Public Service Department not only must speeds up assistance for non-bumi but for bumi as well. The correct expectation would be that PSD must speeds up assistance for all Malaysian top achievers regardless of race and colour.
Ismail Adam, Director-general of PSD also said that the Government could not offer more overseas scholarships due to constraints in quotas that foreign universities have for international students, adding that medical degrees from certain countries like the United States and Japan were also not recognised in Malaysia.
It seems that Malaysia rely heavily on foreign universities and this raise question on, why can't those degrees be offered at local university and why the quality of our local university not improved. If those degrees can be acquired at local university, the expenses on scholarships cost could be lower.
Related posts:
* Why the government is selective in offering scholarships ?
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PSD speeds up assistance to 117 non-bumi top achievers
PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) provided “fast-lane assistance” to 117 non-bumiputra SPM top achievers from low-income families who applied for scholarships to study abroad.
Director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said they were among 151 students who were eligible to have their applications fast-tracked. The remaining 34 were bumiputra students.
Ismail said the assistance was given to students who scored 10 A1s who were from families earning below RM1,500 a month.
He also said the department was thinking about informing rejected scholarship applicants why they were not accepted.
Ismail said the Government could not offer more overseas scholarships due to constraints in quotas that foreign universities have for international students, adding that medical degrees from certain countries like the United States and Japan were also not recognised in Malaysia.
Not only Sarawak hospitals lack beds, she also lack doctors and medical assistants. According to Taib, the Chief Minister of Sarawak, out of the 1,334 position, 510 or 38.2% had been filled while out of the 175 specialists posts in Sarawak medical officers’ posts, only General Hospital here, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu Hospitals, 135 or 77.5% had been filled.
In response, Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai suggested the following to solve the acute shortage of doctors in Sarawak:
1) Sarawak to give PR status to non-Sarawakian doctors who have served for a number of year in the state. Doctors from outside Sarawak should not be subjected for the application of working permit.
2) Doctors serving in remote areas should be given hardship allowance like those received by teachers.
3) Foreign doctors who are under contract need not to fully understand Bahasa Malaysia when serve his round.
4) The government need to be aggressive to promote medical studies and assist students to further their studies on medicines.
5) The government need to revise and improve doctors renumeration.
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/31/nation/20080531160017&sec=nation
MMA: Allow peninsula docs to work freely in Sarawak
By Jack Wong
KUCHING: The shortage of doctors in Sarawak can be overcome if the state government allows doctors from the peninsula to work freely in the state.
Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin suggested Sarawak grant permanent resident (PR) status to peninsula doctors after they had served the state for a fixed period.
Speaking at the association’s annual banquet on Friday night, Dr Khoo urged the Health Ministry to lobby the state government on this matter.
Later, in response, Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said he had conveyed the association’s request at a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam on Friday.
Liow hoped the matter could be sorted out given the close cooperation between the state and federal governments.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had asked the Health Ministry on Thursday to quickly resolve the acute shortage of medical officers and specialists in hospitals in the state.
Taib said out of the 1,334 510 or 38.2% had been filled while out of the 175 specialists posts in Sarawak medical officers’ posts, only General Hospital here, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu Hospitals, 135 or 77.5% had been filled.
The Chief Minister said specialist posts should also be created for other larger provincial hospitals like in Sri Aman, Sarikei and Kapit.
Dr Khoo said better incentives should be given to doctors working in remote areas in Sarawak and Sabah to retain them there.
“The government has provided hardship allowances to teachers serving in the rural areas. The same incentives should be extended to the doctors,” he added.
Dr Khoo said the government should hasten the process of posting new doctors, and follow what the Singapore government had done.
“Singapore has taken in our doctors to work as the process time for job application for new doctors is short and that their applications and processing are done on-line,” he added.
Only now, the Film Control Unit (which reports to the Home Ministry) promised to intensify efforts in eradicating pirated DVDs and VCDs in Sarawak. Before that, they said FCU was facing manpower shortage for far too long.
First, FCU shouldn't publicized that they will intensify their enforcement as this will only alert the pirated DVD/VCD vendors to disappear.
Second, why was the manpower shortage not looked into for a long period. Why didn't their superior request for new recruitment earlier. It is a convenient created for the benefits of the pirated DVD/VCD vendors ? Someone in FCU or the Home Ministry are not serious in their job by letting their unit understaffed.
Third, even if FCU faced shortage of manpower, there is hardly any raid or arrest made in Sarawak related to peddling of pirated DVD/VCD. Those vendors can be found in just about every street corners in major cities and towns in Sarawak without them fearing for the FCU enforcement. Those FCU enforcement officers must be sitting in their office watching pirated VDC themselves instead of catching the culprits on the streets.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=36186
Vendors of pirated DVDs watch out!
KUCHING: The Home Ministry’s Film Control Unit in Sarawak has promised to intensify efforts in eradicating pirated DVDs and VCDs now that they have an additional 10 new enforcement officers.
“Their appointment is a most welcome development because we have been facing manpower shortage for far too long.
“The 10 new officers were appointed this month. They are now being trained on various tasks involving operation and prosecution - all connected to enforcement,” chief enforcement officer Mamat Ibrahim said yesterday.
“With the additional manpower, we hope to discharge our duties more efficiently especially in the fight to curb the sale of pirated DVDs and VCDs,” he said, adding that the unit now had 20 enforcement officers.
Mamat said they would intensify operations at entry points including airports and seaports, apart from five-foot ways in the towns and cities in their effort to eradicate the sale of these items, including those containing pornographic and uncensored materials.
Those found in possession of pirated DVDs and VCDs or those without the ‘B’ certificate would be brought to the court, and charged under Section 18 (4) of the Film Censorship Act 2002, which carries the maximum penalty of RM30,000 fine or three years’ jail or both on conviction.
Those involved in the sale of pornographic DVDs and VCDs under Section 5 of the same Act, may be fined the maximum RM50,000 or five years’ jail or both on conviction.
The people of Ba Kelalan has been sucked into a vicious cycle of waiting games whereby the candidate from the Barisan Nasional will promise projects and roads if Ba Kelalan voted for Barisan. The promises were pledged during every election campaign.
Now that the Barisan has won, the candidate said he will promise to bring the matters to the state cabinet and the relevant authorities. Another waiting games until the next election. He should have brought the matters years ago not when he was reminded by the people.
The vicious cycle thus look like this:
1). Promises were made during election campaign in exchange for votes.
2). The people voted. The candidate won.
3). The winner said he already look at the matter.
4). The people waiting for the deliverables.
5). Election comes.
6). REPEAT STEP #1.
As for Ba Kelalan request for other assistance to help them with their agricultural activities, help will not come so soon and it's best for them to help each other to overcome the problem while waiting for the Agriculture Department to organize themselves.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=36188
Ba Kelalan folk want road links speeded up
MIRI: The people of Ba Kelalan are appealing to the authority to speed up the building of roads linking several villages in Bario, which is crucial for the economic development in the Kelabit Highlands.
Among the villages making the request through their assemblyman, Nelson Balang, are Pa’ Ukat, Pa’ Umur and Pa’ Lungan.
Nelson, accompanied by several members of his party, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, including Cr Chiew Yen Chew the party’s Women’s wing chief, was in Bario recently, to meet up with the people, where the request was formally conveyed to him.
On his part, Nelson said he would forward their request to the state cabinet and the relevant authorities for their consideration.
The villagers also told him of their interest to actively participate in rice cultivation to meet the country’s rice need, but lamented the lack of manpower because the younger people have migrated to bigger towns and cities looking for greener pastures.
This has led to many of the landowners to hire Indonesians from Kalimantan to work in their paddy fields while many others abandoned their holdings.
“The abandoned paddy fields are breeding ground of rats, which would ‘terrorise’ fields that are planted with padi,” Nelson said.
The villagers have requested government agencies, particularly Agriculture Department, to look into the possibility of providing them with ploughing machines and building proper irrigation system to beat the manpower shortage, especially in Pa’ Remapuk. They also wanted a permanent agriculture officer to be stationed in Bario to assist in the eradication of pests and rodents.
The villagers also highlighted the problem in regards to the registration of births and application of identity cards.
Nelson also attended the annual general meeting of the party’s Bario sub-branch, where Bujang Long was elected as the chairman.
Dato Sri Dr James Masing, the PRS president claimed that now is the right time and mood for PRS and SPDP to merge. He however stressed that grassroots members from both parties need to understand for the need to merge and support the merger.
Once PRS and SPDP merged into a single entity, the new party will be the largest Dayak based party in Sarawak Barisan Nasional party components. It will have large voices and supporters. The new party can also lead the Dayak into a stronger unity.
But first, leaders from both parties, need to sit down and formulate when to merge, how to merge and the million dollar question is who will lead the new party. Relinquish one power is very hard to do. That will happen to James Masing and William Mawan. For the merger to be successful, either James Masing or William Mawan give way to one another (which can lead to faction and is very unlikely) or both of them step down and let another figure become the president of the new party. Only then, the new party will be stronger.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=36148 (May 29, 2008)
Masing: PRS, SPDP in right mood for merger
By Ting Tieng Hee
It is crucial for leaders of both parties to work together towards objective
KUCHING: Members of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are all in the ‘right mood’ for a merger, says PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing.
He said while it was important for the leaders of both parties to work together towards the merger, it was even more important to get approval of the members on the ground.
“There has been a very fruitful meeting last week between the two (merger) committees, and there is a common understanding among us.
“The question of course is ‘when’, and the mechanism of doing it, but the spirit is there for the need to be together. That’s important,” he told reporters after launching a road safety campaign at the Waterfront here yesterday.
The campaign was held in conjunction with the Gawai Dayak Celebrations to promote greater road safety awareness among road users during the festive season.
Masing, also Minister of Land Development, said approval must be obtained from the supreme councils and general assemblies of both parties for the merger to be realised.
“Dato Sri William Mawan and myself cannot do it alone. It doesn’t work that way. If you merge with just talks, it would be like a marriage that ends up in divorce after a few months,” he said.
He said the two leaders would meet when they had decided to do so, and both sides needed to understand why the need to merge.
“The grassroots must agree to merge. They must understand why we need to get together. Sometimes, they do not understand why we need to be together,” he said.
When asked if he thought there was really a need for the two parties to merge, he replied: “There is a need for rural areas (constituencies) to get together. Rural constituencies mean Dayak constituencies. Otherwise, it is very difficult for us to work out certain issues if we are not together, and if we don’t talk the same language.
“The mood is there for us to get together. This is especially very important now,” he added.
To a question, Masing agreed that the merger was a move towards Dayak unity.
“It is a move in the correct direction. Somebody has to start, isn’t it.”
When asked who would lead the PRS committee for the merger talks since deputy president Datuk Dublin Unting is ill, Masing said: “If we need to meet soon then I have to find somebody else to lead the committee.”
He said Dublin was now in a better shape.
“I haven’t seen him as I have just arrived here.
“From what I gather, he is better now than a few days ago. I hope he will get well soon but in this type of situation, it will take time to recover.”
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is unpleased with the opposition leaders and UMNO leaders. He is unpleased with Badawi for weakening UMNO and he is unpleased with leaders from Pakatan Rakyat for support Badawi.
To PR leaders, they have a good strategy by supporting Badawi because they know Badawi is weak and PR would like to maintain status quo so that it will be easier for them to topple Badawi and Barisan Nasional.
Dr. Mahathir see this threat. He know PR strategy of "supporting" Badawi is just an act. But unfortunately for the UMNO die-hard members, they are oblivious to PR play-acting and UMNO will play the price soon.
Extracts from Dr. Mahathir's blog:
"Apabila musuh menyokong ketua pasukan lawannya, kita boleh ramal ada sesuatu yang tidak kena berkenaan dengan ketua tersebut.
Inilah yang kita sedang lihat berkenaan dengan Presiden UMNO sekarang. Secara langsung dan tidak langsung kita lihat ketua-ketua parti lawan menyokong pengekalan Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi sebagai ketua atau Presiden UMNO dan Perdana Menteri.
Demikian Karpal Singh, musuh ketat UMNO menasihatkan saya supaya bersara dan tidak campurtangan dalam urusan kepimpinan Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi."
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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.
Related posts:
* PBS leaders ignored illegal immigrants problem in Sabah
* Sabahan will address the illegals as TUAN in future
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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.
Taib is asking the Bidayuh to unite. And the Bidayuh senior YBs has been telling the world that the Bidayuh is united. On the surface, Bidayuh majority have voted for the Barisan Nasional candidates and all of them won on Barisan Nasional ticket. So it does look that Barisan Nasional is getting united Bidayuh votes.
In reality, Bidayuh is a minor race in Sarawak and has a representative or two in each Barisan Nasional component parties. There are Bidayuh YBs in PBB, SUPP, SPDP and PRS. Each of those Bidayuh YBs report to their party president and in effect, their party comes first instead of the Bidayuh community.
The diversity of Bidayuh presence in the four Sarawak Barisan Nasional component parties make the Bidayuh leadership split. Maybe there is unity among the Bidayuh community but certainly there is no unity among Bidayuh leadership. This situation is allowed by Taib since he preferred the strategy of divide and conquer or was it divide and rule. And now, Taib is asking the Bidayuh to unite.
So is Taib asking the Bidayuh community to unite or asking the Bidayuh leaders to unite ?
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/26/nation/21361861&sec=nation (May 26, 2008)
Bidayuhs told to unite for progress
SERIAN: The Bidayuhs should not allow themselves to be used by individuals who pretend to be striving for the community’s interest, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
He said the Bidayuhs had only themselves to blame if they fell prey to these individuals and were split.
“Any community that allows its people to become siok sabong (fighting cocks) will be left behind. Unity is vital for progress and development,” he told a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of a Bidayuh settlement – Kampung Paun – in Sungai Rimu near here on Saturday.
He urged the Bidayuhs, the second largest Dayak group, to rally behind their leaders in the Barisan Nasional Government so development programmes could be planned and implemented for their benefit.
Taib said that since he became Chief Minister about 27 years ago, he had discussed with Bidayuh leaders ways to consolidate the community.
State Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Michael Manyin said a Bidayuh festival had been planned to showcase the community’s rich heritage.
Picture of Badawi and Mahatir audition for Titanic movie.
Sure the two have talents to sink a country, err, I mean a ship.
Source: Ronald Soh
Related posts:
* Badawi in pictures
* Pak Lah and a little girl
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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.
Related posts:
* The Dayak pay dearer for rice
.
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/25/nation/21359002&sec=nation (May 25, 2008)
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.
More revelation how the Zahrah Kechik and the previous committee of Balkis spent the fund meant for welfare and charity purpose. RM279,000 or more was spent to buy clothes and apparels for themselves and their spouses.
If the money was used to purchase school uniforms for poor students, then it worth spending.
Related posts:
* Return the money, Zahrah Kechik told
* BALKIS belong to the government of the day
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Source: sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=22612 (May 25, 2008)
Balkis spent RM279,000 on clothes for members and spouses for sporting event
Maria J.Dass
SHAH ALAM (May 23, 2008): Balkis, the Wives of Selangor State Assemblymen and MPs Charity and Welfare Organisation, spent RM158,000 on clothes for its members to wear to a sporting event and RM121,000 on similar apparel for their spouses of members of the state assembly.
This "questionable" spending was in the list of expenditures that Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim read out to the Assembly yesterday, in answer to two questions on Balkis from Lau Weng San (DAP-Kampung Tunku) and Dr Shafie Abu Bakar (PAS-Bangi).
These clothes were bought at Galeri Balkis Sdn Bhd. Other expenditures pertained to the organising of charity events.
He also told the assembly how much state investment arms and companies like PKNS, Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd and Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB) had contributed to Balkis.
Abdul Khalid also said PNSB had contributed a total RM5,186,948 to Balkis.
The accounts of PNSB showed the company forked out RM50,000 for the officiating of Kompleks Wawasan Balkis and a majilis korban, and another RM50,000 for orphans.
Another Balkis charity programme cost RM250,000, while RM49,000 went for souvenirs, RM22,000 for Ramadan contribution, RM250,000 for a Deepavali and Hari Raya programme, RM100 for uniforms, RM30,000 for food, and RM36,000 for souvenirs for VVIPs.
Abdul Khalid said he would not use the word dissolution on Balkis as the application for dissolution of the society has yet to be approved.
"Whatever action we take on the matter should be done in a proper manner because the people involved should be given a fair chance to respond to the queries that have been raised. One thing is clear, the state government will not continue with land allocation to Balkis for the purpose of transfer to bodies which are not part of the state government. And we do not consider Bakti as a state government organisation," Abdul Khalid said.
Abdul Khalid earlier announced that a Special Select Committee for competency, transparency and accountability will be set up to address misuse of funds.
He said among its first probes would be on the expenditures of Balkis and the usage of the whole RM29 million allocation for 2008 for state assemblymen within the first two months of this year.
Speaking to reporters after the morning session of the state assembly sitting today, he said the assembly will move a motion to set up this committee which will be made up of five or six members.
"Four of the members will be from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and the rest form the opposition (Barisan Nasional)," he said.
The people involved will be called up to meet with the committee and the state assembly has the power to compel their attendance to extract information on the usage of funds and expenditure of people and organizations concerned, he said.
It was revealed that 90.16% of the RM29,544,000million allocation to state assemblymen for 2008 was spent before March.
Abdul Khalid said the allocation which was used up within the first two months of the year was no small matter.
"We have of course given more allocations for the new state assemblymen; however we pity the Rakyat because they have missed out of the earlier funds supplied for their benefit," he said.
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.
Related posts:
* Sabahan will address the illegals as TUAN in future
* Sabah being neglected by the federal government
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/25/nation/21358686&sec=nation (May 25, 2008)
PBS leaders at odds over immigrant issue
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.
Source: dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=57765 (May 25, 2008)
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.
Mambong parliamentary constituency have 42 kindergartens in various location within the constituency and are operated with only just 32 teachers to go round.
Early education is very important and Kemas should provide at least one teacher for each kindergarten.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=35802 (May 22, 2008)
32 teachers for 42 kindergartens
By Samuel Aubery
Kemas officer says no problem as teachers willing to run from one kindy to another to ensure lessons are on
KUCHING: The Community Development Department (Kemas) in Mambong parliamentary constituency has 42 kindergartens with just 32 teachers to go round.
But Kemas coordinator in Mambong, Busman Rambli, denied that with just 32 teachers the department was facing the problem of shortage of teachers, saying some of the teachers were willingly working double sessions to make up for the shortfall.
“I must salute these teachers who are willing to work from one kindergarten to another in different sessions, and their services ensure that we realise our target in ensuring formal education from early age for these rural children,” he said.
Busman was answering questions from reporters during a combined Mothers’ Day, Teachers’ Day and pre-Gawai lunch at a hotel here to fete kindergarten teachers and Kemas staff from the Mambong constituency.
Apparently parents were not too happy that some of the kindergartens were without permanent teachers and questioned the effectiveness of having teachers who ran from one kindergarten to another.
There are 662 children aged four to six currently attending classes in the 42 Kemas kindergartens.
On another matter, Busman said the department, which is an agency under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, is constantly improving the learning conditions of all its Kemas kindergartens especially in rural areas.
This includes its kindergarten in Tringgus, which is currently the only one not enjoying electricity in Mambong.
“Rural electrification is currently ongoing in Tringgus and surrounding areas, and we will make sure our Kemas kindergarten there will receive electricity,” he said.
Students at local schools in Betong district has been reminded to buck up to improve their exam results. The reminder was conveyed by Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas. At the same time, Uggah also urged the school staff, its PTA and villagers to work together to achieve better result for the affected students.
In addition, the poor performance of the students is also attributed by the incompetency of the teaching staff. The Ministry of Education is at fault here. With limited resources in rural schools, students are deprived of adequate learning materials and it up to the teachers skills and experiences to guide the students. However, it has become a norm for the Ministry of Education to send a greenie or fresh teacher to those rural school without giving proper training for those teacher to teach under performing students.
As for the case of Sekolah Kebangsaan Ng Lawih, the Headmaster must also take the blame for not monitoring the situation. SK Ng Lawih UPSR passing rate stood at 22 per cent. In 2006, it was 55 per cent. A very pathetic result and shame to the teaching staff there. Perhaps some of the teaching staff should be transfer away and bring in more committed teachers.
The performance of the students of SK Ng Lawih is at the mercy of the teaching staff and it is very important for the students there to get good results so that they can further their studies and have a brighter future. Otherwise, they will remained in the backwater of Betong.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=35754 (May 21, 2008)
MP: 22 pct, down from 55 a let-down
BETONG: Local MP Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas has challenged students at rural schools here to score better results than their predecessors, in the UPSR examination.
Uggah, who is Natural Resources and Environment Minister, said he was saddened by the dismal performance of last year’s UPSR candidates at SK Ng Lawih.
Speaking at the school recently, he announced a RM5,000 grant “as an incentive” to do better, according to an Information Department press release.
“Similarly, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, who was also present, announced a grant of RM6,500 for the school,” the press release added.
It quoted Uggah as saying that school staff, its PTA and villagers needed to “sit down together and look for ways to raise the passing rate of the school’s UPSR result”.
“There is no short cut to achieve success in education,” said Uggah, adding, “It is imperative that students really concentrate on their studies with proper guidance from their teachers to achieve better results in the future.”
Last year, SK Ng Lawih UPSR passing rate stood at 22 per cent. In 2006, it was 55 per cent.
Headmaster Ngali Jepit said various efforts had been implemented to ensure better results.
According to him, the school is now holding monthly test, pre-UPSR examination, UPSR clinic, motivation camp and other relevant programmes to assist students.
Meanwhile, Uggah also donated RM10,000 to Rh Ringkai nearby for infrastructure development.
For the next 10 years, Sabah will spend RM10 Million for reforestation every year. So generous of the state government. I agreed that the state government proceed with their reforestation program but why they have to pay for it.
Considering that the timber companies bulldozed through the virgin jungles of Sabah and reap billion Ringgit of profits from logging that resulted in destruction of natural habitats for endangered wildlife, the government is paying for the destruction of their jungles due to their shortsighted policies, lack of enforcement and manipulation.
I'm sure some insiders agreed to this budget so that the timber companies don't have to spend their money for reforestation. In actual fact, it should be the timber companies who do and pay for the reforestation. Those timber companies does not even have any guilt or social conscience to repay the community or the environment.
If it is in other countries, you break you pay, you pollute you clean. In Malaysia, companies and individual destroy the environment and when their sweat dissipate, they laugh their way to the bank.
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/21/nation/20080521174206&sec=nation (May 21, 2008)
RM100mil to put trees back in Sabah forests
By Ruben Sario
KOTA KINABALU: Some RM100mil will be spent over the next 10 years to regenerate the Ulu Segama and Malua forest reserves spanning nearly 237,000ha, about 10 times the size of Penang island.
Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said the funds, largely sourced from international contributors, would be used to restore up to 20,000ha of severely degraded forests.
“A portion of the funds would go towards silviculture works covering 40,000ha, such as clearing the undergrowth to enable young trees to grow,” he said.
Earlier, Mannan represented the Sabah Government in the signing of a memorandum of understanding with WWF-Malaysia for a 55ha reforestation effort in the northern part of Ulu Segama forest reserve where logging had ceased since December 2007.
Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman and Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Datuk Yahya Hussin witnessed the event.
He said the reforestation efforts at Ulu Segama and Malua had gained much international attention and United Kingdom-based retailer Marks & Spencer was the latest contributor, donating RM170, 000.
Other contributors in the Ulu Segama forest rehabilitation efforts include the Sime Darby group, which is donating RM25mil over the next five years, and the New Forest group, RM10mil over the next six years.
The WWF would be contributing RM2mil over the next six months while US-based philanthropist Nancy Abraham donated US$100,000, the US Government US$20,000 and the Australian Government RM62, 000.
Locally, Yayasan Sabah has set aside RM12.5mil, as seed money for the forest restoration efforts while the Sabah Government will be spending RM5mil yearly under the 9th Malaysia Plan.
Mannan said the restoration efforts at the Ulu Segama and Malua forest reserves would, among other things, benefit an estimated 4,000-orang utan and other wildlife.
“What we are doing here today will have a direct impact on improving the habitat for our iconic orang utan and the Borneo pygmy elephant which can only be found in Sabah,” he added.
WWF-Malaysia vice-president Tengku Zainal Adlin said the group had channelled some RM40mil to conservation in Sabah between 1975 and 2005.
Sabah is one of the main priority regions within the WWF worldwide network,” he said.
Musa also launched a book, Orang utan: Behaviour, Ecology and Conservation, authored by renowned wildlife biologist and conservationist Dr Junaidi Payne, with photographs by award-winning nature photographer Cede Prudente.
So sad and discriminating. The Dayak in the interior of Sarawak pay dearer for rice as compared to those rice price in Kuching and other major towns in Sarawak.
Over the years, the Dayak communities has reduce their padi farming and opt to migrate to major towns in search for quick cash. Instead of being padi producers, the Dayak are becoming padi consumers just like other race.
The sorry part is that those Dayak in the longhouses pay more for the rice and the authority including Domestic Trade ministry is not doing anything about it. The Dayak leaders prefer to stay silent on this matter for they thought if they complaint at the federal level, Badawi might brand them as disloyal MPs or ungrateful MPs.
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/21/nation/20080521143324&sec=nation (May 21, 2008)
Rice price up by RM1.50 per kg in rural Sarawak
By Stephen Then
MIRI: The price of local rice in some rural villages in Sarawak has shot up by as much as RM1.50 per kg - three times the hike as compared to urban areas.
Although Bernas increased the price of rice by only 50 cents per kg, rice is being sold at RM 1.50 per kg in rural areas like Marudi, about 200km from here.
Rural folk, most of whom are low-income earners lodged complaints with Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) about the unreasonable increase.
SAM's field officer for Sarawak, Jok Jau Evong, said these have to fork out between RM1 to RM1.50 more for one kg of local rice.
Jok said some traders in remote towns and villages were even selling rice at RM3.50 per kg now, compared to the previous price of RM2 per kg.
Traders who source rice supply from cities and towns claim that they have to pay higher transportation costs to ferry the rice to rural destinations.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, said the state government would leave it to Bernas to sort out the price issue.
"The most important thing is to ensure enough supply of rice for all," he said.
Dr Chan, who is State Agriculture Modernisation Minister, said Sarawak had been importing rice to shore up the present stock for the state's 2.5 million people.
The existing supply can last for the next three months at least, he added.
This post illustrate that mastering a second language after Bahasa Malaysia does have a plus point. Noruadi Imus is a native from Sabah but she enroll in a Chinese school. To be on par or better than the Chinese student, she work hard in her student and her efforts pay off.
Being a non-Chinese, she is studying in a competitive environment and Chinese is not her mother language. That motivate her to be excellent in her studies to show that even non-Chinese can excel in a Chinese medium school.
Kudos to Noruadi Imus.
Moving on, there are rumors in the federal Cabinet that certain ministers are lobbying to revert the primary school Mathematic and Science subject to Bahasa Malaysia. Talk about half-hearted effort by the government. The Malay students must be doing badly in Mathematic and Science that those racist ministers want to revert the subject to be taught in Bahasa Malaysia. What those racist ministers does not know is that the Malays are not faring better when Mathematic and Science are taught in Bahasa Malaysia.
Looking at the current Malaysia economy, China and United States are the top trading partners of Malaysia. How to send our workers or businessmen to those country to create new business or trade opportunities if they only know Bahasa Malaysia. How to compete in a global market when the international language is spoken in English.
I have no objection that Bahasa Malaysia is the national language but the government must be serious in encouraging the people, especially the Malay to take up second language. Knowing English or Mandarin does not make the Malay less Malay.
And for those politicians who always harp the idea that the Malays will become less Malay if they learn new language, that just show how shallow is the mentality of Barisan Nasional YBs.
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/21/nation/21309604&sec=nation (May 21, 2008)
Chinese education pays off for SPM top scorer
KOTA KINABALU: The competitiveness of a Chinese school education is paying off for 18-year-old Noraudi Imus.
The former Kian Kok Middle School student emerged one of Sabah’s top students in last year’s SPM exam when she scored 121As and is now looking forward to studying medicine thanks to a scholarship from Yayasan Sabah.
For Noruadi, of Kadazandusun and Indonesian parentage, studying in a Chinese school prompted her to “go the extra mile.”
“I had to work extra hard to compete with my classmates. And I’m so grateful to my parents for encouraging me to study in a Chinese school,” said Noruadi, who intends to pursue her medical studies in Russia.
She was among the 25 top Sabah students who were presented with the Yayasan Sabah education scholarships by Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman on Tuesday.
Noruadi’s mother tongue is Bahasa Malaysia but she is also fluent in English, Mandarin and Hakka and knows “a little bit of Cantonese.”
Growing up in Tuaran district where her father, Imus Onsiang, works as a state Agriculture Department officer and her mother, Syafnidar Syahroeddin, serves as a teacher, Noruadi had many Chinese friends.
“So it seemed natural to join them when they went to a Chinese kindergarten and later at the SJK(C) Chen Sin primary school before doing my secondary studies as Kian Kok,” she said.
Earlier in his speech, Musa said the state and federal governments were focusing on improving education in the country, but parents, civil servants and NGOs such as parent-teacher associations must also do their part.
He said the Education Department for example should step up its inspection of schools to ensure that facilities for students such as tables and chairs were sufficient.
Why the government is selective in offering scholarships to excellent students ? Why still award scholarships and other monetary assistance to certain racial quota and not to all brightest Malaysian students ?
By depriving the brightest students of assistance, the government is losing their trust and their brain power. Lost of brain power mean, the discriminated students who deserved scholarships but did not actually get it will get their funding elsewhere and may just abandoned Malaysia. How to be a fully developed nation if the country does not have enough brain power to manage the country resources.
All the while, the government has been talking about manpower intellectual development yet the policies is only favoring certain race. This is counter productive and the government effort to ensure intellectual development among the brightest students will fail.
Related post:
* PSD must cut the red tape
MD Updates;
* Jun 01, 2008: PSD must speeds up assistance to all top achievers
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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/21/nation/21310203&sec=nation (May 21, 2008)
A loss if we ignore smart students
THE Government must recognise and offer scholarships to students who achieve excellent results or risk losing them to other countries, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department S.K. Devamany was reported as saying in Malaysia Nanban.
It must ensure that these outstanding students are given the necessary scholarships so that they will return to work in this country, he said.
In the past, many outstanding students who failed to obtain scholarships managed to get funding from other countries, he said. Currently, many of them are working in those countries and that was a loss for Malaysia in its professional workforce.
He said that MIC, through its president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, would continue to pressure the Government to ensure that more Indian students are given scholarships to pursue higher education.
He was speaking to reporters after attending a function to honour students of Sri Murugan Centre in Perak who achieved outstanding results in their UPSR, SPM and STPM examinations last year.
Below is what William Mawan said:
“Our priority now should be to forge unity among the Dayak communities, particularly in the rural areas or at the grassroots level."
I'm not missing anything but William Mawan is stressing for unity among the Dayak communities but not at the leadership level.
How come? The Dayak communities have been splinted into various political groups such as PBB, SPDP, PRS, SUPP, SNAP, STAR and PKR. You can find Dayak leaders in a Malay party, in a Chinese party and in a few Dayak based parties. If there is an Indian party in Sarawak, you probably will find a Dayak leader inside as well. Fortunately, Dayak are not keen to be in an Islamic party like PAS.
So what is the point of uniting the Dayak at the communities level when those grassroots report to a leader and that leader report to his or her party president ? This means the Dayak leader interest on the party comes first and the communities come later.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=35711 (May 19, 2008)
Mawan: Forging unity should be Dayaks’ priority
SIBU: The top priority of the Dayak community now should be to forge greater unity among themselves, Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Dato Sri William Mawan said Saturday.
He said it was imperative for the Dayaks to be united so that they could successfully find ways and means to transform the rural areas which were relatively ‘very backward’ into progressive living environment.
The minister was speaking during a ‘leader with the people’ function at Rumah Penghulu Juni Masam, Rascom Resettlement Scheme, Nanga Jagau, Ulu Ngemah near Kanowit.
“Our priority now should be to forge unity among the Dayak communities, particularly in the rural areas or at the grassroots level.
“We must start to identify the differences which led us to become involved in petty squabbles (including politically), parochial behaviour and trivialities.
“And then we should discard, get rid of and throw away these differences so that we can come to common terms with each other in finding ways and means to bring more developments to our rural areas in order to make our longhouses and villages more progressive places to live in,” he added.
He said ways should continuously be found to bring more roads and water and electricity supplies as well as other facilities to the longhouses and villages to bring about greater economic development and progress.
“We must create an environment where the people can earn high and stable incomes conveniently and get out of the clutches of poverty,” said Mawan, who is Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president.
The minister said the Dayaks must also be wise, practical and knowledgeable and sensitive to the developments around them.
“We need to keep abreast with the latest developments in the political and other fields so that we know how to take full advantage of any opportunity coming our way to upgrade our standard of living.
“We should not always wait for others to tell us what to do,” he said, adding that the government had formulated and implemented many economic and infrastructural plans to make the state and country progress further.
At the function, Mawan presented a grant of RM25,000 to the village security and development committee (JKKK) of Nanga Jagau to help them pay for a parcel of land to be used as their common cemetery or burial ground.
Nanga Jagau has 21 longhouses (about 230 doors in all) and was established 35 years ago during the insurgency era under the Rajang Security Command (Rascom).
Kanowit member of parliament Aaron Ago Dagang, who also spoke at the function, advised grassroots leaders in Kanowit to safeguard the good and clean image of the Barisan Nasional (BN) so that they could continue to enjoy good rapport with the people.
“Don’t behave arrogantly as this can hurt the people’s feelings and give a bad and wrong impression of the BN government to the people,” the MP said.
The function was also attended by Ngemah assemblyman Gabriel Adit Demong and a political secretary to the Chief Minister Paul Igai.
The presidency issue of Parti Rakyat Sarawak continue. We all thought the Larry Sng's days are numbered when James Masing was declared as the legitimate president of PRS by ROS in early April 2008. We also all thought that James Masing nightmare is over and he is in no hurry to determine the fate of Larry Sng's position in PRS.
In between those time, Jimmy Donald being other deputy president in Larry Sng's faction has been contesting the legitimacy of James Masing as the President of PRS.
Being an unsatisfied lots, Larry Sng's group is requesting an appointment with Registrar of Societies in Putra Jaya to solve the issue once and for all. Should ROS maintained their decision to recognize James Masing as the president of PRS, Larry Sng's group might defect to another party, likely Sarawak National Party or Pakatan Rakyat component parties.
By that time, Larry Sng's faction would be on the opposition team. As for Sarawak Barisan Nasional, the impact would be lost of grassroots supporters. In terms of federal Cabinet position, there is no representative from the Larry Sng's faction. As for the state Cabinet, only Larry Sng himself is the representative in the DUN.
Related posts:
* PRS leadership disputes - Larry Sng not giving up yet
* Crab mentality of Parti Rakyat Sarawak leadership
* PRS remains with two camps
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=35742 (May 21, 2008)
Is it Larry or Masing?
By Samuel Aubrey
PRS faction seeks appointment with ROS
KUCHING: The leaders and members of the faction aligned to Larry Sng in Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will only make their next political move once they have received an answer from Registrar of Societies (ROS) on the legitimacy of Sng as party president.
The group met yesterday at the party’s headquarters at Green Height here where they decided to ask for an appointment with ROS in Putrajaya to find out whether the president is Larry or rival Dato Sri Dr James Masing.
One of Larry’s strongest allies, Jimmy Donald, told reporters here yesterday that this decision, one way or the other, would end the confusion over who is president and allow the faction’s members to move on and chart their political future.
“We herewith reiterate our support for YB Larry as president unless ROS rules otherwise,” he said, reading a prepared press statement.
Jimmy, who is the faction’s deputy president, was joined by the faction’s secretary-general Sidi Munan during the press conference.
According to Sidi, the meeting yesterday was attended by leaders from the 19 out of 28 party divisions that recognised Larry as president.
Asked by reporters on their possible political move if the ROS’ decision is not in their favour, Sidi said: “We will cross the bridge when we come to it. We will continue to be in politics. We can’t let our grassroots members down.”
In the statement released to reporters during the press conference, it was mentioned that the faction had yet to receive any written reply from ROS to its letter sent on April 7.
“On April 8 this year, we wrote to ROS requesting that he produced in writing his decision: Dr James or Larry as president of PRS. We reminded him to do so on April 30, 2008. No answer in writing from ROS has been received as of today,” it said.
The ROS, in an April 1 letter signed by its present bearer Datuk Md Alias Kalil, had decided not to deregister PRS after studying the reasons or excuses put forward by Masing’s side on the sacking of six PRS principal office bearers.
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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Source: newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/17758 (May 20, 2008)
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.
