Step down or face street demos, Taib warned

MoCS is preparing to unleash a people’s power revolution to oust Taib if he does not step down by the deadline the movement has set.

KUCHING : Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, fresh from retaining the state for Barisan Nasional in last month’s state polls, is set to face a new challenge – this time from a local organisation that wants him to step down by Aug 13, or face street protests ala Egypt.

The Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) is preparing to unleash a people’s power revolution to oust Taib if he does not step down by the deadline the movement has set.

The Sarawakian NGO wants Taib to hand over power to Parti Bumiputra Sarawak (PBB) deputy president Abang Johari Openg.

“Failing which, MoCS will lead a people’s revolution in Sarawak before or after Aug 13. It means that we will organise massive mass demonstrations in the state capital on a scale never seen,” said MoCS chief Francis Paul Siah.

“Our allies in Pakatan Rakyat and other NGO of the Rainbow Coalition of Sarawak NGOs (Rango) are ready. We will be seeking help from our allies in Kuala Lumpur, NGO groups in KL and there is a great possibility there would be simultaneous protests in Kuching and KL,” he added.

He noted that there were about 200,000 Sarawakians living in Peninsular Malaysia.

“If Taib wants to know, even members of his own family are with MoCS to organise the street protests. That is the truth. We are talking about close family members,” he said.

He assured the government and the police that the street demonstrations would be peaceful but they are prepared to be on the streets for weeks, if the Chief Minister does not comply with their demands.

“We are willing to stay on the streets for one week or even longer, if necessary. Pressure must continue to mount against a despotic regime like a Taib Mahmud regime on Sarawak,” he said.

Enough with lies

Siah accused Taib of a hollow victory in the recent state election for having “used high-handed tactics and the mobilisation of state apparatus” to garner a win which saw him being pit against his cousin, Salleh Jaffarudin and PKR’s Suriati Abdullah in Balingian.

Taib won the Balingian seat with a majority of 2,215 votes, less than half of his previous win of 5,726 majority votes during the 2006 state election.

“It is a fact that most Sarawakians want him to go, that’s a fact. We also know that KL wants him to go, that is also a fact. Even BN leaders want him to go.

“You ask the Chinese. It’s not like they oppose SUPP … they just don’t like Taib Mahmud that’s all. He is the number one factor for the Chinese to oppose him. It is very clear. It is not because SUPP has done so much harm and wrong to the Chinese, it’s Taib,” he said.

Siah also called MCA vice president Gan Ping Siew and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, both who have expressed support for Taib’s resignation, to support the mass demonstrations.

“The bottom line is that he has been lying and lying to the people of Sarawak. He has continuously lied.

“We have enough of those lies. We are not fools anymore. Sarawakians are no longer fools to be taken by his lies.

Taib has said that he would step down in the mid-term after having identified a team of young successors.

Casey Lee FMT