Tuesday, April 8, 2008

What's is wrong with roads in Malacca

Posted by MD at 1:45 AM

What's is wrong with roads in Malacca that the BN state government need RM3.3billion fund ?

Malacca roads including most roads in Semanjung Malaysia are the best in the region. Need over RM3 billion to re-tar and re-seal the already good roads ? This is misuse of rakyat money.

Semanjung has countless superhighway linking states and cities and towns. Multi-tier exchanges, multiple lanes tunnels, 6-8 lanes bridges, Semanjung Malaysia got it all. The luxury of big roads cover the bottom to top of the Peninsula Malaysia. Even the mountainous Genting Highlands have highways. East Malaysian, if you haven't been to Genting, there is are highways in the mountains. Got highways at Baram, Kapit, Kudasang or Ranau kah ?

What do you find in Sabah and Sarawak ? Jalan tanah banyak ler. Jalan lumpur banyak ler. Kalau ada jalan batu, sudah kira nasib baik tu.

The federal government must give more fund to Sabah and Sarawak to improve our roads. Otherwise, it unfair distribution of national wealth. We don't need fancy highways, good roads will be a blessing.

The muted ministers from Sabah and Sarawak are also playing dumb and dare not demand for road projects in East Malaysia. A bunch of yes man MP from East Malaysia. Maybe they have request for it. What we want is for them to DEMAND for more roads and bridges. Our road system in Sabah and Sarawak are the shittiest in Malaysia.

Shame on the work ministers ! Shame of state JKR ! Shame of the local MP for keeping silents.


Typical roads in Sabah and Sarawak


Highway Exchange in Semanjung Malaysia

Related post:
* uchukeling.com - What RM3.3b can do to Sarawak

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Extracted from thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/4/7/southneast/20080407105349&sec=southneast (Apr 07, 2008)

Malacca seeks RM3.3b for road projects

MALACCA: A total of RM3.3bil is being sought from the Federal Government for road projects in Malacca under the Ninth Malaysian Plan mid-term review.

Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad said the allocation covered 26 construction and upgrading projects involving 439km of roads in the state.

The ministry would consider the requests and decide on the projects based on the budget, he told reporters on Thursday.

Mohd Zin, who is on his first official visit to the state since assuming his Cabinet post, attended a closed-door briefing on road projects here.

He said a proposed 100km coastal road would be given priority owing to a rise in traffic and the state's reliance on tourism.

Road projects were given priority when the volume increased to more than 20,000 cars per day, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said, besides coastal roads, the state was requesting an allocation for a outer ring road that will better connect the city to surrounding towns.

 

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Monday, April 7, 2008

NRD must settle the stateless cases fast

Posted by MD at 5:56 PM

National Registration Department must settle the stateless cases fast and not just look at the cases. Looking at the cases and settling them are two different things. Looking at it might just involve some sleepy officers making another review but no one to decide on the case.

While it was a good effort by Hamid Takip of Sarawak NRD to response to article published in the local newspapers, some of his remark still lead us around the bushes.
He also give excuse of communication breakdown about the department and the people. I think it's a communication breakdown within the departments itself. Maybe Miri NRD sleep on the case and so Kuching NRD just wait and sit on the case as well.

Hamid Takip mentioned that decision will be made within a month, but the reported case has been overdue for so long and it make NRD look very incompetent.

Hamid also mentioned that local branches are empowered to process the application but due to logistic problem, approval of the application can run into months. Despite the widespread of telecommunication facilities such as fixed line phone, mobile phone, fax, Internet and even courier services between Kuching and major towns in Sarawak, government department still whine about logistics problem in dealing with paper works and application processing. A typical slow working attitude among Malaysian government servants.

Related post:
* Incompetent National Registration Department

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Extracted from: theborneopost.com/?p=33690 (Apr 08, 2008)

NRD seriously looking into ‘stateless’ cases

By Puvaneswary Devindran and Zora Chan

KUCHING: The National Registration Department (NRD) has assured that it would be giving top priority to those ‘stateless’ cases, saying it was never its intention to cause the people so much trouble.

NRD customer service unit head Hamid Takip told The Borneo Post that he had just come out of a meeting to discuss the ‘Plight of the Stateless’ article published in thesundaypost.

He said the meeting agreed that the plight of the stateless Kenyahs and others facing similar problem would be looked into immediately.

In fact, he said, what had taken place in Ulu Baram were old cases that the department categorised under “unsettled query”.

He felt that the root cause of the problem was the communication breakdown between the department and the people.

Hamid said with regards to the “unsettled query” cases the department was aiming to reach either a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision as soon as possible so as not to burden the applicants.

“If it’s a ‘yes’, then we will straight away issue the birth certificate and also a MyKad, but if it’s a ‘no’, then we will talk to them to see if they want to apply again and be asked to come in for an interview,” he said.

Issuing out government documents was “no joking matter”, as such applicants should bring with them as many proofs as possible to substantiate their applications, he said.

“If 80 to 90 per cent of their story checks out true, then we will approve their applications but in some cases, they would give conflicting information and not firm in their answers. This creates doubts you see, so it’s difficult to give an approval,” he said.

He said unclear cases would be referred to a special committee at the department’s headquarters in Kuching for confirmation.

In any “straightforward” case, it would not take long to get a confirmation, while in cases deemed as “chronic”, the process would take much longer, he said.

According to Hamid, a decision would normally be reached with one month for any ‘chronic’ case.

The process of confirming unclear cases could also be done in nearby branches of NRD but this would take even longer, probably three months just to know the fate of an application, because of the logistics involved, he said.

According to him, applicants in the remote areas need not come all the way to the NRD headquarters in Kuching because the local branches are empowered to do all the processing.

In fact, he said, if the department is duly and properly notified, its mobile unit is ever ready to visit applicants at certain common locations in the rural areas to process applications of those unable to travel to the NRD offices in their areas.

The mobile unit was set up because the department understood that travelling to get their personal documents done could be quite troublesome and especially expensive for those living in the state’s remote districts, Hamid said.

He said, as of now, the mobile unit had its own schedule and would normally go outstation once a month and set up camp at schools.

Besides the scheduled visit, the unit would also make the trip at the request of the elected representatives, he added.

He pointed out the NRD would notify the district officer (DO) of its planned visit, and the DO would in turn relay the news to the community leaders for them to tell their people.

Unfortunately, despite this, some still could not make it the mobile unit, he said.

Calling on the people concerned to make every effort to meet up with the mobile team, he said the unit was also empowered to approve applications if they were found to be satisfactory.

“In any case, if you are told to go to another branch or to headquarters, do not hesitate to call up first to find out if it was really necessary for you to travel all the way. It is your right to call us on the status of your applications,” he said.

He said it was the duty of all NRD officers to facilitate and not frustrate the people and that it was also their duty to explain thoroughly to them the process.

He conceded that miscommunication between the department and the people did take place from time to time but assured that it had a well kept record of those who had applied before.

“What we are scared of is if the people go through a third party and there are a few syndicates who are out to cheat the people. There are some cases, the applicants show up with ‘receipts’ but when checked, there are simply no records of their applications with us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hamid also confirmed that NRD does accept documents certified by community leaders, but only if the community leaders are from the same place as the applicants.

According to NRD’s brochure, among others, it says a person whose citizenship has yet to be determined but born on and after Aug 31, 1957 can apply for MyKad. Their applications are to be supported by birth certificate, identity card, parents’ birth certificate, parents’ identity cards, parents’ citizenship certificates, whatever documents that can prove that parents are permanent residents, applicant’s and parents’ travelling documents (if born overseas), and parents’ marriage certificate.

For those born before Aug 31, 1957, applications need to be supported with birth certificate, identity card, parents’ birth certificates and whatever documents that can prove that applicant’s father is Malaysian or a ‘rakyat’ of the Sultan.

For those born after Sept 16, 1963, applications must be supported by birth certificate, whatever documents that can prove that parents are permanent residents or Malaysians, parents’ marriage certificate, applicant’s and parents’ travelling documents (if born overseas), and parents’ marriage certificate.

 

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Sunday, April 6, 2008

Samy Vellu where were you when the Indian cried

Posted by MD at 6:24 PM

Only after Samy Vellu lost his parliamentary seat in the recent election, did he become more vocal to raise the plight of the Indian community.

Before the election, problems faced by Indian community are secondary to him. He was more busy with highway projects, leaking cabinet toilet and give details attention to clogged drains. What the heck. A senior politician (and a party president) busy with clogged drains. That the job for the municipal council. As a party president, a federal minister and also a parliamentarian, he should be more busy with social and politics issue for his Indian community.

When Samy lost the election and no longer in the cabinet, he started to play his trumpet. It a job that he should have done earlier. Blowing his trumpet now is akin to playing at the street asking passer-by to throw coins into the hat.

What I mean is that he is blowing the Indian community problem as a publicity in hope that he can regain the support from the community. I think the Indian community have enough of him.

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Extracted from: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/7/nation/20871124&sec=nation (Apr 07, 2008)

Samy Vellu: Govt should look into Indian woes

PETALING JAYA: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has urged the Government to look into the problems faced by the various communities, including the Indians in the country.

“They have to think of everybody and not someone whom they like.

“They must see the tears in the eyes of the Indian community. I have seen it, cried and sat with them and did whatever they wanted,” he said.

“They (the people) need the government support. They must not make the same mistakes as before and should fulfil the promises made as soon as possible,” he told reporters after launching the Sri Murugan Centre’s 25th national workshop yesterday and honouring 12 students who scored 10As and above in the SPM examinations

Samy Vellu also said he would speak to the Chief Secretary to the Government and the director-general of the Public Services Department to provide scholarships to Indian students who scored 10A1s and above in SPM.

“These students have excelled in their studies and should be given scholarships to study in their fields of choice,” he said.

 

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Syabas to Selangor Police

Posted by MD at 5:50 PM

Kudos to the Selangor police for acting fast and nabbed those criminals for abducting a young girls. Malaysia has been plagued with cases of children abductions and abuses and police are usually slow to response or unable to solve those cases.

To the Selangor police, throw all the law books at those abductors. In fact, those the books selves at them. Children abduction is a very mean and inhuman crime. Make sure the abductors get maximum punishment.

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Extracted from: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/7/nation/20870711&sec=nation (Apr 07, 2008)

Girl rescued and four nabbed

By LOURDES CHARLES

PETALING JAYA: It would have been another Nurin Jazlin Jazimin or Sharlinie Mohd Nashar case, but this time alert passers-by plus swift police action prevented a five-year-old girl from being the next victim of abduction.

The incident took place in Kampung Datuk Harun at 1.15am yesterday when three men abducted the girl right from the doorstep of her house and sped off.

Police who were informed of the incident at 5.30am mobilised their task force as well as alerted residents in the suburbs.

Within minutes, residents in the village provided police with details and the make of the vehicle which they saw speeding off.

Four people including a woman were arrested at 11.30am and the girl was rescued moments later at a house also in Kampung Datuk Harun.

Selangor CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said swift response by the villagers enabled police to close down on the abductors that led to their arrests.

“The police together with the local residents mounted a door-to-door search as well as conducted road blocks within the area and surrounding neighbourhoods.

“Initial investigations revealed that the woman is believed to be a close relative of the girl and we are investigating them for abduction,” he said.

DCP Khalid said that police were grateful to the residents for their alertness and their cooperation in providing valuable information that enabled police to solve the case within hours.

He, however, took to task the girl’s father who only lodged a report some four hours after the abduction.

“Every second is very important to us and lodging a report four hours after an incident like this could have resulted in the girl being taken out of the country,” he added.

 

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Abuse of subsidized diesel in Sabah

Posted by MD at 9:50 AM

Sabah Fisheries being investigated by ACA is just a tip-of-an-iceberg. For months, unscrupulous party including government officials are in collaboration to "export" the diesel to the Philippines for profit instead of selling the diesel at a controlled price to the local fishermen.

ACA cited lack of enforcement in the rising case of exporting the subsidized to oversea parties. RM4 million per month is an average subsidized amount borne by the government for subsidized diesel for Sabah fishermen which are being use by criminals to make easy money for themselves.

The government instead of spending RM4 million a month to help the fishermen, is indirectly giving the money to criminals for free. Don't forget, as a taxpayer, you and me have shares in that RM4 million. All this problem is due to government incompetency in providing half-cooked solution.

Government intention is to help the fishermen, but unable to control the distribution of the subsidized diesel.

As a matter of fact, I have not heard any other countries giving subsidized diesel to their fishermen. Yes, their fishermen are making good catch and good earning.

Obviously, our fishermen like to cruise around the sea instead of catching the real fishes. Probably, that's why they need more diesel.

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Extracted from : thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/6/nation/20080406141747&sec=nation (Apr 06, 2008) ACA investigating Sabah fisheries KOTA KINABALU: An 18 million litre per month diesel subsidy scheme for fishermen in Sabah is under probe by the Anti-Corruption Agency. The probe has led to the seizure of a total of 306,000 litres of subsidised diesel in raids in Sandakan and Tawau between Thursday and Saturday. Also impounded were three ships, a tanker, a lorry and a bus from the two east coast towns as the ACA widens its probe into suspected siphoning of subsidised diesel to be sold to foreign fishing vessels and industries. Subsidised diesel from Petronas is sold at a price of RM1 per litre to fishermen through Sabah Fisheries Corporation (Ko-Nelayan) but the diesel has been found to be "resold" at the price of RM1.70. Numerous complaints have been lodged by fishermen over the abuse of the diesel subsidy scheme with the alleged help of syndicates working with "towkays" and local agencies. Confirming the seizure in Tawau and Sandakan, Sabah ACA director Latifah Md Yatim said Sunday that the operations were jointly carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agnecy, Marine Police and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry officials from Putrajaya. "We acted on public information and moved in after monitoring the situation," she said in estimating the total seizure at RM836,880. Latifah, who declined to reveal operational details, said the ACA would be questioning all the relevant people involved in the subsidy scheme. It is understood that Ko-Nelayan under the state Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry has been distributing quotas of subsidised diesel to fishermen holding e-cards throughout Sabah. The lack of enforcement in distribution has led to large amounts of subsidised diesel ending up in neighbouring countries and also local industries. According to estimates, some RM4mil is exchanged a month if the 18 million litres of subsidised diesel at RM1 per litre is sold at a profit of about 50sen per litre.

 

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Masing keeping Larry Sng for the money

Posted by MD at 9:20 AM

Being reaffirmed as the president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak with ROS decision to maintain status quo of PRS and Masing meet up with Badawi recently, Masing still have soft spot for Larry Sng by letting the grassroots of the party to determine the fate of Larry Sng.

Masing does not dismiss Sng outright but giving him a chance by letting the grassroots decide. This is because Masing still need Sng.

However, except for Sng himself, his committee members are not being spared and have been dismiss from the party. As Masing mentioned, Sng is an elected representative and if Sng is out of the party, PRS would lose one seat in the state cabinet. In addition, Sng and his father is a big sponsor to PRS. And the other reason why Masing would like to keep Sng is because Sng have the money.

PRS is one of the mosquito party of Sarawak Barisan Nasional and being small, fund are limited. Moving around their constituencies in the remote corner of Sarawak can be very costly and without money, they cannot move to service their supporters.

For Sng, if he decided to rejoin PRS, he have give Masing his undying support and have to take a backstage stand while Masing have to be very wary of Sng every movement, just in case Sng mounted another mutiny. If Sng decided not to rejoin PRS, that would mean the end of this political career, unless he have a change of mind to join either DAP or PKR.

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Extracted from: theborneopost.com/?p=33624 (Apr 06, 2008)

Sng’s PRS fate with grassroots: Masing

By Samuel Aubrey

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) supreme council has now left it to their grassroots members to decide on the future of Larry Sng in the party.

Party president Dato Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said yesterday that Sng’s expulsion from the party was being put on hold until after he had the decision from the grassroots.

The supreme council, in its meeting yesterday, in fact unanimously rejected Sng as a PRS member but Masing said Sng ought to be given another chance mainly because he was an elected representative.

“We give him another chance by asking the grassroots to give their opinions on whether to sack him or admit him back to the party,” he said at a press conference after the supreme council meeting at the headquarters in Jalan Pending here.

Masing said PRS as a political party did not depend solely on the supreme council because its real strength actually lay in the grassroots.

The grassroots in the 29 PRS divisions will soon meet and their decision will then be conveyed through press statements and letters to the party and the president.

“If I disobey the grassroots, then we will be in big trouble because they will be the ones electing us later on. You know what happens when the grassroots don’t want you. The result of the just-concluded general election is the best example,” he said.

While Sng is given a reprieve, the same cannot be said of the nine PRS leaders including his father (and ex-deputy president Dato Sng Chee Hua), who were sacked from the party during the triennial general assembly in Sibu in Dec 2, 2006.

Apart from Sng, the others expelled by the general assembly – which is PRS highest decision making body – were Sidi Munan, Jimmy Donald, Munan Laja, Ernest Chua, George Lagong, Dr Ong Lark Sai, Athanasius Audie Chua and Josephine Mawat.

Masing said these nine were no longer members of the party after they failed to reply to the show-cause letters issued to them in April last year.

These letters were either delivered by hand or registered mail.

As far as Masing is concerned, there is no chance for these nine to rejoin the party and they have no locus standi in the party because of their sackings.

“They can reapply if they want to. They can try their luck,” he said.

Sng was in fact sacked during the same general assembly but Masing offered him the vice president’s post instead. This was rejected by Sng. Then Masing offered him the post of information chief so that he could be in the supreme council.

Again, this was refused and even ridiculed by Sng.

Masing responded by issuing him a show-cause letter on April 9 last year for bringing disrepute to the party.

“This is the third time I am going to give him a chance but this time I am listening to the grassroots. If the grassroots say take him back, I take him back,” he said, adding that the decision would be taken as soon as all the divisions had responded.

Asked why there seemed to be special attention given to Sng, Masing said: “I have been very kind to Larry because I put him up as an elected representative in the first place. I have been kind to this young man.”

Sng, who is Pelagus assemblyman and an assistant minister, was PRS deputy secretary general until mid 2006.

He was among the six members sacked from the supreme council by Masing, but he and Wilfred Nissom were re-appointed with new designations in the party.

Sng and his group then held their own triennial delegates conference early last year. He was elected president and thenceforth PRS had two presidents and two separate supreme councils.

Masing said although he deemed this a direct challenge and defiance against his leadership and him, he was still giving Sng another chance.

“We give Larry a lot of chances … not out of spite … but to help him. But he’s got to know how to help himself. He’s got to know his position in any organisation,” he said.

“I have been very magnanimous in all circumstances. I have gone all the way to save the young man but he hasn’t reciprocated in the manner that I expected,” he said.

In the same breath, Masing also wondered if Sng would do the same to him if the situation were reversed.

“What do you think he would do to me? Until April 3, Larry still said I was sacked, and that I was partyless,” he said, adding that although Sng had declared his support for him, he had doubts whether his supporters would do likewise.

On Friday Sng reportedly said that he would urge his supporters to support Masing whose presidency was officially confirmed by the Registrar of Societies Datuk Md Alias Kalil.

 

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Taib to be the CM of Sarawak for another 27 years

Posted by MD at 8:59 AM

From 1981 until 2008, Taib has been the Chief Minister of Sarawak for 27 years. There is no sign of him quiting even though he is turning 72 this May. The report in Bernama merely indicate that he hinted for retirement, which he have many time hinted before. So it's just another hint, what.

What has he achieved during this 27 years ? More like a 20 years behind Semanjung Malaysia progress, as far as Sarawakian are concerned. Personally, he have created an empire in business monopoly in Sarawak that even Mahathir or Badawi are envious of.

Semanjung Malaysia with oil money from Sabah and Sarawak, have super highways, wall tallest towers and countless mega projects. What does Sarawak have to show off ? Maybe the popularity of Kek Lapis and Laksa.

How about political development ? Well, Taib has done a good job in divide and conquer the majority Dayaks. Dayaks are now so disunited that you can find them in PBB, SUPP, SPDP, PRS, SNAP, STAR and even PKR. SPDP and PRS are mosquitoe component parties of BN. SNAP and STAR are toothless opposition parties. In PBB and SUPP, the best position for the Dayaks are being the deputies and assistants.

How about job opportunities ? Well, Taib manage to export all brainy Sarawakian to earn living at Semanjung Malaysian and even nearby Singapore or Brunei. Even the lowly educated Dayaks are being laborers and factory operator in Johor. Why export the Sarawakian workforce ? Because there are no job opportunities in Sarawak.

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Extracted from: bernama.com (Apr 05, 2008)

Nation's Longest Serving CM Hints About Retiring

KUCHING, April 5 (Bernama) -- The nation's longest serving Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud Saturday hinted that he will be retiring from politics in the next few years as he was getting older.

"My grandchildren call me nenenda, my children call me ayahanda. That makes me realise I am getting older and it is time for me to step down from politics," said Taib, who became Sarawak's fourth chief minister in 1981.

Taib, who turns 72 in May this year, was speaking at the thanksgiving ceremony for his son, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman and the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Kota Samarahan parliamentary constituency, as well as the latter's appointment as Deputy Minister of Tourism, in Asajaya near here.

In the March 8 general election, he did not seek re-election to the Kota Samarahan parliamentary seat and has instead entrusted Sulaiman to defend it for the BN.

In thanking the voters for supporting Sulaiman in the recent polls, Taib, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president said, some 90 percent of the population there were poor back in 1970 when he was first elected as the MP in the area. "In those days, those who have 10 shirts were already considered as very rich. So our struggle was very clear then, that we have to transform our people so that they too can enjoy the benefits of independence," he recalled.

He also advised the second echelon leaders who had not seen actual poverty not to forget the original struggle of the party, to uplift the people's living standard especially in the rural areas, and the contribution of its founding members.

“In those days when we campaigned during the election, we had to walk on foot, but now it is so much easier because you can drive as most of them (areas) are reachable by road," he said.

Later when asked by reporters to comment on the result of the election, he said, it was a simple majority for the BN, which also saw it winning 30 out of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak.

"The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) has a good mandate and we will continue to support him," he said.

-- BERNAMA

 

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Incompetent National Registration Department

Posted by MD at 5:04 AM

This is about yet another complaint on the incompetency of our National Registration Department, who like to play with red tapes with the native.

I'm sure NRD will expedite the case if it involve the Malay. Instead of sitting in the comfortable offices in Simpang Tiga and outright reject the application, why can't the officer try to solve the problem like sending their team to Ulu Baram.

The Sarawak NRD may be caution about new applications especially if they are already adults but they can outright reject the applicant. They could have investigate further and offer assistant to the applicant. Sarawak NRD is a total opposite of Sabah NRD.

Sabah NRD has been known to be over generous in registering the citizens including free registration of the illegal immigrants. Even illegal immigrants from the Philippines and Indonesia have a genuine MyKads.

Related post:
* Restoration of Sabah's rights


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Extracted from: theborneopost.com/?p=33628 (Apr 06, 2008)

Plight of the ‘stateless’

SARAWAK had celebrated its 45 years of independence, and also just held a parliamentary election — two events of great significance to the people — but for Urai Usang, a 52-year-old Kenyah, they hold little pride or meaning.

Urai is among some 20 people in her longhouse at Long Apu, Ulu Baram, who are ‘stateless’ because, although born here, they do not have identity cards.

They are in such a predicament reportedly because of bureaucracy, and sheer ignorance on their part.

In 2002, Kenyah Association treasurer and member of the Longhouse JKKK (village committee), Gerard Lalo Laeng, helped bring a group of about 10 ‘stateless people’ from Long Apu to the National Registration Department (NRD) office in Miri to have their ICs made.

They brought along the necessary documents, including letters signed by their village heads and relatives (uncles and aunties) who were IC holders. The longboat trip to Miri cost more than RM500 — petrol, food and lodging — all paid for by Gerard.

A few months later, Gerard travelled down to Kuching to check on the progress of the group’s applications at the NRD office in the state capital.

But he was in for a rude shock.

“Can you bring them to Kuching because we don’t have their records. If they do not come, we cannot do anything,” the registration officer told him.

A disappointed Gerard replied that bringing the group all the way to Kuching was out of the question because being poor longhouse folks, they could not afford the fare.

Surely, the applications done in Miri should have been enough to satisfy the department’s requirements for approving the ICs, he argued.

“Why should the applications not be approved when they were supported by all the right documents such as letters signed by the ketua kampung and relatives, certifying that the applicants were born in Sarawak,” Gerard wondered.

Subsequently, he brought a group of about 10 people, together with all their relevant documents (including Urai’s) and letters chopped and signed by the ketua kampung to Long Julan, Marudi to apply for ICs.

About five months later, he made enquiries over the silence from the NRD regarding the applications.

Gerard could not understand the delay or the lack of response from the authority since he could vouch for the fact that the applicants were born in Sarawak, and have been living with him in the same kampung where they played games like football or ‘gasing’ as kids.

“Why need to ask them for interview in Kuching? Aren’t their documents, chopped and signed by their ketua kampung and relatives, genuine or proof enough?” Gerard asked.

He explained that his late parents were able to register in Marudi when the NRD launched a registration exercise through its first mobile registration unit there in the 1950s.

In the past, he noted, records were properly kept when people submitted their applications for ICs but nowadays, with all the hi-tech equipment, some people were still finding it impossible to apply despite all the relevant documents provided.

Gerard said he was deeply saddened that the ‘stateless people’ in his longhouse were unable to pursue their education and had to work as manual labourers at timber camps, return to their farms getting involved or in drug abuse or vice.

“The children cannot go to school while their parents have to work without employment benefits. Can you imgine that?”

Gerard said what surprised him was that his cousin, Jalong Langan, from Long Palai, also went to Miri to apply for his IC at almost the same time as a group of ‘stateless people’ from his (Gerard’s) longhouse, and had his MyCard approved.

Gerard said his cousin showed him his new MyCard when he (Gerard) went back to his longhouse in Long Julan recently.

He insisted he could attest to Urai being born in Sarawak as they grew up together in the same area.

“I remember we played together as children but she is now considered an Indonesian by the authorities.

“What’s even more sad is that her daughter, a fifth former at SMK Temenggong Lawai Jau in Long San (four hours by boat from Long Pelutan) in Ulu Baram, will not be able to sit for her exam because she does not have an IC.

“These people have no future and when they die, they die like kataks (frogs) because they can’t even get a death certificate,” Gerard lamented.

He said he was blamed for failing to get them their ICs. “They said I, being an educated person, was supposed to be able to help them get their ICs done in Miri but since I failed, who could they turn to for help?”

According to him, Urai’s case could be a little complicated because her poor family gave her up for adoption when she was a toddler.

Her biological father who had an IC, died when she was very young. She came from a background of poverty and illiteracy — so her father did not come to Long San — the nearest settlement — to register her birth.

Gerard said people like Urai and Elon Bun from the same longhouse and many others had made several trips — which they could ill afford — to Marudi and Long Lama to try to apply for ICs.

They had to bear the costs of food and lodging as these places were remote, unlike Miri which is accessible by timber tracks. Some areas in Marudi and Long Apu can only be reached by rivers via different routes.

Urai who studied at SK St Pius, Long San, Ulu Baram, up to only primary 4 in the 1960s, had tried unsuccessfully a few times to obtain her birth certificate and the latest was in 2002 through the ‘flying service’ to Long Apu.

A sizeable number of Sarawakians from a few longhouses in Ulu Baram, face the same fate and their predicament surfaced during the recent elections when they were not eligible to vote.

For these ‘stateless locals’, if they can be called locals, one of their basic rights is missing — an IC.

It is easy to blame poverty and ignorance on the part of these people, but in Ulu Baram, this is not always the case as bureaucracy and policy implementation can also hinder the process.

“Being poor is their death sentence when it comes to getting legally accepted as citizens through the registration of their birth right,” Gerard said.

What has happened to the NRD exercise to register all citizens wherever they may be? Are the remotest parts of the country totally inaccessible or is the administrative system in need of improvement?

Admittedly, a number of factors is involved such as poverty, lack of education or ignorance, indifference or pure bad luck on the part of ‘stateless people’.

But what have happened to efforts to solve these problems by way of dispatching mobile registration units to remote longhouses?

For starters, the authorities could consider accepting documents certified by the village chiefs when processing the applications for ICs from so called ‘stateless people’.

Many people take their ICs for granted but to those people left in the lurch by extenuating family circumstances further compounded by red tape getting an IC is a serious matter — one of being born in a country and yet living in it like a foreigner.

 

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