Chinese community brings grouses to Pehin Sri

Posted on December 15, 2010, Wednesday
KUCHING: President of Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations Dr Chou Chii Ming met Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Monday night to discuss several issues, which he hoped could be resolved by the state government.

ALL EARS: Participants listening to the points raised.

Firstly, Chou, as a representative for the Chinese organisations, hoped that the state government would delineate and create more state seats in areas of high population density.
Secondly, he passed the message from restaurant owners who are facing shortage of staff, to be able to hire foreign labour from Vietnam and Myanmar to solve their problem.
During an interview with the press yesterday, Chou revealed the following reply from the chief minister.
For the first issue, Taib said the distribution of state seats was not within the ambit of the state government as it was under the control of the Election Commission of Malaysia.
Chou stated: “As for the second issue, the chief minister requested that restaurant owners prepare a proposal to the state government before they can take any action.”
Chou explained that the restaurant owners presently experienced shortage of workers, as they were only allowed to hire Indonesian workers, who mostly cannot touch and eat pork.
He, however, expressed his satisfaction with the discussion especially
when Taib gave his promise on the Bako red line land issue.
Coincidentally, prominent Chinese organisations like the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong) and other local Chinese societies had also handed a memorandum on the matter to the chief minister yesterday.
Chou expressed hope that Taib would understand the problems faced by the Chinese community and attempt to resolve them.
He also hoped that the discussion yesterday would be the beginning of many such meetings.
Meanwhile , leaders  of the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Association, Kuching Chinese General  Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Committee of Kuching Chung Hua Middle School No. 1, 3 & 4, Committee of Management of Min Lit Secondary School Batu Kawa, Committee of Management of Serian Public Secondary School and Association of The Board of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools Kuching-Samarahan Division pledged their full support to the chief minister’s vision and aspiration to propel the state to become one of the richest states in Malaysia by 2030.