Majority of rural folks earn below RM850

For decades now, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu has been in charge of modernising agriculture and improving rural development, but nothing much has changed.

KUCHING: Krian assemblyman Ali Biju has questioned the state government’s programme to modernise agriculture and eradicate poverty in rural areas.

Debating the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng’s address in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting, Biju said:

“The state government has been developing large-scale plantations for commercial crop.

“However, Bumiputera participation in agri-business does not even reach 20% and the majority of rural communities are having income below the poverty line index of RM850 per month.

“As such, an aggressive socio-economic transformation plan is required in rural areas.

“This transformation requires complete overhaul of agricultural practices and construction of basic infrastructures.”

Citing the situation in the Krian constituency, Biju said the most effective way to improve socio-economic conditions in rural communities is to develop smallholdings of commercial crop, especially oil palm and high-yield rubber.

“Smallholdings do not only eradicate poverty rate among rural farmers but also reduce dependency on foreign workers in plantation, provide job opportunities, minimise rural-urban migration, develop rural entrepreneur, empower rural communities and provide a sense of pride to farmers through self-reliance.

“It also helps to preserve native culture and customary practices on their land.

“Smallholdings of four hectares of proper commercial farms can create tremendous socio-economic change for rural households,” Biju said.

He urged the government of the day to come out with specific programme to assist and cultivate at least four hectares per family of commercial crops, either oil palm or rubbers.

No assistance for smallholders

He said that throughout the Krian constituency, there are many genuine poor rural farmers interested in oil palm planting.

“However, a lot of their applications for assistance to MPOB [Malaysian Palm Oil Board] office are not entertained or not processed without any reason.

“I would like to thank State Agricultural Modernisation Minister [Alfred Jabu Numpang] in his oral reply that the government will provide assistance through MPOB irrespective of their political affiliation since poverty eradication is applicable to all poor farmers.

“So far, the government has not allocated sufficient budget to cater for the needs of oil palm smallholders. I would like to know how much has been allocated to oil palm smallholders.

“How many applications have been received and approved by MPOB?” Biju asked.

He also questioned the financial capability of the government to plant 200,000ha by 2021 of high- yield rubber trees as planned by Pemandu (Performance Management and Delivery Unit).

“I would like to express my concern on the availability of federal fund to finance such an ambitious undertaking.

“Such undertaking costs about RM13,500 per ha to plant rubber trees so the government has to set a budget of RM2.7 billion over the next 10 years or RM270 million per year.

“Looking at the budget to plant rubber for 2012 of about RM70 million, it means we are way behind our target already,” he said.

Rubber smallholders

A lot of smallholders, through their own efforts, plant commercial crops like oil palm and rubber without waiting for assistance from agricultural department.

“They are facing many obstacles, especially relating to terracing and construction of farm roads leading to their farms.

“I urge the agricultural department to come out with a specific scheme to assist those genuine farmers.

“Rubber smallholders are also facing problem with the quality of seedlings provided through the agricultural department.

“Many of the seedlings cannot grow properly or simply die after planting. Replacement seedlings should be supplied immediately to replace dead seedlings.

“Farmers must be advised and given technical training assistance so that they can produce their own seedlings with quality ‘bud eyes’ taken from reputable suppliers of high-yield rubber clones,” he added. -----The Free Malaysia Today

Sarawak PKR says Salcra is short changing native landowners

KUCHING: Sarawak PKR has accused the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) of short changing native participants in its schemes.

Nicholas Bawin, who leads the party’s Lubok Antu division, said that despite Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang’s “big talk” about dividends accruing from the Salcra oil palm estates, the payout to the natives was paltry.

He cited the amount received by families living in Rumah Empirong, the 30-door longhouse he comes from. “This year, each family is getting only RM350.”

Bawin was commenting on a recent statement by Jabu that Salcra’s profits were high because of prudent management. Jabu said the 16,374 landowners participating in Salcra schemes would receive RM100.9 million in dividends this year.

Salcra was established in 1976. It has about 51,000 hectares planted with oil palm. However, Bawin said, it had brought little benefit to native landowners.

“Salcra is supposed to help the poor native landowners, but with the small dividends they receive each year, how can their economic wellbeing be improved?” he said. “Is it worthwhile for the NCR (native customary rights) landowners to participate in Salcra?”

Bawin is a former deputy president of the Council of Dayak Customs and Traditions.

He also complained about the unreliability of water supply to 21 longhouses in the Batang Ai resettlement scheme. These longhouses were transferred from areas now submerged by the Batang Ai dam.

Bawin said there should not be any problem supplying water to these families because the source is the huge Lemanak River. “But what we experience regularly is that there are often interruptions of water supply to our homes.” -  Free Malaysia Today

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COMMENT: Who is to be blamed for this blunder? Of course Jabu, as he is the man who has personally selected someone as general manager who lacks experience as an oil palm planter. He is only an accountant? Or did he pass it?

Because of his lack of experience Salcra oil palm estates have not progressed. Not even a plant had been planted under its expansion programme in the eighth, ninth and tenth Malaysia Plans. But the GM is very arrogant blaming everybody for his failures. Most of the senior staffs who have been with Salcra for the last 20 to 30 years are really expert on oil palm plantation, but the GM would not listen to them.

Many could not tolerate his arrogance so they either asked for early retirement or asked to be transferred to other departments which need their expertise. Now filling those posts are mostly his relatives or cronies who are given much higher salaries than the senior civil servant in Salcra. The way it looks, Salcra is not making money. But it is projected to pay millions of ringgit of dividends.

Now that Land Development Minister is back to control Salcra, he should do something about it before it is too late.

What do the readers think?

Oil palm dividends only 0.17 sen per acre per year?

KUCHING: For the past 13 years, the native landowners have been taken for a ride by the oil palm companies through the joint venture concept as the amount of dividends given to them per acre per year is about 0.17 sen, asserted a Sarawak DAP leader.

Based on figures given by Land Development Minister James Masing two years ago, Chong Chieng Jen, Sarawak DAP Secretary said that landowners who received RM2.3 million as dividends from one million acres of their NCR Land planted with oil palm through JV with companies were actually about 0.17 sens per acre per year.

“After 13 years, the landowners received that much and it sounded big. But if you do a simple calculation by dividing RM2.3 million by one million acres and by 13 years, the amount of dividend per acre per year is about 0.17 sens.” Said Chong at a Dayak Reawakening Seminar organised by Dayak Consultative Council over the week-end in Kuching.

He said that Alfred Jabu, Deputy Chief Minister, who is also Rural Development Minister tried to argue that some of the oil palm were not matured yet, resulting in low productivity.

“Assuming that it takes six years for the oil palm to mature, the amount of dividends would come to only 0.34 sens per acre per year,” Chong said.

Compared with Sarawak Oil Palm (SOP), he said that SOP had planted 70,000 acres of oil palm, and after three years it had a clean profit of RM230 million last year even though some of the oil palm were still not matured.

“So per year earning for an acre is between RM1,500 and RM2,000 given the current price of RM300 per acre per month,” he said, pointing out that that is the general profit of oil palm plantation.

“Yet the joint venture plantations that the BN government has been encouraging native landowners to do for all these years have paid out as dividends 0.17 sens per acre per year.

“The government has been saying that the oil palm plantations through the JV concept have been very successful.

“Judging by these dividends, are the Dayak landowners not taken for a ride?” he asked.

Chong, who is also the state assemblyman for Kota Sentosa said that the government has not done much in elevating the economy status of the Dayaks through the oil palm plantations.

“For the Chinese community, you cannot say this is a Dayak problem nor can you laugh at it.

“I can tell you that if the Dayaks have no spending power and no income the Chinese shopkeepers and businessmen will also suffer.

‘Likewise, if the Dayaks are rich, the Chinese also will be well off,” he said, pointing out that the country cannot progress when a single community is left behind.

“I give you the figures and statistics to show you thus far the BN government has failed to improve the economy and the education of Dayak communities,” he said.

Chong said that when the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) comes to power, it will start with a pilot project of 100,000 acres of NCR land.

“We will survey it and issue title to the respective community and the target community will decide what crops they want to plant on their land.

“And the government will give all assistance including seeds, fertiliser, technical know-how and financial support.

“For this project, NCR landowners develop their land and the government will not collect even a sen of the proceeds of the crop.

“All the proceeds from the land will go to the landowners on one condition, that is, the landowners must cultivate the land themselves.

“Ask you sons and daughters to return home from Semenanjong Malaysia to help in the cultivation of your land. There are more than 120,000 Dayaks.

“It is when young people start to come back to help in the plantation only then we can ensure our economy vibrant. For instance, one acre can yield RM300 for oil palm and if you have 300 acres, you will earn some RM90, 000. Even 50 acres will bring about an income of RM15, 000 per month,” he said.

Chong estimated that to develop 100,000 acres, it may cost the government about RM100 million.

“That is not much for the state government to throw the money at the project, because we strongly believe that this is the creation of a large group of middle income stake holders who will form the backbone of the state economy.

“This is one how we can sustain our economy and keep it rolling and vibrant,” he said.

Speaking of revenue, Chong who is also the MP for Bandar Kuching said that Sarawak’s annual revenue is about RM4.9 billion.

And the state collection from the oil royalty will also increase from 5% to 20% when Pakatan Rakyat forms the next government.

“This is extra money with which we can subsidise the Ibans, the Bidayuhs and the Dayak communities to develop their own land.

“So far the BN government does not have such a policy to help the natives. What you see now is that your lands, and most of them, are given to their cronies. And if you join venture with them, then you are subject to account manipulation.

“They say that they don’t make profits. No dividends. That is how you get only 0.17 sens per acre per year,” he said, pointing out that the Dayaks particularly the Ibans remain one of the poorest in the state.

According to facts and figures given by Alfred Jabu, there are 13,349 Iban families categorised as hardcore poor representing 47.8%, as compared with 2,925 Orang Ulu families representing 10.5% and 2,757 Bidayuh families constituting 9.8% out of 27,902 hardcore poor families among the Bumiputera.

These are the families who receive less than RM520 per family per month, he said.

Jabu, the recycled minister?

According to The Borneo Post dated March 6, 2011, Deputy Chief Minister and Deputy President of PBB Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, took a swipe at state PKR chairman Baru Bian and Sarawak National Party advisor Dato Sri Daniel Tajem whom he said are ‘defeated candidates’.

Speaking at the BN convention, where he and everyone ‘apple-polished’ Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, Jabu has been recycling his facts and answers for hundreds of times.

He blamed Anwar Ibrahim for not knowing Iban Adat; he blamed DAP for against the development of NCR land; he also blamed DAP for not praising the Dayak heroes in fighting the communists, and etc.

He has been blaming Tajem for failing to develop 30,000 to 40,000 acres of land from Lingga, Sebuyau till Simunjan when he was Deputy Chief Minister. Tajem was appointed Deputy Chief Minister from 2 October 1980 and until Ming Court affair 10 March 1987 (slightly more than six years).

Jabu did not mention to develop the land for what? Was it oil palm? Oil palm only came to be aggressively implemented well after Tajem had left the political scene.

Even if Tajem did not develop the land or had not done as expected of him, what has Jabu done to rectify the so-called mistakes committed by Tajem.

What has happened to the Lingga-Simanggang Road that was proposed by Tajem then? What has Jabu done about the road when he was Minister of Communications and Work?

The man who continuously accuses others of not doing anything is, in fact, trying to cover his own wrong doings, his own failures and his own weaknesses.

The list of Jabu’s failures starts from his own Layar constituency which he has represented for more than 37 years – from lack of roads, to clean water and electricity; the failures of fish mart, the fish fry projects, the kepayang project, cold storage project, the regional growth centres, the fertilizer factory, and the list goes on and on.

How many Iban millionaires has he created? How many Iban students have been given the Sarawak Foundation scholarships? How many thousands of acres of NCR land belonging to other Ibans have been given to his cronies including his son? And many, many questions need answers which are connected to his failures.

But whatever it is, Jabu is good in quarrelling with SDNU, SADIA, SDGA and DCCI. He does not like Iban NGOs other than his wife’s Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak.

Do you think it is abused of power or not to give financial grants from his ministry’s funds to his wife’s SIDS. That happened recently in Miri.

The other good thing about him is that he is an effective cat’s-paw of the chief minister.

Biggest dividend payout by SALCRA

The Star reported on 1 December 2010 that Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) which manages 18 oil palm plantations in the State’s southern region, is to reward its participating landowners with the biggest ever dividend payout of RM74.3 million.

Chairman Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said the dividend this year was more than doubled last year and would be paid to some 20,000 landowners in two phases – the first 50% between January and February and the second by July 2011.

The dividend that the landowners will receive will be based on the performance of the plantations and their maturity status.

SALCRA is the first to develop the vast native customary right (NCR) land, which covers an estimated 1.5 million ha statewide.

Under a new development model, the Sarawak government is getting major plantation companies to team up with the landowners via joint ventures to open up the idle or under-utilized NCR land on a big scale.

SALCRA’s earnings have been boosted by the soaring prices of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) and crude palm oil (CPO).

The FFBs now fetch nearly RM600 per tonne while the average CPO price this year is around RM2,550 per tonne compared with RM2,196 last year.

Jabu, also Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister, said that as at September, SALCRA had nearly 48,000 ha oil palm plantations, of which 41,000ha are matured.

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The Broken Shield: On paper, the dividend appears to be big. In fact, according to SALCRA, it is the biggest dividend payout – RM74.3 million to some 20,000 landowners.

Let us look into it mathematically: RM74, 300,000 divide by 20,000 landowners equals to RM3, 715 per participant per year. RM3, 715 divide by 12 months equals to RM309.50 per participant per month. Again we divide RM309.50 by 30 days, the result will be RM10.31 per landowner per day.

As Jabu said, 50% will be paid between January and February, the amount each land owner receives will be around RM5.16 per landowner per day. Assume, the average family is four, and then each person is entitled to RM1.29 per day. It is just enough to buy a cup of coffee.

It appears that the SALCRA landowners belong to the hardcore poor in the state earning an income of RM309.50 per month, if we take the RM750 as the poverty line.

I would have thought that some Dayak women selling “paku-tubu” would earn a profit of RM50.00 a day. In a month, the smart ones could earn between RM1,000 and RM1,200 a month.

So to me, the SALCRA’s dividend is pleasant to the ears and for the ears of rural voters. You know the State election is coming. But it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signify nothing.

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Masing: Common Law takes precedence over Land Code

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak has expressed concern over the ‘quarrels’ between native land owners and the state government over claims of native customary rights land.

“The quarrels between native land owners are not a big problem; it can be settled. What concern us are the quarrels between the native land owners and the state government.

“The quarrels over what constitutes NCR land and what is state land, “said PRS President James Masing.

Laterally, there are hundreds of claims and counter claims over the status of land between the land owners and the government.

So far more than 200 cases of land disputes are now pending hearing in the court.

Explaining PRS’ position after chairing its supreme council meeting on Saturday (20 Nov), Masing believed that the current exercise by the state government to survey NCR land and State land is a move in the right direction.

“Once we know which one is NCR land and which one is state land, and then the issue of conflict between the NCR land owners and the government will not arise anymore,” said Masing, who is also the Land Development Minister.

“We are concerned, because we are a party that represents the native communities and we want to ensure that the security of their land must be protected,” he said.

Masing said that one of the things they discussed in their meeting was a land report presented by its Land committee which had made a number of recommendations and observance.

“What I found out the most interesting in the report is that the Common Law takes precedence over the Land Code. This Common Law has the support of the Federal Constitution and the International Law.

“Common Law means the acquisition of land by traditional means. At the moment we may have slight problems that the Land Code does engender.

“How best we put them together so that we do not in conflict with the Common Law. And we have to tread on it carefully,” he said, adding that some of the amendments to the Land Code seemed to be in conflict with the Common Law.

“As a party representing the rural communities, this is our concern. We are not saying that the government is wrong. Let us synchronize the conflict.

“We must look into this seriously,” he added.

On the proposals recommended by the report, Masing said: “We have a long discussion on this report and how best we can develop NCR land. We have to look at it in terms of the concept and the proposal from the legal point of the land code that governs the NCR land.

“On the concept and the legal aspect, what I found the most interesting is that thereis a lot of inadequacy that the NCRland concept that we have.

“And they did the comparison of the NCR land concept with SALCRA. Even though SALCRA may not give that much as compared with FELCRA or FELDA, yet according to the report more people are agreeable to SALCRA than with the NCR land development that we have.

“As I told you before that my ministry is looking for ways and means as to how best we can improve NCR land development and giving more beneficiaries to the land owners,” he said.

Another blunder by the Forest Department!

The following story confirms another blunder by the Forest Department, which has been ignoring the plight of the natives. It is only interested to make the cronies and families of ministers rich, richer richest, and the people poor, poorer and poorest. It happens in Sebangan and Sebuyau and everywhere. The Batang Rajang logjam is one of the aftermaths of indiscriminate logging.

Read the following story which appeared in The Borneo Post on November 6, 2010:

Revoke two timber licences – Malcolm

MALCOLM Mussem Lamoh (BN-Batang Ai) has appealed to the Forest Department to revoke two timber licences with immediate effect.

He said the licences issued had violated the native customary rights (NCR) over land in his constituency.

“The issuance of two timber licences on NCR land under Peranan Megamas Sdn Bhd and Mastika Jaya Plantation Sdn Bhd has affected SK Nanga Aup and six longhouses namely Danau, Ng. Kumpang, Bukong, Kandis, Kampung Paoh and Kampung Langgir.

“As those longhouses residents have been there for 13 generations, definitely some of their ‘temuda’, ‘pala umai’ and ‘tembawai’ may look like primary forests,” he said when debating the Supply (2011) yesterday.

Mussem pointed out that not much timber could be extracted from these areas except for isolated ‘pulau galau’ within the licensed areas.

“The revenues that can be collected by the government would not be enough to compensate for the physical damage to their land and crops.

“Moreover, disturbance will be brought about to the river ecosystem and pollution that will seriously affect the gravity-fed water supply for those longhouses,” he said.

He added that most of the affected land had been earmarked by the landowners for oil palm plantation with Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) and development of rubber estates with the Sarawak Farmers’ Organisation.

He also urged the department to be more prudent in issuing timber licences within NCR land where prior field verifications and consultations with the landowners should be done.

The Forest department must not solely rely on aerial photographs and outdated maps over the intended areas, he said.

“The special conditions attached to these types of licences should be properly explained to the affected communities and rigorously monitored by the relevant authorities to ensure the rights of the landowners would not be violated,” Mussem said.- The Broken Shield.

Granda Aing slams Manyin for “stupid” statement

KUCHING: A leader of Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat has described as most “stupid and senseless” a suggestion by a state minister who wants the Bidayuhs to move to town even if they are paid lowly.

A PKR vice chairman Granda Aing said that by asking them to move out of their villages “is tantamount to putting the general Bidayuhs to become coolies, waiters and waitress earning a salary below the poverty line.”

Aing, a Bidayuh from Bau, was reacting to a statement made by Michael Manyin, State minister of infrastructure development and communication.

Last Tuesday Manyin, who addressed Kampung Krusen Bidayuhs, told them to leave their villages and go to towns for jobs in the towns in order to improve their livelihood.

“If they are unwilling to do so, they may be left far behind by other communities.

“Even if they have to struggle now it does not matter as it would provide their children the right exposure to improve themselves in the future,” Manyin had said, citing the Kelabits from the Bario Highlands as the best example.

“That is the most stupid advice coming from a minister,” said Aing.

What the government should have done is to increase the wages of the Bidayuh workers in Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) from RM8.00 or RM10.00 per day per worker to RM30.00 per day in its oil palm plantations.

“Why can’t you pay Bidayuhs RM30.00 per person when you pay Indonesian workers RM30.00 each?” he asked.

“That does not make sense. Does it?” Aing asked, pointing out that the government must look and revamp Salcra.

He warns: “If you leave your villages, the State government will take away your native customary rights land and lease it to its cronies for the planting of oil palm.

“By the time you return home, you have no more land left. I think the minister has been asked to say it, because lands in the Bidayuh villages are good for the oil palm cultivation,” he said.

The minister should not compare the Bidayuhs with the Kelabits, as most Bidayuh villages are nearby to towns, while the Kelabits a far away in the highlands.

“What the minister should have done is to get more roads and basic amenities implemented in the rural areas.

“Help them to plant cash crops in their land so that they can generate more incomes in order to sustain their life in the villages,” he said.

What Granda Aing said is correct. Look at some of the Iban small holders involved in the planting of oil palm. Many are earning between RM3,000 and RM10,000 a month. There are many examples of these successful farmers along the Serian/Sarikei Road. And their incomes much are better than those who allowed their land to be used by Pelita and other private companies. Some have not been paid any dividends even after 10 years of operation.

SALCRA is still better than all these Pelita-linked companies. But still compared to small holdings whereby you plant oil palm in your own land, and do it yourself the income is much better than the income of those who joined Salcra.

Food for thought. – The Broken Shield

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

Oil Palm small holding

In Julau last week YB Joseph Salang suggested that oil palm developers should adopt concept of “sewa pajak” (mortgage) to develop native customary rights land.

Under this concept, the Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Culture explained that the land is rented to the developers and involved the setting up of mini estates instead of large scale land use.

“Not all NCLs are suitable for large scale cultivation like oil palm plantation because of terrain and soil condition.

“In addition, not all land owners like long term joint ventures (of 60 years),” he said when meeting the people of Rumah Mauwa in Nanga Masit, Julau.

He said that land owners and interested parties could work out a mechanism for rent payment. It could be based on a number of trees planted like the case of rubber.

The other option is for the land owners to develop their land under small holding schemes just like they planted rubber under the rubber planting schemes.

In fact under this scheme land owners earn more money than they go for joint venture with big companies or even with SALCRA where their earnings/dividends/bonus are just like “ikan bilis”.

Let me illustrate a story told to me when I was at Melayu Ili, Betong two weeks ago about a grandfather receiving RM700 dividends from SALCRA after seven years of planting. He was proud receiving the dividend and showed a cheque for that amount to his grandson.

“Reti nya aki, nuan semina nerima RM100 setaun tauka RM8.33 sebulan,” ko uchu iya. (It means that his grandfather received RM100 per year or RM8.33 per month).

Compared the earnings of small holders like Tuai Rumah Masa of Tekuyong, Ubah, Pantu, who earns between RM1,500 and RM2,500 a day. His average income per month is around RM15,000.

Cobbold John Lusoi is another example. His daily income is around RM1,500 a day. There are few Ibans in Balai Ringin, Simunjan, Pantu and Sri Aman earning RM1,000 or more.

Previously, these small holders sell their oil palm fruits direct to SALCRA or Tabung Haji mills and are being paid weeks later.

But now they sell direct to a company, Century Garden Sarawak which is owned by Tedewin Ngumbang and friends.

Workers from this company go direct to small holders and buy the fruits and pay them on the spot. The small holders do not worry about transportation nor do they worry about late payment.
The company will then send the fruits to either SALCRA mill or Tabung Haji which one of them offers better services and facilities.

According to Tedewin, his company is prepared to help Ibans going into the planting of oil palm on small holding basis. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Who are lying?

We often hear from our ministers and elected representatives telling their constituents that the government does not take away the people’s NCR land without paying compensations.

They accuse the Opposition people of telling lies, exploiting and manipulating the NCR land issues.

“Yes the government does pay and we do not deny it,” said a senior PKR leader, especially when NCR lands are taken by the government for the construction of public utilities such as for the construction of roads, schools and hospitals, the government will compensate according to the values determined by the Department of Lands and Surveys.

Before such projects begin, compensations have to be paid first.

But our ministers and elected representatives are deaf and dumb large tracts of NCR lands are taken away and leased by government to big companies and its cronies. Not only compensations are not paid, the NCR land owners themselves are being chased away, their houses are demolished, their fruit trees, rubber, cocoa and pepper gardens destroyed.

And when the land owners reported the matter to the authorities, no one will listen to them; instead they condemn the land owners for being “anti-development”, and for listening to propaganda by the Opposition. And what is strange is that when the companies lodge reports to the Police, the Police are quick to take action as if they work for the companies, resulting many of the land owners being arrested for defending their rights and lands. There are literally hundreds of these cases against land owners who have to resort to Court to intervene.

Now at a story headlined by The Borneo Post on 4 February 2010 on page 6: “Stop activities on disputed land: claimants”.

The 100 or more people of Bekelit Ulu and Ili in Sibuti have occupied their 320 acres of land since 1945 – about 65 years ago. Under the Land Code, they have the native customary rights over the said land. But a company has planted oil palm on their lands against their will or even without their consent. They have reported the matter to the Police and likewise the company has also reported the matter to the Police.

Under the Iban Adat, if you plant something on someone’s land without his consent, then all the fruit trees planted there belong to the land owner. The NCR land owners in Ubah and Tekuyong in Pantu have applied this Adat and are collecting oil palm fruits from their NCR land and many earn a few thousand ringgits per day. The company and Police cannot do anything, because the lands are their lands.

“Who ask you to plant oil palm in my ancestral lands?” they asked.

Now coming back to our ministers and YBs, it appears that many of them are either talking through their noses or simply accusing the Opposition of lying and manipulating the issues for a political mileage. Now who are lying: The BN YBs or Opposition? - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Without fear or favour

The Broken Shield will always highlight problems and policies that negatively affect the Dayak community without fear or favour. It will also heap praises on government policies if such policies bring benefit to the people.

Truth is bitter and no doubt such exposure will hurt those who implement such policies, but the intention is good and a part of a democratic process where the freedom of speech should prevail.

This is the stand of The Broken Shield:-

The writer’s story on “Masing disowns Salcra” and the comments that follow have made some officers in Salcra management unhappy and have threatened to send the owner of the blog to jail under ISA. If they think the facts are not true The Broken Shield stands to be corrected and it will publish its version in the blog.

But to threaten the writer and to put the blame on the writer’s brother in Salcra and accuse him of giving the writer any information on its problems, weakness, etc. is not only unfair, but it is also very unprofessional, because that is not true.

My information comes from those who are close to the Minister of Land Development and Salcra board of directors. Even the writer’s brother does not know some of the most sensitive information about Salcra, about the general manager, his background and background of some of the contract officers.

I have also some information passed to the writer on certain staff in Salcra sending their personal cars for servicing and repairing to a car workshop company in Serian, the costs for which are allegedly paid by Salcra.

Salcra staff and management as well as the scheme participants should read Dayak Baru blog by Dr. John Brian and remarks and comments that follow. What is written in the Broken Shield is paled in comparison.

Thus threatening the writer of The Broken Shield with ISA does not intimidate him.

The Broken Shield can assure the readers that it will continue to highlight and expose mismanagement and abuse of power either by Salcra, Land and Survey Department, Agriculture, or by ministers and politicians. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Plant oil palm in your own land, owners advised

Sarawak Native Land Owners Network has warned NCR landowners not to allow their land to be developed through Land Custody and Development Authority.

Nicholas Mujah who sits as an adviser of the board of Sarawak Native Land Owners Network said that land owners have bitter experience in dealing with LCDA.

“All the disputed cases between the natives and LCDA are due to the fact that LCDA is not transparent in its policies.

“Let us look at all the court cases pending in the High Court which have been triggered by the LCDA’s lack of transparency policies,” he said, giving an example of land owners in Kanowit who are forced to take legal action against LCDA, which they alleged, has failed to protect their interests.

Although LCDA promised to pay dividends to the scheme participants in Kanowit after four years or so of operations, the natives until now have not been paid any dividend by the company that was developing their land more than 10 years ago.

“There are more cases of this nature coming up in the Court in the next few months” he said.

Mujah, who is Secretary General of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), was commenting on Taib’s statement regarding government’s intention to introduce a new land development scheme in order to enable the natives to earn bigger incomes through the development of their NCR land.

Taib had said that among the ideas being mulled was to create estate share exchange which would be handled by LCDA and with this kind of scheme to be implemented within the next 10 years, the people in the rural areas would feel reasonably comfortable with their earnings.

Mujah suggested that it is better for the land owners to develop or plant their own land with oil palm as they would gain much better profits than through a joint-venture with LCDA or even Salcra.

Most land owners receive between RM300 and RM1,000 per year in JV with companies and LCDA (Pelita) where as if they plant oil palm on their own land, they will earn at least RM1,000 a month or about RM12,000 a year.

He said there are examples of smallholders who are very successful in their undertakings such as David Kalom, Cobbold John, Tuai Rumah Masa and Jawah Gerang to name a few.

According to Mujah, each one of them earned between RM10,000 and RM20,000 a month.

He also advised land owners to seek advice from those who have been successful as well as from the Malaysian Oil Palm Board. - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Masing refuses to “own” SALCRA?

Since the beginning of January 2010, SALCRA which has been entrusted to develop NCR land from 1976 is now no longer under the Ministry of Land Development. It is now under Alfred Jabu’s Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture and Minister of Regional Development.

Masing’s close aides said that he met the Chief Minister a few months back requesting that SALCRA should not be under his ministry since Jabu refuses to step down as chairman of the SALCRA’s Board of directors.

As chairman, Jabu is allegedly behaved as if he is also chief executive officer of SALCRA, rendering Masing completely powerless.

It appears that SALCRA will follow whichever ministry Jabu is holding.

The Broken Shield asked Masing’s aides why he wants to disown SALCRA even though it is involved in land development.

According to the aides, SALCRA has financial, administrative and operational problems and any time the problems will burst to the top.

The aides claim that SALCRA has to use money given by the Federal Government and declares it as “dividends” to be paid to the scheme participants. There are more than 16,000 scheme participants.

Masing does not want to inherit the problems that have been created and to be blamed later on.

Isn’t it a pity that the scheme participants are made to suffer just because some people are greedy for power and money? And is MACC sleeping?– The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

100 families against DD Plantations developing their land

A 64-year old grandmother, Daha Ak Penghulu Nunsang has been having sleepless nights since 29 April 2009, the day when DD plantations and Pelita holding announced that they had signed agreement with 94 longhouse chiefs to develop some 9,629 hectares of land in the Kpg. Samalatong/Kpg. Isu/Kpg. Kepayang area.

The wife of the late school teacher Adun anak Buang, Daha is not the only one worried, as there are over 100 families from six longhouses having the same worry – that their lands have been signed away by a few community leaders to DD plantations for the planting of oil palm without their knowledge and agreement.

What makes Daha very angry is that Temenggong Anthony Ngipa, the leader who signs the people’s land with DD plantations is her brother-in-law, who is married to her younger sister.

It is understood Daha confronted Temenggong Anthony and asked him why did he want to “sell” their land to DD Plantations? She asked him to go back to his own village at Sebangan and not to speak on their behalf regarding their land.

“You have no right to sell our land,” she was reported to have told him in front of so many people.

There are five or six persons believed to be involved in this scheme whose real aim is targeting the communal forests behind the longhouses. These communal forests are part of the NCR land as decided by the Federal Court. Any one taking away these communal forests is committing a serious offence against the interests of the natives.

Colluding with Temenggong Anthony are Tuai Sebeli of Kpg. Sibau Rumbau, Tuai Rumah Najib of Kpg. Samalatong (Melayu), Pemanca Muit and Tuai Rumah Uja, both of Kpg. Kepayang.

They are not only PBB members, but the “kaki” (side kicks) of YB Naroden, the state assemblyman for Simunjan who is allegedly owned DD Plantations together with a Chinaman from Sebauh, Bintulu. Naroden is known in Simunjan as the local “oil palm king” owning several companies to plant some 50,000 acres of land, the bulk of which is NCR land.

Temenggong Anthony, a retired teacher, is ardent supporter of Naroden who appointed him as a councillor for Simunjan and when a vacancy existed for a Penghulu, he was also appointed a penghulu at the same time. After three years or so as a Penghulu, he is now promoted to be the Temenggong.

Daha has approached a lawyer to write to Pelita and DD Plantations that she did not want her land in 10 places totaling some 100 acres to be developed by them, and if they persisted of getting her land she would sue them in court. The strongly worded letter was copied to her brother-in-law.

Meanwhile, six Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) had sent a joint letter to the minister of land development, Dr. James Masing and the chairman of the NCR land development task force, Alfred Jabu ak Numpang, saying that they did not want their land to be developed by DD Plantations and Pelita.

A copy of the letter was sent to SALCRA general manager, Vasco Sabat Singkang inviting him to have a dialogue with them in order to open their land for oil palm cultivation.

The six Tuai Rumahs represent some 100 families owning some 2,000 hectares of NCR land. There are other longhouse folks from Keniong, Sangkalan, Munggu Ai, Gayau and Kepayang who refuse to surrender their land to DD Plantations.

All these longhouse chiefs are watching the DD Plantations and Pelita closely before making further moves including holding demonstrations and bringing them to court. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Six longhouses may take legal action against DD plantations

Six longhouses in the Samalatong area, Simunjan, will submit a letter in the next few days to the General Manager of Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) telling him that 95 families from the longhouses will not join DD Plantations and Pelita Holdings.

Instead they want SALCRA to develop their land which is about 1,800 hectares into an oil palm plantation.

A copy of the letter will be sent to Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang as chairman of SALCRA Board of directors and to the Minister of Land Development, Dr. James Jemut Masing. SALCRA is under the Ministry of Land Development.

A group of VIPs and officials from DD Plantations and Pelita Holdings are expected to see these angry NCR land owners on Saturday, 23 May 2009 to explain to them the concept of joint venture and the “benefits” they will get from joining DD Plantations and Pelita Holdings.

It is understood that these landowners will not be swayed by the sweet talks of the VIPs because they have heard and known such JVs the land owners stand to lose and many have not received their dividends even after 10 years of operations.

They would prefer to invite SALCRA where their equity participation is about 70% as compared to 30% in a joint venture company.

On 29 April 2009 DD Plantations whose owner is closely associated with YB Naroden Haji Majais, the Simunjan elected representative, and Pelita Holdings had signed an agreement with 46 longhouse chiefs in Kuching.

But many Tuai Rumah claimed they were not aware of the plan to develop 9,629 hectares of their NCR land into an oil palm plantation.

Some Tuai Rumah who did come to Kuching were critically questioned by the longhouse people; some demanded for their resignation and even held Temenggong Anthony Ngipa responsible for bringing the Tuai Rumah to Kuching.

For the six Tuai Rumah and the 95 heads of families will have to seek legal action if the company persists on developing their land. - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Ibans mount blockade against Naroden’s companies

About 100 Iban land owners from Kpg. Sungai Lingkau, Melanjok and Sekendu in Simunjan today (5 May) mounted a blockade to prevent workers of Hydroflow and Melur Gemilang from entering their NCR land.

A manager from the company promised the landowners who maintained the blockade not to enter the area, and to bring out all the machinery.

The landowners expected the manager to lodge a report with the Police and they also expected to be arrested in the defence of their land from being encroached into.

Hydroflow and Melur Gemilang are owned by Yang Berhormat Naroden Majais, the Simunjan State assemblyman. He is known as the "Simunjan King of oil palm", owning more than 48,000 acres of land including NCR land of oil palm.

Meanwhile, six longhouses in the Kpg. Samalatong/Kepayang area will meet on Wednesday night to reject the offer of DD Plantations and Pelita Holdings Sdn. Bhd. to develop their NCR land. The agreement has already been signed between 46 longhouse chiefs with the DD Plantations and Pelita Holdings Sdn. Bhd.

But the landowners from these six longhouses prefer their NCR land to be developed by SALCRA where their equity participation is 70% as compared with 30% given by DD plantations and Pelita. - The Broken Shield

Jabu under fire over NCR scheme ~ Malaysiakini

Taken from http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/103229

By Tony Thien Apr 28, 09 12:38pm

A Miri-based Dayak NGO has taken Sarawak's most senior Dayak minister Alfred Jabu to task for 'once again shortchanging the community' through one of the state government's most praised native customary land development schemes’ commonly known as 'konsep baru' or new concept.

It cited the latest incident which involved the Iban communities from Rumah Belili and Rumah Ranggong situated at Ulu Niah, Miri Division.

Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia (Brimas) executive director Mark Bujang said last Thursday, Jabu (right) handed out a total of RM436,708.20 in dividends and bonuses to 226 participants of the Ulu Niah NCR Joint Venture Project.

At first glance, he said, the total amount seems reasonable if the payment of dividends and bonuses are for the year 2008, but upon checking with the participants, it was learnt that this is the first time in 10 years that the JV project has paid out dividends or bonuses.

“If we were to make the assumption that the dividends and bonuses are divided equally among the scheme participants, each participant would receive about RM1,932,” he added.

Divide that by 10 years, he said, each participant would only get RM193 per year. This, he added, is a far cry from the government's promise that the scheme would uplift the socio-economic status of the Dayaks.

Snek Bagat, one of the residents of Rumah Ranggong, said: "I was looking forward to receiving the dividends and bonuses from our investment (in the JV project). But I was shocked to find out that our investment only yielded 50 cents per month after 10 years. Not enough to buy a cup of coffee."

Why the sudden need to do so?

Meanwhile, Bujang questioned the need to hand out dividends and bonuses after 10 years. "Why does the government and the JV company have a sudden interest with the NCR landowners after they have been neglected all these while?"

"Is it because that the community of Rumah Belili and Rumah Ranggong are suing the private investor BLD Resources Sdn. Bhd. for not keeping its end of the bargain?" he asked.

Previously, in 1999, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between BLD Sdn. Bhd (sister company of BLD Resources), Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB) and the NCR landowners at Ulu Niah, where Rumah Belili and Rumah Ranggong were the participating longhouses, to develop the Ulu Niah NCR land based on the ‘konsep baru’ scheme.

Jabu and the then Sarawak Minister for Housing Celestine Ujang handed out the 10 percent upfront payment worth RM294,990 in 2001.

However, in 2008, a resident of Rumah Ranggong, Changgai Dali was sued by BLD Resources for allegedly trespassing into BLD’s plantation. When Changgai and his longhouse folks disputed this they discovered to their horror that their NCR JV project was cancelled - reason given was the government made a mistake saying the land is NCR.

Commenting on the dividends and bonuses received, Changgai said: "We thank Jabu for handing out the dividends and bonuses to us, but we are not happy with the amount."

"How come after all these years, this is all we get? Jabu not once mentioned the status of our land during the ceremony. When I asked Jabu if he could withdraw the provisional lease of the company, he replied that he does not have the authority," he added.

Problems in other schemes

In another case, Jabu also handed out dividends amounting to RM52 million to 16,480 participants for the year 2008 in another NCR land development scheme managed by another state government agency, the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra), where Jabu is also its chairman.

According to an article sourced from a blogsite, Anilnetto.com, Salcra should have netted profits amounting to RM292 million for 2008 taking into account the price of oil palm that year. Jabu announced that another RM22 million had been set aside for loan repayments.

The article went on to say that the net balance after dividends and loan repayments should have amounted to RM218 million, or RM13,240 per participant.

The article questioned Salcra on where the balance of the money went. The article went on to state that even if 50 percent is withheld to allow for reinvestment and replanting, that would still amount to RM109 million or RM6,620 per participant to be accounted for.

In another NCR JV scheme in Suai, Miri Division, the Penans from Kampung Ugos threatened to withdraw from the said scheme launched by Jabu himself in 1998 if the state government agency the Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB) did not disclose transparently the official documents, records, JV agreements and statement of accounts of the company.

The Penans also complained that they do not know how SLDB arrived at the amount of dividends paid which is exactly RM500,000 and they do not know which private investor company is in the JV. Some of the scheme participants have died not knowing what will happen to their land and their investment.

Who are the biggest culprits against Dayak Adat? ~ ref. Malaysiakini

“I will give Jabu 72 hours to respond,

failing which we will institute legal proceedings

without any further reference to him”.

It is the arrogance of a man who has been a minister and deputy chief minister for more than 30 years as he thinks he knows “best” and the rest of the people are stupid. Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang has been attacking, chiding and criticising any one or organisation that crosses his path. Nowadays his latest “victim” is Anwar Ibrahim, de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and leader of the parliamentary Opposition.

During the last sitting of the Council Negeri in November, Jabu accused Anwar Ibrahim of not respecting the Dayak Adat, when he visited a longhouse in Lubok Antu on 24 May 08. Jabu said: “The longhouse suffered a sudden death that day and apparently certain quarters had blamed Anwar for not having cleansed himself since he was convicted of sodomy charge.”

Jabu said that Anwar was regarded as still “apin bersih” (not clean) in Dayak Adat and must undergo “enselan” (cleansing ritual usually with the blood of a hen or a pig in the case of an Iban leader). Nowadays, whenever he visited longhouses in Betong or Lubok Antu, Jabu kept on recycling his rebuke of Anwar. (It is understood that Anwar has demanded an apology from Jabu over the accusation.)

But Jabu has conveniently forgotten that oil palm companies, the Cabinet ministers and the State Government are the biggest culprits against the Dayak Adat. They have no respect for the Adat when they not only destroy fruit trees and crops planted on their farms, but they do not also respect the Native customary rights of the farmers over their land which their forefathers had created hundreds of years ago. Their “tembawai” (sites of previous longhouses), “pendam tuai” (centuries old graveyards) and their longhouses have also been bulldozed and demolished by these companies.

As a result of these companies having “kurang ajar” or no respect on the Dayak Adat, thousands of the Natives and their families have suffered; some have lost their lands, their longhouses and incomes. Worse, many have been criminalized and sent to jail for defending their Adat, and many more Natives have to incur money unnecessarily to engage lawyers to bring these companies to court.

Now who are the biggest culprits against the Dayak Adat – the accuser or the accused?

And let me quote a passage or two from the Holy Bible. Matthew 7: 3: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in their own eye?

5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

The Jabu condemnation: who will be next?

It is Alfred Jabu’s habit to condemn Dayaks who do not “kow-tow” to him. Since he became YB and minister in 1974, he had been criticising his own people and his choice of words is always similar: anti-establishment, anti-development, instigators, ungrateful, what have you done to help the community, you know how to criticise, etc.

When the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) was in the opposition, its leaders - Leo Moggie, Daniel Tajem, Edmund Langgu, Jawi Masing, James Masing, and the late Joseph Samuel, – had also been condemned by Jabu. He had also criticised leaders of Sarawak National Party (SNAP) such as the late Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Dunstan Endawie, Edwin Dundang, Justine Jinggut, Stanley Jugol, etc.

All Dayaks’ non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU), Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), Sarawak Dayak Graduate Association (SDGA), Dayak Cultural Foundation (DCF) and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) – have been at the receiving end of his ‘loquacious’ mouth (baka mulut indu).

A couple of days ago, he chided SDNU and SADIA for not praising him and SALCRA for helping the Dayak community. And today, 8 Dec 2008 (according to The Borneo Post), he accused bloggers of discrediting him and SALCRA, instigating the people to go against the government and hampering its efforts by abusing and misusing the internet.

He said: “They blog every day and night but have done nothing for the people. They only talk”.

It is true we have done nothing in term of physical development. But our job is to help change the mindset of the people and help them to know their rights especially their customary rights over land that had been created by their forefathers centuries ago.

As a minister Jabu is in a better position to help the people as he has the federal and state funds at his finger tips. But yet he has failed miserably as many of his projects (kononnya) to help the Dayaks have become white elephants. Perhaps only SALCRA appears to be doing much better than many of his projects. But then he is not the originator of the project.

No doubt some SALCRA participants have received some substantial amount of money from its dividends and bonuses, but the bulk of such money goes to some rich Dayaks and non-Dayaks, while some of the poor Dayak participants receive as little as RM2.70 as dividends. One non-Dayak in Saratok, for example, has received over RM500,000 in dividends last year because some scheme participants have sold their land and shares to the 'Chinaman'. Did Jabu speak about him as a successful SALCRA participant?

On development, it is undeniable that Jabu has brought some development projects to Betong which is under his constituency. But that is Betong only. What about other Dayak areas? In fact some money meant for projects in other divisions have been diverted to Betong.

His political enemies have accused Jabu of only having interests in the development of politics and business for his family and cronies. For example, who is this Gerald Rentap who owns Utahol Sdn Bhd that has been given 6,900 hectares of land, Ulu Medamit, Limbang for the planting of oil palm? And who is this Robert Lawson Chuat who owns Durafarm which was given land totalling 1501.825 hectares at Tanjong Bijat and Skrang Land districts and 3665.1 hectares of land in Betong? And what about Henry Jantum’s Ever Herald Sdn Bhd that was given 2,127 hectares of land of Batang Layar/Batang Lupar land district and another 2,873 hectares of Sablor and Sebelak land districts in Betong?

The way I see it, the more Jabu criticises and condemns people from his community the more he will be isolated and the more people hate him. Now after criticising the Dayak bloggers, who will be his next targets? - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Response from other blogs:

1. http://selangaump2008.blogspot.com/2008/12/datuk-patinggi-alfred-jabu-wants.html
2. http://dayakbaru.com/weblog08/?p=1071