A police report was lodged against Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu for announcing the review of a government project because those in the area had voted against the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the recent Ba'kelalan by-election.

Lawyer Baru Bian, who contested in the by-election as an independent candidate, filed the report with the Padungan police station in Kuching yesterday.

In the report, he quoted Jabu, who is also state rural development minister, as having made the statement twice: the first in Miri on Sept 29 and the second in a front-page report in The Borneo Post on Tuesday.

Jabu was quoted in the report as saying that some people thought they could get more development by voting against the government. He termed this as "bad mentality".

He said the government would review the proposed rural growth centre (RGC) project for Long Semado in the Limbang Division and implement this elsewhere such as Long Lama for the Kayan and Kenyah communities.

Jabu also reportedly said that such "bad mentality" must be removed as it set a bad precedent and would encourage others to go against the government.

Blackmailing people

Speaking to malaysiakini yesterday, Baru said he lodged the report because he considered the deputy chief minister's statements an act of corruption.

"You are blackmailing and intimidating people. I want a full investigation as this is something uncalled for and illegal," he added.

Baru said the voters in Long Semado had merely exercised their constitutional right which allows them to vote for the candidate of their choice.

He added that public funds were behind government projects and therefore everyone was entitled to them.