SNAP SYMPOSIUM ON SAT, 15 JANUARY 2011

Picture of SNAP leaders during the symposium in Sibu

SPEECH OF THE ORGANISING CHAIRMAN, AUGUSTINE LIOM, AT THE SNAP SYMPOSIUM ON SATURDAY 15 JANUARY 2011
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Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

There is an undisputable ring of truth in that adage.

At national level, billions of Ringgit of People’s money has been spent in the PKFZ project and in the process, the bank accounts of some powerful personalities have grown unmanageably fat.

If not for a change of government that has occurred in Selangor, these corrupt practices and the massive abuse of power involved could not have been discovered.

We hear of a few hundred millions ringgit kickbacks involved in the purchase of military wares. But yet, a submarine cannot drive and military equipmentare substandard.

Those billions of ringgit lost through the rampant practices within the BN beaurocracy could be saved for development projects that could better benefit the rakyat.

Today, as we sit here, the PM is paying a visit to Bakun Dam. Predictably some time later an announcement will be made that the dam will be sold to the state government at a favourable price and at a favourable scheme of repayment.

The federal government would have already made a loss of billions of ringgit and our state government would within a span of couple of years incur billions of ringgit in repayment, spending money that could be utilised for the people’s benefit.

Predictably also, like many of the mammoth projects before, the state government would either sell the dam pretty cheaply or sell the energy generated by the dam cheaply to Sarawak Energy Berhad.

Billions of ringgit of money of the people of Sarawak would had been spent, but ironically the people as consumers of electricity would suffer more by having to pay increased electricity rates and Sarawak Energy Berhad will be making huge profits.

Who own and control Sarawak Energy Berhad?

Billions of ringgit have gone down the drain in the failed First Silicon project. But to the BN leaders that does not matter. The members of the Board of Directors and the senior management appointed by the BN State government get fat pay cheques, fees and allowances.

Money-making government undertakings are privatised. Road maintenance and road construction function of the PWD, enforcement function of the Forest Department and a few others have been awarded to private entities. Who own and control these enterprises?

Who own and control CMS, PPES Works, Naim Cendera, Sarawak Forest Corporation, etc?
Prime state land, for eg.the government quarters area in Batu Lintang and Sungai Bakong area in Sibu etc, are alienated to Naim Cendera to be turned into commercial development projects. Again, who own and control Naim Cendera and how are they connected to people in power?

Those are but a few examples. Not many years ago, logging permits to large tracts of forest areas were invariably granted to children, in-laws, friends, nominees or political affiliates of those in power.

Now, large tracts of plantation lands are alienated to the same people. It is not so bad if the lands are state land but it would be sinful if the lands are NCR of Native communities. The BN government just couldn’t be bothered.

The BN government says it would not take away people’s land without adequate compensation but when a great number of native communities find land they have cultivated for generations with rubber, padi and fruits are alienated to a plantation companies, they are baffled. To them, the reality is they have been robbed of their land.

The BN government has been oblivious to the plight of the native land owners. It has embarked on a policy of freezing issuance of titles to NCR land and has amended the land code many times thus making it easier to grant provisional leases to companies belonging to BN leaders and their relatives and making it difficult for the NCR landowners to prove their claims to NCR lands.

These are the ways of modern-day Robin Hood i.e. rob the poor to give to the rich.

The announcement now that the government is carrying out perimeter survey of NCR land is calculated for election purpose when the government realises it is in danger of losing power. But why only now and why only perimeter survey and not survey of individual lots? In any case, those surveys that have been embarked upon are only at areas to serve the BN election strategies

In strategising to hold on to power at all costs, the BN leaders are preaching to the Tuai Rumahs and Ketua Kampungs to keep away opposition campaigners. That is a selfish and irresponsible tactic which is oblivious to the adverse consequences to the solidarity and social cohesion of the longhouses and kampungs. It is a sure recipe that will destroy the social and cultural fabric of our communities. Again the BN leaders couldn’t care less.

The BN and its predecessor, the Alliance, have ruled this country and this state for almost half a century. That is far too long by anybody’s reckoning. Some BN leaders exhibit arrogance of power to proclaim that only the BN, can bring development.

But the truth of the matter is of course that parties other than the BN if put to power, backed by the same or even an improved civil service and having access to the same consolidated funds can not only bring development to the people but can better administer and manage the state and country.

The Kelantanese have demonstrated that they are happy with a non-BN led government. They have returned PAS to power in consecutive elections. From what we hear, the people in Selangor and Penang are happy with their Pakatan governments.

So to provide a check on the almost absolute power wielded by the BN government in Sarawak, it becomes imperative that we go for change. Change can only be for the better.

We believe therefore that a rejuvenated and revitalised SNAP working alongside its Pakatan’s partners will be instrumental and crucial in bringing about this urgently needed change so that power will not become absolute and corrupt.

Let’s hope we will have a meaningful and fruitful Symposium.

Thank You.