrot nonsensical statements… just shows that they (BN leaders) are but a bunch of drowning men grasping at straws,” he said.


Joseph Tawie | March 12, 2012