Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud wants the relevant authorities to halt the operations of two clandestine private radio stations for "deriding the government and misleading the people", especially in the rural areas.

The radio stations are Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) and Radio Kenyalang (RK).

NONE Describing RFS as “naughty”, Taib said the radio station, which broadcasts mainly in Iban, has no respect for the truth while RK, reportedly linked to the opposition Sarawak Workers Party (SWP), was attempting to bank on its campaigns in the coming general election.

“The fact that they do (are involved in) an unlawful broadcast from a foreign country shows that these people have no pure motive to do the things they do,” Taib said.

He was speaking to reporters after attending a ‘zakat’ presentation ceremony by Pelita Holdings Sdn Bhd to Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak at his office in Petra Jaya in Kuching today.

Taib was asked if there was a need for the relevant authorities to halt or jam the transmissions of the two illegal radio stations, which were also distributing free radio sets in the rural areas as part of their modus operandi.

Masing: Propaganda disturbing the people

“A lot of people heard it (over the airwaves) and a lot of them (listeners) were very angry because they knew it (criticisms against the government) was a lie,” said Taib, adding that a few had been misled by them (criticisms).

Among various quarters calling for the government to take against RFS and RK is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing.

Masing said both stations were targeting the Ibans in the rural areas and such propaganda had “disturbed the people”, especially his party supporters.

In the coming election, SWP has decided to contest in all six PRS parliamentary seats, namely Sri Aman, Kanowit, Julau, Selangau, Hulu Rajang and Lubok Antu.

Masing, who is also state land development minister, was confident that jamming could be done because the method was used by the military and intelligence agencies to curtail subversive propaganda during the communists’ insurgency in the 60s and 70s.

Meanwhile, Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Joseph Salang was quoted to have said that a valid broadcasting licence was needed if the radio stations were to use the spectrum allocated to the country.

They could very well be using shortwave frequency from foreign countries, which would put them out of the country’s jurisdiction, said Salang, who is a PRS vice-president.

- Bernama