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

Power crazy people become Tuai Rumah

It is interesting to note of a statement made by MP for Lubok Antu regarding power-crazy individuals which appeared in The Borne0 Post on Wednesday, 4 January 2012.

The story reads: ‘Power-crazy individuals do not fit the bill to be longhouse chiefs'.

Lubok Antu MP William Nyalau Badak said only persons with credibility have the ability to bring the people under their charge together.

‘I am saddened by the actions of certain individuals who are too power-crazy until they split the unity of the people in their longhouses just because they want to be the Tuai Rumah (village chiefs).

‘These people are not at all suitable to be Tuai Rumah because they not only disrespect the tradition of their longhouses but also create disharmony among the residents,’ he said at a meet-the-people session at rumah Tan Anak Tumba, Seramat.

He also said that the culprits should realise their actions only embarrass themselves in the eyes of the residents and the neighbouring countries.

‘If someone wishes to lobby to be Tuai Rumah, he should lead by good example,’ he said.

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Comment: There are several reasons why people want to be Tuai Rumah. Firstly, the government has corrupted the incumbent Tuai Rumah by promising their monthly allowance from RM450.00 to RM800.00 and this promise in the last election.

Secondly, the Tuai Rumah become not only government agents (spies) but also become the ‘feet or side-kicks’ (kaki) of politicians in their respective areas.

Their jobs among others are to control their 'anembiaks' (followers) to vote for that YB. Their Tuai Rumah in return will receive financial gains. And what about the project money?

In Layar constituency, many Tuai Rumah became instant ‘rich’ and the same in Lubok Antu. No wonder people are crazy wanting to become Tuai Rumah.

Nowadays many Tuai Rumah become instant rich as they sign away the land of their followers to companies for oil palm plantations without their consent. The companies pay them very well.

In Sebuyau, one tuai Rumah and a Penghulu have been sued by the landowners for giving away their NCR land. The case is pending. The same thing happened to community leaders in Serian and Bau.

In all these cases, the Tuai Rumah and community leaders receive money in return. And for these people, they do not mind selling their souls, their family’s interest and rights and their children’s future. Sadly, the so-called power-crazy individuals wanting to be Tuai Rumah are retired teachers, retired police and army personnel.

So who are to be blamed? To me all BN YBs like Nyalau should equally be blamed for corrupting these crazy individuals. I may be wrong, but what others have got to say about all this?

Use Tuai Rumah to disperse RM500 aid, says Baru Bian

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian suggested that the government should use the offices of district officers, elected representatives and Tuai Rumah (community headmen) to disperse RM500 to the families in the rural areas earning less than RM3,000.

“This is the most practical way to disperse the money to those families in the rural areas,” said Bian, who is also the Ba’Kelalan assemblyman.

“Calling them to town to fill IRD (Inland Revenue Department) forms is not only not practical, but it is also exerting a financial burden on the rural people.

“Just to take RM500, they may have to spend much more than that. Moreover, all the rural families do not pay income tax and thus do not have any IRD form,” he said when asked to comment on the RM500 which is to be given to families whose combined incomes are less than RM3,000 per month.

“The only way to solve this problem is just distribute the money through their elected representatives or Tuai Rumah as almost all the rural people earn less than RM3,000.

“There is no need to fill the form. Let the money be their Christmas gift,” he said.

The money was part of allocation mentioned in the 2012 budget by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Finance Minister.

While welcoming the financial assistance to the poor people, Bian said that the government should know the mechanism how to disperse the money especially with regard the people of Sarawak.

“It is possible that when Najib announced the whole thing, he must have forgotten about conditions in Sarawak.

“I think unconsciously they (federal leaders) always forget Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Bian believed that the distribution of the money as far as Sarawak is concerned cannot be done before the general election.

“If you ask them to fill the IRD forms, even after the election, it will not be completed.

“It is possible also that they want to use the money as ‘candies’ for the coming election,” he added.

Out of 2.4 million people, about 70% are living in the rural areas who are mostly Dayaks. Some 50% of them are in the hardcore category.

About 500,000 people have no electricity

KUCHING: The DAP Member for Padungan, Wong King Wei told the Press that he recently received a written reply to his questions submitted to Dewan Undangan Negeri on electricity and water supply during the last sitting of the assembly.

The reply is as follows: “For the information of Ahli Yang Berhormat for Padungan, as at the end of 2010, the number of people who are not connected to the state grid is estimated at about 500,000 people or 111,000 households.

“However, these households are supplied with electricity through alternative systems.

“As for the water supply, the number of people who do not have treated water supply as at the end of 2010 is estimated at about 450,000 or about 100,000 households. Nevertheless, these households are supplied with clean water through alternative systems.”

According to Wong, the majority of the 500,000 people who do not have any electricity and 450,000 of them who do not have treated water supply are the rural population especially the Dayaks.

“It is sad that after 48 years of independence, many rural Sarawakians have not been given basic needs like electricity and water,” he said.

So what are our so-called Dayak leaders have been doing all this while?

Health problems of rural people ignored

KUCHING: Rural people in Bau district have to spend at least one day or even more to attend to their dental problems at polyclinic at Tanah Puteh, Kuching or to Kota Sentosa bazaar just because there is no dental unit at the Bau district Hospital.

“They have been doing this for the past 19 years since the opening of the hospital,” said Boniface Willy Tumek, a member of PKR Mas Gading Division.

“This arrangement is very inconvenient to patients from Bau especially those who are poor and have to depend on public transport,” he said.

He said that the government has approved a proposal some time ago to construct a two-storey building partly to house a dental unit in Bau, but for reasons undisclosed the construction of the building has been delayed.

“As a person coming from the area, I am inclined to ask what has happened to the project. Can our three elected representatives – Peter Nansian (state assemblyman for Tasik Biru), Ranom Anak Mina (state assemblyman for Opar) and the MP for Mas Gading Tiki Lafe do something about it?” Boniface asked.

“Tiki should be in the forefront in the health problems in the area, not because he is the MP for the constituency, but more so that he is a specialist doctor,” he said.

This is the second major project that apparently has been abandoned in the Bau and Lundu districts; the other abandoned project was the RM500,000 bridge which was supposed to be constructed across Batang Kayan near Kampung Selampit.

On the condition of the 68-bed Bau hospital, which was officially opened in 1993, Boniface said it is woefully inadequate to fully meet the medical and health needs of the growing population of the district.

“Currently there are five resident doctors serving at the hospital, comprising the hospital director and four other medical officers to serve the needs of more than 50,000 people of the district,” he said.

Due to lack of space, he said that the physiotherapy unit is housed at one of the buildings originally intended as a living quarter for the doctors.

“Equally pressing needs at the hospital are to have separate wards for the paediatrics and the maternity units.

“There is no separate government medical clinic in Bau town so health screening and out-patient treatment, including mother and child health (MCH) services are conducted from the A&E unit of the hospital.

“This has caused severe congestion at the A&E unit on most days, causing inconveniences to the patients and making working conditions a lot more stressful for the staff,” he added.

According to Boniface, the average occupancy rate of the hospital is at low of about 37% but this is not because of low numbers of the sick needing in-house (warded) treatment,

He said the availability of relatively good roads has made it easier for the sick to head directly for the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching to seek specialist treatment and by-pass the Bau hospital, thus contributing, in no small way, to the severe congestion in the wards at the Sarawak General Hospital and under utilisation of the wards at the hospital.

Boniface said: “There is every reason to upgrade the Bau hospital to accommodate these much needed services in proper settings and the rakyat in Bau are now demanding for such an upgrading.

“In fact the government should upgrade this hospital to a specialist grade hospital. Such a hospital will serve as a referral centre for patients from Lundu District Hospital, who are in need of specialist treatment and this will help ease the congestion at the Sarawak General Hospital.

“The Lundu district hospital currently has a patient’s referral rate to Sarawak general Hospital of 63%,” he added.

He said that the people in Bau have been loyal ‘fixed deposit’ supporters of the BN government and giving them a specialist grade hospital will be one fitting and meaningful way for the government to reciprocate and to reward them for their fervent and untiring support.

“Towards this end, the people now call on the Federal Minister of Health Liow Tiong Lai, and their three elected representatives especially Dr. Tiki to take immediate and appropriate actions so that soon they may have a specialist grade hospital in Bau to serve them,” he said.

He urged the government to commence on the construction of the dental clinic as soon as possible, preferably before the year end.

He said Tiki who is a medical doctor and a native son of Bau should be able to help especially he was a deputy federal minister possessing the necessary network needed to deliver the hospital.

Masing suggests setting up of Resettlement ministry

KUCHING: Sarawak’s Land Development Minister James Masing has called for the setting-up of a new ministry to deal with the resettlement of the natives affected by the displacement of the construction of dams.

“This ministry must have the authority to apply for allocations for engaging experts in looking into issues related to resettlement as well as the power to negotiate for terms for those affected,” he said to newsmen.

“Currently there is no ministry which has ‘resettlement’ in its job description despite the fact that resettlement in itself is a highly complicated matter that needed much attention. This is especially so in terms of financial and social aspects where there must be proper dealing with the villagers who are involved in the resettlement process.

“Now we are only asked to act on an ad hoc basis. I have been asked to help up in the Bakun dam resettlement because my wife is an Orang Ulu who comes from there.

“As an anthropologist, I don’t mind undertaking the resettlement projects. However, without the proper setting up of a ministry, I was neither the authority to apply for allocations for engaging experts to look into the resettlement issues nor the power to negotiate better terms of the affected people.

“These people were asked to move not that they chose to it. To me, they should be provided with basic facilities including housing, water and electricity free in the resettlement area rather than asking for it,” he said.

The needs for the setting up of the ministry are now greater in view of the fact that the state government is going ahead with the construction of more dams in the state, he said, pointing out that the state government should follow what was being done in China.

Masing, who recently visited China’s Three Gorges Dam, said that the project involved the resettlement of one million inhabitants and it has been done well because the resettlement budget took up as high as 45 percent of the construction cost.

“The dam costs US26 billion and 45 percent of it has been allocated for resettlement purposes. As for the Bakun dam, the cost of the dam is RM7.2 billion but only RM500 million has been used for the resettlement programme,” he said.

On top of that, he said, the people have to pay half of the amount back to the government for the housing and other facilities built for them.

“To me the cost of resettlement should be added to the cost of the construction of the dam,” he added.

Masing said that the government should have learnt lessons from its first Batang Ai dam built in 1982 that has flooded an area of 21,000 acres, involving in the resettlement of 3,000 Ibans in an area of 8,000 acres.

Presently, there are two on-going resettlement projects namely the Bakun and Bengoh dams. The Bakun dam was constructed for renewal energy which resettlement programme involved 10,000 natives from the Orang Ulu communities.

The Bengoh dam involved the resettlement of 1,600 Bidayuhs from four villages of Kampung Taba Sait, Kampung Rejoi, Kampung Bojong and Kampung Semban.

Masing admitted that the problems of relocation and resettlement programmes of the natives living within the affected areas have not been fully resolved due to the dissatisfaction among those affected.

Sarawak has a new Rajah

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Dayaks have benefited very little

KUCHING - Dayaks have benefited very little from the special rights and privileges that have been enacted in the Federal Constitution, says Sarawak National Party Secretary general, Edmund Stanley Jugol.

Prior to the formation of Malaysia, he said Dayak leaders requested for various safeguards and constitutional framework to protect the interest of the Dayak communities who were lagging behind the various communities in Malaya.

“Among their worries were the rights over Native Customary Lands and a request for a special rights and privileges to entitle them to preferential treatment especially in socio-economy, education and employment in the civil service.

“The special rights and privileges were agreed to and therefore enacted in the Federal Constitution.

“However, until today not much of that special rights and privileges has been invoked to benefit the Dayak communities since independence,” Jugol said, pointing out that this has been the sore point that caused much dissatisfaction among the Dayak communities including Dayak members of SNAP and others at large.

He said: “They have always wanted us to bring up and highlight this issue for the attention of the government with the hope that a more affirmative action will be taken to address this matter.

“The recent case of Marina Undau is just a tip of the iceberg,” Jugol said when he expressed support for DAP State Assemblyman for Batu Lintang Voon Lee Shan who has become the target of complaints and a Police report lodged by BN State assemblymen.

The BN State Assemblymen led by Abdul Karim Hamzah (PBB-Asajaya) wanted the Police to investigate Voon for his remarks believed to be seditious when he (Voon) spoke on the interests and rights of the Dayaks under the constitution.

Jugol said: “There is nothing wrong in highlighting this issue as it is a social contract, guaranteed and enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Since SNAP has no elected representative or YBs and other Dayak YBs are reluctant to bring up this matter publicly, the Dayak members in our party agreed to ask YB Voon Lee Shan to bring it up in the recent DUN sitting.

“We specially asked YB Voon because of his deep understanding of Iban culture and the fervour for the socio-economic plight of the Dayak communities. He has many Dayak relatives and Malay friends and speaks Iban fluently.

“Dayak members in SNAP are thankful to YB Voon for bringing up this matter in the DUN and hope that the government will address the plight of the Dayak communities instead of condemning him,” Jugol stressed. – The Broken Shield.

Lim says: Dayak leaders look down on their own people

DAP secretary general and Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has accused some Dayak leaders who opposed his idea of Dayak Endowment Board (DEB) are the ones who degrade the Dayaks because they do not want to help their own community.

“I am baffled as to why Dayak leaders are up in arms over my proposal for a Dayak Endowment Board which seeks to help the poor Dayaks in the State,” he said.

The proposal was not because he looked down on the Dayaks as what some leaders thought, but made out genuine interest to help those who have been struggling against poverty.

“I am just saying that we want to help those who have been marginalized. So I do not see what is wrong with that. Are we going to allow them to continue to be marginalized?” he asked when replying to adverse comments from Dayak leaders.

Lim said that with the setting up of the board, the government would not only be helping in terms of money, but also opportunities and he did not see what wrong with that.

The board would be run the way the Penang government carried out it “Partners against Poverty” programme in the State.

Dayak leaders are against Lim’s suggestion are PBB deputy president Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, SPDP president William Mawan, PRS president James Masing, Balai Ringin state assemblyman Snowdan Lawan and State assemblyman for Bukit Begunan Mong Dagang.

If they do not agree with Lim’s suggestion, do they have ideas of their own to help their own people? Are we going to see the Dayaks suffering for another 46 years? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

News and Views: Late registration of birth certificate

Sarawak Government will be recommending for flexibility in cases of late registration of Malaysians born in the rural areas. This proposal will be made to the federal government soon, said Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

He said that the period for registration of birth and death is within 15 to 42 days and after that period it will be termed as late registration.

“Some flexibility should be given to rural folk because of the difficulties contributed by communication problem and geography,” he said and pointed out that the short period for registration was the root cause of late registration in most cases that involved rural folk previously.

Taib’s suggestion is commendable and we should all support it especially our Dayak Yang Berhormats because such a proposal is good for the rural people especially the Dayaks who live in the interior inaccessible by roads.

In order to ease the problems confronted by the rural dwellers, there should be established a rural clinic (klinik desa) to cater for a number of longhouses as in the case of primary schools.

And apart from treating the sick, nurses, midwives or hospital assistants should also help record the particulars of babies born and then remind the parents the importance of forwarding those particulars to the National registration for birth certificates.

Our YBs, if they are really concerned and care for their constituents, should open a number of service centres not only for political purposes but also to provide assistance to the people including helping them in getting birth certificates for their children.

Others who can help our rural people are teachers, Penghulus and Tuai Rumahs. If everybody is contributing towards this cause, the problems for them to get birth certificates for their children will be minimized.


State Cabinet reshuffle long over due

The State cabinet should have been reshuffled soon after the 2006 State elections to fill some vacancies as a result of some assistant ministers defeated in the election.

Chief Minster Abdul Taib Mahmud promised to fill the vacancies, but until today he is yet to do so.

However in July last year he had a minor reshuffle which involved in the re-assignment of portfolios of ministers and assistant ministers. Some of the ministers and assistant ministers hold two or three portfolios.

But one of particular interest is the continued retention of Larry Sng as an assistant minister.

From what we know he is no longer a member of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) following his expulsion from the party. Although he is partyless, he is still being retained as an assistant minister.

Under the present set-up PRS has one full minister and two assistant ministers. Legally speaking PRS has no assistant minister now after the expulsion of Larry Sng and the death of Dublin Unting.

Will Taib replace Larry Sng in the coming Cabinet reshuffle due any time now and appoint other PRS state assemblymen or retain him? Any bet? - The Broken Shield

(See also Malaysiakini below)

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http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/102534

PKR to select leaders of 'stranded' S'wak division

Sarawak PKR will meet soon to select new leaders for its Julau division following the resignation of several of its key leaders during the Batang Ai by-election.

The division was left ‘stranded’ when its chairperson, Ambrose Labang, his deputy Wong Kee Kai, secretary Kajang Unan and a committee member Kundi Untung, left the party.

And they did not leave in a friendly manner – they came out with their guns blazing at PKR leaders as they campaigned vigorously for the BN candidate Malcolm Mussen Lamoh.

Labang’s resignation two days before polling on April 7 in the presence of Joseph Salang, PRS information chief at the BN operations centre in Batang Ai was said to have caused devastating effects on PKR chances in the by-election.

“I have decided to leave PKR because the party will never be able to carry out development programmes or help the people in the rural areas.

“The people in the rural areas still need the BN government and as such they should not waste their time with PKR anymore,” he had said and called on voters of Batang Ai to support the BN. Labang was in PKR for two years.

BN made full use of Labang as the main speaker in their campaign especially in the opposition’s strongholds where he told the voters the “true” picture of PKR.

Even Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud warmly welcomed Labang and his friends, describing the change of heart of PKR members as a positive sign for the coalition in the Batang Ai by-election.


Many people to take over

Jawah lost badly even in areas believed to be the stronghold of the opposition; he won only in four polling districts out of a total of 26 securing 2053 votes compared to 3907 obtained by Mussen.

But Kuching PKR chairperson Dominique Ng was not worried with the situation in Julau, saying that “we have many people who can take over and who are strongly committed to bring about change not only in Julau, but also in Sarawak.”

He described the resignation of the former Julau PKR leaders as “good riddance to bad rubbish.

Julau division is one of 13 PKR divisions that have been registered with the Registrar of Societies. The others are Kuching, Stampin, Petrajaya, Santubong, Serian, Baram, Sarikei, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, Batang Sadong and Kota Samarahan.

Ng said the party hopes to register PKR divisions in all the 71 state constituencies before the next state election,” said Ng who is the state assemblyperson for Padungan.

Meanwhile, Malaysians for free and fair election (Mafrel) is expected to return to Lubok Antu this weekend to gather more information on the conduct of the Batang Ai by-election held on April 7 before finalising its reports.

“There are certain issues which are not very clear and we have to go back to Batang Ai to seek further clarifications,” said Peter John Jaban, Mafrel head for the Batang Ai by-election.

The reports which must be supported by facts and photographs should be ready in two weeks’ time, he said.