KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) and Sarawak National Party (SNAP) have formed an alliance to lay the groundwork for a pro-people and pro-reform federal government.And the first to fall in the allies’ crosshairs is Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who has been ruling the state for more than three decades.
Speaking at a press conference here, MCLM head Haris Ibrahim, flanked by SNAP adviser Daniel Tajem and secretary-general Stanley Jugol, said the alliance would work towards ending
Barisan Nasional’s (BN) grip on Sarawak in the coming state polls
Following this, MCLM and SNAP would set their sights on the 13th general election.
MCLM and SNAP would also work with other parties to ensure that the next federal government would honour the 18- and 20-point agreements with Sabah and Sarawak respectively.
Haris stressed that the collaboration was a working alliance in nature, formed for strategic reasons.
“We are also interested in forging an alliance with any like-minded parties, except BN for the upcoming Sarawak election and the general election,” he added.
Sharing his views, Jugol said both parties formed the alliance after agreeing on four agendas – among them being committed to forming the next federal government and honouring the 18- and 20-point agreements.
“We have also come to an understanding that draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be repealed and the government should institute the Race Relations Act.
“We will also work to restore the integrity of core institutions such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the judiciary and the police as well as implement an affirmative action policy which is
need-based,” he added.
Multi-cornered fights
Quizzed on the possibility of multi-cornered fights in Sarawak with DAP and PKR joining the fray, Haris hoped that at some juncture all parties with a common agenda would come together to form an alliance.
“We can’t say anything for sure right now but at the end, our common goal is to unseat BN from the state government,” he said.
Haris added that MCLM was also pursuing a working ground with the Jeffrey Kitingan-led United Borneo Front in order to strengthen the collaboration.
“There are some issues that need to be resolved between us before we can come together,” he said without elaborating.
Jeffrey was also present at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Haris said MCLM would introduce four new candidates for the general election in the next 10 days.
“All I can say now is that two of them are currently overseas and will be back soon,” he said.
To date, MCLM had named four candidates, human rights lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Sreekant Pillai, former Awam president Haslinah Yacob and dentist Dr Nedunchelian Vengu.
Haris stressed that the collaboration was a working alliance in nature, formed for strategic reasons.
“We are also interested in forging an alliance with any like-minded parties, except BN for the upcoming Sarawak election and the general election,” he added.
Sharing his views, Jugol said both parties formed the alliance after agreeing on four agendas – among them being committed to forming the next federal government and honouring the 18- and 20-point agreements.
“We have also come to an understanding that draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be repealed and the government should institute the Race Relations Act.
“We will also work to restore the integrity of core institutions such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the judiciary and the police as well as implement an affirmative action policy which is
need-based,” he added.
Multi-cornered fights
Quizzed on the possibility of multi-cornered fights in Sarawak with DAP and PKR joining the fray, Haris hoped that at some juncture all parties with a common agenda would come together to form an alliance.
“We can’t say anything for sure right now but at the end, our common goal is to unseat BN from the state government,” he said.
Haris added that MCLM was also pursuing a working ground with the Jeffrey Kitingan-led United Borneo Front in order to strengthen the collaboration.
“There are some issues that need to be resolved between us before we can come together,” he said without elaborating.
Jeffrey was also present at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Haris said MCLM would introduce four new candidates for the general election in the next 10 days.
“All I can say now is that two of them are currently overseas and will be back soon,” he said.
To date, MCLM had named four candidates, human rights lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Sreekant Pillai, former Awam president Haslinah Yacob and dentist Dr Nedunchelian Vengu.
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