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Razman hopes Perak exco man not given ‘immunity' in caricature probe
Razman hopes Perak exco man not given ‘immunity' in caricature probe

Daily Express

time03-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Daily Express

Razman hopes Perak exco man not given ‘immunity' in caricature probe

Published on: Tuesday, June 03, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 03, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Perak opposition leader Razman Zakaria (left) has demanded that DAP's Woo Kah Leong apologise over a caricature post deemed offensive. PETALING JAYA: Perak opposition leader Razman Zakaria has urged authorities not to grant any 'immunity' to state executive councillor Woo Kah Leong, who is under police investigation over a social media post featuring an allegedly offensive caricature of him. The Gunong Semanggol assemblyman said he had demanded an apology from Woo, but that none was forthcoming. Instead, he said DAP continued to defend its youth chief's actions. He warned that any failure to act could erode public support for the state government led by Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH). 'To the Umno-led state government leaders in Perak, like it or not, this is the quality of an exco member from DAP,' he said in a statement. 'If you have any honour, just resign from the exco post because the people are always watching and will judge what happens as a result of such irresponsible behaviour. 'It's not impossible that the people will reject you over this issue.' Police recorded Woo's statement yesterday in connection with the investigation into the allegedly provocative social media post. Woo had posted the caricature on Facebook alongside a statement in April. It depicted Razman as a clown riding a unicycle on a tightrope, labelling the Perak PAS chief as 'raja fitnah' ('the king of slander'). This was believed to be in reference to the various instances in which Razman had apologised to PH leaders over various accusations he had made against them. The PAS man has demanded that Woo apologise openly for the 'provocative' posting. However, Woo has stood by his Facebook post, saying it was not a personal attack but satire. He also said the police report stifled freedom of speech. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

GRS's 52-seat bid risks straining ties with national party allies, says analyst
GRS's 52-seat bid risks straining ties with national party allies, says analyst

Daily Express

time28-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Daily Express

GRS's 52-seat bid risks straining ties with national party allies, says analyst

Published on: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Published on: Wed, May 28, 2025 By: Anne Muhammad, FMT Text Size: An analyst said a proposal for GRS to contest 52 out of 73 seats in the upcoming state polls could spark dissatisfaction among national party allies. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: An analyst has cautioned that the call for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to contest 52 out of 73 seats in the upcoming state election risks stirring discontent among its potential allies from national parties. Syahruddin Awang Ahmad of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) said parties like Umno, which had a strong historical presence in Sabah, would see this as an attempt by GRS to 'take over' their seats. He added that GRS's proposal would have significant political implications on cooperation with Sabah's ruling coalition ahead of the state polls. 'An unfair seat distribution, or one that doesn't reflect the actual strength of each party, will have consequences,' he said. Lee Kuok Tiung, also of UMS, said three-cornered or multi-party contests would be unavoidable, even if GRS cooperates with national parties ahead of the state election. 'Overlapping areas are difficult to avoid,' he said. Advertisement Last Sunday, GRS vice-president Masiung Banah said GRS was expected to field candidates in at least 52 out of the 73 state constituencies at the next state polls. He said the remaining 21 seats would be allocated to national parties that agreed to cooperate with GRS. GRS and Pakatan Harapan (PH) are currently allies in the Sabah state administration while the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) sits in the opposition. PH and BN have announced an alliance for the state polls, while talks are ongoing to include GRS in the pact. On Sunday, PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar expressed hope that her party would be able to contest a minimum of 13 seats in the Sabah election. The following day, Sabah DAP deputy chief Chan Foong Hin said the state chapter was eyeing at least 10 seats in the state polls. Sabah Umno had said it hoped to contest 40 seats in the 17th state election. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

Sabah needs steady hands at the helm, not those that grab for power, says GRS leader
Sabah needs steady hands at the helm, not those that grab for power, says GRS leader

The Star

time21-05-2025

  • Politics
  • The Star

Sabah needs steady hands at the helm, not those that grab for power, says GRS leader

GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (sixth right) officiating the newly-upgraded Poturidong - Tibabar road. KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is not anti-federal, but the coalition believes that the state must be led by its own leaders and free from outside influence, says Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. The GRS information chief said disagreements over seat allocations among parties seeking to form alliances are likely to result in a free-for-all in the upcoming state election. He urged voters to choose stability over political gamesmanship. 'We have seen the damage caused by reckless power plays," he said on Wednesday (May 21), referring to the failed January 2023 attempt to topple the GRS government. "Sabah needs steady hands and sincere leadership. This election is our opportunity to move forward, not backwards,' he added. ALSO READ: All election decisions must go through GRS Supreme Council, says Hajiji Bangkuai, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief and Kiulu assemblyman, said GRS must be ready for any eventuality, including contesting solo as indicated by Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. Hajiji had previously said the coalition was prepared to go it alone after Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan signed a declaration agreeing to cooperate in the Sabah election, a move some described as a deliberate snub to GRS. Bangkuai noted that a free-for-all could be a blessing in disguise, as it would allow Sabahans to choose between local parties and those led from Peninsular Malaysia. ALSO READ: Warisan confirms solo contest in Sabah state election 'Sabahans could well treat the upcoming state election as a referendum to choose from GRS, Umno-led Barisan, Pakatan, and Parti Warisan. 'This will be a clear test of whether we want to be led by leaders from local parties or by those who answer to parties headquartered in Kuala Lumpur,' he said at a meet-the-people session in Kg Tibabar after officiating the upgraded Poturidong-Tibabar road. Bangkuai said GRS has proven that Sabah-based coalitions can deliver meaningful development while maintaining a strong working relationship with the Federal Government. He said the increase in the annual federal special grant from RM53mil during Warisan's tenure to RM600mil under GRS was an example. ALSO READ: 'Don't be close-minded', Zahid tells local leaders over Sabah for Sabahans sentiment Another example he cited was the signing of the commercial collaboration agreement between the GRS-led state government and PETRONAS, which brought tangible benefits and increased state revenue. He said good governance, a focused development strategy under the Sabah Maju Jaya initiative, and close ties with Putrajaya had contributed to the state's annual revenue increasing to RM6.9bil, with reserves nearing RM8bil. 'We are not anti-federal, but we believe Sabah must lead itself, with leaders not bound by outside instructions. ALSO READ: 'Sabah for Sabahans' not divisive but a stand for dignity, says Kitingan ( 'GRS is proof that Sabah can work maturely with Putrajaya, and still prioritise the people of Sabah above all,' he said. Bangkuai also addressed past political manoeuvres involving Barisan, Warisan and Parti KDM, describing their joint attempt to topple the Chief Minister in January 2023 as politically ill-intentioned and damaging. 'It was never about leadership, it was about control and self-interest,' he said.

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