Famine has hit about 3,000 Penans in Belaga following crop failure in four of the five major settlements, and they are crying out to the government to help stave off the threat of starvation.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun said this in a press conference in Miri following a visit by Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin to Lusong Laku settlement on Wednesday.
“There are 264 doors (households) in the Penan settlements here, and only Lusong Laku has good harvest which is shared with the rest who have run out of food, mostly tapioca, some months back,” Entulu said in a press conference in Miri yesterday.
“They are facing famine in the past two to three months, relying on tapioca, wild sago and jungle produce but supply has already run out and we
have to do something until their next harvest in February next year,” Entulu added.
According to Entulu, the affected areas are Lusong Laku with 102 doors, Long Abit (24), Long Kajang (22), Long Tanyit (44), Long Malin (52) and Long Laden (20). Each door has an average of 15 family and extended family members.
He said the settlement chiefs met him in Lusong Laku on Wednesday to air their needs and problems, particularly hunger due to scarcity of food in their areas.
Some even came knocking on the door of the headmaster of SK Lusong Laku, begging for food in the morning, he said, adding that their problem was made worse by fast disappearing wild sago and wild game meat while their small isolated padi farms were wiped out by equally hungry marauding monkeys and wild boars.
Lusong Laku is about six hours’ drive from Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme or 11 hours from Bintulu.
Entulu said he was shocked by the extent of food scarcity faced by the Penans there, saying he would be bringing this matter up in his ministry and liaise with Women, Children and Community Minister and State Welfare Director for assistance to be channeled there.
“I will also bring this up to our party (PRS) president to start the ball rolling by soliciting public donations through our party branches in Miri, Bintulu and Sibu, starting with a function in my constituency on Aug 1,” he said.
The deputy Minister said he would also seek the help of the Ministry of Defence to assist in logistic support for this humanitarian cause of sending relief assistance to Belaga.
According to him, accessibility is a big and costly problem. A trip by a 10-wheeler lorry from Bintulu costs RM5,000, while a three-tonne lorry and a 4 WD-vehicle hire would cost RM1,500 and RM700 respectively. Multiply this against the food required to sustain the 3,000 Penans for six months is a logistic nightmare to this remote settlements.
He suggested that assistance be in the form of cash and rice.
His ministry, he said, would be involved in the longer term solution to this Penan predicament, saying the government was sensitive to their needs and welfare.
Entulu suggested that shotguns be made available to the Penans to help them protect their farms from wild beasts while the Agriculture Department step in to assist in a bigger scale padi plantation in a common area.
On another pressing matter there, Entulu had requested a logging company there for a two-month reprieve to resolve the issue of the disputed bridge across the river to Lusong Laku.
Apparently, the company has decided to demolish this vital lifeline and machinery were already on site. However, the deputy Minister is hoping to work out a solution in the interest of the 3,000 Penans who are depending on it for easier accessibility across the swift flowing river.
“It costs about RM1 million, and I will be bringing it up in my ministry when I return to KL next week,” he said.
Meanwhile, he has also approved allocation of RM100,000 for building materials of three of the Penan settlements there.
Deputy Home Minister Jelaing Mesat also approved over 100 birth certificates and 200 identity cards for members of the Penan community.
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* No holistic plan to upgrade the Penans
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The Federal Government has allocated RM10 million under the current stimulus package for rivers' clearing programme in Sarawak, revealed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas. With the uncontrolled rate of development and deforestation in the remote areas, even with RM100 million may not be enough. The river clearing programme will take a few months to complete. And this is only physical clearing. There is no mention of educational aspect and long-term planning to ensure the rivers are maintain clean.
He said the river clearing programme would have to be completed by the end of the year.
"For Sarawak we initially allocated around RM10 million. We will increase the allocation as and when it needed," Uggah told Eastern Times at the sideline of the official opening ceremony of the new DUN complex here last Monday.
When contacted, Controller of the Sarawak Rivers' Board (SRB), Mohd Yakup Kari, welcomed the announcement.
"We need to clear many of our rivers especially of ship wrecks from our river system. A lot of money is needed to salvage not less than 160 of such wrecks," he said.
Equal emphasis would also be given to address siltation and clearing the rivers of floating logs," he said, citing Engakari River in Batang Ai and Balleh River in Kapit as rivers which needed constant cleaning and clearing.
On the flood mitigation projects to be implemented in Kuching, Uggah said the projects had been offered to the contractors including the telementary works.
"The channel project is going on as scheduled. As for the Sibu flood mitigation programme, only two more projects are waiting for the Tender Board's decision," he said.
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* Sibu flood mitigation plan is not going anywhere
* Siltation in Rajang River due to heavy deforestationmalaysia ~ If you like this informative post, please subscribe to my full RSS Feed
This is just pathetic. Ninety-five per cent (95%) of families in the country are finding it hard to cope with the rise in food prices. National Population and Family Development Board director-general Datuk Aminah Abdul Rahman said this was revealed in an opinion research survey conducted in 2008 on the impact of inflation on families.
“Some 44% of women in the lower-income group also said that misunderstandings arose over finances due to the increase,” she said in her speech after launching a family finance management programme here yesterday.
Aminah said there were also complaints of harassment from loan sharks and bank warnings issued to families for failing to pay their loans just because they did not know how to manage their finances.
Participants of the programme learnt to differentiate between their wants and needs when managing their household budget.
Family Development Department head Fauwas Hasbullah said the programme was organised to educate the public on how to live within their budget without having to borrow from loan sharks.
“Through interactive activities, participants get to play the role of a family member and learn how to manage money as a family,” he said.
The programme will be held nationwide until the end of this year with the help of Bank Negara’s Counselling and Credit Management Agency.
A participant, Syahizwan Osman, 25, said the programme taught him how to manage his income in an orderly manner.
“It will take some time for me to change but this programme is a kick-start for me to make changes in my lifestyle one step at a time,” he said.
Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin (RPK) has been skipping his multiple courts summons for his sedition trial as well as criminal defamation trials and multiple arrest warrants have been issued against him. Local police believed that RPK is now cooping up in Brisbane, Australia. Read also Raja Petra Personal Image Tranished
From TheStar
Another arrest warrant out for Raja Petra (Update)
By M. MAGESWARI
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin was slapped with another warrant of arrest after he failed to turn up for his criminal defamation trial at a Sessions Court here.
Sessions Court judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat issued the arrest warrant after DPP Anselm Charles Fernandis applied for the order.
The judge also issued a show-cause notice to the former Internal Security Act detainee’s wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, as his bailor, for not being at court to explain his absence.
An arrest warrant was also issued by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on April 23 against Raja Petra after he failed to turn up for his sedition trial. He had claimed trial on May 6 last year to publishing a seditious article on April 25 via his news portal.
When asked about the presence of prosecution witnesses in court Tuesday, DPP Anselm told reporters that 12 policemen and two civilians had been subpoenaed for the trial.
Raja Petra, 59, had on July 17 last year claimed trial to three counts of criminal defamation over his statutory declaration on the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The father of three boys and two girls is alleged to have defamed the then Deputy Prime Minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, by making a libellous statement in the declaration which he affirmed on June 18 when he knew that it would tarnish her good name.
The grandfather of four also faces two similar charges against Leftenan Kolonel Norhayati Hassan and her husband Leftenan Kolonel Abdul Aziz Buyong.
Raja Petra is said to have committed the offences at High Court (Civil 5) at the Jalan Duta court complex at 10:25am on June 18, last year.
At the outset of court proceedings, DPP Anselm applied for the arrest warrant against the editor and the notice for his wife saying that both were aware that the criminal defamation trial was set for three days from Tuesday.
Raja Petra’s lawyer, Amarjit Singh Sidhu, told the judge that the defence team was waiting to get a trial date at the Court of Appeal for their appeal on the transfer order involving the same case.
“We have now received the appeal records. It is on the transfer of this case from the Magistrates Court to the Sessions Court,” he added.
Upon hearing this, DPP Anselm told the judge that it was a separate matter.
The judge agreed that it was a different issue and immediately issued the order.
He set July 2 for mention of the arrest warrant and show-cause notice.
Raja Petra had failed in his bid on Feb 13 to get his case transferred back to the magistrate’s court for trial.
He had on Nov 25 applied to the High Court to have his case heard by the Magistrates Court.
However, High Court Judicial Commissioner Zainal Azman Ab Aziz ruled that the decision by magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham on Aug 15 last year to transfer the case to the Sessions Court upon application by the Public Prosecutor under Section 177 of the Criminal Procedure Code was valid and in order.
Raja Petra claims to be in a self-exile from Selangor because of a dispute with the state’s Palace.
He claimed in a Malaysia Today article that he would not be attending the hearings not only because of his brush with the Palace but also due to his fear of another Internal Security Act arrest.
He also said that he did not want to face possible treason charges.
According to the press report, the police believes that the editor is now in Brisbane.
The Court of Appeal has unanimously ruled that Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir is the valid mentri besar of Perak.
The three-man bench, in setting aside the High Court’s decision earlier which ruled that Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin was the rightful mentri besar “at all material times,” held that Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the Perak State Legislative Assembly.
“The learned High Court judge erred in his interpretation of the relevant provisions in the Perak Constitution. Accordingly, the appeal is allowed,” said Justice Md Raus Shariff, who chaired the bench, which also comprised Justices Zainun Ali and Ahmad Maarop.
The court held that based on the facts of the case, Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah was right in making enquiries to satisfy himself on who held majority in the state assembly, and was right in his appointment of Zambry.
It further ruled that there was no express requirement in the Perak Constitution that there had to be a motion of no-confidence passed before it was determined that Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the assemblymen.
This is bad. Son of RPK, Raja Azman Raja Petra is being detained by the police for theft cases. RPK has a lot to answer for. RPK himself is immune to police custody and saman menyaman but this is yet another big big obstacle. And it has become personal. BN leaders are probably grinning from ear to ear as they can make this issue really personal and insulting. RPK is now push to the limit to pull out excuses to deflect incoming insults from all direction.
Raja Azman Raja Petra, a son of Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin, pleaded guilty to four separate counts of theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass.
Raja Azman, 32, who was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt with the word “Russia” on it, appeared before magistrate Norkamilah Aziz here Tuesday at about 11:30am.
In the charge read out to him, he was accused of stealing a Nokia mobile phone, a Seiko watch, and a bunch of motorcycle keys, all worth about RM3,850, belonging to student Saipul Adli Mohamad Yunus, 21, at No 16, Jalan Sastera, U2/1K, Section U2, Shah Alam, at about 10am on April 24.
He was also accused of stealing a Yamaha 135 LC motorcycle worth about RM6,000 from student Ahmad Firdaus Jalaludin, 23, at the same location and time.
He admitted to the alternate charge of being in the possession of a Yamaha 135 LC motorcycle worth about RM6,000 with the knowledge, or with cause to believe, that the motorcycle was stolen property.
Raja Azman also pleaded guilty to another count of motorcycle theft, this one of a Yamaha RX2 worth about RM8,000, at 9:30am on March 20, at No 65, Jalan Batas 2, 19/6B, Section 19, Shah Alam, belonging to operator Mohd Syaiful Setapa, 24.
Lastly, he was also charged with breaking in into a house at No 65, Jalan Batas 2, and stealing Mohd Syaiful’s wallet containing his identification card, RM20, road tax, Maybank and BSN ATM cards and his driver’s licence.
If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 10 years, with a fine.
Magistrate Norkamilah set bail at RM10,500 in total, with one surety for each charge. She fixed June 19 for sentencing.
Representatives from both Barisan Nasional and the opposition are haggling over PSD scholarships awards. BN recently changed the scholarships quota distribution of 20% solely on merit, 10% for the underprivileged, 10% for those from Sabah and Sarawak and the remaining based on ethnic quota, co-curriculum, results and socio-economic background.
Lim Kit Siang, DAP Advisor said that Nazri Aziz had reiterated in Parliament that 55% of the scholarships would be given to bumiputras while the rest was reserved for non-Malays. In general, the public want to know how many percent of the scholarships are given to bumiputras and non-bumiputras.
Why haggling over the quota? Why not just award the scholarships to the best students, regardless of race.
From TheStar
Cabinet to hear cases of 800 top scorers who didn’t get scholarships
PUTRAJAYA: More than 800 straight-A students will have their appeals for Public Services Department (PSD) scholarships taken up to the Cabinet for discussion.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the group, comprising 280 who scored straight 1As, had submitted their appeals to the MCA.
“I have just briefed the party president (Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat) on the matter and the four MCA ministers will bring it to the Cabinet,” he said here yesterday.
Dr Wee said the situation this year had shocked even him – although the MCA Youth chief and party national education bureau chairman had been handling education and scholarship issues since 2001.
He cited the case of a student with 6A1 and 4A2 who obtained a scholarship to study engineering. On the other hand, there were complaints from students with 13A1s and 14A1s that they were given places to do matriculation instead of being awarded with scholarships.
He stressed that such alternatives should be made known earlier, not just dished out to the students.
Dr Wee added there must also be a transparent system of awarding scholarships.
Asked whether publishing the names of the scholarship recipients could help address the question of fairness and transparency in selection, Dr Wee said he hoped this would be done by the PSD not too long from now.
The Cabinet had in January refined the distribution of scholarship: 20% solely on merit, 10% for the underprivileged, 10% for those from Sabah and Sarawak and the remaining based on ethnic quota, co-curriculum, results and socio-economic background.
Meanwhile students, parents and teachers who contacted The Star said they were shocked by the “consolation prize” (getting a place to do matriculation instead of a scholarship to study overseas) given to many of those with 13A1s and 14A1s.
They also raised a host of other problems, including that the scholarship recipients were not told which country they would be sent to study.
Meanwhile, the DAP wants the Government to show the selection criteria for the PSD scholarships and explain why there was a shift in implementation.
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had reiterated in Parliament that 55% of the scholarships would be given to bumiputras while the rest was reserved for non-Malays.
“All of a sudden, they just changed the selection criteria. We want to know how many percent of the scholarships are given to bumiputras and non-bumiputras,” the Ipoh Timur MP told a press conference here yesterday.
Lim, three other DAP MPs and three state assemblymen had met with PSD director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Adam to discuss the matter.
Related posts:
* PSD race-based scholarship to be reviewmalaysia ~ If you like this informative post, please subscribe to my full RSS Feed
Malaysia has confirmed its first case of the A(H1N1) flu in a 21-year-old student who returned from the United States on Wednesday morning. Tests confirmed that he was infected with the Influenza A(H1N1) virus. The case made Malaysia the 36th country under WHO list to be affected by the virus.
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From theStar
Malaysia confirms first case of A(H1N1) flu (Update)
By FOONG PEK YEE
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Friday confirmed its first case of the A(H1N1) flu in a 21-year-old student who returned from the United States on Wednesday morning.
All passengers on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH091 from Newark on Wednesday are urged to contact the Health Ministry by calling 03-88810200 or 03-88810300
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the case made Malaysia the 36th country to be affected by the virus.
“Malaysia is now on high alert,” said Liow, who is in London now, enroute to Geneva, for a World Health Organisation meeting. He added he would return earlier than his scheduled return next Friday.
Liow said Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha who is now the acting Health Minister would hold a press conference with the deputy health director general Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat at Putra Jaya at 3pm
Meanwhile, A statement by the Health Ministry's director-general, Dr. Ismail Merican, said the young man was hospitalised on Thursday for fever, sore throat and body aches.
Tests confirmed that he was infected with the A(H1N1) virus, the statement said. He is receiving anti-viral treatment and was in stable condition, it said.
Ismail said the ministry had contacted members of his family but they have not been placed under quarantine.
Ismail said his department was taking steps to protect public health and that there was no reason to panic.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that a man from Bukit Mertajam held under observation at the isolation ward of the Penang Hospital has been declared free of Influenza A (H1N1).
"We just got a report that the blood test on the 26-year-old man was negative," State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said when contacted by Bernama Friday.
A test on a sample of his blood had been sent to Kuala Lumpur.
The man was kept for observation Thursday after he was found to have fever and symptoms similar to those of Influenza A (H1N1) on his return from the United States.
Two weeks ago, a New Zealand tourist was admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital for suspected Influenza A (H1N1) but a blood test also showed up negative.malaysia ~ If you like this informative post, please subscribe to my full RSS Feed
