In Malaysia, there is no solution to anything. Independent digest and commentary on Malaysian news, political issues, current affairs and general reports.
The RM3bil Petronas gas pipeline project from Kimanis in Sabah to Bintulu in Sarawak was canceled by the PM on May 31, 2008. The PM however, flip-flopped his own decision and announced that the gas pipeline project is ON again but UPKO is against the idea.
Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok contention about the gas pipeline project is that Kimanis is only a natural gas landing point as the gas would be piped to Bintulu where it would be processed and exported as Liquefied Natural Gas.
“What we are saying is that the gas could be used here (in Sabah) as a pit stop for a lot of other downstream activities - urea, fertiliser and all this. The gas can be used for the generation of electricity, so that we can have energy security,” he explained.
Prime Minister on May 31 had announced that the gas pipeline project was scrapped and a power plant would be built. However, the PM on Saturday said the gas pipeline project was on and assured that the state government would be paid oil royalties while Petronas would build a narural gas-powered plant in Kimanis.
Upko determined to get gas pipeline project scrapped By MUGUNTAN VANAR
KOTA KINABALU: Upko is keeping everyone guessing as to what it will do if it fails to get the controversial RM3bil Petronas gas pipeline project scrapped.
Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said that he wants to first bring up the issue of the proposed 500km pipeline from Kimanis in Sabah to Bintulu in Sarawak to the Cabinet.
“To be fair, we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” Dompok said when asked if Upko will get off the Barisan Nasional bus if it fails to get the pipeline project scrapped.
“We have to take things one at a time. I will be talking to the Cabinet about this on Friday and I want to pursue it,” he said when asked if Upko planned to leave Barisan if it fails to get the project scrapped.
On PKR’s call to Upko to quit Barisan, Dompok replied: “They are entitled to express whatever opinion they have. We are not beholden to any other party, our client is the rakyat.”
Dompok, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, told this to reporters Thursday after launching an integrated multi-agency mobile public complaints programme at Buhavan Square in Penampang here.
He said that the contention about the gas pipeline project is that Kimanis is only a natural gas landing point as the gas would be piped to Bintulu where it would be processed and exported as Liquefied Natural Gas.
“What we are saying is that the gas could be used here (in Sabah) as a pit stop for a lot of other downstream activities - urea, fertiliser and all this. The gas can be used for the generation of electricity, so that we can have energy security,” he explained.
He said the Gayang Independent Power Plant in Tuaran had about 20 years guaranteed supply and questioned what would happen after the gas ran out.
What we want to do is to explain the need for energy security for Sabah itself, he said, adding that the Prime Minister on May 31 had announced that the gas pipeline project was scrapped and a power plant would be built.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Saturday said the gas pipeline project was on and assured that the state government would be paid oil royalties while Petronas would build a narural gas-powered plant in Kimanis.
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It's a grave mistake by the Lembaga Amanah Kebajikan Masjid Negri Sarawak who owned a century-old Muslim cementary in Jln Keretapi, Kuching who approved the exhumation of the graves but didn't bother to inform the next of kins.
KUCHING: An excavator was torched as angry family members stopped the exhumation of hundreds of remains at a century-old Muslim cemetery at Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi here.
A man believed to be involved in the exhumation work was assaulted. Several police officers and men arrived to control the tense situation.
The angry family members, who said they had not consented to the exhumation, also burnt tools used to dig up the graves and the wooden boxes to be used to collect the human remains.
Some 30 of the more than 300 graves in the cemetery were said to have been dug up since Monday.
Many family members rushed to the cemetery early yesterday to stop the exhumation work when they learnt about it.
They claimed that they had not consented to it although there was a dialogue at the Majlis Islam Sarawak building last Friday on a proposal to relocate the cemetery to a new site at Semariang in Petra Jaya.
Morshidi Sabang, 60, who spoke for the affected families, said they were angry as the exhumation work was carried out without their approval and done without proper rituals.
“We asked that exhumation work should not start before the coming Hari Raya,” he told reporters.
State Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman said that he was disappointed with cemetery land owner, the Lembaga Amanah Kebajikan Masjid Negri Sarawak, for not informing him of the exhumation work.
He ordered the exhumed remains to be reburied yesterday afternoon according to proper rituals supervised by Majlis Islam Sarawak
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The BorneoPost
Tempers flare as graves exhumed unlawfully
KUCHING: Emotions ran high at the Jalan Keretapi Muslim cemetery here yesterday following what was described as the unlawful exhumation of 44 graves by a local contractor as family members gathered en masse to protest the ‘heinous and shameful’ act.
The extremely tense situation also threatened to spiral out of control on several occasions as angry family members bashed up a representative of the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department (Jais), whom they held accountable for the incident, and torched an excavator and other equipment belonging to the contractor.
The incident also drew the attention of various quarters with Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary Chong Chieng Jen, PKR state liaison chief Dominique Ng and Batu Lintang assemblyman Voon Lee Shan all making an appearance to meet and discuss the situation with aggrieved family members.
With many of those at the scene placing the blame on his ministry, Daud soon found himself becoming a target of the angry mob, who hurled foul and abusive language towards him from the moment he arrived.
The assistant minister, however, kept his cool and assured everyone that he would personally look into the matter which he claimed he had no knowledge of.
Police personnel were also present throughout the day to monitor the situation to ensure that further violence did not erupt at the cemetery, which is said to date back to the James Brooke era and where over 300 graves are located.
Word of the exhumation began to spread as early as Monday evening when a family member, whose ancestor is buried at the cemetery, was driving along Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce and noticed that part of the area had been ‘covered’ using plastic sheets.
Taking a closer look, he was horrified to see workers digging up the graves and placing the bones of the men and women who died into separate wooden crates.
He immediately alerted his family and relatives, who then contacted the other families and led to the mass gathering which started around 8am.
Among those present included PBB Batu Lintang Youth chief Kassin Mahruf, whose grandfather’s remains were among those exhumed by the contractor.
Kassin who was later joined by his SUPP counterpart Sih Hua Tong, took a more diplomatic tone to explain the situation, saying it was a result of ‘lack of coordination’.
“There was a definite lack of coordination between the contractor and Lembaga Amanah Kebajikan Masjid Negeri Sarawak (LAKMNS) with the affected families which resulted in today’s episode.
“The two parties should have held more dialogue sessions with us to discuss about the relocation,” he added, referring to the proposed relocation of the site to the Semariang Muslim cemetery.
He said a discussion involving all parties was held last Friday, and that an agreement was reached to postpone any decision regarding the issue until after the up-coming Hari Raya celebration.
Stopping short of saying that the contractor and LAKMNS went back on their word, Kassin pointed out that the issue at hand was sensitive in nature and that the exhumation should not have happened in the first place.
State PKR advisor Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Sanusi meanwhile said the ‘heinous and shameful’ act went beyond the boundaries of politics, race or religion, and demanded an apology from the authorities on behalf of the affected families.
All the claims and accusations from various parties, however, were of not much concern to many of those gathered at the cemetery as some broke into tears at the sight of their ancestors’ remains while others chose to vent their anger and frustration in private.
One of them, 75-year-old Darmi Darma, told reporters that she felt both ‘saddened and shocked’ after learning that the graves belonging to her two late grandmothers were among those affected.
Claiming to be among the first to learn of the incident, the elderly woman went on to say her family had never been contacted by the contractor over the matter and that steps needed to be taken to prevent something similar from recurring.
Another of those affected yesterday was 70-year-old Awang Fauzi Awang Olen who had 10 family members buried at the cemetery.
The pensioner said he could still vividly remember his first visit to the cemetery with his late grandfather when he was only seven years old and explained that he was told then that it dated back to the James Brooke era and was of historical significance.
As tempers began to cool under the hot sun, family members and relatives pooled their resources and energy to re-bury the remains of their ancestors in two separate mass graves beginning at 1.30pm and ending around 5pm under the watchful eye of a religious personality from Jais who arrived to ensure everything was properly conducted according to Islamic rites and rituals.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Jais official who was assaulted earlier in the day had lodged a police report over the incident.
It was, however, not immediately known if any of those whose ancestors’ graves were dug up had lodged a report with the police.
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Sarawak would not be neglected. Abdullah says this would be evident in fair distribution of opportunities to all, particularly those in rural areas in efforts to improve their standard of living
If Sarawak is not neglected by the federal government then why for the last 45 years, Sarawak still lacking in all corner of development. Progress in Sarawak is extremely slow. Sabah fair no better either. I'll say there is unequality between West Malaysia and East Malaysia.
While Malaysia is moving toward a developed country by 2020, Sarawak and Sabah may only be on par with the rest of the states in West Malaysia by 3030.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=36941
S’wak won’t be neglected
By Puvaneswary Devindran, Zora Chan, Raynore Mering, Samuel Aubrey, Vijaya Menon & Lim How Pim
Abdullah says this would be evident in fair distribution of opportunities to all, particularly those in rural areas in efforts to improve their standard of living
THE federal government will not neglect Sarawak.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who voiced out this assurance, pledged to continue the development of rural areas in the state.
He said this would be evident in the fair distribution of opportunities so that all the people, particularly those in the rural areas, would be able to improve their standard of living.
“We will develop Sarawak alongside Peninsular Malaysia,” he said during the National Gawai Dayak 2008 Open House at Stadium Perpaduan in Kuching last night.
He hoped to foster closer federal-state government cooperation and enhance unity for the country to prosper.
As it is, the federal government had approved an additional allocation of RM1 billion for Sarawak’s infrastructure on top of the RM12.365 billion already approved under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
Apart from that, the Education Ministry would spend RM3.9 billion on 24-hour water and electricity supplies to rural schools in the state and Sabah, he said.
Additionally, he said, the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) would emphasise job-generating projects.
Regarding last March 8 parliamentary election, he thanked Sarawakians for having supported the Barisan Nasional.
This, he said, gave the central government more drive to carry its responsibilities; hence, the big allocations for the state’s development.
On the National Gawai Dayak 2008 Open House, he noted Sarawak’s wealth of cultures and heritage ‘which made the state fascinating’ and enriched the nation as a whole.
He reminded the people that the country’s unity was based on the people’s respect and appreciation for one another.
“We want unity and a celebration like this initiates the efforts to preserve this (unity). Even though we differ in culture and looks, we have an understanding that we love our country,” he said.
The Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Mohd Salahuddin officially opened the celebration last night by performing a mock winnowing of padi.
Thousands of people including foreign media representatives attended the open house themed, ‘Unity through Culture and Tradition’.
The colourful event showcased cultural performances in traditional costumes of the various ethnic groups.
Although the Bidayuh performance was the main highlight of the celebration last night, the audience was also thrilled by the performances of the Penans, Bisayas and Lun Bawangs.
Abdullah, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah returned to Kuala Lumpur around 11 last night.
They were sent off by Taib and members of his cabinet as well as other dignitaries.
Illegal immigrants from the Philippines and Indonesia kept coming to Sabah's shore while the Cabinet is debating on the issue.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee, the President of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is spot on when he suggested "What the Government must show is a firm political will and more resources, manpower and logistics by bringing in the military, enhancing RELA, special operations to detain the ring leaders (or snakeheads), transfer of the Malaysian Consulate from Davao to Zamboanga and the setting up of a Philippine Consulate in Sabah."
Right now, the Cabinet is haggling over the issue instead of going practical about the problem. In fact, it is the sole responsibility of the government to take action and not waiting for the Member of Parliaments to debate over it as this concern national security and border breach.
It seems that local ministers especially those from PBS, the Police, Military, Navy and Immigration Department are being mind-controlled by their UMNO masters from Putra Jaya. UMNO would not want to tackle the problem seriously because if the government deport the illegals, they will definitely lose their voters who are of illegal immigrant origin but have been Malaysianised or regularized with free MyKad.
Look at United States's Coast Guard, their objectives and duties are to protect U.S water or maritime territory. US Coast Guard do their duty without reminder from the citizen or the government. Don't tell me that our Navy only lepak at their Naval Base in Sepangar Bay.
If the government is not being practical about the illegal immigrants issue in Sabah, it just prove that UMNO have hidden agenda and will by all mean allow illegal immigrants to squat in Sabah and allow them to vote for UMNO once in every five years.
The pri-bumi of Sabah led by the KadazanDusu should be overzealous on their territory. Today, they are being slack and accommodative to the illegal immigrants. In the near future, don't be surprise if the illegal immigrants is the majority pri-bumi of Sabah.
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Source: dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=57802
Action on illegals does not depend on commission: Yong
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President Datuk Yong Teck Lee on Monday hoped the ongoing debate over a Royal Commission or a Select Committee will not defer urgent action against illegal immigrants, which is much more important, in Sabah.
"Do not allow the debate over a Royal Commission or a Select Committee to defer urgent action against illegal immigrants because the sovereignty of the nation and security of the people is a most basic duty of the Government," he said.
"The Government must not fail to defend the country's borders and protect the local citizens against huge numbers of illegal immigrants for instance, the authorities' plan to deport 500 illegals per month (or a meagre 6,000 per year) is a joke," added the former Chief Minister.
Yong said in debating the merits or otherwise of a Parliamentary Select Committee on illegal immigrants "we should recall our experiences and not waste time starting all over again."
He said the State Legislative Assembly had actually formed a Select Committee on May 15, 2001 to address the issue of illegal immigrants in Sabah.
The members, he said, included Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh (now MP for Kalabakan), Datuk Wilfred M. Bumburing (now MP for Tuaran), Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (now MP for Kota Marudu and Federal Minister), Datuk Radin Malleh (now Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister), together with then Assemblymen Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Bingkor) and Datuk Mohd Lan Allani (Sulabayan) and himself (Likas).
"My membership in the committee had become uncertain as a result of the election petition and Likas and Gaya by-elections at the time," said Yong in a statement.
The committee met twice - on June 12 and July 2, 2001 - and the final report containing facts and figures was dated October 13, 2001, he said, adding the said report (now available at www.sapp.org.my) is sufficient as an official document for further action, of which sadly there has been little.
"Therefore, I doubt whether another Select Committee, even at the Parliamentary level, will make any difference," he said.
Yong said the reality is that the formation of a Royal Commission, a favourite subject of the PBS before it re-joined BN in 2003, is up to the Federal Cabinet, not Parliament.
And as shockingly revealed by a PBS Supreme Councillor, he said it was the PBS Federal Cabinet Minister who lobbied against the motion on a Royal Commission.
"Hence, the only logical and remaining step is for the Ministers from Sabah to ask the Federal Cabinet to approve the formation of a Royal Commission similar to the commissions over the V. K. Lingham tape, the police, Anti- Corruption Agency and on judicial appointments," he said.
Having said that, he reminded the authorities that comprehensive action against illegal immigrants do not depend on a royal commission or parliamentary select committees of any sort.
Referring to SAPP's 14-point plan submitted to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Sabah Chief Minister in October 2006, Yong said:
"We have presented this many times at several meetings but to no avail.
The actions proposed in the 14-point plan do not require a royal commission, select committees or further debates.
"What the Government must show is a firm political will and more resources, manpower and logistics by bringing in the military, enhancing RELA, special operations to detain the ring leaders (or snakeheads), transfer of the Malaysian Consulate from Davao to Zamboanga and the setting up of a Philippine Consulate in Sabah," he said.
Malaysia should use more of its leverage in international bodies like Asean and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to get the Philippine Government to cooperate, he said.
"Malaysia can also suspend the Zamboanga-Sandakan ferry service, impose bonds on incoming visitors, requiring ferry passengers to possess return tickets and step up enforcement at all levels of government," said Yong.
There are also fresh developments in the Southern Philippines to worry about, he said, adding the withdrawal of the Malaysian peace monitors from Mindanao last month is a clear indication of failure of the peace process involving the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
"The weekend rumblings from Davao from freed rebel Prof. Nur Misuari over the Philippines Claim on Sabah and the re-grouping of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are matters that warrant the immediate attention of the National Security Council in Putrajaya and the Sabah State Security Committee," he said.
For decades, East Malaysian have been paying higher on products and services. Bintulu produces gas, yet the price of gas in peninsular Malaysia is cheaper. Sabah is a major oil palm producer in Malaysia yet palm oil in Sabah is costlier than in peninsular Malaysia.
Wait until end of next month and see if the Federal Government will standardise the prices of subsidised goods throughout the country as promised, following grouses raised by consumers in Sabah and Sarawak over price discrepancies.
Other unfair pricing include higher cost of locally made car compare to those car with better quality imported from Korea. In addition, local cars assembled for export market cost lower than the car meant for domestic markets.
Malaysia used to be the major exporter of rubber yet during those time, cost of tyre is more expensive than imported tyre.
Somehow, Malaysian is also very poor in economy. Take this for example, a rise in sugar price from RM1.70 to RM1.80 per KG will also increase the price of drink by RM0.10 per glass. A rise in flour price from RM1.50 to RM1.60 per KG will also increase the price of roti canai by RM0.10 per piece. Basically, for the case of sugar, the trader will break even on the rise of sugar price when he sell the 1st glass of drink !!!
Coming back to East Malaysian issue of pays dearly for goods, both Members of Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak also insisted there is no problem in the state and no problem ever existed between the states and the federal government. Those MPs and the state government preferred to keep mum even on petty issue like different in prices in subsidized items and other goods which in fact is burdening the rakyat in East Malaysia.
Those MPs wouldn't feel the different because they can afford it in addition to all thing free, given by the government and their business partners.
Standardising prices of subsidised goods nationwide
By MARTIN CARVALHO and PAUL CHOO
MALACCA: The Federal Government will standardise the prices of subsidised goods throughout the country next month, following grouses raised by consumers in Sabah and Sarawak over price discrepancies.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would make the announcement during his visit to Sabah early next month.
“For example, Bintulu produces gas, yet the price of gas in peninsular Malaysia is cheaper.
“This certainly makes the people of Bintulu angry because they can see the gas refinery yet pay higher prices for gas,” he told reporters after attending a forum and dialogue session with consumers on the rising prices of goods and cost of living at MITC in Ayer Keroh, near here, yesterday.
He added that this was also true for the price of cooking oil in Sarawak and Sabah.
Later, over a telephone interview, he assured Malaysians that there would be no increase in petrol prices at least until September, although Indonesia had raised fuel prices by 30% in the wake of spiralling global crude oil prices.
He said the move was to provide ample time for the special committee, led by the Finance Ministry, to evaluate the proposed subsidy management system, under which only deserving groups would be entitled to the subsidies.
Shahrir said a decision would be made by September on the various proposals as to how petrol ought to be subsidised.
“The situation is like this – at this moment all motorists are subsidised at the point of sale, meaning whenever they go to the petrol station and fill up their tank.
“What we are looking at now is how to provide these subsidies only to deserving groups.
“It could be via a special card registration method, using the MyKad or even through a car ownership basis,’’ he said.
“A decision will be made in September.’’
The world price of crude petroleum has hit US$135 per barrel.
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok failed to get relevant agencies to give replies to hard questions on the identity card issue. Deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili’s efforts is also a disappointment when he was a federal minister in 2004.
In addition, since Parti Bersatu Sabah has returned to Barisan Nasional, Dr Maximus had been advising Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan against PBS sending in memorandums to various groups as it was tantamount to stabbing Barisan in the back again.
Obviously, Dr Maximus is stabbing the back of KadazanDusun and the rest of Sabahan by refusing to put serious efforts in pushing for solution to the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah.
KOTA KINABALU: The issue of Sabah’s illegal immigrants appears to have put Parti Bersatu Sabah leaders at odds with each other.
Outspoken PBS supreme council member Dr Chong Eng Leong wants the party to support the opposition motion for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants associated with Project IC or more popularly dubbed 'Project Dr M'.
Chong said that the proposal for a commission of inquiry by DAP’s Lim Kit Siang was not anti-Barisan or pro-Pakatan Rakyat but a matter of defending the sovereignty of Sabah within Malaysia.
He said that a Parliamentary Select Committee on Sabah illegal immigrants was not going to work, as a previous similar committee headed by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok failed to get relevant agencies to give replies to hard questions on the identity card issue.
He described his party’s deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili’s efforts in pushing for solutions to the illegal immigrant problem after becoming a federal minister in 2004 as a disappointment.
Chong said that Dr Maximus had blocked him from representing PBS to present memos on illegal immigrant papers to Suhakam and also the Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity between 2004 and 2006.
“Dr Maximus is only interested in self advancement,” he alleged and accused his deputy president of trying to stop Sabah MPs from voting for the Royal Commission of Inquiry motion that was disallowed by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee.
He said Dr Maximus had told him in late 2001 that once PBS returned to Barisan, the illegal immigrant problem would be solved but since becoming a minister he had been advising Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan against PBS sending in memorandums to various groups as it was tantamount to stabbing Barisan in the back again.
Royal panel on illegals still the best approach: Sabah DAP
Kota Kinabalu: DAP Kota Kinabalu MP Dr Hiew King Cheu said a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is still the best approach to solve the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah.
He said contrary to Sabah MP BN Backbenchers Club chairman, Datuk Anifah Aman's belief, the Royal Commission that would come under the direct purview of the King has total authority in getting to the root of the problem affecting Sabah.
"Whereas, a Parliamentary Select Committee is under the Prime Minister and as shown during the last term, such committee was unable to function properly since it is not free to do its job," he said, Saturday.
Commenting on the statement by Anifah that he would be moving a motion at the next sitting of Parliament in June proposing for the establishment of the Parliamentary Select Committee to solve Sabah woes, particularly the illegal immigrants, Hiew said:
"He (Anifah) is going back into history because a Parliamentary Select Committee set up in the last term that was chaired by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok with DAP adviser, Lim Kit Siang as deputy chairman could not really function.
"In fact, the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah continued to worsen".
Hiew concurred with Parti Bersatu Sabah Supreme Council member Dr Chong Eng Leong that RCI was the best course of action.
"A Sabahan can be appointed as the chief of the royal inquiry so we strongly suggest that the RCI be considered instead," he said.
According to Hiew, it was also wrong for the Sabah BN MPs to say that they don't need Lim Kit Siang to voice pertinent issues concerning Sabah, especially to propose the formation of the RCI.
Hiew added that he had worked closely with Lim to get support from the MPs for the RCI but sadly it was rejected by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee.
"As a Sabahan MP I had been lobbying the MPs in Parliament to support the motion. The Deputy Speaker (Ronald) as a Sabahan should have at least allowed the motion to be debated," he said.
Hiew said the RCI is long overdue and must be formed quickly in order to solve the problem that had been affecting Sabah for the last four decades and worsening by the day.
While it is a gallant effort for the Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu to pledge to rid of illegal squatters and reducing street kids (children of the illegal immigrants) in KK it would have limited success if the Police and the Immigration officers did not whole hearted support them.
In fact, it should be the job of the Immigration officers to raid the squatters and nab all those illegal immigrants. In addition, the illegal immigrant problem not only confined to KK but also in other major towns such as Sandakan and Tawau.
The Marine Police and Marine Enforcement Agency including the Royal Navy is not doing enough patrolling on Sabah shores. Looking at porous Sabah shores and the absence of Marine Police and the Navy make it even easier for the illegal immigrants to slip into Sabah. This is the first problem, i.e. unchecked shore and border and lack of patrolling and enforcement.
Then come the next problem, those illegal immigrants that made it to the city and major towns have become a norm that the authority close their two eyes and not doing anything about it. It take some guts for some agency to raid and nab those illegals. It take some effort to organize and conduct the operation.
The third problem is more politically as most of those illegals immigrants has been given Malaysian MyKad without undoing any sort of citizenship application. Don't be surprise if some old Chinese still have their red "thankee" or IC. If you are illegal immigrant and so long as you are Muslim and will vote for UMNO, you have 110% chance of getting MyKad.
Perhaps, more coordinated planning and efforts will minimize if not solve the first two problem. As for the third problem whereby illegal immigrants have been regularized or have been Malaysianized, UMNO must be rid out of Sabah and Sabahan make their tough stand and solve the third problem themselves.
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Getting rid of squatters, nabbing litter offenders, reducing street kids in KK
KOTA KINABALU: City Hall is hell-bent on getting rid of squatter colonies, nabbing litter offenders and reducing the number of street kids in the city.
Currently, City Hall has 200 officers assigned to various enforcement duties to monitor the situation, maintain cleanliness in the city.
City Hall enforcement director Assistant Commissioner Mukti Muchlish said when contacted by New Sabah Times yesterday that they are determined to achieve zero-squatter colonies in the city by 2010.
He said City Hall enforcement officers were instructed to conduct routine checks on identified squatter areas to prevent re-building of new squatter houses in identified squatter colonies.
Mukti said they had assigned 40 enforcement officers to conduct 24 hours operation against street kids.
“The 40 enforcement officers will be assisted by six policemen to detained street kids found loitering at various places in the city,” he said.
Since the operation was launched in March last year, some 1,800 street kids had been detained.
“The street kids aged between seven and 18-years were referred to the Immigration Department for further action,” said Mukti.
To a question, Mukti said majority of the street kids were foreign kids without valid travel documents, while a handful of local kids were apprehended in the ongoing blitz.
Mukti advised members of the public to refrain from littering, those caught would be compounded a maximum RM500 under Anti Litter By Laws Act 2005.
If the political weather in Sabah permit, Datuk Anifah Aman would switch his alliance. He is ready to move on but not quite ready to make the first move.
Various hints and indications have been given to the Prime Minister. Yet, no firmed answers were given. Not even a time-out requested. Sabah MPs and the Malaysian in Sabah are more frustrated with the treatment of the federal government and the overall cold-shoulders given the the West Malaysian politicians. Now, Sabah MPs are more daring and have repeatedly warn of the consequences if the Prime Minister does not give Sabah requests a serious thought.
Now, Anifah have publicly announced that he is ready to move. But he will stay if the Prime Minister can work out some solutions for Sabah woes and request.
At the moment, Anifah is one of those domino block standing and if a block topple, the rest of the domino blocks follow suit. So it seems that Anifah and some other Sabah MPs have stand between the domino stacks and it depends on Badawi not to ruffle the stack, or else Badawi will be faced with domino effects and Barisan Nasional will suffered.
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MEMBAKUT: There is nothing wrong in switching political parties provided it is for the good of future generations, said Kimanis member of parliament Datuk Anifah Aman.
Should he ever decide to make such a move, Anifah said he would first inform all community leaders and heads of the Barisan Nasional component parties in Kimanis.
“I am keeping a close watch on the political developments in the country… at present I am still with BN and Umno. I sincerely hope the BN government will attend to the needs of Malaysians in Sabah,” he said when officiating at a Kaamatan celebration here on Sunday. He pointed out that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be visiting Sabah soon and he expects the premier to outline his plan of action in response to the demands made by the people.
“We are rich in natural resources yet we are the second poorest in the country. As we celebrate Kaamatan with the theme ‘Harmony through Culture’, we continue to ponder as to how the country can remain stable if some states continue to be neglected,” he said. The member of parliament reiterated his decision to decline the deputy minister’s post in March saying that he sincerely believed he was able to voice the people’s aspirations if he concentrated fully on his role as MP.
He issued a strong message to the crowd telling them that there was no better time to stay strongly united than at the present moment. “I realise in the last elections that not everybody supported the BN but now that it is over, let us all come back together for the sake of our children’s future. “When we are united nobody can belittle us. Set aside our political differences and come together to give wholehearted support to all the Sabah MPs so they can advocate our rights as Malaysians in Sabah in one voice,” added Anifah.
He admitted that individuals from both the opposition and BN had contacted him but he replied that his stand is to be “in one house to safeguard the rights of Malaysians in Sabah”.
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, the president of United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation indicated that UPKO is frustrated with the federal government for neglecting Sabah and critical issue like the illegal immigrants has not be solved for decades.
So if UPKO to quit Barisan Nasional, it would have the blessing of the people and party grassroots. Thus changing alliance is a non-issue if federal government is not serious in solving Sabah problem.
In addition, frustration of Dompok is compounded by the fact that he is the president of a Barisan Nasional party component but is consigned to become a clerk (read: hold non-important post in the Cabinet) in the federal Cabinet. This clearly show that Badawi has not respect for Dompok and the people of Sabah.
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---------------------------- From TheStar
Crossovers a real threat, says Dompok
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PUTRAJAYA: Another president of a Sabah Barisan Nasional component party has sounded the alarm bell over the “very real” possibility of crossovers.
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the frustrations of Sabahans and their representatives in getting the Federal Government to solve their long list of problems are “extremely real” and talk about MPs crossing over to join the Opposition is symptomatic of this frustration.
He said the longstanding issues affecting Sabahans could no longer be “swept under the carpet” and MPs were under a lot of pressure to resolve the people’s problems.
Any decision for Upko to leave the Barisan fold will be made by the party and not by him, Dompok stressed to the press yesterday.
He said that while Upko’s three other MPs had not raised the subject of leaving the party “at the moment,” he admitted: “Their frustrations are real. I think no one can deny it”.
When asked if any of the Upko MPs, including himself, had been approached by the Opposition leaders, Dompok replied: “Not yet as far as I know.
“But if these people (from Pakatan Rakyat) want to talk to me in Parliament, there is no reason why I should not talk to them.”
He said there were still many issues, among them immigration and basic infrastructure, waiting to be resolved in Sabah.
“The people of Sabah have been taken for granted because we are a laidback, easy-going people. The state is thousands of kilometres away from the nation’s capital. As they say, out of sight, out of mind,” he said.
Dompok said constituents in Sabah have always been vocal but failed to grab the media’s attention until “recent changes in the political environment”.
To a question, he said that the majority of the grassroots wanted action and they would not mind if their MPs crossed over as long as their problems were ironed out.
“There are people who condemn crossovers, saying that it is immoral and such. But who are they and why are they taking the moral high ground, when in their previous lives, they too, have done it.
“But if you ask me, I don’t think the Opposition will make the numbers,” he said.
In the current Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak sitting, all the Bidayuh YBs kept quite and it make a news. They did not pose any question, not involved in debates or discussion. In short they were mere silent observers. But the silent Bidayuh YB's is giving Taib a cold shiver.
Taib, Awang Tengah and Asfia asked Manyin (the senior Bidayuh YBs) on their "silent protest". Being courteous lots, the Bidayuh YBs gave excuses ranging from not feeling well, not enough time to prepare their questions and thought the other YB will raise the question.
If you look at Sabah, their MPs are beginning to be very vocal about issues in Sabah. In Sarawak, the Bidayuh YB's are keeping mum. Taib, Awang Tengah and Asfia are worried that their silent protest is a sign. In another word, if the Bidayuh go left (read; switch alliance to Pakatan Rakyat), the Iban YBs may follow and it may create more political domino effect. Probably a bigger wave that can push the tide to Sabah and all the way to Putra Jaya, West Malaysia.
Being a minority race in Sarawak, Bidayuh may not be marginalized but they were also not given enough recognition, due and attention. In previous Sarawak DUN sitting, Bidayuh YB's have raised several issues and some are being solved. It just proved that, only when the dog barked, the master will feed the dog.
Others may think that all Bidayuh YB caught the same sore throat virus and could not speak, others may think that all Bidayuh YB are shy and timid or they are not happy for not being given additional ministerial post in Sarawak Cabinet. It's not. All the Bidayuh YBs are seasoned politicians and not strangers in the DUN.
So, this time around, their silent could be on purpose and a signal. If Badawi played mum on their requests and Taib is also silent on their requests, the Bidayuh YBs might as well as keep their mouth shut and keep their distance and let Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat kill each other and pledge their support for the last man standing.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=35519 (May 15, 2008)
Bidayuh reps not staging ‘silent protest’
BARISAN Nasional assemblymen from the Bidayuh community yesterday denied they were staging a ‘silent protest’ by not participating in any debate in the just-concluded State Legislative Assembly sitting.
Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Michael Manyin Jawong, widely regarded as the de-facto leader of the Bidayuhs, said it was just mere coincidence that none of the Bidayuh assemblymen made any speech this session.
“This is just coincidence …There is no truth is such rumours (that we are holding a protest),” he said when met at the State Legislative Assembly building.
Normally, Bidayuh assemblymen are among the vocal speakers especially during the debate in appreciation of the address by the Head of State where they will touch on current issues and even make hard-hitting revelations on problems faced in their constituencies.
However this time around, none of them spoke which gave rise to speculations that there was a protest by the community especially after the Bidayuhs were no longer represented in the federal cabinet.
There were even talks that the protest was staged to pressure the state government into appointing a Bidayuh as an assistant minister in the state cabinet reshuffle which is expected anytime soon.
Three Bidayuh assemblymen when met yesterday admitted that they did not prepare any speech, but denied that they did so in protest or out of spite. Kedup assemblyman Frederick Bayoi Manggie, known for his no-nonsense speech, said he too did not prepare anything for the debate.
Stating that he was not feeling well the past few days, he said: “It is not right to say that we the Bidayuhs are protesting, just because we did not participate in the debate.
“It is just coincidence, but of course some people are picking on this just to make up stories,” he added.
Both Tarat assemblyman Roland Sagah and Tasik Biru assemblyman Peter Nansian said they were leaving it to others to talk this time around.
“It is just coincidence that none of us spoke this time. I did not prepare any speech but this does not mean I am protesting,” Sagah said.
Nansian in a similar tone, said: “There are many other YBs who will also like to speak in the august house … (It will be) quite tiring if so many of us make our speeches.”
The other Bidayuh assemblymen are Ranum Mina (BN-Opar) and Dr Jerip Susil (BN-Bengoh).
Very soon, illegal immigrants squatting in Sabah will no longer be called PTI (pendatang tanpa izin) or Pilak. Instead, Sabahan will address the illegal immigrants as TUAN in future.
Unofficial statistics indicate that the PTI population is exceeding the Sabah Muslim population. As such, keTUANan Melayu no longer bear any significant in Sabah. Maybe, the Malays in Semanjung Malaysia will still enjoy their Ketuanan Melayu privilege.In Sabah, it will be Ketuanan Filipin or Ketuanan Indonesia as most illegals came from these two countries. And for decades, the Barisan Nasional is not doing anything about it.
Why ? Because UMNO want to get more votes, thus MyKad were issues to those illegals as long as those PTI are willing to be a Muslim Malays. Mind you, those converted Muslim Malays are citizen of Philippines or Indonesia. They will vote for UMNO in exchange for the MyKad. Now, the Malaysianized PTI are more than the native Muslim of Sabah and the Malaysianized PTI have equal citizen rights with the native Muslim of Sabah.
Don't you think that the original Malaysian Muslim in Sabah have been marginalized. Their shares on social benefits, education, politics and economy benefits have been eroded because of the Malaysianised PTI. PTI also contribute to the rising crime rate in Sabah.
Due to votes from the Malaysianised PTI, UMNO stayed in power in Sabah but slowly, their act in fact is killing not only the local Sabahan BUT Sabahan Muslim whose ancestors and grandparents were the native sons and daughters of the Land Below the Wind. Or should I say, Land of Syabu. Yes, Land of Syabu. Syabu are brought over from Philippine and Indonesia by the PTI. The Police, Marine Police, Immigresen, GOF or even the Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) will not do anything so long as the PTI fly the UMNO flag on their boats. Clearly, the Phillipine PTI are more clever than our Malaysian enforcement authority.
It is only rights that Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Marcus Mojigoh and other leaders are now banging on the table as the PTI problems is getting to a critical stage.
Looking further, UMNO has created this PTI pest problem in Sabah and if not drastically solved, it won't be long that Sabah will be controlled by the descendants of the PTI. When that happen, PTI will over ruled UMNO. So, does Barisan Nasional want Sabah to be colonize by the Philippine or Indonesia ?
Federal Special Task Force is estimating PTI figure to be around 60,000. Unofficial figures for the PTI is about 1.5 million. Why the great difference ? As mentioned earlier, a large percentage of those PTI have been Malaysianised and given MyKad. And even if the 1.5 million is pure bullshit, why the authority let 60,000 PTI squat in Sabah ? Where are the Police and the Immigration staffs ? Don't tell me they are busy with syabu.
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Source: dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=57517
Sabah illegals woe at chronic stage: PBS
Kuala Lumpur: Describing the influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah as threatening the peace and security in the State, two of its Members of Parliament (MP) have called on the Federal Government to urgently resolve the matter.
They told the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday that the problem, which had been persisting for too long with no solution in sight, had become the main worries among the people.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan (BN-Keningau) likened the problem to a time bomb which could create serious implication if there were no serious steps taken to tackle the menace.
"It is understood that there have been attempts by among these illegal immigrants to apply to become armed forces recruits using fake identity cards," he said when debating the motion of thanks for the speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Pairin, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah President, said the failure to tackle the problem showed there was a lapse in security surveillance at the borders as well as weaknesses in the enforcement of the law.
He said the issue had now reached a chronic stage and requiring urgent solution.
The influx of illegal immigrants had been going on in Sabah since early 70s, with the Federal Special Task Force estimating their figure to be around 60,000 at the moment.
Non-governmental organisations in Sabah claimed, however, that their number could be as high as 1.5 million people, which is almost half of Sabah's population.
Meanwhile, Puteri Umno Vice-Chief Rosnah Abd Rashid Shirlin (BN-Papar) called on the Government to close down or relocate the refugee camp in Kinarut, about 15km from Kota Kinabalu.
She said the camp had the potential to become the biggest "Syabu nest" in Sabah.
Rosnah also said residents living near the camp were exposed to social problems as well as health problems because of the camp's poor sanitation and lack of proper waste disposal system.
"I want all entry points into Sabah be shut off to illegal immigrants while those already in Sabah be sent back to their home countries," she said when debating the same motion.
She suggested that the Federal Government obtain the actual number of illegal immigrants in the State, including those who had been given permanent residency, and take steps to tackle the problem. - Bernama
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Source: dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=57427
'Ketuanan Melayu' call may lead to BN's downfall: MP
13 May, 2008
Kota Kinabalu: Young leaders of Umno, particularly in Peninsula Malaysia, should stop provoking the feelings of non-Malays by insisting on the issue of "Ketuanan Melayu" (Malay supremacy) as it may lead to the downfall of the Barisan Nasional (BN) Government.
United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) Vice President Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh said the persistence of these "young cowboys" in Umno is not the Malaysian way.
"This is not the way to lift the Malay race to a higher pedestal but a plain and blatant sign of arrogance that may lead to detestation by others.
"To me this is not the Malay culture that I know of. I never heard of this before," said the Putatan MP.
Speaking at the Kaamatan Festival in Kampung Duvanson in Putatan, near here, Saturday, Mojigoh said the Malays are known to be friendly and courteous but the action of certain leaders had spoilt this image.
Towards this end, he hoped Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is also Umno President would advise these leaders not to be carried away and to stop acting arrogantly.
In the context of Sabah, he said there were claims of "over a million newly created Malays" - a new product imported from the Philippines and Indonesia.
"Imagine (if) you have to address these illegals as tuan," he said, adding that the authorities need to address the problem of illegal immigrants gaining citizenship and acquiring this Malay status through the back door.
There is no roads but logging tracks in Sarawak highlands. The only land passage connecting the natives in Sarawak northern highlands to Miri is through timber tracks or logging tracks.
Yes, dirt tracks passable only by heavy timber trucks or 4WD drive vehicles. The logging tracks are not maintained and even during dry weather, it is treacherous for the driver.
So imagine the suffering of the natives who stayed in the interior of Sarawak, who are deprived of any form of modernization and basic amenities. An ill patient transported from the interior may not even make it to hospital in time due to the distance and condition of the tracks.
Yes, I keep mentioning tracks because those land passage are not fit to be called roads. For 45 years, Sarawak has been part of Malaysia and still there is no roads in the interior of Sarawak. I guess Taib and Badawai still want to see the natives walk through jungles tracks to get to the nearest town.
Billion of Ringgit from logging activities has been poured into the timber tycoon coffers and Taib money vaults, yet the jungles of the natives have been left bare and scarred with logging tracks which is not even fit for normal vehicles. Literally not a single sen is been given back to the natives.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=34756 (Apr 29, 2008)
Jabu calls for upgrading of highland roads
By Mary Francis
MIRI: The federal government should look into improving the condition of the logging tracks linking Lawas, Long Semadoh, Ba Kelalan and Bario.
In making this call, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang said the problem was not a new issue as it had been brought at the Federal level several times before and he appealed to the people in these areas to understand the situation.
“We are aware of the problems facing the villagers there who have to rely on logging tracks as their land link to Lawas,” he said.
Jabu also gave the assurance that the 80-kilometre logging track stretching from Long Banga to Pa Dalih and Pa Mada and crossing the Depbur River and Bario, would also be upgraded.
He said the timber companies had made the commitment to help the government with the maintenance and upgrading of such roads in the highlands. The state government had also discussed with its federal counterpart on the expansion of Bario Airport, to make it easier and more convenient to transport equipment and materials for upgrading the roads.
“The government will ensure that the airport is expanded first, as the existing one is too small and unable to cater to the needs of the people.”
Furthermore, it would be difficult to send any equipment or materials needed for the upgrading work if the runway was not extended to accommodate bigger aircraft, said Jabu who is also the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication and Minister of Rural Development.
According to Jabu, in the mid-term review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the state would be fully involved in all projects, not only in planning but also in implementation and monitoring.
“We will see to it that Sarawak will also be involved in internal auditing to make sure the project implementation in the state would be carried out smoothly,” he said.
Jabu was speaking to reporters after the 4th Anugerah Juara Lagu Terbilang Iban (AJLTI) championship at the Miri Indoor Stadium here over the weekend.
Sarawak diminishing culture caused by Taib's greed. Sound exaggerated ? It's not. While Taib want to promote Sarawak local culture, tradition and scenery as a tourism product to global market, he have forgotten that the culture among Sarawak's natives is diminishing.
To attract world travelers, local culture must be as unique as possible and the locality easily accessible and equipped with proper facilities. And to show case the culture, you need people. Now, in reality, most natives that have reach their working age are not in their kampong or longhouse. Most of them have migrated to major cities and towns such as Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu. They did that because there is no job opportunity near their village or longhouse.
It's Taib fault for not bringing enough development to the rural area and cause massive urban migration among rural dwellers. In addition, officers from Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) are bunch of jet setters who travel overseas for so-called "market survey" instead of coming up with plans to develop local tourism.
Look at Sabah, tourism is a major contributor to their state revenue and the natives there, earn good cash from tourists expenses or spending. Because of tourists influx, the natives in Sabah understand that they must keep their culture because it attract tourists. In turn, government have one headache less in employment worry since tourism at remote Sabah provide sufficient jobs.
So back to Sarawak, if there is no tourists going to the longhouse, the working adults definitely need to move elsewhere to earn a living. Taib and his tourism board should study from Sabah Tourism Board and learn how they successfully market Sabah to international travelers.
And when it come to sceneries, Sarawak fares the worst among all states in Malaysia. What Sarawak have to offer other than Mulu Caves ? Jungles sceneries ? Well, if there are still jungles left. Most jungles are already bare due to excessive logging (which Taib has big interest) or converted into oil palm plantations (yes, Taib also has interest in plantations). And due to excessive logging, the mighty Rajang River has now turned into MUDDY Rajang River and I sure residents of Sibu will be ashamed to show-case their Rajang River scenery. Decades ago, Rajang River used to be very beautiful and scenic. Now, if you see Rajang River, you probably be tempted to drink the river water because it look like "Teh Tarik" or "Teng-O-Peng", all thanks to siltation from upriver.
Taib's greed has caused destruction to the natural scenery in remote Sarawak, and also diminishing culture like what happen to the Penans and Orang Ulu due to destruction to their jungles.
There are some nice sceneries and spots in Sarawak that need to develop into a tourism stop, it's just that Taib is not bother about tourism and so STB is still sleeping. If you talk about jungles and eco-tourism, Taib will fall asleep. If you talk about jungles and timber logs, he will grin from ear to ear. Of course, some nitwits from Sarawak state cabinet even proposed for a cable-car up Mount Santubong.
Another area that Sarawak Tourism Board, under Taib administration failed miserably is the sustaining of tourism revenue. We look again at Sabah Tourism and their business model, tourists from Japan, Korea, Australian, US and Europe fly half-way around the world to flock to Sabah daily and by bus-load. They are awed by the natural setting of Sabah from mountain-high to divine underwater to local culture of the Kadazan-Dusun, Bajaus and other natives.
Ask any tourists who have been to Borneo: * which dance from Borneo that they remember. It is ngajat or sumazau. 90% will remember sumazau. * which moonshine from Borneo that they remember. It is leheng or langkau. 90% will remember leheng. * which maiden from Borneo that they remember. It is induk or sumandak. 90% will remember sumandak. * which festival from Borneo that they remember. It is keamatan or gawai. 90% will remember keamatan. * which native from Borneo that they remember. It is Iban or Kadazan. 90% will remember Kadazan.
Sarawak on the other hand, is only able to organize a seasonal festival like Gawai or Pesta Kaul. That attracts tourists, if any, only for the occasion. Don't be surprised if the state government spend millions of Ringgit to organize such events. And the return from tourists that flocked to see and experience Gawai or Kaul festival ? Probably, a couple of hundreds of Ringgit.
Thus, if Taib did not stop his exploit on Sarawak natural resources, the culture of Sarawak natives will disappeared together with it's tradition.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=34675 (Apr 27, 2008)
Preserve culture for the world to see: Taib
By Gaing Kunding
MUKAH: Local cultures and lifestyle have emerged to become a lucrative tourism product that every Sarawakian should strive to preserve, safeguard, enhance and showcase to the global market.
“We must see that the tourists of today are not the tourists of pre-war days. They are rich, they like travelling very much, enjoying themselves around the world according to their own preferences. Happily, a good portion of them love to see our unique cultures,” Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said when he officiated at the Mukah Kaul Festival 2008 held at Kala Dana Beach here yesterday.
According to him, the middle class of the world now take pride in being able to travel to many places, enjoying the natural beauty, food, people and places to satisfy their curiosity.
“In order to captivate these world travellers, we must make the best of our tourist products… food, culture, tradition and scenery and make them part of the showcase that Borneo can offer the world,” he said.
On the prospect of growth, Taib said: “Today we have more than three million visitors coming to Sarawak. This year we expect more than 3.6 million people.
“As you can see, Kuching has been recognised as a possible hub to explore Southeast Asia, bringing people from North to South and vice-versa to enjoy the beautiful heritage in Southeast Asia.
“There is already a link with Jakarta, and soon with Bali, both of which are rich in unique tradition and culture. Clearly, tourism is our culture’s best market.”
Taib went on to commend the community for successfully organising the Kaul Festival over the years, which in the process enabled the enrichment of the Melanau culture.
He called on the other communities, namely the Malays, Ibans, Bidayuhs and Orang Ulus to do likewise to tap into the tourism market.
“It would be nice for the upcoming Baram Regatta to highlight the culture and tradition of the Orang Ulu community.
“I have suggested to the State Secretary Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot, who is a Bidayuh, to also come up with an event in Serian area to be celebrated in conjunction with the upcoming 45th Anniversary Celebration of Sarawak’s Independence through Malaysia, to showcase the Bidayuh culture and customs,” said Taib.
The Chief Minister called on all the natives and the indigenous people of Borneo to work together in pooling their creative talents for the world to see.
Among those at function were Taib’s wife Datuk Amar Puan Sri Laila, Deputy Chief Minister Dauk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang and Minister of Tourism Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
Oil palm plantations contribute to poaching problem in Sabah national parks. Poaching and illegal huntings has became rampant in the national parks where endangered wildlife are killed for its meat.
Sabah Anglers Association has proposed to the authority to stop the hunting licenses. Some hunters are given permit to hunt for selected animals, however, some irresponsible hunters abuse those permit and kill protected species.
Oil palm plantations worker also kill protected species when they cut down trees during opening up of lands for oil palm planting which lead to lost of wildlife habitats and sanctuary. In fact, some national parks in Sabah are now having oil palm plantations as boundary. Strayed wildlife that ventured into the plantations for food are also killed.
So far, there is no follow up from Sabah forestry or national park authority with regards to the poaching of Sabah wildlife as well as the lose of wildlife habitats.
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Anglers Association President Datuk Wilfred Lingham called for all hunting licences to be suspended immediately while authorities find a solution to the poaching problem that now threatens not just our remaining wildlife but also the Rangers.
He said the problem is not confined to the Danum Valley but also rampant in the east coast and in the Crocker Range along Kimanis-Bongawan where even gibbons are being hunted.
He said a suspension would said authorities put a temporary stop to hunting and poaching until a more effective and efficient way of dealing with the matter is found.
Lingham, the former Permanent Secretary to the Tourism Ministry and ex-honorary wildlife warden, concurred that based on information, poachers are becoming daring when confronted by Rangers.
"The loss of revenue from licences is minimal compared to the irreversible damage caused to the wildlife that is unique to our land"."
He also highlighted how plantation owners are contributing to the poaching problem and that it is serious in Bongawan and Kimanis, where oil palm plantations share a common boundary with the Crocker Range.
"The poachers use the plantation roads to drive to the boundary and enter the Crocker Range to hunt the animals," he said.
He said the plantation owners should ensure that no one enters their land and there should be proper fences at the boundaries to keep poachers out.
On whether it would be a good idea to allow wildlife rangers to carry firearms for protection, Lingham said it was up to the relevant authorities to decide.
Wildlife Department Director Laurentius Ambu had on Thursday said poachers are getting bolder, often trespassing into forest reserves with the intent of tracking down totally protected animals.
It was reported that poaching has become more serious in Sabah, particularly in the Danum Valley and rhinos are among the wildlife targetted.
Not only the city folks are subjected to the risk of crimes, even the wildlife in Sabah jungle are facing the same fate. There is a total lack of enforcement in Sabah national parks.
Organize poaching has became rampant and endangered animals are being killed and their meats sold in restaurants in Sabah. Poachers are also targeting rhinos, Sabah pygmy elephant and orang utan. Even licensed hunters are suspected of illegal killing. Those poachers and illegal hunters are bold in encroaching into gazetted national parks to kill helpless animals. The national parks are supposed to be a protected area but the poachers with gun rule the place.
The state government need to rope in the army to patrol parks and forest reserve to minimize the threat of poaching. Considering the slackness of Sabah Polis in curbing the syabu menace and illegal immigrants, they will be equally ineffective in helping the Park Rangers. Armed patrol by the army would be more effective.
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Kota Kinabalu: Poaching has become more serious in Sabah, particularly in the Danum Valley, where poachers are even threatening wildlife rangers.
According to the Wildlife Department there are worrying indications that illegal hunters are getting bolder when it comes to trespassing into forest reserves with the intent of tracking down totally protected animals.
"Illegal hunting is quite serious now," said its Director Laurentius Ambu.
"In almost all areas in the East Coast, we have (detected) the problem," he said, after a closed-door meeting with the police, Sabah Forestry Department and Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) at the Sabah police contingent headquarters in Kepayan.
He pointed out that his rangers have discovered, through roadblocks mounted on various jungle routes, that people have hunted without licence to do so.
"From our roadblocks we detected two cases of poaching in 2003, 2004 (four cases), 2005 (two cases), 2006 (three cases) and one last year É all these happened in Danum Valley," he revealed.
Laurentius was also worried that some hunters, granted licences to hunt certain animals, were also targeting totally protected animals, instead.
"We have also detected in the Kulamba Wildlife Reserve that several people, under the pretext (of legal hunting) were actually targeting rhinos," he said, adding the worst case of poaching of rhinos took place in 2001 in the Kalabakan Forest Reserve.
"These poachers kill various protected animals and we have reasons to believe their numbers are increasing."
Sabah Commissioner of Police, Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim, who chaired the meeting, said the discussion was held to establish where police could come in to assist enforcement and prevention of poaching activities.
With the eyes of the world focused on the Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Ulu Segama Malua Forest Reserve - home to the endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros, Bornean pygmy elephant, clouded leopards and Orang Utan among others - he said collaboration between the agencies was important.
"We do not deny there are organised poachers.
"We will work with each other to beef up enforcement and prevention and possibly also in publicity (against poaching). It is important to preserve our nature and wildlife," he said.
WWF's Borneo Programme Chief Technical Officer Dr Rahimatsah Amat said the agencies need to work together to implement the law.
"Our country is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), so that is why this meeting is important to talk about actions that should be taken.
"People (poachers) now are getting more aggressive. They think they are strong and try to show their so-called invincibility. Many of the (wildlife) officers have experienced it," he said.
"But maybe with the police (presence) things will be different. With their expertise, the police are one of the key people who can assist in the matter."
Noor Rashid said police have received reports that poachers had threatened wildlife rangers.
"It is not to the extent of firing warning shots but the poachers do not have any regard for the rangers and also verbally intimidate them."
He believed there was a brighter chance of stemming poaching in Sabah with the collaboration between the agencies and WWF, or possibly other non-governmental organisations.
"That is why we need police officers to be in the frame.
If the poachers flee then it will be better that is the idea on prevention, as long as they do not enter the forest reserves," he said.
Noor Rashid warned that those found poaching face prosecution under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 or Forest Enactment 1968.
Laurentius said people caught hunting or in possession of totally protected species face a mandatory jail sentence of between six months and five years.
"People found hunting with illegal firearms also can be charged under the Firearm Act," Noor Rashid said, adding people found threatening wildlife officers face being charged under the law.
He also said police were planning to disseminate information to residents in rural areas, who depend on hunting to sustain a living, on the need to have hunting licences.
"We are very fair, we understand that kind of living but we will not tolerate poaching," he said.
LAHAD DATU: Police will now be directly involved with combating illegal wildlife poaching in Sabah said Deputy State Police Commissioner Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Ghani.
Following the ‘Coordination of the Wildlife Hunting Enforcement in Lahad Datu’ meeting, Abdul Razak said that the existing enforcement activities currently carried out in Ulu Segama Malua Forest Reserve jointly by Sabah Forestry Department (SFD), Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), Sabah Foundation and WWF-Malaysia should be backed up by the police.
During the meeting, it was reported that both WWF’s Rhino Patrol Team and the SFD’s Wildlife Hunting Enforcers had been threatened by encroachers within the Greater Danum Valley and Ulu Segama Malua Forest Reserve. The Ulu Segama Malua Forest Reserve and Danum Valley Conservation Area are vital habitats for orang-utan, Sumatran rhinoceros, Bornean pygmy elephant, banteng, clouded leopard and sun bear. The most critical and endangered wildlife species is the Sumatran rhinoceros, where the population is now less than 25 individuals, according to WWF-Malaysia.
A strategic plan to address this issue was tabled by Abdul Razak on possible solutions to handle the encroachers into these protected areas. Among the solutions was to have a public awareness campaign to educate and inform members of the public. This will be followed by a systematic and strategic enforcement within the forest reserves.
He also mentioned that the relevant government authorities will use the existing enactments (Forest Enactment 1968 and Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997) to prosecute all encroachers with the support of the Police.
Meanwhile Deputy Director of SWD, Augustine Tuuga reported that the aggressiveness of the poachers may due to the fact that they are drug addicts themselves and poaching of “exotic” wildlife has quick financial returns as there are restaurants which will purchase such meat at premium prices.
A monitoring programme will be initiated to look into the demand of wildlife meat in restaurants in Sabah.
The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences - Winston Churchill
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