Dapsy Sarawak takes SUPP Youth chief to task for trivialising Affin Bank hornbill issue
MIRI (May 19): Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak yesterday slammed Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Youth chief Kevin Lau for trivialising the Affin Bank Kenyalang Visa Debit Card hornbill issue.
Its chief Peter Hee said that by belittling the matter and calling it 'playing to the gallery' showed a fundamental lack of understanding what the hornbill means to Sarawakians.
'It is more than just a decorative motif—the state emblem holds deep cultural and historical significance for Sarawak especially among the Dayak communities, where it is revered as a sacred symbol.
'Generally, it represents the spirit of unity, diversity and pride that defines Sarawak's identity within the Malaysian federation,' he said in a statement yesterday.
He added: 'If we are to follow such flawed logic, does it mean we can replace the Malayan tiger in our national coat of arms with a Bengal tiger just because it is also a tiger? Clearly not. Symbols matter—they represent our values, heritage and collective memory.'
Affin Bank has recently come under fire for allegedly using an image of a Great Hornbill instead of the Rhinoceros Hornbill on its debit card.
Hee further said that Dapsy Sarawak does not object to Affin Bank's decision to move its regional headquarters to Sarawak, but that development and progress should not come at the expense of cultural respect and local identity. DAPSY hornbill Kevin Lau lead Peter Hee
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
36 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
Gira, Chukpai to vie for PRS Youth Chief post at October TDC
Gira (left) and Chukpai vying for the PRS Youth Chief post at the party's TDC this October. – The Borneo Post photo KUCHING (Aug 13): Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang and Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon are expected to vie for the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth Chief post at the party's triennial delegates conference (TDC) here this October. Both ordinary supreme council members stated their intention to contest for the role soon after current Youth Chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan confirmed during a special supreme council meeting last Sunday that he would not seek re-election. Gira when contacted said he accepted the nomination after several party leaders proposed his name following Snowdan's decision. 'I humbly accepted the nomination, and I am prepared to offer my service and dedication to the party's youth wing,' he said. He expressed confidence that delegates would make an informed choice on the next Youth Chief, and pledged to strengthen the role of youth in PRS while contributing positively to Sarawak's development. 'My agenda includes nurturing and grooming youth leadership within the party; providing political training and mentorship for the younger generation; empowering the Youth members to be a positive and influential voice; equipping them with both hands-on skills and digital literacy to meet modern challenges; promoting PRS values in line with the vision of the GPS government and; supporting and participating in the development agendas of the Sarawak government, especially in uplifting the Dayak community,' he said. Chukpai, meanwhile, said his decision to contest stems from a commitment to amplify youth voices, address their concerns, and lead PRS in delivering for the Dayak community and all Sarawakians. He cited the inclusive leadership of the late party president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing as an enduring inspiration. 'PRS was founded in 2004 and its first Youth Chief was Datuk Mong Dagang, an Iban. The second Youth Chief was Datuk Liwan Lagang, an Orang Ulu and the third, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, an Iban. 'Therefore it would be ideal should the next Youth Chief post be held by either Orang Ulu or Bidayuh to reflect inclusive representation. This is ideal to ensure that the party remains inclusive,' he said. The Masing legacy should be carried forward to strengthen inter-ethnic cooperation and empower the party's structures for the future, he added. Chukpai highlighted his long involvement in PRS Youth since the party's formation in 2004, including serving as Central Youth Vice-Chief under Mong Dagang, Belaga Youth Chief from 2004 to 2016, and PRS Murum Division Chairman since 2016. 'Based on this record and my commitments, I am confident I can contribute significantly to strengthening PRS Youth Wings if given the opportunity,' he said. Candidates must secure eight divisional nominations to qualify for the post, he said, adding that he is actively engaging divisional leaders to build support, ensure transparency, and address grassroots concerns. 'I am optimistic that, with sustained engagement, we can meet the nominations in due course,' said Chukpai. His vision is to empower Dayak youth, unite communities through inclusive leadership, and strengthen PRS as a credible voice for Sarawak's future, with a focus on education, economic opportunities, social cohesion, and heritage preservation. By virtue of the position, the elected Youth chief would automatically be appointed as party Vice President. Recent reports also suggest Lubok Antu MP Roy Gingkoi and Baleh assemblyman Nelson Kudi Jantai have also been urged by supporters to contest. Roy declined to comment when contacted, citing his attendance at the current Parliament sitting. Christopher Gira Sambang Kennedy Chukpai Ugon PRS TDC Youth chief
Focus Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
Citizen alert: Hoist Malaysian flag at your own peril this 68th Merdeka Day 'unless we learn from China'
FALL-OUT from the upside-down flag issue continues. As the scenario gets ever more heated, one consequence is that Malaysians have become wary of hoisting the Jalur Gemilang for Merdeka celebrations. The fear of unforeseen repercussions from right-wing nationalists and public backlash online has prompted many to think twice about displaying their patriotism. This was highlighted by a post on X by Annoyed Malaysian (@annoyedmalaysian) who hinted at selective persecution. Advice to M'sian Chinese & Indians, from now onwards do not touch anything that has the Jalur Gemilang. Your flag got one small stain also UMNO gangsters will show up at your door & police will arrest you lol. 😊 — Annoyed Malaysian 🇲🇾 (@annoyedmsian) August 10, 2025 'Advice to Malaysian Chinese and Indians – from now onwards don't touch anything that has the Jalur Gemilang,' the self-confessed liberal secularist warned: 'Your flag got one small stain also UMNO gangsters will show up at your door and police will arrest you.' The current affairs observer also highlighted several incidents that have gone unpunished. An image of an upside down Jalur Gemilang hoisted in the apparent vicinity of the Kota Damansara Mosque was attached. The UMNO Youth Terengganu's gaffe in using a Jalur Gemilang that had the wrong number of stripes in a social media post was also appended. Both were used by the poster to ask the seemingly pertinent question – 'why only the Chinese are accused of wrongly displaying the Jalur Gemilang?' One commenter reflected his sense of unease at wanting to show his patriotism, claiming UMNO has 'kidnapped the flag'. Instead, he will keep his love for Malaysia in his heart for fear of reprisals. This was a clever electoral ploy by UMNO, claimed one commenter, by painting the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition as weak and unable to react accordingly in protecting the non-Malays which forms a strong base for its support. He predicts that this ploy is with the aim of challenging PH as direct rivals in the next general election. However, one commenter asked why not encourage Chinese and Indian citizens to fly the flag correctly instead of asking to refrain from doing so. Isn't the flag as symbol of unity? To which the poster conceded that this was, indeed, a great idea (though he has not modified his post to reflect this). To put the current state of affairs into perspective, another poster shared on X how such a scenario was handled in a rather professional and sem fuss manner in China. A short clip showed two policemen seeing a flag hoisted wrongly in front of a business premise. Instead of threats of arrest or some other brouhaha, the two officers simply corrected the flag and gave it a respectful salute once it was the right way up. What to do if we found an upside down JALUR GEMILANG. Peace, anas. — Anas Zubedy (@AnasZubedy) August 11, 2025 One commenter pointed out that in Malaysia the priority was to viral the image or video while highlighting the absurdity of the situation – 'make accusations, hire lawyers, politicise the issue, organise peaceful protest in front of Sogo shopping complex, march to Istana Negara for audience with the Agong, before finally rectifying the upside-down flag'. Lamenting that too many keyboard warriors were spreading messages of hate in Malaysia, one commenter argued that this would be a sensible and mature attitude to have. As the fallout continues, one must wonder what does the Jalur Gemilang represent? Is it a symbol unity or has it been hijacked and weaponised by the right-wingers into a symbol of victimisation and oppression? – Aug 13, 2025
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Thailand and Cambodia to hold border talks amid troop movements and minefield concerns
BANGKOK: Thailand's Special Task Force (STF) has announced that it will hold a series of Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings with Cambodia this month to discuss ongoing border issues, including mine clearance. The move comes as an Asean delegation prepares to observe the border situation and a senior Thai official reveals that Cambodia's recent troop reinforcements are considered "within an acceptable range." Speaking at Government House, Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson for the Thailand-Cambodia STF, stated that the border situation has been stable despite ongoing monitoring of Cambodian forces strengthening their positions. Rear Admiral Surasant also revealed that a team of Asean military attaches, led by the Malaysian military attache to Thailand, is scheduled to visit Ubon Ratchathani province and the 2nd Army Region area on Thursday (Aug 14). The purpose of their visit is to observe the situation and assess the impact on local communities. They will present their findings the following day and discuss future plans. A key point of concern for the Thai government is the presence of a large number of landmines along the border. Rear Admiral Surasant expressed frustration over the lack of cooperation from Cambodia on mine clearance efforts. To address this, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now engaging with the Asean Regional Mine Action Center (Armac), whose director is Cambodian, to urge a more sincere commitment to the mission. "Landmines are a threat not just to military personnel but also to civilians in both countries," he stressed. He further claimed that Cambodian soldiers continue to lay mines in the area. Thailand hopes to see Armac collaborate with the National Mine Action Centre (TMAC) to clear as many mines as possible and restore safety to the affected zones. The army is reportedly adjusting its patrol strategies and exploring new technologies to better detect the explosives, giving reassurance to the public. The first of the upcoming RBC meetings is scheduled for Friday (Aug 15), in Trat province, and will be hosted by the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Command. Further meetings with the 1st and 2nd Army Regions are planned for later in the month, with mine clearance high on the agenda for discussions. - The Nation/ANN
