Sarawak PKR director of elections Nicholas Bawin today appealed to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to accept a public debate on native customary rights (NCR) land against Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian without further delay.

“Taib must come clean and not act like a coward and hide behind his cronies to put to rest this issue once for all,” he said when commenting on criticisms by Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) leaders against Baru for throwing the challenge against the long-serving chief minister.

nicholas bawin pkr candidate for batang ai state seat 270209 01 He said the debate was what the ordinary people, especially the suppressed and depressed NCR landowners, wanted to hear.

Bawin ( left ) said Taib should not listen to PBB leaders who were trying to shield him.

“We feel it is apt and proper that Taib take up the challenge, being the Chief Minister  and the Planning and Resource Management Minister, he is the most appropriate  person to set the record straight on this very important and emotive issue,” he said.

Bawin added that Baru was  ever ready to provide the evidence as requested by Taib.

“We therefore strongly urge Taib to walk the talk and be  a man to resolve who is telling the truth. Let the people of Sarawak be the judge and jury to this whole  episode.

“The excuses, which are an after-thought, given by BN leaders as to the suitability of Baru  to debate, we feel is merely Taib’s way of wriggling out of a debate he knows too well will expose the wrong doings of Barisan Nasional’s 47-year rule.

“Baru is the legitimate leader of Sarawak PKR and is constitutionally Taib’s counterpart in our party. Let’s be reminded that Umno state leaders are also appointed by their leadership,” he said.

Among those who criticised Baru for throwing the challenge were PBB vice-president Daud Abdul Rahman, secretary-general Dr Stephen Rundie and Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

‘Baru does not have same stature as Taib’

Taib, instead of accepting the challenge himself, has nominated PBB information chief Adenan Satem, who is also the special adviser in the chief minister’s office, to debate against Baru.

NONE In rejecting Baru’s challenge, Daud ( right ) claimed that Baru did not have the same stature as Taib.

 

He stated that Baru was trying to use the debate issue to promote himself in the light of the looming state elections.

“As he is new to politics, it is natural that he wants to advertise himself and one of the ways is through the debate,” Daud explained.

Daud reminded Baru that Taib had been in politics and service to the people long before the PKR chief was born.

“If Baru insists of debating on NCR land, then he should agree to Adenan as a replacement instead,” he said.

Rundie, meanwhile, claimed that the issue for debate was for Baru to gain political mileage.

“There is nothing in it that can be considered as of interest to the people,” he said.