Calls grow louder for Jabu to resign

Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu has been Layar's assemblyman for 38 years yet longhouses in his constituencies are without piped water and roads.

KUCHING: Frustrated voters in the Layar constituency, the homebase of Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, are demanding that he step down following his failure to solve the acute water shortage affecting more than 1,940 families.

The calls for his resignation have become louder as water shortage has hit 80% of the longhouses in his constituency.

Up to June 27, more than 1,940 families have been without water due to a prolonged drought that has affected other areas in the state.

Layar constituency, which Jabu has represented for more than 38 years, was the worst hit.

And it’s not the first time. Drought and water shortage is a seasonal presence in Sarawak.

Despite knowing it will happen Jabu has not done anything to mitigate the problem.

Said Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian: “The people are starting to ask Jabu what has he been doing all these years.

“He knows very well that the water shortage is always there. The people have been experiencing it repeatedly. It is not an unusual drought.”

No piped water to longhouses

Bian, who is also the Ba’Kelalan assemblyman, said the fact that Jabu had held office for 38 years and did nothing to mitigate the situation is a “valid” reason for people to call for his resignation.

“Jabu has failed the people in his constituency. He has not heard the request and cry of the people for the last 38 years.

“It is a valid reason for the people not only to question his leadership quality, but also to call on him to step down as their elected representative,” he said, adding that Jabu has not only failed the people of Layang and Betong but also the rest of Sarawak.

Betong division, where Layar sits, is allegedly the worst hit by the water shortage.

Although the Betong town itself is unscathed, longhouses in the outlying areas are badly affected. Until today, numerous longhouses near Betong are without piped water.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Jabu proposed to build a temporary dam on the upper reaches of a river in the Betong Division to raise its water level and ease drought-stricken villages in the division.

He said the dam would impound the water that flowed from upstream to alleviate the water shortage problems experienced by the villagers ever since the dry season started.

“I have discussed with the Betong Public Works Department divisional engineer to take steps to build a low weir by pushing in gravels from the river base to build a temporary dam, probably rising up to two metres,” he said.

He said that as a long-term measure, a new water treatment plant and roads were being constructed in Krian.

The government, he said, was also upgrading the present one near Betong Town.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/07/05/calls-grow-louder-for-jabu-to-resign/#ixzz20DcQj6MP

More for Jabu, Fadillah Yusof and Billy Abit

KUCHING: Sarawak Youth Keadilan has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) against Sarawak’s Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang and Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation and PBB Youth chief Fadillah Yusof and MP for Hulu Rajang Billy Abit Joo for allegedly enriching themselves at the expense of the people.

Led by its youth chief Ahmad Najib, the PKR youth urged the MACC to carry out an immediate investigation against the three public figures following allegations made by Sarawak Report.

“The allegations are very serious, and the MACC must conduct an immediate investigation,” Ahamd said.

According to Ahamd, the MACC might contact him in the next few days for his statement to be taken.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Report alleged that Jabu, Fadillah and Billy have extravagant wealth which contrasts so painfully with the poverty of their constituents.

“It is indeed remarkable that so much of the plunder that has been carried out by BN YBs has been against their own people in their own constituencies.

“It seems a BN YB likes nothing better than to champion the ‘development’ of their constituency, through land grabs, logging and plantations, so that they can exploit their political influence to steal as much of the profit as possible.

“What BN YBs never do is work to make sure that a fair share of those profits goes back to their own native communities, who have lost their lands and their living to the so-called ‘development’.

 “These BN YBs think that they can keep the communities obedient, as long as they pay small salaries and kickbacks to the local longhouse chiefs, threaten with penalties and job losses if they allow their people to vote against BN.

“This was the point of Wargana Consortium, which Awang Tengah alleged was owned by the people of Bakun, but which turns out to be owned by MP Billy Abit Joo and his business cronies, along with one share each for local headmen,” said Sarawak Report.

Likewise Jabu has amassed a vast series of plantations, which he has put into the hands of his family, much of which is native customary land, allegedly snatched from his local people in his local region of Betong.

The Report listed a number of companies allegedly owned by Jabu and his family members which include Durafarm, KACC construction which contracts worth more than RM500,000, Durayield, Sarako (timber company), Jarenang Sdn Bhd (which was awarded 36,000 hectares of timber), Obyu Holdings, Utahol (plantation), Herba Aromatics (plantation),  Tintingmas (construction) Sdn Bhd, Javel engineering.

Fadillah’s family members have also some shares in those companies.

 “Has anyone explained to these greedy BN YBs that it is a highly corrupt conflict of interest for elected MPs to be involved in any way in companies that are receiving state contracts and lands that have been taken from their own constituencies?” asked Sarawak Report.

Likewise,  Billy Abit Joo has not just contented himself with massive timber concessions and stealing control of his local people’s ‘cooperative’, Wargana Consortium he too has set up a company, Sarabrand Sdn Bhd to take on more state contracts, despite the corrupted conflict of interest this represents.

Sarabrand Sdn Bhd has received a goodly amount of contracts worth RM35 million handed out by the state under the guise of ‘bringing development to the people’.

“No wonder Billy Abit Joo says he wants to hang on as the MP for the Bakun area.  He must surely have his eye on all those future possible contracts, that will, of course, be branded as ‘helping his people benefit’ from the dam,” said Sarawak Report.

All 18 agro stations to be revived

According to The Borneo Post today (1 August), all the agricultural stations throughout the state, which have been closed for some time, will be revived next year, deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang announced yesterday in Betong.

This includes the stations in Tarat, Serian and Layar, Sibiew (Bintulu) and Punang (Lawas).

Staff from the agricultural department would be deployed to all the stations.

“Reviving the agriculture stations is meant to complement the government’s effort to help the rural populace. There is a need to revive them to develop the agriculture sector,” he said.

Besides reviving the 18 stations, the government had decided to build another three such stations, said Jabu, who is also the minister of modernisation of agriculture.

He did not give reasons why the agricultural stations were closed.

These stations became the training ground for our rural people to be “efficient” farmers in terms of rearing chickens, ducks, goats, cows and fish and of planting padi, pepper, cocoa, fruit trees and vegetables, and of teaching the women folk home economics – to look after their families, sewing, cake-making, handicraft, and so on and so on.

Under this agriculture home extension programme, home demonstrators from the agriculture department visited the rural villages and longhouses weekly or monthly to ensure that their programmes went on smoothly. Agriculture officers were also sent to ensure that the pepper vines, cocoa, rubber trees, fruit trees and their chickens and herds were always healthy.

Suddenly all these stopped. Why? And the man who stopped all these was Adenan Satem, who then became agriculture minister. He took over from Daniel Tajem after the Ming Court affair in March 1987.

All the staff members from these stations were pulled back to agricultural offices. The home demonstrators were absorbed into normal staff. We did not know the reasons why all the stations were stopped. However, we can only guess.

Under this home extension programme, the rural people were rather comfortable and healthy in their live style, earning regular incomes weekly. If that was the trend, then they could not succumb easily to the bribery temptation of the Barisan Nasional during election times. Bribe them they would reject the offer.

But now poverty has set in, and Dayaks particularly the Ibans have suddenly become the poorest in the country. Bribe them with RM10, they will gladly take it and vote for the Barisan Nasional candidates.

We should not only welcome the move to revive the 18 stations, but also urge Jabu to re-introduce the home economics and bring back home demonstrators.

At least this will give our Dayak girls the opportunity to work in the agriculture sector and to minimize it (Agriculture Department) being controlled by one race as of now as well as to practise 1Malaysia concept in the department.- The Broken Shield.

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Who have “Broken Ideas”?

Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang on 22 May during the blessing ceremony of new Salcra building in Kota Samarahan dismissed bloggers who constantly criticise him as having “broken ideas”.

He said he had no time to quarrel with bloggers who wrote negative stories about him, particularly his involvement in Salcra.

“Some say that I have been overstayed my welcome at Salcra, but they are the ones who have broken ideas,” said the Salcra chairman, describing the bloggers as armchair critics who knew nothing about oil palm schemes.

“If they can achieve even 10% of Salcra’s performace, I will salute them,” he said.

He also expressed disappointment with a group of bloggers who attended a Salcra briefing on its oil palm schemes.

On the appointed date, they brought outsiders who were not part of their group but were busybodies from non-governmental organisations.

Jabu also slammed Democratic Action Party (DAP) for trying to stop native customary rights (NCR) land owners from participating in government eradication programmes.

This resulted in the loss of opportunity for them to earn higher income and improve their livelihood.

“This very negative attitude of DAP has slowed down the pace of development and transformation and caused the NCR land owners to remain poor,” he said.

The question is: who are actually have “broken ideas” the bloggers or Jabu?

To me Jabu has “broken ideas” because what he says are those he had said several times before. He continues to repeat them for umpteenth times. He has no more ideas; his ideas are out-dated or to use his own words “broken ideas”. He should be replaced by younger people like James Masing, Douglas Uggah and William Mawan.

I remember reading his challenge that if anyone could achieve 10% of Salcra performance, he would resign as Salcra chairman. On this Henry Joseph of Terepong Dunya Aki Andan blog challenged Jabu to a debate. Jabu made no response.

Actually Salcra production of palm oil is far below par as compared with it other plantations. Even yearly dividends given out to Salcra participants are paled in comparison with the daily earnings of smallholders from RM500 to RM1,500. It means monthly the earnings are RM5,000 to RM15,000.

On the question of bloggers attending a Salcra briefing, Jabu was simply lying as there was no invitation for bloggers to attend the briefing. It was Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) which wished to have a briefing with them, but Salcra cancelled the briefing when three other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were present.

Jabu’s mention of DAP trying to stop the natives from participating in joint ventures has also been said several times in the past even in the Council Negeri.

Of course Jabu’s accusation is not true. I am not trying to defend DAP. What DAP was trying to tell the public was that Jabu and his cronies have some interests in oil palm plantations.

Let us see who owns the following:

(1). Durafarm Sdn Bhd, Suite 502, Tingkat 5, Crown Towers, Kuching has three areas: Lot 17 Block 5 Bijat Land District, Simanggang – 26.625 ha; Lot 21 Block 12 Bijat Land District – 1248 ha; Lot 9 Block 3 Skrang Land District – 307.2 ha.

Total approved 1581.825 ha for 60 years on 4 December 2000. Contact person is Robert Lawson Chuat, YB for Bukit Saban, a nephew of Jabu.

(2). Durafam at the same address has five areas: Lot 30 Block 12, Paku Land District, Betong – 110.6 ha; Lot 1 Block 15 Paku Land District, Betong – 936 ha; Lot 219 Block 7 Batu Api Land District, Betong – 969 ha; Lot 36 Block 12 Batu Api Land District, Betong – 437 ha; and Lot 38 Block 12 Batu Api Land District, Betong – 219.5 ha.

Total approved 2672.1 ha for 60 years on 1 March 2005. Contact person is Robert Lawson Chuat, YB for Bukit Saban.

(3). Ever Herald Sdn Bhd, Suite 6.12 (1st Floor) Kueh Hock Kui Commercial Centre, Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Kuching has three areas: Lot 8 Block 23 Sablor Land District, Btg. Layar/Btg. Lupar – 250 ha; Lot 1 Block 24 Sablor Land District, Btg. Layar/Btg. Lupar – 770 ha; and Lot 3 Block 25 Sablor Land District, Btg. Layar/Btg. Lupar – 1853 ha.

Total approved 2873 ha for 60 years on 9 August 2004. Contact person is Henry Jantum, a close associate of Jabu.

(4). Ever Herald Sdn Bhd has three areas: Lot 180 Block 1 Bijat Land District, Simanggang – 134 ha; Lot 4 Block 2 Bijat Land District – 1930 ha; and Lot 160 Block 3 Bijat Land – 63 ha.

Total approved 2127 ha on 2 July 2004. Contact person is Henry Jantum, a close associate of Jabu.

(5). Utahol Sdn Bhd, Crown Towers, 5th Floor 88 Jalan Pending, Kuching has three areas: Lot 3682 Panduran Land District, Ulu Medamit, Limbang – 3,610.00 ha; Lot 1 Long Napir Land District, Ulu Medamit, Limbang – 2090.00 ha; and Lot 5 Long Napir Land District, Ulu Medamit, Limbang – 1,200 ha.

Total approved 6900 ha on 23 May 2000. Contact person is Gerald Rentap anak Alfred Jabu.

If you want more details as to who are the owners/directors, you need to go to Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM).

On Jabu’s admission that he overstayed his welcome as chairman of Salcra Board of directors, it is simply because he has personal interests in Salcra.

Who has some contracts like the supply of fertilizers and the transportation of oil palm fruits?

Being Land Development Minister James Masing should be the chairman of Salcra board of directors as Salcra is under his charge. Jabu simply refuses to give in. Both went to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud about it. It appears that Taib still wants Jabu to continue to be the chairman of Salcra.

On this subject of Salcra, I have heard rumours that funds of Salcra participants may be used to finance the Betong Regatta next month. I hope it is not true. However, scheme participants should keep an eye. If the funds are misused and abused, get some details and lodge a report with MACC and the Police. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Good read:

1) http://bongkersz.com/alfred-jabu-is-not-an-empty-tin-how-dare-you-think-he-is-one/

2) http://thebrokenshield.blogspot.com/2008/12/jabu-condemnation-who-will-be-next.html

The strong man of Layar

The following story which is taken from the Malaysian Mirror has been edited for the readers of The Broken Shield:

The strong man of Layar
By Joseph Tawie


BETONG – The Layar constituency in Betong which Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang has represented continuously for the past 35 years has seen so much progress so much so that he is so proud of his achievements that he invites Anwar Ibrahim, the Opposition leader to visit Betong to see for himself the development that has taken place.

And he also invites challengers and critics to his constituency and if they do come they better come during the day and should not wear sun glasses.

“If they come at night or if they wear sun glasses, they cannot see what developments are there in my constituency,” he said.

As PBB Deputy President and Deputy Chief Minister, Jabu has become so untouchable in the Layar Constituency, and so arrogant and egotistic that he does not tolerate any criticism to his leadership. He criticises Dayak non-governmental organisations as these organisations have little respect for him much less regard him as the “paramount chief” of the Iban community.

Since his election in 1974, there has never been any serious challenge to Jabu’s position in the constituency except during the days of the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak especially in 1987- 1991. His first “victim” in his first outing was none other than the secretary general of Sarawak National Party and former chief minister Stephen Kalong Ningkan.

Labeled as a “giant killer” Jabu went on to strengthen his position and relentlessly and mercilessly witch-hunted SNAP’s supporters so much so that the party has become irrelevant in its own place of birth.

To further strengthen his position, he set up a network of “spies” who would report to him anyone who voted against him or spoke ill of him. Many civil servants and teachers who were known to be voting for or inclined towards Opposition were ordered to be transferred out from the district while farmers voting against him were deprived of subsidies and other financial assistance.

And candidates who contested against him would bear the brunt of his criticism and cynical remarks. Usually these candidates after handing over their nomination papers would not dare campaign; nor there any banners and posters. Many simply disappeared from the constituency.

Only candidates representing PBDS did put up a brave front and caused some ripples in Jabu’s campaigns.

One consolation for any candidate contesting against Jabu was that, despite the lack of financial resources to carry out intensive campaigns and the absence of banners and posters, was sure to obtain between 1,000 and 2,600 votes.

For example in 1987, David Impi of PBDS secured 2691 votes as against 4,416 obtained by Jabu, and in 1991, PBDS’ Frank Apau obtained 2,361 compared with Jabu’s 4,847 votes. In the 2001 and 2006 elections, SNAP’s candidates managed to secure 1171 and 1195 votes respectively.

However, in the face of silver lining, there are patches of dark clouds running at random over the Layar Constituency what with the failed Layar growth centre, where empty shophouses are part of it and the Sungai Antu agriculture research centre which has become a “white elephant”. Under this project hundred acres of land, the majority of which are owned by Jabu’s relatives, have been placed under section 47. The project “kepayang” was one of fruit trees being researched.

There are also many uncompleted road projects and unfulfilled promises. Many see all these as Jabu’s main failures.

Thus, the next election may see some change in voting pattern as there are strong under currents against his leadership particularly with the young voters who have some access to internets and are fully informed on what is going on in the constituency and issues that affect them and their families.

“There are strong under currents against his leadership. I know about it since I live in the longhouse,” said Douglas Endawie, a former bank officer.

Endawie’s finding is being shared by Eddison Eddy, a retired civil servant. He said: “A large number of people in the Layar constituency are unhappy, but they dare not express their dissatisfaction openly for fear of political backlash.

“Even villagers from my longhouse Entanak and Empaong do not dare to express their anger even though the State Government took away their land about 100 acres using section 47 of the Land Code for public purposes. No doubt compensation had been paid.

“But 50 percent of the land has been given to private and crony companies for the construction of shophouses and houses. The other 50 percent are used for public purposes such as the construction of roads, government buildings and offices.

“We should have dealt directly with the companies so that we too can make more money rather than government taking our land and paying us nominal amount. So we feel cheated,” lamented Eddy.

Eddy said that the villagers have no more land to plant cash crops and even to build houses. Eight families, he said, have to build their houses on a stream.

“We remain poor as we have no sources of incomes and that explains why you can only see the aged and the very young ones living in longhouses. The young and able people can be found in cities and towns in search of employment. Some work in coffee shops, restaurants, super markets and in the construction industry.

“Yes, there are developments, but only physical developments. And who benefit from those developments? Certainly we the people do not benefit.

“I think the people are ready for a change,” said Eddy who has been active since his retirement three years ago.

Undoubtedly, he said Jabu has brought tremendous development to Betong especially after it achieved a division status in March 2002. Among others the division saw infrastructural development, schools, technical schools and Mara Science College, office buildings, shophouses and agricultural schemes.

But who benefit from all these developments?

As Eddy said the people do not benefit from all these developments. In the construction of infrastructure, contracts have been given to Jabu’s family companies such as Tintingmas Sdn Bhd and Betong Premix Sdn Bhd.

The Tintingmas Sdn Bhd whose directors include Jabu’s son Gerald Rentap, daughter Umang Nangku and Joseph Jinggut, is currently doing road construction and completion of proposed road improvement works to Ulu Layar/Nanga Tiga road which is worth about RM50 million.

The company is working closely with its sister company Betong Premix on Federal Road Routine Maintenance works in Region 2. The road starts in Sri Aman Division and stretches across Betong Division to Sarikei Division with total kilometre coverage of over 300km.

The Betong Premix Sdn Bhd whose directors include Jabu’s daughter, Umang Nangku and Joseph Jinggut supplies premix for road constructions and road construction services and maintenance for pavement works, road furniture works, drainage and culvert works in the division.

Currently, the premix plant which has a total of 33 employees has the capacity to produce 70 tonnes of premix per hour.

In the agricultural estates, the locals refuse to work in the plantations as the wages are too meager and far below the poverty line of RM720 per month. In their place, the Indonesian workers are ever ready to be employed. The effects of engaging Indonesian workers are many, but the obvious ones are that the workers are not properly screened bringing with them social ills and diseases such as malaria and chikungunya.

In the field of education, the students attending Mara Science College are those from outside Betong including from West Malaysia.

“These are the issues that Pakatan Rakyat must be able to understand and turn them as weapons against the BN incumbent,” said Eddy who was present at a political gathering at Melayu Ili, Betong on 7 February.

Former Police Officer Stanny Embat, who hails from the longhouse, said that Jabu has no more idea to help the people of Layar constituency.

“How much has he done to help the people? After more than 35 years of his patronage, enough is enough,” said Embat, a PR potential candidate for the constituency.

“Jabu has a lot of weaknesses and failures and we need to highlight these failures to the voters and make them understand the issues,” said Tedewin Ngumbang, another potential candidate for the constituency.

“We do not condemn and attack Jabu personally; we have to use psychology to convince the people to vote against him,” he said.

But will Jabu, now in his early 70s, be contesting especially after he underwent major by-pass operations in May last year which somewhat have slowed down his political activities?

However, speculation is rife that he may be replaced by either his Senator wife, Empiang or by one of his daughters.

No doubt the people in Layar want change judging from the political gathering organised on 7 February at Melayu Ili. But can PKR harness the growing discontentment of the people in the constituency into a “weapon of destruction” even if the candidate is Jabu, his wife or his daughter? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Jabu returns to his old ministry

Kuching - Glancing through the list of the Cabinet reshuffle announced by Abdul Taib Mahmud on Sunday, we notice that Alfred Jabu (pic above) has been returned to his old Ministry, the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture (MOMA), albeit the name is slightly changed. Previously it was known as the Ministry of Agriculture and Community Development. That was decades ago.

Hopefully this time Jabu, the most senior leader of Dayaks in the Cabinet, should really make use of his “power” in the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture as well as his “power” in the Ministry of Rural Development to modernise and transform the rural areas into high-tech farming land, where there should be in-situ development such as clinics, schools, and other amenities.

However to do this, Jabu must make friends with our graduates and invite some Dayak experts, especially those who are soil scientists, agriculturists, botanists, economists and so on for discussions and make them as members of his “Think Tank” and to formulate a development/agriculture master plan for the rural areas covering not only area in Betong, but also throughout Sarawak.

So when Jabu leaves the political stage he will leave a legacy, perhaps as the “Father of Rural Development” (Apai Pemansang Menua Pesisir).

The rural people have high expectation of Jabu. Hopefully he will not betray their confidence, as he did when he was the Minister of Agriculture. At that time he had fanciful ideas such as urging the people to plant “Kepayang”, releasing fish fry into rivers and distributing “anak manuk” (chicks), and “igi utai” (vegetable seeds). These are petty things that can be distributed even by a Tuai Rumah (longhouse headman) or a councillor. Why should a Dayak minister or even an elected representative be involved in such small things? As I said they should be involved in the planning and thinking to develop their constituencies as well as other areas in the interior.

Jabu should not also “pilih mata tauka pilih kasih” when carrying out his duties. It has known to us that Jabu would ask whether so and so was a PBB member, or a PBDS member or Opposition member. If he was a PBDS or Opposition member, agricultural subsidies would not be given. Many PBDS members had suffered because of this policy.

Now that Jabu has returned to his old ministry, we hope that he has learnt a lesson or two and hopefully he has now become a “better” man, especially when age is catching up with him. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com