Bakun dam to be much worse than PKFZ scandal

Kua Kia Soong | Sep 22, 09 8:41am


Nearly 50 years after independence for Sarawak, we see a comparison with the ‘Highland Clearances’ in Scotland during the 18th century when the highlanders were driven off their lands for capitalistic sheep farming.
MCPX
The English did it with brutality and thoroughness through “butcher” Lord Cumberland and even obliterated the ‘wild’ Celtic mode of life.

What we have seen in Sarawak recently has the same capitalist logic, namely, to drive the indigenous peoples out of their native customary lands so that these lands can be exploited for their commercial value and the indigenous people can be “freed” to become wage labourers.

Thus, even though the accursed Bakun dam had been suspended in 1997 due to the financial crisis, the government still went ahead to displace 10,000 indigenous peoples to the Sungai Asap resettlement camp in 1998.

Well, there is a reason for this - the contract for the Sungai Asap camp had already been given out to a multinational company. After all, the whole Bakun area, which is the size of the island of Singapore and home to the indigenous peoples, had already been thoroughly logged...

All this happened while Dr Mahathir Mahathir was the prime minister. Wasn’t he a liability to the BN government then?

I was part of the fact-finding mission to Sungai Asap in 1999 and even then we could see the destruction of so many unique indigenous communities and their cultures, including the Ukit tribe.

There was only one word to describe what had been done to these indigenous peoples and their centuries-old cultures... wicked!
Banned from my own country

As a result of my concern for the indigenous peoples and the natural resources of Sarawak, I was told at Kuching airport in August 2007 that I could not enter Sarawak. So much for 1Malaysia! So much for national integration! So much for nearly 50 years of independence! I was not even welcome in my own country.

But the contracts for the resettlement scheme and the logging are chicken feed compared to the mega-bucks to be reaped from the mega-dams. Even before the Bakun dam ever got started, Malaysian taxpayers had to compensate dam builder Ekran Bhd and the other “stakeholders” close to RM1 billion in 1997.

How much does it cost to pay our ‘mata-mata’ (police) to investigate the alleged scandalous rape of our Penan women?

The contracts from building the Bakun dam and the undersea cable run in excess of RM20 billion. Malaysian taxpayers won’t know the final cost until they are told the cost overruns when the projects have been completed.

But if the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal is anything to go by, the leaks and non-accountability all along the line will result in Malaysian taxpayers paying billions for the same kind of daylight robbery.

In the early 90s, when the government was trying to assure us that there would be no irresponsible logging in Sarawak, I pointed out in Parliament that if the government could not monitor the Bukit Sungai Putih permanent forest and wildlife reserve just 10 minutes from Kuala Lumpur, how did they expect us to believe they could monitor the forests in Bakun?

Likewise today, if the government cannot monitor a project in Port Klang just half an hour from Kuala Lumpur, how can they assure us that they can monitor a project deep in upriver Sarawak and through 650km of the South China Sea?

How can we be assured that we will get to the bottom of politically-linked scandals when the Sarawak police tell us they don’t have the resources to investigate the rape of Penan women and girls?

How can we be assured that the Sarawak state government cares about its indigenous peoples and its natural resources when NGO activists are banned from entering Sarawak to investigate a part of their own country?

It makes no economic sense

In 1980, the Bakun dam was proposed with a power generating capacity of 2,400MW even though the projected energy needs for the whole of Sarawak was only 200MW for 1990.

The project was thus coupled with the proposal to build the world’s longest (650km) undersea cable to transmit electricity to the peninsula. An aluminum smelter at Sarawak’s coastal town of Bintulu was also proposed to take up the surplus energy.

In 1986, the project was abandoned because of the economic recession although the then PM Mahathir announced just before the UN Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that this was “proof of Malaysia’s commitment to the environment”.

So what happened to that commitment, Mahathir?

In 1993, with the upturn in the Malaysian economy, the government once again announced the revival of the Bakun dam project. To cushion the expected protests, then Energy Minister S Samy Vellu gave Parliament a poetic description of a “series of cascading dams” and not one large dam as had been originally proposed.

Before long, it was announced that the Bakun dam would be a massive 205-metre high concrete face rockfill dam - one of the highest dams of its kind in the world - and it would flood an area the size of Singapore island.

The undersea cable was again part of the project. There was also a plan for an aluminum plant, a pulp and paper plant, the world’s biggest steel plant and a high-tension and high-voltage wire industry.

Have feasibility studies been done to see if there will be adequate local, regional and international demand for all these products?

Six years later, after the economy was battered by the Asian Financial Crisis, the government again announced that the project would be resumed albeit on a smaller scale of 500MW capacity.

Before long in 2001, the 2,400MW scale was once again proposed although the submarine cable had been shelved. Today we read reports about the government and companies still contemplating this hare-brained undersea scheme which is now estimated to cost a whopping RM21 billion!

More mega-dams to be built

The recent announcement that the Sarawak government intends to build two more mega-dams in Sarawak apart from the ill-fated Bakun dam is cause for grave concern.


Malaysian taxpayers, Malaysian forests and Malaysian indigenous peoples will again be the main victims of this misconceived plan. We have been told that some 1,000 more indigenous peoples will have to be displaced from their ancestral lands to make way for these two dams.
Apart from the human cost, ultimately it will be the Malaysian consumers who pay for this expensive figment of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s wild imagination. Indeed, enough taxpayers’ money has been wasted - Sarawak Hidro has already spent some RM1.5 billion on the Bakun dam project.

Right now, the country is being fed conflicting reports about energy demand. There is supposed to be a 43 percent oversupply of electricity capacity in peninsula Malaysia. Experienced Bakun dam watchers will tell you such conflicting and mutually contradictory assertions have been used by the dam proponents to justify every flip flop of this misconceived project.

Apart from the economic cost and the wastage, how are investors supposed to plan for the long-term and medium term? What is the long-term plan for Bakun? Can Bakun compete with the rest of the world or for that matter, Indonesia?

The suggestion for aluminum smelters to take up the bulk of Bakun electricity have been mentioned ever since the conception of the Bakun dam project because they are such a voracious consumer of energy. Even so, has there ever been any proper assessment of the market viability of such a project with the cheaper operating costs in China?

Does it matter that the co-owner of one of the smelters is none other than Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) Bhd Group, a conglomerate controlled by Taib’s family business interest?

Sarawak’s tin-pot government

Clearly, Bakun energy and Sarawak’s tin-pot governance do not give confidence to investors. First it was Alcoa, and then Rio Tinto - both giant mining multinationals - had expressed second thoughts about investing in Sarawak.

Concerned NGOs have all along called for the abandonment of this monstrous Bakun dam project because it is economically ill-conceived, socially disruptive and environmentally disastrous.

The environmental destruction is evident many miles downstream since the whole Bakun area has been logged by those who have already been paid by Sarawak Hidro.

The social atrophy among the 10,000 displaced indigenous peoples at Sungai Asap resettlement scheme remains the wicked testimony of the Mahathir/Taib era. The empty promises and damned lives of the displaced peoples as forewarned by NGOs in 1999 have now been borne out.

The economic viability of the Bakun dam project has been in doubt from the beginning and the announcement to build two more dams merely reflects a cavalier disregard for the indigenous peoples, more desecration of Sarawak’s natural resources and a blatant affront to sustainable development.

When will Malaysians ever learn?
Dr KUA KIA SOONG is director of Suaram. He was member of parliament for Petaling Jaya from 1990 to 1995.

CABARAN HAPUS ISU PERKAUMAN

Wednesday, 02 September 2009 08:01am

Utusan oleh Mohd. Khuzairi Ismail

SANGAT menyedihkan selepas 52 tahun kemerdekaan negara, kita masih lagi perlu diingatkan untuk meruntuhkan tembok perkauman. Dalam usia separuh abad terbinanya negara Malaysia hasil kesepakatan dan toleransi pemimpin pelbagai kaum terdahulu, semangat itu seharusnya sudah menjadi intipati dan sebati di dalam jiwa segenap lapisan masyarakat.

Malangnya, kita hari ini lebih mengenali diri dan jati diri berdasarkan siapa kita mengikut latar belakang kaum, ras, etnik atau asal-usul. Melayu, Cina dan India akan selamanya dipisahkan sebagai kaum yang berbeza dan bukannya satu bangsa Malaysia. Barangkali disebabkan jurang itu juga, banyak tuntutan dan polemik yang melangkaui sempadan agama dan kaum berlaku dalam masyarakat hari ini.

Jika inilah yang menjadi amalan, maka percayalah soal perpaduan akan terus menghambat negara waima selepas berabad negara mengecapi kemerdekaan sekalipun.

Bukan rahsia lagi cabaran kepada perpaduan itu bermula pada era penjajahan British yang memisahkan masyarakat Tanah Melayu menerusi dasar pecah dan perintah.

Dasar ini telah menyebabkan kita berpecah-belah mengikut pola kependudukan dan penempatan, jenis pekerjaan dan sistem pendidikan mengikut garis kaum. Namun itu bukanlah alasan untuk kita terus-menerus meletakkan kesalahan tersebut kepada penjajah. Ini kerana kesilapan itu boleh diperbaiki apatah lagi negara sudah lama mengecapi nikmat kemerdekaan.

Yang penting ialah sejauh mana dalam persekitaran hari ini, wujud sifat toleransi, hormat dan faham beralaskan kejujuran. Bagaimana elemen ini diterima berdasarkan kepada kekuatan Perlembagaan?

Adakah setiap individu bersedia untuk membelakangkan amalan budaya dan kepercayaan dan memberi keutamaan kepada nilai kemanusiaan?

Ini memandangkan nilai-nilai itu merupakan asas penting untuk meruntuhkan dinding yang memecah-belahkan masyarakat. Perkara ini turut ditekankan oleh Timbalan Dekan Pusat Pengajian Sains Kemasyarakatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Dr. Sivamurugan Pandian.

Lebih jauh, beliau melemparkan pertanyaan sejauh mana setiap daripada kita meletakkan diri dalam sebuah keluarga besar yang ada nilai 'pengorbanan' serta 'kompromi' yang ditinggalkan oleh warisan lepas?

Namun, tambah beliau, timbul dilema siapa yang harus berkorban dan siapa pula harus berkompromi. Kemuafakatan dan keharmonian memberi penghormatan kepada nilai kemanusiaan yang tidak melihat siapakah yang memberi lebih, dan siapa pula yang kurang memberi dan lebih merasa.

''Jika wujud perasaan seperti itu, maka ia boleh berakhir dengan perasaan prasangka antara satu sama lain. Stereotaip akan menebal dan sifat etnosentrik akan mendominasi pemikiran seseorang individu," ujar beliau.

Sejajar dengan proses pemodenan dan pembangunan juga, masyarakat hari ini seolah-olah semakin luntur nilai 'kemasyarakatan'. Yang muncul adalah sifat materialistik dan individualistik yang menyaksikan semakin luntur dan pupusnya sifat kejujuran kerana persaingan ini.

Ada yang berebut kekayaan untuk diri sendiri dan lupa ada masyarakat sekeliling. Ada yang menyoal 'hak' dan 'tanggungjawab' serta 'Perlembagaan' yang hanya dirujuk mengikut keselesaan masing-masing.

Ini menyebabkan lahir ikatan longgar bukan sahaja dalam sesuatu kumpulan etnik tetapi juga hubungan antara etnik. Kerana itu juga tambah Sivamurugan, seiring dengan proses modenisasi, kita semua harus mempunyai rasa bertanggungjawab.

Keluarga harus menanam nilai ini di rumah supaya anak mereka menjadi 'idola' di mana sahaja kerana perpaduan sebenar bermula dari rumah. Ia mencerminkan kesungguhan kita bersama dalam apa sahaja keadaan.

''Kesemua etnik ada sifat etnosentrik untuk menanam semangat kekitaan tetapi lebih daripada itu, jika mereka memiliki perwatakan boleh hormat, faham dan bertolak ansur dengan kumpulan etnik lain, maka perpaduan akan subur dengan sendirinya," tambah beliau.

Dalam masa yang sama, pemimpin juga perlu tampil sebagai individu contoh yang boleh diteladani oleh setiap lapisan masyarakat. Dalam suasana politik yang tidak menentu ketika ini, pemimpin sewajarnya memiliki nilai 'kepimpinan' yang tinggi. Paling utama, ia perlu berasaskan kepada toleransi dan semangat kerjasama yang tinggi seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh pejuang kemerdekaan lampau.

Seperti yang dijelaskan oleh Sivamurugan, politik etnik telah mendominasi sejarah politik tanah air sejak sekian lamanya. Walaupun ramai menyatakan bahawa selepas 8 Mac 2008, pola pengundian menunjukkan bahawa kita sudah melangkaui garis keetnikan, namun sedar atau tidak, hakikatnya kita mempunyai kesedaran yang lebih tinggi ke atas persoalan keetnikan selepas 8 Mac 2008.

''Demokrasi negara akan matang dengan sendirinya jika watak yang terlibat juga matang," tegasnya.

Persoalannya, adakah watak utama dalam politik mengetahui bahawa kita masih terikat dengan sentimen emosi dan bukan rasional dalam hal-hal tertentu walaupun ada ketikanya kita mahukan kebebasan Barat dipraktis di negara ini.

Ada kekangan tertentu yang memberi limitasi ke atas kebebasan dalam sebuah negara yang terdiri dari masyarakat pelbagai etnik. Pemimpin harus berwaspada dalam memainkan sentimen perkauman kerana masyarakat hari ini lebih celik dari sudut ilmu, informasi dan pendekatan yang digunakan untuk mendapatkan maklumat.

Pemimpin ada pengikut dan pengikut yang memberi kesetiaan tidak berbelah bahagi kepada pemimpin dan parti akan taksub dengan pemimpinnya sehingga bersedia untuk melakukan apa sahaja untuk pemimpin tersebut.

Kerana itu juga tambah Sivamurugan, pemimpin perlu lebih bertanggungjawab dan memastikan bahawa walaupun berbeza ideologi politik, itu tidak bermakna kemuafakatan harus dikorbankan untuk mencapai matlamat akhir mereka iaitu mendapatkan kedudukan dan pangkat.

''Paling utama perpaduan tidak boleh dikompromi untuk apa sahaja walau untuk sesiapa sekalipun. Dalam menyoal hak dan tanggungjawab, kita mesti bertekad mempertahan apa yang sedang terbina sekian lamanya," ujar beliau.

Pandangan yang serupa turut dikongsi oleh pensyarah Jabatan Antropologi dan Sosiologi Universiti Malaya (UM), Dr. Noor Sulastry Yurni Ahmad.

Beliau turut melihat permainan politik di Malaysia tidak dapat lari daripada perjuangan berunsurkan kaum yang turut melebarkan jurang kemajmukan rakyat di negara ini.

Justeru bagaimana perpaduan dalam erti kata sebenar boleh dicapai dan masalah integrasi kaum dapat diselesaikan jika parti berbaur perkauman itu masih dikekalkan?

Kerana itu langkah terbaik ujar beliau ialah memansuhkan parti berasaskan perkauman dan mewujudkan satu parti tunggal dengan perjuangan 1Malaysia. Persoalannya mampukah ia dicapai secara aman?

Sesuatu yang pasti ia bukanlah sesuatu yang mudah untuk dicapai kerana jika tidak, parti Barisan Nasional yang tidak pernah gagal memerintah negara sudah melakukannya sejak negara merdeka 52 tahun lalu. Ini kerana masyarakat Malaysia sudah terpisah dengan jurang perbezaan kaum yang sangat nyata.

''Apa yang boleh dilakukan adalah melalui perjuangan ideologi bagi mengaburi perjuangan yang berorientasikan kaum seperti bangsa Malaysia, Wawasan 2020, Satu Malaysia," ujar Noor Sulastry.

Namun, itu bukanlah halangan untuk kita merealisasikan ideologi perjuangan kaum menjadi kenyataan pada satu hari nanti.

Atas semangat perpaduan dan persaudaraan yang tinggi untuk membina satu wajah bangsa Malaysia sebenar, perbezaan itu boleh menjadi persamaan yang mengikat kita menjadi lebih bersaudara.

RESPON :
MENGHAPUS ISU PERKAUMAN SANGAT HAMPIR MUSTAHIL JIKA SETIAP KITA HANYA MENGUTAMAKAN KAUMNYA SENDIRI. APA YANG DIMAKSUDKAN DENGAN MENGUTAMAKAN KAUM SENDIRI?

ASAS KEPADA MEMENTINGKAN "KAUM" SENDIRI INILAH YANG MENUMBUHKAN ISU PERKAUMAN.

KITA LIHAT DI SEKITAR KITA PADA HARI INI, PARTI YANG MEMERINTAH NEGARA ADALAH BERASASKAN "KAUM" YANG DOMINAN IAITU UMNO-MELAYU, MCA-CINA DAN MIC-INDIA. INILAH YANG MENJADIKAN ISU PERKAUMAN INI SUKAR DIHAPUSKAN.

TIDAK GUNA RASANYA KITA MEMINTA ORANG LAIN JANGAN MENGGUNAKAN ISU PERKAUMAN SEDANGKAN PARTI KITA "MENGGUNAKAN DAN MENGAMALKAN PERKAUMAN". IANYA TERSURAT PADA NAMA PARTI SEPERTI UMNO, MCA DAN MIC.

SANGGUPKAH PARTI - PARTI "PERKAUMAN" INI DIBUBARKAN? KALAU TAK SANGGUP, MAKA MUSTAHILLAH ISU PERKAUMAN INI DIHAPUSKAN. KATA-KATA NASIHAT DARI PARTI BERASASKAN PERKAUMAN INI UMPAMA "KETAM MENGAJAR ANAK BERJALAN LURUS"

KALAU PARTI INI DIBUBARKAN MAKA AKAN LEBIH SENANGLAH KITA BERCAKAP SOAL MENGHAPUSKAN ISU PERKAUMAN KERANA PEMERINTAH DAN PIHAK BERKUASA BUKAN LAGI "PERKAUMAN". MAKA SENANGLAH PEMERINTAH MENASIHAT RAKYAT AGAR TIDAK BANGKITKAN ISU PERKAUMAN. TERMASUK MENASIHATKAN PERSATUAN-PERSATUAN YANG BERASASKAN PERKAUMAN. JUSTERU TIDAK AKAN ADA LAGI "KETAM MENGAJAR ANAK BERJALAN LURUS".

CABARAN HAPUS ISU PERKAUMAN BUKANLAH MASALAH BESAR KALAU SEMUA PIHAK TERUTAMANYA PARTI PEMERINTAH TIDAK LAGI MENGGUNAKAN NAMA YANG BERORIENTASIKAN "PERKAUMAN".

KITA HARAP SUATU HARI NANTI ISU PERKAUMAN INI AKAN TERHAPUS APABILA PAKATAN RAKYAT MEMERINTAH DENGAN LEBIH 2/3 DAN MENGHAPUSKAN UNDANG-UNDANG YANG MEMBENARKAN PARTI-PARTI POLITIK YANG BERASASKAN KAUM YANG DIKATAKAN "MENGANCAM KESELAMATAN NEGARA" SEPERTI ALASAN TIDAK MENDAFTAR MALAYSIAN DAYAK CONGRES(MDC). UMNO, MCA DAN MCA BOLEH PULAK DITERUSKAN.

DENGAN ADANYA PIHAK BERKUASA YANG BUKAN BEERASASKAN PERKAUMAN MAKA ADA KUASA DAN WIBAWA DALAM ARAHAN DAN PERINTAH YANG DIKELUARKAN. KERANA SENARIO "KETAM MENGAJAR ANAK BERJALAN LURUS " TIDAK WUJUD LAGI.

FIKIR-FIKIRKANLAH. APAKAH PENDAPAT ANDA?

SENATOR DATUK SERI IDRIS JALA SWORN IN AS MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR: 2 September 2009, Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala had sworn in as Minister in the Prime Ministers' Department today. His appointment as minister considered the highest recognition ever given to native Orang Ulu people of Sarawak towards nation building.

His appointment to the government according to him is as "national service" for the nation. This is because he accepted the offer not for higher pay. He even could earn more in private/corporate sector compare to government post or even compare to his earning in MAS.

The "national service" is something very noble example shown by an Orang Ulu and a good Christian. There are certain quarters who "fight" for ministerial post just to enriched themselves. His "national service" concept should be emulate by all including politicians.

Land dispute: Longhouse vs plantation

Joseph Tawie
Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:35

BELAGA (Sarawak) - A storm is brewing over a native land in Long Koyan, near here, following an alleged encroachment by a plantation company.
A longhouse headman defending the land has also been summoned to the magistrate's court here to face a charge of theft involving an excavator belonging to the company. He has denied the charge.
The case arose from a police report made by a resident of the Long Koyan longhouse on May 13 acccusing Samling Plantations of encroaching into their native customary rights (NCR) land earlier that month.
Headman stopped an excavator
According to the report, longhouse head TK Nyalang Tahe' stopped an excavator from bulldozing their farm lands and gardens in the NCR land. The report also mentioned that the residents took the excavator keys to stop the workers from further encroachment.
However, unknown to TK Nyalang and his supporters, the plantation also lodged a police report complaining that one of its excavators was stolen and the longhouse head was named the prime suspect.
On July 21 a warrant of arrest was issued to TK Nyalang and he was summoned by the police to surrender himself at the Sungai Asap police station. A large number of his longhouse residentsaccompanied him to the station.
Police bond and the court
They argued that the excavator was not stolen and is still under the care of the plantation workers. They also claimed the keys in their possession were passed to them by the workers. They said this was stated in their police report.
Giving in to the crowd's anger, the police decided not to arrest TK Nyalang. But he was required to sign a police bond and ordered to appear at the Belaga magistrate's court on Aug 21 to answer to a charges of stealing the company’s excavator.
The longhouse head dutifully went to the court at 9am on Friday, to answer the charge under Section 379 of the Penal Code for the alleged crime of theft.
However, when he and his supporters arrived there, court officials told them there was no hearing on that day. The police had apparently not registered the case with the court.
Swift action in favour of company
They then went back to th Sungai Asap police station, a two hours drive from here, to seek a clarfication. The headman has now to wait for the court to call him.
TK Nyalang said he and fellow settlers had made numerous police reports against Samling Plantations but no action was ever taken.
Yet, he added, the police were swift to take action when the company made a police report, which resulted in the charges against him.
'Be neutral and unbiased'
Abun Sui Anyit, advisor of the Sarawak Native Customary Land Rights Network (TAHABAS) said the matter is clearly a dispute of rights to the land.
"The police should have carried out a thorough investigation based on the reports lodged by the two parties in the dispute.
"The police should be neutral and without bias in handling the case. But this was not so, as the police hastily framed TK Nyalang as a criminal by instituting charges against him.
http://www.malaysianmirror.com/sabahsarawakdetail/12-sabahsarawak/9480

ORANG ASAL (DAYAK) UMPAMA PENDATANG DAN MENUMPANG DI NEGERI SENDIRI?

Inilah contoh satu pagar yang didirikan oleh satu syarikat untuk kita masuk ke tanah NCR kita. Kalaulah dari mula syarikat nak masuk dulu, Orang Asal (Dayak - Iban, Bidayuh dan Orang Ulu), buat begini (mendirikan pagar melarang orang luar masuk tanah NCR kita) mungkinkah masalah NCR yang banyak dirampas dan dicuri tidak akan wujud seperti sekarang?

Dengan adanya pagar seperti ini di seluruh Sarawak, seolah-olah kita orang Asal "berkunjung" ke negeri orang atau menumpang di negeri sendiri. Ini angkara polisi siapa?

Beri komen anda?

Datuk Seri Idris Jala Appointed As Minister In Prime Minister's Department

Last time while in MAS, some quarters of politicians especially the YBs in Parliament had asked Idris Jala (aboved picture) to step down because of petty reason being MAS delay flight.

Now Idris will face those quarters directly. Now, those YBs who asked him to step down before, have to perform when they remember and think about Idris Jala, failing which they have to give every explanation to Prime Minister.

This new tasks is different from previous job who were not politicians. I believe he had made his homework before accepted the offer.

That is in federal level. In state level, please don't forget our ancestral NCR Land that gone (include Idris' long house may be) which is now GIVEN to Companies through licenses for plantation, timber industry and forest plantation.

Idris appointment is on his merit NOT on political ground as said by PM Najib. Might be under Orang Ulu ethnic group quota that long vacant after senator George Adam Talik from Belaga.

So his appointment is totally for the sake of Nation that will benefit all. We hope every body is happy with his appointment. May be not for those "lions and tigers'" out there. His appointment therefore cannot be politicised and for own political mileage. If certain quarters start to claim that the appointment is for their political mileage, then it will be sad to say Idris is just their "GOLDEN HORSE".

Our brother Idris had informed us during our Dinner in KL last year (2008) saying that his calling is not in politics. Now he is going to be appointed as Senator and then Minister in Prime Ministers' Department without portfolio. He will be facing politicians around him. We still waiting how our Prime Minister going to explain this to the rakyat of Malaysia in accordance to Idris' principle saying that he is not interested in politics.

What our PM said so far is : "There is no one else is better than Idris Jala in government and in the country in turn around companies from loss to profitable one. Idris had good tract record...."

Wait and see what is going to happen. With the current turmoil in our political arena either BN or PR, we do hope that God gives Idris wisdom to face all these mess according to one of his principle that allow God's Intervention in his job.

Let us pray together for God's protection over him. Amen.

TANA TAM URIP TAM

For all concerned KK (Kayan Kenyah)info :

The Highest Court of Malaysia, Federal Court had ruled that the Dayaks have Native Customary Rights over
(a) Temuda' (bekan, juway, kaharah, @ talun)
(b) Tembawai
(c) Pemakai Menoa (Daleh, tana' kasu, tana' pengurip) - include virgin jungle within borders among longhouses all over Sarawak
(d) Pendam

These facts in Court's Decision CANNOT BE DENIED!!

But Taib/BN is REFUSE to recognize and respect the Court's Decision that's why more than 200 NCR Court Cases still pending. If Taib and Land & Survey respect and abide by the Court Decision, the 200 or more cases should settle.

If Taib refuse to respect the Court's Decision meaning he(Taib)/BN is NOT RESPECT our Orang Ulu/Dayaks Custom/Adat. Including those SUPPORTING Taib/BN party DOESN'T respect our Custom/Adat.

Therefore judge by yourself. KK and Dayaks, don't be CHEATED/trapped again by TAIB/BN policy! They had stolen Rakyats' NCR Land and its sources through companies.

Don't blindly support Taib/BN.

I Agree with our fellow Orang Ulu known as "Bekulu" : JANGAN KASI CHAN SAMA TAIB/BN DAN KONCO-KONCONYA LAGI!

Make sure our KK/Orang Ulu Constituencies like Ba' Kelalan, Marudi, Belaga and Telang Usan doesn't fall to Taib's/BN again.

The sentiment ALL OVER SARAWAK is that the RAKYAT want to CHANGE BN Government. Don't miss the new Boat.
Be part of the CHANGE!

Do your part by informing and explaining to your parents that your NCR Land has gone under BN.
Our NCR Land in our Orang Ulu areas had been given by Taib/BN to Companies!!

TANA TAM URIP TAM (KAYAN) = TANA' ILU UDIP ILU (KENYAH) = TANA' LU URIP LU (PENAN) = CALON TAM URIP TAM!

NGOs chided for belittling Salcra’s role

NGOs chided for belittling Salcra’s role
By Yunus Yussop

BINTULU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu chided certain Dayak non-governmental organisations for criticising the roles of Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) in developing Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.

He said their criticism was based on ignorance and plain disrespect for the truth. The truth, he added, was that the land development was aimed at improving the income level of the rural community.

Jabu, who is also Salcra chairman and Minister of Rural Development, meanwhile urged the rural folk with plenty of idle land to continue the joint-venture collaboration with Salcra to develop their land.

Apart from the monetary benefit from the deal the local people would be able to enjoy infrastructure facilities like roads, bridges and water supply that come along with the project.

“Salcra has so far paid out about RM295 million in dividends to more than 16,000 landowners in the state,” Jabu said at a dinner of PBB Kemena branch after the conclusion of its triennial general meeting at Li Hua Hotel last Saturday.

At the dinner, Jabu also handed over appreciation medals to 15 PBB members in Bintulu Division.

Also present at the function were Kemena assemblyman Dr Stephen Rundi, its women chairperson Catherine Lanyau, and its youth chief Tuai Rh Limin Anai.


SIMPLE COMMENT FOR THIS STATEMENT BY JABU:
Assume Salcra operated for 10 years (because Jabu don't dare enough to mention about the time period of the Dividend given)
1. RM295 million Divide by 10 years = RM29,500,000.00 per Year
2. RM29,500,000.00 Divide by 12 Months = RM2,458,333.33 per Month
3. or RM29,500,000.00 Divide by 365 days = RM80,821.918 per day
4. RM80,821.918 divide by 16,000 land owners (participants) = RM5.05 Sen per day

Meaning Dividend given by Jabu per day is RM5.05 ONLY
or RM5.05 x 30 working days = RM151.54 (Salary per month)
Miskin tegar in Malaysia is those income under RM500.00 per month!

Foreigners salary in Oil Palm estimated around RM12.00 per day.

The important thing here is where is the NCR Land goes? Its given to Company for 60 years and renewable for another 60 years.

Where is justice for Rakyat??

NCR Land ? GONE!

HELIKOPTER UNTUK BELI BUAH DURIAN DI PEKAN BELAGA

Melihat kepada helicopter yang datang mendarat di pekan Belaga sementara kami menikmati juadah tengahari di salah satu kedai kopi, kami meneka sama ada heli itu untuk membawa pesakit atau doktor udara atau seorang menteri untuk suatu acara di Pekan Belaga.

Kalau Menteri, kenapa Pekan Belaga lengang sahaja?

Selepas mendarat kami nampak beberapa orang keluar dari helikopter. Berbaju T biasa sahaja.

Selepas kira-kira 20 minit kami lihat mereka membawa bersama mereka plastik yang berisi buah durian.

So apa yang menarik tentang kehadiran heli tersebut dan digunakan hanya untuk datang membeli buah durian di Pekan Belaga.

Dipercayai mereka yang menggunakan heli tersebut adalah dari Syarikat Shin Yang.

Apa pendapat anda?

KES MAHKAMAH TR NYALANG TAHE"

Photo : TR Nyalang (berdiri baris kedua lima dari kiri baju gelap) bersama barisan Peguambela dan rakyat Long Koyan di hadapan Mahkamah Belaga, Sarawak

BELAGA : Tuai Rumah (TR) Nyalang Tahe' telah hadir ke Pejabat Daerah Belaga pada 21/8/2009 untuk menghadapi tuduhan "mencuri". Walaupun menunggu sejak pukul 8 pagi hingga 3 petang, tiada kelibat pihak pendakwa atau pihak polis di mahkamah. Pintu Mahkamah juga berkunci.

Bagi memastikan kes ini berjalan atau tidak, TR Nyalang bersama - sama penyokongnya kebanyakan rakyatnya dan 3 orang Peguambelanya, peguam Ali Basah, peguam Paul Raja dan peguam Abun Sui ke Balai Polis Daerah Belaga.

Setelah diminta penjelasan, akhirnya Ketua Polis Daerah Belaga memaklumkan kepada peguam bahawa kes TR Nyalang masih dalam siasatan dan kemungkinan akan digugurkan.

Apa yang dikesalkan, walaupun Ketua Polis Belaga memberi harapan kes ini akan digugurkan tetapi TR Nyalang dan seorang lagi rakyatnya yang turut dituduh atas kesalahan ingin melakukan "serangan bahaya" diminta untuk memperbaharui jaminan polis mereka pada 12/10/2009.

Pihak Polis seharusnya tidak "menyusahkan orang rumah panjang" dengan meminta mereka datang memperbaharui jaminan polis setiap kali kerana ini sangat membebankan mereka kerana mereka terpaksa ke Balai Polis yang jauh dari rumah panjang mereka sedangkan pihak syarikat yang kaya raya yang menceroboh tanah NCR mereka tidak pula diambil tindakan apa-apa walaupun TR Nyalang melalui wakilnya membuat Laporan Polis tentang pencerobohan tanah mereka.

TUAI RUMAH LONG KOYAN, BELAGA DITUDUH DI MAHKAMAH

BELAGA : Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ dari Long Koyan, Belaga, Sarawak akan dituduh di Mahkamah Majistret, Belaga pada 21/8/2009 pukul 9.00 pagi di bawah Seksyen 379 Kanun Keseksaan atas kesalahan mencuri.

Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ merupakan seorang tuai rumah yang berdedikasi dan sangat berjiwa rakyat. Antara sifatnya yang terpuji adalah mempertahankan Tanah Hak Adat (NCR) beliau dan penduduk di Rumah Panjang Long Koyan Belaga dari pencerobohan pihak luar termasuk syarikat perladangan.

Dalam kes ini Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ mempertahankan tanah NCR beliau dan rakyat beliau dari dicerobohi oleh syarikat perladangan Samling Plantation yang diberi lesen yang dikenali sebagai Provisional Lease (PL) oleh kerajaan di Belaga termasuk kawasan tanah NCR Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’.

Kes ini berbangkit daripada satu laporan polis yang dibuat oleh Rumah Panjang Long Koyan melalui wakil mereka pada 13/5/2009. Dalam laporan ini pihak rumah panjang yang diketuai oleh Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ telah pergi memberhentikan Excavator yang dikenali sebagai “peko” dikalangan Orang Ulu daripada terus menceroboh tanah NCR mereka.

Walau bagaimanapun, apa yang menghairankan adalah pada 21 Julai 2009, beliau telah ditahan dan diberi notis untuk menghadirkan diri untuk menghadapi satu tuduhan di Mahkamah Majistret Belaga pada 21 Ogos, 2009 (Jumaat). Setakat maklumat ini diberikan kepada Encik Abun Sui Anyit, penasihat JARINGAN TANAH HAK ADAT BANGSA ASAL SARAWAK (TAHABAS), Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ belum dibekalkan dengan laporan polis berkaitan tuduhan yang dikenakan terhadap beliau walaupun telah diminta oleh beliau.

Dalam kes ini beliau juga diberi Surat Perjanjian Dan Jaminan Kepada Polis Diraja yang meminta beliau mengakujanji akan membayar RM500.00 kepada Kerajaan Malaysia jika tidak hadir ke Mahkamah pada 21 Ogos ini.

Penduduk Pekan Belaga dan rumah-rumah panjang terutamanya yang berhampiran dengan Pekan Belaga agar turut serta ke Mahkamah Majistret Belaga pada 21/8/2009 jam 9.00 pagi bagi memberi sokongan moral kepada Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ untuk mempertahankan tanah NCR dari terus diceroboh oleh syarikat yang diberi lesen oleh kerajaan.

Tanah NCR adalah sangat penting untuk kehidupan masyarakat Orang Ulu di Belaga seperti Tuai Rumah Nyalang Tahe’ khasnya dan masyarakat Dayak Sarawak amnya.

WHO IS PURE LIAR AND PLAY DIRTY POLITICS??

WHO IS PURE LIAR AND PLAY DIRTY POLITICS??

Here is one methodology/real scenario:-

VERY EASY:

Come election time, every one (ANY PARTY AND INDEPENDENT THAT CONTESTING) is promising this and that; bring development, will not corrupt, no cronisme, not enriched themselves, not grasp rakyat's NCR land, no abuse of power and so on...

No harm, everybody can promise anything

BUT those who win in the election and form the Government HAVE TO perform whatever promises or manifesto being said.

Those who lost in the election has NOTHING to perform, because they are NOT in power, maybe watchdog to the winner but not mandatory unless they are paid for doing so...

Therefore, BURDEN of Proof to CLAIM THEY ARE NOT THE PURE LIAR AND PLAY DIRTY POLITICS is TOTALLY lay on those in POWER.

So judge by yourself rationally and logically. WHO is LIAR???

For those of you who really UNDERSTOOD this real scenario - Please teach those in power to perform and STOP them from alleging/blaming the opposition (those who lost in election) as LIAR.This is not right.

Also teach the rakyat to understand this methodology.

Don't wasting our time and resources to discuss matters on "Opposition is liar" since they are not the performing party.

TANA' KASU @ TANAH HAK ADAT (NCR)

Yu je' du na' tana' kasu @ NCR?

Masa' pe ilu koma ilu un tana' NCR baan dau le. Lan tain? Ji se' de' du koma tana' NCR ja:
1. Tana' de' ilu oyan oma, ketu, amin, lepubung, pola, lidik, nepeng ngan liang dalau atau cen kena tanggal 1/1/1958;

2. Meka pe tana' kasu le, ke' ngkey le mita oman uko' baan tai ti wai, mita pun, ngan ti sekau ngan mita atuk ngan kado' gayeng de' ca dalau mpak bio pipa oma' dado';

3. Ilu un tana' ja man oma' dado' atau pemanak le tengen atau osa le tengen;

Boka meka, ke' ngkey te tepat Badeng Boleng Kua' di un Tana'?

1. ke' Long Busang - boka lepo' Kenyah Badeng Boleng kua' nai buau ke Long Busang Cen Kena 1/1/1958.

2. Ke Usun Apau boka le sokat ponan tana' ja ngan Perintah ngan buktikan ketu le ngan pola ngan liang tepun le un ke' tana' ja uban Usun Apau lepa wujud cen kena 1/1/1958.

Un e' cen Badeng Boleng Kua' de' oba' ke Ponan Tana' Usun Apau ngan du?

Buck up, Sarawak MPs told

Some Sarawak MPs only know how to silence the people NOT represent them!

See the following report:

Friday June 12, 2009
Buck up, Sarawak MPs told

KUCHING: Sarawak MPs must buck up as their performance in Parliament is below par compared with their counterparts in the peninsula and Sabah.

Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said most of them seldom took part in the debates on government policies.

“’They (Sarawak MPs) should be more aggressive, more vocal and involve themselves more in the debates on government policies,’’ he added when asked by reporters after recording a programme at RTM Kuching here yesterday.

Dr Wan Junaidi, the Santubong MP, urged them to also actively take part in the debates on the annual Budget and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech in Parliament.

’’If you represent the people, you must speak. If you don’t speak, ministers will not know you.’’

However, he said that Sarawak MPs recorded good attendance during Parliament sessions.

Sarawak has 30 Barisan Nasional MPs and one opposition MP – Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Bandar Kuching).

Dr Wan Junaidi said Sabah MPs performed much better than their Sarawak counterparts.

Overall, he said the ratio of non-performing MPs in Parliament was ‘’very high’’ as there were some who never spoke.

Dr Wan Junaidi said a good MP must not only know his constituency well but also the issues and problems faced by the state, country and the world.

He said this would make them all-rounders.

Dr Wan Junaidi said he would publish a book on the Malaysian Parliament to mark its 50th anniversary in September.

“I have completed about 200 pages and am getting Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to go through the draft,” he said.