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

‘Shut up… you lawyer buruk’

A ranting Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, caused an uproar in the Sarawak State Assembly today, leaving Speaker Asfia Awang Nassar helpless.

KUCHING: An uproar in the State Legislative Assembly sitting earlier today saw Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu go into a fit of rage screaming “shut up, shut up… you are lawyer buruk” at opposition leader and Bukit Assek assemblyman Wong Ho Leng.

For 10 minutes, the August House was a virtual ‘fish market’ as Jabu went on a verbal rampage attacking the opposition, accusing them of suppressing and oppressing natives.

The sudden outburst, which shocked the assembly, came about when Wong stood up to object to Jabu’s accusation of DAP, whilst answering a supplementary question from Joseph Mauh (Tamin), on what programmes the government had to help the poor and the needy apart from the ‘E-Kasih’.

Towards the end of his explanation Jabu said: “I would like to remind especially DAP who have been suppressing and oppressing the opportunities of poverty eradication. You throw away your selfish ideas …”

At this point Wong stood up to seek clarification and was told by Jabu to “shut up you, shut up, shut up, shut up, you sit down…I know better than you. You are lawyer buruk.”

The heated exchange went on for at least 10 minutes with Speaker Asfia Awang Nassar having a hard time trying to bring the house into order.

Jabu ignoring Asfia’s order went on to say: “Let it be recorded here. Every time I say, “DAP suppressed and oppressed the opportunity of NCR land owners from participating in poverty eradication program,” DAP walked out because the truth hurts …”

Venting Jabu

Jabu also took swipes at another DAP Assemblyman Wong Hua Seh (Repok), accusing him of “suppressing and oppressing” the native language.

His attack on Hua Seh came about because the latter had asked that pesticides and insecticides be labeled in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Chinese.

To which Jabu vented: “Tuan Speaker, poverty eradication is priority and I would like to repeat (that) I am the Minister of Rural Development, I am coming from one of the Dayak communities and I know that the Dayak communities are still at the disadvantaged, living in rural areas….”

All this while, the house only heard what Jabu said and the replies from the opposition were not heard as their microphones were switched off.

The drama only stopped when the speaker threatened to adjourn the meeting and told Jabu to wind up his answer.

RM2,500 per rural family by 2020

Meanwhile, Jabu said the Sarawak government’s rural transformation programme (RTP) would ensure that poor families eventually earn no less than RM2,500 per month.

Explaining the RTP to Tamin assemblyman Joseph Mauh, Jabu said the government programme involved farmers and school leavers and encouraged these groups to be involved in high yielding rubber planting or in small holding oil palm development.

“A family who has got four acres of high yielding rubber and a family who has got a four acres of small holding oil palm can easily get nothing less than RM2,500 per family per month income under the government programme.

“This is the approach for us to eradicate poverty right throughout the year to the year 2020, thereby giving opportunities right throughout Sarawak including the Penans for which we have initiated program for the Penans,” he said.

Jabu was answering a supplementary question posed by Mauh on what programmes the government had to help the poor and the needy apart from the ‘E-Kasih’.

He said the government was also focused one ensuring that the head of the families prioritized education.

Touching on the Penan community, he said villagers participating in the RPT programme in Long Bruan and Ulu Baram would greatly benefit.

“I promise you by the year 2016, the Penans who participated in this programme in Long Bruan and Ulu Baram will enjoy benefits.

Residents want 42-year-old road pledge fulfilled

Tun Abdul Razak first promised a road from Kapit to Kanowit 42 years ago. His son repeated the pledge during the last state election.

KAPIT: The calls for the construction of 71km Kapit-Song-Kanowit road are now getting louder and louder as the more than 120,000 Kapit people are waiting for the federal government to fulfil its promise made more than 40 years ago.

It was the then Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak who made the promise to build the road in the presence of the Federal Minister of Sarawak Affairs (Tun) Temenggong Jugah Anak Barieng and the people of Kapit when he visited the town about 42 years ago.

Since then several promises had been made by federal leaders.

The latest promise came from Razak’s son and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak during the campaign for the last state election.

When announcing an allocation of RM90 million to construct phase two of the road, Najib said: “I want to help Kapit people. I just consulted the Finance Minister.

“I am the Finance Minister, so I must approve it. It’s not an empty promise. I will fulfil it,” Najib was quoted as saying.

“My father (Tun Razak) was in Kapit 42 years ago,” he said.

Kapit is the only town in the country that is not linked to any town in Sarawak. It depends on the mighty Rajang River as its main mode of transport where scores of high-powered express boats are plying from Sibu to Kapit, passing through towns such as Kanowit and Song and hundreds of longhouses.

After Najib had made the promise, more and more people came forward to demand for the speedy construction of the road.

Lack of development

Jugah’s grandson and the incumbent MP for Kapit Alex Nanta Linggi said in Parliament that “Kapit is one of the remote areas without road linking it to other towns in Sarawak”.

“I don’t want to paint a glowing picture of Kapit, because development is not there.

“All the development promises like the construction of a trunk road are yet to be implemented,” Nanta said, and warned that the Barisan Nasional might lose its rural constituencies which the BN regarded as its “fixed deposit” to the opposition.

State Land Development Minister and president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak James Masing also bemoaned the lack of road development in Kapit.

“We are far behind as we are not connected by road. Our aim now is for Kapit to be connected to the rest of the state by road,” he told businessmen in Kapit.

Indeed the construction of the Kapit-Song-Kanowit road has been the talk of the town following the promise made by Najib.

In fact, it is everybody’s dream to see a road connecting Kapit, Song and Kanowit being constructed, especially now when travelling along the Rajang River by express boats is no longer reliable due to the impoundment of Bakun Dam, which makes certain parts of the once mighty Rajang River shallow and are not passable by express boats.

“The government has been promising the people for the last 40 years to build the road,” said 76-year old Kapit resident Neo Eng Siew.

“I am already old. I just hope one day before I pass away Song will be connected to both Kapit and Kanowit.

Prioritise the road project

The latest to voice the people’s demand is Kapit Chinese Chamber of Commerce (KCCC) which wanted the government to prioritise the road project.

Its chairman Yong Hua Sying said: “Now or never. Strike while the iron is hot. During the walkabout by the prime minister on April 14 he announced RM90 million for the road project between Kapit and Song.

“KCCC welcomed the effort of the government to construct the road to link Kapit-Song-Kanowit and thereon to the rest of the state.

“The first phase of the tender was awarded to construct slightly less than 1.9km of road between Kapit and Sungai Yong. The tender for the second phase to construct 12km has also been called.

“Our stand is for the government to prioritise the road project so that 44km stretch between Kapit and Song could be done quickly,” Yong said.

He was concerned that the road project, if not done quickly, would affect voters who had been urged to remain loyal to the BN candidate.

The current MP for Kapit (Alexander Nanta Linggi) won the seat twice uncontested as the rakyat believed the government would do its best to fulfill their needs.

“We don’t ask for extra. Sarawak gained its independence about 50 years ago.

“On the day of independence, we have dreamt to have the road,” Yong said.

Added Neo: “How long more can the people of Kapit and Song wait?”

Source: Free Malaysia Today

Dressed chicken shortage: Whose fault?

As reported by The Borneo Post on Wednesday (28 Sept), the government may be forced to allow the import of chicken into the state if local chicken breeders do not increase their production to meet the shortfall in demand, says Assistant Minister of Agriculture Mong Dagang.

At present the state bans the import of dressed chicken and chicken parts to protect the chicken farming industry.

Mong said the decision to import chicken would be the option to stabilise the price in the local market.

Whose fault is this?

Remember the state government closed all the 19 agricultural stations throughout the state decades ago.

Under the government extension programmes, agricultural officers and home demonstrators from all these stations would visit longhouses and villages to encourage and advise how to run cottage industry or home economics such as rearing chicken, goats, cows, ducks, and culturing fish as well as planting pepper, vegetables, sewing, cakes making and so on.

At that time, rural people were really involved in small time businesses such as selling chickens, eggs, cakes, vegetables as well handicraft products.

After all these agricultural stations were closed, the state suffered shortages of all these products. But what come in are new crony companies such as CCK.

I heard recently Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Agriculture and Rural Development minister wanted to reopen all these agricultural stations.

The government must have realised their folly.

Opar voters felt cheated

KUCHING: Feeling cheated and angry, the 8,099 voters of Opar Constituency have demanded their elected representative Ranum Mina of Sarawak United People’s Party to explain what has happened to the proposed rural growth centre (RGC) which has undergone two ‘earth-breaking’ ceremonies.

“We want to know what has happened to the RGC project which was promised us before the state election?” asked Boniface Willy Anak Tumek, voter of the constituency.

Speaking on behalf of the Bidayuh community in the area, he said: “They (the BN campaigners) told us that we can look forward to much better days ahead as the RGC will bring economic benefits on a scale previously unseen in Kampung Stungkor, Kampung Stom Muda, Kampung Raso 1 and 2, Kampung Bokah and nearby villages,” he said.

The proposed RGC which was to be cited at Kampung Stungkor, a predominantly Bidayuh village located along the Bau/Lundu road was supposed to be implemented under the 9^th Malaysia Plan in order to boost the economy of the rural communities and to increase the income of the rural dwellers in and around the area.

It would be sufficiently equipped with the requisite infrastructures and amenities.

During the run-up to the May 2006 state election, a very grand earth-breaking ceremony was held at the site near Kampung Stungkor.

Officiating at the ceremony was Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud. Those present included his deputy Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang who is the Minister of rural Development in charge of the RGC and a number of state ministers and government officers as well as the kampung people.

The grateful villagers reciprocated by giving their votes to the BN-SPP candidate Ranum Mina.

“Five years later the RGC remained a figment of the villagers’ imagination and the economic benefits promised mere wishful thinking.

“There is not the slightest hint that an earth-breaking ceremony took place there much less the facilities that were supposed to house the economic activities as promised,” said Boniface, who is now a member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

During the second week of April 2011, which was also interestingly a period of campaigning, another earth-breaking ceremony took place at exactly the same site and supposedly to mark the impending construction of the same RGC at Kampung Stungkor.

Again Taib Mahmud officiated at the earth-breaking ceremony, which was also attended by state ministers, government officers and the kampung folk including their community leaders.

“Believing that the state BN government will proceed with RGC, the Bidayuhs once again voted for Ranum for the second time.

“Four months now after the earth-breaking ceremony, the voters have not seen any sign of development.

“They are start asking whether the RGC will ever be implemented or not,” said Boniface, adding that times are not getting any better for the Bidayuhs in the constituency.

“Every day is a battle to make ends meet and the relentless upward movement of prices of essential goods is making the daily struggle even bitterer.

“They are greatly saddened by what they perceived as a betrayal of their hopes and dreams for a better future.

“They fear that history will repeat itself and that the RGC, together with the promised benefits will not see the light of day any time soon,” he lamented.

Reminding the state government and their elected representative, Boniface said that their memory is not short and that they remembered the promises made in the 2006 state election.

It would also do BN well to remember that they, the rural voters are intelligent enough to know when they are being taken for granted and when value is placed on their votes.

“We now demand that we be told immediately when exactly can we expect works to commence at the site, what facilities are going to be put up, the types of economic activities that the centre is targeting and how exactly we benefits from this centre,” Boniface said.

Then people, he said, are demanding that the facilities to be constructed at the centre be appropriately aligned and be made compatible with the products that can be easily produced by the majority of the rural people in that area,

“To ensure this, other government agencies like the department of agriculture, RISDA, FAMA and so on should be made to come up with matching initiatives for the area in line with the objectives of RGC,

“That way the production, the sale and marketing of the products will not become constraint on their capacity to generate and increase their income,” he said.

Meanwhile, Boniface said that there are 11 RGCs in the state implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development of which Jabu is the minister in charge.

“Millions of ringgit has been spent on the centres. Sadly, all these centres are either under utilised or being abandoned,” said Boniface.

“It is very sad that RGCs are being abandoned as we believe that such centres can help create economic opportunities for the rural people thus enhancing their income,” he added.

All 18 agro stations to be revived

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

COMMENT: 10MP offers nothing to the rural people

By Joseph Tawie

(This article was first published in the Malaysian Mirror and it is updated and published for the readers of the Broken Shield)

KUCHING: Glancing through the reports, there is nothing spectacular about the 10MP. As they say: “It is an old wine in a new bottle.” In other words, the same stuff from the previous plans.

For Sarawak, three particular areas of development are specially mentioned which are likely to involve the rural people: the proposal to build a total of 2,819 km of roads; to supply 87,400 additional houses with treated water and 76,000 more houses with electricity.

On top of this, there are also plans to address the poverty of Sarawak bumiputras through integrated development programmes and specific enhancement assistance.

The objectives of the 10MP are not dissimilar with those of the 1MP and other eight Malaysian Plans, that is, supply electricity, water supply and to address poverty in the rural area.

More than 46 years ago today, between 70 and 80 percent of the longhouse dwellers are still suffering from lack of treated water and 24-hour supply of electricity and more than 50 percent of them are still in the vicious circle of hardcore poor.

So what make you think that the 10MP is any difference from the nine previous Plans?

Baru Bian, chairman of Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sarawak nicely sums up the whole Plan: “Nothing for the rural Sarawakians to be proud of. We are taken for granted notwithstanding our wealth that has been taken away, stolen or sold off.”

As every one knows that Sarawak having oil and gas, timber resources and lands, is the richest State in Malaysia, and yet her people especially the rural people are among the poorest in the country. So has happened to our resources?

Squandered, stolen or sold off?

So if that is the situation where can Sarawak get her money for development?

Obviously the people of Sarawak are worried. Firstly, because the federal government may not have the funds to finance all the projects spelt out in the 10MP due to its heavy debts. The corruption and misappropriation of funds through scandals like Bank Bumiputra, PKFZ, Perjawa steel, purchase of submarines, jet fighters, and so on an so on are still fresh in the minds of the people.

Secondly, even if there is some money given to Sarawak under the 10MP, the people are also worried of funds for government projects going “leaked”. According to MACC reports, about 60 percent of government funds for the various projects in the past have been found to be “leaked”.

Peter Minos, former president of Dayak Bidayuh National Association, expresses the fear of leakages and improper use of the funds at the implementation stage, unless the Prime Minister gets in people who are honest and clean to help him.

And thirdly, the rural people in other Divisions are worried about the diversion of funds from other areas to SCORE areas situated between the coastal areas of Bintulu and Tanjung Manis.

Who dares to say anything if Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud wants the fund to be diverted?

A colossal amount of money, perhaps in the region of more than RM100 billion are expected to ignite the development of projects in SCORE. These include the building of roads, bridges, other infrastructural facilities and lands and crops compensations.

Other SCORE projects include two aluminum smelting plants to be built in Bintulu at a cost of RM18 billion. And the third one, as Taib Mahmud recently proposed, may need at least another RM10 billion to build.

But what about the proposed 12 dams that the Taib Mahmud’s government wants to build?

Here again the construction of these dams plus infrastructure, and perhaps land compensations, can easily cost more than RM100 billion. This is not to mention the hardships and the displacement of thousands of natives and submerge of thousands of hectares of land, and the flora and fauna that will disappear as the result of the creation of man-made lakes.

Adding to these mega projects, there are also an international airport to be built in Mukah to cater for bigger aircrafts, an administrative centre in Mukah and coal-powered station. These three projects are worth well over RM2 billion.

Is it necessary to extend this airport, when it is only a stone’s away from Sibu Airport, Bintulu Airport and Miri Airport?

Spending hundreds of billions of ringgit on SCORE is going to deprive other areas, especially the rural areas from being developed.

As I see it, of all the people, the Dayaks will suffer, and the lack of development will push them over the edge into the abyss of poverty. Already their problems are being aggravated by the fact that they have lost their NCR lands to companies, where they used to plant padi, cash crops and fruit trees.

All the rubber trees, fruit trees and cash crops that have been planted have been destroyed resulting in them losing their daily incomes.

Without their lands, the Ibans are just like fish without water.

As they have no lands in which they can plant padi, fruit trees and cash crops, many have started to migrate to towns and cities. But their lack of skills for works in the urban centres may complicate further their problems. It will be of no surprise, if there appears in their midst social problems – prostitution, smoking, drinking, robbery, drugs and drug-related problems.

They are just jumping from the frying pans direct to the fires.

Even if they do not migrate to towns and cities the Ibans will still suffer not only due to lack of land to farm, but also due to river pollution that will affect their drinking water, their sources of protein and their dependence on jungle produce such as ferns and bamboo shoots.

Whether they like it or not, they are forced to become labourers in their own land and are being paid between RM8.00 and RM15.00 a day.

Nor can they ever hope of getting dividends from a joint-venture undertaking with companies as they (the companies) use the funds to further expand the acreage of the plantation. Many in Kanowit, for example, have complained that they have not received even a cent from such companies, even though the companies have been in operation for more than 10 years. So what hope is there to have a better life from these companies?

It is the opinions of many Dayak leaders that if the government is really serious in helping the rural people then the government should not take away their land by force. As it is stated earlier, land is their life.

Instead the government should have come up with plans under the 10MP how to develop their land. Perhaps the government could have adopted the way the government assisted farmers in the rubber planting schemes A or B in 1970s.

Through these schemes, the farmers are encouraged to plant oil palm in a block of three acres per person with seedlings provided and fertilizers subsidized. Agriculture officers should be sent to check on the development of the farms and to ensure proper upkeep of the gardens.

When the palm reaches maturity, the fruits are collected and placed on a roadside; some authorized buyers will fetch the fruits and pay them on the spot. Through these smallholdings, they can earn as much as RM1,500 a day. Proofs of this can be seen today.

Since there is nothing in the 10MP, perhaps in the midst term review the government should consider some sort of concrete actions to help the rural people.

Left to their own devices, the Dayak poverty can escalate into an insurmountable problem, and it is indeed a time bomb in our society. It needs a spark to trigger it.

BN’s Failures, says Ng

KUCHING - A Sarawak PKR leader, Dominique Ng, has attributed the rural backwardness such as the lack of basic infrastructure development in Sarawak due to the Barisan Nasional government’s decades of neglect.

“The track record in Sarawak under BN does not give room for optimism as basic infrastructure such as pipe water, electricity, tar-sealed roads, and affordable housing not to mention IT access are still lacking in many communities.

“This is against the backdrop of native NCR land dispossession, large scale deforestation and mammoth palm oil estates, the benefits of these latter are not shared by the rural communities as they deserve to.

“The rural backwardness is clearly the BN government’s decades of rural neglect,” stressed Ng, who is State Assemblyman for Padungan.

The BN government has not just put its own 2020 vision in critical jeopardy, he said, adding that it is dragging the nation down in competitiveness vis-à-vis several other countries of the developing world, not to mention the little Dragons of Asia.

Ng was commenting on the Roadmap for Government Transformation Programme (GTP) of the Prime Minister in which six key performance areas or six areas of improvement, or National Key Results Areas (NKRAs), were announced.

They were reducing crime, combating corruption, raising the living standard of low-income citizens, widening access to education, improving infrastructure in rural areas and upgrading public transportation.

Describing such a roadmap as a mirage to hoodwink Malaysians, especially in Sarawak, Ng said it will not be realized or sustained.

“Sure these are not only valid areas of concern, but also an admission of the failure of governance under Barisan National; in Sarawak, these have been the neglected areas since the formation of Malaysia.

“Yet, these are not the only fields where the Barisan National Government has either failed, or has been strong on rhetoric but poor on delivery. With respect to Sarawak, I refer to the omitted or unmentioned areas of Healthcare in the public sector, social welfare, labour rights, public administration, human rights, tourism growth, environmental protection, historical and cultural heritage preservation among others, where Sarawak is trailing far behind,” he added, accusing both the Federal and State governments of leading the people to a steep and slippery slope of decline in performance indicators in a range of socio-economic sectors. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Warrant holders are shivering?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Jabu returns to his old ministry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Fifty-Six years for Progress to reach Baram?

BARAM: Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Ak Numpang has urged the Orang Ulu Community to be patient, saying that they may have to wait at least 10 years for the vast Baram district to experience progress and development.

“The government has development plans for Baram. Within the next 10 years there will be opportunities for the rural district to get out of vicious poverty cycle.

“The key, of course, is the people of Baram must work hand in hand with the government, with the Barisan Nasional and with one another,” he said at the opening ceremony of PBB Telang Usan triennial delegates assembly last Saturday.

From Jabu’s remarks, the people of Baram will only benefit from the fruits of Merdeka 56 years after Sarawak has obtained her independence through the formation of Malaysia. For the past 46 years, the district has been neglected, marginalized and suppressed.

If I am not mistaken, there was a proposal decades ago to build a trunk road from Miri to Marudi. The proposal was not approved because there were no economic activities there. Furthermore, the state government did not want to disturb, like in Kapit, the boat express services there. But who own these boat expresses?

Jabu admitted that another 10 years then the people of Baram’s rural district – the Kayans, Kenyahs, Berawans, Ibans, Penans and Kelabits – will “get out of vicious poverty cycle”.

By the time, when development eventually comes, if the promise is to be fulfilled, many of those who are now 46 years old or more (if they are born before and during Sarawak’s independence in September 1963) will be dead by then. Sad that they will never taste the fruits of Merdeka.

Jabu warned them of course they must support BN, otherwise forever they will never see development.

The Baram District has abundant wealth in the form of timber, and timber related products, bird nests, good land for agricultural activities and the reason why the people are poor is because the forests have been stripped off their contents leaving nothing for the people to survive on. No wonder the timber blockades are never an ending process. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Salang tells State leaders: Don’t divert federal allocation on infrastructure

MP Julau-cum-Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Culture Joseph Salang has made it very clear to the State powers that be not to take away federal allocation for infrastructure development in Sarawak’s rural areas.

“The money must be rightly spent on such areas only. The implementing state agencies should follow the federal directives. There are reasons why the fund is specifically allocated to certain areas.

“The money should not be diverted else where,” he said when referring to RM4 billion federal allocation to upgrade infrastructure in the rural and interior regions of Sarawak and Sabah.

Salang’s warning is timely. Otherwise most of these monies will go to only SCORE areas, Mukah and Betong, thus other areas will be deprived of infrastructure development. It had happened in the past when allocation for the Simunjan/Punda Road was diverted to Kota Samarahan; allocation for a Pantu Secondary school was diverted to Betong. Many more had happened that you and I did not know.

Despite we are the richest State in the country with timber, oil and gas and land resources in plentiful, we are among the poorest in Malaysia. Why?

We know why Salang is so concerned about the federal fund being taken away, because at the moment the State government has no money. And we and Dayak leaders like Alfred Jabu, James Masing, and William Mawan should support Salang for daring to voice his concern rather than involved in the “sirat” issue.

A contractor friend of mine in Sarikei complained that the government owes him RM1 million, saying that the government has no money to pay him. Complaints of other contractors receiving no payment are also common.

Hotels will not receive service orders as a form of payment when civil servants go on travelling. Either cash or don’t stay in the hotels. That is the order from hotel managements.

According to my friend, the contractor, many will go bankrupt if the government does not pay for the completed projects: the contractor will go bankrupt, many of his workers who have houses and cars to pay will also go bankrupt and the hardware shoppers will also suffer.

So the question is: Why are we in this state of financial uncertainty and bankrupt? And where have the monies gone to? - The Broken Shield

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

Kapit is growing?

After an absence of more than two years, it is good to visit Kapit again where we met many relatives and friends. Although Kapit is perhaps the only town which is not connected to any town and other divisions, it is fast growing not only in terms of physical development, but also in other forms.

Kapit 'water front' project now under construction

The Kapit water front is believed to be one of the biggest projects now under construction in this little “Hong Kong” of Malaysia. (At night Kapit is very much like Hong Kong, where we can see many beautiful lights coming from houses built on top of hills.)

Cost of living is one of the highest in Sarawak. Fish like “ikan empilut”, “ikan padi”, “ikan Labang” are now very expensive. Not to mention “empurau” which costs RM500 a kilogram, “tengadak” and “semah” cost between RM100 and RM300 a kilogram. Wild boar meat which was used to be a common dish in those days has now become a rare item. So are other jungle meats.

Fish like 'Ikan Empilut", "Ikan Padi" & "Ikan Labang" are now very expensive in Kapit

Prices for vegetables and jungle produce have also increased tremendously. Hotel accommodations and costs of houses have also soared up as a result of high costs of petroleum. A double storey house which cost RM250,000 per unit two years ago now costs RM320,000 and more.

On Sunday, Kapit is really packed with people and vehicles. It is said that there are more than 400 van “sapu” and 4,000 Kapit registered cars and several thousands other cars. As there are very little roads in Kapit, you can imagine cars and vans coming to the town, making Kapit the town of cars and vans.

Express boat is the only mode of transportation to Kapit

The people of Kapit put their blame on Dr. James Masing, Minister of Land Development for the lack of roads in Kapit especially a trunk road leading to other towns like Kanowit and Sibu. Masing, according to them, did not agree for the construction of the trunk road as there were no economic activities.

Actually it was not Masing who did not want the trunk road to be built. Like you and me Masing wants the road to be built. I am not defending him. As a loyal BN minister he has to toe the line. It was and now the State government policy under Abdul Taib Mahmud not to build the trunk road from Kapit to Sibu.

In a recent cabinet meeting, Taib argues that such a trunk road will make Kapit a “dead” town as everyone will not spend the night in the town. Secondly, the road has no economic value even though it will pass through literally hundreds of longhouses and will likely open up thousands of acres of NCR land for agricultural activities. And thirdly, the state government does not want the express boat and tongkang businesses to suffer.

But the State government will carry out upstream development and has in fact come up with a master plan which is part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewal Energy (SCORE). Three roads will be constructed: one from Kapit to Baleh dam and Putai which is about 56 km, another to Murum dam which is about 45 km and the third road to Bakun, another 68 km.

The construction of the roads, dams and other projects are expected to cost some RM 7 billion. Rumours being spread around are that the road to Baleh is allegedly given to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), to Murum to Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and to Bakun to PBB.

Another road is being planned from Mukah to Nanga Merit, Ulu Kapit where there are coal deposits. These coal deposits are expected to run the only coal generated electric power in Sarawak. The mining of the coal is to justify the construction of nearly RM1 billion coal-generated electric power station in Mukah.

Although early this year, deputy minister of works, Yong Khoon Seng, announced that the trunk road will be built connecting Kapit to Kanowit and Sibu; initially the people of Kapit were happy, but it seems now that the proposal remains a proposal.

But the people in the interiors between Kapit, Song and Kanowit are just unlucky as they have to be contented with using rivers as their main communication and transportation. Can they wait for another 46 years for their dream road to be constructed? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

When will we ever learn?

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=52941

The sad story of 200 folks from three longhouses – Rumah Anchoi Abit, Rumah Melaka Gana and Rumah Samsudin Sumping – located three and half kilometers from Machan Bazaar, Kanowit, is very well highlighted by The Borneo Post page 6 dated 8 June 2009.

These longhouses are accessible by boat through the Kanowit River which is their main source of water for sanitation and washing purposes. Most of the longhouse folks cast off their junk into the river as they have nowhere else to dispose them.

“We have been waiting for so long for the government to bring clean water supply to our longhouses,” said Ringgit Injing to the paper.

Sometimes, he said, they would go to Machan with big buckets to ask their relatives for clean water.

The folks of Rumah Samsudin Sumping claimed that in 1996 officers from the Kuching Water Board went to take samples of the water in Sungai Kanowit to determine its quality.

Said Ringgit: “They said that within six months after taking the samples, clean water supply would be possible, but until today, after 13 years, we have yet to see it.”

He said that every time there were events or festive occasions like gawai, the folks would walk to the nearby river bank to get water for washing and to go to Machan to get their drinking water from shop house owners or relatives residing in the area.

According to a villager, Mad Injing, 68, they have been doing this for last 50 years. “We asked through our YBs to provide piped water to our longhouses, but somehow our request went unanswered. Our YBs had sent hundreds of letters requesting for clean piped water from the authorities with no response.”

“How many more Malaysia plans (MP) would we have to go through before piped water can be channeled to these longhouses?” the people asked.

Yes how many more elections the people of the three longhouses have to vote for the Barisan Nasional candidates/YBs?

Being BN strong supporters, you know that you have been cheated; you know that they have broken their promises? But why are you continuing to elect your YBs, and in directly, elect the State government?

When will you, the people of the three longhouses, ever learn?

Even the newly elected YB for Batang Ai Malcolm Mussen Lamoh has started to worry that the BN State government may not fulfill its by-election promises.

According to The Borneo Post page 6 dated 9 June, Mussen said: “As the newly-elected representative in the area, it is my fervent hope that all the projects promised during the election be implemented as quickly as possible as a gesture of saying thank you to the voters.”

He said the projects totaling more than RM70 million would definitely give a great impact to the people in the area.

Why Mussen is getting worried is because the state election is around the corner. It may be held any time between year-end to mid-2011. So if the BN fails to deliver its promises between now and 2011, it may affect his chances in the State election.

But will they also ever learn after being cheated election after election? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

BN supporters of Kampung Lusut Jaya deprived of basic needs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Where are Your YBs?

According to The Borneo Post on 22 April, families from landslide-affected Rumah Ali, Kerangan Tinggi in Krian Saratok which occurred early this year are disappointed that the relevant authorities have yet to respond to their plight.

One of the victims, Andrew Unjah, 51, three months after the disaster which damaged their properties, they had yet to receive any assistance from the authorities nor hear any news from them.

According to him, the landslide which occurred on the night of January 11 had brought down his toilet, generator shed and fuel storage. His brother-in-law Mathew Handary was also a victim who received a harder blow as his “bilik” was located at the end of the nine-door longhouse. The second landslide occurred on the morning of January 29.

Mathew had lodged a report of the incident at the Saratok Police Station. His loss was about RM2,000, while Andrew’s was RM500. After being informed, the district officer visited the damaged longhouse. The JKKK officially wrote to the district officer who in turn wrote to the Betong Divisional Disaster Committee with copies to the Betong Resident, Divisional engineer and the welfare department.

Top leaders at federal and state levels had been sympathetic to the victims of calamities, yet it was disappointing to note that the agencies in the division entrusted to look after their welfare had failed to translate their concern into action. But where is Peter Nyarok, Krian State assemblyman or Jelaing Meresat, the Saratok MP?

Why? The question can easily be answered. Usually if victims of calamities are supporters of Barisan Nasional, the BN leaders are all out to visit the scene and bring goodies and other assistance. I can assure you the first to visit will be deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang especially if the area is in a PBB constituency. Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, Abang Johari, George Chan and the YB in the particular area will visit them.

But if you are perceived to be supporters of opposition, the BN will ignore you. Unless and when there is a by-election as in the case of the recently concluded Batang Ai by-election when they will bring gunny sacks of money, make promises of development and beg you to support the BN.

They will bring bulldozers and appear to be busy doing some road works, and on the day when polling begins, they start to pull their bulldozers out of the area (this we saw in Batang Ai).

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has reminded BN leaders that political rhetoric could erode public confidence. He said that the people would be most unhappy if what were promised to them were not fulfilled.

Speaking in Johor Bahru, Najib said: “If we make a certain promise, we must deliver the promise and our administration will ensure that the people’s aspirations are met in the best possible way.” Very nice to hear, but will our BN leaders in Sarawak listen to Najib? – The Broken Shield

Samarahan Division progresses, people remain poor!

Since its creation into the eighth administrative division of Sarawak in 1987, the Samarahan Division with an area of 4,967.4 square kilometers is one of the fastest growing regions in the State.

Its administrative headquarters, Kota Samarahan has been turned into a “Knowledge Centre”, where we find the sites of the University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), the University Institute Technology Mara (UiTM), the Tun Abdul Razak Teachers Training College, the Science and Technology Park, the Industrial Training Centre, the Public Health Laboratory and the Sarawak International Medical Centre.

Other plans for the division include a major agricultural centre through a massive Integrated Agricultural Development programme that involves the planting of the famous Simunjan rice or Gedong rice, coconut plantations, bananas, pineapples, oranges, and pepper, as well as turning the division into the hub of oil palm activities where some 67,760.4 hectares of land (roughly 169,401 acres) have been approved for the cultivation of oil palm.

Generally the division’s 204,900 population (2000 census) who are mostly Dayaks and Malays should be grateful to the Government for the various projects, but the planting of oil palm is of great concern to them. Out of 169,401 acres, the greater parts of these lands are being disputed as they claim that the lands are under their NCR land.

Syed Abu Bakar Almohdzar’s companies of Melur Gemilang Sdn Bhd and Kumpulan Kris Jati Sdn Bhd, both giving their address at Tingkat 13, Menara Tun Razak, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350, Kuala Lumpur have been given provisional lease to develop some 59,360 acres (23,744 hectares) for oil palm.

Kumpulan Kris Jati:

# 1093 hectares of land at Lot 166 Menuku land district at Sungai Tebelu Baru, Sebuyau approved in October 1997;

# 187 hectares at Lot 737 Sebangan-Kepayang land district at Bukit Pinang, Simunjan approved in October 1997;

# 463 hectares at Lot 738 Sebangan-Kepayang land district at Ulu Sg. Ladong, Simunjan approved in October 1997;

# 2281 hectares at Lot 739 Sebangan-Kepayang land district at Sg. Sediliu/Sg. Bentaga, Simunjan approved in October 1997;

# 2187 hectares at Lot 1223 Sediliu Gedong land district at Sg. Sediliu, Simunjan approved in October 1997;

# 1940 hectares at Lot 167 Menuku land district at Tg. Engkrepok, Sg. Sebuyau, Sebuyau approved in August 1998;

Melur Gemilang Sdn Bhd:

# 7493 hectares at Lot 1224 Sediliu-Gedong land district at Lubok Rasau, Sg. Simunjan, Simunjan approved in September 1999;

# 780 hectares at Lot 2978 Melikin land district at Sg. Simunjan Kanan, Simunjan approved in September 1999;

# 1650 hectares at Lot 1225 Sediliu-Gedong land district at Lubok Teba, Btg. Sadong, Gedong approved in June 2000;

# 250 hectares at Lot 2982 Melikin land district at Sg. Matan, Btg. Kerang, Gedong approved in April 2002;

# 4420 hectares at Lot 2983 Melikin land district at Sg. Simunjan Kanan, Simunjan approved in April 2002;

# 280 hectares at Lot 33 Punda-Sabal land district at Tg. Stigang, Sg. Simunjan, Simunjan approved in June 2000;

# 720 hectares at Lot 34 Punda-Sabal land district at Sg. Simunjan Kanan, Simunjan approved in June 2000.

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Another big player in the oil palm business in Samarahan Division is Robert Geneid, the Chief Minister’s brother- in-law. Geneid’s company of Lambang Sinar Mas Sdn Bhd has been given 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) and the details are as follows:

# 980 hectares at Lot 1 Muara Tuang land district at Ulu Sungai Sampun, Samarahan approved in May 2004;

# 5620 hectares at Lot 886 Samarahan land district at Sungai Ensengai, Samarahan approved in May 2004;

# 670 hectares at Lot 887 Samarahan land district at Sungai Ensengai, Samarahan approved in May 2004;

# 5010 hectares at Lot 1230 Sediliu;Gedong land district at Ulu Sungai Ensengai, Samarahan approved in May 2004; and

# 3720 hectares at Lot 1509 Bukar Sadong land district at Ulu Sungai Ensengai, Samarahan approved in May 2004.

As I mentioned earlier in posting, YB Naroden Majais was also a major owner of oil palm in Simunjan with acreage of 16,486 hectares.

Together the companies owned by the three persons (Naroden, Geneid and Syed Abu Bakar) own some 56,230 hectares of land under oil palm contributing to about 90% of the total acreage approved for the Division up to the third quarter of 2005.

Plans are also afoot to build the Sadong Bridge and roads in order to link major areas like Sebuyau, Sebangan, Simunjan and Serian with Kuching and other towns. And no area in Sarawak has undergone as much transformation through development as Samarahan Division in the last three decades.

However, in spite of all these developments, the rural dwellers especially the Malays and Dayaks in the kampongs and longhouses have remained poor and are struggling to make ends meet with their traditional farming, while the few BN leaders and their cronies are becoming richer and richer.

It is indeed very sad as the Natives appear to be standing on the roadsides, as development passes by. - The Broken Shield

www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com