KUCHING: Sarawak opposition fears that the generous salary increases announced by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud could affect the results of the May 5 general election in the state.
Accusing Taib of bribery, Sarawak PKR vice- president See Chee How said: “This is really a corrupt practice committed by Barisan Nasional.
“Such an increase of salaries of community leaders just before the general election can also affect the results of the general election. ”
See said they had lodged a formal complaint regarding the announcement with the Bersih committee in Kuala Lumpur.
Taib had announced yesterday that community leaders will receive a salary increase of between RM400 and RM650 each.
A Temenggong, which is the highest-ranked community leader, will see his salary increased from RM850 to RM1,500 per month, a Pemanca from RM700 to RM1,200 and a Penghulu from RM600 to RM1,000.
Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) and Ketua Kampung (village chief), meanwhile, will have their salary increased from RM450 to RM800.
Taib said that all salary increases would take effect from Jan 1, 2013.
Responding to the announcement, See reminded that Taib had made similar promises prior to the 2006 state polls but failed to keep his word.
Intimidating voters
On a related matter, See, who is the Batu Lintang assemblyman, accused BN campaigners of threatening to terminate the services of community leaders if they were seen supporting the opposition candidates.
“We will stand behind them if they are victimised by the BN government. This was what happened in the last state election.
“We brought the case to court and won a judicial review,” he said.
See said that terminating the services of community leaders on the grounds that they supported the opposition was not a good reason.
“You cannot ask them to support BN. It is their choice.
“It is not only a corrupt practice, but blackmail if you say that you will raise the community leaders’ salaries if they support BN, and terminate their services if they are seen supporting opposition candidates,” he said.
PKR, which is part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, is contesting in 14 parliamentary seats and is expecting to do well, although BN intelligence has dismissed its enthusiasm as sheer bravado.
The party, together with its coalition partner DAP, is expected to give BN tough fights in 11 constituencies considered to be “hot seats”.
In the 2008 general election, Taib-led BN swept all but one seat – Bandar Kuching – which went to the DAP.
Don’t vote for racism
In another matter, See also said that a vote for BN is a vote for racism as it means supporting the likes of Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin.
“By voting for PBB, SUPP, SPDP, PRS and even BN-friendly parties, you are voting for Umno and Perkasa which are racists,” said See.
He said Umno had nominated Ibrahim in Pasir Mas and Zulkifli in Shah Alam knowing that their were racists and despited by the public.
Ibrahim became an ‘unofficial’ Umno candidate after the actual candidate Che Johan Che Pa failed to file his papers.
See said that Zulkifli had angered the Indian community after he called them ‘keling’ while Ibrahim was noted for his ‘burn the Bible’ call.
See was responding to a statement by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that the Indian community had accepted Zulkifli as a BN candidate.
Najib said that Zulkifli had apologized to the Hindus and had admitted to making a mockery of their religion, but said it was a mistake he made 10 years ago.
“By voting for candidates in Barisan Nasional, we are actually voting for these racists,” See stressed.
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