With BAKUN, do we still need 12 Dams

Dipetik dari web dayakbaru.com

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

Finally, my earlier question of why did Sarawak “sell out” Bakun to West Malaysia is finally going to be answered. It is going to be expensive for Sarawak to pay for the control of BAKUN even though the Ministry of Finance held the biggest share.

It is expensive to Sarawak

Not only in monetary term which could be addressed by Return on Investment (ROI) through sales of electricity, but Sarawak sacrifice the people of BELAGA for the project. The people of Belaga have to move out of their centuries old homes, history, familiarity, land, culture and begin a new life that is lacking in everything they have experience before.

The cultural shocked is felt by Belaga people up till today. What did Belaga people get out of Bakun - development that was created to feed the industrialized sector of West Malaysia. Now those sacrifice is at least understandable as Sarawak Energy is involved in a much more substantial way through equity. and control of operation.

Hopefully, Sarawak Energy would provide “special treatment” to the people of Belaga who are affected by the project.

While in Belaga town last year, the town folks commented that “large fishes” has disappeared and now they only buy smaller fishes for their dining table. The Bakun dam has affected the quantity and quality of the food down stream.

Sarawak Energy, TNB to take over operation through leasing agreement and other related agreements (Jan 23rd 2009 -Borneo Post)

“Bakun hydroelectric dam is going to be operated by a Sarawakian-based company. The detail of the takeover had been worked out and the federal government had agreed to the idea.

It was reported that Sarawak Energy and TNB will take over from Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd through a leasing agreement.

Sarawak Energy said a special purpose vehicle (SPV) would be set up to take over the operation from Sarawak Hidro upon full commissioning of the units through a leasing agreement and other related commercial agreements for the sale of electricity to Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.

The SPV will be owned by TNB, Sarawak Energy and the state whilst Minister of Finance Inc (MOFInc) will hold a golden share in the SPV.” ( Borneo Post).

Benefits from Bakun

The poor people would look forward to have electricity in their home. The Batang Ai Dam for example is limited in its benefits for the poor people. Hopefully, the same will not happen to Bakun and to those people living close to Bakun.

Previously - Bakun is almost 100% in the hand of foreign ownership and Federal Government. I guesse the cost of constructing Bakun was too much for the State. However, the natural wealth ( Bio-mass and Timber licence) has been awarded to a very rich Chinese personality. On top of that award of forest license to the chinese person he awarded more money when the government take over the contract of Bakun from him.

What has this man given to the Bakun people?

Could there be some sharing of under table money somewhere from this process of giving timber license and compensation ?

Leasing from Sarawak Hidro

This is a very important arrangement - leasing is the crux of many problems in Malaysia - the toll in West Malaysia for example is one and many more. The State government must be HONEST and act with INTEGRITY to ensure that the leasing would be fair to Sarawak. Is that possible in Sarawak from the same old group of corrupted people?

When the leasing agreement is in favour of Sarawak Hidro - than Sarawak Energy would stand to suffer in the long run. It is a big burden to meet the financial commitment for leasing and more so if the agreement is negotiated in a “corrupt” manner to benefit certain individual both in Sarawak and West Malaysia.

SIME give up on undersea transmission contract

So now it seems that TNB through a joint venture company owned by Sarawak Energy, TNB and MOFInc will undertake the development of the undersea transmission facilities, while the on-land transmissions systems for Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak to be developed by Sarawak Energy and TNB, respectively.

This laying of undersea transmission line and above ground line would be a big and expansive task. This would be a better option for Sarawak contractors to source out contract work compared to SCORE. from Sarawak Energy. Hopefully Sarawak Energy would not give the BIG CONTRACT to one company belonging to the biggest person in Sarawak.

At least part of the Bakun project is in advance stage and therefor work would start sooner rather than later. If the big work is given out to BIG BUSINESS / CONTRACTORS usually the prices awarded to second, third, fourth level tier contractor would be very small.

The State government should ensure that contract prices to those below the first level tier contractor must be protected. Then that would be meaningful to the small contractor compliment he government effort of “giving away” work to Class F contractors.

The 12 Dams

One dam is now being constructed. The reason for constructing the dam is because Sarawak do not have enough electricity to power its development. We all know that this is Sarawak Government “bullshit” excuse to build the 12 dams. Certain leaders in Sarawak Government are more interested in taking the forest timber from the 12 dams than the actual dam.

With Bakun under Sarawak company - then the 12 dams are not relevant. If the State government insist to go on - then their motives must be question - is it for self interest to sell the timber in the dam’s area? That would be totally unacceptable as abuse of power and corruption. Sarawakian beware!

Conclusion

The Batang Ai and Bakun are painful experience for the poor people. The pain is felt until today. What did the government do to heal the pain? The Batang Ai people are still poor - mostly and the same with Bakun today. Their 3 acres of land allocation to each family is not enough to sustain them let alone give them wealth to send their children for good education and looking after the bill for their health.

Education, Health and Economic opportunities must be a deliberate policy and program to help the people of Batang Ai and Bakun to not only turn around their miserable life but to repay them for their sacrifice. What sacrifice has the rich “contractor - timber man” made to Bakun and yet he was given the timber license and compensation?

BIG BUSINESS should not be the BN government way of trying to eradicate poverty in Sarawak. BIG BUSINESS has no core competency and knowledge to enrich the poor people.

The poor people must be “enabled, guided, supported, inspired and lead” toward economic transformation. It is morally wrong to have a RICH Sarawak State but with many of its population poor - living below the poverty line. If the BN government can address this problem - then they are successful. Failure which, they are just a bunch of monkey grabbing the rich fruit of Sarawak.

Dayakbaru - make the change for our better future.

January 27, 2009 · Filed Under Economy

PILIHANRAYA KECIL KUALA TERENGGANU

Dipetik dari Blog Tun Mahathir www.chedet.cc/

By

Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

on January 23, 2009 7:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (316) | TrackBacks (0)

1. Rencana ini telah ditulis semasa pilihanraya sedang berjalan. Saya pilih untuk tidak menyiarkannya pada masa itu supaya tidak dituduh mencuba mempengaruhi keputusan. Saya telah dikritik oleh seorang ahli UMNO kerana rencana saya berkenaan dilema pengundi. Rencana ini adalah sebagai jawapan kepada pengkritik saya.

2. Saya telah nyatakan pendirian saya dalam pilihanraya kecil ini iaitu saya tidak memihak kepada sesiapa.

3. Bahawa bagi sesetengah ahli UMNO pilihanraya ini penting, itu adalah pendapat mereka. Bagi saya pilihanraya kecil ini penting kepada UMNO jika ahli-ahli dan pemimpinnya dapat faham dan mengambil iktibar dari keputusannya. Saya tidak yakin mereka akan faham. Mereka akan nafi segala kesalahan mereka seperti dengan prestasi buruk pilihanraya Mac 2008.

4. Saya adalah bekas ahli UMNO dan saya amat sayang kepada UMNO yang ditubuh oleh pejuang-pejuang kebangsaan dahulu. Tetapi parti yang ada sekarang bukan UMNO dari segi semangat dan perjuangannya. Yang ada ialah parti yang utamakan kepentingan diri, terutama pemimpin-pemimpinnya.

5. Kata pepatah Melayu, "Sayang isteri tinggal-tinggalkan, sayang anak tangan-tangankan."

6. Sayang yang buta tuli bukan sahaja tidak baik bagi yang sayang tetapi juga yang disayangi.

7. UMNO dibawah pemimpin Dato Seri Abdullah sudah menyimpang jauh dari jalan yang lurus, dan perjuangan UMNO yang sebenar.

8. Dengan itu ahli-ahli UMNO pun tidak lagi pegang kepada matlamat perjuangan UMNO untuk bangsa, agama dan negara.

9. Majoriti ahli UMNO setia dan patuh kepada pemimpin tanpa mengambilkira apa yang dilakukan olehnya. Pepatah Melayu sekali lagi memberi pengajaran. "Raja adil Raja disembah, Raja zalim Raja disanggah". Kesetiaan rakyat pada Raja ada batasannya. Demikian juga kesetiaan ahli pada pemimpin harus mempunyai batasan.

10. Sesungguhnya banyak kesalahan dan dosa yang telah dilakukan oleh pucuk pimpinan UMNO dan konco-konconya.

11. Saya boleh senaraikan semua kesalahan yang dilakukan oleh Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri. Tetapi ia terlalu panjang. Memadai jika saya sebut beberapa sahaja yang menyebabkan saya tolak UMNO sekarang:

a) Sanggup meletak wilayah negara sendiri dibawah kuasa Singapura apabila mendakwa pembangunan dalam wilayah Malaysia perlu dapat persetujuan Kerajaan Singapura.

b) Memberi kuasa kepada anak dan menantu dalam urusan parti dan Kerajaan sehingga calon-calon PRU 12 ditentukan oleh mereka. Hampir semua dari mereka ini kalah.

c) Penglibatan anak menantu dalam perniagaan yang dikuasai oleh Kerajaan. Bantuan Kerajaan kepada perniagaan mereka. Umpamanya pengambilalihan Avenue Asset oleh ECM Libra.

d) Kegiatan beberapa pembantu khas yang ditempatkan di tingkat 4. Mereka lebih berkuasa dari KabinEt.

e) Penjualan M.V. Agusta yang dibeli dengan harga RM300 juta, tetapi dijual dengan harga RM4.00. Pembeli M.V. Agusta ini kemudian menjualnya dengan harga RM500 juta - untung RM499,999,996 juta.

f) Mengguna wang secara terbuka untuk mendapat sokongan dari cawangan-cawangan UMNO. Apabila didakwa oleh ketua bahagian, ia digantung. Laporan polis dan BPR yang dibuat oleh veteran UMNO tidak dipedulikan.

12. Kesan dari kepimpinan yang rasuah dan tidak bermoral ialah perkembangan menyeluruh politik wang semasa pencalonan oleh bahagian-bahagian.

13. Orang yang diketahui umum terlibat dengan rasuah berjaya mendapat cukup bilangan undi untuk jadi calon dalam pemilihan yang akan diadakan pada Mac. Sekaligus ternampak jelas yang ahli-ahli UMNO utamakan duit dan bukan perjuangan untuk bangsa, agama dan Negara.

14. Besar kemungkinan orang yang guna wang ini yang akan dipilih dalam pemilihan bulan Mac oleh wakil-wakil yang telah disogok.

15. Sudah tentu mereka ini akan mengetuai Kerajaan kemudian.

16. Kita akan dapat Kerajaan UMNO yang tidak bermoral dan rasuah.

17. UMNO di bawah pimpinan Abdullah telah jadi begitu lemah sehingga dikecam sewenang-wenangnya oleh kaum-kaum lain dan parti mereka.

18. Apabila dikecam pemimpin UMNO pohon maaf dan tunduk kepada pengecam. Sebaliknya jika orang UMNO mengecam parti lain, mereka digantung.

19. Semua isyarat menunjuk bahawa UMNO akan ditewas dan hancur dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke-13.

20. Saya akui saya yang pilih Dato Abdullah, Mr Clean. Saya akui juga saya tidak pandai pilih. Lihat sahaja Tun Musa Hitam, Anwar Ibrahim dan ramai dari Menteri-Menteri yang mengutuk saya apabila sahaja saya tidak jadi PM lagi.

21. Memilih semasa saya tidak tahu perangai seseorang adalah tidak bijak. Tetapi meneruskan sokongan apabila saya sudah tahu keburukan yang dilakukan oleh orang pilihan saya adalah perbuatan yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

22. Saya tidak cari untuk saya disukai ramai. Saya bertindak atas pendirian yang pada hemat saya adalah baik walaupun saya akan jadi tidak popular.

23. Hanya kerana saya dahulu menjadi pemimpin UMNO tidak bermakna saya mesti terus menyokong UMNO setelah UMNO menyimpang dari perjuangan asalnya dan sudah jadi parti milik perasuah yang hanya utamakan kepentingan diri masing-masing, yang hanya menyertai UMNO untuk dapat duit sogokan, mendapat peluang perniagaan, menjadi Menteri dan Perdana Menteri.

24. Percayalah, apabila dalam Mesyuarat Agong Mac ini calon-calon yang diketahui menyogok wang kepada wakil ke mesyuarat agong menang, UMNO akan dipandang jijik oleh rakyat semua kaum dan UMNO akan kalah pada PRU 13. Selepas itu UMNO akan terkubur dan mereka yang membawa kehancuran pada UMNO kerana wang dan keuntungan bagi diri sendiri akan dikutuk oleh orang Melayu turun temurun.

25. Biarlah kekalahan UMNO di Kuala Terengganu menjadi pengajaran pada UMNO. Janji-janji memberi wang untuk pembangunan tidak lagi berkesan kepada pengundi umum. Sesungguhnya rakyat termasuk orang Melayu meluat melihat sikap ahli dan pemimpin UMNO.

Dompok: Let Herald use ‘Allah’ until courts decide

Dipetik dari The Star Online

Saturday January 24, 2009

KOTA KINABALU: Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok is appealing to the Home Ministry to allow the Catholic newsletter Herald to continue using the word “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia edition until the courts decide.

He said the matter was now in court and the Home Ministry should allow the due process of the justice system instead of insisting the Herald stop using the word.

“I hope the Home Affairs Ministry will let it rest and let the courts decide. I feel everyone should be open minded when it comes to worship,” he said, adding that Bahasa Malaysia was a language of all Malaysians.

Dompok said the Herald was a small organisation with about 14,000 readers among the Catholics in a country with about two million Christians.

He added there was no need for the Home Ministry to rush into stopping the use of the word.

“The ministry is acting in a hurry, I think they are using a strong language,” Dompok told reporters after giving cash gifts to top performing students at SK St Theresa in Penampang here.

He said the Herald Bahasa Malaysia publication licence was only approved after he brought it up at a Cabinet meeting recently — but on condition that they should not use the word Allah in reference to God.

Dompok said the word Allah to refer to God among Christians in the Arab world and even in Indonesia was accepted as a universal term.

BARACK OBAMA FIRST SPEECH AS 44TH PRESIDENT OF USA

Dipetik Dari: ASSOCIATED PRESS

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers … our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).”

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Our Economy :Your Suggestions for the Second Fiscal Stimulus

Dipetik dari Blog Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Timbalan Perdana Menteri

Merangkap Menteri Kewangan Malaysia

Thursday, 22 January 2009

A couple of days ago, I announced the Head for the Project Management Unit in the Ministry of Finance to ensure the timeliness and effectiveness of the First Stimulus Package. I am pleased that we are already making further progress in reducing bureaucracy - allocations for Chinese schools for example, are now given directly to the schools' administrators for faster implementation.

As you may already be aware, a second stimulus package is in the pipeline. For one, the focus of this package will be different from the first. While the Second Stimulus Package has an overriding objective to address the issues facing us that have come about due to this global financial crisis, it will be focused on niche areas of the economy. I am in the process of gathering views from different parties on what is to be included in the second economic stimulus package. The relevant Government ministries and agencies are also committed to the stimulus package so that we avoid falling into a recession and sustain our economic livability.

I thought it would be a good idea to reach out to you via 1Malaysia to hear your views, comments and suggestions on steps and measures you think the Government should include in the Second Stimulus Package, In this regard, I invite all Malaysians to participate in providing constructive and healthy, yet concise inputs as your personal contribution to move our nation forward. In addition to submitting comments on this blog, you can also put forward your ideas to me through najib@1malaysia.com.my. I look forward to hearing from you.

My comment to the above:

DS Najib,

Congratulations for being "elected- President" of UMNO.

One thing DS should know or might already acknowledged - I personally "SCARED" to give comment(s) sometime because scare that you will strike back towards our seen to be in-constructive comment.

As a rakyat from the rural area of Sarawak, I want DS Najib to look into our problems.

I hope this second stimulus economics package will really "REACH" us. Plainly say I don't know how the government going to deliver the so call "stimulus" package to be delivered to our people who live in rural or remote areas of Sarawak.

There is perception that the government's honest policies to help the people at large including us in remote area of Sarawak that : the "CAKE" that you want to give us is FINISH along the way to our PLACE. Who finish it I don’t know. Or may be very small portion left for us because of this “delivery problem”.

As you will be our next PM, please make sure the delivery system will really work proper so that your honest action to help the rakyat especially us in remote area of Sarawak also enjoy the fruits of your policy.

In other word, don't let the RAKYAT's portions finish on its way to us.

Thank you.

ABUN SUI ANYIT

NAMA LUN DAYA GANTI ORANG ULU

Adakah anda sebagai seorang Orang Ulu bersetuju dengan cadangan di bawah ini?

Dipetik dari BORNEO POST.

Nama Lun Daya mampu menonjolkan kepintaran dan kekuatan kaum Orang Ulu, kata Lihan Jok

MIRI: Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Telang Usan, Lihan Jok berkata nama kaum Lun Daya berkemampuan menonjolkan kepintaran dan kekuatan masyarakat Orang Ulu berdepan perubahan dan pembangunan.

Mengulas tentang cadangan penukaran nama baru kaum Orang Ulu kepada Lun Daya, Lihan memberitahu nama Lun Daya amat relevan kerana menggambarkan sifat sebenar masyarakat Orang Ulu yang kaya dengan semangat penuh perjuangan, kekuatan dan kepintaran.

Sikap-sikap itu mampu membawa masyarakat Orang Ulu seiring kaum lain dalam menempuh arus pemodenan dan cara hidup baru abad ke-21. “Dulu masyarakat Orang Ulu selalu dibezakan daripada masyarakat lain dan hanya dikenali masyarakat yang menetap di kawasan hulu atau hulu sungai.

“Ada yang menganggap dan mengaitkan nama Ulu sebagai masyarakat mundur dalam pelbagai aspek.

“Kekuatan nama baru ini diharap dapat menukar persepsi kaum lain tentang masyarakat Orang Ulu secara keseluruhan,” jelas Lihan.

Lihan yang juga Pengerusi Persatuan Persekutuan Orang Ulu Malaysia (FORUM) memberitahu, ramai Orang Ulu berhijrah dan menetap di bandar serta berjaya dalam kerjaya.

Melihat kepada faktor ini, nama Orang Ulu seperti telah menenggelamkan keupayaan sebenar Orang Ulu yang sememangnya kaum yang pintar dan berusaha gigih.

“Dalam konteks kemodenan, nama Orang Ulu seperti sudah tidak sesuai lagi kerana tidak melambangkan sebenar keupayaan masyarakatnya,” tegas Lihan.

Menurut Lihan, ramai golongan profesional dan pemimpin kaum berkenaan setuju dengan cadangan penukaran nama kaum Orang Ulu kepada Lun Daya.

Katanya, cadangan berkenaan akan dibentangkan dalam Simposium FORUM pada bulan April akan datang dan dikemukakan kepada Kabinet Negeri.

Dalam pada itu, Lihan menyeru masyarakat Orang Ulu termasuk badan dan pertubuhan Orang Ulu terlibat aktif dalam FORUM untuk mengukuhkan hubungan antara kerajaan dan masyarakat berkenaan.

“FORUM juga berperanan sebagai payung masyarakat memperkuatkan suara mereka,” tegasnya.

Little girl’s gift of life

Sunday January 18, 2009

By RASHVINJEET S.BEDI

PETALING JAYA: When she was alive, Esther Lim Joy-Ern (pic) brought joy to everyone she met. With her passing at the age of two years and nine months, she gave others a new lease on life.

The only daughter of Lim Heng Seng, 56, and Claire George, 30, (they have two sons), Esther died of brain tumour last month in Kota Kinabalu.

Her kidneys were harvested and the recipients are a 17-year-old boy in Sabah and a 12-year-old girl in Malacca.

Her passing is a painful loss to her parents but they did not have any reservations when asked if Esther’s organs could be harvested.

“There was complete peace in my heart,” said her mother.

“It felt like the right thing to do,” Lim added.

“We knew that this gift is reflective of Esther’s life. Her name means joy and grace. Our precious daughter is already in heaven.

“I can only thank God that she was in our life. With her passing, she continues to be a joy and blessing to others,” said George.

She, however, admitted that the concept of harvesting organs was new to her family and she had to convince Esther’s grandmother about its benefits.

The couple is now encouraging others to do the same. They have sons Benjamin Lim An-Yi, six, and Joshua Lim An-Yue, two.

They have also given each other permission to consent to their own organs being harvested.

“The doctors did not push us into doing this and when they handed Esther to us after the procedure, she looked angelic.

“I know the staff had gone out of their way to do their best to save our daughter’s life,” said Lim.

Dr Indra Ganesan, the Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist who was part of the team that coordinated the harvesting process, said both recipients were at the end stage of renal failure and were dialysis-dependent,

“When they received a new donated kidney that functions, they had a life-changing experience. They can now drink unlimited amount of fluids and are no longer dialysis-dependent,” she said.

Semangat Permatang Pauh terus kekal di Kuala Terengganu - Timbalan Presiden

Mohd Nor Yahya, Zuharman MN Sat | Jan 17, 09 | 10:16:29 pm MYT KUALA TERENGGANU, 17 Jan (Hrkh) - Kejayaan PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat merampas semula kerusi parlimen ini membuktikan tsunami politik yang membadai negara pada Mac 2008 semakin kencang sekarang. Iklan Pakatan Rakyat melalui Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut memenangi pilihan raya kecil Kuala Terengganu selepas berhempas pulas berkempen selama 11 hari. Keputusan itu diumumkan secara rasmi Pegawai Pengurus Pilihan Raya Kecil Kuala Terengganu, Wan Mustafa Wan Hassan pada jam 9.30 malam ini di stadium negeri. Mohd Abdul Wahid mendapat 32,883 undi mengatasi calon Barisan Nasional (BN), Dato' Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh dengan 30,552 undi. Manakala calon Bebas, Azharudin Mamat @ Adam memperoleh 193 undi dan hilang wang deposit. Majoriti yang diperolehi sebanyak 2,631 undi. Jumlah besar undi pos masih tinggi diraihkan calon BN iaitu sebanyak 1,039 berbanding Abdul Wahid - 86 undi, manakala calon Bebas, Azharudin Mamat @ Adam dengan satu undi. Timbalan Presiden PAS, Ustaz Nasharuddin Mat Isa berkata, kejayaan itu membuktikan rakyat Kuala Terengganu kini semakin menerima pimpinan Islam di bawah PAS. Katanya rakyat sudah sedar dengan apa yang berlaku sekarang dan mereka mengharap perubahan selepas bakal diketengahkan Pakatan Rakyat melalui PAS. "Ini juga membuktikan semangat Permatang Pauh dan Mac 2008 masih kekal dan menjadi harapan besar kepada rakyat untuk melihat perubahan politik berlaku di negara ini," katanya ketika ditemui di Markaz PAS Kuala Ibai. Ketua Penerangan KeADILan, Tian Chua pilihan raya Kuala Terengganu menjadi simbol dapat merapatkan lagi hubungan antara parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Katanya biar pun pihak lawan dengan bantuan media cuba memburukkan imej PAS dan DAP namun ia nampaknya tidak menjadi kenyataan. "Malah hubungan silaturahim Pakatan Rakyat kini semakin erat," katanya di sini. Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong PAS, Hu Pang Chaw merakamkan ucapan terima kasih kepada ahli-ahlinya yang bekerja keras bagi menjelaskan kepada penduduk Cina tempatan mengenai perjuangan dibawa PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat. - mj _

Abdul Wahid menang di KT, kerusi ke 83 Pakatan Rakyat

Sabtu, 17 Januari 2009 • Kategori: Berita Semasa, KeADILan, Nasional, P36 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu

KUALA TERENGGANU 17 JANUARI (SK) - Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) mengumumkan secara rasmi calon Pas Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut telah memenangi pilihan raya kecil Kuala Terengganu dengan majoriti 2,631 undi.

Abdul Wahid kini telah menjadikan kerusi Pakatan Rakyat di Dewan Rakyat bertambah menjadi 83 kerusi.

Keputusan berkenaan diumumkan secara rasmi oleh Pegawai Pengurus Pilihan Raya Kecil Kuala Terengganu, Wan Mustafa Wan Hassan pada jam 9.30 malam tadi

Mohd Abdul Wahid memperolehi 32,883 undi berbanding calon Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh dengan 30,552 undi.

Manakala calon Bebas, Azharudin Mamat @ Adam memperoleh 193 undi sekaligus kehilangan wang deposit.

SIAPAKAH TUAN DI BUMI MALAYSIA INI?

Tuhan menciptakan manusia hanya dalam satu bangsa dan bahasa sebelum peristiwa "menara Babel dalam Alkitab".

Kesannya Malaysia ditakdirkan menjadi salah satu dari banyak negara di dunia. Persoalan dan kekeliruan timbul akibat sesetengah pihak menuntut bahawa mereka sebagai tuan di bumi bertuah ini. Itu tidak salah kalau hakikatnya begitu. Usahlah dicanangkan sesuatu yang sudah kita sedia maklum.

Hipotesis ringkas untuk direnungkan : dalam satu rumah itu pasti ada tuannya iaitu orang yang memiliki rumah itu. Yang datang mengunjungi dan melawat rumah itu bukan tuan rumah- maka pemilik rumah disebut sebagail "tuan rumah".

Begitu juga orang atau kumpulan yang sudah semula jadinya telah Tuhan takdirkan mendiami sesuatu kawasan sejak nenek moyang: sama ada dalam hutan, perkampungan, daerah, Negeri dan negara. Maka mereka dipanggil pribumi dan penduduk asli. Justru mereka juga tuan.

Perkara ini sepatutnya tidak perlu diperbesarkan. Tuhan pasti memberi hikmat untuk kita memahami siapa tuan dan siapa bukan di bumi Malaysia ini.

Kalau kita tuntut bahawa kita adalah "tuan" bagaimana yang lain, yang pribumi dan asli?

Ketuanan rakyat tidak salah cuma biarlah kita menerimanya dengan pengetahuan bahawa ada masyarakat yang Tuhan sudah takdirkan telah wujud di bumi Malaysia (Semenanjung dan Borneo) sebelum yang lain-lain datang.

Oleh itu marilah menguruskan negara kita yang kaya dengan sumber alam ciptaan Tuhan ini seadil-adilnya tanpa ada unsur ketamakan untuk kebaikan siapapun rakyat dan warganegaranya kini. Kalau kekayaan negara ini diurus dengan baik yakni pasti kita tidak akan "bergaduh". Akibat bergaduh = hasilnya kita juga yang rugi. Tuhan tidak mencipta manusia untuk bergaduh tapi untuk menyembah kepadaNya dan saling mengasihi sesama manusia.

Beri komen terhadap artikel di bawah:

Implikasi polemik ketuanan Melayu

Wednesday, 14 January 2009 07:57am

©Utusan Malaysia (Digunakan dengan kebenaran) Ketuanan Melayu, Ketuanan Rakyat Makna dan maksud perlu dihurai Jangan sampai masuk perangkap Ketagih pangkat bangsa tergadai Apakah implikasinya, dan apakah akibatnya, bila seorang pemimpin politik Melayu menolak istilah atau konsep 'Ketuanan Melayu' dan menggantikannya dengan 'Ketuanan Rakyat.' Beberapa jawapan terhadap soalan tersebut telah disuarakan dalam Seminar Ketuanan Melayu di Melaka awal minggu lalu. Antara jawapan tersebut ialah: Sedar atau tidak, pemimpin politik Melayu itu telah memberi 'bola tanggung' kepada orang lain untuk melakukan Malay bashing sehingga bukan sahaja pemimpin politik berkenaan, malah seluruh bangsa Melayu telah 'terperangkap' dan terjerumus ke dalam satu polemik yang tidak pasti manfaatnya. Malay bashing dalam konteks ini bolehlah diertikan sebagai 'menggodam Melayu' atau 'menyerang, mencerca dan mengutuk Melayu, manakala 'memberi bola tanggung' adalah satu istilah dalam permainan sepak takraw atau badminton yang bermaksud memberi peluang mudah kepada lawan melakukan serangan (smashing) yang sukar ditangkis. Para peserta seminar tersebut kesal dan terkilan kerana perbuatan Malay bashing itu dilakukan secara terang-terang atau secara berselindung bukan sahaja oleh orang bukan Melayu, malah sesetengah orang Melayu sendiri. Beberapa kertas kerja mengambil perhatian perbuatan mengungkit-ungkit apa yang dianggap sebagai 'keistimewaan Melayu' dalam sistem politik dan pemerintahan negara. Turut digodam dan diserang ialah Dasar Ekonomi Baru yang mempunyai matlamat serampang dua mata "membasmi kemiskinan dan menyusum kembali masyarakat." Secara berkias atau berterus terang perbuatan Malay bashing itu juga turut mempersoalkan beberapa peruntukan tertentu dalam Perlembagaan Negara. Juga dipersoalkan status bangsa Melayu sebagai penduduk asal negara ini. Judul lengkap seminar tersebut agak panjang yang dengan sendirinya boleh menjadi satu polemik, iaitu: "Seminar Nasional Ketuanan Melayu - Konsep dan Cabaran dalam Pembinaan Negara Bangsa dan Berdaulat." Seminar dianjurkan oleh Kolej Antarabangsa Dunia Melayu Dunia Islam (KADMDI) dan dihadiri oleh lebih kurang 100 orang terdiri daripada ahli-ahli akademik, budayawan, guru-guru sekolah dan pegawai kerajaan dari serata Semenanjung. Saya sendiri dapat kesan bahawa yang mencetuskan inisiatif menganjurkan seminar itu ialah perbuatan Malay bashing. Kerana itu tidak hairanlah bila perbincangan sepanjang seminar bercampur baur antara emosi yang meluap-luap dan analisis yang jitu dan mantap. Antara perkara yang dipersoalkan dalam beberapa kertas kerja ialah penggunaan istilah 'ketuanan Melayu' yang oleh sesetengah pihak telah diberi pengertian yang menyeleweng dan mengelirukan, apa lagi bila diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Inggeris dengan menggunakan istilah Malay supremacy atau Malay dominance atau Malay hegemony. Pengarah Akademi Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya, Profesor Madya Datuk Zainal Abidin Burhan dalam kertas kerjanya berhujah bahawa penggunaan ungkapan-ungkapan Inggeris itu sebagai terjemahan untuk ungkapan 'ketuanan Melayu' telah menimbulkan kekeliruan di kalangan bukan Melayu yang mentafsirkannya (atau menyalah tafsirkannya?) dalam konteks hubungan 'tuan' dan 'hamba' atau lord vs serfs/ slaves. Lanjutan daripada takrifan yang menyeleweng itu, apa saja yang berlabel Melayu terus digodam dan diserang dan dituduh sebagai 'perkauman.' Ini termasuklah perjuangan politik Melayu, pemerkasaan bahasa Melayu, pembaikan ekonomi Melayu dan penggunaan simbol-simbol budaya Melayu seperti keris. Malah beberapa fasal dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia yang dianggap 'memihak' kepada Melayu juga turut dipersoalkan secara langsung atau secara berkias. Demikianlah implikasi dari tafsiran yang salah itu diheboh-hebohkan untuk memberi justifikasi Malay bashing dengan melakukan pelbagai tuduhan yang tidak munasabah terhadap bangsa Melayu serta mengungkit-ungkit isu sensitif yang menimbulkan ketegangan hubungan kaum. Profesor Datuk Dr. Zainal Kling, Pemegang Kerusi Ghafar Baba, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris juga mempersoalkan terjemahan istilah 'ketuanan Melayu' itu ke dalam bahasa Inggeris yang menggambarkan bangsa Melayu itu sebagai racist yang seakan-akan menyamai puak pelampau Klu Klux Klan di Amerika Syarikat yang mengaku kaumnya sebagai sangat istimewa dan memandang rendah kepada bangsa atau kaum-kaum lain. Lanjutan daripada takrifan yang salah terhadap ungkapan 'ketuanan Melayu' itu beberapa pihak, termasuk pimpinan tertinggi negara terpaksa mencari ungkapan alternatif yang diperkirakan akan membawa maksud dan makna yang lebih tepat. Semuanya secara tidak langsung mengingatkan supaya polemik ketuanan Melayu itu dianggap sebagai 'loceng peringatan' atau wake up call. Loceng peringatan itu memberi amaran bahawa musuh Melayu sekarang bukan sahaja hendak menggodam dan menyerang dari luar tetapi sudah semakin banyak musang berbulu ayam atau ular menyerupai belut yang hendak mematuk dari dalam.

VERY IMPORTANT - SIM CARD SCAM

Corporate : Notice From PETRONAS :



NOTICE 1: PETRONAS' OFFICIAL RECRUITMENT PORTAL

PETRONAS would like to advise that its official on-line talent sourcing or recruitment portal is www.discoverpetronas.com and those who wish to seek employment with PETRONAS are advised to visit only this portal.

Please also note that PETRONAS does not request any payment nor charge any fee for processing job applications.

PETRONAS also does not employ any third-party on-line employment agency. Therefore any recruitment exercise or employment opportunity offered by websites other than www.discoverpetronas.com is not valid or genuine.

On-line communication on recruitment from PETRONAS, if any, would be sent by PETRONAS' officials using only the following email domains:

• discoverpetronas.com
• petronas.com.my

NOTICE 2: PRIZE REDEMPTION SCAM E-MAIL

PETRONAS wishes to alert members of the public that the e-mail communications on "PETRONAS Prize Redemption" currently circulating on the Internet is a scam devised by unscrupulous individual or parties.

The scam e-mail also contains details of a claims agent to be contacted for assistance and disbursement of the alleged prize.

PETRONAS wishes to inform that neither PETRONAS nor any subsidiary within its Group of Companies has conducted or authorised such prize redemption schemes and appeals to the public not to respond to the email.

This advice also extends to all e-mail or short message service (SMS) communications using PETRONAS' name in other prize redemption schemes, lucky draws or contests.

PETRONAS has communicated with the authorities on this matter.



NOTICE 3: SIM CARD LUCKY DRAW/CONTEST SCAM

It has been brought to PETRONAS' attention that certain parties have been sending text messages to mobile phone users informing them that their SIM cards have won a lucky draw prize from PETRONAS.

PETRONAS wishes to inform that none of its companies has organised any such mobile phone SIM card lucky draws or contests and would like to advise members of the public not to respond to such text messages.

PETRONAS has also communicated with the authorities on this matter.

MENDAFTAR SEBAGAI PENGUNDI

URUSAN PENDAFTARAN DAN PENYEMAKAN DAFTAR PENGUNDI

APA YANG DIMAKSUDKAN DENGAN PENDAFTARAN PEMILIH ? Pendaftaran Pemilih sebagaimana yang ditetapkan oleh undang-undang, membolehkan warganegara Malaysia yang layak mendaftar sebagai pemilih. Di samping itu ia membolehkan Pemilih Berdaftar yang sudah bertukar alamat mendaftar di alamat baru. Pemilih juga digalakkan untuk menyemak nama mereka dalam Daftar Pemilih yang sudah disahkan. KENAPA ANDA PERLU MENDAFTAR ? Untuk mendapat hak anda mengundi dalam pilihan raya serta menggunakan hak anda sebagai seorang warganegara. SIAPA YANG LAYAK MENJADI PEMILIH ? Warganegara Malaysia; Sudah mencapai umur 21 tahun; Menetap di mana-mana Bahagian Pilihan Raya di Malaysia; dan Tidak hilang kelayakan. BAGAIMANA UNTUK MENDAFTAR ? Pergi sendiri ke Pusat Pendaftaran; Bawa bersama Kad Pengenalan anda; Pastikan Borang A diisi dengan betul oleh petugas sebelum anda menandatangani borang; dan Simpan satu salinan borang berkenaan sebagai bukti pendaftaran anda. DI MANA BOLEH MENDAFTAR ? Ibu Pejabat Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia ATAU Pejabat-pejabat Pilihan Raya Negeri ATAU Semua Pejabat Pos Berkomputer di seluruh negara; Unit bergerak Suruhanjaya; DAN Tempat-tempat lain yang ditetapkan oleh Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya sebagai Pusat Pendaftaran. TEMPOH URUSAN PENDAFTARAN PEMILIH Anda boleh mendaftar pada waktu pejabat di sepanjang tahun. MAKLUMAT PENTING SEMASA MENGISI BORANG PENDAFTARAN (BORANG A) 1) Nama pemohon mestilah diisi seperti yang tercatat di dalam Kad Pengenalan. Sila gunakan HURUF BESAR. 2) Sila berikan maklumat lengkap mengenai Kad Pengenalan anda: 2.1) Nombor K/P baru anda (12 angka) 2.2) Nombor K/P lama anda (8 angka) 3) Jika pemohon tidak mempunyai nombor K/P lama, sila isi "TIADA" di dalam ruang yang disediakan. 4) Alamat pemohon mestilah di tempat penginapan di mana dia boleh dihubungi dengan surat (sila nyatakan nombor poskod). 5) Sila nyatakan dalam borang sama ada pendaftaran baru atau pendaftaran tukar alamat. 6) Sila pastikan anda menerima satu salinan borang pendaftaran sebagai bukti anda sudah mendaftar. BAGAIMANA HENDAK MENYEMAK STATUS PENDAFTARAN ANDA ? Seseorang pemilih berdaftar boleh menyemak status pendaftaran melalui cara-cara berikut: 1) telefon Ibu Pejabat Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya atau Pejabat Pilihan Raya Negeri dan berikan nama dan nombor K/P anda; 2) melalui internet di www.spr.gov.my; Melalui semakan itu, pemilih akan memperoleh maklumat-maklumat berikut: Nama: nombor K/P (baru dan lama; jika ada); Bahagian pilihan raya Parlimen dan Negeri, daerah mengundi dan lokaliti. SEMAKAN DAFTAR PEMILIH SECARA 'ON-LINE' Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila hubungi SPR di : http://www.spr.gov.my atau Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia Aras 4-5 Blok C7 Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan 62690 Putrajaya Tel : 03-88856500

BERITA DARI BELAGA

(Berita) terbaru dari Belaga.. (TERJEMAHAN)

Dalam minggu lepas saya pulang ke Belaga, ikan banyak mati (bermacam jenis dan saiz – maaf kerana saya tak bawa kamera pada masa itu, saya tak ambil gambar). Tidak diketahui puncanya tetapi semacam kena tuba ikan-ikan ini dari Bakun (Hidro Bakun) sampai Punan Bah mati, mungkin terkena bahan kimia yang digunakan di Bakun (itu menurut sumber kata orang). Mustahil orang perseorangan pergi menuba Sungai Balui (sambungan di Hulu Sungai Rejang). Banyak juga yang dibawa ke pasar Belaga untuk dijual. Tiada pembeli mahu membelinya bimbang ikan-ikan berkenaan beracun.

Satu lagi, mungkin banyak tempat kampung yang banjir, tetapi sungai Balui di hilir Hidro Bakun masih kecil walaupun hujan lebat sampai sekarang. Tapi berita dari Long Busang mengalami banjir besar, buat kali kedua dalam tahun ini (2008). Banjir sebebini tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini..

Sumber : Penduduk Belaga.

Terbaru cen Belaga.. (SUMBER BERITA)

Dalam minggu lepas ake' tai uli' ke' Belaga, atuk2 kaduk matai (mcm2 jenis n sais - nyat lesau nta e' ngkin kamera dalau ji, nta ala' gambar). Nta tisen punca tapi uku' baan siuk tuba ne atuk2 cen Bakun abik Punan Bah te atuk di matai, mungkin kuun chemical du pakai ke' Bakun (ja dau du pisu e), mustahil org. persorgan tai noba alo baliu. Atuk2 kaduk de' du juan ke' Belaga masa ji pe nta pembeli obak e, malap atuk2 da beracun.
Ca laa, masa kaduk tempat lempam kg, tapi alo baliu kabak Bakun iut tuak walaupun ojan kasa lepe abik naki tapi berita cen Long Busang un lempam bio', ji kali kedua oman ji. Lempam di nta pernah bio' meki cen ading re dau re..

BELAGA OH BELAGA : NO MEY ECAH... MAJU BELAGA!!

BELAGA :

Suatu ketika dulu saya pernah berenang - renang di sungai ini (Balui yang utama dan Batang Belaga - cabang kecil). Kini saya tak sanggup nak terjun. Kecuali terdesak atau karam. Saya pernah karam di Batang Belaga (Giam Talang) bersama kumpulan perkelahan kami tahun 1995. Puji Tuhan, Dia masih memberi saya umur panjang.

Suatu ketika dulu sungai ini sangat jernih. Paling tidak terdapat dua warna sungai pada satu ketika - Batang Belaga berwarna jernih manakala Batang Balui berwarna coklat (seperti gambar ini). Saat kanak - kanak ku sempat ku ingat kami bermain - sorok - sorok batu putih di sungai Balui ini. Kumpulan atau kawan lain akan mencari batu putih sebesar genggaman. Kalau jumpa di dalam sungai Balui yang jernih itu - mereka dapat markah dan sebaliknya kalau tak jumpa.

Kini semua itu tinggal kenangan yang akan kuceritakan untuk anak cucuku angkara ditelan "kemajuan" dan HEP Bakun MEGA.

Adakah mungkin air sungai ini akan jernih lagi? Air sudah keruh, tetapi mana harganya? Mana pembangunan yang dikatakan penyebab kekeruhan sungai ini?

Mungkinkah harga pembangunan itu adalah air yang keruh? Mungkinkah harga pembangunan itu balak yang habis? Tapi ke mana wangnya pergi? Mungkinkah harga pembangunan itu Tanah Adat yang semakin "hilang"? Mungkinkah harga pembangunan itu jalan yang becak dan penuh lopak? Atau mungkinkah harga pembangunan itu berdirinya Hidro Elektrik MEGA Bakun kebanggaan pihak tertentu, yang kita hanya mampu "perhatikan dan lihat dari jauh" sahaja tanpa menikmati hasilnya?

Mungkinkah pembangunan itu bermakna kita kena beli segala makanan kita seperti ikan, binatang buruan, sayur paku dan sebagainya dari pasar? Mungkinkah harga pembangunan itu kita sudah kenal erti BIL elektrik dan BIL Air di rumah panjang? Adakah sumber kewangan di rumah panjang? Kalau ada, aku orang pertama mahu pulang!

Juga, tanah luas Belaga seluas negeri Pahang seolah - olah tidak cukup untuk penduduknya yang cuma mungkin kira kira 20 ribu sahaja. Ada yang terpaksa berhijrah beramai-ramai ke luar daerah demi mencari tanah untuk bercucuk tanam. Mengapa?

Belaga oh Belaga - mengapa engkau "usir" penghuni asalmu keluar dari naunganmu?? Mengapa? Mereka yang "terusir" tidak akan berbuat begitu kalau engkau menahan mereka. Kalau engkau adil kepada mereka.

Hujan emas di daerah orang baiklah di daerah sendiri. Belaga aku mahu berbakti kepadamu!!

Kini, kedua-dua sungai ini sama sahaja warnanya di pertemuan sungai itu. Ini semua angkara yang kita panggil "pembangunan".

Belaga !! Belum terlambat untuk engkau diuruskan dengan betul. Berilah mereka peluang!

Bunyi petikan SAPE'

ORANG ASAL ... OH ORANG ASAL

ORANG ASAL...OH ORANG ASAL

Orang asal Malaysia ? Siapakah orang asal Malaysia? Berdasarkan sejarah, penduduk asal Malaysia terdiri dari kaum pribumi dan orang Asli. Kaum pribumi terdiri dari penduduk di Sarawak, Sabah dan Semenanjung.

Di Sarawak masyarakat pribumi seperti yang tercatat di dalam Perlembagaan Negeri Sarawak, terdiri dari kaum Dayak (Iban, Orang Ulu, Bidayuh, Melanau dan Penan) dan Melayu.

Di Sabah pula terdiri daripada Melayu, Kadazandusun, Murut, Bajau dan lain-lain.

Persoalannya, kenapa

The SIB Court Case

Q: Why did SIB Sabah bring the matter to court instead of finding other avenues?

A: It is the policy of SIB to resolve any dispute with any party peaceably through reasoned persuasion and amicable means. But, in this case, all other means have been exhausted without any resolution.

This case affects

• the fundamental right and freedom to practise and express our faith
• the ministering of our sacraments, liturgy, worship and
• the teaching of our Scriptures.

Therefore, SIB is seeking a redress from the court.

Q: What are the facts of the case?

A: On 15 August 2007, three boxes of Christian educational publications were unlawfully detained at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at Sepang by a customs officer.

The publications, shipped from Indonesia, belong to the SIB Sabah. They are the Sunday school materials solely for the religious education of the children of the church.

Subsequently, the Internal Security Ministry took over the matter on grounds that the publications contained the word “Allah.” They then gave SIB 14 days to return the publications to its point of origin in Indonesia, failing which the officers would destroy them.

The SIB church appealed on several occasions to the relevant authorities but without any success.

The Ministry relied on a circular issued on 5 December 1986 [ref: KKDN S.59/3/9/A.Klt.2] which, among other things, said:”Perkataan yang tidak boleh dipakai atau digunakan dalam semua penerbitan di Negara ini ialah: Allah, Kaabah, Baitullah, Solat.”

Q: What is SIB seeking from the court?

A: The SIB Sabah is asking the court:

1) to quash the minister’s decision to not allow the church to import four titles in Bahasa Indonesia as well as withholding delivery of another two titles under the Printing Presses And Publications Act 1984;

2) for the return of the publications;

3) for several declaratory reliefs related to the matter.

Q: Is this court application supported by other churches?

A: The action is filed by SIB Sabah because it has the locus standi. However, the Council of Churches of Sabah, the umbrella body in the state is fully in support of our action. The case is also filed with the endorsement of NECF and CFM (Christian Federation of Malaysia).

Q: How has the word “Allah” come to be associated with SIB Sabah?

A: SIB is the largest Christian denomination in Sabah and its members are mainly Bumiputera Christians of various ethnic groups. The Alkitab – the Bahasa Bible – is its principal Scripture.

“Allah,” the word of God, was used in the printed version of the Gospel of Matthew in Malay (1629) and the complete Malay Bible (1731-1733). “Allah” as such has been used in the liturgy, prayer, worship, sermons and religious education among the Bumiputera Christians of the Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak for generations. Not only it bears theological significance of our faith, it is our cultural heritage as Sabah Christian Bumiputeras.

Q: Why do we find the ban ridiculous?

A: Many see no reason why Christians cannot use the word since the entire generation has grown up using Bahasa Malaysia as medium of communication. Furthermore, the usage of the word is common among Christians in the Middle East and has never been a source of conflict or problem. The Arab Christians today have no other word for God than “Allah”. In the pre-islamic Arab, “Allah” was used as reference to creator-god. Even the chairman of the PAS Ulama Council, Ustaz Daud Iraqi, noted that it was permissible for Christians to use the word “Allah” (Harakah, 3 Jan).

Q: What is the Cabinet view on this?

A: We can only say the Cabinet had designated two Christian ministers to oversee issues pertaining to Christians. On 27 Dec 2007, The Sun reported that Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, as having said: “The authorities should allow the use of Bahasa Malaysia, including the word “Allah”, in all publications and not restrict it to Islamic materials.”

The bumiputera Christians have been using “Allah” in reference to the Almighty for a long time, he told theSun.

For instance, he said, the younger generation of the Kadazan, who could not converse in their mother tongue, used “Allah” instead of “Kinoingan” in Kadazan in their prayers. They pray to “Allah”, just like the Indonesian and Arab Christians.

Dompok, who is in charge of keeping the Prime Minister’s Department abreast of issues faced by Christians, was asked to comment on recent cases involving the right to use the word “Allah”.

Q: Is there an out-of-court resolution to this dispute?

A: Yes. In our application we are asking the court for three orders. Two of them have been overtaken by events as the ministry has since returned our consignment of the publications. This leaves only our third area of reliefs by way of declarations. It does not have to proceed if a mutual agreement can be reached.

Q: How did the confusion arise?

A: A Gazette Order PU (A) 134 of 1982 allows the Alkitab to be used in churches by Christian without any restriction, even to the use of the word “Allah.”

However, confusion arose when an unspecific department circular was issued subsequently by the then Secretary General of the Home Affairs Ministry dated 5 Dec 1986 addressed simply to: “Semua Penerbitan Agama Kristian.”

Various church groups immediately sought clarification but none was given, other than verbal assurances that this circular would not be enforced. This explanation was taken in good faith by the churches then. However, from time to time, the government officials interfere based on the written circular dated 5 December 1986.

Our suggestion is:

1) Withdraw the circular letter dated 5 December 1986 so as not to affect the Gazette Order PU (A) 134 of 1982. This can be done by issuing another letter to this effect to the SIB, and/or NECF and/or CFM.

Or

2) Amend the 5 Dec 1986 letter by another letter to the parties above to read:

“Perkataan yang tidak boleh dipakai atau digunakan dalam semua penerbitan Kristian di Negara ini ialah: 1) Kaabah, 2) Baitullah, 3) Solat.”

SIB Sabah

9 April 2008

Source : http://www.necf.org.my

The art of the impossible

Idris clearly believes that a man’s reach should exceed his grasp

Saturday, 10 January, 2009.

By Tee Lin Say

His 3-year turnaround plan called for a profit of RM500mil. Impossible, they said. But the airline made more than that – RM851mil – in 2007, a year earlier and 70% more.

Malaysia Airlines Systems Bhd chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala not only sets seemingly impossible targets but achieves them – you cannot help but notice, his unrestrained passion for all things impossible.

The loftier the targets, the more he thrives and loves it. But there’s an x-factor – things you can’t control. That, the stoicly spiritual Idris, leaves to divine intervention. But he explains how you can get the divine to be on your side – more on that later.

There is an important caveat for those wanting to transform companies. There has to be personal transformation first.

“For me, my baptism of fire was when I went to Sri Lanka as the CEO of Shell in 1998. The company had acute problems and had been losing money for years.

“If I had relied on my textbooks, there was no way I could fix the problems. During that time, I had to unlearn what I had already learnt. I had to reinvent myself to make the impossible happen,” he says in an interview.

To make the impossible happen – that was the key. But how?

“After my Sri Lanka experience, I was a different Idris. Before that, I never believed in the game of the impossible. I was scared of failure and would never think of setting unthinkable targets.

“If you always do safe things, then you will never realise your potential. But if you stretch your targets and push yourself to the limits, you will be surprised at what you can achieve.”

The book by Tracy Goss titled The Last Word on Power/ Executive Reinvention to Make The Impossible Happen helped shaped Idris’ ideas, and today, he makes all his staff read it. “It taught me how to think,” he says.

It is exactly because of his fire for restructuring troubled companies that saw Idris accepting the gargantuan challenge of turning national airlines MAS around in 2005. He got right down to business. On the first day itself at 8.30am, Idris presented his turnaround blueprint to the board of directors.

Idris went so far as to make the business turnaround plan totally public – something never been done before by a listed company in Malaysia. And everybody felt Idris’ targets were crazy. They were wrong, of course.

He breaks down the turnaround process into four crucial parts:

·Build the case for change and get the buy-in from stakeholders such as the board, employees, shareholders and the Government.

·Lay the facts on the table and explain their consequences. “I told them, if we don’t change, we will run out of money in three months,” he explains.

·Unleash talents, much of which was done through running laboratories, where people were put together in rooms to come up with solutions to problems.

·Focus on the profit and loss (P&L) accounts. “If an activity did not generate profit or reduce losses, I was not interested.”

“Today, all MAS staff are very aware of having to anchor everything to the P&L statements. We have created leaders and seen so much potential from our staff through our strategy of running laboratories,” he says.

Divine Intervention

Despite Idris pinning everything down to numbers and getting to the root of problems, he is a strong believer in divine intervention – God or fengshui, or something else if you prefer. Idris believes the majority of things that happen in our lifes are beyond our control.

“We cannot control 60% of the things in our lives. With the 40% that we have, we can try our best. It does not matter if we fail. We need to recognise that we are vulnerable. That gives us the peace of mind.

“We need to bring in the element of humility. The day you think the world is at your feet, that is when pride sets in, and it is over,” he says.

He thinks divine intervention works to one’s favour, when you do some things.

First, be a good human being, for instance, helping the poor.

“Recently, we increased the salaries of all MAS staff earning below RM1,000 (per month). Now, there is no MAS staff who earns below RM1,000. This may increase cost but we need to do the right thing, which is to help our staff make a decent living and support their families,” says Idris.

Second, Idris believes in having the right values, in terms of being ethically correct.

For instance, in business dealings, there are always the white, grey and black areas. Many times, people are forced to step into grey areas when making decisions.

“My belief is that we should always stand firm on the white area even when we are forced to step into the grey area. We need to document and clarify our reasons for stepping into the grey area, then quickly return to the white area.

“If we do not document it, eventually our conscience will be modified. Hence the next time we step into the grey area, we will think we are in the white area. And when we are in the black area, we think we are in the grey area!” says Idris.

Third and very importantly, Idris believes in self-renewal and time for solitude and reflection. It is during these period that one should take the time to count one’s blessings.

“Most people are not happy because they are living for another day. That is why they are jealous of their neighbour’s new car or new house. What is enough for a person? For me, what I need is a house, a car, insurance and education for my family and money to buy my blues CDs. Everything on top of that is luxury.”

Adds Idris: “Don’t take things for granted. I believe that when somebody dies, suddenly life is different. You realise that very few things are important. That we should just be happy to be alive.”

Nonetheless, Idris also believes that if you want something bad enough, somehow you will get it.

He cites Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist and quotes one of the phrases in the book: “If you want something desperately, the whole of the universe will conspire to give it to you.”

Spirituality and Love

A spiritual person, Idris is a practising Christian who prays diligently. If there is a Sunday where he does not attend church, he will hold mass at home where he leads by conducting readings for his family. He even prays with his 19-year-old son Leon (who is studying in Britain) via Skype.

Idris’ life principles are based on love, enabling others, God and passion. Passion, for him, is a convergence of heart, soul and mind.

He believes in the importance of getting married and having children. After 26 years of marriage, Idris keeps his marriage alive by having love, commitment and respect for his wife, Datin Sri Pang Ngan Yue.

“Marriage is about give and take. I believe that when you first decide to get married, you need to be deeply in love. You need to be sure that you have found the one. It is about two people becoming one. You can never be right all the time,” he says.

As for enabling others, it is about taking a back seat, or sacrificing oneself for the betterment of another. Idris says he feels great when he enables someone else to feel good about themselves.

Last Friday, Idris performed in a concert for the first time at the Groove Junction pub in Sri Hartamas. While he demonstrates much adroitness with the guitar, his main motivation for playing was to get his son Leon to perform in public.

“Leon plays a mean guitar. I have asked him before to play but he refuses. So the only way to get him to perform is if I also perform. That is why I put my name down that night,” he says.

On this note, Idris’ first guitar was made of two pieces of plywood, which he strummed at the age of 13. His favourite blues musicians include Kelly Joe Phelps, Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy and Jackson Brown, among others.

Idris’ other great passion is deep-sea fishing, a passion which has brought him to the Maldives, Vancouver Island and Perth, Australia.

“Once I went fishing in Vancouver Island. The skyline was beautiful and we caught fish and ate it with wine. That was such a perfect moment. And I thought, that would be such a perfect way to die!

“If you catch a perfect fish and then have a heart attack, I think that is a nice way to go,” laughs Idris.

And what’s next for MAS? As announced, it is talking about transforming into a five-star value carrier, earning RM1.5 to RM3bil – yes you read right, as much as RM3bil – a year by 2012. Impossible? Don’t bet on it.

WHAT made you agree to take up the job in MAS?

I came because I was very passionate about turnarounds. The Government came to me via Khazanah. I never applied for it.

The person who was really chasing me (for the job) was Khazanah MD, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.

In transforming MAS, what was key in enabling you to succeed?

Transformational leaders must pursue the game of the impossible. That means you must put targets that are seemingly impossible for everyone else, and you state them and go further. You need to conquer the fear of failure. And if you’re not able to do that, most of us will then say, if there is a high chance of failure, I’m not going to do it. I’m going to do the safe thing.

I believe if you put really stretched targets, you have no choice but to reinvent and push yourself to the limit.

How did you succeed in implementing all the positive changes in MAS?

It is all about unleashing the talent. We run laboratories. We get people to come into the room and solve the problem. That is the answer.

In MAS, there are many good people, you just need them to do the right thing, the things that matter to the company’s P&L. It’s a good airline. The product and services are good, but unfortunately it was not making money. I always say - if something does not improve the P&L, then it is not a priority.

This belief in divine intervention, when did that happen?

I have always believed this. I find that more than 60% of what happened to me, happened not because I planned it. They just happened.