Rajang River has became too shallow for water transportation due to heavy siltation. An oil tanker from West Malaysia which supply vital oil rations to Sibu run aground and stuck in the middle of Rajang River.
The Marine department is now running an investigation into the cause of the incident. Where is Drainage and Irrigation Department ? Where is SUPP Sibu ?
The cause of the incident is very simple. Rajang River became too shallow due to heavy siltation. Siltation was caused by heavy and uncontrolled deforestation in upriver areas.
Those responsible from the deforestation upriver are mostly rich timber companies and oil palm companies. But who is going to pay for the dredging (which is approved but won't happen soon) of the Rajang River to make it deeper ? The Malaysian Government. The Rakyat. You and me.
MalaysiaKini should have an article on this matter.
----------------
Extract from TheBorneoPost
Low water causes ship to run aground
By Conny Banji
SIBU: A 4,000-tonne ship carrying oil tank from Peninsular Malaysia had to remain in the middle of Rajang River just off the second phase of Sibu Town Square - the whole of Monday night.
The vessel which sailed up from Batang Igan was said to be bound for a depot in Ding Lik Kwong early in the morning when it ran aground.
It is believed that siltation compounded by the low water level caused the hull of the vessel to scrape the river bed and get stuck.
At 11.30am yesterday (when the writer checked on it) the ship was still in the same spot.
It is said an attempt to move the ship using a tugboat was not successful.
A Marine Department spokesperson confirmed over the phone yesterday that they had been told about the case.
He also confirmed that some officers of the department had gone to check on the situation.
The department is now running an investigation into the cause of the incident.
Rajang River dredging is on but when ? Robert Lau, the MP of Sibu and Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government did not say when the dredging work would start.
It could be tomorrow, it could be next year, it could be next decade. Robert Lau has given a glimpse of hope for the Sibu locals on the news that dredging of Rajang River to solve the flooding woes has been approved by the government.
The hope is however still false and no date and no allocation amount was revealed. The government basically approved the request to dredge the shallow Rajang River but not quite committed to reserve the funds.
Thus, for the time being, Sibu flood mitigation plan is (still) not going anywhere
Related post:
* Siltation in Rajang River due to heavy deforestation
* Sarawak logging industry - one of the culprit
* Who's protecting Sarawak virgin jungles
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Extracted from TheBorneoPost
Seven ‘bottlenecks’ identified
By Philip Wong
Dredging work will soon be carried out at stretches to ensure smoother water flow at Rajang, Igan rivers
SIBU: The authorities have identified seven ‘bottlenecks’ in the Rajang and Igan rivers that are said to be causing unending flood woes here for decades.
Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Robert Lau said as a remedial measure, dredging work would soon be carried out at these stretches to ensure smoother water flow.
In addition, he said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment would, in principle, allocate a certain sum of money through the Drainage and Irrigation Department to raise rural and urban roads here above the water level. He said these were short-term measures aimed at mitigating the flood woes.
“In the long term, we will look into more details like the construction of bunds along the rivers,” he said at the opening of Home & Property Roadshow 2008 held at Wisma Sanyan here yesterday.
Lau, however, did not say when the dredging work would start.
SMC chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King, and vice-president of Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda) and the organising chairperson Lovetta Tiong were among those present at the function.
Over 20 booths showcasing products and services of local and outstation property developers are being put up for the three-day roadshow. With regard to upgrading of roads, it is learnt that works to raise them were already in progress involving roads in several parts of the town.
“The people of Sibu should be happy now that the government has finally decided to dredge the river and upgrade the road. This should put to rest all argument over ways to mitigate the flood woes.”
On another note, the Sibu Municipal Council, Lau said, would build another landfill next to the existing one in Kemuyang soon to provide safe living environment to the people here.
“All these are concrete proof that the BN government is a caring government and that only BN representatives are capable of keeping their promises to the people. We should therefore work closely with the BN government for more development,” he added.
On the fuel crisis, Lau said the government might reduce prices when oil prices in the international market went down to US$110 per barrel.
“For the past few days, the international oil prices have slipped from US$147 to US$126, and if the trend continues until US$110, chances are that the government may slash prices,” he said.
Lau said the crisis could be taken as a blessing in disguise.
“When the going gets tough, everyone will try to find new ways to survive, like saving on petrol consumption and changing their lifestyle. And very often, people tend to find wisdom in troubled waters and in time of crisis.”
Earlier, Lau said his ministry was currently working on a plan to formulate a national housing policy, which should be completed very soon.
“The whole objective is to fine-tune the existing housing regulations and laws and to have stricter control on developers. The ministry wants to safeguard the house buyers and make sure that there are not many abandoned project, and that the developers will not default in delivery.”
“Housing, clothing, transportation and food are the four basic needs for mankind. That is why the government is serious in its efforts to make sure that we have a roof over our head.”
PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim today said he had been informed he would be formally charged with sodomy tomorrow - a crime punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.
According to MalaysiaKini, the Police have completed their probe and the summoned served at his home. At a press conference, Anwar maintained his innocence.
It's an obvious ploy by the Barisan Nasional to stop Anwar from contesting at the coming Permatang Pauh Parliamentary by-election.
Previously, the Election Commission has set Aug 16 for nomination and Aug 26 for polls for the Permatang Pauh by-election.
The seat fell vacant on July 31 after PKR president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resigned as Permatang Pauh MP to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the by-election.
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Excerpt from TheStar
Anwar to be charged Thursday
KUALA LUMPUR: Police on Wednesday served notice to PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to appear at the Jalan Duta sessions court here at 10am Thursday.
The notice was served at Anwar's house, says his lawyer Sankara Nair.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar confirmed that the police had served Anwar with a written notice requesting he present himself at the Jalan Duta Sessions Court here at 10am Thursday to answer to sodomy charges.
It is learnt that Brickfields CID chief Deputy Supt Jude Pereira served the order on Anwar personally at his house in Bukit Segambut at about 12.15pm Wednesday.
"We carried out our investigations in accordance with the existing laws of our country and forwarded our findings to the Attorney-General's Chambers for their advice.
"The A-G's Chambers has decided to charge Anwar,'' he said.
Anwar is expected to be charged either under Section 377A or Section 377C of the Penal Code.
Section 377A covers carnal intercourse against the order of nature and carries a maximum of 20 years' jail and whipping.
It reads as follows: "Any person who has sexual connection with another person by the introduction of the penis into the anus or mouth of the other person is said to commit carnal intercourse against the order of nature."
Section 377C reads: "Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature on another person without the consent, or against the will, of the other person, or by putting the other person in fear of death or hurt to the person or any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years, and shall also be liable to whipping."
Sections 377A and 377C are both non-bailable offences. However, under Section 388 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court has the discretion to grant bail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(The Malaysian Insider) - Police have summoned Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to appear at the Jalan Duta courts at 10.00am tomorrow, apparently in relation to fresh sodomy accusations made by his former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan late June.
Police personnel in a patrol car were at his Bukit Segambut house just a little after noon today to issue him the summons. Anwar is scheduled to hold a press conference later at 3pm and his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) officials said it could be related to the summons charge.
Anwar, who is running for the Permatang Pauh by-election now set for August 26, was arrested last month for questioning into the accusations made in a report lodged on June 28. Saiful had claimed Anwar sodomised him in a posh Damansara condominium on June 26 and other occasions abroad.
The former deputy prime minister has denied the charges which mirror charges a decade ago that cost him a chance to succeed former mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister. Anwar has claimed Permatang Pauh is the final step before he forms the federal government by his self-proclaimed deadline of September 16.
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This post reflects the important dates for the independence of Sarawak. Yes, Sarawak Independence.
Sabah and Sarawak NEVER JOINED Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak, the two colonial regions from Borneo together with Federated States of Malaya formed Malaysia in 16th September 1963.
By right, Sabah and Sarawak are partners of Malaya. But in reality, Sabah and Sarawak which are blessed with rich natural resources has become a mere East Malaysia states and have been ranked among the poorer states in Malaysia.
Related posts:
* Sabah 20-point agreement prior to formation of Malaysia
Key moments before S’wak’s independence
Proclamation to mark self-rule was on 16 September
With the peace and prosperity that the state is enjoying today, 45 years since it formed Malaysia, it is easy to take things for granted and forget how it all began.
How many Sarawakians can name their first chief minister? How many actually know that Sarawak was an independent nation for some two months before it decided to be part of Malaysia? How many know why the formation of Malaysia had to be postponed?
At the launch of Sarawak’s 45th anniversary at the State Stadium on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud impressed upon the people that they were not just Sarawakians but ‘anak Sarawak (children of Sarawak)’.
He made it clear in his rousing speech that it was vital for ‘anak Sarawak’ to know how their country was born; who were the people who fought for it and what sacrifices had to be made before they can forge forward into the future.
“Without knowledge of our history and how our politics have moved; without knowing our economic struggle, without knowing how we have changed socially and culturally, we cannot fight for a future that will be better for our children,” said Taib.
“Let all the younger generation imbibe the lessons of history; try to emulate whatever they can from the success of our past to build a brighter and more glorious Sarawak in Malaysia.”
With that in mind, let’s journey back in time to revisit some of the important dates for the independence of Sarawak and the formation of Malaysia.
1961
27 May: Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, at a Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Southeast Asia press conference in Singapore, says the Federation of Malaya should have a close understanding with Britain and the people of Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah.
20 June: Sir Harold Macmillan, British Prime Minister, in a reply to a question in Parliament, says he is interested in the suggestion made by Tunku.
26 June: British officers from Singapore, Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah, consisting of governors, hold a meeting in Singapore until June 27.
1 July: Tunku Abdul Rahman accompanies the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya to officially visit Brunei and Sarawak.
9 July: Azahari (Partai Rakyat Brunei), Ong Kee Hui (Sarawak United People’s Party) and Donald Stephens (Sabah) establish the United Front and disagrees with the proposal by Tunku Abdul Rahman and Britain.
12 July: Tunku Abdul Rahman exposes communist threats in South East Asia as an important factor in his proposal.
22 July: Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore chief minister, proposes that representatives from Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah present their views at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) on the Malaysia proposal.
28 July: Establishment of the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) in Singapore during the CPA Conference.
12 August: First visit of leaders from Sarawak and Sabah - Datu Bandar Abang Mustapa, Temenggong Jugah, Donald Stephens and Dato Mustapha - to Malaya to see the progress for themselves. Many such visits are organised for leaders in Sarawak and Sabah up till the formation of Malaysia.
24 August: MSCC holds its first meeting in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) in North Borneo (Sabah). Brunei did not attend.
16 October: A motion for the formation of Malaysia is tabled in Parliament by Tunku Abdul Rahman and is approved.
23 November: Malaya negotiates with Britain to amend the Defence Agreement to expand British assistance when Malaysia is formed and to maintain their army camps. Malaya and Britain negotiate and agree on the setting up of an investigative commission on the formation of Malaysia.
December: Parti Barisan Anak Jati Sarawak (Barjasa) is registered. Political parties formed earlier are the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) on 12 June 1959, Parti Negara Sarawak (Panas) on 9 April 1960 and Sarawak National Party (SNAP) on 10 April 1961. These older parties are formed for local council and district elections that started in 1959.
18 December: MSCC holds its second meeting in Kuching. Brunei attends only as observer.
20 December: The stand of Sarawak and Sabah shifts from opposition to bargaining on issues such as representation in parliament, freedom of religion, national language, civil service, immigration and economic development as stated in a press statement at the end of the MSCC meeting.
30 December: During a conference in Jakarta, Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI), the third largest communist party in the world, condemns the formation of Malaysia as a British neo-colonist ploy.
1962
4 January: British colonial government in Sarawak publishes a white paper on Sarawak’s consent for Malaysia and the establishment of an investigative commission proposed by the governments of Malaya and Britain on November 23, 1961. The White Paper is translated into local dialects and widely distributed in Sarawak.
8 January: MSCC holds its third meeting on constitution and politics in Kuala Lumpur. A decision is reached to produce all the proceedings for public consumption just as the British colonial government had done in Sarawak.
31 January: British colonial government in Sabah produces a white paper, similar to the one published in Sarawak. It is also translated into local languages and distributed widely.
1 February: MSCC holds its fourth and last meeting in Singapore.
3 February: All MSCC delegates sign a memorandum of proposals and recommendations which is then published in Sarawak and Sabah. The Cobbold Commission is set up to seek the views of the people of Sarawak and Sabah on the formation of Malaysia.
Members of the commission are Lord Cobbold (chairman), Sir Anthony Abell and Sir David Watheraton (British representatives) Dato Wong Pow and Ghazali Shafie (representatives of Malaya).
19 February: The Cobbold Commission arrives in Kuching to begin public hearings at 35 centres.
6 March: Deputy Prime Minister of Malaya, Tun Abdul Razak, said that at that time only Britain and the Philippines were involved in the territorial claims over Sabah.
17 April: The Cobbold Commission completes its task in Sarawak and flies to Jesselton to continue its investigations at 15 centres in Sabah.
24 April: The legislative assembly of the Philippines unanimously approve “Resolution No. 7 … the President of the Republic to take the necessary steps consistent with international law and procedure for the recovery of a certain portion of the Island of Borneo and adjacent islands which appertain to the Philippines”.
29 April: Sultan of Sulu hands over the rule of Sulu (which has never been colonised by Spain or the United States of America) to the Philippines until she was accepted as an independent sovereign country.
24 May: The British government sends a memorandum to the ruler of the Philippines on its claim to a part of Sabah. The other part was previously under the Brunei sultanate, particularly along the west coast.
22 June: The ruler of the Philippines sends a note to the British government on its claim over Sabah.
24 June: Donald Stephen, President United Kadazan Organisation (UNKO), says the people of Sabah challenge the claim by the Philippines.
27 June: Sarawak Chinese Association (SCA) Party formed.
July: The Cobbold Commission sends its report to the government of Malaya and Britain.
18 July: Sultan Omar Ali Saifudin, Sultan Brunei, declares that Brunei will join Malaysia separately from Sarawak and Sabah.
20 July: Parti Pesaka formed.
The ruler of the Philippines sends a note on its Sabah claim to the government of Malaya.
1 August: Negotiations on the Cobbold Report between Malaya led by Tunku Abdul Rahman and his colleague from Britain to announce the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on August 31, 1963 after it is approved by their respective legislatures.
30 August: Inter-Government Committee (IGC) holds a preparatory meeting in Jesselton, Sabah, and sets up its headquarters there.
Sabah political parties submit the Twenty Points claim to Deputy Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya Tun Abdul Razak and Lord Landsowne in Jesselton.
12 September: The Sabah State Legislative Assembly unanimously approves the formation of the Federation of Malaysia and the establishment of the IGC.
26 September: The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly unanimously approves the formation of the Federation of Malaysia and the establishment of the IGC.
The Sabah Alliance is set up by Pasok Momogun, Sabah United Party, United Kadazan Organization (UNKO) and United Sabah National Organization (USNO).
September: Philippines Vice President, Emmanuel Paleaez, declares his country’s claims to a part of Sabah at the United Nations, New York.
16 October: Sabah Alliance declares the opposition of the people of Sabah on the claim of the Philippines.
December: Sabah Alliance wins the election with 131 out of 137 contested constituencies with a manifesto based on the Twenty Points.
8 December: Partai Rakyat Brunei causes a revolt in Brunei, Limbang, Lawas and Miri.
9 December: A M Azahari, Partai Rakyat Brunei chairman, announces the North Kalimantan Revolution Government while in exile in Manila. He is actually a citizen of Lebanon; his father had married the daughter of Hugh Low, the British Governor of Labuan, who had married a Sarawakian woman, Dayang Loyang.
20 December: IGC holds its last meeting in Kuala Lumpur. It had held 24 meetings in Kuching, Jeselton, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
1963
5 January: Curfew from 6pm to 6am is enforced in Limbang.
8 January: The Governor declares as illegal the Sarawak Farmers’ Association, Kesatuan Rakyat Insaf Sarawak, Chung Hua Alumni Association Sibu, Tentera Nasional Kalimantan Utara, Angkatan Dosu Berantu and Angkatan Rakyat Anak Sabah.
28 January: British Foreign Secretary Lord Home and Philippines Vice President Emmanuel Palaez begins negotiations on claims over Sabah until February 1 with no results.
Diosado Macapagal, the President of the Philippines states for the first time his country’s opposition to the formation of Malaysia in his state-of-the-nation speech in the Philippines Congress.
11 February: Dr Subandario, Indonesia Foreign Minister, officially objects to the formation of Malaysia.
23 February: IGC submits Reports to the Governments of the Four Parties Concerned - Britain, Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah.
The IGC report is published.
8 March: Sarawak State Legislative Assembly unanimously adopts the recommendations in the IGC report.
13 March: Sabah State Legislative Assembly adopts recommendations in the IGC report.
April: Sarawak local council elections are held until June.
15 May: Third Rajah Sir Charles Vyner Brooke passes away in England.
31 May: Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Malaya and Sukarno, President of the Republic of Indonesia negotiate in Tokyo for an agreement on the formation of Malaysia and to stop Indonesia from sending her army into Sarawak and Sabah.
18 June: The Sarawak Flag will use the old flag with a crown in the centre.
19 June: The results of the election are announced - Alliance 78, Independent 67, SUPP 16 and Panas 11.
20 June: 31 Independent legislators join Alliance, bringing the tally to 119.
9 July: The Malaysia Agreement is reached by Britain, Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah. Brunei withdraws at the last moment. It is signed by Temenggong Jugah, Dato Bandar Abang Mustapa, Abang Openg, Ling Beng Siew and PEH Pike. From Sabah are Donald Stephens, Dato Mustapha, Khoo Siak Chiew, G S Sundang, WS Holley, and WKH Jones. From Singapore are Lee Kuan Yew, and the representatives of Malaya and Britain are Tunku Abdul Rahman and Harold Macmillan respectively.
19 July: British House of Commons approves the Malaysia Bill to enable Sarawak and Sabah to form Malaysia.
22 July: Stephen Kalong Ningkan chosen as the first Chief Minister of Sarawak along with the state’s first cabinet.
30 July: Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sukarno and Macapagal meet at the Manila Summit.
5 August: Manila Summit ends resulting in Manila Declaration in which the three countries agree to form a new confederation called Maphilindo (short for Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia). There is also a Manila Accord in which the three countries agree to work together in politics, economics, socially and culturally. Philippines and Indonesia request that the Secretary General of the United Nations get the views of the people of Sarawak and Sabah on the formation of Malaysia.
3 August: Governor Sir Alexander Waddel launches the 1962 uprising memorial for British commandos who were defeated in Limbang.
6 August: Teo Kui Seng, Natural Resources Minister, also the chairman of the Malaysia Day celebration, announces the programme.
8 August: Sabah Legislative Assembly unanimously passes the Merdeka motion to join Malaysia and also approves the Malaysia Agreement.
15 August: Parliament of the Federation of Malaysia approves the Malaysia Agreement.
16 August: United Nation Malaysia Mission (UNMM) arrives and carries out its task to get the opinion of the people of Sarawak and Sabah until September 5, 1963. Their arrival is also met with anti-Malaysia protestors at the Kuching Airport.
18 August: Indonesian soldiers and insurgents invade Sungai Bangkit in Song, resulting in a casualty.
19 August: Abdul Taib Mahmud, Communication and Works Minister, visits the headquarters of the Public Works Department in Kuching.
The merdeka celebration is postponed from August 31 to September 16.
26 August: Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya approves the Malaysian constitution.
27 August: Demonstrations against Malaysia in Sibu in connection with the arrival of the UNMM team.
29 August: Yang Di-Pertuan Agong signs the Malaysia Declaration, fixed on September 16, 1963.
Anti-Malaysia protest in Miri on the arrival of the UNMM team results in a clash with the police.
30 August: UNMM team arrives in Limbang, its last stop.
1 September: UNMM representative, Lawrence Michelmore, meets representatives from Alliance and SUPP at the State Legislative Assembly chambers.
4 September: Sarawak Legislative Assembly approves Malaysia motion with 38 votes for and five against. Stephen Kalong Ningkan tables the motion which states: “Be it resolved that this Council reaffirms its support for Malaysia, endorses the formal agreement which was signed in London on the 9th July and, while regretting that the Federation of Malaysia could not be brought into being on the 31st August, welcomes the decision to establish it on the 16th September, 1963.”
5 September: UNMM team leaves Sarawak.
11 September: Chief Minister, Stephen Kalong Ningkan, and three ministers as well as 10 members of the Alliance fly to Kuala Lumpur to meet the Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Colony of Britain, Duncan Sandys.
13 September: UNMM presents its report.
“The Mission is satisfied that through its hearings it was able to reach a cross-section of the population in all walks of life and that the expressions of opinion that it heard represent the views of a sizeable majority of the population. The Mission is convinced that the time devoted to hearings and the number of localities visited was adequate and enabled it to fully carry out its terms of references.”
Sir Alexander Waddell announces that Datu Abang Openg is appointed by the Yang Di-Pertuan as the first Yang Di-Pertua of Sarawak beginning from Malaysia Day.
Temenggong Jugah Barieng is appointed to the Federal Cabinet as the Sarawak Affairs Minister.
14 September: Duncan Sandys arrives in Kuching for a brief visit.
15 September: Dr M Sockalingam is appointed as the Speaker of the Sarawak Dewan Undangan Negeri.
British colonial Governor, Sir Alexander Waddell, and wife leave Astana, the official Brooke residence and that of British governors since 1870, at exactly 12.30pm.
16 September: Tun Abang Openg is sworn in as the first Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak.
Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman reads the Proclamation of Malaysia in front of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, Raja-Raja Melayu and thousands of citizens at Stadium Merdeka to mark the birth of a new country named, the Federation of Malaysia. He says: “The great day we have long awaited has come at last - the birth of Malaysia. In a warm spirit of joy and hope ten million people of many races in all the states of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah now join hands in freedom and joy.”
Khir Johari reads Proclamation of Malaysia as the representative of the Prime Minister to mark the independence of Sarawak in the presence of Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Abang Openg, Chief Minister Datuk Stephen Kalong Ningkan, the State Cabinet and the people at Padang Sentral (now Padang Merdeka), Kuching, and in all divisions of Sarawak.
(Chronology is translated from the official 45th anniversary souvenir book, ‘Perayaan 45 Tahun Sarawak Maju Dalam Malaysia, 1963 - 2008).
Soon after Larry Sng gave his statement that he vows to lead PRS, the other faction of PRS reminded him that he is treading on soft ground and is asked to stop giving the wrong signal to PRS grassroots.
Larry did admit that if the ROS's decision stands, then he will urge members to support James Masing and Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership.
As for himself, since is the other faction leader that is not recognized by ROS, he will be partyless, almost.
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Extracted from TheBorneoPost
PRS leadership crisis far from over
By Churchill Edward
Sng asked to disassociate himself with ‘sacked’ officials and stop giving ‘wrong signal’
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has asked one of its members, Larry Sng, to stay clear of those whom the party has “sacked”.
Sng, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, has been told to do so otherwise he would be sending a wrong signal — that the party is still divided by factions and that he is still the “president”.
PRS secretary-general Wilfred Nissom said it would not be good for Sng to be associated with those already “sacked” including Sidi Munan and Munan Laja.
Nissom said what was already clear was that the Registrar of Societies (RoS) had approved Dato Sri Dr James Jemut Masing as the president.
Masing is also Land Development Minister.
“The so-called Sng’s faction is a non-entity following RoS’ recognition (or approval) of Dato Sri Masing’s sacking of Sidi Munan and Munan Laja with several others on May 25 2006,” Nissom told The Borneo Post yesterday.
“Sidi Munan, Munan Laja together with a number of others, have already been sacked from PRS and this is recognised by RoS. It is therefore not good for Larry Sng to be associated with them,” he reiterated.
Nissom said he was making this very clear because he was unhappy with a recent development in Sibu where Sng appeared to have sent the wrong signal to members when he addressed himself as a faction leader.
Nissom said if Sng continued to address himself as a faction president he could spark another round of quarrel among members.
Yesterday The Borneo Post reported Sng as saying that: “As for me, my mission and vision as a faction leader is to bring all factions in the party together, forge greater unity and create greater stability. I will continue to be in PRS, to be in BN.”
He was quoted when closing a Ngiling Bidai ceremony jointly organised by five PRS divisions namely Nangka, Pelawan, Bukit Assek, Bawang Assan and Katibas on Friday night in Sibu.
Among the 500 people present at the Sibu event were Sidi Munan whom the group (Sibu event) addressed as “secretary-general”, Munan Laja (organising chairman), Jimmy Donald “deputy president” and his son Leon Jimat, “Youth chief”. When contacted yesterday, Sng said PRS leaders should not misconstrue the Sibu event or even feel threatened by it.
Asked whether he recognised Masing as president, Sng responded: “As far as my supporters are concerned, they still recognise me as a leader and want me to work with other PRS leaders.
“I hope the Sibu event is not misconstrued. And I don’t want the others to feel threatened by it. After all we are working in BN.”
Sng said the BN should worry more if PRS supporters started joining PKR or other opposition and that was not in his, Masing’s or BN’s best interest.
“What I want to say is that, there is no denying that PRS has 19 divisions which are aligned to me. At the moment, they want me to lead.
“Their members are also registered members of the party and they are also looking up to me as a leader and want me to continue leading them.
“I would like to see PRS united because at the end of day we (BN) are going to face a stronger opposition in the coming election. At the moment we would not want any of our supporters being marginalised or being neglected.
“In Sibu we reaffirm our group of supporters that we remain intact. I’ve sent a strong message to them that we are supporting the government,” he said, adding that Masing did not try hard enough to unite all party members.
Sng said: “Although RoS has issued a vague letter in support of Dr Masing, there has not been any initiative on his part to reunite the party, which in the opinion of my supporters, is like marginalising them from the BN as a whole.”
“So this has resulted in a power vacuum which the opposition can capitalise on. This is what I am totally against.
Since April or May 2008, things seemed to be so quiet for PRS until Friday.
The RoS had apparently issued four letters to PRS, including one addressed to “deputy president” Datuk Sng Chee Hua, Sng’s father, on April 1, 2008.
The original letter containing the decision of the Registrar, Datuk Alias Md Kalil, not to deregister PRS was sent to the PRS “secretary” at the party’s registered headquarters at Green Heights Commercial Centre.
Three others were ‘cc’ to Sng, the “president” Dato Sri Dr James Masing and “treasurer” Clement Eddy. Only the “secretary” was not named.
There were actually two pages with the Registrar’s decision on the first page, while the second page contained the people the letter was copied too.
Masing then claimed that senior Sng was no more party deputy president even though the letter was addressed to him as such.
He said that senior Sng’s position in the letter was just an administrative matter.
“You must remember the showcause letter was addressed to him too when he was the deputy president and so when the reply came back, it must go to who the letter was sent to. These are administrative matters, it is not political.
“To think that it is still the same, you must be dreaming,” he told reporters after a private meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, along with four of his supreme council members.
The April 1 letter contained Alias’ decision on a showcause letter his predecessor had sent PRS on Sept 7, 2006, following the sacking of six principal office bearers by Masing in May that year.
Those sacked included junior Sng, who was then the deputy secretary general. Senior Sng and several others had complaint to the RoS and this led to the issuance of the showcause letter.
Alias decided on April 1 that he was satisfied with the reply given by Masing on Sept 15, 2007 as to why he had sacked the office bearers and, therefore, PRS would not be deregistered.
The registrar had also told The Borneo Post later on that Masing was PRS president.
Then Alias said Masing was still the PRS president and explained that the April 1 letter, which contained his decision not to deregister PRS, was written in response to the reply given by Masing in his capacity as PRS president on Sept 15, 2006.
“That’s how it is. Dato Sri Dr James Masing is still the president. I think my explanation in the letter is already clear enough and I do not want to add anything more,” he said when contacted in Kuala Lumpur.
When the PRS crisis first erupted, the battle was between Masing and senior Sng. Eventually senior Sng stepped aside after his group held a delegates’ conference in which his son was elected as president.
Masing too held his own delegates conference and subsequently, there were two presidents in PRS with separate supreme councils. Masing’s deputy president is Joseph Entulu.
PRS was born out of the demise of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak on Oct 21, 2004, following a leadership crisis.
Until today Masing has not decided to expel Sng from the party, saying he wanted to check the feeling on the ground about the matter.
In April, Sng said he would only recognise Masing as the president if this is indeed the decision of RoS Alias.
He said he would abide by the registrar’s decision even if that meant that he was expelled from the party by Masing and his supreme council after he did not reply to a showcause letter from them earlier last year.
“If the RoS’ decision stands, then I will urge members to support Dato Sri James Masing. I hope they will also maintain their support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership.
“If such chain of events stands, I am now partyless,” Sng said then.
The saga of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) leadership dispute continue. Despite the ongoing effort of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and the other faction of PRS lead by James Masing to merge the two party, Larry Sng vows to continue leading PRS (or the other half of PRS). This is definitely confusing the already confused grassroot members of PRS.
Merger talks between SPDP and PRS (Masing's faction) literally left Larry Sng on the sideline and his time on PRS numbered. Suppose the two parties really merged, there will likely be no place for Larry Sng in the new entity and that would probably be the end of Larry Sng political career, unless of course if he jump ship before that and continue his political struggle with non-Sarawak party or maybe an opposition party.
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Extracted from TheBorneoPost
Sng vows to continue leading PRS
By Gaing Kunding
SIBU: The leader of a faction in Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Larry Sng Wei Shien reiterated his commitment to lead the party with greater zest and vigor to help Barisan Nasional achieve a bigger win in the next state election.
He said that PRS, as a member of the ruling BN coalition, needed to work harder and smarter for the developments of Sarawak, particularly in helping Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to meet the vision, mission and objectives of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
“As for me, my mission and vision as a faction leader is to bring all factions in the party together, forge greater unity and create greater stability. I will continue to be in PRS, to be in BN.
“To me, the March 8 polls is a milestone for the opposition, but the next state election which is due in two to three years’ time will be a milestone for the BN,” Sng said at the Gawai closing (ngiling bidai) jointly organised by five PRS divisions in the central region - Nangka, Pelawan, Bukit Assek, Bawang Assan and Katibas – last Friday.
Members from six ‘outstation’ divisions - Lingga, Simanggang, Meluan, Balai Ringin, Pelagus and Ngemah, former Sri Aman MP who is also deputy president Jimmy Donald, vice-president Cr Munan Laja (organising chairman), secretary-general Sidi Munan and Youth chief Leon Jimat Donald were among the 500-odd people present.
Sng said: “PRS leaders and members also need to reflect on their roles and purposes in BN, taking into consideration the results of the last general election, as well as the implication of the letter given by ROS recently. Where do we go next?” He however did not specifically mention which ROS letter he was referring to.
In his welcoming speech, Munan expressed gladness at the big attendance, saying: “This reflects the strong unity and support for Larry Sng, an Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Department, from PRS members throughout the state.”
Jimmy, who also spoke, said that he would continue his political struggle and serve the people through PRS and BN even though he was no longer an MP.
Sidi meanwhile reminded party members to abide by the party constitution at all times.
Kepong Middle Ring Road II (MRR2) is breaking Malaysia Books of Record for the most number of damages. The third crack is costing the rakyat RM70 million. Barely two years after the 2nd repair, the RM70 million turning into debris.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is very bold when he pointed out that the previous repair was not done properly. He is blaming the repairing parties. He is not blaming who design and construct the structure in the first place.
And as usual, Najib is trying not to shoot anyone foot and diplomatically said the investigation would identify the cause of the cracks and the parties responsible for it. See, he did not mentioned which parties.
This is the third time the 1.7km MRR2 Kepong flyover has been closed because of cracks. The first was in August 2004 followed by another in February 2006 for repairs.
Malaysia Boleh cracks anytime !
Extracted from TheStar
PM disappointed over MRR2 damage
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is disappointed that damage has re-appeared on the Middle Ring Road II (MRR2 despite the Government having spent RM70mil just two years ago to rectify a similar problem.
The Prime Minister said this could have been avoided if parties responsible had ensured earlier repair works were done accordingly and properly so that damage does not occur again in such a short span of time.
"When I read the newspaper headlines on my way here, I knew the public would not be happy. In fact, some will be pretty angry knowing that there is damage at the MRR2, even after spending a huge amount of money to repair it earlier.
"This could have been easily avoided if those responsible had ensured that earlier repair works were done properly. If this had been done, there would be no damage and the rakyat would not be fuming," he told staff of the Prime Minister's Department Monday at its monthly gathering.
What was more worrying, the Prime Minister said, was if accidents, catastrophe or even deaths were to occur if the damage on the MMR2 caused the road to collapse.
Three panels of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) fell from Pillar 28 of the highway on Sunday morning, but the Works Ministry said the MRR2 is structurally safe despite a scare that saw a temporary closure of a ramp.
The six-lane elevated section of the highway has been reduced to four lanes near the Kompleks Desa for the next three weeks as a safety precaution pending an investigation.
Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohd said an investigation would be carried out on the incident, which came two years after RM70mil was spent to repair cracks that appeared on 31 of the 33 pillars. The highway was re-opened in 2006.
Abdullah also reminded civil servants of the importance of providing good administrative and management services, saying that since the people were directly affected by services provided by civil servants, they would either be happy or "terribly angry" with the way the Government was run.
"We can avoid the people's wrath by ensuring that we serve with a positive attitude and with efficiency. We should not do things that would anger the people and make them perceive that civil servants are a corrupted lot.
"Good traits are needed to avoid accusations and it is easy to accuse anyone nowadays, especially when there is the Internet and there is no limit to what you can do with it. I am not saying that all those who blog and uses the Internet are not good.
"There are responsible users but there are also those who say the most preposterous things. If we want to avoid this, we have to make sure we do things accordingly and efficiently," he said, adding that rumour-mongering should also be stopped as it could lead to uncertainty and unrest.
Related news:
* MalaysiaKini: PM: MRR2 cracks could have been avoided if...
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Scare and jam on MRR2 as debris from pillar falls on cars
By LOONG MENG YEE and LESTER KONG
KUALA LUMPUR: The Middle Ring Road II (MRR2) is structurally safe, despite a scare that saw a temporary closure of a ramp, leading to massive jams.
Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohd gave this assurance following a scare when three panels of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) fell from Pillar 28 of the highway yesterday morning.
Motorists were shocked when the panels fell from the pillar at 7.25am causing a 3km congestion that lasted for several hours. The ramp was temporarily closed.
However, the six-lane elevated section of highway will be reduced to four lanes near the Kompleks Desa for the next three weeks as a safety precaution pending an investigation.
Mohd Zin said an investigation would be carried out on the incident which came two years after RM70mil was spent to repair cracks that appeared on 31 of the 33 pillars. The highway was re-opened in 2006.
Pillar 28 was one of the affected beams then.
Mohd Zin said those responsible for the shoddy work and negligence would have to bear the cost of repairs.
“The Government will not bear any cost because the repair is still under warranty until the end of the year,” he said.
It is learnt that the German consultants responsible for the repairs on the 31 pillars had been told to fly in and fix the problem.
Mohd Zin said each pillar was toughened with 18 panels of CFRP that was meant to take the stress from passing vehicles.
However, the pillar is within international standards that stipulate that only 12 panels are needed for concrete support.
“Even without the three damaged strips, we still have 15 more panels to support Pillar 28,” said Mohd Zin when he visited the site yesterday.
For safety reasons, he said only four of the six lanes on the highway would be opened for the next three weeks.
Asked what might have caused the damage, Mohd Zin said tensile stress on the highway might have been too much for the CFRP to bear. He said the other pillars would also be checked.
Asked why the concrete on Pillar 28 fell after repairs were made, Mohd Zin said he would reveal the reasons after investigations were completed.
“We also want to know what happened. When investigations are completed and if we find that defects are caused by negligence on the part of the suppliers or contractors, we will hold them responsible,” he said.
Asked if Anti-Corruption Agency should investigate the matter, he said: “One step at a time, let’s find out what happened first.”
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Caught in a surprise traffic jam MRR2 spoils Sunday mood
KUALA LUMPUR: Motorists expecting a smooth Sunday drive were caught in a massive jam after pieces of concrete fibre fell from Pillar 28 of the Middle Ring Road II (MRR2) and part of the road was closed.
Traffic was reduced to a crawl at about 7.30am when several chunks of the concrete fell from the pillar near Desa Complex onto the road heading towards Batu Caves.
The jam stretched over 3km to the Bandar Sri Damansara toll plaza after the three-lane road was reduced to one.
It started to ease at about 5pm after all lanes were re-opened.
Traffic on the other side was also reduced to a crawl as motorists slowed down to see what was happening.
Workers used a crane to peel away the remaining dangling pieces of concrete and conduct inspection works.
They wrapped the damaged part of the pillar to prevent more pieces of carbon fibre concrete from falling.
The incident sparked fears among motorists as Pillar 28 was one of the 31 pillars found with cracks in 2004.
RapidKL traffic controller Zainuddin Md Taib, 37, was among those who saw the debris falling down after he reported for duty at the bus station next to the pillar.
“When I first saw it, there was only a little bit coming out. At 7.25am, several chunks of concrete fell on two passing vehicles,” he said, adding he called the police who arrived minutes later to direct traffic.
A frustrated motorist, identified as Aishah, 27, who was on her way to Genting Highlands from Tanjung Karang, said she was stuck in the jam for two hours at about noon.
She said the authorities should have made announcements immediately to alert motorists of the incident.
Many motorists came out of their vehicles to find out what had caused the jam.
Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw, who was at the scene at 11am, said he was concerned about the safety of motorists and wanted repair works done fast.
He said there must be answers from the Works Ministry because there had been guarantees of safety after repairs were made and the highway re-opened in August 2006.
City deputy traffic chief Deputy Supt Ng Fook Long said police would continue manning the traffic flow today.
“Although several lanes had been re-opened, we are still finding ways to further ease the traffic,” he said.
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Government to probe cracks on highway pillars
PEKAN: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government would conduct an in-depth investigation on the cracks on the Middle Ring Road II (MRR2) flyover.
He said the Works Ministry would conduct the investigation and prepare a detailed report for tabling in the Cabinet.
“Usually, we will discuss issues like this in the Cabinet,” he told reporters after giving away prizes at the end of GP Joran Carnival in Kuala Pahang here yesterday.
Najib said the investigation would identify the cause of the cracks and the parties responsible for it.
This is the third time the 1.7km MRR2 Kepong flyover has been closed because of cracks. The first was in August 2004 followed by another in February 2006 for repairs. – Bernama
Good news from Wee Ka Siong, the Deputy Education Minister who pledged that the government will fund the repairs of Sabah Chinese schools including building new classrooms.
However, the bad news is, no specific amount was mentioned.
Wee Ka Siong also revealed that some Chinese schools in Sabah were established over 50 years ago and had been operating with funding from Chinese community groups and nominal annual state government grants.
For 45 years (since formation of Malaysia), the Education Ministry or federal government has neglected the Chinese schools in Sabah (as well as other Chinese schools in other states). Wonder where the taxes from the rakyat gone to ...
Extract from TheStar
Wee: Government aid for Sabah Chinese schools
KOTA KINABALU: Government-aided Chinese schools in Sabah will get more assistance for repairs and to build new classrooms.
Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong said there were 83 primary and five secondary schools in the state and half the student population were bumiputras.
“In some schools, Bumiputras make up 90% of the student population. This is a special situation in Sabah and it is good for racial integration,” he said after meeting representatives of Chinese school managements here.
He said he would propose that repairs be made to schools that needed them and new blocks added to schools that were cramped.
“We will first try to provide the essentials such as school blocks,” he said.
The schools, some established over 50 years ago, had been operating with funding from Chinese community groups and annual state government grants.
Wee who visited a Chinese and government school in the northern Kota Marudu district on Saturday, said he was impressed that an adult literacy class was conducted there.
He said he was even more impressed with the fact that the eldest student there was 83 years old. Similar adult literacy classes were being conducted at schools in Sipitang and Kunak.
“These classes create awareness among parents about the importance of education for children,” Wee added.
