NATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY -AN ANALYSIS
The national economic policy which the Barisan Nasional government in the past had harped and was proud of bred rampant corruption, abuse of power, in competency and ali-baba dealings. It was a policy that had failed and in which had created a greater wedge between the haves and haves not. Those who are rich are only handful people in the corridors of power who got their riches at the expense of not only of their blind followers, but, at the majority of the people in the nation. The New Economic Policy was supposed to help the bumiputeras, but, only those handful people in the corridors of power could really enjoy its benefit over the rest of other bumiputras. The people in the corridors of power took advantage of the New Economic Policy (“NEP”) and with their acquired riches, one thing for them to know is that all of us only eat three meals a day and this was a norm imposed by God on us and we should be happy of this. Even if one can be richer and could enjoy the acquired wealth with the help of the NEP, that wealth could not be brought to the graves.

Those who benefited and became rich should also be told of what the doctors had used to warn us of over eating. The more meals you eat, the faster you go to medical centres for treatment! This is because excessive meals cannot keep us fit and healthy! What a waste and the bills from private medical centres are not cheap either!

To those who get rich with the help of the New Economic Policy, please do not forget the people and the down trodden people that need your help. Do not think you are Lord because with your unjustified wealth, God’s willing the wealth can be robbed from you!

The New Economic Policy had failed as we here still have people who robbed, steal and cheat and it was a shock when a father had to steal to make a living for his family and when arrested, he suffers the embarrassment of arrest in the eyes of his children! His shame will be very unbearable and his liberty will then be left at the mercy of the law.

The New Economic Policy also had caused widespread unhappiness among non-muslim Bumiputeras.

In the civil service, we could see widespread discrimination in promotion of civil servants involving non-muslim bumiputeras in East Malaysia. Despite being the majority numerically in both states they had been treated as “third class” when it comes to government help. They were also treated third-class by being denied discounts when buying property in West Malaysia. I have also heard constant complaints by non-muslim bumiputeras their unhappiness on such as matters touching on job opportunities in the civil service, Public Services Department scholarships overseas, business licences and government contracts. The majority of non-muslim bumiputeras will remain poor and it would therefore impossible to see them able to compete with other races.

These showed that the New Economic Policy which ended officially in 1990 was a failure and when there were cries that this policy should be corrected or changed, people from the Barisan Nasional was too protective of this. When the Policy was replaced by the National Development Policy, many of those in the Barisan Nasional also refused to recognize this. Why? Is it because they were all afraid that they no more will enjoy what you had enjoyed under the NEP. They may also be afraid that other people who are poor out there will share part of what you had all these while enjoyed?

When the New Economic Policy, has failed to shape the society to a more equitable distribution of wealth which had caused the gap between the poor and the rich became wider and where better harmony and peace could not be achieved, why should we cling to such a policy? The Barisan Nasional government has come with the National Development Policy in 1991 and this new policy was supposed to correct the imbalances or evils created by the New Economic Policy. It was also designed to narrow down the gap between the poor and the rich of all races, then why still shout of the New Economic Policy?

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his maiden speech as United Malays National Organization (UMNO) president in the UMNO general assembly in 2004 had stated that “Let’s not use the crutches for support all the time, the knee will become weak”. The Prime Minister also went to say that the continued use of the crutches would eventually in need of a wheelchair instead. This is because those who acquired wealth this way will never learn the ropes of business well as their survival was too dependant on the government and they were so used to it, making them “subsidy businessmen” and this may cause them not to have the skill to compete at global stage. Their acquired wealth in this way if invested outside Malaysia will see them collapse and once collapse the only way to float will be to seek the government to bail them out. In the end caused by these bail-outs, the country’s economy will also collapse. This was what was meant by the Prime Minister that the continued use of the crutches will eventually lead to the use of wheelchair.

The warning by the Prime Minister in 2004 should be taken seriously and if we are not careful, it will create more social ills and can spark into civil unrests. Civil unrests may follow if only a handful of persons could really benefit out of the New Economic Policy. The larger population who do not benefit from the NEP may take their grievances to the streets and this can cause the fall of our social order.

The NEP had somehow or rather scared away foreign investments and had made the rich non-malays shifted their investments overseas and now many have went to China, where the market is too huge to capture. We must not forget that in 2005, foreign investments fell by USD4 billion, or 14% and we should not deny that NEP has something to do with the decline of foreign investments.

Those who have been left out of the NEP has kept on growing and being left out, they will have no choice, but, to join hands with those who opposed this policy to no more support their allegiance to the BN government. The time is now near that BN government will see that the evils of the NEP will cause the BN government to collapse and be taken over by the Opposition. Come next parliamentary election, if BN will not be lucky, their seats may fall one by one like dominos.

DAP SARAWAK 30TH ANNIVERSARY

Wow... 特别设计的砂州民主行动党30周年纪念大蛋糕， 好好吃哦！

来来大家来切蛋糕咯。。。


来，打个招呼吧。。。这是我们的主宾桌！！



虽然下了场雨，但现场还是好热闹哦。。。

Chinese Education – Who to Blame?

(古晋17日讯) 行动党巴都林当区州议员温利山律师说，华社要确保国内的华教获得良好发展和获得维护，已经不能再依靠国阵政府，而是民联政府。

温利山指出，行动党为华校所做的丰功伟绩只需数个月时间就达成，然而国阵包括其成员党如人联、马华、民政、民进党和人民党却在过去50年仍无法做到。

他今日在一项记者招待会上说，有鉴于此，他吁请华社把国阵政府拉下台，让行动党及其他反对党取而代之，请给民联一个机会，他同时承诺在一年内可达成援助华教的目标。

“华社应该明白，国阵政府只为华教做一点微不足道贡献，其实是自取其辱，反观由民联所执政的州属却为华教做出卓越贡献，例如由回教党所领导的吉兰丹政府，为该州唯一华文独中拨给一千依甲土地，在霹雳州民联政府拨出2500依甲土地予州内9间独中以供以地养校，80年代由拜林领导的团结党沙巴州政府也每年拨出百余万令吉予州内独中，同样的由行动党秘书长林冠英领导的槟城州政府也宣布在每年州财政预算案制度化拨出一百万令吉予州内5间独中。”

温利上说，在英殖民政府统治下的砂劳越，在推广华文教育方面不曾面对诸多难题。最少在英人离开本州时，我们在古晋拥有5间华小即一小至五小。然而自砂州获独立45年以来，虽然华裔人口逐年增加，古晋市只在巴都林当州选区增建一间六小，这也是当时国阵候选人宋瑞源要击败行动党强人沈观仰而许下建校的诺言。

“当时沈观仰身为古晋区三届国会议员败下阵来，是因为当时华社被洗脑，以为行动党无法建六小，而国阵及其成员党人联却能。然而能兴建六小并非单靠国阵拨款，华社也出钱出力，其中包括行动党在向华社劝捐建校基金也扮演重要角色。”

“此事也证明人联党在说服国阵政府全面资助建校基金，以避免向华社劝捐方面，显得无能为力。”
他说，在数年前实旦宾国会议席竞选期间，行动党也提出在达闽再也、BDC与实都东区没有华人课题。由于这些地区是华人人口最稠密区，后来华社决定要把二小搬迁到实都东。当丹斯里陈伯勤因人联拖欠建校费用予Global Upline Sdn. Bhd.进行封校时，华社针对此事就互相指责和推卸责任。
“令人遗憾的是，作为维护华文教育的董教总也被一些人拖下水，并指责董教总一些领袖没有捐献新二小建校经费，而董教总的任务只需负责一些志愿工作和负责监督华教获维护与发展。在必要时，董教总可针对政府政策威胁到华校与被边缘化，向政府提呈备忘录，就如2005年初，董教总率领国内7个主要华团，联合向政府建议：为迎合城市需求及国阵政府在2004年大选向人民许下的承诺，需兴建更多华小。”

温利山提醒华社，国阵政府向来喜欢许下承诺，然而大选一过，国阵人联党就会忘记承诺，这就是为什么董教总带领国内主要华团向政府针对大选诺言，提呈备忘录予政府。

“一旦国阵老大巫统感到不悦，就会指责华社领袖分裂马来西亚人，巫统领袖在成功鼓吹种族紧张关系后，由于害怕在1960年内安法令下展开大逮捕行动，华人被迫保持沉默，华社也开始收回对董教总的精神支持。导致它陷入困境。

温利山指出，这是须对症下药的华社通病。我们总不能在面对危机时就把自己包藏起来。
提及他对搬迁与拆除二小的立场时，他说，“尽管新校舍已成功建梭，但我在展开竞选运动时，我坚持反对二小从现址搬迁，因为它是一间具有历史性和文化价值学校。我在竞选时是要求政府在达闽再也，BDC和实都东区建立一间华小。我的计划是要见到七小在古晋兴建起来，并在稍后才处理二小问题。

温氏吁请当局现阶段不要搬迁和拆除二小以充作拟议中供泊车用途，同样的也不可牺牲华社利益，让一些有心人士把该地区建成一个商业中心或旅馆。

也是行动党砂州财政的温氏说，国阵政府里是以马来人或回教徒占多数的巫统和土保党主宰，内里的小成员党被老大欺凌和不大敢发言。然而老大非常了解华社的弱点，那就是华社喜欢内斗，但对自己的权益与文化受到威胁，却不曾向马来人和外国人据理力争。所以在争取国家经济和社会控制权，老大就可轻易控制我们华社，那就是觅策，让华社针对热门课题互相指责与争吵。

“国阵老大知道华社较热衷于赚钱，而不喜欢向其他民族或外国人找麻烦。我们可以回忆华人在团结方面的弱点，所以华人被称为“东亚病夫”并不为奇。直到现在我们仍在内斗，这可从我们社团与政党内斗非常惨烈看得出来。但在对抗其他族群时，华社就显得无助和成为病夫。”

他说，所以母语教育领域可以由老大轻易利用。我们的领袖也轻易在国州议会内外陷入他们所设的陷阱。副首长丹斯里陈康南及人联党已落入陷阱，当他质问张健仁伟华校作出什么贡献，已把行动党拉下水，也意味着陈康南质疑行动党对华校所作贡献。肯定的行动党通过张健仁不会保持沉默，并找机会攻击陈康南和人联党。所以国阵老大就在笑看华社内争。

温利山说，砂州华教被边缘化，副首长陈康南应该指责人联党和本身的无能。其实发展母语教育是政府的责任，这些都证明在联邦与州宪法里，所以母语教育根本不应该成为任何政治课题。他们所需要的是在内阁争取华社权益和华教发展，那就是在内阁里向老大争取，由于行动党并没有在在联邦政府里，所以行动党在政府外支持这项斗争。

“由于教育包括母语教育获得宪法保障，所以华社不应再在这个经济萎缩之际，在花时间去筹款和掏空他们的钱包，有鉴于此，指责张健仁或行动党和董教总没有捐款予华教是不对的，因为宪法已证明政府须资助教育事业。”

温利山说，由于国阵华基政党如马华、民政党、人联党、人民党的懦弱，使华社权益受损，每年父母在为他们儿女报读华小面对困难。

“从1987年至1998年，国内的华小从1295间减少至1283间，然而国小从4856间增加至5283间。以2004年来说，国内总共7595间小学中，华小只占1287间，彼此的落差非常大，这清楚显示马华、民政党和人联党屈服于巫统和土保党，在国阵政府里并没有被视为同等伙伴，其实他们应该告诉巫统和土保党应该更尊重宪法，以及对华裔需求具有敏感度，因为他是国内第二大民族。”

温利山律师说，在他接手处理圣玛汀学校案件，为贫妇争回被政府霸占的土地时，有些人民已在质疑国内国小太多，并质问为何不关掉多余的国小，但他无法回答人民这种问题。

他说，人民认为太多的国小意味浪费人民公款，然而国内的教育水准却大跌。反之政府应该更注重华文与英文教育，因为这2种语言在通讯，科技与商业都是全球广泛通用的语言。

“人民认为政府可把不必要的国小关闭后，有关款项就可用来发展落在后头的华教，同时也可把这些国小改为华小。”

提到圣玛汀学校案件时，温利山说，政府霸占贫妇米拉的土地，把原本的一间基督教会学校，擅自改制为国小，现在他已成功通过法律程序为该贫妇争回土地，圣玛汀国小也搬迁到附近一间设备更好的学校，不过令人遗憾的，在该土地的一间教堂已被拆除。

14th DAP SARAWAK STATE ANNUAL CONVENTION

YB及党员们在大门口迎接槟州首席部长林冠英的莅临。

党员们以掌声欢迎槟州首席部长林冠英进入会议厅。

领袖们专心聆听槟州首长的演讲。

他跟大家分享槟州的未来计划，内容十分精彩。

党员们全神贯注聆听领袖们的演讲。

CHINESE EDUCATION POLITICIZED– WHO TO BLAME?

When the British were still here, we never had much problem in promoting Chinese education. At least, when they left Sarawak, we have five Chinese schools in Kuching, that is, Chung Hua School No.1 to Chung Hua School No.5. Forty-five years after the British left, despite the growing Chinese population, Kuching City could only be proud of one more Chinese school, that is, Chung Hua School No. 6 in the Batu Lintang Constituency. It only materialized after bitter campaign by the DAP for another chinese school. The campaign for this Chung Hua School No.6 was very bitter which led to the defeat of the then strongman of the DAP, Sdr. Sim Kwang Yang, in an election against Song Swee Guan of SUPP. DAP was defeated because the Chinese community was “brainwashed” to accept the thought that DAP could not build the school, but, the BN government of which SUPP was a partner could. Chung Hua School No. 6 could only be built not solely with government money, but, also public money from the Chinese community of which DAP also played an important part in raising funds for the school building by persuading the Chinese community to donate to the school building. To get the Chinese community involved in the raising of funds by SUPP for the school shows that the SUPP representation in the BN government was weak in convincing their ruling partners to accept the fact that being the government of the day, the BN government should single handedly be responsible for the building of the school without the involvement of the Chinese community.

Over crowding in classrooms and lack of Chinese schools were very much felt during that time which led to the campaign for Chung Hua School No.6 and the problem remains the same until this day.

The issue for another Chinese school heated up again some years ago. For the fight of the Stampin Parliamentary Constituency, DAP raised the issue of no Chinese school within the Tabuan Jaya, BDC and Stutong area. This area had the highest Chinese population in the state. This issue later led to the Chinese community to decide in shifting Chung Hua No.2 to the present site at Stutong. When Tan Sri Ting Pek Kiing locked the school for sums allegedly owed in the construction of the school to Global Upline Sdn. Bhd. many leaders of the Chinese community were throwing mud at each other over the issue of contribution to Chinese education and debts owed in the construction of the school.

Role of Dong Jiao Zong
Regrettably, Dong Jiao Zong, which is the umbrella to protect Chinese education, was also pulled into the “scuffle” by the some parties by saying that some of the leaders in Dong Jiao Zong was not contributing to building fund of the new Chung Hua School No 2. This should not have been done because it is the government, not Dong Jiao Zong that has to build schools for the Chinese community. Dong Jiao Zong was only doing voluntary work all these years and the task of Dong Jiao Zong was only to see that Chinese education be protected and be developed, where necessary, by submitting relevant proposals to the government whenever Chinese education be threatened or been marginalized by government policy. This was exactly was done in early 2005 where Dong Jiao Zong led seven major Chinese associations in the country to jointly submit proposals to the government urging it to build more Chinese primary schools to meet the needs of the urban community in line with the promise by the BN government in 2004 General Election. To this, the Chinese community should be reminded that the BN government was always good at giving promises, but, when elections were over, the BN government of which SUPP is a partner always forgot their promises and it was this reason that moved Dong Jiao Zong to lead the major Chinese associations in the country to send a memorandum to the government over the promise made.

Of course, when the “Big Brother”, UMNO was not happy, the Chinese leaders were accused of disuniting the Malaysian community. Racial tension was felt and was successfully engineered by many UMNO leaders and this of course, led to the fear of mass arrest under the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Chinese were then forced to keep quiet and the community began to withdraw their moral support for Dong Jiao Zong, thus, leaving Dong Jiao Zong in difficult times. This is a sickness that we in the Chinese community must find a medicine to cure and in times of crisis we should not, like stage actors in opera houses, hide our faces with masks and talk with masks.

My Stand over the removal and demolition of Chung Hua School No.2
Although the building of the school at the new site is a success, in my election campaigns I opposed the moving of this Chung Hua School No. 2 from the present site. It is a school of historical and cultural values which has to be preserved. In my campaign for the fight of the Stampin Parliamentary Constituency, I just had wanted a Chinese school to be built in the Tabuan Jaya, BDC and Stutong area. My plan was to see another Chinese school, that is, Chung Hua School No. 7 in Kuching and to tackle the problem of Chung Hua School No. 2 later. Now, with the new school to cater the Chinese community at the Tabuan Jaya, BDC and Stutong area, I plead with the relevant authorities that Chung School Hua No. 2 should not at this moment be moved out yet and be demolished to give way to car parks as proposed. Neither should the site at this moment be turned into a commercial centre or a hotel by some interested parties at the expense of the Chinese community in Padungan and main bazaar areas.

Big Brothers controlled Chinese Education
In the BN government, the “Big Brothers” are UMNO and PBB and the majority of those in these parties are malays or muslims. They were big bullies of smaller parties within the coalition and being “Big Brothers”, others have little say. These “Big Brothers” knew very well the weaknesses of the Chinese community, that is, the Chinese people were always quarrelsome among themselves but never would quarrel or fight against the malays and foreign people even though their rights and culture been threatened. So in the fight for economic and social control of this country, it was very easy for the “Big Brothers” to control our Chinese community. A thing the “Big Brothers” would do to control the economic and social pattern in Malaysia was to find ways to get the Chinese community pointing fingers and blaming each other over the issues close to their heart.

The “Big Brothers” knew that the Chinese community prefers to make as much money as possible rather than to find trouble with other communities or foreigners. We can recall history about this and that our Chinese people were weak to stand up together and it was little wonder that we Chinese had been branded as “Sick men of Asia”, an image which we Chinese should all try to correct. Until today we still fight against each other and we should be able to observe this in what are happening in our associations and political parties where there were back stabbings and such fights were always very bitter. But, when coming in confrontation with other communities we just were helpless and became sick people.

So, education of the mother tongue is one area that can easily be exploited by the “Big Brothers” and our leaders easily fell into their trap inside and outside Parliament and Legislative Assemblies. DCM Tan Sri George Chan and his Party, SUPP felled into the trap when he unwittingly pulled the DAP into the arena by questioning our Chong Chieng Jen’s contribution to Chinese schools. By questioning our DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen, Dr. George Chan, therefore, was questioning the contribution of the DAP to Chinese education. Definitely, DAP through Chong Chieng Jen, would not keep quiet and has therefore, to find the opportunity to attack Tan Sri George Chan and his Party, SUPP. So, instead of working together to find a solution, both the DAP and SUPP were throwing mud at each other, thus, giving the “Big Brothers” the time to laugh and the fun to watch at what our Chinese leaders in these two Parties are doing.
The Chinese community has to be informed that the Chinese community is well represented in the BN government by parties like MCA, Gerakan, SUPP, PRS, SPDP and SAPP, to name a few. For the marginalization of the Chinese education in the state, DCM Tan Sri George Chan has to blame his Party and himself. They are in the government and education inclusive the education of the mother tongue is the responsibility of the government and this has been provided for by the Federal and State Constitutions and therefore, there should not be any political issue at all arising in connection with the education of the mother tongue. What they should have done was to fight for the Chinese rights and Chinese education within the Cabinet, that is, fight the “Big Brother” within the Cabinet and since DAP is not in the government, the DAP then support the fight from outside the government.

Since education inclusive of education of the mother tongue is provided for by the Constitutions, the Chinese community should no more be allowed, especially at this time of bad economy, to spend time to raise funds and to dig into their pockets. Therefore, to accuse Chong Chieng Jen or the DAP and Dong Jiao Zong of contributing nothing at all to Chinese education is wrong as mother tongue education, being provided for by the Constitutions should not arise at all. Therefore, it is for parties like MCA, Gerakan, SUPP, PRS and SAPP who are in the government to see that the need of the Chinese community is taken care of.

It is because of the weaknesses in parties like MCA, Gerakan, SUPP, PRS and SAPP that the Chinese community has suffered so much and each year parents found it more difficult to find Chinese schools for their children.

Between 1987 and 1998, Chinese primary schools in Malaysia dropped from 1,295 to 1,283 while the number of malay medium schools rose from 4,856 to 5,283. In 2004 three were 1,287 Chinese primary schools out of a total of 7,595 primary schools. The gap was too big. This clearly shows that Chinese based parties like MCA, Gerakan and SUPP had always been subservient to UMNO and PBB and had not been treated as equal partners in the BN government. They should tell UMNO and PBB to show more respect to the Constitutions and be more sensitive to Chinese needs as it is the second largest race in Malaysia.

Reduce malay medium schools?
In the past 50 years the government led by UMNO and PBB saw malay medium government schools mushrooming and Christian schools which used English as medium of instructions were also turned by the government into malay medium schools. One of such schools was on Millah’s land and the school was unlawfully built on the land by the government. A chapel built by Millah’s late father to preach and to propagate the Christianity was demolished without the knowledge and consent of Millah to give way to the building of this malay medium school.

It was a sad thing that in seeking justice for Millah I was accused of closing down the malay medium school built on Millah’s land, but, nobody questioned the government who trespassed Millah’s land how the chapel that was used to propagate Christianity on Millah’s land had been demolished. What power I had to close the school if not the government itself?

During the last General Election, to the development of these malay medium schools many voters asked me why the Chinese community had failed to take a stand to persuade the BN government to reduce the number of malay medium schools as too much money has been spent on them and yet, the standard of education in the country has dropped drastically over the years. They said the money spent for malay medium schools was not that worthwhile and should be better spent to expand English and Chinese education as both English and Chinese medium education have huge global usage for communication, science and business. I could not answer their queries as this was the policy of the BN government.

Many of these voters also suggest that the BN government should be told to close some of the malay medium schools and their funds be then be used to develop Chinese education, which at this moment is very far lagging behind in development. Alternatively, they suggested that some of these malay schools should be converted into Chinese schools because at this moment, as argued by them, there was no need for too many malay schools because malay education could be supplemented by the private sectors. To this, maybe political parties like SUPP, MCA, Gerakan and PBS may wish to convey these views to their partners in the BN government. I have no answer for this because DAP is not in the government.

The Chinese community should be informed that it is a shame to the BN government for doing too little to Chinese education when states held by the Opposition could do better. Take for example, in Kelantan led by PAS, the Chinese community was given 1000 acres of land and in Perak, the Pakatan Rakyat government gave about 2,500 acres to develop Chinese education. When PBS ruled Sabah under Pairin Katingan, the PBS government gave grants to Chinese schools. So is also Penang, the five Chinese schools in Penang has been given a sum of RM1 million by the DAP led government and this was approved in the Penang state recent annual budget.

The dream of the Chinese community to ensure the development and protection of Chinese education in Malaysia, therefore, does not lie with the BN government, but in the Pakatan Rakyat government and the DAP who could achieved this within just a few months, but, of which such feat could not been done by the BN government in the past 50 years of which SUPP, MCA, Gerakan, SPDP and PRS were partners.

So come this next election, I hereby persuade the Chinese to remove the BN government and put the DAP and get other opposition parties to replace the BN. Give us a chance and we promise we can do it within one year although after fifty years, SUPP and other Chinese dominated political parties could still not be able to do this.

Chinese People and Politics

Bruce Lee may have died, but, his legend lives on. I find his films interesting and recently, I got hold of a film devoted to Bruce Lee, “Legend of Bruce Lee”. It was about Chinese people and politics. Chinese people were always depicted as weak and feared trouble with outside world. This was true and if we ask any Chinese of older generation, they used to advise young people not to seek trouble and to keep away from bad people. This also happened to China and the early Chinese settlers who came to this region. China never conquered any country. History showed that China was attacked by foreign powers, but, China never attacked others. Admiral Cheng Ho came to Malacca, but, he never conquered Malacca. Even some years ago, when their military plane was shot down in the Japan Sea and their premier’s plane was under aerial surveillance by a foreign power, China never retaliated.

Bruce Lee’s films also showed that the Chinese people were only good at fighting at each other, but, not against other races or foreign powers. This is what happened to Chinese in Malaysia today where many clans, instead of working towards a common goal and for a common good of the clan only knew how to get rid of each other. They even went to court and fought things out. This also applies to Chinese in politics where although in the same political parties they also fought against each other. Chinese politicians and parties going after each other, but, not against other people!

The films also showed Chinese traitors working as “running dogs” for rivals and foreign powers. This was also true in chinese politics where some comrades in political parties were running dogs for others, marginalizing and stabbing the back of each other, but, not against other people or races. In Malaysian politics, chinese people never went against the dayaks and the malays, but, only against chinese themselves. Bruce Lee's films were exactly like what the present chinese attitude now is, where any policy affecting chinese rights, most chinese more often than not, watched from the fence, just kept and let others do the shouting. In the films, Bruce Lee was always alone fighting against those who discriminated the chinese and the weak. Those around Bruce Lee could only watch what Bruce Lee was doing.

Bruce Lee’s films also were about heroism and underworld, corruption, chinese arrogance, pride and culture. Whatever it is, the chinese won other people not by war and fist fights, but, by culture. This was exactly what Bruce Lee’s films were projecting about chinese people. Bruce Lee as a hero in the films, who defended the weak, found himself running foul with the authorities, chased by his opponents and the underworld and conquered the world by his martial arts - "Kung Fu" and now Kung Fu is spread all over the world. Bruce Lee spread the chinese culture, and this was how Bruce Lee culture conquered the world, but, Bruce Lee died a young man. His son also died during filming.

May Bruce Lee's legend lives on!

Fire at Taman Penrissen, Kuching.

Donated rice and other necessities to the fire victims. I was accompanied by a few comrades from Batu Lintang and Pending.

Nineteen families were affected by the fire and most of them were natives. Some of them had been living at that place for twenty years. During the fire, one died.

Talking with some fire victims at the place. The one in red shirt showed me his identity card and his real name to my surprise was "ROCKET". I am not joking, please.

Inspecting some documents of the fire victims.



A car completely burnt during the fire.


Sharing some moments with the fire victims

Want to be A Hero, DUN not the place!

In war, when the enemy is strong, take a back step and attack when the enemy is not ready.

In war, hero dies first and with victory, enemy will rejoice!

Dewan sitting has just ended and it was the last sitting in the present building as the next sitting will be in the new building. Only eight days were allocated for the sitting. Presently, Sarawak Legislative Assembly has 62 YBs from BN and we in the Opposition are very much out numbered. The BN was still too powerful for us and with their numbers, only a guerilla warfare tactic could be effective against their strength. When they wanted you evicted or suspended out of the Dewan, standing orders and reasons were inapplicable in such a place. Justice could not be achieved with legal arguments as with numbers, their show of hands will just get you booted out of the Dewan. Justice is by show of hands!

YB Johnical Rayong of Engkilili, although an Opposition member, spoke like a YB from BN and never supported the Opposition in the Dewan which prompted me to tell the Speaker in the recent sitting to remove him from the Opposition bench. My request was turned down.

As usual, the first three days was for question time, motions and introduction of government bills. Question time was only allocated for one hour each day. Debate on supplementary budget started after question time on the third day and when too many wanted to participate in this debate, the Speaker, ruled that a member could only speak for 30 minutes, but, given such a short time, members who got the opportunity to speak first, managed to get some “injury time”. The “injury time” had taken much time of those who waited to speak. The Speaker then curtailed the speaking time of each member further to twenty minutes and later to ten minutes only!

This time, BN was smarter. Wherever possible during question time, some ministers gave lengthy answers to a question and the some answers included a lot of irrelevancies. In one question during question time, YB Sylvester Entri, the Assistant Minister for Public Utilities, took about twenty minutes to answer an issue, thus, leaving many questions allocated for the day unanswered. They just wanted to avoid sensitive questions! Clever tactic!

Another smart thing BN played well this time was to move motion against our State Party Chairman, Sdr. Wong Ho Leng, for word, “camouflage” spoken by him, which was not pleasing to their ears. The word was not seditious, not defamatory, not uttered with any ulterior motive and also was not to incite hatred among the people of Sarawak. They were simply not happy when our State Chairman refused to withdraw the word, “camouflage” in the speech. With their numbers, they voted to refer him to the Privilege Committee. The argument on the word, “camouflage” also took much of our Dewan and this tactic worked well for the BN. Again, we were deprived of our precious time in the Dewan debate.

Then came Dominique Ng, the Honourable Member from Padungan, who did not tuck in his shirt as a sign of protest of the recent expulsion of YB Chong Chieng Jen of Kota Sentosa from the Legislative Assembly was himself expelled for one day. Sdr. Wong Ho Leng was expelled together with Dominique Ng, after Sdr. Wong Ho Leng spoke on the issue of Dominique Ng’s dressing got heated up. The just wanted to provoke us with the hope that we would utter some unpleasant words to their ears and to take action against us from there. The debate on this alone took us nearly one day. It was a stupid one day for all of us! What a sheer wasted time for such an act of heroism! In protest, we all had to walk out.

People elected us to the Legislative Assembly with the hope that their voices and problems could be heard, but, this time, this was not the case. Talking too much sometimes, not good, and at times we had to be economical and careful with words and action so that our own words and action will not lay a trap against us and so that we would not waste the little precious time allocated for us to speak. In the Legislative Assembly, my observation was that BN was not afraid of heroes from the Opposition, but, was afraid of Opposition members who were able to stand up and speak their minds and debate on the issues at hand eloquently and clear. That was the reason why, this time, they were better planned to disrupt us from speaking as they knew our capability.

The antics of some of our members, unfortunately, then gave the rest of us very little time to debate on the supplementary budget. As a result I only managed to speak for twenty minutes. The text of my speech was about thirty pages and I had to stop after the Speaker rose up from his Chair and got out of the Dewan and within the twenty minutes, there were also a lot of interruptions from the BN backbenchers when I touched on NEP as a failed policy and dayaks and some malays as marginalized people.

We came to the Dewan well prepared and it took me about a month to prepare for the recent sitting. I had to do research, prepare speech and frame all questions properly, hoping that I could lay traps to get the mouse out, but, I regret that my effort was wasted. Only one question out of ten of mine was answered. It was answered because it was a simple question. The question was on the possibility of having a government clinic in Batu Lintang Constituency. Even that, the Assistant Minister who answered the question did not know his stuff well. He could only say, “I think….” This showed the minister was not prepared with the answer. We should despise the attitude of such ministers and should vote them out of office in this coming election. Jabu, George Chan and Soon Koh were never forgetting politicians and in each sitting used to recycle their attack on the opposition on alleged past events with too many unkind words. They all spoke too much on attacking the opposition rather than addressing the issues faced by the people, thus, defeated the ultimate purpose of us attending to their speeches. We again, walked out half way speeches of Jabu and Soon Koh. For George Chan, we still gave him a bit of respect because he was the leader of his Party.

Ministers like Masing, Abang Joe and Mawan, although they at times attacked the Opposition, but, they limited their words on us and went on to address the relevant issues affecting the people.

In between our speeches, the BN backbenches also never stopped interrupted and shouted abuses at us. This was to make sure that we could not deliver our speech and by the time we continued with our speech, time allocated by the Speaker to us was already taken up and the Speaker has to tell us to sit down.

So, people of Sarawak, in your hands the destiny of this land will be and if we as people of Sarawak continue to make mistakes, we will for a long time to come, never achieve our dream of an equal and just society.

Can There Be Two-Party System In Sarawak?

From what we could gather on the ground is that the voters want PKR and DAP to work together in Sarawak to topple the state BN, but sad to say, no formula until now could be found to create a conducive environment for this to happen. To the DAP, the leaders of the PKR in the state has to be blamed and to the PKR, the DAP should, instead be blamed. Each has been blaming each other for the failure in negotiations of allocation of seats to the run-up of the election in which, in three constitutencies in Sarawak saw PKR and DAP instead of fighting together as a team against BN, had fought against each other to the advantage of the BN. So who has been correct and who should be blamed? In the end, the BN laughed their way to win seats where the parties quarreled. To a large extend, the threat tactics of three cornered fight by PKR in constituencies DAP wanted to contest had worked to the advantage of BN. The recent concluded Parliamentary Election in March 8, 2008 had given us a clear sign that in Chinese majority area, the voters had wanted DAP, not PKR to fight the BN and that in other areas, PKR should fight. PKR in Stampin contested by See Chee How lost its deposit very badly. See Chee How had contested elections twice and if I am not mistaken, it was the second time See Chee How lost his deposit in elections. The first was when he contested under DAP ticket in Mas Gading against Dr. Patau Rubis. I pity See Chee How, being a veteran politician has lost his deposit for the second time in a row.

Can DAP and PKR make it happen in Sarawak to create straight fight against BN in the coming state election in 2011? It is not impossible, but, as men by their nature are greedy and self-serving, to see straight fight with BN would be very difficult. BN has money and with money BN can work a lot of wonders to their advantage and will not like to see DAP and PKR have peace. BN will make sure that DAP and PKR will keep on quarrelling with each other and when both quarreled, DAP and PKR will lost focus and started attacking each other instead of attacking BN. A good example of this was what happened in Stampin during the last parliamentary election. PKR attacked me on St. Martin issue and this was well assisted by BN. They knew very well that the St. Martin issue involved not only school, but, the deprivation of people’s property by the government and also the disappearance of All Saint’s chapel built by the father of the present landowner, Millah anak Kitat. PKR was not heard at all attacking the BN! BN strategy worked!

Before the election, PKR Sarawak had aimed to collect RM1 million from the Chinese community for Chinese schools in Kuching. Although they could not succeed in collecting RM1 million, they managed to collect more than RM300,000-00 for the Chinese schools. It was something unexpected for a party which only had strong bumiputera backing to be able to collect such a huge amount of money from the Chinese community in which the DAP in Sarawak, which has strong support from the Chinese community could not do. It gave an impression that PKR had good support from the Chinese community and maybe because of this PKR was convinced that it should fight for Stampin. The huge funds collected from the Chinese community could have made a good report card to Anwar Ibrahim and Dr. Azizah that PKR should force DAP to let go Stampin or to go for a three cornered fight in Stampin. To let off Stampin to PKR by DAP would also mean to let go three state seats to PKR, a strategy in which I personally was always against. If DAP had given up Stampin, PKR will in the next round have bargaining power to squeeze DAP to give up at least one of the three state seats within the Stampin Parliamentary to PKR. PKR will start negotiating for the state seats of Batu Lintang or Kota Sentosa and will tell DAP not to touch Batu Kawa on reason that the seat was not contested by DAP in 2006. Come again the next parliamentary election in 2013, PKR will again tell DAP to lay hands off Stampin on the ground that DAP had given way for PKR to contest. This will have no end and in the end, DAP will be wiped out of Sarawak!

Until today, I could not know how PKR was able to collect such a large amount of money from the Chinese Community. For the good of the Chinese community, PKR should tell us how to do this so that DAP could be able to help the Chinese schools better and so that the Chinese schools will not continue to suffer under the oppression of the BN government who refused to give adequate funds to finance Chinese education in the state. Donations for a good cause can come from people of all walks of life, be they from the supporters of the BN or the opposition. No body can stop people making donations and soliciting money from opponents for a good cause and neither was it wrong to solicit funds from our opponents if it was for a good cause, but, I wonder where the donations came from? Had BN people chipped into the funds?

It would also beyond my guess if the money could come from the bumiputera community, in which, we all know are still very poor.

The banners, leaflets and set-up during the election of PKR also spoke volumes of the money PKR could collect for the campaign and it really intimidated me. This really gave an impression that PKR had good support of the Chinese community in their run-up to the election. Until now, it really disturbed my mind and I had kept on thinking whether BN supporters had pumped in money to PKR to make the fight in Stampin merrier. I cannot until today get an answer and only PKR and BN people could provide this answer to me. Maybe, I need one day have the opportunity to sit down with Anwar Ibrahim to get the answer.

If I had a weak heart, I could easily give up in my campaign as I could not raise much money in my cause to fight the election for the people. If not because that I was a trained person in the police force to lead and to fight against all odds, the battle for Stampin could have been abandoned on the third day of the campaign itself. It was a very dirty campaign where all my machinery in Stampin broke down where ceramahs could not also went on smoothly because thugs were involved in threatening me and my party comrades from holding the ceramahs.

In order to stay in power, BN will not like to see DAP and PKR be completely destroyed. It will not be to BN advantage if either DAP or PKR dies. BN will see that both parties will survive but will not co-operate with each other in a unified force against the BN. If both DAP and PKR can become a unified force, this will spell trouble for BN because there will, instead of three or multi-cornered fight be straight fight for seats in which will see deep problem for the BN. SUPP in urban areas where the Chinese is the majority will see them fall like dominos and in rural areas where the bumiputera is the majority will see many PBB, PRS and SPDP seats may fall to PKR. DAP may have little support in bumiputera areas, but, the little support could tilt the scale if PKR and DAP could work together in a unified force in coming elections.

Now, how to overcome all these past problems faced by both DAP and PKR? The answer is simple, but, depends very much on one person, that is, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of PKR who has to give instructions to Sarawak PKR to leave Chinese dominated areas to DAP and that Sarawak PKR just to concentrate on bumiputera dominated areas or where DAP has no influence. What will happen if this is not agreed to? Then, the way out is to allow free fight for all like what had happened in Stampin and let the people decide for themselves. DAP had fought many lost battles for the past thirty years in Sarawak and by losing another battle will not mean much either to DAP as DAP had been so much used to defeats. The loser will be Anwar Ibrahim who dreamed to become the next Prime Minister of Malaysia. So if Anwar Ibrahim will not be able to control the present leaders in Sarawak, it would be very difficult for Anwar Ibrahim to realize his dream because Sarawak alone contributes 31 seats in Parliament.

BN In Order to Rule will see DAP & PKR quarrel!

Whether DAP and PKR can work together and survive in Sarawak? This question has been posed to us too often. At this moment to survive, will not be too difficult, but to work together would be doubtful. The simple reason is that BN will want both parties to survive and the political strategy of divide and rule is to apply to see both survive, but, not to grow strong and to change the government. It will not be in the interest of BN if either one of them dies in Sarawak. In Sarawak, DAP’s political work has always been in the urban and also in sub-urban areas in some parts of the state. PKR also wish to claim that the Party also has good support in these areas, but, the recent concluded Parliamentary Election was otherwise. With PKR still wanting in laying claim their strength in urban areas instead in rural areas, BN will always find it easy to weaken the strength of both DAP and PKR.

It was common knowledge that the strength of DAP lies in the urban areas of the state, while PKR could performed better in the rural areas. If DAP is to go for rural areas it would suffer the same fate PKR had suffered in the urban areas. Therefore, if PKR still continues to show interest in urban areas and not concentrate their strength in the rural areas, the possibility of both parties working together will be as good as zero. BN will continue to laugh all the way and will always be ready to lend their hands either DAP or PKR to fight against each other. The battle ground will be set, not by the combined strength of DAP and PKR against the BN. Instead, the battle ground be set between DAP and PKR. When both DAP and PKR could be made to fight each other, BN represented by SUPP in the urban areas will continue to deliver their seats for the BN. This could be seen in Stampin, where both SUPP and PKR, had shown good understanding with each other to attack DAP on many issues. Has PKR been given technical know-how, resources and financial help to fight against the DAP in Stampin by BN people? The banners and sign boards put up by PKR during the last parliamentary election in Stampin spoke for itself. This saw both DAP and PKR lost the seat and a victory to SUPP. The voters will continue to see same strategy be applied in the next election.

Now, the leaders of both DAP and PKR have for themselves to decide how to fight against BN. The voice and message of the voters had been loud and clear. If DAP could not win in urban areas, the Chinese whom DAP had all these years represented, will suffer. There will be weak or no voice in Parliament and in the Legislative Assembly to fight for funds for Chinese schools. Land issues of the urban people will not also be addressed.

While concentrating their strength in urban areas, the rural areas contested by PRK also suffered. PKR performed well, but, lost many of these rural areas they contested very narrowly. With that, the rural voters who mostly were dayaks and malays who supported them also suffered. The many issues affecting the rural people in Sarawak will find no voice in Parliament.

The dayaks will continue in their futile fight against the BN for the protection of their NCR land because YBs from BN all these years will still be too happy to see the dayaks live as licensees on their own land. As licensees have not title to the land, the land rights of the dayaks are limited. Therefore, the best solution for the dayaks to change is to support PKR in the rural area because these are the places DAP could not yet penetrate. In the urban areas, DAP wish the dayaks and the marginalized malays will double their effort to rally their support behind the DAP.

Without this formula to have DAP just concentrate on the urban and semi-urban areas and PKR in the rural areas, BN will continue to rule this state in the next state election and will also continue to deliver the parliament seats to the BN.

Human Beings with no Identification Papers are not better than animals kept as Pets!

Animals have no homes, no country and wandered around in the forests and that forests were the only place they knew. In forests, there were no towns, no motorcars! With their four legs animals could run and disappear in the thick forests and avoid being hunted by men. We used to hear people say that four legs run faster than two legs! Being animals, they never came to town and they never know how motorcars look like. They also never know that motorcars, also have four “legs” and could run faster than them.

But, when kept as pets, animals are always very tender and loyal to their masters. Cats and dogs when kept as pets were normally given names by their masters and many of these pets were also trained to obey instructions and when properly trained, although could not talk, but, could communicate with their masters well. They normally waggle their tails and licked the legs of their masters in pleasure in seeing their masters coming home after a hard day’s work. This gave the masters some good feelings of the home and when they died, some masters cried, mourned their death and gave them good burial place and as pets, their masters love them well but, the only thing they lacked which a human being possessed was that, they have no identification papers.

Yes, human beings are also animals but the only difference with other creatures is that God gave them the gift of speech and with this gift, human beings could communicate with each other well. As human beings are not wild creatures they were well loved by their own species. They were, like pets, were given names by their parents and to protect their dignity the authority issued to them identification papers so that they could be easily identified from each other. When they died, being dignified creatures they were given proper burial.

However, many of these human beings are not better than animals in the jungle or pets kept at homes. When they were born without identification papers in law they were considered aliens with no country and should have no home in this land and were not considered civilized creatures by those who lived in towns. Alas! God made them and they came to this world, and they are our very own people,but, they were hunted by the authorities if they come to town and if caught, they will be caged in prison cells like wild dogs and cats to be tamed. How long we don't and probably they may die in the cells and then buried. Since no one may know their origin, names and religion, they do not, if they are christians enjoy the right in accordance with christian rites to have a cross planted at their resting place with "RIP" written on it.

We should take care of them, but, what had this government done to take care of them?

They lived very far from civilization and may never come to town in their life and even if they ever came to town, it may take days for them to go down from up river to town. They could not get their births registered because due to poverty and inaccessibility to town, their parents could not travel from the ulu areas to the towns to get their births registered and identification papers issued to them. When they die, their deaths were also not recorded.

They were pitiful creatures and although human beings, they were animals that never ever saw how a town or a real motorcar looks like. They could have heard and talk about motorcars, but, it's a pity they never ever knew how this wonderful machine also with four “legs” looks like that could help people travel faster.

The regime is cruel to them and there were much talk, talk, talk and talk but no action to make them lived with dignity. To live with dignity, they must be issued with identification papers otherwise, they were not better than pets kept at homes!

“感谢温利山见义勇为”

我从1978年继承已故父亲所遗下的一片坐落于Lot 2516 Muara Tebas 面积为12.91依甲土地。我认为在没获我同意，政府擅自在该地开办一间学校是不对的。甚至先父在世时也不曾同意让该土地充作学校用途。原本它起初是供宣传基督教之用。作为虔诚基督教徒和一名宗教师的先父始终只允许该地段作为传教，而不曾有意充任何学校用途。

自从先父退休后，当局竟擅自在该地段开办一间学校，后来先父得悉此事，促当局搬离或向我们作出赔偿，然而一切谈商都宣告失败。先父过世后，我继承这片土地，我也继续处理此事，但是我亲自求助或通过近亲求助公务员和社区领袖包括现任州国阵部长都无法解决此事。有些人虽作出一些承诺和甜言蜜语，但都没有结果。尽管这些高官显要被认为应该协助弱者和维护法律，但他们却没有这样做。

后来，很多人包括许多律师告诉我说，不能再继续在法庭挑战政府，因我获通知我的行动已过期无效。这令我感到震惊，年老多病的我感到受骗。他们也以各种理由告诉我，不要求助反对党政治人物。但我已老迈，也苦等太久，我已是一名毫无收入和没有家庭的73岁老妪，在毫无选择下，我通过侄儿向YB温利山律师求助。我们都是来自同个教堂的基督教徒，我只得祈望YB温利山协助我。

我真的很感谢他成功协助我，但我遗憾看到温利山竭尽所能协助我时，却面对有关当局许多刁难，我也痛心的看到在308大选，这项课题被国阵和一个反对党作为一项攻击我与温利山的政治课题。他们没有尊重作为一个老贫无助弱者通过法庭司法公正来保护我的财产基本权益。他们也显得不尊重法庭和隐私权，他们也没有顾虑到我是一个贫苦老妪，反而竭尽所能把此事政治化，导致我的身体健康受严重影响，至今我仍未感到完全好转。

对这些反对我赎回我的土地之政治人物，他们表面看起来非常慈善好心，但他们只是在大选期间有这种表现。假如他们真的要协助人民，特别是Merdang Gayam 和附近地区的人民，我促请他们捐款购地，为Merdang Gayam区居民儿女兴建一间学校。

那些在308大选，把这项课题政治化的政客包括黄锦河，施志豪，叶金来，陈康南，杨昆贤和Agun Anak Bujang。这些政客口水多过茶。他们应该捐出他们的土地或用他们的钱在当地兴建一间学校，而不应该把此事政治化。总之他们都比我富有和有权势的人物。

我也不能理解这些所谓好心的人物为何没有捍卫我们的基督教徒。我先父的遗愿已被摧毁和该地的一间圣公会教堂被拆除，没有人告诉我为何要拆除它。在西马，兴权委员会（Hindraf）保护兴都教堂免被拆毁。在这里我很高兴看到YB温利山竭尽所能揭露基督教正面对幕后黑手的干扰。

提到St. Martin Merdang Gayam 小学家教协会主席Agun Anak Bujang，他在该区拥有许多土地，他应该献捐部份土地，为当地兴建一间学校。我也要质问他，为何建在他地段上的一间民众会堂并没有让民众使用，而经常被锁住？假如他有慈善心，应该让该民众会堂充作St. Martin 小学使用。

本来我们尝试在不必上法庭情况下解决此事。但是当局却置之不理。我只要求当局和平的搬离该地段。尽管第一次入禀法庭，但政府仍拒绝搬走。直到第二次入禀法庭要求赔偿，政府才有反应。

虽然我贫穷和入禀法庭要求赔偿，但我不曾要以政府非法占用我的土地事件来赚钱。假设我没有入禀法庭要求赔偿，我真的怀疑现在我是否能取回我的土地？我只要求公道和要索回我的土地，因为我已非常老和健康每况愈下，随着拿回土地后，我已完成我的先父遗愿和公理获得伸张。有鉴于此，我已指示我的代表律师温利山撤销对政府的2诉讼案。实际上一个案件已撤销，另一个将在不久开审申请撤销。其实政府被视为来保护人民财物的机制，然而现任政府和有关当局却不热衷保护像我这样弱势者。

我也明白涉及的学生问题，过去多年，我也尝试说服政府公务员和那些权贵，在拿督莫哈末幕沙路边有一间政府中学，可以安顿那些建在我地段圣马丁小学的学生，该间拥有较好设备的新学校也有电脑，距离我的地段不远。学生也不必从拿督莫哈末幕沙路走很远的路程到圣马丁小学。

我不明白为什么该校命名为圣马丁小学，因没有人告诉我原因，这个名似乎对我感到好笑，因“St. Martin”名称让人以为基督教活动仍然在该校进行，但却不是这样。我稍后发现该学校已成为一间以马来文为教学媒介语的国民学校，所有教师的薪酬完全由政府支付与掌管。

假如没有YB温利山，我怀疑我是否能拿回我的土地。我没钱支付律师费和没有钱入禀法庭。然而YB温利山在没收我分文的情况尽力为我处理一切事务。YB温甚至自掏腰包为我支付入禀法庭费用。对他为我所做的一切以及在308大选敌对党对他所作的不公平批评和施予的各种压力。当YB温利山告诉我，他很多朋友与行动党同志不能了解我面对的难题，导致他们不支持他时，我感到伤心，我知道他现在是非常孤立的。我对此感抱歉。我只能说：“万分谢意”，在我的心目中，YB温是一名优秀的基督教徒，他敢竭尽所能为正义展开斗争。

我也须感谢法庭允许我们妥当解决此事，因为老迈与健康不佳的我不能让此事悬而未解太久。


地主：Millah Anak Kitat

温利山：燃油跌价收入减 拜托别拿人民开刀

星洲日报 (2008年10月22日) 星期三

(古晋21日讯）在国际原油跌向50美元之际，人民都在盼望政府能继续调低油价，但是广大人民必须关注国际油价下滑对产油国所带来的影响。

行动党巴都林当区州议员温利山表示，当国际原油价格飙升至140美元时，因油公司盈利大增，为国家带来大笔收入。

“可是我国政府开销大，尤其是只拥有2千600万人口的我国，竟聘请多达逾百万名公务员，因此在税收大增时仍面对赤字。”

他说，现在油价大跌，国油公司盈利自然也大缩水，在税收锐减的当儿，政府要如何应付大开销是一个考验。


别巧立名目征税

温利山今日在一篇文告中拨露，目前民众已开始担心，在享有低廉油价之际，政府会否巧立一些税收名堂，向民众征收其他税务，加重人民负担。

他希望政府在面对油价大跌，收入锐减的当儿，不会向人民开刀，同时建议政府节省不必要开销及杜绝贪污情况的发生。

“政府在开源节流的同时，也应该善用我国丰富的天然资源和优越的地理位置，以开放的心态让外资涌入，从而制造更多就业机会，增加国民与国家收入。”


以身作则降低水电费

另一方面，温利山促请政府以身作则，率先调低一切收费，尤其是水电费；指示私营化公司调低服务费，才来要求商家配合调低油价的措施降低物价。

他指出，政府在今年6月大幅度调高油价，导致百物膨胀，尽管如今当局近一个月内数度调低油价，仍然无法抵消涨幅。而政府为此恫言对付不降物价的商家，未免操之过急。

他继称，目前国际原油价格大跌，为何政府不调低水电费？为何不调低马航机票，燃油附加费以及高昂的护照费等？

温利山强调，要让商家调低物价必须从源头做起，因为各项能原料如水电及煤气，还有运输费都与物价价格息息相关。

BAKUN DAM – the long story.

Bakun dam, the long story, when will this end? Many if not most Malaysians, especially, Sarawakians have been kept in the dark of the development of Bakun, with so much money and secrets surrounding the project. All documents involving Bakun are classified documents under the Official Secrets Act 1972. It was planned that the project will costs about RM9.12 billion and how much money will eventually be spent on completion, nobody will ever know. The undersea submarine cable to West Malaysia was estimated to cost a whopping RM9 billion!

Bakun dam should generate 2,400 megawatts of electricity and would flood an area as big as Singapore! The dam will cost approximately 23,000 hectares of good agricultural land and forests! When completed, Bakun will be the largest dam in South East Asia and the second largest in the world. The plan was that Bakun will have about 650 kilometres of undersea cable to West Malaysia and once completed will be the longest undersea cable in the world surpassing the current Norway to Netherlands submarine cable.

The dam was originally proposed in the early 1960s and has long complex history. From 1970s to 1980s there were detail examination of the Bakun dam site, preparation and development proposals and in 1986 the BN government decided that the Bakun dam be built. In 1990 the Bakun dam project met some setbacks and the project was then postponed. The project was then revived in 1993 and the BN government awarded the construction of the project to Ekran Berhad and constructions begun in 1996. Due to economic crisis facing Malaysia, the Bakun dam project again was postponed in 1997 for the second time.

When the BN government shelved the project, the taxpayer paid a heavy price with RM700 million to RM1.1 billion as “compensation” to a Malaysian public listed company as disclosed in Parliament.

In May 2000 Bakun dam was revived through a 100% government owned company, Sarawak Hidro, but, the transmission of power to West Malaysia was not part of the revived project.

In 2002 the BN government awarded the project to Malaysia-China Hydro Joint Venture and the Bakun dam was supposed to be completed and delivered to the government in 2007, but, the Bakun dam is still under construction. Before the new completion date of 2007, it was said should be competed in February 2002. So the story goes on and when will this end? What will be the total cost and environmental impact of Bakun? Only God knows!

The construction of Bakun involves the relocation of more than 9,000 native residents. The area for the construction of Bakun dam has one of the highest rates of plants and animal endemism. It was said some plant species found there are no where found on earth and the dam has done irreparable ecological damage to the region. Some 16% of the total logs production of Sarawak once came from the area will soon see no log production again.

The first crack in the dam project was on September 3, 1997 when the Swedish engineering firm ABB was informed that the agreement for it to serve as chief contractor had been cancelled as there was disagreement of costs overrun with the promoter of the project. Once the dam becomes operational, will it cracked? If government buildings in Putrajaya could crack after few years of being built, there is also no reason, why the Bakun dam one day would not crack. If this may happen, the impact could be worst than the Szechuan earthquakes in China! Let us now be prepared!

In early November 1999, Anwar Ibrahim testified in the High Court in his sodomy trial that he was directed by Dr. Mahathir to use treasury funds to compensate a public listed company involved in Bakun project without proper audit and procedures. Anwar went to say that it was not his duty as a finance minister to “plunder” public funds to save any company. According to Anwar, it ended in his dismissal on September 2, 1998.

In the end, the Bakun dam project will not be engineering and science, but, merely an expert prostitution of public fund paid for by Malaysian taxpayers to cronies!

PRESS STATEMENT BY MILLAH ANAK KITAT

Matter: Lot 2516 Muara Tebas Land District containing an area of 12. 91 acres more or less.

ST. MARTIN MERDANG GAYAM

The painted building is the new administrative block that was built recently and the only building that looked good on the whole land where the school was.

Teachers' Car Park at the School

The shed and football field of the school

Badminton Court and Grandstand where the students gathered together whenever there were assemblies held

A multi-purpose building

This building housed the classrooms

Why the government didn't spend some money for better buildings and better facilities when they were occupying aunty Millah's land? Very simple! Government could not expend money because the land belonged to someone else. Had it been government land definitely the government would have spent more money on uplifting the facilities of the school. When the school was still on the land, it was attended by mostly dayaks children nearby.

Note: This press statement was prepared by a nephew of Millah anak Kitat on instruction of Millah anak Kitat. It has also been translated into Mandarin and been published in the local news, but, not in full as what could be read here.

I regret that politicians in the government and in opposition had failed to uphold true to their oath of office to protect the law and the Constitution for fear that issues could affect their popularity. They only chose issues that could only enhance their image. Under the Federal Constitution, rights to property is protected under Article 13 while under Article 12 there should not be any discrimination in the provision of funds for maintenance of educational institutions and education of which is the sole responsibility of the authorities while Article 11 protect our religion and religious practices. These had been twisted over the years and had caused much uneasiness among our multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-racial society.

Aunty Millah's case is an example of the abuses of the government and also the failure of our politicians to fight for the rights of the poor and helpless people.

Please put your comments.

PRESS STATEMENT OF AUNTY MILLAH ANAK KITAT

I hold title to the land and the land together with its problem with the authorities were inherited by me from my late father since 1978. I felt that it was not right for the government to run a school on my land without my permission. Neither my late father had granted any consent for the land to be used for the school. The land was originally used to spread our Christian religion. My late father, who was a staunch Christian and a catechist, had only wanted the land for the propagation of our Christian faith and had never intended the land be used for any school.

When my late father retired as a catechist, a school was run on the land. My late father later on came to know about it and told them either to vacate the land or pay some compensation to us, but, all negotiations failed. When I inherited the land, I also pursued the matter, but, I regret that government servants and community leaders including ministers of the present government whom I approached personally or through my close relatives had failed to amicably solve the matter. They made a lot of promises and their talk were sweet, but, nothing positive were done. They were supposed to help the weak and to protect the law, but, they failed.

Later on, I was told by many people including some lawyers that I could no more pursue the matter against the government in court as I was told my action was time barred. It shocked me, I felt sick and I felt cheated.

They all told me not to see opposition politicians for reasons known to themselves, but, I am already too old to wait and I had waited for too long. I am already 73 years old, without any income and a family of my own and I had no choice, but, to approach YB Voon Lee Shan to be my counsel, through my nephew. We are all Christians from the same church and I just prayed YB Voon Lee Shan could help.

I am thankful that he did helped, but, I also regret that like me, YB Voon who acted for me also faced lots of problems with the authorities. I also regret that during the last March 8 Election, the matter was made a political issue by those in the BN government and also by an opposition party against me and YB Voon Lee Shan. They showed no respect to me as old, poor and helpless person who was out there to seek justice to protect my own property. They also showed no respect for the court and my privacy and had also failed to take into consideration that I am a poor elderly lady, but, instead went all out to politicize the matter which also affected my health very badly and until now I am still not feeling very well.

To these politicians who were against me taking back my land they all seemed very charitable persons and good in heart, but, they were only charitable and good in heart during election time. If they were so charitable with the heart to help people, in particular to the people in Merdang Gayam and surrounding areas, then, as an old and elderly person who have no family of my own and also who have no income, instead of seeking my property be alienated without compensation to the government for school purposes, I hereby urge them to donate their property to buy land and build a school for the school children of the people of Merdang Gayam.

Those who harp on the issue during the recently concluded March 8 Election included, Dominique Ng Kim Ho, Datuk Alfred Yap, See Chee How, George Chan, Yong Khoon Seng and Agun Anak Bujang. These politicians had talked so much and they should donate their own land or go and build a school there with their own money and should not have politicized the matter. After all, they are people who are richer than me and are also people in power.

I also could not understand why these so called charitable and kind hearted politicians also did not protect my religion, in which, they should have protected. My father’s dream was gone and All Saints had been demolished and nobody wanted to tell me why it was demolished. In West Malaysia, Hindraf protected the Hindu temples from being demolished and here I am glad YB Voon Lee Shan had gone all out to voice the grievances of our Christian religion being disturbed by unseen hands.

As for Agun anak Bujang, who is the Head of the Parent Teachers Association of St. Martin Merdang Gayam, who has a lot of land in the area, should himself donate part of his land to government to build a school for school children in Merdang Gayam. I also want to ask Agun Anak Bujang why the community hall built that was built on his land was not put for good use of the community and constantly be placed under lock? He is charitable. He can allow the community hall be used as St. Martin Merdang Gayam.

We tried to settle the matter without bringing the matter to court, but, the authorities paid very cold shoulders. I just wanted the authorities to leave the land peacefully and despite the first suit filed in High Court for possession, the government also refused to vacate the land. It was only after the second suit filed to court for compensation, that the government responded, but not immediately.

Although I am poor and had filed for compensation and damages, I never intended to make money out of the unlawful occupation of my land by the government. Had I not filed for damages and compensation, I doubt I could take back my land now. I just want justice and I just want my property be returned back to me as I am already very old and not feeling very well. I also wanted the land back because I was also not happy that the wish of my late father to use the land to propagate our Christian religion was defeated. With my land back, I have also completed my father’s task and justice is now done. With that, I have given instructions to my counsel, YB Voon Lee Shan, to withdraw the two suits against the government and in fact one of the suits had been withdrawn and the other one will be withdrawn soon at the next court sitting. The government was supposed to protect the property of its citizen, but, here the government and those in authority were not keen to protect a weak person like me.

I also was aware that students were involved and over the years, I also tried to convince the government servants and those in power that there was a government secondary school, just beside the roadside of Jalan Dato Mohamad Musa, and that this school could accommodate the students of St. Martin Merdang Gayam, built on my land. The school which was at the said roadside of Jalan Dato Mohamad Musa was a new school with better facilities. This new school was also equipped with computers and was also not far from my land and the students also need not walk very far from the roadside of Jalan Dato Mohamad Musa, unlike to St. Martin Merdang Gayam.

I also don’t know how the school was named as St. Martin Merdang Gayam and no people could tell me. It seemed funny to me as its name, “St. Martin” gave an impression that Christian activities were still alive there, when it was not. What I later on discovered also was that, it was a national school with Bahasa Melayu being the medium of instruction and all teachers were fully paid by the government and the school was fully run by the government.

If not for YB Voon Lee Shan, I doubt I could get back my land. I have no money to pay him and no money to file the suits in court. YB Voon Lee Shan had done all these without charging me fees. YB Voon Lee Shan also paid the court filing fees for me. For all that YB Voon Lee Shan had done and all sufferings and unjustified criticisms leveled at YB Voon Lee Shan during his campaign, I can say, “Thousand Thank You!” YB Voon Lee Shan is my hero and a good Christian, who was daring all out to fight for justice.

I was also told by YB Voon Lee Shan many of his friends and his party members did not give much support to him to fight for justice and this had made YB Voon Lee Shan a very lonely person. I pitied YB Voon Lee Shan for the problems faced by him and I hereby say “Sorry to YB Voon Lee Shan”. My late father and I had fought this case for more than thirty years and had given the government much time and if not for YB Voon Lee Shan I may still not be able to get my land back.

I also have to thank the court to allow the matter to be settled by us amicably because myself, being old and not feeling well could not allowed the matter to drag on for too long.

“Iban place trivial things above kids’ education” – James Masing

Should we allow the Dayaks to live in this condition with pigs still seen reared under their longhouses?

I am flattered by the words of Dr. James Masing to say that the dayaks should emulate the outstanding characteristics of the Chinese which gives priority to their children’s education. This was a fact that no one has disagreed because when Chinese came to this land, they also brought with them education from China. They came here in sampans, started what we called “Kongsi” which means, “company”, “community” or “society”. The Kongsi in Bau/Siniawan started by the Chinese hero, Liu Shang Ban, who attacked James Brooke in his Astana was a well known Kongsi to the people in Bau, Siniawan and Kuching.

When the Chinese came here, they met the dayaks and the local malays and do business with them and with their wealth they went back to China and helped their own people there. Some left behind and preferred to spend the rest of their lives here and they thrived economically by helping each other. Here, they started clan associations and societies to help each other. With their acquired wealth here, they brought more teachers from China to teach their children here and decided that Sarawak was their new homeland.

But, when the Chinese here became more phosphorous, they also did not forget the hospitality of the dayaks and the malays in allowing them to live and do business here. When SNAP was started, Chinese businessmen, to name a few, like the late Datuk Wee Hood Teck, Tan Sri Wee Boon Ping and Datuk James Wong poured money into the Party, but, the dayak and malay leaders could not themselves hold on to the Party, which led the Party been weakened over the years. Splinter groups within the Party led to the formation of PBDS, SPDP and PRS. It was a sad thing and I really hope some dayak and malay leaders would be able to revive the strength of the party to 1974 level at least.

Now there are some dayak leaders who became very wealthy by being in the government, but, after SDNU it took some intellectuals, who themselves were not wealthy and who themselves did not benefit much from the BN government to play a more proactive role in bring the dayaks to greater heights by setting the ball rolling by organizing another association for the dayaks, that, is the Dayak Graduates Association. Now we can see the Dayaks Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also the dayak music industry thriving with The Dayak Music Award (DAMA) 2008 in motion to help dayak come together.

On the other hand, Sarawak DAP also was aware of the needs to bring the dayaks to a better level economically and we had not failed to speak for the dayaks. When I spoke of the plights of the dayaks and told the Legislature that the dayaks in the rural area were still poor, YB Sylvester Entri, shot me down and wanted me to prove my statement. YB Sylvester Entri has to go back to longhouses and see for himself! Maybe he has forgotten his roots!

We know all these while that the dayaks had helped us much and many voted for the DAP. When YB Ting Tze Hui spoke of land problems faced by the dayaks, Dr. James Masing ticked her off by calling her act as “cultural arrogance”. Then how the dayaks are going to progress when we wanted to offer ideas and help we were shot down and now with Dr. James Masing issuing a statement, “to emulate the Chinese”? Is not Dr. James eating his own words? Some of us may not know the dayak culture well, but, it was our heart, our sincerity that counts. Dayaks leaders could know their culture well, but, how many are prepared to sincerely help their own dayaks people solve their problems?

When the dayaks are still very much behind with very little help from leaders who got rich, we do expect those who are rich and those in power to ignore them. DAP is not in power but has always willing to help. However, I regret that SUPP with so many “Lau Pan” also had failed to help the dayak much because BN is controlled by one man who said that “.. I am the government.”

Dayaks are rich in land – that is what Dr. James Masing said, but, they are not wealthy. If their lands are not surveyed and no titles are issued to their lands, the lands are still not theirs, because in law the land still belongs to the government and then how can Dr. James say that dayaks are wealthy in land? When the land has no title, the government can just alienate it to companies and cronies of BN leaders including YBs in the BN for plantations and reap huge profits out of it. The ignorant dayaks were still thinking that the land belong to them, but, their rights to the land is weak. Many dayaks had to fight it out in court, but, how to fight when these poor dayaks have no resources against the giants!

DAP has to help and I hope the dayaks will help the DAP to fight this common cause together. We cannot allow the dayaks to be poorer and be robbed of their land. This is because once they no more have land, the dayaks will have no choice but to fight for survival in the urban areas, in which, they will find difficulties to compete with the more sophisticated urban people. The place is already crowded and where will the dayaks go? Squat in government land? Once these poor dayaks could not compete, socials ills will then get the better of many good things. There may be more robberies and plunder and I guess the rich and the ministers’ houses will never be spared as we had already seen.

Therefore, to say that dayaks only care for trivial things are not true, because we could see the dayaks had all these while been fighting against the government to protect their lands and were not successful. How can the dayaks be able to send their children for further education where money is needed, if their most precious assests, land, be taken away and then Dr. James Masing has the cheek to say that dayaks only care for trivial matters?

The Relevancy of Select Committee on Internal Security Act 1960

ISA 1960 was passed under Article 149 of the Federal Constitution and section 8(1) states the grounds for detention for a period of two years upon which the order may be based on where a person has acted in any manner prejudicial to the:

i. security of the country or part thereof; of
ii. maintenance of essential services; or
iii. economic life.

Section 8(7) ISA 1960 allows the extension of the detention for a period of another two years and this subsection also allows further periods of detention of two years at a time. Further detention could also be based on the original ground or different grounds.

The intriguing issue is whether there is a need for ISA or a Select Committee be formed to study or revise the ISA to cater the needs of the present day situation?

Tunku Abdul Rahman had said that ISA was only to “be used solely against the communist." Tunku also said ISA was not to be used to stifle legitimate opposition and to silence lawful dissent. This was also repeated by Tun Hussein Onn who also gave assurance that it was not to be used to repress, “lawful political opposition and democratic citizen activity.” Tun Abdul Razak also promised the same thing, but, things later on changed. In 1966 when Mahathir spoke on the Internal Security (Amendment) Bill 1966 Mahathir said no one in his right senses like the ISA. The ISA was used by Mahathir, when he eventually became Prime Minister to silence his critics and political opponents in the infamous Operation Lallang.

The present Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in 1988 in criticizing Dr. Mahathir on ISA was heard said, “Laws such as ISA have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law.” When he became Prime Minister in 2003, Abdullah called ISA a necessary law. Abdullah could do something that went against his own words. This year, 2006 Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wielded the sword and those arrested under ISA not only included a political opponent, YB Teresa Kok, but, bloggers and a reporter.

Why? Was it not a weapon that was used as a sword by the Executive to control dissent voices and political opponents? Had we not diverted our attention from the original intention of ISA? I could see that it was a sword to preserve UMNO and the Executive rather that a sword to preserve the security of the country.

The Federal Court in the case of Kerajaan Malaysia & 2 Ors v. Nasharuddin Bin Nasir [2003] 6 AMR 497 has said that the ISA was a draconian law, but, legal under the Federal Constitution.

Since it is a draconian law, why should we keep it? Is it not barbaric and only for the primitive people only?

Now coming to the issue itself, a select committed on the matter does not arise and should be abolished on the following grounds:-

i. It has been consistently been abused by the Executive not for preservation of national security, but, the preservation of the government of the day and no amount of review or amendment to law could desist the Executive from abusing it or from reviewing or amending it to suit the government of the day;

ii. Although Article 149 of the Federal Constitution under which ISA was enacted permitted special legislation when subversive action has been taken or threatened, “by any substantial body of persons”, Under the said Article 149 of the Federal Constitution, ISA was supposed to be used against “substantial body of persons” but, ISA has often than not been used to detain individual dissents indulging in non-violent activities against the government. Those who had been arrested under ISA include environmentalists, trade unionist, journalists, passport forgers and consumerists. You can name whatever activity, ISA could easily be applicable to it. There are sufficient laws already in existence to control the activities of these activists;

iii. ISA should be used as a sword and a shield against foreign aggression, but, not against citizens who have a fundamental right of protection of the state and should only, if they transgressed against the law, be dealt in accordance the existing laws different from foreign aggressors;

iv. ISA is a blatant violation of international cannons of the rule of law, natural justice and due process of law;

v. With ISA the rule of fair justice has been removed where the Executive is allowed to act as accuser, investigator as well as adjudicator and the detainee most often, has no course to justice in court. This is against the theory that a man’s life and liberty should not be decided by one man alone;

vi. ISA has caused international embarrassment to Malaysia as a country being backward, coward and inhumane to citizens and human beings where information on arrests was also withheld from the detainee. If information is withheld, the detainee could not know the true reasons of his arrest;

vii. A detainee could be arrested for very weak or on no evidence at all and on flimsy reason based on the subjective reason of the Minister in which is not questionable by the courts. So long the Minister applied his mind to the arrest that the detainee was a threat or had been acting in a manner prejudicial to the country, the detention is legal;

viii. Islam is our official religion. Many scholars said detention under ISA without trial is against Islam as the religion itself does not allow any detention without trial.

If we are to speak of national security, there are already sufficient laws to safeguard our country. This could be found in chapter V1 and V1A of the Penal Code. Chapter V1 includes waging war against the State or the King or causing harm to rulers, Members of Parliaments and harbouring persons who show hostility towards the State while Chapter V1A is in respect of offences of terrorism. All these provisions are sufficient to protect national security and the Penal Code protects the right of detainees to seek justice in Court consistent with the preservation of human rights.

Respect of human right is the key to progress and world peace and ISA is a sword that can lead to dictatorship, anarchy and civil war.

Kampung Bintawa Tengah Gutted by Fire!

MP for Bandar Kuching, Sdr. Chong Chieng Jen, ADUN for Pending, Sdri. Violet Yong and myself visited the houses of the Kpg. Bintawa Tengah near to the Tun Mohammed Salahuddin Bridge at Petra Jaya, Kuching, that was destroyed by fire. We were told that the fire started at about 9.30 p.m., during to a strike by lighting. I was told similar fires also occurred in the area not long ago. An elderly man told me that the people in the kampung had made applications for some fire fighting equipment from the YBs in the constituency quite sometime ago, but, there had been no news about this.

BN government could spend millions of ringgit in many mega projects like Bakun and also sending someone to the outer space, but, had apparently forgot the importance of fire prevention and life savings.

It was a bleak Hari Raya for these people and I felt very sad for them. We gave them some personal donations, although not much, but we just hope we could contribute something to them. I am also pleased to see that other organizations like the Buddhist organization, Tzu Chi and PKR making some donations to the victims.