
GPS must uphold unity to face next Sarawak election
SIBU: Members of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties have been urged to strengthen cooperation ahead of the upcoming State Election to ensure the coalition's strength remains intact.
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) senior vice-president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh stressed that any action to mobilise the grassroots to oppose fellow party components will only give the opposition an advantage.
"If there are party components that try to oppose other parties among us, this will lead to division in GPS," he said when speaking at the NN.53 Bawang Assan Pre-Gawai Night 2025 event organised by the Bawang Assan PDP last night.
Wong, who is Bawang Assan assemblyman, also touched on the importance of the Gawai Dayak celebration, saying the event reflected the identity of the Dayak community, which is rich in culture, resilient and proud of their heritage.
He said that for PDP, the Gawai celebration is also a reminder of the party's commitment to protecting the rights of the Dayak community, ensuring balanced development in rural Sarawak and empowering every citizen through education, infrastructure and economic opportunities.
"Let us not forget that as we celebrate our traditions, we also need to prepare the next generation to face the future," he added.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong charged under Beijing-imposed security law for second time
Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong did not apply for bail, and the case was adjourned to Aug 8. - Reuters HONG KONG: Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong on Friday (June 6) was charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security under a Beijing-imposed law that critics say has crushed Hong Kong's once-thriving pro-democracy movement. The prosecution was the second time Wong has been charged under the sweeping national security law. He was already convicted in a separate subversion case linked to an unofficial primary election and was sentenced last year to four years and eight months in jail for that charge. The prosecution accused Wong, 28, of conspiring with fellow activist Nathan Law and others to ask foreign countries, institutions, organisations or individuals outside of China to impose sanctions or blockades, or engage in other hostile actions, against Hong Kong and China. They also said he disrupted the formulation and implementation of laws and policies by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, and that the act was likely to have serious consequences. The alleged offences occurred between July 2020 and November 2020. The prosecution didn't elaborate on the accusations in court. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. After hearing the charge in court, Wong, who wore a blue shirt and was visibly thinner, said he "understood' the charge. The case was adjourned to August. National security police arrested Wong in Stanley, an area in southern Hong Kong, over the national security charge and also on suspicion of "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence," police said in a statement. Wong rose to fame in Hong Kong in 2012 as a high school student leading protests against the introduction of national education in the city's schools. Two years later, he became world famous as a leader of the Occupy Movement. In 2016, Wong co-founded a political party named Demosisto with fellow young activists Law and Agnes Chow In the 2019 pro-democracy movement, Wong helped seek overseas support for the protests. His activism led Beijing to label him an advocate of Hong Kong's independence who "begged for interference' by foreign forces. Demosisto disbanded when Beijing imposed the security law in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments said the law brought back stability to the city. In 2023, Hong Kong authorities offered rewards of one million Hong Kong dollars (US$127,600) for information leading to the arrests of Law, who moved to Britain, and some other overseas-based activists. - AP


Borneo Post
5 hours ago
- Borneo Post
State govt to reimburse 320 Rajang Park families for septic tank installation
Tiang (left) visits one of the affected houses and families at Rajang Park. SIBU (June 6): The state government will reimburse 320 families in Rajang Park who had independently funded the installation of individual septic tanks after the area's central sewerage system became defunct. Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Michael Tiang, said these families were identified over the years through a process of verification and documentation. He said many had passed on while some had moved overseas. 'If you think that you are qualified, do not hesitate to contact my Pahlawan Service Centre to claim the reimbursement,' he told reporters after visiting Rajang Park to look into the issue last night. Rajang Park, developed in the 1970s, originally had all its residential and commercial toilets connected to a central sewerage system located next to the Rajang Park Market. However, after nearly four decades, the system failed, leaving many homes and shophouses unable to use their toilets, causing significant hardship for the residents. As a result, many of them forked out their own expenses to build their own individual septic tanks as the central sewerage system needed to be abandoned. Tiang recalled that in 2018, while serving as Political Secretary to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, he personally assessed the situation after receiving complaints from the residents. 'During the 2018 General Election, I submitted a petition to the Premier to ask for RM3 million to deal with these problems, including abandoning the central system and giving them individual septic tanks and to also repair the toilets,' he said. Following that, the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) engaged a contractor to carry out the necessary repairs and installations for most of the residential homes. Commercial shophouses remained connected to the central system, albeit through a new underground sewerage network. Tiang, who made a promise during the 2021 State Election to reimburse homeowners who had spent their own money on the issue, said he has finally secured approval from the Premier to fulfill that pledge. 'With the Premier's blessing, we can now compensate the remaining 320 homeowners. I plan to go door to door to assure them that the money is ready.' 'We will fix a date soon, and I urge all eligible residents to come forward and claim the reimbursement. I am truly committed to ensuring the funds are delivered directly to the rightful homeowners,' he added.


Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang GLC ordered to pay nearly RM120k for firing pro-opposition staff
The Industrial Court ruled that Penang Tech Centre Bhd had dismissed Sivakumar Kanniah (right) and Jason Raj Kirupanantha (left) without just cause. GEORGE TOWN : A Penang government-linked science centre has been ordered to pay RM117,560 to two staff sacked for backing an independent candidate in the 2023 state election. The Industrial Court ruled that Penang Tech Centre Bhd, which runs Tech Dome Penang, dismissed Sivakumar Kanniah, 48, and Jason Raj Kirupanantha, 38, without just cause. Located in Komtar's geodesic dome and launched in 2016 at a cost of RM23.2 million, Tech Dome showcases interactive science and tech exhibits to inspire students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Sivakumar, a pioneer staff member who rose to operations manager earning RM5,200 monthly, was awarded RM92,560 in back pay for two years, minus income earned after his dismissal on Nov 15, 2023. Jason, a senior government affairs coordinator, was awarded RM25,000 for the early termination of his contract, which had been set to run until March 31, 2024. He was dismissed on Nov 9. Both men sought reinstatement and extra damages, but the court declined, citing no bad intent from the company and a breakdown in trust. Tech Dome claimed they had breached trust by campaigning for independent candidates aligned with former deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy, and accused them of disloyalty for opposing the DAP-led state government. It argued that, as a state-owned company, it had to remain politically neutral, and that staff should not support opposing candidates. During the hearing, finance and HR manager Emily Seah said 80% of Penang Tech's income came from public donations, including from both government MPs and assemblymen. Asked how supporting an independent candidate affected the company, she replied: 'Some YBs might feel uncomfortable because the campaign was against the state government.' However, Industrial Court chairman Jeyaseelen Anthony found no specific bans in either employee's contract or the company's code of conduct barring political activity. He said that while both men held key positions, their political involvement did not amount to misconduct. Sivakumar was accused of showing 'disloyalty and a lack of integrity' by linking the company's name to an independent candidate and posting political messages on Facebook. The company claimed he was warned before but had repeated the behaviour. However, the court found no evidence of any prior warning, verbal or written, or a domestic inquiry before his dismissal. In Jason's case, the court said he had applied for five days' leave from July 31 to Aug 4, 2023, to campaign. The leave was approved by the CEO, weakening claims of misconduct. A WhatsApp exchange between CEO Khoo Boo Wooi and Jason, tendered as evidence, further supported this. Khoo wrote: 'TDP (Tech Dome Penang) is a science centre, not subject to politic (sic) to KO (knock out) easily.' Jeyaseelen also noted that the state assembly was dissolved at the time, with Penang under a caretaker government. 'The respondent is a state government-owned company and not owned by any political party,' he said. He rejected the company's argument that the men had broken an unspoken rule of loyalty, saying such terms must be clearly written in contracts to be valid grounds for dismissal. 'If political neutrality was essential to Tech Dome, the requirement ought to have been expressly written into the claimants' employment contract or the code of conduct,' he said. Lawyer Shamsher Singh Thind represented Sivakumar and Jason, while lawyer P Subramaniam represented Tech Dome.