Senator: Stop attempts to show rift between Abd Karim and Nanta, don’t try to divide S’wak’s Dayaks and Malays

KUCHING (Nov 17): Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim has called on all parties to stop attempts to portray a rift between Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi and Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

According to the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) member, Nanta – who is PBB secretary general – and Abdul Karim – who is a PBB vice president – are not divided.

“Stop making a situation where Dato Sri Abdul Karim and Dato Sri Alexander seem to be fighting. They are brothers and friends. The NGOs (non-governmental organisations) should have focussed more on positive energy,” he told The Borneo Post today.

According to him, the issue now is just a political gimmick by some political circles to get the people worked up and to divide the Dayak and Malay communities in Sarawak.

On Wednesday, Abdul Karim had chided NGOs and a minister for objecting to accepting Palestinian refugees in Sarawak as the federal government had not made any decision on the issue.

Nanta had previously said Sarawak need not accept any refugees, especially those from countries that are noted for violence and torn by anger and hatred.

Ahmad opined there was no malice in the comments of either leader.

“They are commenting out of all kindness and respect to their own community and probably responding to queries spontaneously as they are not from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, or the NRD (National Registration Department), or ambassadors to the United Nations (UN),” he said.

Ahmad called on the people to put the issue of the Malaysian government taking in Palestine refugees to rest as he labelled it a non-issue.

He pointed out he has not heard of the federal or state governments, talking about it and called on the NGOs that triggered the debate to show proof of such discussion at the top level.

“The matter is beyond all of us to comment, but in fact, there was no issue. The NGOs have made an issue out of thin air,” he claimed.

“If there is an agreement between Malaysia and the UN in regard to its charter over taking in foreigners while on transit to other countries, then we can not breach it. But that would be the federal government’s matter to decide upon and not that of the state, Dato Sri Alexander, or Dato Sri Abdul Karim.”

Besides Nanta, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) secretary general Datuk Sebastian Ting, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, PBB supreme council member Datuk Jefferson Jamit, and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan, among others, have also stated Sarawak should not accept refugees from Palestine.