Translate
30 August 2015
Karen Shepherd, the Eurasian Sarawakian organiser of Bersih4Kuching mistakenly labelled a foreigner was a favourite at the rally.
Bersih 4: 'Orang putih' woman crowd favourite in Kuching
THE STAR
From left: Bersih4Kuching organising chairman Nicholas Mujah, spokesperson Karen Shepherd, committee member Paula Chang and Peter John Jaban at Song Kheng Hai rugby pitch in Kuching today.
KUCHING: Karen Shepherd, the Eurasian Sarawakian organiser of Bersih4Kuching who was mistakenly labelled a foreigner by a state minister last week, was a clear favourite at the rally.
Shephered defended her right to be involved in Sarawak's political scene, saying she was just as Malaysian as the next person.
"I am involved because I can't stand it anymore," she said. "I am involved because I fear for the future of this nation."
The crux of her speech adhered to the Bersih ideals of free and fair elections, rejecting gerrymandering. She said an urban constituent deserved the same vote as a rural dweller.
"We have the same problem as the rest of Malaysia," she said on lopsided constituency sizes. "I expect my vote to be worth the same as everyone else. Not more, not less. Whether you are Malay, Chinese, Dayak or 'orang puteh', I expect my vote to count as much as everyone else."
The fifth generation Sarawakian was last week mislabelled by state Land Development Minister as an English woman who should not meddle in state affairs.
Shepherd responded with a press conference a day later, saying her grandfather was the state's first Registrar General, and might have even signed the minister's birth certificate.
Her rebuttal was a popular subject among Sarawakians, online and offline. Some criticised the minister for being xenophobic, while others agreed saying that Shepherd's call for Sarawakians to rally was not a local culture.
At the rally yesterday, she was introduced as the "orang puteh", who could speak Bahasa Sarawak.
"Some say, 'I want to change the system from inside,' well, I say, 'Is that working for you?'. I say do you not change the system from the inside, it changes you.
"The next one (system) will be even worse because it follows the last one, which is why we need to change it for it have accountability," Shepherd said.
Her husband, former Radio Free Sarawak presenter, also spoke at the rally. He was the emcee and marshall
Popular Posts - Last 7 days
-
Dua buah helikopter milik Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) dilaporkan terhempas ketika menjalani raptai di Kem Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysi...
-
Abdul Rahman lepas jawatan dalam CIMB Group, terajui semula PNB Bernama April 16, 2024 Abdul Rahman merupakan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpu...
-
Dua helikopter TLDM bertembung semasa Latihan Lintas Hormat Sambutan Hari Ulang Tahun TLDM Ke-90. Pesawat HOM (M503-3) yang membawa tujuh or...
-
PM Anwar tubuh Jawatankuasa Penasihat Dasar Kepada Perdana Menteri - PMO Bernama 22/04/2024 PM Anwar tubuh Jawatankuasa Penasihat Dasar Ke...
-
TOP 100 AIRPORTS https://www.worldairportawards.com/worlds-top-100-airports-2024/
-
70 PCT OF PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IN FOREST CITY SOLD - EXCO 20/04/2024 KULAI, April 20 (Bernama) -- Seventy per cent of the property develop...
-
The Royal addendum order from the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which would allow Datuk Seri Najib Razak to go under house arrest, does exi...
-
KL20 Summit 2024 to attract high-quality investments - PM Bernama 22/04/2024 PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the summit marks a comprehens...
Popular Posts - Last 30 days
-
Saudi says application for 1444 H umrah visa opens from today Bernama Julai 14, 2022 The Ministry of Haj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia has ann...
-
Kedah MB: ECK no longer part of Kulim airport project Bernama Julai 13, 2022 Muhammad Sanusi announced that the ECK Group of Companies (EC...
-
King presents appointment letters to four new envoys Bernama Julai 12, 2022 His Majesty presenting the letter of appointment to M'sian...
-
Wan Saiful confirms he is no longer PTPTN chairman Bernama Julai 12, 2022 Bersatu Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan today confirm...
-
Following is BEST FBKL's selection of The Top Ramadan 2024 Buka Puasa Buffet's in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. We hope that y...
-
Naz Empire's defamation lawsuit against Awal Ashaari to go to trial as mediation fails Bernama Julai 12, 2022 The defamation lawsuit f...
-
Paris court grants Malaysia's application to suspend claims by purported heirs of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II Bernama Julai 13, 2022 Dr Wa...
-
‘Alas pintu’ dengan gambar Kaabah sebenarnya sejadah mini - AEON BiG April 13, 2024 Susulan penularan gambar yang mendakwa penjualan ‘alas ...
-
Seven million Malaysians yet to take booster dose against COVID-19 - PM Bernama Julai 11, 2022 Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaako...
Blog Archive
-
►
2023
(3771)
- December (311)
- November (322)
- October (286)
- September (288)
- August (365)
- July (349)
- June (372)
- May (316)
- April (279)
- March (301)
- February (245)
- January (337)
-
►
2022
(4309)
- December (352)
- November (422)
- October (288)
- September (281)
- August (347)
- July (303)
- June (335)
- May (406)
- April (341)
- March (371)
- February (390)
- January (473)
-
►
2021
(9030)
- December (636)
- November (647)
- October (809)
- September (797)
- August (880)
- July (894)
- June (747)
- May (780)
- April (580)
- March (629)
- February (643)
- January (988)
-
►
2020
(6800)
- December (819)
- November (698)
- October (832)
- September (729)
- August (548)
- July (558)
- June (615)
- May (394)
- April (368)
- March (453)
- February (439)
- January (347)
-
►
2019
(4089)
- December (411)
- November (425)
- October (375)
- September (279)
- August (397)
- July (353)
- June (326)
- May (315)
- April (266)
- March (318)
- February (293)
- January (331)
-
►
2018
(4100)
- December (305)
- November (304)
- October (357)
- September (352)
- August (420)
- July (442)
- June (366)
- May (412)
- April (343)
- March (275)
- February (233)
- January (291)
-
►
2017
(3888)
- December (268)
- November (293)
- October (352)
- September (309)
- August (356)
- July (300)
- June (319)
- May (354)
- April (316)
- March (335)
- February (306)
- January (380)
-
►
2016
(4563)
- December (331)
- November (328)
- October (378)
- September (415)
- August (404)
- July (380)
- June (310)
- May (370)
- April (430)
- March (484)
- February (355)
- January (378)
-
▼
2015
(4588)
- December (402)
- November (392)
- October (393)
- September (375)
- August (450)
- July (392)
- June (456)
- May (407)
- April (408)
- March (374)
- February (262)
- January (277)