‘Shut up… you lawyer buruk’

A ranting Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, caused an uproar in the Sarawak State Assembly today, leaving Speaker Asfia Awang Nassar helpless.

KUCHING: An uproar in the State Legislative Assembly sitting earlier today saw Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu go into a fit of rage screaming “shut up, shut up… you are lawyer buruk” at opposition leader and Bukit Assek assemblyman Wong Ho Leng.

For 10 minutes, the August House was a virtual ‘fish market’ as Jabu went on a verbal rampage attacking the opposition, accusing them of suppressing and oppressing natives.

The sudden outburst, which shocked the assembly, came about when Wong stood up to object to Jabu’s accusation of DAP, whilst answering a supplementary question from Joseph Mauh (Tamin), on what programmes the government had to help the poor and the needy apart from the ‘E-Kasih’.

Towards the end of his explanation Jabu said: “I would like to remind especially DAP who have been suppressing and oppressing the opportunities of poverty eradication. You throw away your selfish ideas …”

At this point Wong stood up to seek clarification and was told by Jabu to “shut up you, shut up, shut up, shut up, you sit down…I know better than you. You are lawyer buruk.”

The heated exchange went on for at least 10 minutes with Speaker Asfia Awang Nassar having a hard time trying to bring the house into order.

Jabu ignoring Asfia’s order went on to say: “Let it be recorded here. Every time I say, “DAP suppressed and oppressed the opportunity of NCR land owners from participating in poverty eradication program,” DAP walked out because the truth hurts …”

Venting Jabu

Jabu also took swipes at another DAP Assemblyman Wong Hua Seh (Repok), accusing him of “suppressing and oppressing” the native language.

His attack on Hua Seh came about because the latter had asked that pesticides and insecticides be labeled in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Chinese.

To which Jabu vented: “Tuan Speaker, poverty eradication is priority and I would like to repeat (that) I am the Minister of Rural Development, I am coming from one of the Dayak communities and I know that the Dayak communities are still at the disadvantaged, living in rural areas….”

All this while, the house only heard what Jabu said and the replies from the opposition were not heard as their microphones were switched off.

The drama only stopped when the speaker threatened to adjourn the meeting and told Jabu to wind up his answer.

RM2,500 per rural family by 2020

Meanwhile, Jabu said the Sarawak government’s rural transformation programme (RTP) would ensure that poor families eventually earn no less than RM2,500 per month.

Explaining the RTP to Tamin assemblyman Joseph Mauh, Jabu said the government programme involved farmers and school leavers and encouraged these groups to be involved in high yielding rubber planting or in small holding oil palm development.

“A family who has got four acres of high yielding rubber and a family who has got a four acres of small holding oil palm can easily get nothing less than RM2,500 per family per month income under the government programme.

“This is the approach for us to eradicate poverty right throughout the year to the year 2020, thereby giving opportunities right throughout Sarawak including the Penans for which we have initiated program for the Penans,” he said.

Jabu was answering a supplementary question posed by Mauh on what programmes the government had to help the poor and the needy apart from the ‘E-Kasih’.

He said the government was also focused one ensuring that the head of the families prioritized education.

Touching on the Penan community, he said villagers participating in the RPT programme in Long Bruan and Ulu Baram would greatly benefit.

“I promise you by the year 2016, the Penans who participated in this programme in Long Bruan and Ulu Baram will enjoy benefits.