The future Dayak headmen

No one takes much notice of a statement made by Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Fadillah Yusoh appearing on The Eastern Times on 14 December 09, when he said that in future village chiefs and longhouse headmen (Tuai Rumah) including women would eventually be filled by younger people with qualification.

“Over in Peninsular Malaysia, only individuals with at least a diploma qualification are considered for the post. And they are paid allowance based on their qualification.

“In Sarawak, the issue of raising the allowance of Ketua kampung has been discussed, and eventually, when all have been settled and agreed upon, a standard allowance scheme would be applied to all,” he said.

“But for the posts of Penghulu and Pemanca, we still need the elderly people,” he said.


The Broken Shield comments:

Yusof’s suggestion should be taken seriously as it has far wider implications and should therefore be supported by especially the Ibans. Firstly, we should go further to suggest the creation of a department for community leaders and a special scheme of service complete with salary structure and qualification.

For Tuai Rumah, he must have a diploma of any discipline with a starting salary/allowance of RM1,200 a month; a Penghulu, a Pemanca and a Temenggong should have a degree and should be paid salary/allowance RM1,500, RM1,700 and RM1,800 a month respectively.

They should serve at least six years.

For the Iban community, there are over 7,000 longhouses in the State and this would mean over 7,000 posts of Tuai Rumah and a few thousand posts for Penghulu, Pemanca and Temenggong.

The creation of a department for community leaders will give employment opportunities to our (Iban) graduates since they find themselves unable to compete with Malay or Chinese for government jobs or jobs in the private sector.

While it lessens the unemployment rate among the graduates, it certainly will provide effective services to the people in the longhouses and villages as well as acting as a “bridge” between the people and the government.

Currently, the Tuai Rumah is paid an allowance of RM50.00 from the State Government and RM400 from the Federal Government. Such allowance was introduced in the 2006 State election to induce them to support the BN.

As the appointment of Tuai Rumah is approved by the government, they have often been abused and misused by BN politicians to support the BN.

But with a proper scheme of service, salary, and etc. they are like civil servants and are therefore subject to general orders. In other words, they must remain neutral in politics. And anyone who is active in politics, must resign or has his appointment terminated. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Is it an Iban culture?

Despite Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak trying to promote 1Malaysia, there are certain people trying to practise the famous apartheid policy – segregation of the white and the black.

Let me give one example. On 19 December I was invited to attend a wedding dinner between a sergeant and one of my nieces at a hotel in Kuching. There were two types of tables – some were covered with white table cloth and the rest with red cloth.

I was seated in one of the “white” tables. When alcohol drinks started to flow, only guests at the “red” tables were served with beer and brandy. Several times we made requests for beer to be served at our table, and each time our requests were ignored.

We informed the “aki” (grandfather who is the writer’s uncle) of the bride, yet he could not help. Like other wedding receptions, slices of wedding cakes were distributed to all the guests, and the bride and bridegroom would also go from table to table serving brandy to the guests. We found out only the guests at the “red” tables were served.

One of the guests seated in my table went to the counter to seek inquiries and was told that beer was only to be served to guests seated on the “red” tables. And when he wanted to buy his own beer, only then that the beer was served on our table.

Not that we wanted to drink beer very badly, but the way we were treated, it was most embarrassing and insulting. As one of the guests said: “Rugi aku donate RM100.00”

But the questions I would like to ask is: Are we Ibans becoming class or rank consciousness? Or have we lost our sense of compassion, love and respect for one another? (Baru pangkat Sergeant udah ka rigang-rigang).

And to me what better time than Christmas is for us to show our love, respect and goodwill to one another? - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Emulate the Spirit of Rentap

According to The Eastern Times of 23 December 2009, the Deputy Director of (Administrative and Development and Transformation) of Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), Abdul Rahim Md. Noor urged all civil servants in the State to have the “Rentap Spirit” to bring the nation to greater heights.

He said that Rentap had a special character, who had the spirit and the courage to fight and to defend his people, and was thus worthy of emulation by all civil servants in the state.

“Rentap was willing to sacrifice his own life for the sake of his people. In fact there are many people in Sarawak who have this kind if spirit. The Sarawak Rangers and the Ngap Sayot are a few of the examples. They all have very strong fighting spirit.

“It is time for us to revive this kind of spirit and instill it into our civil service, and if we can do that, I am sure that we will be able to achieve a world class civil service by 2015,” Abdul Rahim said.

The Broken Shield’s comment:

We have now and then been reminded by our leaders to emulate the spirit of Rentap, who was one of Sarawak’s earliest freedom fighters more than 160 years ago against the “evil and cruel” White Rajah and his army.

Despite the odds against him, Rentap had never surrendered and had for a time was able to defend Bukit Sadok, Ulu Layar, Betong Division in battles in 1857 and 1858 and in 1861, he and his army were over run. He retreated to Ulu Wak where he was believed to have died.

Branded as rebel, Rentap was a fearless fighter and fought gallantly defending his territory and his people against the intruders (the White Rajah and his army).

The natives especially the Dayaks should emulate Rentap’s courage and spirit to defend in Rentap’s case his territory against the intruders (the White Rajah) and for us our NCR land against Sarawak’s new Rajah and the intruders (big plantation companies).

Thousands of acres of NCR land are being declared “State land” and then are being leased to big plantation companies. The land owners not only lose their land, their fruit trees and cash crops, but many also have lost their longhouses. But the natives, like Rentap, fight back; some put up blockades against these powerful “new Rajah” and his big plantation companies. And many have landed in jail. And They are the real “Rentaps” .

Our YBs who dare not speak for the people who voted for them against the intruders are not “Rentaps”. They are only the great pretenders. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Christmas and New Year Greetings

Jetty and the administrator of The Broken Shield wish all the readers of The Broken Shield “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.

May the year 2010 bring more joy, wisdom, better health, greater harmony and prosperity to all the readers!

Tajem: Dayaks must support PKR, if they want change

KUCHING - A prominent Dayak leader, Datuk Sri Daniel Tajem, has called on Dayaks not to hesitate, but to give full support to PKR in the coming election.

“My message to the Dayaks is that we must change. What is our direction and what is the methodology by which we must change? It is through PKR,” he stressed.

Tajem who was a guest speaker at the PKR convention last Sunday (13 Dec 09)

He said that unlike their counterparts in the towns who read newspapers and internets and blogs, the rural Dayaks have been fed with propaganda of lies through government Radio day in day out.

“It is propaganda of deceit and fear. If you do not support BN, your children will stop going to school and pensioners have their pensions taken away.

“If you listen to their propaganda, and if you fear them, then we will not change and we will not get justices for all that they have done to us such as taking away our NCR land, oppression and suppression,” he said.

“The very purpose of Keadilan is to get justices for every one. So do not hesitate in supporting it. The next election is the best opportunity for us to see change,” he said.

Although Tajem has not joined PKR as a member, he is an advisor to Sarawak PKR and is often consulted and invited to give his views on matters affecting the Dayaks especially on NCR land.

“Come next election, I will not hesitate to campaign for PKR candidates and tell the people why they must get rid of BN candidates.

“We have suffered under BN especially during Abdul Taib Mahmud’s 27 years of rule not only as chief minister, but also as white hair Rajah of Sarawak,” he said and called on the Dayaks to vote the State BN out, if they really want change to be made in Sarawak.

Days later after Tajem had delivered his speech and had accepted to be an advisor to Sarawak PKR, several Dayak leaders as well as his Chinese and Malay friends in Sarawak and West Malaysia had contacted him.

Even a very senior UMNO man has tried to contact him. - The Broken Shield

Senarai Ahli Jawatankuasa MPN Negeri Sarawak

Penasihat -
- Datuk Hafsah Harun

- Datuk Daniel Tajem

- YB Dominique Ng Kim Ho

Pengerusi Negeri - Baru Bian

Timbalan Pengerusi - Wan Zainal Wan Sanusi

Naib Pengerusi - Dr Michael Teo Yu Kheng, Jimmy Donald & Granda Aing

Setiausaha - Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh

Timbalan Setiausaha - Piee Bin Ling

Bendahari - Wong Huan Yu

Ketua Penerangan - See Chee How

Timbalan Penerangan - Dr Ikwar Bakaruddin

Ketua AMK - Ahmadnazib Johari

Ketua Wanita - Puan Ibi Uding

Pengarah Pilihanraya - Nicholas Bawin Anggat

Pengarah Dasar - Augustine Liom

Pengarah Strategi - Dr Manshor Hossen

Timbalan Pengarah Strategi - Maxlian Gombex

Pictures at the Keadilan Convention:

Dato’ Seri Anwar speaking at the Convention

Delegates at the Convention

A group of native landowners presenting a memorandum to Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

On Dato’ Seri’s left is Datuk Seri Daniel Tajem

Sarawak has a new Rajah

KUCHING – Chairman of Sarawak PKR Baru Bian has claimed that Sarawak is now under a new “Rajah” who has controlled the State for the last 27 years where he gets almost everything from forests, land, government contracts, and prime city land like Batu Lintang area in Kuching city down to the collection of rubbish.

“We are under a new colonialism, far worst than before we joined Malaysia,” he said in a key note address at a one-day PKR convention on Sunday 13 December 2009.

“Because of this new colonialism, we, the sons of the Land of the Hornbills, must work together and dispose this dynasty.

Pointing out that Sarawak has come to a political cross-road, Baru said: “A new hope is dawning in Sarawak.

“Parti Keadilan Rakyat which is under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim is here and it will help us get rid of this new colonialism.

‘Notwithstanding the bleak situation that we Sarawakians are in today, I see hope, new hope rising in the horizon. This hope must be polished and nurtured by all the people of Sarawak.

“It is the hope promised by Pakatan Rakyat, aggressively promoted by PKR, a paradigm shift from inward and selfish attitude of championing a particular race and religion to a focus on the common people cutting racial and religious prejudices to birth a new Malaysia and a Malaysian race where none will be left behind where all shall be treated equal citizen of this beloved country,” Baru said.

He said that he had read the Cobbold Commission Report, which disclosed the findings of the commission on our people before the formation of Malaysia. And one part of that report stated that many of the people were weary and anxious to join the Federation because they feared that the wealth of this State would be siphoned to Kuala Lumpur and we the people of Sarawak be left high and dry.

“Today this is a reality. But the sad fact is this, that not only are we left high and dry by Kuala Lumpur, even our own leaders here in Sarawak have robbed us of the share of our wealth, robbed us of our land, robbed us of our opportunities in business by getting most of the big Government contracts for themselves and their family members,” Baru said.

He said that many people from Sabah and Sarawak saw their status today as no more than “anak angkat” (adopted children) of the federation because of the treatment given to them as compared with other States in the Peninsula.

“At other time we the people of Sabah and Sarawak feel that we are being colonialised,” he said. Forty-six years down the road of independence, he said the people are proud to say that Malaysia is a developing country, a democratic government, a civilized and opened society governed by the rule of law.

“Yet, today in the same breath we use draconian laws like ISA and the like to oppress our citizens, pervert justice and suppress the truth.

“Enforcement Agencies like MACC, the Police and the AG Chambers have lost all credibility because of their apparent unprofessionalism and selective prosecution focused only on the opposition, the weak and the defenseless while the politically linked, rich, powerful and mighty are free to instill fear upon the ordinary people like you and me.

“You are not permitted to speak your mind, to offer your opinion and to reveal the reality of things. So the truth is often times intentionally concealed, hidden and even manipulated by the power that be, to preserve the status quo or prolong the agendas of the corrupt and the unjust,” Baru said.

He explained that one of the reasons why Sarawak and Sabah agreed to the formation of Malaysia was that our people of the eastern States could merge and flow together in the main stream of national development promised by the Federal Government then, with the sincere hope that they and the generations after them could better their lots in every sense of that phrase ‘national development’.

Our forefathers, he said, were promised that they would be elevated to a better life, improved standard of living, better educational opportunities and share equally the riches and wealth of our Nation.

“Today, after 46 years Sarawak joined Malaysia, the dreams of our forefathers to be on equal footing with Malaya, as it were, is far from being a reality.

“The Government builds one of the tallest buildings in the world, yet we are unable to provide homes and basic amenities for the poor and needy among us in particular the rural Dayaks of Sarawak. Studies show that many people in Sarawak in particular the Bumiputras are among the poorest in Malaysia.

“The Government boasts in sending a medical doctor and astronaut flying into space, yet they fail to continue and maintain the Flying Doctors Services to the rural places of Sarawak which has been a source of great relief to many of the frail and the sick deprived of proper medical assistance all their lives, due to greed and business rivalries at the expense of our poor and needy.

“The Government boasts in our national car-making achievements and records, yet many of our rural areas in Sarawak are still inaccessible by proper roads. Don’t talk about manufacturing national cars when the rural poor have yet to see any road to their villages.

“Vast areas of Sarawak after 46 years within Malaysia are still accessible only by the most expensive means of transport, air, the most dangerous, logging roads, the most arduous, rivers and the longest and time consuming, on foot.

“Our priorities are misguided, our focus distorted and our vision blurred; misguided because of insincerity, distorted because of corruption and blurred by material greed.

“We pride in the spirit of Malaysia Boleh, yet often time that spirit is motivated and inspired by racial and religious sentiments not towards a true spirit of 1Malaysia, but leading us down the path of national disintegration, polarization and suspicion. And those who advocate these despicable things are protected and sheltered by the present BN Government,” he said.

Baru went on to say: “The Government boasts in the fact that we are on the road to a developed nation status stirred by a perfect Vision 2020, yet we are blind to the vast majority of us in Sarawak who have lost their only earthly possession, their very source of life, the land, the forests and the environment to rich logging companies, plantation owners and investors, and where poverty rates equal of that many African Nations.

“Where basic amenities are rare commodities and that the very existence of a community is threatened in the name of development,” he lamented. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Bakun power for Sarawak and what does it mean?

It was reported in The Borneo Post of 12 December 09 (Saturday) issue that all power from Bakun hydroelectric dam, will be fully commissioned next year and will be fully operational 2011, will now go to Sarawak in order to serve the State’s own industrial needs.

This is following the agreement given by the Federal Government to the state’s request to have the power from Bakun dedicated entirely for local industries, especially under Sarawak Corridor Renewal Energy (SCORE).

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who revealed this, said the state government was now taking the next step which was to package a deal to ‘lease’ Bakun hydroelectric dam from the federal government.

“The prime minister has agreed with the state government that Bakun will be first used to supply the needs of establishing Sarawak’s heavy industries. All power from Bakun will be now available to us,” Taib said.

Bakun is expected to produce 1,776W of ‘firm’ electricity when fully operational in 2011.

With the announcement, it looks likely that the plan to ‘export’ power from Bakun to the peninsular Malaysia via submarine cables by 2015 will not be implemented as originally scheduled.

According to Taib, more dams will be built after Bakun, and construction work on Murum has started and is expected to be completed in 2013.

“We are doing feasibility studies for dams in Baram and Ulu Baleh. And that it is not the end of the story, because of our high potential to produce up to 28,000MW from the 12 hydroelectric dams planned for Sarawak.

“This is going to be the core of development in Sarawak in the next 20 years. It will give us development that is quite different from the past,” said Taib.


The Broken Shield’s comment:

Firstly, it is understood Peninsular Malaysia does not need power from Bakun as it has an excess supply of electricity supplied to TNB through IPPs (Independent Power Providers).

In fact TNB is paying excess power supply for nothing. But it has to do it as agreement has been signed lasting 60 years. Furthermore, TNB operational costs have soared from RM9 billion in 2008 to around RM12 billion in 2009.

So Peninsular Malaysia does not need electricity from Bakun. Sarawak is therefore forced to take back Bakun hydroelectric dam which is worth more than RM10 billion to build.

By taking over it, it also means that Sarawak and the people of Sarawak have to take over the financial burden and as well as to pay back the costs (over RM10 billion) of the construction to the Federal government, which, I am sure, will be considered as loan.

But having Bakun alone, Taib is not satisfied as he wants to build 12 more dams in the State and the total amount of construction including infrastructures may run to over RM100 billion. Do we really need these dams to produce more than 28,000MW to generate our industries?

All these dams are to supply electricity to SCORE especially to be used by an aluminum smelting plant to be built in the Samalajau area in Bintulu.

For your information, not many countries in the world are keen to have an aluminum smelting plants built in their areas as the plants produce toxic that is harmful to the health of the people.

Anyway, Taib, dissatisfied with the construction of the 12 hydro-dams, is also building a RM800 million coal powered electricity plant in Mukah just because he wants to mine coal from Nanga Merit, Kapit.

And the question that comes to mind is: Who will benefit from all these dams?

The names of CMS, Taib’s family business is expected to provide building materials and the construction of roads; Naim Cendera will do the housing projects, Hock Seng Lee, Sarawak Energy and other crony companies are sure to benefit.

But who will lose and suffer?

Thousands of natives and their longhouses will be displaced, and thousands of their NCR land and their cultural heritage will be submerged and the people’s livelihood will be uprooted.

And for the people of Bintulu and those nearby, they will suffer from toxic coming from this smelting plant.

Reports from Brazil, a leading country in the aluminum smelting, say: “Emissions of dust consisting of clay and bauxite residue saturated with caustic soda (red mud) is the main problem, although emissions to the atmosphere of gases and particles from boilers, calcinations furnaces and bauxite dryers may also important. In aluminum smelting the emissions of fluorides from reduction cells and gases, smoke and steam resulting from pitch distillation are considered most important.

“Finally, in aluminum fabrication, emissions of gases and particles from smelting and re-heating furnaces pose the largest problems.”

The health problems associated with aluminum are cancer, respiratory problems, infertility, bone deformity, teeth decay, Alzheimer’s diseases, and etc.

In anticipating of all these health problems, should not the government build a big hospital in Bintulu fully equipped with cardiac, cancer, eye, nose and throat, dental and Alzheimer’s diseases units?

What do you think? - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Write this, they are Bumis

From The Malaysian Mirror

KUCHING –The Ministry of Higher Education has informed all public universities that the Government has issued an administrative order recognising as “bumiputras” the people of Sabah and Sarawak where either parent is a bumiputra.

In a two-paragraph circular dated on 23 November 2009 distributed to public universities, government agencies and departments, the Ministry said: “For general information, the government has agreed to recognise as ‘bumiputras’ the people of Sabah and Sarawak where either parent is a bumiputra.

“The government has also directed all ministries, departments and government agencies to implement the said decision,” said the Ministry.

The circular clearly mentioned that if one of the parents is a bumiputra and the other is a non-bumiputra, the offspring from the marriage are considered as bumiputras as far as going to higher education is concerned.

It is not clear, however, if such offspring are entitled to privileges and rights of natives as spelt out in 161A (6) (a) of the Federal Constitution which says “in relation to Sarawak who is a citizen and either belongs to one of the races specified in Clause (7) as indigenous to the State or is mixed blood deriving exclusively from those races;”

Clause (7) says “the races to be treated for the purposes of the definition of “native” in Clause (6) as indigenous to Sarawak are the Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans, Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyahs (including Sabups, and Sipengs), Kajangs (including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanaos, Muruts, Penans, Sians, Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits.”

“While we welcome the Government’s decision to accept children whose parents either one is a bumiputra as bumiputras for the purpose of admitting them to education of higher learning, we are still not quite comfortable unless the Article 161A (a) is amended,” said a veteran lawyer whose children come from a mixed marriage.

“Can my children be entitled to privileges and rights as spelt out in Article 153 of the Constitution such as in business, housing, loans, permits, ASB investments, etc?” asked the lawyer who did not want to be identified.

He added: “The reason why we are still not comfortable is because any time the government feels it wants to revoke the order, it can do so.

“I believe it (order) has no legal binding,” he stressed.

The administrative order came in the wake of the criticisms by politicians and public against the decision of the Ministry of Higher Education refusing to accept Marina Undau’s application for matriculation course on ground that she is not a bumiputra even though her father is an Iban. Her mother is a Chinese.

Marina has now been accepted into one of the public universities.

Source: http://www.malaysianmirror.com/homedetail/45-home/22414-write-this-they-are-bumis

NCR Land owners’ biggest dilemma?

PANTU - Tuai Rumah (longhouse headman) Masa and 700 NCR land owners of Kampung Tekuyong, Empaling, Gayau, Isu, Abok and Kerangas have called on Land Development Minister James Masing and chairman of NCR land task force Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang to stop Tetangga Akrab Pelita Pantu selling their NCR land within the company’s plantation.

Tuai Rumah Masa has also lodged a Police report against the sale of their native customary rights land within the plantation belonging to Tetangga Akrab Pelita Pantu at the Pantu Police station on 2 December.

It was reported in the New Straits Times that a plantation group Kim Loong Resources Berhad plans to buy a 60 percent stake in Sarawak’s Tetangga Akrab Pelita (Pantu) to increase its land bank for oil palm plantation.

Some 2.02 million shares of RM1 each in Tetangga Akrab Pelita are being sought, while the remaining of 40 percent owned by Pelita (10 percent) and the rest by NCR land owners through a joint venture scheme.

The agreement is expected to be signed next month.

“Our NCR land is not for sale as it is on which we the natives will survive and work on for our livelihood,” said Tuai Rumah Masa angrily.

“Please help us to stop the sale,” he said, asking Masing, Jabu, William Mawan (Minister of Urbanisation and Social Development) and other Dayak elected representatives to help stop the sale.

“Without your help, we will lose our land to another peninsular company,” he stressed.

It is learnt that as of 31 October 2009, Kim Loong has made advanced payments totaling RM11.43 million for the acquisition of the Tetangga Akrab Pelita plantation.

It is also reported that for the past three years the company had been losing some RM3.151 million due to immature plantations.

The company which has planted about 6,283 ha of land, the bulk of which is native customary rights land, has been given licence to plant oil palm in some 10,471 ha of land held under NCR land in Sungai Tenggang and Bukit Begunan.

Jetty’s comment: Tetangga Akrab cannot sell NCR land. Firstly, the lands are still under dispute and they have filed a legal action against Tetangga Akrab in 2006 for planting oil palm in their land without their permission. The case is pending.

Secondly, any NCR land cannot be sold to non-natives. There is a law in the Land Code preventing the sale to non-natives. (I am not sure of the Section, but I know there is a law. Any non-native who buys NCR land will stand to lose as the purchase will not be approved or recognised by the Lands and Surveys Department. Usually non-natives used the names of natives to purchase NCR land.)

But Taib’s government is smart. First he declares that NCR land is a State land. After that the land is leased to their cronies to develop. These cronies, in the case of Tetangga Akrab will sell it to another company in order make fast money.

Anyway, once the NCR land has been declared State land, it is incumbent on a landowner to prove that the said land is NCR land. His Aki (grandfather), the creator of the rights, has long gone. He cannot defend on any Tuai Rumah and other community leaders to help him provide proof of ownership as they have been warned by Awang Tengah (aka as Awang Tanah), the most powerful second minister of planning and resource management not to endorse any claim of NCR land. Otherwise, they will lose their allowance of RM450.00 a month.

Isn’t this the biggest dilemma faced by NCR land owners nowadays? - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

See related links on this issues >

http://dayaknation.com/blog/?p=3043

http://dayaknation.com/blog/?p=3024

Warrant holders are shivering?

KUCHING – Many warrant holders, the majority of them are district officers and secretaries of councils are now urinating in their pants following revelation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sarawak that 60% of funds were diverted elsewhere.

So are some of the contractors, who conspire with the warrant holders.

That is of course if MACC is serious about the issues of funds being diverted elsewhere.

“Only 40% of the allocations were spent, while 60% are bocor (leaked out),” said Zakaria Jaffar, deputy commissioner (Prevention) of Sarawak MACC last week.

The Julau MP Joseph Salang, months back, had warned the State authorities not to divert federal funds meant for particular areas to elsewhere. “There are reasons why the funds have been allocated for the projects,” he had said.

The Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen had also complained to MACC of federal fund meant for the Bandar Kuching constituency has been diverted to places like Lawas.

According to a former secretary of a council, the warrant holders should know the financial regulations. Even if the Chief Minister wants funds for certain projects diverted to projects in other areas, the warrant holder should seek permission or authority from the one who allocates the fund to divert it elsewhere. Because in the end of the day, you as a warrant holder will be answerable. The politicians will wash their hands.

Cases of funds being diverted are common in Sarawak. For example, the then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim who was minister of finance had allocated RM39 million to tar-seal the Simunjan-Punda Road in 1996. But the fund was hijacked to Kota Samarahan. Only 10 years later the Simunjan-Punda Road was fully tar-sealed.

Another case of fund being hijacked was the fund meant for the construction of a secondary school in Pantu. The fund was diverted to Betong. Until today Pantu does not have any secondary school.

Bayai in Simanggang was also robbed off a technical school when the funds for it were hijacked to Betong.

I receive an interesting email from a reader of The Broken Shield, which reads as follows: -

“A sum of RM12,000 is given to renovate and repair old house to make it better. What I found out the allocation given is nearly RM3,000 only. The rest was alleged to have been swindled by DO in this proportion RM6,000 for the DO, RM6,000 for the contractor.

Most of the houses were only given atap spandek, abestos wall and minor repairs.Whoever tries to report this, they (house owners) were threatened that they will not be given again in future allocation.

A sum of RM40,000 is given to those who don't have a house. What I found out the allocation is only RM21,000 to build a house. Actually, there is a spec to follow but the DO gave directives to follow other drawing which the allocation amounts to RM40,000. I found out that the allocation was distributed among the DO RM9,000, and the contractors RM31,000.

The contractor subcontracts the projects to other contractors at the price of RM21,000. So what we see now is RM21,000 project which is far less than its original spec.

Instead of minimizing the squatters, the DO is trying to invite more squatters. The Land & survey had come to see the DO but the DO refused to cooperate instead called other officers who ‘tak tahu apa apa'.For now, none of the contractor has been given payment. For the first batch of the projects, the projects were following all the spec given under JKR monitoring. The contractor was given based on 'cabut undi'. The projects were inspected by JKR officer. No problem for the 1st project.

For the second batch of the projects which were given without ‘cabut undi’ to mostly 'alibaba contractors' involved (one contractor given 10 projects), the spec is from the DO. The DO ordered the contractors to follow his spec so that they could swindle the money.

For inspection, he ordered other officers from other departments to verify his projects. Most of the time he asked this officer to sign the completion of the project since JKR don't want to be involved in his wrongdoing.The corruption is rampant in this district with no one daring including ACA to probe these matters.”

Jetty heard the district officer has been picked up for investigation by MACC officers coming all the way from KL. - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com