Sarawak's 10th election, expected to be held next year, will see an unprecedented cyber war between the ruling and opposition parties in the state.

NONE Umno Youth New Media Unit chairman Faisal Ismail Aziz said the party, together with the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera (PBB) Youth New Media Unit, would work closely to come up with an aggressive strategy to counter allegations which might be posted over the internet.

"Specifically, we will coordinate any information with the PBB Youth New Media Unit so that any national issue that has bearing with Sarawak could be handled and explained very quickly," he told reporters after a meeting chaired by PBB Youth Media Unit chief Abdul Aziz Adenan in Kuching today.

"For us, at national level, we must explain the real issue and disseminate it very quickly so that the people will not be easily influenced by baseless allegations," he said, adding that apart from national issues, Umno would assist in disseminating information on issues affecting Sarawak, such as that of the Penan.

He said the March 2008 general election had given the Barisan Nasional component party a valuable lesson on the need to effectively tackle the cyber war campaign.

 

Abdul Aziz, who is also PBB Youth Information chief, said one of the strategies being adopted would involve answering or explaining any issue without resorting to personal attacks.

Salleh Jafaruddin ‘not contesting’

 

Meanwhile former deputy education minister Salleh Jafaruddin today denied rumours that he will be contesting in the coming state election.

It has been said that Salleh, 67, the former assemblyman for Balingian and member of parliament for Mukah in the 70's and 80's would be making a comeback to active politics in Sarawak .

“There is no truth in the rumours,” said Salleh.

"Sudden appearance doesn't mean that you are interested to go into active politics again. It is a contribution to the state and it does not need to be through politics.

"As concerned citizens, we would want to contribute whatever we can while we are still alive because a journey in life continuous until we die," he told reporters after a conference organised by the Movement For Change (MoCS), Kuching, today.

Salleh who described himself as an "old man", said he could not be active (in politics) as "everybody wants to remove old politicians".

He said he now spent time writing books, two of which would be released soon.

 

It was speculated that Salleh who had both been in the government and opposition, was preparing to contest in the coming state election after an interview with a news portal last month.

Asked whether he was joining MoCS, Salleh said he was not, but was only at the conference to give a talk on the philosophy of change.

- Bernama