WEDNESDAY-19TH DECEMBER 2007- KK BN rejects KL-style rally

KK BN rejects KL-style rally
Ex-CM Yong says some from elsewhere trying to come to KK to cause social instability
KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Yong Teck Lee has urged the public to reject any further attempt by the opposition parties to stir social instability by organizing street protests.
Yong made the call yesterday in the wake of the peaceful demonstration at Padang Merdeka organized by Bersih, an umbrella organisation which groups 64 NGOs and six opposition parties.
The demonstration called for a fair and clean general election, but it received cool response from the public with less than 20 people turning up.
"In the wake of the violent protest in the Peninsular and the attempt (to hold similar protest) here last Friday, we (BN component parties) want to voice our collected view that there is no need for such demonstration," said Yong, who is also Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President.
Yong, who earlier chaired the BN Kota Kinabalu meeting at Beverly Hotel, endorsed a Barisan Nasional campaign asking the people to sign a petition against street protests in the country.
"There have been some efforts by some people from the other parts of the country to come to Kota Kinabalu just for the purpose-of holding demonstrations. Luckily the people of Sabah, especially in Kota Kinabalu, do not want to play any part in such street protests," he said.
Yong said the Government was very happy that the public, including members of the opposition parties rejected such demonstrations, adding the poor participation in the Bersih Demonstration indicated the strong support for BN.
"Generally in Sabah, the sentiments are still very much with BN. In respect of the low attendance at the protest at Padang Merdeka and (the talk) in Telipok, it shows that even their own members don't want to take part in such street protest," he said.
Yong criticized Parti Keadilan Rakyat for supporting the demonstration, saying: "It is a reminder of the Likas by-Election 2001. Never before in my 30 years of experience in the arena of politics I saw so much violence in Likas. And it was all because of Parti Keadilan. "
The meeting yesterday was attended by representatives from all Kota Kinabalu BN component parties, namely UMNO, LDP, PBS, MCA, PBRS, MIC, Gerakan and SAPP.
Yong said among the issues discussed during the meeting were inflation caused by increasing prices of goods in Kota Kinabalu in particular and Sabah in general.
Also discussed were efforts in strengthening BN spirit among coalition members in Kota Kinabalu, he said.
Other issues brought up in the meeting was the review of voting stations by the Election Commission SPR) which saw individuals' voting stations being changed to match the addresses in their MyKads, he added.
Noting that some of the BN members were also affected by the changes in voting stations, he advised the voters to check their voting stations with the SPR.
"If the change is in accordance with the address in MyKad, then it should be no problem unless if the address is an old one or no longer applicable," he said, adding that the voters can visit the SPR office or just log onto the commission's website for their convenience.
During the meeting, there was also a presentation by Special Affairs Department (JASA) followed by discussion on a number of issues including problems related illegal immigrant, unemployment and land matter.