Broken promises, displaced natives, cheating BN

Thirty years on, native victims of the Batang Ai and Bakun dams are still waiting for compensations and lands promised to them in return for their relocation.

KUCHING: Unresolved issues as a result of broken promises made to natives displaced by the Batang Ai and Bakun hydro-electric dams should serve as a “warning” to settlers who are yet to be affected by the construction of dams in Baram and other places in Sarawak.

Despite 30 long years, as in the case of Batang Ai, and 14 years in Bakun’s case, the problems with the settlers have not been resolved.

Said Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian: “I would like to urge our people, especially those who are yet to be affected by the construction of the dams, to bear in mind what have happened to the people who have been displaced by the Batang Ai and Bakun dams.

“As long as they are the same [Barisan Nasional] people at the top, their promises will never be fulfilled.”

Bian was commenting on a news report highlighting unresolved issues and unfilled promises made 14 years ago by the Taib Mahmud government to native settlers in return for their relocating from their ancestral homes. The exercise was to enable the construction of the Bakun Dam.

More than 9,000 people from the Kayan, Kenyah and Penan communities who are now resettled at Sungai Asap are still clamouring for the fulfilment of the promises made in exchange for their submerged longhouses and land.

Five longhouses belonging to the Ukit community are still left stranded in the Ulu Balui. They too have claimed that they have not been compensated for the loss of their longhouses and land.

Their leader, Ngajang Midin, said the government owned him more than RM100,000.

Bian, who is the Ba’Kelalan Assemblyman, said: “The recent events unfolding at Bakun, Bengoh and Baram areas tell a sorry tale about the tragedy brought about by the government’s reckless disregard of the people in its haste to satisfy the greed of certain powerful parties.

“The people of Sungai Asap are still waiting for the promises of the government to be fulfilled 14 years after they were relocated to make way for the Bakun Dam.

“Initially they were promised 15 acres per family, but they were eventually given only three acres.

“They also claim to have been shortchanged on other promises of cash compensation, housing materials and scholarship from the Bakun Trust Fund.

“In the Bengoh area, timber licences were issued for land that was allocated to the people for resettlement, creating great distress and anger to those who had already suffered the trauma of the loss of their land and livelihood,” he said.

‘Lying BN government’

Bian said that as for the Baram dam, although BN politicians had tried to convince the public that the people in the area support the building of the dam, this is far from the truth.

“There have been protests by the people determined not to suffer the same fate as those whose lives were destroyed by the Batang Ai, Bakun and Bengoh dams,” he said, adding that two police reports had been lodged against contractors Sarawak Energy Bhd for trespassing on native customary rights (NCR) land to start works on the Baram dam.

“In my visits to the area, I was told by 40 longhouse representatives that 95% of the people oppose the building of the dam,” he said.

Bian also said the BN government has made numerous other promises which have yet to see the light of day, including hospitals in Limbang and Petra Jaya, which have yet to be built.

“I saw billboards mushrooming everywhere proclaiming ‘janji ditepati’ and these are but another attempt to mislead the people.

“In the face of broken promises and mistreatment of the people by this government, the BN politicians have no qualms about accusing the opposition of being liars and making empty promises to win the hearts of the rakyat.

“I have been told to stay out of Limbang by the incumbent MP as the people would not fall for the opposition’s lies. For me, that’s not for the political leaders like us to decide but the rakyat’s prerogatives.

“Whether we are telling lies or not is for the rakyat to judge. Never underestimate the wisdom of the rakyat,” he said.--- Free Malaysia Today

BEWARE OF BN CHEATING!!

*GE..voting procedure 2012.URGENT! PLEASE READ AND TAKE NOTE!

*PLEASE bring along your own pencil ERASER. It is VITAL that we get this information across to as many people as possible.

*Just take note, people...  Read on. *

*The Voter Agent training recently conducted at the PJ Civic Centre brought to the fore some very critical issues which every voter ought to know. *

*These are as follows:

1.    As soon as you enter the polling station, you will be ushered to Kerani 1, who will check your personal identity against your NRIC. He/she will then read out your name, NRIC number and the Siri/Bilangan number in accordance to the list provided by the Election Commission (SPR).

2.      Once all that is verified, Kerani 1 will pass your NRIC to the next officer, Kerani 2.

3.      Here, Kerani 2 will hand you a ‘Kertas Undi,’ which is identified by its Serial Number. As a voter, please know your rights. You have the constitutional right under our Election Laws to NOT accept the ‘Kertas Undi’ that the officer assigns to you. You CAN and should ask for a different ‘Kertas Undi’ from a different book. To do that, just say to the officer, “Encik (or Cik), saya minta Kertas Undi dari buku lain atau dari bawah.” Translated, that is, “Sir (or Madam), I like to request a different ballot paper from a different book or from below.” This must be done so that the voter CANNOT be identified via the SPR’s master list. It will take just ONE voter to upset the whole sequence**, which will eventually affect the SPR’s master list for that voting centre. The aim of doing this is to SAFEGUARD every voter’s identity. No one has the right to know how you want to vote.

4.      Once your ‘Kertas Undi’ is issued to you, just stand there and do NOT leave immediately. Instead please CHECK BOTH SIDES of the ballot paper in order to ensure that there are NO pencil markings or any other form of suspicious markings on it. If there are, REJECT the ballot paper issued to you and instead request for these markings to be either erased to your satisfaction or for you to be issued with a new ‘Kertas Undi.’ Also do NOT accept any loose-lying ‘Kertas Undi,’ which may have been strewn about because it was rejected by someone else earlier. ALWAYS ask for a fresh ballot paper from the book. An alternative, as suggested by certain other people via email, is to bring along your own eraser so that when you see any pencil marks, you can rub them off completely yourself.

5.      Kerani 2 will then hand the ‘Kertas Undi’ to the next officer, Kerani 3. Kerani 3 carries a seal, which will be used to stamp your ‘Kertas Undi.’ PLEASE watch carefully that the officer stamps your ballot paper FULLY and CLEARLY. After that, see that it is folded into two before the ballot paper is handed over to you.

6.      You can now proceed to the voting booth.

7.      At the booth, please ensure that the ballot paper has only your ONE marking of a single X. If for whatever reason, suspicious or otherwise, you overlooked some pencil marks of numbers or markings on the front or back of the ballot paper (ie other than your own mark), please ERASE those markings completely. REMEMBER, these markings can and will render your ballot spoilt – so be extra cautious. The most careful approach is to check your ‘Kertas Undi’ thoroughly before you accept it from the officer. REMEMBER to check it in front of the relevant officer so that if you have to reject it, he is right in front of you.

8.      Do not be afraid or cower in fear when you have to express your objections because there are representatives from the various participating political parties who will be there to observe the whole voting process and they are there to assist you as and when you need.

As mentioned earlier, it is this kind of information that BN/UMNO does not want others to know. They thrive on public ignorance so that they can do whatever they feel like brazenly.

One way to stop them is to send this information to as many of your friends as possible so that everyone, on voting day, knows exactly what to do, knows his/her constitutional voting rights and is aware of Print this out and keep it safely. When Voting Day finally arrives, it will be handy for you to access and read again.*

What has happened to our BN Dayak leaders?

According to The Borneo Post today (Feb 11),  Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president Maximus Ongkilili disagreed with the state attorney general Roderic Fernandez’s interpretation of native customary right (NCR) land provision in the Sabah Land Ordinance (SLO) that there is ‘no NCR land after 1930’.

Describing it as a wrong interpretation, he said that unlike in Sarawak there is no cut-off point in the context of Sabah.

“If you look at the state land ordinance very closely, it does not say that. I am a not lawyer by training, but I have some basic law training and I think it is a wrong interpretation because the judgment of the High Court of Borneo over the years have recognised the basis of NCR land established in Sabah.

“I think that is sad. That is a dangerous statement,” said Ongkilili, who is a federal minister of science, technology and innovation.

Now what is interesting here is that Ongkilili dares to say something against the attorney general of Sabah and the state government. He dares to say that AG was wrong in his interpretation of the land code in respect of NCR land in Sabah.

In Sarawak, none of the Dayak leaders in state Barisan Nasional dares to say anything against the AG of Sarawak and the Chief Minister for not only wrongly interpreting the Sarawak Land Code in respect of the NCR land, but also for refusing to accept the decision of the Court including the Apex court.

The AG, who is very much anti-Dayaks owing NCR land always argues in the Court that NCR land does not include "Pemakai menua" and "Pulau galau". He just refuses to accept the Apex court decision on this.

In the court one after another of the NCR land cases are won by the native landowners through lawyers like Baru Bian, See Chee How, Paul Raja, John Antau and Harrison Ngau to name of the few brave lawyers.

But where are our Dayak ministers and Dayak elected representatives? Don’t they have any conscience when they know that some of the NCR landowners are their grand-parents, parents, brothers and relatives whose lands have been taken away and given to oil palm and timber companies?

Not only they don’t hear their cries for help, but they are part and parcel of the state government’s tools and mercenaries (or Ghurkha soldiers as Edwin Dundang, former SNAP President described them). (Ghurkha soldiers are employed by some Sultans to protect them from their own people).

I recall in June 2000 sitting of the state legislative assembly during which the state government passed an amendment to the Sarawak Land code in respect of the NCR land.

All Dayak assemblymen supported the amendment which is very damaging to NCR land and which is the roots of today’s problem with NCR land.

One Dayak minister who was overzealous of supporting the amendment described it as ‘a gawai gift for the Dayaks’, while another minister said that the passing of the amendment was “a jewel in the crown of Barisan Nasional".

“In that sense, they are the ones who are mercenaries used by others to kill our own people,” said Baru Bian, Sarawak PKR chief.

Sarawakians, seize the moment!

In a clarion call, Martin Jalleh urges Sarawakians to save their state. By their self-determination, Sarawakians should show BN leaders and their political representatives that they cannot be bought over or bullied.

Sarawakians, you stand at the threshold of a great deciding and defining moment of change. You can either decisively help shape the future of your state or let it slide and sink like a tragic struggling shipwreck.

Sarawakians, may you be steadfast in this challenging hour! Sadly, after three decades, you are one of the poorest “richest” States in Bolehland and many in the land of the Hornbill are languishing in poverty

“Sack” those who for the past 30 years have betrayed Sarawak by bleeding the state dry, siphoning and stashing their ill-gotten gains overseas and building a scandalous empire there.

Stop the scoundrels and self-serving sycophants who suck up to the powers-that-be to satisfy their insatiable greed, whilst marginalized indigenous Sarawakians suffer indescribably and struggle to eke out a living!

Ship out those who have repeatedly and rampantly robbed her people of their rights, ransacked the state’s coffers, ravished her natural resources and remained silent as the children of her natives are raped!

Stand firm against the local colonialist master who has through the last 30 years of larceny surreptitiously sequestered more than 1.5 million hectares of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land for his family members!

Send into political oblivion the spent white-haired chief (whose political shelf life has long expired) and other senior ministers of suspect character, soiled reputations, who readily sell their souls to remain in power.

Shame the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for its deafening silence over the mounting and meticulous evidence on corruption by the Sarawak state government as revealed in Sarawak Report.

Say “NO MORE!” to being sidelined and side-stepped by the Executive in Putrajaya and being treated like a stepchild. Say “NO MORE!” to being deceived, denied and deprived of what is rightfully yours.

Shout aloud “ENOUGH!” to being suckered, spat at and stepped on by the BN government and spineless Sarawak BN MPs who in Parliament have sacrificed your rights at the altar of political expediency!

Shun the short-term and sudden seductions of the “Santa Claus” PM whose political acumen has sunk so very low as seen in his vote buying and his desperate attempts to destroy his opponents with sex and slime.

Spurn the shallow, hollow bellow of the small-minded Deputy PM who never fails to spew out senseless speeches, silly scare tactics, sabre-rattling tricks and sinister theatrics.

Stomach no more the shocking, scandalous and shambolic state of affairs concerning education and health, which were ironically highlighted by the sudden and recent allocations made by the PM and DPM!

Send the PM and deputy PM who are bankrupt of ideas and who have come to bribe you with the rakyat’s money, back to Semenanjung without their “Fixed Deposit” – as Umno continues to be their “Fixed Deficit!!

Stir and summon the indomitable spirit of people power to take on the insurmountable odds and to overcome the BN’s offering of blood sacrifices and invoking of evil spirits to cast spells and curses on the opposition.

Save your state, Sarawakians! By your self-determination, show the shameless leaders of the BN and their supercilious political representatives that you cannot to be bought over or bullied!

Sarawakians, by your solidarity, save the country! Strike at the very roots that have caused Bolehland to degenerate into a “sick country” and a “sham democracy” (Tengku Razaleigh)! Reject BN at the elections!

Dayak leaders are ‘blind, deaf and dumb’

(The story was first published in Free Malaysia Today)

KUCHING: The current Dayak elected representatives have eaten “taju remaung” (forbidden fruit) so much so that they are suffering from “blind, deaf and dumb” syndromes when issues involving the Dayak community are raised, said Dr. John Brian, a well-known Dayak Baru blogger.

“For example, they are just blind, deaf and dumb on native customary rights (NCR) landsthat are forcibly taken away from the native owners and given to the cronies and companies linked to the powers that be.

“They don’t hear their cries of help,” Brian told residents of longhouse at Nanga Bidat, Julau.

“We have never heard them talking and protecting about hundreds of thousands of Dayak land that have been submerged by Bakun and Batang Ai dams,” he said.

“They have never protested when the government changed the Land code so that it is easier for the government to take away NCR land. Have they?” he asked.

He said: “What I heard of (Deputy Chief Minister) Alfred Jabu talkingis about developing your land by Sarawak Land Custody and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra). He asks you to give your land to Salcra to develop so that you can become millionaires.

“Don’t trust Jabu, because I have not seen anyone from his own Layar constituency becoming a millionaire for taking part in Salcra. They have been with Salcra for more than 20 to 30 years.

“If the Dayaks in Betong defend only on Salcra for a living, they would be classified as hardcore poor when their monthly dividends are between RM200 and RM300 per month,” he said.

“Fortunately, they have other sources of income to rely on,” he explained.

Brian, who has been very vocal lately in Meluan, is expected to contest the seat on a Pakatan Rakyat ticket. The incumbent rep is Wong Judat of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party.

The Dayak leaders should think of ways how to improve the people’s health, economic well-being and their livelihood by setting up clinics, rubber and cocoa factories, introduce small holdings for oil palm, pepper and rubber rather than distributing minor rural development projects worth from RM3, 000 to RM5, 000, he said.

Such projects need not involve elected representatives to distribute, he said, pointing out that these projects are not development per se.

He noticed that the majority of longhouses in the constituency lack treated water supply and 24-hour electricity as compared to some of villages in the coastal areas.

“Go to the coastal villages in SCORE. Even farm houses are given electricity,” he said, pointing out that development is not equally distributed in the state.

As a result of lack of economic activities in the State, many of the Dayaks have left for Peninsular Malaysia and overseas to seek employment, he said.

On education, Brian said: “Chinese, Malays and Indians have their own respective universities, but where is a Dayak university? And where is an Iban school?”

“None, but why our Dayak leaders are not asking for them, this is because theyhave eaten the ‘forbidden fruit’ fed by their political masters. They have become blind, deaf and dumb,” he stressed.

Brian said: “You have been voting for Barisan Nasional for 46 years,and what you get in return are only threats. They warn you that if you vote for the opposition, then your children cannot go to schools, because these schools are owned by the Barisan Nasional.

“You will not be given development projects if you go against government.

“How come you are against government? Have you rebelled against government? Have you taken armed like communist terrorist against the government? Of course it is a big NO.

“So you are not against government. What you are against is a Barisan Nasional government.

“However, if you still like them, then you vote for them during election times, and if you don’t like them, vote them out. Don’t be afraid to vote for Pakatan Rakyat for a change in the coming election,” he said.

“Why should you be afraid of the BN leaders?All these are mere scare tactics to frighten all of you,” he said, adding that the BN leaders are scared that the next government could be the Pakatan Rakyat government.

“Give Pakatan Rakyat comprising Parti Keadilan, DAP, PAS and Sarawak National Party a chance to prove their capability to form the next government,” he added.

TALKING IS CHEAP AMONG BN YBs

Mawan says, don’t politicize the miseries and development of the Dayak.

No wonder why the Dayaks have been left far behind in terms of Development because of Dayak YBs are not supposed to speak for the people.

NOW ALL YOU DAYAKS- HEAR YOU – DO NOT VOTE FOR BN YBs BECAUSE THEY ARE PAID SALARIES NOT TO SPEAK FOR YOU AND ME.

Mawan says PR is outsider.

Mawan says the Pakatan Rakyat – comprising of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, DAP, PAS and SNAP is outsider. Whatever does he mean by that is sheer ignorance. Is not BN comprising of UMNO, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PBB, SPDP, PRS and SUPP is also not outsider.

BN’s big brother-bully is UMNO is from West Malaysia. So are the other 3 big brothers – MCA, MIC and Gerakan. Whatever happens in Sarawak is based on what is decided by UMNO. This is worst than his accusation of PR. PR promises to fight for the people, but Mawan, what does he fight for; definitely not the people.

He said the people’s problem and lack of development cannot be politicised – cannot be highlighted – then why is he a politician? A politician’s duty is to bring up the people’s problem.

HEAR YE ALL DAYAKS: Vote Out Mawan and all dayak BN YBs for not working for the Dayaks.

Latest Today Beras Corporation Sdn Bhd CEO- Kamaludin wants to re-brand Bario rice.

Is BN govt not satisfied enough when stealing from the people. Some years ago, Dayak Leaders have been fighting to delete the word ’Dayak’ from the Interpretation Ordinance which they succeeded in doing. Now there is no word called ‘Dayak’ in the Interpretation Ordinance. The deletion of the word Dayak from the Interpretation Ordinance had effectively removed anyone who calls himself a Dayak from being a native of Sarawak [as far as Sarawak is concerned].

But today, the importance of the word ‘Dayak’ is the pride of the native of Sarawak. Sabah natives comprising of Kadazan, Dusun, Murut can find affiliation with the Sarawak natives under the common umbrella of being Dayaks.

In Kalimantan there are more than 10 millions of natives from various ethnic who pride themselves as Dayak. Where are now the Dayak YBs who advocated for the deletion of the Dayak from the State laws. They say that Dayak means, outdated, poor, uneducated and derogatory. Who is responsible for these? It is them. They did not work hard enough to uplift the living of the Dayaks. Changing the name Dayak does not make us rich. At the end they have to wag their tails in between their legs.

Also a few years ago, some Orang Ulu leaders bloated with egos planned and acted to replace the identity of the Orang Ulu with some dubious terms called "Lun Daya". They shot themselves in the foot. The whole community came out and reprimanded them, and now Orang Ulu is still the recognized and accepted identity of we minor tribes from the deep interior. It doesn’t degrade us one bit as supposed by the kinky minded orang ulu stooges.

Now back to this rebranding of the Bario rice to Bario O’ Grain. Where did you come from and tell us what is the name of our properties. Did you know that you are insulting the intelligence of our Kelabit ancestors? Did you ask for our consent to re-brand a Kelabit word? Did you know that the United Nation is working to protect native intellectual properties? [and Bario rice is a Kelabit intellectual property; and by re-branding it will deprive us of its ownership and that is stealing of a Kelabit property?] You can even be sued in the court for stealing of intellectual property.

By proposing a new name for Bario rice, you are telling me and all the Kelabits that our ancestors were not smart enough in naming our rice. But if that is so, why do you come and try to own the rice which is the property of the Kelabits from time immemorial. Is that not part of the 1Malaysia scheme of taking away people’s rights and properties to be given to the elite few. Did you tell the Kelabit people that their rights in the Bario rice will taken away from them when it is re-named to Bario O’ Grain?

ALL RESPONSIBLE KELABITS MUST OPPOSED ANY ATTEMPTS TO RE-BRAND BARIO RICE.

DOWN WITH BN AND LONG LIVE PAKATAN RAKYAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OVERCOMER.

~PAUL RAJA~

Snowdan to Ibans: don’t abandon BN

KUCHING: The Iban community should not and could not afford to abandon the State Barisan Nasional in the coming state election otherwise they will suffer and be left behind in various fields of endeavour.

The terse warning came from the state assemblyman for Balai Ringin Snowdan Lawan at a dinner organised by the Siol Kandis branch of Sarawak Dayak National Union last night.

“We will suffer if we abandon the State Barisan Nasional. This is because the state Barisan has been in Sarawak for nearly 50 years and has good track records.

“To me the state BN government is just like a university. It is just like Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard universities, and the older they are the more prestigious and famous they become.

“So is the State Barisan Nasional which is not only well known, famous and prestigious, but it has also a good track records in terms of developing the state,” he said, urging them not to listen to certain quarters which wanted to introduce new ideas and bring changes to the state.

Snowdan’s remarks were an obvious response to the recent call made by Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Baru Bian, for a change in the government in the state.

Bian had said that their forefathers had agreed to join Sabah, Singapore and Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia because they had high hopes that Sarawak would one day enjoy greater economic development, prosperity and security.

“But for 47 years under the Barisan Nasional, their dreams and visions had not been achieved. This was because Sarawak was neglected by the Barisan Nasional.

“We must therefore change the current leadership and replace it with the Pakatan Rakyat government,” Bian had said.

Snowdan, who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s deputy secretary general said: “It will be a fatal mistake, if you support the opposition; it is just like building a new university which records are uncertain and it will take at least 50 years to achieve the desired results.

“What we should do is for us to replace the lecturers if they are not good rather than getting rid of the university and build a new one.

“So I appeal to you not to change the State BN government and opt for the inexperienced Opposition or we will suffer in the next 50 years,” he stressed.

The opposition could only promise new ideas and changes, but the Ibans had to be wary of their sweet talks, he added.- The Broken Shield

Dayaks do not trust BN over NCR land?

KUCHING: In the coming state election, issues regarding native customary rights land are certain to be exploited by both the Opposition and Barisan Nasional parties.

Already the government has taken the initial step in order to gain advantage of the situation when Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced an allocation of RM20 million to carry out as a “first step” to do perimeter survey of some 1.5 million hectares of NCR land in the state. Starting from the end of the year, it is an obvious part of the government’s strategy in order to minimize its exploitation by the Opposition.

The Opposition Pakatan Rakyat is aware of the government’s strategy in trying to win back the hearts and minds of the people especially the natives who own the NCR land. But the natives are no longer fool as the problems have been there for about three decades. Nor do they believe what the BN leaders have promised them any more.

Now they start to ask questions and want to know more about the government’s plan. For example, what exactly does Najib mean by "as a first step to do perimeter survey of NCR land"? Does he mean the communal land boundary, that is, what the Ibans described as the "antara" or "garis menoa" (communal land boundary) of a longhouse or between the longhouses?

“If that is the case, it includes the longhouse area, their burial ground, tembawai (old longhouse sites), temuda and kebun (farming) areas and the pulau (communal forests) areas as well.

“That is what the courts have decided on the extent or boundary of the NCR land of the longhouse and that is also what we have asked to be gazetted all along,” said NCR land lawyer Harrison Ngau.

For the Baram district, there are two books called, "Register of Land Boundaries" kept at the District Office at Marudi which recorded in sketch maps or descriptions the communal land boundaries between the longhouses in Baram which records started during the time of the Brookes and British Colonial Administrations in Sarawak.

“I have filed in court for a copy of the Registers in one of my cases, but the trial of that case has not started. The Sarawak Government argues that the recording of the land boundaries in the Register is only an administrative act which does not have any legal force or is not evidence of the Government accepting, recognising or granting NCR over the lands within the land boundaries recorded.

”The Registers have to be read together with the Secretariat Circular No. 12 of 1939 issued by the then Chief Secretary to the Rajah which, inter alia, directed that Village Council has to be established in the villages or longhouses to assist the Ketua Kampung to administer the village or longhouse and to determine or fix, record and report the communal land boundary of the longhouse to the District Office.

In the Suai, Niah and Sibuti areas, there is a map or plan in the Land and Survey Department in Miri called "Composite Plan Showing Distribution of Native Farming Land in Suai Niah and Sibuti" which records the communal land boundaries of the longhouses in the said areas and which records was compiled by the District Office Miri and Niah also during the Brookes and British Administrations. I have a copy of the map/plan and am using it in my cases now pending trial.

”I have also seen similar records of communal land boundaries shown to me by one or two longhouses in Sebauh, Bintulu which they said they obtained from the Sub-District Office in Sebauh.

”Thus, if Najib and the Sarawak Government are really serious and sincere in surveying and gazetting the perimeter of NCR lands, they, in my view should refer to and gazette the communal land boundaries based on these records of communal land boundaries. In cases where the communal land boundaries have not been recorded, then survey and gazette the communal land boundaries which have existed or been established between the longhouses. The survey should be jointly carried out by the Land and Survey Dept and the longhouse residents,” Harrison said.

But if Najib and the Sarawak Government only survey and gazette perimeter of temuda areas, that is, temuda based on aerial photos taken after 1.1.1958 (that is based on government legal counsel, J.C. Fong's interpretation of what is NCR), their proposal will not resolve the NCR problem and that would be contrary to what the courts have decided and it is also not what we wanted or have asked them to do.

In any case, will Najib and the Sarawak Government dare to revoke or withdraw logging licences, Licences For Planted Forests and leases over NCR lands issued to big companies for oil palm plantations which were all signed, approved or issued by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and Awang Tengah both as First and Second Ministers of Planning and Resource Management respectively?

This will be the RM100 million question!

Awang Tengah in his statement in the last few days has also stated that the Land and Survey will first determine the boundary between NCR land and State land. Only then will the perimeter survey of NCR land as announced by Najib be surveyed on the ground.

This shows that the Land and Survey which will determine where is the boundary between NCR land and State land, not the people of the longhouses. Will the Land and Survey determine the boundary based on the decisions of the courts which uphold “antara or garis menoa or sempadan” (communal land boundary) as the extent or boundary of NCR lands?

Most likely not as the Land and Survey keeps on telling people, government officials and the community leaders in their seminars that NCR land is restricted to temuda only. This is contrary to the decisions of the courts and the sempadan of our longhouses made or recorded by the Brookes and the British Administrations before.

On the survey and issuance of individual titles over NCR lands within the communal land boundary of the longhouse, it is just the next process to be done after surveying and gazetting the communal land boundary (the 1st step).

As the NCR issue is a very important issue for all the natives, they should continue to press this issue ahead. The BN now feels their support from the natives may start disintegrating or declining as a result of the NCR issue. That is why they have to say and try to be seen doing something on this now all because of the coming Sarawak State election.

The fact that they said the mechanism to set up the survey etc will start at the end of this year is fishy because by then the State election may be over and if they win again there is no guarantee they will honour what they have promised as what we all have bitterly learnt many times before.

In the last few weeks, the BN elected representatives have signed and sent letters to the Land and Survey Department in support of the longhouse folks in their NCR claims against the companies whereby they asked the lands claimed by the longhouse folks be excluded from the leases issued to the companies.

Some of these letters were produced by the longhouse folks in the courts but the courts have said the letters are useless as the Government or Land and Survey Dept have not agreed or accepted what the BN elected representatives have said or proposed in the letters.

So these BN elected representatives just do anything in order to be seen doing something to get votes from the longhouse folks as the election is coming soon. As BN elected representatives, they should get Taib and Awang Tengah their own bosses and who are the Ministers who signed or approved the leases to the companies to revoke these leases or exclude the NCR lands of the longhouse folks from the leases.

But they do not do it because they are afraid of Taib and the big companies. Anyway, it is public knowledge that the big companies who give election funds to Najib, Taib and the BN during the elections. So will they dare to act against the interests of these big companies? – The Broken Shield

Election: Watch out for Taib’s beard

By Joseph Tawie

(This story was first published by Free Malaysia Today and is updated, rewritten and published for the readers of The Broken Shield).

KUCHING – As election is approaching, Sarawakians start talking – talking not about the date of election, but about Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s beard. As usual the date of Sarawak election is being determined by the length of Taib’s beard after he has started sporting it. Once it reaches a certain length, he will then be looking for “ilham” or inspiration.

Even though the election is about 13 months away, Sarawakians are watching the growth of his beard whenever he passes by or whenever his pictures appear in the Press.

All parties in the State Barisan Nasional or in the Pakatan Rakyat are making their election preparations because they do not know how fast is his beard is growing or when Taib will have the inspiration; nor do they want to be caught with their pants down.

Party leaders from both sides of the divide have started to criss-cross the length and breadth of the State, busily organising various functions. For the Barisan, its State representatives have started to announce funds for various development projects and to distribute funds for the village and longhouse development and security committees’ ‘gotong royong’ projects.

As if not to be left behind, the election commission has also identified election personnel and has started to train them to carry out election duties.

While watching the growth of Taib’s beard, and with all these intensified activities, many are predicting the election is to be held some time towards the end of the year; some even suggest it is going to be September or October. There are others who say the election will be held in March or April next year.

According to hotel sources: “Many of the star hotels in Kuching have been fully booked around October apparently for officials of the election commission and for federal ministers who will be coming in droves to assist in the campaigns.”

A political secretary to the Chief Minister, who refused to be identified said that the government’s five-year 10 MP (10 Malaysia Plan) starts in July this year during which time massive development funds will be dished out throughout the nation with special attention to Sarawak’s Corridor of Renewal Energy (SCORE).

Tenders for mega projects such as the Bakun Road to the proposed Murum Dam, the Bintulu/Tunoh/Baleh/Kotai road and Kapit/Song/Sibu road will be out soon. The three trunk roads are expected to cost close to RM2 billion.

There are also several major projects which are to be implemented under 10MP in other parts of Sarawak, for which funds amounting to RM3.4 billion had been announced by the Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal.

Every BN Member of Parliament is being given an extra RM500,000 this year making a total of RM1.5 million and this sum will be distributed to the state constituencies which are under the parliamentary constituency.

The State Barisan Headquarters has reminded the four component parties – Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) - to get their machinery ready.

“These are not only the tell-tale signs that the election is indeed around the corner, but also an overall effort of the State Barisan to ensure the voters do not run away from them” said a veteran politician who is very close to the Chief Minister.

Little doubt BN is expected to win the state election. “But we cannot be complacent. We need to work harder to ensure we will win the election in a big way,” said Shafie Apdal when he visited Sarawak recently.

His fears are understandable after he had heard briefing on the state of affairs regarding the persistent problems affecting political parties in the State and they have been told to make their houses in order and stop infighting.

While PBB and PRS are almost free from any internal problem, SPDP and SUPP have some “inside” problems that may undermine their performances in the coming election.

The problem in SPDP is more about clash of personality, policy implementation and broken promises. Grumbles and grouses have been heard as early as March last year when certain leaders wanted to extend SPDP’s wings to West Malaysia, but stringently opposed by another group which wanted to ensure that the party’s grip on the local scene be strengthened.

“Why should we go to West Malaysia when we are weak in the State?” asked Sylvester Enteri who was then the secretary general.

Another important factor that led to the squabbles in the party was the rumoured intention of the party’s deputy president Peter Nyarok who wanted to relinquish his post to pave the way for Tiong King Sing, treasurer general to take over at the party’s triennial general assembly in December last year.

At least half of the party’s supreme council members did not wish Tiong to be the deputy president, so they came up with another list to challenge President William Mawan and those in the president’s list.

However in order to avoid being challenged, Mawan called for status quo. They all agreed and Enteri was to remain as secretary general. But after the party election was over, Enteri was sacked as secretary general. This triggered the walk-out by four State assemblymen including Enteri and one MP from the party’s supreme council meeting.

Until now they refuse any reconciliation; in fact they do not want to come back as long as Mawan, Nyarok and Tiong are still with the party. That is a very tall order. Now they want to be merged with another BN party, PRS.

Whatever and however you look into the SPDP problems, they are bound to have some multiple effects on the coming election.

For SUPP, it has been bogged down by a power struggle and jealousy within the party. The “Dudong branch” issue for example has been a thorn in its flesh for the past three years without any sign of it being solved. In fact it has gotten from bad to worse.

While one section of the party wanted to form the branch, another group opposed it. When SUPP president George Chan failed to solve it, some 28 branches of the party have asked for extra ordinary meeting to help solve the problem, but their request has been turned down, setting a major clash between supporters of Wong Soon Koh, State Assemblyman for Bawang Assan and Soon Choon Teck, State Assemblyman for Dudong.

Both of them have been in the centre of the crisis with neither one is prepared to give way, resulting in the problem being dragged on and on affecting not only SUPP branches and members in Sibu, but also State wide. As a result of the infighting, SUPP lost the Sibu parliamentary constituency in the May 16 by-election.

The effect of this divide may result in State seats in the midst and lower Rajang basin in jeopardy. Seats like Repok, Dudong, Pelawan and Bawang Assan are sure to face an uphill battle in the coming election if the previous election results have any indication. SUPP has already lost Meradong and Bukit Assek to DAP in the last election.

Elsewhere, SUPP also lost Kidurong, Batu Lintang, Kota Santosa, Padungan, Pending and Engkilili.

These are the problems that Taib has been pondering while waiting for his beard to grow or while waiting for an inspiration to come. Nevertheless, election must be held in June 2011 whether the beard has grown or whether an inspiration will come or not.

Help us to catch the biggest crocodile

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng called on the people of Sibu to vote for Wong Ho Leng so that their voice will be heard in Parliament.

“Once elected, Wong will not be like any other BN Members of Parliament, who are scared of their UMNO masters. In Sarawak, he will not be scared of Abdul Taib Mahmud.

“Look at all SUPP MPs and DUN members, they are all scared of Taib Mahmud,” said Lim who is DAP secretary general in a political rally in Sibu last night (13 May).

Lim also told the voters that Sarawak is the richest State in the country, and one third of the Malaysia’s incomes come from Sarawak’s oil and gas.

Sarawak is also rich in timber and has plenty of land, and yet the people of this State especially the Ibans are the poorest in the country.

“Why are the people are poor, because there are many big crocodiles in Sarawak?

“Please help us to catch the biggest crocodile in the State by voting Wong Ho Leng into Parliament,” he said. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

‘Buy-election’ people first, after ‘buy-election’ people last?

Before and after the nomination day (8 May), the Sibu by-election has been turned into a ‘Sibu buy-election” when practically all federal ministers starting from Prime Minister Najib, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to ministers and to deputy ministers have come down to Sibu to show that they really care for the people of Sibu. State ministers including Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud have been overshadowed by their visits and their activities.

The Federal Minister of Agriculture talks of improving agriculture, Higher Education minister talks about higher education, rural development minister on rural development, minister of transport talks on airport extension programme, minister of health talks about upgrading Sibu Hospital to become tertiary and excellent centre, minister of youth and sports talks about talks about increasing sports faculties in Sibu, and so on and so forth. Some stay put from the nomination day until polling day. Prime Minister Najib and his deputy Muhyiddin visit Sibu twice in the eight-day of campaign.

These ministers, when they come to Sibu, bring with them some “goodies” such as fertilizers which are to be distributed to the poor farmers and promises of financial allocations for infrastructural development, schools, surau, masjid, repairs to longhouses, flood mitigations projects, and etc, etc.

The ministers’ favourite place is the central market where there are Iban, Chinese and Malay vegetable vendors, traders and small-time businessmen. They shake hands with the vegetable sellers. Some are trying to hold chickens wrapped in newspapers so that photographers will take pictures of them – just to show they are with the chicken sellers.

From all these programmes of activities, it seems that the ministers really treat people first performance now.

After the ‘buy-election’ they all disappear and the “buy-election” will become “bye-bye-election”. Promises forgotten and financial allocations never come. Suddenly the people become last, performance later – waiting perhaps for the next general election.

The Batang Ai ‘buy-election’ in April last year is a good example when people suddenly become last and performance never performed. During the campaign the people were first, performance now.

Now one year one month has gone and the promises left forgotten and unfulfilled. For example, the promise of tar-sealing roads in and around SALCRA plantations has not been fulfilled. The road to Ensawang village for example has not been tar-sealed until today. Roofing materials and the supply of clean water promised to this longhouse have never arrived. There are hundreds of longhouses have been cheated this way. Go to Batang Ai and ask the people there to prove my point.

What about the proposed road between Lemanak and Engkari which were supposed to cost more than RM70 million? And what about telecom towers? Even the promise of RM500 to each voter, if the BN candidate won, has not been received by them.

I understand the majority of the 110 longhouses in the Sibu parliamentary constituency is no different from other longhouses elsewhere – no piped water and supply of 24 electricity even though the main electrical wires pass over some of the longhouses.

For Sibu voters, especially the Iban voters, think first before you cast your votes. – The Broken Shield

Source: http://www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com/

Anwar’s message to Iban voters

SIBU: Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat Opposition leader, today reminded the Ibans that they will continue to lose their native customary rights (NCR) land if they continue to support the Barisan Nasional government.

“Many of you have already lost your land and will continue to lose your land if you continue to support the Barisan Government,” he said at Rumah Baseh’s 28-door longhouse, Bawang Assan.

“There are hundreds of court cases of NCR land being brought by the Ibans against the BN government as a result of their land being taken away and given to companies and their cronies,” he said.

“Don’t vote for the BN-SUPP candidate because SUPP is part and parcel of the State Government that has caused a lot of troubles to the Ibans.

“If you vote for the BN-SUPP candidate, you are courting trouble. Your rights over land have been taken away and forests around you have been cleared in order to make the BN leaders and their cronies richer,” Anwar stressed.

Anwar who was accompanied by the Pakatan-DAP candidate Richard Wong Ho Leng, told the Ibans to put a stop to this discriminatory policy of land grabbing.

He told them that it was important for them to vote for the Pakatan-DAP candidate, Richard Wong in order to send a strong message to the state government.

“Help us to help you protect your land,” he added.

“We must change this government and change must begin from this by-election,” Anwar said and assured the Ibans that under Pakatan government they would be treated fairly and their land would be protected.

The Pakatan government would not be corrupted like the BN government, he said.

Anwar arrived in Sibu on Saturday to help campaign for the Pakatan-DAP candidate in the by-election.

Iban voters who form about 20% of the 54,695 voters in the Sibu parliamentary constituency are regarded as “king maker” in the by-election scheduled for 16 May.

The by-election which was necessitated by the death of the MP for Sibu Robert Lau Hoi Chew on 9 April will see a three-cornered fight between Pakatan-DAP candidate, BN-SUPP Robert Lau Hui Jew and an independent, Narawi Haron.

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

THE FIGHT FOR THE SIBU VOTERS

(This story was first published by The Malaysian Mirror and is reproduced for the readers of The Broken Shield)

By Joseph Tawie
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SIBU – The fight for the control of Bandar Sibu between Sarawak DAP chairman Richard Wong Ho Leng and a new comer Robert Lau Hui Yew of SUPP in the forth- coming by-election scheduled for 16 May is expected to generate not only great interest among the public, but one that has many political implications.

Too much is stake for both sides of the political divide. If DAP is to win it, it will mean SUPP is going to suffer in the coming State election. Likewise, if SUPP is to win it, it will mean, the road to Putrajaya will be closed.

“If we win this by-election, it is the signal that we are marching towards Putrajaya,” DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang declared over a dinner in Sibu. He knows that the next target is the other 30 parliamentary seats.

Currently the Opposition has one seat – the Bandar Kuching seat – to its credit.

Sarawak which has 31 MPs is being considered the “fixed deposit” of the Barisan Nasional.

The by-election has been called following the death of the MP for Sibu and deputy minister of transport Robert Lau Hoi Chew on 9 April.

Nomination day has been set for 8 May.

After the Hulu Selangor by-election, all the nation’s eyes are now focused on the Sibu by-election as to which party has the support of 54,695 voters, 66% of this total are Chinese voters. The rest are Malay/Melanau voters forming about 17%, followed by Ibans 15% and the rest are Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and Indian voters.

There are 2,537 postal voters.

Despite Robert Lau junior being a “greenhorn”, the Barisan Nasional-SUPP is confident that he will retain the seat for the Barisan Nasional.

“The Prime Minister is impressed with his credentials,” said Sarawak Barisan chairman and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud when announcing the candidacy of Robert Lau who is a lawyer and a Sibu councillor.

Some consider the by-election is even more interesting as it is held immediately on the heel of the recently concluded Hulu Selangor by-election in which the Barisan Nasional has reclaimed the seat even though it lost Chinese votes heavily to Pakatan.

“That is the reason why the by-election has generated so much interest among the politically conscious people, because they are interested to know how the Chinese in Sibu will vote. Will they vote for SUPP or DAP?” asked a political observer.

And according to the voting trend in the 2008 parliamentary election, only about 40% to 45% of the Chinese voted for SUPP’s Robert Lau. Lau’s victory was due to votes coming from Iban, Malay/Melanau and postal votes.

Had it not been for these votes, the result of the last election in this constituency might have gone to Wong Ho Leng of DAP who secured 15,903 as against 19,138 obtained by the late Lau – a majority of 3,235 votes.

Few factors which are going to influence the general voting pattern of the Chinese in the country are UMNO’s support for the “ultra” Perkasa whose aim is to protect Malay rights allegedly threatened by Chinese and others. The other is Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s declaration that he is Malay first and Malaysian second. As such Prime Minister Najib’s 1Malaysia concept appears to be hollow.

These are some of the factors that have hardened some Chinese to be “anti” Barisan Nasional and this “anti” feeling was clearly displayed in the Hulu Selangor by-election. This feeling may spread to the Sibu by-election and have some adverse implications against the SUPP candidate.

“This is the reason that makes the Sibu by-election not only interesting, but a very important one as it will determine the degree of support of the Chinese for the Barisan Nasional particularly SUPP,” said a veteran politician.

He said: “SUPP needs to know this so that it can plan its election preparations accordingly for the coming state election that may be called any time now so that it can recapture the eight seats it lost in the last election.”

But on the other hand, SUPP has the advantage of huge financial resources and the whole government machinery behind it.

The announcement last week in Sibu by Deputy Prime Minister of RM200 million is considered to be the first “down payment” to end the perennial flooding that has caused hardship and damage to properties.

Another RM2 million has also been allocated to five Chinese and mission schools after years of complaints.

More “goodies” from the Barisan Nasional are expected to be dished out in the days leading to the by-election. And with such “goodies” how can the BN lose in the Sibu by-election? Such “goodies” if they did miracle in the Hulu Selangor by-election, surely will do the same in Sibu.

From past experiences, Chinese are not easily attracted to such “goodies”. Such being the case, it is obvious, however, that SUPP cannot depend on Chinese votes alone. That will be disastrous. So the most important thing is for the party to go all out not only to maintain the votes coming from the Iban, Malay and Melanau communities, but to increase the votes manifold.

Needless to say, SUPP will have to work very hard, leaving no stone unturned to ensure its victory. Even though losing and winning the by-election does not change anything, SUPP, however, regards it as the most important barometer to gauge how much support SUPP has from the Chinese especially after they revolted against the party in the 2006 State election.

“We have to work very, very hard to win this by-election. The victory here is particularly very important for us and I believe Robert Lau Hui Yew, being young, can give us that victory badly needed to present a new image for the party in our election preparations,” said SUPP president George Chan at a recent press conference.

“I do not know what issues they (Opposition) can raise; to me, there are no more issues, but I do know that the Opposition is capable of manufacturing issues,” said Chan.

“But this time around I am confident with the support of the federal government in terms of financial allocation the Chinese voters will come back to support us,” said Chan.

After all, he said, BN and SUPP through the late Lau have done so much to transform Sibu into a modern city.

On the other hand, DAP is all out to wrest the seat from SUPP. It had done it before in the 1982 parliamentary election and it almost captured it in the last parliamentary election, if it were not because of the postal votes.

“There is no reason why DAP cannot win this by-election. Nothing is impossible,” said the DAP adviser.

For the DAP, it has plenty of campaign issues to exploit: education, Chinese schools, floods, land issue, the alleged discriminative policies of the State government against the Chinese, and weak SUPP leadership.

The fact that none of SUPP’s elected representatives either MPs or assemblymen, dares to raise issues that concern the Chinese community is an issue.

It is seen that the Chinese community needs the Opposition to do the “barking” like complaining about the failure of SUPP to protect the interest and welfare of the ordinary men on the street, the hawkers and the small time traders and contractors.

Many of these small time hawkers, traders and businessmen have closed shops or have been declared bankrupt or moved away to other towns due to lack of development, employment and business opportunities in Sibu.

More over, DAP has been highlighting Taib’s policies that have made the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer, as the State resources – forests, timber and lands – have been squandered and plundered to benefit close family members and cronies.

SUPP being part of the government is being blamed for such a policy.

Other than the above issues, DAP together with its Pakatan partners must make some efforts to go to some 100 Iban longhouses in the constituency, where the Ibans not only have been neglected in terms of major development, but have also their native customary rights lands taken away from them.

Their lands at the Sibentek and Bukit Tanggie areas, once planted with rubber under the rubber planting schemes in 1970s are now under the names of big towkays. Their protests have been ignored.

While both sides have plenty of issues to talk about and explain to the voters, at the end of the day, the voters will make a decision.

ends

Jabu, the stooge of Kuala Lumpur, says Jambun

Daniel John Jambun, the leader of the Sabah delegation to Britain, today challenged Deputy Chief of Sarawak Alfred Jabu anak Numpang for an open debate.

“We want to call on Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang to prove that he's a 'somebody' as he implies by briefing the people on his track record in defending the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.

“We challenge Jabu to an open debate on the issues raised by the Common Interest Group Malaysia (Cigma) during their briefing to members of the House of Commons in London on March 9,” Jambun said in a statement emailed to The Broken Shield.

The Broken Shield had earlier published Jambun’s memorandum presented to the House Commons.

Jambun who is the deputy chairperson of Common Interest Groups (CIGMA) said: “Jabu is turning a blind eye to the serious plight of Malaysians in Sabah. Or is it more likely that he is actually ignorant about the horrendous problems faced by Sabahans because he has not been to Sabah often enough.

“Cigma's memorandum titled 'Shattered Hopes and Broken Dreams' detailed Sabah's expectations upon independence as were promised by Tunku Abdul Rahman and under the Malaysia Agreement, the Intergovernmental Committee Report and the 20 Points, the issue of state security and threats to national sovereignty.

“These included 'reverse takeovers' arising from the influx of illegal immigrants, poverty, unfair sharing of oil revenue, lack of fair benefits from land alienation to Felda and Felcra, and other socio-economic problems as a result of the unjust distribution of wealth and opportunities for Sabah from the national economic cake.

“Over the past 50 years 'various modifications and adjustments' to the Malaysia Agreement have eroded the rights and privileges of Sabahans. Forty-six years after independence, Sabah is now the poorest state despite its abundant natural resources.

“Whatever good we had received from Malaysia, it is all totally negated by the fact that we are not secure as a state and that the federal government has reaped a huge economic harvest from Sabah and returned so little to us,” he said.

Since the takeover of Umno/BN in Sabah in 1994, Sabah, he said, had been plundered to the point of becoming the poorest state in Malaysia.

“We are in such dire straits with a very uncertain future, so what is the point of praising the government? Jabu surely knows that Sarawak has had no better deal in Malaysia than Sabah.

“He must not think Sabah is in the same position as Sarawak which still has some of its original rights intact. Even Umno daren't enter Sarawak. But we in Sabah are in a much more different situation. We are under a state government which is under the directive of Kuala Lumpur.

“Brunei, which opted out of Malaysia, and Singapore which later left the federation, are in a much better economic position regionally and globally. In fact, with all the rich natural resources that we have, Sabah should be richer than Brunei.

“We reiterate that we are ready for an open debate on these issues with Jabu anytime at any venue of Jabu's choice. Let the people judge who is a 'nobody in his own country.' At the moment, the consensus of public opinion is that Jabu is a proxy and stooge of the ruling elite in Kuala Lumpur and hence a traitor to our people.

“There is nothing wrong in Cigma calling for the re-activation of the Inter-Governmental Committee on the Malaysia Agreement. The IGC was meant to be a permanent institution to monitor the Malaysia Agreement.

“Jabu must explain why the IGC has fallen into inactivity and disuse over the years. We call upon the Malaysian federal government and the governments of Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and the UK to return to the IGC as soon as possible, failing which we will relentlessly pursue the matter further in various international forums.

“We appeal that the governments of Indonesia and the Philippines be accorded observer status at the IGC. The presence of Indonesia will ensure that the re-colonisation of Sabah and Sarawak by Malaya, after the departure of the British, is reversed. The late President Sukarno of Indonesia did warn against re-colonisation when he launched his policy of konfrantasi (confrontation) and ganjang Malaysia (hang M'sia) in 1963.

“The presence of the Philippines will ensure that we can bring the so-called Sabah claim to a closure. Following the successful briefing at the House of Commons in London on Mach 9, we intend to pursue the introduction of an EDM

(Early Day Motion) on the Malaysia Agreement in the British Parliament as soon as the forthcoming UK general elections are over.

The writer is deputy chairperson, Common Interest Group Malaysia (Cigma).

Mawan calls on Adit to return to BN

During a visit to Kanowit on Saturday, SPDP president William Mawan called on Gabriel Adit, State assemblyman to return to the fold of the Barisan Nasional through SPDP as he had still a role to play in uniting the people of Kanowit.

Adit is now a supreme council member of PKR and Mawan said that Adit is in the wrong camp.

Before the state election in 2006, Adit was a supreme council member of SPDP and was forced to resign when Mawan failed to fight the Ngemah seat for SPDP. The seat was given to PRS.

Adit then stood as an independent candidate defeating PRS candidate Alexander Vincent by a majority of 549 votes.

After joining PKR Adit has been very active in mobilizing his supporters to join PKR and Mawan saw this as a threat to BN not only in Ngemah, but also Machan which is now under PBB.

Mawan said that his visit to Kanowit was to further strengthen the BN position in the area and called his SPDP members to support any BN candidate.

In the previous election, many SPDP members voted for Adit because they were angry that the seat was given to PRS and not to SPDP.

But political observers are wondering why Mawan wants Adit to return to the fold of BN-SPDP knowing that he (Mawan) will not be able to help Adit. He also knows that Adit will never return to BN after being betrayed.

So why does he make the call?

One possible reason, according to a senior SPDP member, is that SUPP wants Johnichal Rayong to join SUPP and contest the Engkilili seat in the coming election. Rayong won the Engkilili seat on a SNAP ticket.

The logic is that if Rayong is allowed to join BN-SUPP after fighting the BN, then Adit is also should be given the same privilege. It was on the objection of other BN members parties that Adit did not contest on BN-SPDP. Mawan still harbours bitterness in his heart.

In other words, if Adit was objected, SPDP is likely to oppose any move for Rayong to join BN-SUPP. PRS is also likely to oppose the move.

For Rayong to join BN-SUPP there must be 100% consensus among the 14 members of the Barisan Nasional.

Is this what Mawan is hinting when he urges Adit to return to SPDP? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshied.blogspot.com

BN supporters of Kampung Lusut Jaya deprived of basic needs

Despite their strong support for the Barisan Nasional, the residents of Kampung Lusut Jaya 1 area in Miri are yet to taste the fruits of Merdeka.

According to Jembu Bangga, the village chief, the government should give official recognition to their village and look into their basic needs like proper roads, water and power supply.

“We have been supporting the BN government all this while, and hence surely the village deserves some projects in return for their support to the government,” he said at the Miri district Dayak community leaders pre-Gawai Dayak celebration over the week-end.

The celebration was officiated by the Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Peter Chin. Also present were Lambir state assemblyman Aidan Wing, political secretaries to the chief ministers, Ariffin Lamat and Watson Bangau and government officials.

Located next to Taman Tunku, Kampung Lusut Jaya 1 has 109 houses with a population of 542 of which 390 are Ibans, 89 Orang Ulus, 39 Malays, 19 Chinese, five Bidayuhs and three Melanaus.

Upgraded roads and bridges linking the village to Taman Tunku will enable bus service to be extended there, saving time and energy for the villagers to walk all the way to the nearest station.

The village chief said that villagers are currently sharing water meters on a voluntarily arrangement. He also called on the government to build a clinic, a community hall and a market where they can sell their jungle produce.

These villagers have been asking for development year in and year out and the government has ignored their requests. And their requests will continue to fall on deaf years, unless their elected representative either State assemblyman or the MP dies or resigns.

Look at Batang Ai, it has been neglected for more than 27 years. Suddenly its YB passed away, thus opening the way for the by-election. During the by-election, nearly RM200 million of worth of projects have been approved.

Will it help if the villagers ask the Opposition to come and establish a foothold in the area? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

News and Views

1. Najib’s Cabinet

It is nothing surprised about Najib Tun Razak’s cabinet announced this afternoon. While Sabah is given a better deal, Sarawak remains the same with two (2) ministers and eight (8) deputy ministers.

We were hoping that one Dayak from either Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) or Sarawak Progressive Party (SPDP) should have been appointed to represent the Dayak community in the cabinet proper. The four deputy ministers – Joseph Salang (Information, culture, arts and communication), Jelaing Mersat (home ministry), Joseph Entulu (rural development and territories) and Jacob Sagan (international trade and industry) – are outside the cabinet and do not attend cabinet meetings. Who are going to articulate our interests?

It is true that Douglas Uggah Embas has been retained as a minister, but he is more representative of PBB’s interests than the Dayaks’ interests.

Once again the Dayak community has been let down both by the former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the newly appointed Prime Minister Najib.

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud was reported to have said that there would be surprises for Sarawak. Now you know what surprise is there?


2. The picture tells the story

The picture of page 6 of The Borneo Post today (9 April) tells the story how happy were PBB boys with the electoral victory of Malcolm Mussen Lamoh on the Batang Ai by-election on 7 April.

Although Mussen was nominated by PRS to contest the Batang Ai by-election, there were no signs of PRS people celebrating his victory. The questions being asked are: Where were the PRS people? And why PBB people were seen celebrating the victory? Does this mean anything to the readers?


3. Time for BN to deliver the goods

After the by-election is over, the Barisan Nasional candidate, Malcolm Mussen Lamoh has won the by-election. His victory was achieved because of the promises made the Barisan to the people of Batang Ai. The promises to tar-seal the roads leading to their longhouses, the construction of a new road, the construction of communications and internet towers and centre, to pay the unpaid claims of properties as a result of the Batang Ai Dam, to give them an extra land for farming, to give them titles to their land and to supply them with electricity and water supply. The BN also must keep its promises to give RM1,000 more if their candidate won the by-election. RM500 had already been given.

The Ibans in the Batang Ai have been loyal to the Barisan and it is expected that the BN will be honouring their promises. However, the people and Parti Keadilan Rakyat are monitoring the fulfillment of these promises. The next state election is actually around the corner and the same issues will be raised again.


4. Recognise Dayaks as Dayaks

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) wants the ethnic races of Sabah to be known as Bumiputra Sabah and not “other races” in the federal government affairs and forms.

As Dayaks have no political party of their own, there is no one daring to speak on the interests of the Dayaks. Like PBS, our Dayak YBs should ask the federal government to recognize Dayaks as Dayaks and the word “Dayaks” should be written in the official forms and the federal government affairs instead of “lain-lain” (others).

The categories of races in most forms listed major races as the Malays, Indians, Chinese and other races.

There were occasions when Dayaks are not considered as Bumiputras and are therefore not entitled to privileges given to Bumiputras.- The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

S'wak PKR cries foul over two incidents

Taken from http://malaysiakini.com/news/101899

Barisan National has won the Batang Ai by-election, but the polling was marred by two alleged incidents according to the PKR. One incident supposedly involved phantom voters and the other was about padlocks on ballot boxes being tampered with.

In the first incident, two 40-seater buses and a van, said to have been used for ferrying voters from various parts of the state, stopped near one polling station, SRK Lubok Antu, where they were allegedly carrying voters there to cast their votes before the polling station closed at 5pm.

According to a PKR leader, Dominique Ng, he received a telephone call from a party member telling him that the vehicles were used for ferrying what he believed to be phantom voters.

By the time, the PKR leader and his supporters arrived at the scene, one of the buses had taken off with its passengers while the other was waiting for its passengers to come out from the polling station.

Ensuring a clean electoral process

Ng, who is the Batang Ai PKR coordinator, lodged a complaint with the local police chief and also a senior election officer.

Later, Ng and other PKR people went to a nearby police station and also had a discussion with officials for about 20 minutes inside the SMK Lubok Antu polling station.

Emerging from the meeting, Ng said that he had a list of 50 of those who boarded the bus and managed to check 15 identity cards. They came from Kuching, Mukah and Kanowit. The rest did not furnish their identity cards and no one could ascertain whether they were genuine voters or not.

However, these people informed Ng that they were employees of Kemas. PKR then lodged a complaint that they were suspicious that these people were either phantom voters or they used some other people’s identity cards.

They took action to ensure a clean electoral process especially when the party had complained earlier about the security during the transportation of ballot boxes from 14 polling stations.

The complaint on the ballot boxes was not entertained so PKR decided to purchase separate padlocks to ensure the integrity of these boxes were not compromised.

Ng said that when the boxes were about to be opened later it was found only one original padlock was intact.

Meanwhile, PKR leaders and supporters said they were in state of shock and disbelief at the initial results of the counting involving 15 out of 26 polling districts with a total electorate of 8,129 voters.

Counting started at 3pm after the ballot boxes from the 14 polling stations arrived either by road or helicopter at the tallying centre at Lubok Antu.