VOON LEE SHAN

MALAYSIAN ARM RACE – REDUCE SPENDING ON THIS!

2011-02-27T16:55:00.003+08:00

While we are concern about corruption, transparency and abuse of power, we have over the years lost sight that arming the Nation policy by the BN can lead to disastrous consequences of war and poverty. We should pick this issue more seriously now as it had been overlooked by politicians and the general public over the years. We all know World War II was started when Hilter in stimulating the economy and creating jobs for the Germans went on a rearmament policy. The Germans were happy because the economy was growing and people got jobs, but, armament of Germany led to World War II.

In our armament, the Ministry of Defence in one weekend on 19 April 2010 during the “Defence Fair” went to justify the spending of more than RM10.4 billion to modernize and upgrade our military capabilities which was said in line with the Nine Malaysia Plan, in which the BN government was very ambitious and was said prepared to spend RM21billion or 10.6 percent of our development expenditure although a sum of RM14.5 billion was spent during the said Nineth Malaysian Plan (2006-2010). However, the government had never failed to justify their spending budget on arms. Not many of us including some politicians and policy makers could see the problems caused by huge military spending by our government. The huge budgets for the purchases of military equipment and technology can slow down development progress and can slow down to erase poverty in Malaysia. What we need now is better education, places for acquirement of knowledge and proper development infrastructures for our people. It is a known fact that only through education, knowledge and proper development infrastructures can we accelerate development and help erase poverty.

We need to understand for RM1 billion worth of arms, we can build 100 hospitals or 1000 new schools or 10,000 new houses for the poor.

With huge budgets over the years in purchase of arms, many people in the country will remain poor as the budgets were grossly disproportionate to our nation’s means. We should realize that much of our money when buying arms were also spent on commissions. We should all recall in 2006 it shocked the nation when arms deal led to the murder of a Mangolian national, Altantuya Shaaribuu, when questions surrounded in the purchase of two Scorpene submarines and a used Agosta submarine from France. Our Malaysian Ministry of Defence was said had paid one billion euros (RM4.5 billion) to a French-Spanish joint venture company. Out of it, a Malaysian company which had connections with an aide of Najib received a payment of 114 million euros (RM510 million). We should all still remember that the demand of USD500,000 by Altantuya Shaaribuu as her commission, but, she was found blown up in a Shah Alam forest with a C4 explosives. These show that there are cases of questionable purchases of arms over the years by the BN government.

Our Malaysian public should be told that the basis of the arm industry is PROFIT. BN government can say that to maintain peace and security in this region, we must have the most sophisticated and the latest state-of-art weapons. Instead, BN government had helped countries like USA, Russia, France, Britain, Germany and Italy to make money from weapons and military equipment sold to this region. By supplying weapons and military equipment, these countries and their dealers make profit and they can easily provoke war in this region!

We Malaysians should also understand that many of those who dealt in arm have vested interests and have very little concern of human rights and morality. A report released the Stockholm International Peace Research (SIPRI) in 2009 said that arms race in South East Asia had come to an irrational level. Malaysia was said led the regional pack with the purchases of weapons of death a surge of 722 percent during 2005- 2009 period! Military spending had created insecurity in our South East Asian region as a Zone of Peace, Prosperity and Neutrality (ZOFPAN).

Malaysians should be told that the Prime Minister, Najib could lead this country to economic disaster. This is because when he was the Defence Minister, defence spending has accelerated and he is now even called as the “driving force” behind Malaysia’s military modernization program by Foreign Policy in Focus. His shopping list included battle tanks from Poland, Russian and British surface-to-air missiles F/A 18 jets fighters, submarines from France and Russia Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircrafts.

CARE AND DEFECTIVE OF MILIARY EQUIPMENT

The Nation’s military spending saw among others, a defective scorpene submarine. The said scorpene submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, which was schedule for a diving operation on 18 February, 2010 could not dive that day! In a 2006 Auditor-General’s Report it was also revealed that two Russian Mi-17 helicopters worth RM117.75 million purchased for the police air wing could not be used as they did not meet the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) specifications. The DCA refused to register these two Russian Mi-17 helicopters as the did not conform with the designs guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

On 16 March, 2006 the SeaSkua missiles, which is 2.5 metres in length and 25cm in diameter, which was an all-weather anti-ship missile, bought at RM104 million in 2002 was fired by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), but, they failed to hit the target! They instead fell into the sea and were never been recovered. (NST 4. 8. 2006). What a waste of money to Malaysia?

On 24 February 2006, the then Deputy Defence Minister Zainal Abidin Zin said that about RM300 million worth of obsolete military hardware had been disposed off since 2005. This included outdated military weapons, bullets, vehicles and aircraft spare parts. We also had a case in 2006 Auditor-General Report of defective combat equipment inclusive of ballistic helmets worth RM19 million being supplied to our army. These helmets were issued to our combat units did not meet the requirements set by the arm forces.

Two fires on 8th and 9th October, 2009 saw a Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) RM48 million tank landing ship KD Inderapura destroyed by the fires and was later decommissioned as the damage was irreparable. The findings of investigation was headed by Capt. Rusli Ahmad, was released on 14 November, 2009 which concluded that the first fire on 8th October, 2009 could highly be ignited by a short circuit while the second on 9th October, 2009 when smouldering embers restarted the fire.

In May 2008 our military discovered that we have two F-5E jet engines worth collectively worth RM100 million missing. The public was only made aware of the loss in 2009. Why so slow to let the public know?

The spending for military equipment and machineries were very substantial and eats into our economy. Where the money comes from for our military spending? I would not disagree if someone tells me that this could all come from our oil money! There will be little wonder that prices of our petrol kept on increasing all these years and this led to inflations and increase in prices of food and essential goods in the country!

The government should cut all military spending and concentrate to build more schools, places for the acquirement of knowledge, public infrastructures and take care of public health to boost productivity.

Police Abuse of Power - Government Pays

2010-12-11T11:05:00.000+08:00

Members of the public may always have a wrong perception that government officers like customs, police and JPJ have wide and unlimited power of arrest, search and detention against citizens. Many of these arrest, search and detention were done in the pretext the person stopped and detained were suspected to have committed a criminal offence. The person search most of the time also did not know how to protect their right and most of the time obliged to be detained by the police without seeking legal help.

Recently, in Lundu District a group of police officers arrested and detained a Mr. Liew who was said to have with him smuggled beers inside a motor van. Mr. Liew at that time in actual fact was lifting his beers in broad daylight in Lundu Town for sale to his customers and out of a sudden his goods together with his motor van were seized by Lundu police. Business jealousies could have landed Mr. Liew into trouble. Mr. Liew pleaded with the police officers that he committed no wrong and showed to them document to prove that all his goods were proper. When asked of the offence, the police officers just told him to follow him to the Lundu Police Station and of which he was locked inside a lock-up until the next day. No counsel was allowed to be engaged and neither was Mr. Liew brought to see a magistrate. However, Mr. Liew later on was told that he smuggled the beers into the state without paying customs tax on them! Mr. Liew was shock!

The seized beers were sent to the Customs Department, who upon inspection later on returned all the beers almost immediately upon inspection to Mr. Liew or his agents as the beers were all proper as the goods did not contravene any customs law.

Dissatisfied with the action of the police, Mr. Liew came to see me for advice and then sued the police. The government had to compensate the loss and damage caused. The government has to pay the price caused by the action of these police officers.

Members of the public have to be reminded that all government enforcement officers are not above the law and they could not be caught abusing the law. Government officers are also to be reminded that they should do their work in accordance with the law, or else, they could also be dragged to court.

THIRD PARTY INSURANCE

2010-11-08T17:56:00.002+08:00

The government should also look into the issue of Third Party Insurance Coverage where many motor vehicle owners could not purchase insurance coverage. Even could purchase, they were subjected to high premium payments plus payments for some other items. This should be made illegal and the insurance companies should be punished with hefty fines and jail terms to its officers. This practice tantamount to licensed robbery by insurance companies and should be stopped.

SAMAN EKOR

2010-11-08T17:56:00.001+08:00

Saman Ekor or police summons issued from speed traps should be abolished! It is unjust and is against the universal rule of natural justice. The motorists and owners of motor vehicles caught by speed traps and those who received Notification of Traffic Offences by way of Polis 170A who failed to pay their summons found themselves blacklisted by the authorities. They could not renew or pay road tax of their vehicles. This policy of the Barisan Nasional government against motorists and owners of motor vehicles are more draconian than action taken against citizens under the Anti-Terrorism and Internal Security laws. Such treatment of citizens are worst than treatment given to communists when communists were around in the country. At least, some communists caught with firearms were brought to trial, but, here there is no trial, but, direct sentencing by blacklisting these motorists and motor vehicle owners from renewing their road tax without a hearing from the court.
To add salt to the pain, citizens also received summons from the police for alleged traffic offences caught by speed traps which happened some ten years ago! One of the saman ekor referred to me was a 1999 summons! How can a motorist remember what happened some ten years ago! The policeman who issued him the summons could have died now! The government should put a stop to this. These motorists in such circumstances were forced to pay their summonses as most of them did not want to go to court.

The fine is also very heavy, may be, with interest as they were paid more than RM100.00 – RM300.00 for each offence for such summons. I still remember, ten years ago, motorists were made to pay RM5.00 and the most RM30.00 only. Sometimes, the Ketua Polis Daerah would just cancel the saman ekor. People had become fed-up with this government. They had become more rebellious and hostile towards this government.

The government should put a time limit to these saman ekor. If the alleged offenders could not be traced, say, within oneyear, these saman ekor and also Notification of Offences under Pol.170A should automatically lapse. Most, important all alleged offenders should not be blacklisted as what currently happened now.

DAYAK CULTURAL SCHOOL

2010-11-08T17:55:00.000+08:00

While there is a need to build more Chinese schools for the Chinese community, I regret that the Barisan Nasional government had not been sensitive enough to the needs of dayak community. I had once, if I am not mistaken, spoken about dayak education, and I am here pursuing the matter again for the community. We had gained independence for so long but, there is no full fledged dayak school in the state. I am afraid, many dayaks of younger generations to come will themselves not able to understand their culture and language well.

Although it may not be a policy of the Barisan Nasional government to build schools for every race in the Nation, but, we must understand that the dayaks are a huge population in the state and in Borneo. Would we in a multi-racial society like to see dayaks lose their identity and culture? On behalf of the dayak community, I hereby urge that at least, a Dayak Cultural School be built in the State, where dayak children and those interested in dayak culture and language can learn such dayak arts like ngajat, dayak music and customs. The Barisan Nasional government should understand that culture and language, if properly exploited can help boost our tourism industry.

Maybe with the same premises, an Indian Cultural School should also be set up to cater for our Indian community. The Indian community although small, but, had contributed their part to nation building and we should not forget them.

CHINESE EDUCATION

2010-11-08T17:54:00.002+08:00

Education is important in nation building and the matter is protected under our Federal Constitution. There should not be any discrimination against the Chinese community in area of education as every race and every Malaysian should be treated equally. With this, the state government is also urged to liaise with the federal government to build more Chinese primary schools in the State. Areas that both the state and federal governments should consider for the building of Chinese primary schools is in Ong Tiang Swee Road in Batu Lintang Constituency in Kuching. Chinese population in the area has been growing in recent years.

Mr. Speaker, I am also much concerned of the recent close down of the Chung Hua Primary School No. 2 which since colonial times had catered students in Padungan and Main Bazaar areas in Kuching. These students were then recently moved to a new site in Stutong area in which is very far for people of Padungan and Main Bazaar. The school had produced many brilliant businessmen and many are leaders in the Chinese community. What the Chinese community in Padungan and Main Bazaar areas need is a Chinese school not very far from their areas. So the best site, I humbly say would be Ong Tiang Swee area where government land is plenty. May both the state and federal government give serious thought for a Chinese school be built in Ong Tiang Swee area.

NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL IN ONG TIANG SWEE ROAD

2010-11-08T17:54:00.001+08:00

I have recently met some teachers and parents of students in Sekolah Kebangsaan Ong Tiang Swee in Batu Lintang Constituency and I was told the school since built in 1965 it is still a primary school. This has not been fair to those living in Ong Tiang Swee area and this is one area that the Opposition had always been returned with good votes. With growing population within Ong Tiang Swee and adjacent areas teachers and parents voiced out the need that the school be upgraded at least up to Form 6 level.

The parents told me that with challenging demand of present society in search of livelihood where they had to wake up early to beat traffic jams, they said it wound be stressful to send their children to secondary schools outside their area. The need to pick up their children from secondary schools outside the area in the evenings would cause much stress to the school children as well as they only could reach their homes quite late in the evenings. At the same time, the facilities of the said school had not improved much since 1965. The state government is urged to liaise with the federal government to see that the school be upgraded to secondary school in soonest possible. That is education in this school should be provided from kindergarten to Form Six level.

There is no reason that the school should not be upgraded as the matter has been long outstanding. Moreover, government land is plentiful in Ong Tiang Swee area. We now could observe that there are many government quarters being left abandoned in Ong Tiang Swee area and the land had not until now been put into good use. This abandoned land should be used to up grade or for the extension of this Sekolah Kebangsaan Ong Tiang Siang Swee. The school once upgraded should be equipped with modern facilities suitable for students’ need in the city.

POLITICIANS ARE GREEDY, SELF-SERVING AND SELFISH?

2010-11-08T17:53:00.000+08:00

The state election is near, but, instead of talking about issues and how to solve issues for the betterment of the state, nation and everybody, what I heard most often is that voters talked about politicians as greedy people and people who are selfish and greedy for power. It is common now that one can hear a Yang Berhomat or his family member be allocated thousands and thousands of hectares of land by the government or was awarded lucrative government contracts and have flashy cars, big houses and properties overseas and living beyond means. Whether these could be true or not, shows that a political illness has to be cured. To attract foreign investments and to boost public confidence in our democratic system, the Country should act like what the Philippines did to Marcos and his family and proper legislations be passed to seize properties ill acquired or properties of those who lived beyond means.

People in the streets are also fed up because politicians instead to be thrifty and careful in public spending will come with ideas for mega projects such as the dams like Bakun, the crooked bridge, the 100 storey skyscrapers and so forth in the hope that they could be awarded the contracts to these mega projects, yet, with inflated costs. The inflated costs will go as political consideration for the award of the projects. It is legal no doubt, but, this is a form of corruption.

It is also common in coffee shops to hear members of the public to say why so and so who is a hard working and honest politician who has his heart close to the people been “killed off” by own comrades and opponents and so on. Although we could not run away from “coffee shop politics”, but, public confidence in our democratic system is waning with negative perceptions against politicians in both camps in this country.

Voters said they should be guided by issues and politicians should be clear in their struggle so that voters could judge for themselves who they should support and elect as their representatives. However, voters are frustrated, confused and sick as politicians are said self-serving and greedy. It is for these reasons that many young educated people are fed up with our democratic system which caused them left the country.

Now, we also have too many people who have not registered themselves as voters as they are also fed-up because we failed to solve the issues about cronyism, favoritisms, racialism, corruption, abuse of power and the like. As politicians, we should be the guiding force for change for the better and should be the guiding force to stop cronyism, favoritisms, racialism, corruptions, abuse of power and so on. If our struggle is not sincere, a day will come that we will regret for failing to do our part when we have the opportunity, but, failed and or neglected to do so.

God has given us everything and everyone should have enough to eat if we are not greedy, but, greed will destroy this world and more people will die of hunger.

We must remember God never sent us here to destroy each other and God never sent us here to take away the wealth that belongs to the country and people. We are only allowed to take what is ours only and we are not to rob others. In this planet, we only need three meals a day and if we eat more than that we may not be healthy. Perhaps, what we should need now is a bit of comfort and some savings for the rainy days. We must understand, once we leave this world, we bring nothing with us, but, only our name to our resting place.

TELEPHONE SERVICE IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

2010-11-08T17:52:00.001+08:00

The answering phones did not improve telephone services in statutory bodies and government departments. Many told me that these answering phones are irritating and a nuisance. When a phone call is made, the answering phone performed the job of a telephone operator. The answering phones will say that if you want to speak in English, press 1 and if you want to speak in Bahasa Malaysia, press 2 and so on. The answering phone will take a few minutes to finish talking before it may begin to direct you to which button you should press. As we all know, the longer we spend on the phone the higher our phone bill will be. This is definitely not fair to the consumers.

After pressing the necessary button, you will then be left to wait for the phone to be answered and at times the answer will never come. It is indeed very frustrating when asked to wait and yet you could get the officer to speak to you. What will happen if there is an emergency? The answering phone could not provide the immediate response needed. I would also propose that for government departments and statutory bodies where clients or customers rang up often, to install more phone lines so that there would be better accessibility.

BATU LINTANG NEEDS A GOVERNMENT CLINIC

2010-11-08T17:51:00.001+08:00

Batu Lintang Constituency badly needs a government clinic or at least a regular mobile team of medical staff to provide medical services. The Constituency is with growing population and should not be left without a government clinic. The government should understand that government clinics outside the Constituency were always crowded and these clinics no more could accommodate the need of increasing population in Kuching City.

The government should understand that money spent on building the proposed 100-storey skyscraper would be a waste of public money. This huge money should be used for construction of hospitals and medical care facilities. The government should understand that if people are healthy, productivity will increase and there would be less money spent on medical care. In view of this need, it is proposed that a government clinic to be built on the empty piece of land that formerly housed the foodstalls in Tabuan Jaya. If this piece of empty land would not be suitable, I suggest that a plot of land should also be acquired somewhere at Ong Tiang Swee Road for a government clinic to be built in the Constituency.

SARAWAK DAMS

2010-11-08T17:50:00.000+08:00

We don’t know the actual money involved, but, it is estimated that we spent 15 billion ringgit to build the Bakun Dam. The government is pleased with the construction and completion of this Bakun Dam, but, we must take a second look before we should build another dam. We must understand that hydroelectric plants are not renewable plant because only constant maintenance will keep the dams going. Maintenance of the dams would be very costly if we want to dams to go perpetually and once not properly maintained the hydroelectricity produced by the dams will stop. We need to understand nothing in this world can last forever, unless God allows it. The possibility that the dams will collapse could not be discounted. We could not discount technical faults in such massive structures, such as breakdown of powerhouse equipments, erosion of spillways, failure of valves, sluice gates get jammed and so forth. These dams being large structures are easily targets for terrorists and we could not discount some mad people out there would re-enact a 911 strike with a hijacked airplane!

For those living near Bakun and Balleh river it is better that you all think of having a safer home. Let it be made known that Sabah and Sarawak did in recent years register earthquakes or tremors many times and such earth tremors can cause cracks or collapse of dams.

We have come across where dams in the world collapsed or cracked. Koyna Dam in Maharasthra, Western India has contributed to earthquakes in recent years including the devastating 1967 Koynanagar earthquake that caused roughly 200 deaths, 2200 injuries and destroyed enough homes to render more than 5000 people homeless. In China Shimantan and Banqiao Dams collapsed in August 1975 where millions were left homeless and deaths count of not less than 20,000. The extent of the damage had remained a state secret. In May 2008, a dam in the Sichuan Province in China was said cracked caused by earthquake.

Now, the state and federal governments are happy that Bakun Dam has been successfully built, but, we may one day see a catastrophe, which I hope will not.

SWERGAGE SYSTEM IN KUCHING

2010-11-08T17:48:00.000+08:00

There was an ecological sanitation pilot project at Hui Sing Garden, Kuching, some years ago. This pilot project was supposed to pave the way for a better sanitation and sewerage system in Kuching City, but, the project has failed. The government in this failed project had spent huge sums of money by calling companies and experts from Norway and Denmark to study and implement the pilot project. Now, the government had left those who participated in this project on their own to take care of the problems that they currently are facing. They could not flush their toilets now as dirty water would gush out of the toilet bowls. Their toilet bowls had been leaking for years now as they could not find spare parts to repair their toilets. They are forced to pay heft water bills because of the leakage of their toilet bowls. Two state ministers who are still here and two mayors who are no more mayors were said had inspected these sanitation project and was aware of the problems faced by the residents affected, but, nothing had been done to solve their problems. The government took a simple and irresponsible way out to solve the problem by just issuing a letter date 22 July, 2008 by telling the residents affected that the government was terminating the project and told them that, “the State Government has gained considerable experiences and knowledge on functionality and performance of the system.”

However, although the State Government said it had gained experiences and knowledge of the functionality and performance of the system, the State Government had failed to learn a lesson from the failed sanitation pilot project at Hui Sing Garden in Kuching by going ahead in full swing the implementation of the sewerage system currently under construction in KUching City without experiments being conducted to determine its effectiveness before full implementation. We agree that a detailed study has been made before implementation, but, what would happen if the system would be broken down and there would not be spare-parts available later on? Who would shoulder the loss and damages incurred by the residents of the affected areas? It is said the contract for the current Kuching City Central Wastewater Management System Package I scheduled for completion in October, 2012 at a cost of about RM530 million with inflated cost of RM78 million involves a company which is said has no experience at all in undertaking such a huge sanitation project. This project has now makes every Sarawakian to foot the extra cost of RM400.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

2010-11-08T17:47:00.000+08:00

Being a lawyer, I hereby declare my interest in this matter touching on the administration of justice. We all want to see an efficient judicial department, but, we should not in pursuit of efficiency forget the importance of justice and the welfare and health of those involved in the administration of justice.

In the pursuit of efficiency, court has been order to sit and hear cases at 8.30 a.m., instead of the usual 9.00 a.m. and quality of work has been compromised. Such a change had affected the daily lives of many members of the police force, prison and court staffs, judges, magistrates, lawyers, witnesses and members of the public. Lawyers, judges and prosecutors now have to work until late night as they have to rush and finish their cases within a certain time frame period. Those involved in court work has short lunch break and cases finished for the day as late as 7.00 p.m. There were cases where judges, lawyers and those involved in the in trials only left court as late as 9.00 p.m. By the time they reached home it would already be very dark. Their kids may have already gone to bed by the time they reached home. They could not now spend much time with their children. In order to finish cases at hand, some judges even suggested trial to continue at weekends.

To police and prison officers, they have to reach their offices even before dawn as they have to get ready the prisoners so that prisoners could reach court before 8.00 a.m. In the long run, the health of those involved in the administration of justice would be affected. This will not be good and the government will in turn, see rising cost in hospital bills from government servants. Time will come that many government servants may just fall sick. The government should first conduct a study and impact of change on the health and psychological effect of such a drastic change before implementing a change in the administration of justice. We don’t want due to work stress a day will come that there could be bad things happening in court which may take lives of judges, lawyers and those involved in the administration of justice.

2010-03-31T23:13:00.002+08:00

Manpower, not more money to cops!

The announcement of increments and allowances to police officers by the government is a bad move in terms of security management of the country. Police officers at this moment have good pay and their allowances had been increased or adjusted not long ago. Given the tedious and danger of police work, one may agree that police officers should be given better pay, but, we should also not forget that their income is very much better than many civil servants. Even before this announcement by the Prime Minster, a police constable with a Form 5 or SPM qualification enjoys a starting pay of about RM897.00 and can reach to RM2,065. 40 during his career in the Force. Besides that, a police constable can also enjoy a monthly service allowance of RM115.00, incentive allowance of RM200.00 and also housing allowance of RM275.00 per month. For a start, a constable can earn about RM1287.00 per month. After a minimum of three years, a constable can be eligible for advancement in rank to lance corporal and the advancement in rank will carry better pay and incentives for the constable. Police Inspectors in their present salary scale can now earn a few thousand ringgit a month.

Salary grade
Rank *Monthly salary
(RM) **Civil Service Allowance
(RM) ***Incentive Allowance
(RM) ****Housing Allowance

(RM)* ** *** ****
Trainee 897.00 115 - -
Constable 897.00-2,065.40 115 100 275
Lance corporal 1,386.21 - 2,285.94 115 100 275
Corporal 1,071.61 - 2,551.66 115 100 275
Sergeant 1,513.62 - 2836.62 115 100 275
Sergeant Major 1,773.16 - 2,897.80 115 100 275
Sub Inspector 2,032.71 - 3,157.35 115 100 275

In terms of security management, the government had shown bad financial management by increasing the salaries of police officers by giving at this moment better allowances. The additional fund of RM84 million, instead of allowances to the policemen, what the government should have done was to use that fund to increase the present manpower of the Force itself. At this moment, the Police Force lacked manpower and this manpower had not increased since the last 30 years.

When I joined the Police Force in the 1980s, the manpower of the Police Force stood about 80,000 men and it is also the same at today with about 89, 197 personnel only. With increased development and population, manpower in the Force should be increased, not their salaries in which, is already very high if compared with other government servants with same qualifications. This was the reason why we hardly could nowadays find policemen patrolling the streets and housing estates on foot and bicycles today. Given the better facilities today with patrol cars, this does not mean that better facilities will promote better efficiency if the Police Force lacked manpower.

The basic crime prevention in our society still needs policemen on foot and on bicycles. Even in advanced countries we still can see policemen on bicycles. The rationale behind this was to create of sense of friendliness with the public and with closer contact with public, policemen patrolling the streets on foot and bicycles can create a sense of security to members of the public. At the same time, it would be much easier for members of the public to supply information to police officers as patrol cars will not have this advantage.

The Home Ministry also should study the utilization of manpower in the Police Force. At present, we can find policemen doing clerical work and these clerical works could easily be performed by civilian staff. Being trained in security, investigation and crime prevention, it is a waste to see policemen and officers sitting in office to do clerical work in which are not suitable to their training. It is estimated that about 30% of the strength of the Police Force at this moment are doing desk job now and this includes the Inspector-General of Police himself. He should with his senior police officers be seen on the streets and checking their men more often rather than attending meetings and giving command from their offices. This is because only on first hand knowledge of the ground then could these officers been able to know what really was going on. This at the same time, this will create much public confidence and closer rapport from members of the public.

2010-03-14T23:54:00.002+08:00

THIS IS OUR HOME WE CARE, WE WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER

Speech presented in a forum sponsored by Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia at Harbourview Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak on 14. 3. 2010.

Speakers at the forum were:
Datuk Dr. Jeffery Gapari Kitingan,
Baru Bian, Esq.,
Harris Ibrahim, Esq.,
Voon Lee Shan, Esq.,
Mr. John Cobbold,
Miss Flora peter,
Mr. Jayanath Appudurai.

When God created this planet, Earth, God sent men to this planet. In this part of the world, where our country Malaysia is God sent men of various races. Here we have Chinese, Indians, malays, Kadazans, Dusuns, Dayaks, and others to lived together. Why there are so many races in Malaysia, not one race? Why God made things that way? Of course, there is a reason but our God Almighty knows very well what He wants for us. We are here as creation of God to live together as a family and we need to love each other in whatever situation and differences that may arise, but, the problems that we are facing in these present days are our own creation.

I can say, politicians play a very major role in leading the direction where this country will go and how this country should be governed. Politicians in the world, especially in Malaysia, are the people who can greatly influence the thoughts of the people. There are politicians that took advantage of our situation here for reasons known to themselves who started to tell Malaysians that Chinese and Indians have no place in Malaysia and should be treated as foreigners. This in the past, of course, had created much racial tension. Many Malaysians, especially the Chinese out of fear of mistreatment had migrated to other countries. Some people of other races might have migrated because they also fear that one day the issue of race will explode like May 13, 1969.

We all know under the Federal Constitution, the malays have a very special place in this country and under the Federal Constitution, they enjoyed many privileges. Although the malays enjoy special place and privileges in this country, this does not mean that other races are not given rights at all to pursue their daily lives. So, to other races especially, the Chinese and Indians, we should not say we are born unlucky not to be malays. To these races who are not malays, we have no choice, but, God wanted us born under that race. Of course, if we can have a choice, many may wish to pick the kind of race they wanted.

The issue of race has in the past been exploited by many politicians and it was due to this reasons that many political parties in the country are race based parties. The issue of race is intertwined with religion. Each race based party fought for their own race and with that they fought for their religion. Therefore due to that they only fought to protect the rights of their own race and religion. This is here our problems arise and when each race were too eager to protect own race and the rights of own race and religion, racial tension arose. Therefore, the problem of race is the biggest obstacle that we all need to overcome, if we consider Malaysia our home.

As for myself, although born a Chinese, I am a Malaysian and Malaysia is my home. Although my ancestors were from China, I can’t think of China, but, I can only think of Malaysia and like all Chinese in this country, I have to live and die here. With that, I must think how to make this country better and how to make Malaysia a better home for me and everybody.

We see Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. His ancestors came from China and settled in Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew never thought of going back to China. Lee Kuan Yew may not be a perfect leader, but, he made Singapore proud having a son like him. A small island state was turn by Lee Kuan Yew into a giant business centre in this region. Singapore should belong to the malays because the malays were said the earliest settlers, but, why Lee Kuan Yew could do well for Singapore? With that, other races including the malays, also benefited under Lee Kuan Yew and he is a very respected person in the island for having turned a poor island into an economic power house far surpassed many countries in this region. We must take it as a reality that Malaysia has been far left behind Singapore in terms of prosperity and their dollar is stronger than us two times.

Now, why Lee Kuan Yew could help develop Singapore to what it is today and left many countries in this region far behind? We must understand, Lee Kuan Yew was given equal rights and equal opportunity with other races in the island to help the country in whatever his talent could do.

Now, turn back to Malaysia. We want to make this country better and we care. We are not foreigners as some politicians in UMNO had said, but, sons of the soil of Malaysia. Although the malays have better privileges in Malaysia, I just hope that if we want Malaysia to prosper like Singapore we have to change. We need to tell people in power, especially, UMNO, who rules this country since independence that we need to change and we should not anymore be too protective of one race. What we should do is to work together for a true Bangsa Malaysia. Although we had been differentiated by skin complexion, we are all the same.

We must remember, when God sent us here and although born of different races, God had made us equal and wanted us to be equal. God gave every baby that came to this world irrespective whether he was born a malay, Indian, Chinese, dayaks and so forth, the gift of speech. The baby when born cried in the same language known to all men! The baby did not cry in the Indian language, not also in the malay language and also not in languages of other races! All babies when born have ears, a mouth, two hands, two legs, one head and two eyes and with a body. They were all made equal, but, it is we men that made things unequal and difficult for everybody. As I had said all these things were influenced and shaped by the politicians in the country. To us here and to all countrymen, I hereby call everyone to arise, not anymore be blind followers of politicians.

We should break the race barrier and must truly strive to build a Bangsa Malaysia and only when we recognize the existence of Bangsa Malaysia can we prosper and move forward with no more racial and religious tension.

In fact, the issue of race and religion have been in the past been exploited by these narrow minded politicians, who failed to focus to make this country a better home and a better Malaysia, but, a better own race – “bangsa sendiri”. We don’t want one race trying to destroy another race. Each race should be allowed to grow and to live side by side with each other.

We should not forget what Hitler did in Germany. Many Jews were killed, but, it was the Jews, although their numbers are not many, that became the better scientists in this world.

We had seen that when race and religion had been exploited, these politicians who propagated the supremacy of race, normally took advantage of the situation to enrich themselves and to climb to the higher echelon of the society. To do this, they will then leave many of their own race behind and also will leave other Malaysians at the bottom of the social strata. This then created tension among ourselves. We could see many in UMNO had left UMNO and there were also people in MCA that left MCA for DAP and other political parties, because these political parties put own race above all.

These politicians who propagated supremacy of race also took advantage of the culture of our people and society. It is our Malaysian culture that we seldom wish to pin point mistakes created by our leaders. At the same time, our race culture also was that we need to respect our elders and most of the time we were just blind followers, not knowing what happened and why things was done that way or this way. We just follow until we hit the rock! This is why we could not progress fast.

We also need to be aware that if we allow our nation to have race and religion to shape our destiny, then, we in East Malaysia would be very much in a disadvantaged position. This is because although we, Kadazan-Dusuns and Dayaks can always group ourselves together in own respective race, but, we can’t spread our wings to West Malaysia. We don’t have Kadazan-Dusuns in West Malaysia and Dayaks, except, a for a small number in Johore, we also don’t have dayaks in West Malaysia.

Although the Federal Constitution also protects and gives special privileges to the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak, but, when we allow race to take precedence in any decisions affecting our country, I can say the protection in the Federal Constitution is only a show case. It did not help the indigenous people of East Malaysia much because Kadazan-Duzuns and Dayaks in Sabah and Sarawak do not have the numbers. So, the protection is not there and in truth not many Kadazan-Duzuns and Dayaks enjoyed the privileges given under the Federal Constitution.

So, we should not let the issue or race and religion to shape our destiny and our country. Although we are small in numbers, we have many talented people in East Malaysia, but, if we allow race and religion takes precedence, l would regret that many talented people will not be able to take centre stage in many things, thus, depriving the country of good and talented people to help make this country a better home for all. We need more people like Lee Kuan Yew or maybe Datuk Idris Jala or Datuk Seri Tony Fernandez of Air Asia to help shape this country into a true Bangsa Malaysia.

As citizens, we forgot that we should be guided by democratic process founded on the principle of equality, social justice, transparency, good governance, mutual understanding and mutual respect of each other. At the same time, we must while progressing forward, nurture a sense of brotherhood in among each other. We must love each other as brothers and sisters. It is here that we as common people in the society need to play a part. We should not only leave things to politicians alone. We should know what is right or wrong for ourselves and also what we want for our home. We should be brave enough to play our part and we should not blindly be dictated by politicians. We should not be subservient or too obedient to politicians and if they are not good, have no sense of brotherhood, not productive, and could no more help improve our society and homeland, then, we have to exercise our democratic rights to have him leave his seat.

The destiny of this homeland is in our hands, not in the politicians alone. This is our home, we all should care and we all should make it better. The country belongs to the people, not the few politicians in the ruling party in the BN government. Malaysian Government is the Peoples’ Government, not a Barisan Nasional Government. This was a wrong concept that had been instilled by these crooked politicians in the ruling parties to make people subservient to them and to make us forget that it is the people that put them in power and that it is the people that formed the government. So a government chosen by the people is the Peoples’ Government, not a Barisan Nasional Government.

So, countrymen, whenever we are to exercise our democratic rights, please chose a Peoples’ Government – a government that truly takes care of the people and the nation.

2010-03-05T01:53:00.002+08:00

Stop Internal Bickering!

Opposition members should no more be bickering against each other and instead be more focused in sharpening their weaponry to fight the BN. We have very limited resources and very much lacking in manpower and money to fight the BN and yet we still hear Opposition members still very actively accusing each other and forcing own comrades to leave Camp and join BN. This will erode public confidence. We had been trying very hard to build a strong force together to what we are today, but, yet we have people who wanted each other out. Let us stay cool and think of ways to beat the BN instead of beating each other. This was the reason why I said factional politics is bad for all parties, be it in the Opposition or in the BN.

The Prime Minister in recent months had traveled far and wide in Sarawak and had poured billions of ringgits and this had won the hearts of many people in the rural area. I had said many times before that the battle this time will be in the interior and this is where we must put our resources together. The reason I said that the battle is in the interior because BN knows very well that we in the Opposition no Money Power to go to the interior. In urban areas, DAP and PKR are doing well and it is in these areas that we are able to kill BN off better. We must understand without Money Power, this BN is nothing and Taib also can’t play the tune much to please the people.

The problem of politics in Opposition is that many could see the prospect of capturing the government is good and very imminent in the next poll and in order not to miss the boat in the cabinet in the event an Opposition government is formed, many thought that the right thing to do is to keep their comrades at bay! This is here factional politics creates problems. This is bad and if this persists, we will never be able to capture the government because we are destroying each other instead of destroying the BN. So, let us no more do that and concentrate on our efforts to destroy the BN once and for all!

For myself, I can be out of the Party or out of politics, but, I want to still see the Opposition takes over the government soon. To sideline me is already bad but not all is lost for DAP and other Opposition parties. To the new face who will take over from me, I hope he can do better.

2010-02-13T00:10:00.003+08:00

SHOW CAUSE LETTER TO THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

I received the show cause letter dated 2. 2. 2010 by fax from the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Democratic Action Party Malaysia on 3. 2. 2010. I gave a serious thought whether or not I should reply the show cause letter, but, decided to do so when it was learnt that a leader from our DAP Sarawak said I should not be believed and that what I said were lies or that I had twisted the facts. I also know the consequences of not replying and also the effect of my reply. I was caught in a dilemma because the main issue that may influence any outcome is “Who is the Boss?” and how the Boss will react.

The show cause letter disclosed that the Disciplinary Committee had to act on a complaint from Wong Ho Leng, the Chairman of DAP Sarawak. It was a very general show cause letter of about over a page.

The reply was posted by me by way of Pos Laju yesterday afternoon 11. 2. 2010 and it contained about 62 pages. The matter touched on how I was involved in politics and the "football" we played in many “matches” in Sarawak elections. It also touched on the development of the “DAP Football Team” since the team was formed in Sarawak. I also touched on “footballers” that had to leave for other “teams” and their possible threat to the DAP Sarawak team.

When talking about football, I still remember a goalkeeper was charged for match-fixing in England many years ago. He was very talented and was my favourite goalkeeper at that time. A world class, I should say, but, it shocked me when he was charged in court. In Malaysia, fixing matches in football games was at one time a very common thing and it had brought the game into disrepute.

When I came to know football was no more a clean game, I then hanged my boots. Nowadays, I seldom watch football matches because of too many cheats. I was a footballer and a coach at one time and had played football with our Malaysian player, James Yakup when in the police. I met many footballers and at times also spent time with our "towkay" Soh Chin Aun in Alor Gajah for coffee during my football days.

I had to tell a story and the football team that went wrong and now I leave it to the Disciplinary Committee to decide.

2010-02-12T23:29:00.004+08:00

HO LENG SAID VOON SELDOM SPOKE IN THE DEWAN?
For the past weeks, I was being condemned by my own leaders for replying against the unfounded allegations by a comrade in his facebook. We all know that facebook could be accessible to the whole world. I am entitled to defend myself against attack as it affected my image, but, in the past weeks I was too patient and just kept quiet. Now, the article in the facebook and my reply thereto had been deleted. With that, it is much easier to condemn me and sad to say my Chairman Wong Ho Leng joined the fray to throw dirt at me and public are not happy. Again, I have to clean myself and to clear my name in public.

Members of the public did not condemn me, but, showed a lot of sympathy towards me of what happened to me. Here, I convey my sincere thanks to them for their sympathy and concern for what had happened in the past weeks. I could not have the leisure to spend time to rebut all allegations levelled against me because my time are precious and I preferred my time be spent for useful things and be used to attend problems faced by the people my Batu Lintang constituency, rather than to respond to what Wong Ho Leng had said unnecessarily. But, as a human being I have my limit and I just could not keep quiet at all times.

I respect Wong Ho Leng, but, I just pray that God will guide him as our supreme leader in the Party to solve problems in the party and not to aggravate it or prolong the problem to aggravate further. A child could be very disobedient, but, this does not mean that the child is stupid and we must understand that when a child becomes rebellious, the child would create a lot of problem in the family and it is up to the parents how to take care of the child and show love to child. We all know when a child goes wrong the parents should be held responsible. The child lacks experience in life and needs much guidance from his parents to tackle problems of the outside world.

This was what actually had happened in Perak government under PR. The Perak problem was like a disobedient child who was full of anger. There was fire in his heart, but, leaders did not cool him down. If there is fire, we need water to dose it out. Instead, leaders whom I say are generals, poured petrol to it and the fire burnt the whole house! What I say, the fire was there, but, why poured petrol to the fire? Control the fire from spreading by calling the fire brigades and dose the fire by water! This was what should be done.

The Perak government collapsed and the generals put the blame on the solders! No, the blame should be on the generals, not on the soldiers, because the generals had no ability or management skill to take care and control of their soldiers. Soldiers normally follow orders and are there to protect their generals if the generals know how to command and control them. Therefore, in wars, normally soldiers died and not the generals! This is why there was a saying that “There are bad generals but no bad soldiers!” This is because the generals are selfish people and they seldom die in wars and instead they let the soldiers die by having them to fight at the front and when attacked, the generals will get the soldiers to protect them!

Yes, in politics I am a solider and was sent by the commanders to the front to fight the war. I still remember in 2001 state election, I was ordered to prepare to fight BN in Batu Lintang and I worked very hard for about two years. The comrades who followed me were stung by the bees, bitten by the dogs and some of them even fell into the drains when chased by the people who scolded us. But about three weeks before the nomination day, I was ordered by party commanders to fight BN in Pending in a three cornered fight involving Dominique Ng. Both Dominique Ng and I were killed in that battle field and the incumbent won handsomely! Why got Dominique and I killed each other when we should be in the same camp?

The commanders did this because I supposed they wanted KeAdilan instead to DAP to fight the incumbent. I could not see the true reason behind this until now. I regret Cheng Hui Hong from KeAdilan could not plug the fruits I and my few comrades had planted there for him. DAP was lucky to have a straight fight in Padungan at that time. Until today I could not understand why Dominique Ng from KeAdilan was ordered by his commanders to fight against me and against the incumbent in Pending in 2001 although his political work all the years was in Padungan area.

In that 2001 state election, I was nearly been assaulted and battered in CHMS No.3 when during a public meeting addressed by the incumbent, I challenged the incumbent to admit that there was a press statement in the 1980s that the land in the stutong resettlement scheme was supposed to be given to the occupants there free and without premiums when premiums were then imposed after the occupants had comfortably settled down.

Now, I come to Wong Ho Leng, our supreme commander in DAP Sarawak. In the press dated 23. 1. 2010 Wong Ho Leng said my voice was seldom heard in the Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN). As his soldier, I could not understand the reason why Wong Ho Leng as our supreme commander had to say this. He was throwing dirt at me in public and I have to clean myself and I should not allow dirt to stick on me all the time. We need to understand that time to speak in the Dewan has always been curtailed by all possible tricks from the BN backbenchers. Worst still, too much time was spent in unnecessary arguments, like the shouting of monkeys, kangaroos and kurang ajar just to attract the people in the public gallery and the press. I was always very amused when YBs shouting and pointing fingers at each other were seen just laughing at each other or their opponents when they were seen shouting at each other in the Dewan. To those who did not observe their action, but, followed the press could not see what actually happened in the Dewan sitting and thought that these YBs were heroes. Unwittingly, we in the opposition also fell into the trap of the BN backbenchers led by YB Abdul Karim from Asajaya and when time came to speak and debate on the real issues, we found that there was not enough time to speak. We made ourselves fools and wasted the precious time allocated to us. We only had about 8 to 10 days meeting each time where not less than 50 YBs wanted to speak. Many times, YBs were only allocated 15-20 minutes by the speaker. At times, I could find myself lucky to be able to speak longer. There were times that the speaker allowed me to speak for about an hour.

To the public, I have to say that I had always been very careful of my words so that I would not be chased out of the Dewan unnecessarily and had to manage my time well. I did not want to get involved in all the unnecessary arguments with BN backbenchers, but, when I need to shout, I had to shout aloud and was serious at it, even if be commanded to leave by the speaker. I have to tell the people that given the restricted time allocated to us in the Dewan, we must as elected representative representing the voice of the people find means to get ourselves heard. The contents and quality of our speeches are more important than the unnecessary shouting that created headlines in the press. I also have to tell the people that many gave lengthy speeches, but, lacked ideas and quality in the contents of their speeches. When ideas are lacking from the floor how are we able to assist the ministers to run the state more effectively for the benefit of the state and everybody?

Wong Ho Leng as our commander must understand that he should be the first one to stand up when Chong Chieng Jen in the May 2009 sitting was attacked and booed in the Dewan by BN backbenchers and by the ministers when Chong Chieng Jen was about to speak on the land matters. There was a walk out by BN backbenchers and by the ministers led by DCM George Chan, thus, leaving the Dewan no quorum to hear the debate made by Chong Chieng Jen. I could not understand until today why our supreme commander did not or slow react on that occasion well. As a solider it was impolite for me to ask my commander. He was not aggressive enough when the opportunity was there for him to do so.

I had to stand up and challenge DCM George Chan to offer an apology to the speaker, the Dewan and the people of Sarawak for leading the BN backbenchers out of the Dewan during the sitting of the Dewan when our commander did not respond immediately. If I could remember two days had lapsed, yet, our commander did not do anything to aggressively condemned DCM Dr. George Chan. I regret that my commander’s reaction was not something that could be expected from him as he should have aggressively attacked DCM George Chan. When I stood up it resulted in very heated argument and I was chased out of the Dewan. I addressed the minister politely, but, when he ignored me, I had to shout and was very serious about it because land matters involved the whole people of Sarawak, be he a malay, a Chinese or a dayak and I felt that DCM should be held responsible for his action.

I have to tell the people that after I had been chased out, I did not want to go back and had to wait for DCM to come out of the Dewan and confronted him again. I had to wait for DCM George Chan because land matter was an important issue and in each sitting where BN backbenchers could play their tricks, I was aware that time was not with us to tackle the problem for the benefit of the people of Sarawak and it could be seen that I had been fighting the unjust policy on land matters since I joined DAP. The incident in CHMS No. 3 was scary but I had to carry on.

My heart was in pain when I could not see my commander at my side when I challenged DCM George of his action. DCM George Chan and many YBs stared ferociously like tigers waiting to eat me. They were also showing their hands and pointing their fingers at me. I just wanted to know why DCM George Chan led a stage out and why he was not serious about the matter. Being a leader of the people there was no reason why DCM George Chan should not be aware of the importance of the matter. I was a lone ranger facing the odds. The ministers and other BN YBs were all there and they surrounded me. I could have been assaulted by people around. I was not intimidated by their acts and presence, but, until to day I could not understand why my commander did not save me from the assault by Dr. George Chan at the corridors of the Dewan. I am very sad, but, this will not leave me demoralized to help and work harder for the people of Sarawak.

At the same time, the press statement of Wong Ho Leng published on 23. 1. 2010 has implied that the people in Batu Lintang was wrong to vote for DAP in which I am the elected representative. They said it was an insult to their intelligence. With that press statement, I was confronted by many people from Batu Lintang about the wisdom of my commander in what the commander said in the press statement. The people in Batu Lintang refused to listen to my explanation and had demanded an apology from my commander.

2010-02-06T01:28:00.003+08:00

Show Cause letter from DAP Disciplinary Committee

I had already receive a show cause letter from DAP Party Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur signed by Sdr. Tan Kok Wai on 3 February, 2010. I was given 14 days to reply and to offer an explanation as to why action should not be taken against me for bringing the party into disrepute. The show cause letter was issue after a complaint was made by DAP Sarawak Chairman, Wong Ho Leng to the Disciplinary Committee on 22 January, 2010. The show cause letter was given because I was said to have made media statements and postings on the internet in relation to certain grievances against the state leaders.

Last weekend a state committee meeting was held and it was voted that I should be suspended from the Party. I was told those who attended only had three choices. These choices were that they could only vote either to expel, suspend or to give warning to me. They could not abstain from voting and neither could they vote that I was not guilty. They also could not plead for me. The majority voted me that I should be suspended! Now, it seems that DAP Headquarters have no choice, but, to endorse the suspension. With it, I shall be out of the coming election as long as the suspension shall not be lifted! I am very confused!

Now, people guess who will DAP field to contest in Batu Lintang in the event I could not contest? Chong Chieng Jen or Wong King Wei? Or could it be Chieng Jen’s brother-in-law or his wife? Whoever shall be fielded, I hope DAP will retain Batu Lintang, but, I regret I just will not be allowed to campaign for DAP because of the suspension. I hope DAP will change the rule, that is, to allow me join the campaign for the DAP candidate that may stand in Batu Lintang. To Batu Lintang voters, please give support to them. My spirit and soul are there and to vote for them is to vote for me.

Further, I had been found guilty even before I could answer the allegations against me! I am more confused and I don’t know whether or not I should proceed to file a defence to the Disciplinary Committee.

Chong Chieng Jen had already delivered his own verdict even without seeing my defence when he was quoted in the Borneo Post on February 5, 2010 as saying, “As far as Voon’s public allegation is concerned, a lot of the statements were untrue, twisting facts and misleading.” Which part I was said misleading was not mentioned at all. Now, I find it more difficult to answer the show cause letter. Maybe, Chong Chieng Jen or Wong Ho Leng should help me.

In a court of law, I know that a person is not to be found guilty and be sentenced until he is allowed to make his defence or refused to make his defence. Even that, the court has to evaluate the whole evidence and to find out whether or not the charge has been proved beyond reasonable doubt against the accused person. Maybe, the system involving politics is different from the civil system of the courts in all democratic countries.

It confused me further when in Legislative Assemblies, elected representatives would cry foul if being chased our of the Assembly Hall without a hearing. I think our Wong Ho Leng and Chong Chieng Jen, will also do the same if being chased out of the Dewan Undangan Negeri or Parliament without a hearing or without being given a chance to offer a defence. We all know democracy involves transparency, fairness, equlity and partnership amongst equal,but, in politics, it seems the reverse. So, I just could not understand politics! No wonder, too many people laughed at me and told me politics was not made for me and had advised me no more to help people through politics, but, through other channels or sources.

The show cause letter also disallowed me to refrain from making public statements that would aggravate party image. Now, I am more confused when some party leaders could openly say something through the press that affects the credibility of party leaders.

For an explanation offered in answer to allegations in a facebook of a comrade, I was accused of bringing the party into dispute. Now, the facebook has been erased! Lucky I kept a copy of it! The comrade who made the unfounded allegations against me had not received any show cause letter yet. I am not sure whether this is a correct procedure for political parties to follow.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST ME

2010-01-31T17:58:00.004+08:00

DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST ME

I was made to understand that Sarawak Democratic Action Party had a meeting this morning to discus disciplinary action against me. It was expected because some senior members in the Party had openly voiced that disciplinary should be taken against me. It all happened after I made a reply to unfounded allegations made by a party member against me who in his facebook who alleged that I was not an asset to the party. I had to reply because if not, it would affect my credibility as a party leader and as an elected representative of the people. I had done my part although not the best. Like a footballer, I only could play in certain positions, but, not all positions. I had played my part and even been threatened of my life many times, but, only very few people knew about this. I now had to pay my price for opening my mouth. There were others who could open their mouth, but, nothing happened to them.

Just before the party state election, I was accused to have wanted to topple Wong Ho Leng and to take over as Chairman and a silent campaign was mounted against me. I never realized such a move was to get rid of me from the state committee. Maybe, I know too much and could be dangerous….Of course, there are people who said that I was a disobedient servant, very difficult to control. I still remember when I first joined DAP, I was asked who my mentor was in guiding me in politics and I reply I had none. I only support things that were right and would abstain from what was wrong.If an inquiry be held, I hope the public be given the opportunity to participate and to find for themselves what actually had happened and what was the motive behind all these moves.I also want the public to judge me whether I was wrong or not. The public should have a say because I was elected by the people and was paid from public fund.

My information was that two leaders had wanted that I be expelled from the party nine had wanted that I be suspended while three others suggested a warning against me. I could be wrong in what I did, but, there were people in the party who committed some wrong but the matter had been swept under the carpet.

So, I could no more be able to participate in party activities and maybe this would be with the view to get me out of politics.

in reply to CKG in facebook-DAP problem

2010-01-14T22:25:00.000+08:00

致CKG，田庆仁同志：

虽然你是行动党党员，但你并不清楚真象，你可以去追查是谁要推翻黄和联和谁要接任主席职。你最好去追问你的上司Y.B.健仁有关在希尔顿酒店举行的会议所发生的事项，他会告诉你有关出席这项『密谋军事政变』的人士是谁。我可以带人出来说出实事。。。并在大众面前看到更多。然而我完全没有参与，有人要求我赞成，但我却不同意，在希尔顿酒店召开的会议只是张氏兄弟所采取的其中数个步骤，出席的党领袖党职比我高，导致我被踢出州委会。健仁甚至告诉一名同志说，在州委会改选并没有投我的票，但这些年来我不曾没有支持他。在诗巫召开党代之前，我已经嗅到要干掉我的气氛。他们把枪口转对着我和说是我要成为州主席。从我所获得选票，显然我并没有涉及派系政治。对我来说在未了解事实之前就发言是非常有罪恶感的。当林吉祥在2009年12月12日抵达诗巫时，即在2009年12月13日进行党选前夕，你能否告诉我在2009年12月12日晚上於诗巫百乐门酒店客房410号发生什么事吗？当晚达致一个协议和某人须被干掉！你能否告诉我，为何一些领袖到处告诉同志说我要接任州主席职位？假如我要发作，当时我仍有时间在健仁召开记者会后，召开另一个记者会泄密和宣布在希尔顿酒店所有讨论事项。但我不是这种人。你能否告诉我，为什么3名陪同林吉祥来自西马的党同志在三更半夜与一名诗巫船运大亨共乘一辆黑色车牌8898的小型货车出外吗？说实话，我知道党内发生的一些事和背后的游戏。但我却不干预。在警队服务17年之久的我已教导我一些调查技术和保安部队特别单位的侦查活动。我从2006年就被指责要退出行动党和加入国阵，我想你也知道此事。假如我们真正朝向我们的政治斗争目标，我们不应该搞派系政治。我们不应该边缘化我们自己的同志，你应该明白因为派系斗争导致砂行动党一度几乎瓦解。当时林吉祥连夜赶来古晋，与张守江讨论整顿砂州行动党，直到凌晨3时。我们也应从人联与马华党争得到教训。

我们应该成为并肩作战的同志，而不是恶言相向。在警队的生涯和接受团队精神培训，我知道我所作所为。在过去10年，我面对太多的事件，甚至那时你还没有加入行动党。你可能不知道我在行动党会议鲜少发言。但在党面对危机时就会进谏。在一次的国会选举前，为什么要在翠华楼与公正党举行秘密会议和要让出实旦宾国会选区给公正党出战？说出事实是上帝的旨意，我把这项通过我的管道获取的消息列为“A”级消息。再次在2008年大选又尝试让公正党出战实旦宾，对此我强烈反对。我们当时抗议和联。我告诉张守江、林源新、贝伟大和其他人，我不能让此事发生。假如情况需要，我准备离开行动党，而不要苟同这种策略。这难道不是一项要让国阵人联的杨昆贤在实旦宾中选和让行动党只能赢得古晋的策略？而不是让行动党一起赢取这两个议席的策略。为什么要让一个不强的候选人挑战杨昆贤？而让施志豪加入战圈及痛失按柜金？

你追问我对党有何贡献，那么我也须问你对党有何贡献？最少在2004年，以我的策略协助党攻下古晋国会议席，当时我揭发有关古晋水闸的一些秘密文件。在翠华搂举行的庆功宴上，张守江在大众面前向我三鞠躬。虽然我感到高兴！但这不是开玩笑的，因为我可能在官方机密法令下被逮捕和提控！在2006年州大选，我的策略协助行动党在古晋赢取3个州议席，因为我获得一名在人联党的好友提供实都东99间店屋洛地的资料（即现在的实都东市场与店屋）给健仁，把事件公开爆料，使健仁看起来是英雄，实际上是我提供火药给健仁，让他点燃爆炸！最近报章大事报导我的律师馆进贼，其实在这之前的两次大选前夕，我的律师馆也进贼2次，我猜想贼徒是为了寻找我对付政敌的秘密文件。但我向来保持沉默，我的生命与家人都受到威胁，但我仍保持冷静。只有数名朋友包括政治部非常高级警官获得我的汇报，并提供线索即假如万一我被杀害的嫌犯。我把事件放在心上而不报警是有理由的。在2008年国会大选，张守江和我讨论如何战胜国阵的沈耀荣，我就告诉他有关沈耀荣在政治上的一些弱点。这些策略在投票数天前执行而获大胜。在反对党阵营，是有一些领袖正在睡觉，因为他们更兴趣於互助内斗。你指责我说健仁与和联在睡觉，你必须知道自己所说的是什么？因为我根本没有这样说。你最好去详细阅读报导。但我会原谅你的，请不要歪曲我的言论，这会反映其人格的。那些仍在睡觉的领袖更有兴趣浪费他们的精力与资源去干掉自己的人，但却不善用这些资源去对抗国阵。在党内的活动，我鲜少受邀参与，不干涉其他人所作所为也是我的为人个性。甚至邀请我参加节目的卡片，为什么没有转交给我？当我面对邀请人时，我会尴尬。也有来自党支部的邀请信，也很少有交到我的手中。直到我被踢出砂州联委会，支部邀请我参加会议的邀请也一样，当我没有出席时，就宣传我拒绝出席。为什么？边缘化策略？我不会被这种伎俩困扰，我作为反对党的愿景是与你所听闻到的传言截然不同的。自从2006年，我就被要求离开巴都林当很多次，但我却没有针对此事发言。我就如一粒足球，直至此时，我预料同样的事件将会发生或者我永久被停泊在码头。你是否知道此事和为什么要这样做？或许假如你要参加巴都林当区竞选，你可以尝试，但面对的压力将不是开玩笑的。我不但在巴都林当区服务，为了党的利益，我也在涵盖圣淘沙与石角的实旦宾区工作，甚至把服务范围扩展至西连区。我是不相信坐在办公椅的政治，我是奉行服务的政治工作者。我是党内一个通过媒体，告诉公众说行动党的代议士不需要被尊称为Y.B.，而可直称他们的名字。当然，这个建议并没有获得很好的反应。

请理智思考和善用资源对抗国阵，而不是与自己的同志内斗。

2010年1月12日。

行动党温利山

巴都林当区州议员上

Ground Assessment & Visit to Serian DAP District

2009-12-29T09:52:00.005+08:00

I and a few comrades from Kuching before Christmas went to Serian to make ground assessment of public support for the Party. The people were poor and needed much help. It was a bleak Christmas for them.

It was also our finding that the people in Serian District were not happy with the BN incumbents in the District. Few months ago I received complaints from villagers in the district that they were not given agricultural subsidies because of their support for the DAP, which, led to my intervention. I was told that a state minister was not happy with them in supporting the DAP. The relevant authorities responded immediately and subsidies were then given to them after some protests made.

Despite having ruled the country since independence, the Alliance (now BN) government has failed to uplift the standard of living of the rural people. The poor had remained poor and in each election, the BN government will just come with subsidies to please the rural people to retain their allegiance to the government The people were at the mercy of the government and if the people remains poor, the BN government will forever able to rule this country.

The support for the DAP was overwhelming and the people asked for change. Sdr. Tay Wee Wee has done a good job in the district and he has good influence among the natives in the district. With just a few phone calls, people came to swarm at us and were pleased at our presence.

2009-12-28T10:02:00.002+08:00

Public Reaction of my Exclusion from the Sarawak DAP State Committee

I seldom failed to visit my Batu Lintang constituency during weekends since elected in 2006. Last Saturday and Sunday, when I was visiting my Batu Lintang constituency inspecting the roads and drains in the Sg. Maong and Poh Kwang Park areas, I was swarmed by people there who showed their concern about my exclusion from the Sarawak DAP State Committee. Without first listening to me, many when they shook hands with me cursed the Party and some party leaders. I felt sad at their outburst without knowing what actually went on in the Party. One group was very aggressive and call names, cursing people in the Party. I am thankful to their reaction and support for me, but, of course, nothing could I tell them and I just had to calm them down. I had to sit down with them in the coffeeshop for about a hour listening to them and trying to cool them down. I told them that Party members and leaders do at times, including myself made mistakes in the past, but, we have to correct our mistakes and leave all bad things behind and move forward to face challenges ahead.

People must understand that in Kuching, the Party will be nothing without the Chong Siew Chiang, Chong Chieng Jen and Violet Yong and due to my commitments I was in the past just playing a supporting role. In Sibu and northern region, the Party badly needs Wong Ho Leng and company to expand the DAP territories. I was also nothing in the Party without them supporting me all these eleven years in the Party and I appreciate that. The Party’s survival depended on them very much and my exclusion is not at all important because the Party must come first, not leaders in the Party.

I had to tell them to give full support to the Party and Party leaders and should not go out to derail them. I told them, if there are people who wanted to derail me or any party leaders, forgive them. After all, they know not what they are doing. The most important thing is to see that the Party could be part of the next government.

REVIEW ALL LAWS ON DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL

2009-12-24T13:43:00.002+08:00

REVIEW ALL LAWS ON DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL

The BN government should heed to the voices of the people and table in Parliament to review all laws where detention is allowed without trial in Malaysia. These laws could easily be abused by the officers on ground. The officers who initiated cases against citizens can easily call or threaten others to give 4-6 statements to give basis to get the Home Minister to issue certificates to send a person to detention in places like Spg. Renggam and Kemunting Detention Camp. IF you don't give statement to the tune of the officer, the officer can threaten to arrest you and send you to Spg. Renggam and Kemunting. To the detainee, the officer simply said that it was within the officer’s power to recommend for the issue for such an Order and also recommend the place and period of detention. He would not say that only the Home Minister has overall power over the matter. Those who have no counsels or could not understand the law were normally made victims. They were just ordered to sign documents presented to them. Most often that not, these documents were never been read and explained to the detainee, but, when affidavits filed for habeas corpus proceedings, the officer would say that everything had been done in accordance with the law.

Sources of information were normally not known and information for detention to the Minister was normally very vague. The Home Minister is under a duty to issue the Detention Order based on the information before him. He needs not call for evidence and the Courts also have no power to call the authorities to produce evidence to determine the truth or the correctness of the information.

This morning my client's case failed. The court said since the Minister has already issued the Detention Order, the Court could no more see into the illegality of the detention prior to the issue of the Detention Order because the issue of the Detention Order has rendered the matter academic. So my client's habeas corpus application in High Court Kuching, failed. Miserable law! You could not see what had happened behind the curtain. You can be sent to detention centres only based on vague or false information as in way could these information be verified.

I had fought many habeas corpus cases in Courts and this one this morning was a case of clear abuse of authority. My client was prosecuted for a dangerous drugs offence, but, evidence seems lacking. The prosecuting officer told the lower court that an application has been made to the Minister to send my client for detention for a period of two years and since an application has been made, the prosecuting officer was instructed to apply for a stay of proceedings, in which I objected. The court was told that if the Detention Order would not be forthcoming or that the Minister objects to the issue of the Order, only then the prosecution would seek to continue with the prosecution against my client. The authorities had wanted two bites at the cherry! Upon arguments by me the court allowed the charge on the dangerous drugs offence to be discharged.

Pending the issue of Detention Order, my client was detained in the police lockup for 60 days as allowed by the law. Then, an application to the High Court was made for the issue of a Writ of Habeas Corpus. The authorities only produced the Minister’s Detention Order at about 23hours on the 60th day of detention. My client being Chinese educated was just asked to sign all documents presented to him. When the matter was for hearing of the Application for the issue of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, the Court has no choice, but, to rule that the application for the issue of the Writ of Habeas Corpus based on grounds prior to the Detention Order has rendered the application to become academic. This caused my client’s application failed.

Should I leave the People of Batu Lintang?

2009-12-20T00:18:00.002+08:00

I was elected by the people of Batu Lintang and I had served them wholeheartedly. After the seat fell to DAP, Batu Lintang saw many roads had been resealed or upgraded. Street lighting and drainage system had been improved and we could also observe that the grass along the roads were well trimmed. In all, everything in Batu Lintang has improved. DAP has already stamped a good name in Batu Lintang and with my good work in Batu Lintang and also in the Dewan Undangan Negeri, I had expected comrades would return me to the DAP State Committee. To my surprise, I could not even get in the final 15! Why was I being dumped by the comrades? What went wrong?

Later on, I was told words spread around that I wanted the Chairman post from Wong Ho Leng. I never harboured that intention. Who am I to replace Wong Ho Leng. To my opinion, persons who are capable to replace Wong Ho Leng are Sdr. Chong Siew Chiang and his son, Sdr. Chong Chieng Jen. Therefore, to say that I wanted the Chairman post was a very vicious whispering campaign against me. I was unaware of the matter. It was very sad and by the time I knew it, it was too late for me to do anything. Even if I could know about this venom early, I could not also do anything because I do no belong to any team and neither, I wish to be in any team. I prefer to be a loner. To have teams in a Party creates infighting and factional politics could not then be avoided.

To my surprise, the votes of our Chairman, Wong Ho Leng was not better from what his secretary got. My Batu Lintang Chairperson, Sdri. Winnie Kuan, did extremely well to get the highest votes, beating all YBs including Sdr. Chiew Chiu Sing, who normally was top in almost every DAP state elections. Chong Chieng Jen, being an MP and also an ADUN was expected to do well, but, he could not find himself among the top ten. Instead, many little known comrades got good votes. Why? DAP Sarawak should conduct a post-mortem why heavy weights in the Party could not do well in the election. Myself was dumped and was let drown!

After the convention was over, I received many phone calls from the delegates who expressed their shock for my exclusion in the state committee. Many of them disclosed that they were not happy with what was going on in the Party. They said there were many protest votes because of how things were run in the party. Many said they did not back the heavy weights. They also said that there is also no reason why I should not been co-opted into the state committee.

Whatever set back I have in the Party, one thing is clear, I shall still serve the people of Batu Lintang to the best I can like the past. I pray that the people of Batu Lintang will give me strength to move on. Without the people of Batu Lintang, I could not have won Batu Lintang and I shall see that the interest of the people of Batu Lintang be protected at all times. The people of Batu Lintang is above the Party! DAP is nothing without the people! I did not take a break and I had been back to my Batu Lintang constituency to carry on with my work as usual.

To serve the people, my strength in the Party is not important. I believe my political strength lies with the people of Batu Lintang.

DAP - Let us focus on Teamwork

2009-12-11T12:38:00.003+08:00

I was told our State DAP Chairman, Sdr. Wong Ho Leng, has in the press said that he would not mind if Sdr. Chong Chieng Jen can be the Chairman. It seems that the Chairman has loose steam, which, he should not. To me, whoever is the Chairman, Secretary and so forth, makes no difference.

When I was still playing football, I was a player, captain and coach and even though I held three tasks at the same time in the field, I could not play the game if not for team work. Maradona could not play the game alone! Likewise in politics, the Chairman and Secretary could nto led the party alone, unless, supported by the grassroots. Therefore, a party or an organization is like a football team, and every player has to play their part to make things work. At times, the more experienced player may just lapse and this is where we may need another player to tell him. In a football game, we could not afford to lapse, else our opponent will score a goal against us. We need to stay focused on the game.

In politics, which is like a football game, we have to be very focused against our opponents and we could not afford to lapse and everyone has to play their part to their level best. Of course, not everybody is perfect and for better performance, practice is needed and we also need a good coach, but, a good coach could not work, unless the players give their fullest co-operation for strategies to work. This happened to me as coach many times, because players especially when playing against weaker teams, may try their own strategies to just want to play a flowery game against the opponents instead of concentrating on the game to win. It may be entertaining to the spectators but, in the end it is the results that count.

In whatever situation, DAP is still a team to watch in the coming election and I hope I may be able to play my part well.

Sulaiman Resigned, Opposition Still Sliping?

2009-12-07T02:02:00.004+08:00

I have forewarned some Opposition leaders not to slip anymore as there are signs that the state election is coming very soon. Will the nation watch a “Tsunami” coming to this direction and sweep the state Barisan Nasional government away? This is what people in coffee shops are talking about. Opposition can only do this if all are prepared and if all could work together and start working now. The signs that state election is near is very imminent and it could be as early as during 1st term school holiday next year 2010. The Election Commission has met the chief minister recently and this has enhanced the suspicion of an early election. It was unprecedented for the Election Commission to have met the chief minister and unless it was something to do with elections there was no good reason for the Election Commission to have an audience with the chief minister.

The battle will be in the dayak areas and the dayaks are growing impatient each day. Educated dayaks are more daring these days to stand up and fight for their people and this may spell danger to the chief minister Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud. So the chief minister has to no choice, but, to please the dayaks. The things to tame the dayaks are simple and BN knows how to do this. The trick is to give a few influential dayak leaders some benefits and then splash some money in their areas. This will keep the dayaks and their leaders happy and with that their opposition against Taib will again just fizzle out.

In this strategic planning to retain power in the state, the Barisan Nasional government was forced to appoint Datuk Idris Jala, an orang ulu of Kelabit tribe, in August 2009 as Minister to the Federal Cabinet. Why appoint Idris Jala when there are many to choose from? This was nothing more than to please the Orang Ulu people. Among the orang ulu, Idris Jala is the only one so far been appointed to hold such a high office. The appointment of Idris Jala will see the Orang Ulu stay behind the Barisan Nasional government.

Then came the approval in September 2009 by the federal government RM50 million for the construction of the first phase road fom Lawas to Ba’Kelalan.

This was followed by the announcement by Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan on 22 November, 2009 at Buduk of a proposed road at RM1 billion from Lawas to Bario in the North Sarawak.

With the recent cabinet reshuffle which led to the appointment of 4 dayaks to the state cabinet is no doubt a strategy by the chief minister, Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud to stay in power with the help of the dayaks.

Taib may retire soon and may wish to see his son, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib take over as chief minister. Sulaiman has tendered his resignation to the Prime Minister and this will give him enough time to build his grass root support before entering the fray and take over from his father as chief minister of Sarawak.

Opposition Applied Wrong Strategy
In strategic planning, the Opposition has made a grave mistake of competing with each other for publicity in their discussions for seat allocations. Are the leaders all too eager to topple Taib or were competing with each other to become chief minister? Why wants so much publicity? Leave the issue who leads the state, fight the war first! Win first, talk that later! A strategy once wrongly executed will be disastrous. This has alerted the BN. BN took the cue from the publicity and before an Opposition pact could be formed, BN has to reorganize their machineries and strike first. BN has also now started the smear campaign against the Opposition camp in the blogs and SUPP has already set a team to compile information and facts about weaknesses of the DAP in the hope that these will be turned into weapons against the Opposition. Dr. George Chan has already fired his first shot in the Dewan recently.

Now, the Opposition has to work fast. The dayaks have to wake up and form a movement like Hindraf and go to Parliament to demand for their rights or the King to seek protection of their rights and to do this they must seek the cooperation of our neighbours, Sabah.

All Opposition leaders with dayak traditional clothes and war head gear have to show some solidarity and march to Parliament and to the Palace to hand a Memorandum to Parliament and the King. Alternatively, the dayaks should march with full force to demand their rights from Taib Mahumud. International media must be called to give as wide coverage as possible. Only by doing this a wave for the Tsunami can be created to sweep the state Barisan Nasional out of power.

What’s brewing up in Sarawak DAP?

2009-12-05T17:13:00.002+08:00

A blog said I am a loner and is fighting my toughest battle to survive. What ever it is, I believe in what I am doing and do the right thing. To me, in the DAP there is no Team A or Team B. Every comrades at whatever level they are, they are the same to me. As long as they do the right thing for the Party, they should be supported. Likewise, I believe that as long as I do the right thing, I believe comrades will support me, but, if I do the wrong thing, they have every right to condemn me. That is my principle and I struggled on the strength of this belief. It was a belief that I had been preaching all these while. The rule of marginalistion and the fear of my own shadow were never always on my mind. Every "big" and "small" people in the Party have a role to play and I am not scared of people following my shadow or people overtaking me in popularity or wanting me replaced. In a war against enemies, we even need "prostitutes" to get our enemies.

I only talked about politics and party matters with few people, but, I listen to as many people as possible before I make a comment.

Maybe this was the reason I was seen as a loner, but, that was the view of the blogger.

To me, politics is just a social work and I had spent much time in it and I know at anytime, I could be replaced and if replaced, I shall have no sore, although, when one day I retire, I may reflect back the many good and stupid things I did in life and in politics. Every person has his own strength and his own weakness and I am no exception. I had been in DAP for quite sometime and had followed the Party since school days, but, I regret that I still could not play a very major role in the Party as expected by many. Given my vast experience in leadership and in the civil service, I was supposed to play a major role in DAP, but, time and money was not with me. Those who have the time and money should fill in the vacuum. It is like football, when a player is weak in a certain position, some one has to work harder and cover him in the team.

So, I just chip in whatever I could and get the Party going. At least, my strategies for DAP Kuching worked in the last three elections. Had we decided not to contest Stampin Parliamentary recently because of the St. Martin issue and that I could not create any impact, DAP Sarawak, could spell danger to retain its bases. (Note: St. Martin issues includes land, the spread of christianity and tresspass to property of a helpless landowner)

I had done my part for the Party and let it be that way and I am not seeking to be remembered by the Party, but, I pray my family will remember me. Yes, I always did things, “MY Way” and I am not distracted by what people say about the coming State Convention in Sibu. Come what may this 13th December 2009 DAP Sarawak still have to survive against the Barisan Nasional. I can be out, but, I don’t’ care. The Party shall not be out!

2nd Police Report Against BN YBs Under Sedition Act 1948

2009-12-01T16:04:00.003+08:00

Publications in local newspapers including The Borneo Post on Thursday November 19, 2009 had indicated that YB Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (BN – Asajaya) together with YBs from the Barisan Nasional, among others, YB Dr. Abdul Rahman Junaidi, (BN-Panatai Damai), YB Snowdon Lawan (BN-Balai Ringin), YB Andy Chia Chu Fatt (BN-Pujut), Dr. Jerip Susil (BN-Bengoh) and YB Vincent Goh Chung Siong (BN-Pelawan) had jointly made a complaint against me for uttering words which they deemed seditious inside the Legislative Assembly. They later on (note sure whether Dr. Jerip Susil BN-Bengoh was present during the press conference) jointly called a press conference and had caused to publish and or had published by making known to public or to announce publicly through the press words which were allegedly spoken by me and of which they alleged were seditious. The publications in the local press had also indicated YB Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and these YBs to have read for publication from the Hansard three paragraphs which they claimed were seditious.

If they claimed what were seditious then, they could not publish it and to do so they themselves were committing another offence against the Sedition Act 1948. I have no choice, but, to lodge the police report. Their offices and homes could also by searched by the police under the Act. They could not claim any immunity under the law to have done so.

I am thankful to PAS, SNAP and KeAdilan members who were present with me at the Central Police Station Kuching, when I lodged the police report. They came because they were concerned about my safety after they came to know the mentioining of ISA in the press which may affect my liberty. I hope good sense prevail and it is a wakeup call to all quarters to be more serious in looking into the flaws of the federal constitution which affected the rights of the ibans, bidayuhs and local malays of Sarawak. The matter need to be raised so that better protection should be given to these races. I am not sure whether other races indigenous to Sarawak could also been left out.

2009-11-26T03:16:00.001+08:00

Keep People Poor, BN will win Elections

The coming state election in Sarawak will be a tough one for the Opposition. To determine whether BN will continue to be the government or whether the Opposition will take over the government, the battle field will be in the kampungs, coastal and rural areas. People in these areas are largely still poor. BN knew very well that if they wanted to win elections, people need to be poor and when people are poor, they thought not of anything else, but, how to feed their stomachs full.

To these, the BN has a simple answer. Give them the carrot during election time! An Assistant Minister during the Batang Ai By-Election told me exactly this! He said BN has no issues to convince people to vote for them, but, money to do this. He told me that the Opposition can campaign as hard as they could, but, at the end of the election campaign, BN will just pour money in the constituency to win the hearts of the voters. BN will come with promises of better roads and better infrastructures. With these promises, people in these areas will just be caught and have no choice, but, to vote for BN. Therefore, as long as people are poor, BN will continue to rule in this country.

The Assistant Minister also told me that after elections, people have short memories and the carrots also gone. It seems true to what this Assistant Minister has said to me. The promise of better infrastructures and roads in the Batang Ai Constitutency during the by-election also has been forgotten by the rural folks. Where is the RM70 million now as promised during the by-election?

This was also the reason why DAP in past years only consolidate its resources and power in the urban areas. It was only recently that we only try to penetrate some areas outside our “forts”. It was because of lack of manpower and other resources DAP in past elections, seldom fought in coastal and rural areas, but, to concentrate our energy in most urban areas. The 30 years of hard work only saw some progress in the fight against BN. Given the present living standard and level of education and the accessibility to the electronic media or internet touching on current issues, DAP and other Opposition parties are expected to perform better this time.

Lodging Police Report Against BN YBs

2009-11-23T16:58:00.016+08:00

Defamatory & Seditious Remarks in The Borneo Post

Lodging Police Report Against BN YBs - Police Report No.1

On 13. 11. 2009 at about 10. 42 p.m., I received a SMS in which I suggest came from YB Karim Hamzah which said, “Evening YB. Almost all the BN ybs spoke up this afternoon offended by your racial overtone speech on 11th wh we deed as inciting n very seditions. I ve put on record in my debate this evening that if the damaging and seditious words are not withdrawn n an apology to the hse not made by Tues 17 Nov, I will ve to lodge a Police report for incitement n seditious remark.”

I was alarmed and felt threatened by the threat and it has caused fear and mental injury to me of a criminal investigation and prosecution against me which may affect my liberty. The unlawful threat together with the mentioning of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in the press was with the intention to obstruct my rights as a mouthpiece for the people of Sarawak and to my right of freedom of speech and immunity accorded to me by the Federal Constitution as an elected representative of the Legislative Assembly in debates I participated in the Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak.

I also lodge the police report because a publication in The Borneo Post dated November 19, 2009 was false and has seditious tendency which said, “Karim said Voon had uttered words in DUN which were deemed seditious and unhealthy for a multi-ethnic country Malaysia. You cannot use words that disrupt racial harmony and incite one race against the other. And that is how it sounded when you read those three paragraphs ( of the Hansard). It has that sorts of connotation.” YB Karim Hamzah and other BN YBs by calling a press conference or going to the press shows that they had the common intention to create hostility from the people of Malaysia towards me after on issues raised by me in my debate in Dewan Undangan Negeri. I also fear that their action can cause disruption to public order and public peace. The issues were in respect of the flaws in the Federal Constitution affecting the rights of natives and malays in Sarawak and the political implications of the Federal Constitution which should only be debated and dealt with inside the august House and not poured out of the House. No where was it my speech or my intention to disrupt the racial harmony of the people but the facts were twisted to fan hatred against me and therefore the publication and other things in connection thereto published out from the press conference were highly defamatory and malicious.

I lodge this police report for investigation for offences under criminal intimidation, criminal defamation and also for offences under the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Sedition Act 1948. I also seek the police and the relevant authorities to protect my safety and the safety of my family as we feel not safe at this moment.

Police Report No.2 - See what was published in The Borneo Post

The Borneo Post published Thursday November 19, 2009 said, “Masing, the President of Parti Rakyat Sarawak, said it was not true that the Malays in Sarawak had suppressed the Dayaks as alleged by Voon in his debate on Nov 11”. He (Voon Lee Shan) claimed that the Malays suppressed the Dayaks? This is not true. It would not be right for him to use racial issue to gain political mileage.”

In this police report, I made it clear that I never said the Malays in Sarawak had suppressed the Dayaks as alleged in the said publication, which, I deemed as highly defamatory because I never said these words in my debate speech during the Dewan Undangan Negeri sitting on 11 November, 2009.

First, these words in the publication in The Borneo Post, which are totally false, malicious are defamatory and tantamount to disparage my credibility. Second, these words may have a seditious tendency to incite the Malays and the Dayaks in Sarawak to breach public peace and public order. Third, it may have a tendency to incite and create hostility against me from the Malays and Dayaks in the Sarawak. The publications or words used therein had caused mental injury and agony to me and I am affected by the said untrue allegations and I fear for my safety and the safety of my family.

I lodged the police report after I was aware that I was suspiciously followed from behind by some people each time I went out in the City of Kuching. For the safety of myself, I have to be accompanied by my Party comrades, including YB Chong Chieng Jen and also YB Violet Yong. The state secretary Sdr. Saidin Sahini of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) of Sarawak and members of Parti KeAdilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak including its State Treasurer, Sdr. Wong Huan Yu also came to the police station and express their fear for my safety.

I wanted an investigation be carried out by the police for offences under the Penal Code, the Sedition Act 1948 and the Internal Security Act 1960 and that the police takes all necessary steps to diffuse any ill feelings by the people towards me and towards each other and I also seek police protection for myself and for my family.

In the recent sitting in the Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak, I raised the flaws of the federal constitution and their socio-economic and political implications caused by the flaws. I spoke on the issues upon the request of the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) on the plight of the dayaks because SNAP has no elected YB in the Legislative Assembly. Many of my dayak relatives and friends had also wanted me to speak on the issues because the federal government had overlooked the matter for the past 46 years and further not BN dayak YBs had been heard speaking on the matter either in the Federal Parliament or in the State Legislative Assembly.

In giving moral support, Sdr. Saidin Sahini also spoke on behalf of PAS to the press outside the police station.

Photos taken at Central Police Station - 21.11.2009

Figure 1: L-R Poh Bee Chiew, Chairman DAP Pending Branch, Stanley Embat of PKR, Saidin Sahini, Secretary of PAS Sarawak, Pui Vui Tat, Chairman DAP Stampin Branch and Chong Nam Soon from Pending Branch.

Figure 2: Talking to the Press after lodging police report at Central Police Station, Kuching.

The lady in blue is Chairperson of my DAP Batu Lintang Branch. Could be seen also is

Sdr. Saidin Sahini of PAS Sarawak.

Figure 3: MP Chong Chieng Jen with me speaking to the press outside the police station

Figure 4: Lodging police report in the Central Police Station Kuching accompanied by (L-R) Sdr. Pui Vui Tat, YB Violet Yong, YB Chong Chieng Jen, Sdr. Chong Nam Shoon and Sdr. Saidin Sahini of PAS Sarawak.

Figure 5: YB Chong Chieng Jen and Sdr. Pui Vui Tat watching me making my police report

Figure 6: The crowd inside the Central Police Station at time of lodging report

Figure 7: All in solidarity in support of me

Figure 8: YB Chong Chieng Jen talking to the press. The gentleman with the red T-Shirt is Joseph Tawie of the Broken Shield Blog and Miss Connie Chieng of the Eastern Times

Figure 9: Outside the police station with YB Chong Chieng Jen and YB Violet Yong

Figure 10: Outside the Central Police Station Kuching

L - R Sdr. Chong Nam Shoon, Sdr. Jong Jun Fook, Sdr. Pui Vui Tat, Sdr. Poh Bee Chiew, Voon Lee Shan and Sdr. Stanley Embat

Malaysia, a Gaming Nation.

2009-11-21T23:34:00.000+08:00

Gambling is a gaming Nation and there is no need to go to Las Vegas to enjoy a game or two. We have all sorts of gaming and you name it, we have it. We may say all forms of gambling is against religion and to the muslims, it is “haram”., but, the Barisan Nasional government Prime Ministers, having declared Malaysia as an Islamic State seems to encourage gaming in this country. Not only that, I personally observed that muslim people came in and out of these outlets when it was clear that notices displayed at the counters said that gaming is “haram” to muslims. What had our Prime Ministers and the muslim religious bodies done about this? So far, we are yet to hear of harassment by muslim religious bodies against muslims patronizing these gaming outlets. At the same time, the number of housewives and young ladies including school children patronizing these outlets also kept on increasing over the years. At this moment, the more popular outlets patronized by patrons were Big Sweep, Toto, 4-D Magnum and Da Ma Cai.

Mismanagement of Sarawak Forests

2009-11-21T23:27:00.001+08:00

The state government is negligent in managing our forest resources. After the Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd., was formed, most employees of the Sarawak Forestry Department were not given work to do. Instead of recruiting more employees or officers, many were ordered to be “transferred” or seconded to other government departments and statutory bodies. Many that were given marching orders to somewhere else were not happy with what the state government had done. The Sarawak Forestry Union even brought the matter to court.

The enforcement of the laws of the Forest Ordinance and National Parks were said been carried out by the Sarawak Forestry Department, thus, depriving the forestry officers of their right to work. The dignity of these forestry officers suffered as were seen as “beggars” by their friends, relatives and other government staffs. This was because while receiving their pay, they were not giving work to do. It is a very sorry state. They were under “suspension” from work and with nothing to do, many had hid themselves away from friends and relatives because the impression against them was very bad as if they were government officers suspended from work for breach of discipline and pending investigations and disciplinary actions against them by the State Public Service Commission.

This went on for many years, not until recently, when the present Director of Forests took over office. But still, the Forests Department is not in full operation like before. Damage had already been done, as our huge forests had not been properly maintained and there had been lacking in law enforcement. The result is that there had been rampant illegal felling of our timbers by thieves. The officers of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd., who took over most of the law enforcement work from the Forestry Department were legally toothless (my opinion) because they do not have the powers under the Sarawak Forests Ordinance to enforce the laws. The power is only given to the forest officers of the Forest Department, not to the officers of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd.

Although the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd,. is a state-run company, those who benefited most were the directors as they were given directors’ allowances and other perks. The creation of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd., was nothing, but, was made by the state government to please some top brass retired government officers and some retired officers from the Sarawak Forestry Department by giving them job by having them sit on the Board of Directors. They were paid huge allowances for shaking legs in office.

Although the present Director of Forests had tried to revamp and to restructure the whole work force of the department, damage had already been done. Millions of ringgits had gone in the smoke caused by illegal felling in the forest reserves and in national parks. I also pity the present Director of Forests because so much had he wanted to do, but, his hands were tied. I was told bonus of many staffs of the Sarawak Forestry employees for years 2006 and 2008 were owed and not paid until now and probably it is the only department where employees were still owed their bonuses and I have brought this matter in the recent DUN sitting. Without adequate staffing and proper manpower management in past years we should not blame, but, to appreciate the Audit Department in exposing the weaknesses and mismanagement of the Forests Department in protecting our forest resources and natural habitats. The minister responsible for our forest management should take the comments by the Auditor-General constructively and to study the report with the view of taking steps to improve our forest management. This is what the purpose of the Auditor-General’s was for.

2009-11-16T15:39:00.003+08:00

How successful is Sarawak Forestry Management?

The passing of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Ordinance 1995 was supposed to ensure proper management of our forest resources, but, this was not the case. After the Sarawak Forestry Corporation was set up under the Ordinance and with the registration of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd., illegal felling of timber in the state had become very rampant. This was because most of the functions of the employees of the Sarawak Forest Department were taken by the employees of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd., thus, leaving the employees of the Sarawak Forests Department very little work and enforcement duties to perform. Instead, police department was called in to assist to nab the thieves of these illegal felling of timbers in our huge forests.

The Chief Minister in The Borneo Post published on June 30, 2007 also admitted rampant illegal felling of our timber. The Chief Minister was quoted having said, “But now we have illegal logging varied out by gangsters as very damaging to our forests.”

In June 2007 police officers in Bintulu seized 95 logs and seven lorries worth a total of Rm1.5 million and royalty.

Of course there are many other incidences of illegal felling in the state and many could not be nabbed. Illegal fellings were also said rampant in Samunsam and Matang areas.

Recently a team of policemen from Song Police Station led by ASP Tamin Emperang seized a vessel carrying about 160 tonnes of illegal felled logs. So, SAPU set up by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation was not a successful enforcement unit and in combating theft of our forest produce, the help of the police department was enlisted.

How are we able to have confidence with the enforcement of laws in forest management when burglars could cart away 47 computer sets of the Sarawak Timber Industry Corporation (STIDC) office in Petra Jaya (see The Borneo Post Wednesday April 4, 2007).

Another Treat from BN Against DAP YBs!

2009-11-14T00:57:00.002+08:00

We in the DAP Sarawak is only left with 4 ADUNs in the Dewan Undangan Negeri after the suspension of our Chairman, Sdr. Richard Wong Ho Leng and Secretary Sdr. Chong Chieng Jen. With both of them out, our voices were not as vociferous as in previous sittings. So, the four of us, that is YB Chiew Chiu Sing, YB Violet Yong, YB Ting Tze Fui and myself had no choice, but, have to carry the extra load in order to keep the DAP flag high in the Dewan. It was a way to silence Opposition voice. My heart sank when the Secretary, Sdr. Chong Chieng Jen, also had to go and with him out, I sensed that I would be the next BN target. I just could not run away as I knew they had been trailing me in the last two sittings. True to what I could sense, I am now in trouble! I received a message that they wanted my to withdraw what I said in the Dewan and also to tender my apology on what I said on 11 November, 2009.

Nothing much can I do, but, just to stay cool and see what comrades, friends and supporters would advise me. If they advise me to apologise and to withdraw what I said, I may do so and if they want me to fight on I may just hang on and go to court. If they cannot get me in court, then, I have to get them to court! This may take many years. No other way about this. BN YBs deemed what I said in the Dewan about Articles 153 and 161A of the federal constitution as provocative when I spoke on natives of Sarawak. Being an elected representative of the people, I do not make a choice, but, to let others chose what is best for them. After all, I am just a mouthpiece or a conduit pipe for the people in the Dewan.

Speaking on Article 161A of the Federal Constitution

2009-11-12T20:48:00.001+08:00

Almost all Honourable Members who arose to speak, spoke on Article 161A of the Federal Constitution. Most of the voices I heard was on the problem faced by Marina Undau, born of mixed dayak and Chinese parentage who, in law is not recognized as a dayak. This has deprived her from relevant assistance in pursue of her dream of better education. She could not enjoy the privileges accorded to a bumiputera because she is not entitled to such privileges.

YB Dominique Ng besides mentioning Marina Undau went a step further which other YBs did not pick up. He mentioned a penan lady, Damaris Panai, although facing adversities of life, aspires to be a doctor. I think Damaris Panai could be motivated by the fact that penans who lived closer to nature can easily get sick and need treatment. This is where a doctor is need. However, this dream is shattered as there is no way, she can go to university as she has no identity card.

Yesterday, when I got my opportunity to speak, I did not speak specifically on Marina Undau and Damaris Panai as others have already touched on their problems. Instead I took a broader picture of it and went on to explain the legal and political implications of Article 161A has to the peoples of Sarawak. Article 161A of the federal constitution, if read with Articles 153 and 160 has far reaching effect on the iban and bidayuh communites in Sarawak. Under the federal constitution, nothing has been stated about iban and bidayuh and therefore, these two natives races of Sarawak could not under the federal constitution enjoy bumiputera status.

My speech created a bit of uproar when I touched on iban, bidayuhs and malay supremacy, but, I have no intention to hurt any one. I was only expressing my legal and political opinions the effect of the federal constitution to the peoples of Malaysia, in which, we should take in good heart with the view to have our voices heard by the relevant authorities so that the evils that could come from the constitution could be corrected. People are already feeling uneasy and it is timely that the federal constitution needs to be amended to keep people happy and so that racial harmony could be maintained.

2009-11-12T20:18:00.003+08:00

IBANS AND BIDAYUHS ARE FOREIGNERS?
If we refer our Federal Constitution to any American or European lawyer who speaks English, he may say ibans and bidayuhs are not people of Sarawak! He may say that they are not natives! But he will agree that sea dayaks and land dayaks are natives of Sarawak! This is because ibans and bidayuhs are not stated as indigenous people of Sarawak! So, to the American or European lawyers, ibans and bidayuhs, although are two largest groups of indigenous people, they may say that ibans and bidayuhs are foreigners!

This is because under Article 161A of the Federal Constitution, the only races that are considered as “natives” as indigenous to Sarawak are the Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans, Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyahs (including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs (including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanos, Muruts, Penans, Sians, Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits.
Nothing is mention about ibans and bidayuhs.

Once ibans and bidayuhs are not identified as natives, the impression foreigner may have is that ibans and bidayuhs are truly foreigners although they are not.

At this moment, we have another problem, that is, dayaks who are with mixed parentage. Those ibans and bidayuhs who have Chinese or Indian parents, they are not considered as natives of Sarawak. We have iban and bidayuh Yang Berhormats in the State, but, we are yet to hear any of them spoke on this issue in Parliament or in the State Legislative Assembly.

When we in the DAP spoke on dayak issues, Datuk James Masing said we better not speak because we are not dayaks and do not know dayak culture well. James Masing said it was a display of cultural arrogance for us in the DAP to speak on behalf of the dayaks. To Tan Sri Jabu, he may say that we do not even know how to “bekayuh”. So, each time we spoke on native issues, we were hard hit.

The simple reason for iban and bidayuh YBs that caused them not to speak was because they have to protect their own pockets. Once elected as YBs, they got few thousand ringgits as allowances per month. On top of that, the BN government gave them other perks. They were made to sit on the Board of Directors of statutory or public listed companies where they can get a few more thousand ringgits per month. So, they have comfortable life and with that they dared not speak against the wrong thing the BN government had done.

So dayak people should think and throw their Yang Berhormat who are in the BN away into the seas! This is because your dayak Yang Berhormats enjoy life, while you there who are supporting them suffer. The most they can give you may be, a few bottles of "cap langkau" from their allowances and the rest are then theirs to keep!

Who YBs got land alienated by State Government?

2009-11-09T14:19:00.000+08:00

State Cabinet has something to hide from the people when a Dewan Undangan Negeri question submitted by me was rejected by the Speaker in this meeting on the ground that relevant information could be available from accessible documents. How can I know if I don't know their names and personal particulars. It would be an impossible task. The question I asked was seeking the State Cabinet to disclose lands that had been alienated by the state government to elected members of the august House. I feel they have something to hide. Why so scared? This was the second time that I raised up the matter and on both occasions, the question had left unanswered.

Arrest and Detention Without Trial in Kuching!

2009-11-08T21:56:00.002+08:00

The authorities played dirty. I have a case where a person is detained in the police lockup without being disclosed the reasons of his arrest. Later on as counsel acting for him, I received a letter telling me that he was to be restricted to Spg. Renggam and before the Court heard the habeas corupus proceedings, the poor fellow was then sent to Spg. Renggam. The matter became academic and guided by a judgment of a Federal Court, no argument could be allowed to get him released as he was no more in the custody of the police, but, by another government authority as ordered by the Home Minister.

Dirty game! So scare although such a detention provides no trial.He was said arrested under the Dangerous Drugs(Special Preventive Measures) Act and from what I can study about this law is that, the police could easily abuse this Act and demand money from the detainee. When money not forthcoming, only then will they send the investigation files to the Home Ministry for getting the restriction order. When the Minister's Order of Detention comes, the detainees will then immediately be sent to Spg. Renggam. So, you could no more argue in court the irregularities of the detention by the police.

Of course, after the order from the Minister was forced on the detainee who knew nothing about what was that all about, it would be very difficult for counsel to fight his case.

Abuse Of Power By Police In The Use Of Police 43

2009-11-02T15:29:00.003+08:00

A member of public came to see and said he together with about 20 people while sitting in a coffeeshop in sky garden, Kuching, was arrested by police on suspicion of gaming public place. A polis 43 was issued and RM200.00 was collected from each of them, but, no receipt issued. They were locked for one night in the Kota Samarahan Police Station before being let go. He told me that police officers were asking more money from them. They were told to come to court on 31. 1. 2010 and I told him, your money will be swallowed up! When policemen took your money in whatever way and for whatever reasons, official receipt must be issued. Polis 43 is not a receipt. It is a police bail document where you are required to surrender yourself in court at the appointed time and date mentioned therein. I told him, I would help him draft a complaint, but, the said member of public was so scared and left my office. This is one thing I am very annoyed. We are against corruption and abuse of power and the said member of public said he was also against abuse of power and corruption, but, when asked by me to lodge a complaint, he "kecut". Then how are we to clear up corruption in our society?

IBANS AND BIDAYUHS ARE FOREIGNERS?

2009-10-30T20:52:00.004+08:00

If we refer our Federal Constitution to any American or European lawyer who speaks English, he may say ibans and bidayuhs are not people of Sarawak! He may say that they are not natives! But he will agree that sea dayaks and land dayaks are natives of Sarawak! This is because ibans and bidayuhs are not stated as indigenous people of Sarawak! So, to the American or European lawyers, ibans and bidayuhs, although are two largest groups of indigenous people, they may say that ibans and bidayuhs are foreigners!

This is because under Article 161A of the Federal Constitution, the only races that are considered as “natives” as indigenous to Sarawak are the Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans, Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyahs (including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs (including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanos, Muruts, Penans, Sians, Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits.

Nothing is mention about ibans and bidayuhs.

Once ibans and bidayuhs are not identified as natives, the impression foreigner may have is that ibans and bidayuhs are truly foreigners although they are not.

At this moment, we have another problem, that is, dayaks who are with mixed parentage. Those ibans and bidayuhs who have Chinese or Indian parents, they are not considered as natives of Sarawak. We have iban and bidayuh Yang Berhormats in the State, but, we are yet to hear any of them spoke on this issue in Parliament or in the State Legislative Assembly.

When we in the DAP spoke on dayak issues, Datuk James Masing said we better not speak because we are not dayaks and do not know dayak culture well. James Masing said it was a display of cultural arrogance for us in the DAP to speak on behalf of the dayaks. To Tan Sri Jabu, he may say that we do not even know how to “bekayuh”. So, each time we spoke on native issues, we were hard hit.

The simple reason for iban and bidayuh YBs that caused them not to speak was because they have to protect their own pockets. Once elected as YBs, they got few thousand ringgits as allowances per month. On top of that, the BN government gave them other perks. They were made to sit on the Board of Directors of statutory or public listed companies where they can get a few more thousand ringgits per month. So, they have comfortable life and with that they dared not speak against the wrong thing the BN government had done.

So dayak people should think and throw their Yang Berhormat who are in the BN away into the seas! This is because your dayak Yang Berhormats enjoy life, while you there who are supporting them suffer. The most they can give you may be, a few bottles of "cap langkau" from their allowances and the rest are then theirs to keep!

温情满人间 ~ 贫苦寡妇有新家

2009-10-23T10:57:00.002+08:00

诗华日报 20.10.2009 (星期二)

（古晋19日讯）还记得在今年3月报章报导西里益，以贫苦寡妇郑秀梅一家八口，居住在一间破烂摇摇欲坠烂屋的新闻吗？
新闻曝光后，在行动党峇都林当州议员温利山律师与党元老贝伟大等人号召下，义款与各种生活必需品纷至沓来，显示温情满人间。
接着在各界热心人士的合作协助下，郑秀梅一家已远离恶劣生活环境的恶梦，现在她一家已拥有一间水电俱备的钢骨水泥独立屋。
再加上行动党为她一家筹获一笔义款，也分别存放在银行的定存和储蓄户口。另外福利部每月会拨450令吉福利金，他们生活已无忧。
温利山今日在该党数领袖陪同下，拜访郑秀梅新居后告诉记者说，从郑秀梅事件，显见社会充满温情，他要感谢各界人翁善长，包括人联党的捐助，让郑秀梅脱离恶劣生活环境。
他也特别赞扬福利部说，当他致函予部陈情郑秀梅的困境，该部翌日就批准每月最高额的450令吉福利金予郑氏一家。
不过温利山说，他知道地方议会由资助辖区贫户计划，所以他曾致函巴达旺市议会申请协助郑家，然而至今他未听到佳音。温氏也感谢有关学校在听取他陈情后，允许已停学的郑家子女返校就读。希望日后学有所成，造福国家社会。

Good Work of DBKU in Batu Lintang Constituency

2009-10-20T09:59:00.007+08:00

After being elected as the ADUN member, I found it a tough job for me in Batu Lintang Constituency to convince government staffs and the three municipalities to uplift the “image” of Batu Lintang Constituency which had huge potholes, clogged drains, tall bushes, uncovered drains and uneven roads here and there.

Now, we can see things have changed and I appreciate the respective municipalities of the good they have done, but, I have a special mention for DBKU. They have done a good job for Batu Lintang and many roads in the Sg. Maong area of the Constituency of which is within the jurisdiction of DBKU have been resealed. My special mention is because huge part of Batu Lintang Constituency is under the jurisdiction of DBKU. DBKU occupies much larger areas than either Padawan Municipal Council or MBKS. Batu Lintang Constituency was a stronghold of SUPP and was held through Chan Seng Khai for three terms after he defeated the DAP strongman, Sim Kwang Yang in a straight fight in 1991.

Not less than ten roads have been resealed, widened and upgraded in Sg. Maong area. I could see in all constituencies in Kuching, Sg. Maong area is the most difficult for the authorities to work with because of its low lying peat swamp land which flooded often at the slightest rain. At the sametime, this area has long been neglected or had been left unnoticed, not until recently. Roads that that have been resealed and widened included, Green Road, Jalan Tengah, part of Jalan Angsana, Gold Jade Road, Rubber Road West and also Rubber Road East.

The authorities also have pumped in million of ringgits to improve the drainage system in the constituency and lightings in the area.

MBKS has trimmed some of the overgrown trees along the roads in Tabuan Jaya which posed hazards to motorists. These overgrown trees created a source of danger during thunderstorms. The mayor has done a good job to see the streets are clean and he was very busy in his urban poverty eradication programme.

To Padawan Municipal Council, I have to understand their problem. Their Chairman, YB Tan Joo Phoi, who is also the YB for Batu Kawa, told me in the Dewan recently that the Council lacked funds to operate efficiently. To help him overcome his problem, I did raise the matter of funds on his behalf in the Dewan during the last sitting.

Keep the good work for a better Malaysia!

CORRUPTION – A non-issue in Malaysia Politics!

2009-10-19T11:47:00.000+08:00

Democratic Action Party Malaysia has been fighting hard against corruption all these years because corruption is the evil of many things that caused spiraling costs of goods and services and can also lead to inequality and unfair distribution of wealth and natural resources. There were many more things associated with corruption, but, the message sent by the Democratic Action Party Malaysia has gone on deaf ears. We all know corruption at high places has been everywhere, but, why Malaysians still could not get the message clear? In its fight against corruption, Democratic Action Party has also exposed and lodged many reports against corruption in high places.

So far the relevant agencies tasked with their investigations could only catch small fries and the big fish normally escaped the net.

We could see the allegations of political corruption against Isa Samad which left him in the cold for quite sometime by his party, UMNO is now seen as a hero! His image is therefore bigger than the Party. Now, we have heard some RM10 million passed on from Datuk Tiong King Sing to Datuk Ong Tee Kiat and with allegations in connection with the purpose of what the money was for gave both politicians big problems with court cases pending. Lim Kit Siang has lodge a report against abuse of power and corruption, but, we are not sure whether this would be properly investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency.

Another high office scandal involving abuse of power was also recently raised by Lim Kit Siang and it also may have been swept under the carpet. Lim Kit Siang had asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate an abuse of power by our Deputy Prime Minister when Lim Kit Siang said after former Commercial Crime Investigation Department Director Datuk Ramli Yussoff was acquitted on 27 July 2009 by the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court on a charge of corruptly misusing his position in having used a police Cessna Caravan aircraft in June 2007, “ I want to ask the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) why it is practicing double standards as it has not even started investigations into the allegation that Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin had corruptly misused his position in having used RMAF Nuri helicopter to officiate Umno division meetings in Sabah last weekend totally unrelated to his official duties. This came to light when Muhyiddin was involved in an emergency forced landing of a RMAF Nuri helicopter in Tuaran due to bad weather when flying between Kudat and Penampang.”
It was said by Lim Kit Siang in his blog “As reported by Star online last Sunday 16th August 2009, Muhyiddin’s entourage took off at about 1.45pm Sunday on the RMAF Nuri from Kudat after officially opening the Umno division meeting there and were heading back to Kota Kinabalu for the Penampang Umno division meeting when the forced landing took place.”

The RM12. 45 billion Port Klang Free Zone scandal seems still nowhere has a clear conclusion and MACC seems has slowed down in their investigation and Malaysian public has fizzled out – tired and frustrated at what went on.
Likewise, the purchase of French submarines by Malaysia was clouded with allegations of dubious dealings link to Altantuya who was said went to Kuala Lumpur to demand her commission of US500,000.00 but was found missing on 19 October, 2006 and later on was found dead although still fresh in the minds of Malaysians, have very little impact of the voting trends of Malaysian people.

DAP 2009 Mooncake Festival

2009-10-19T09:12:00.011+08:00

Native Land Rights

2009-10-11T13:42:00.002+08:00

If we study the political struggle of SUPP since its inception, it was clear that the dayak community had been left behind as the Party had failed to work towards the interest of the dayaks by failing to protect their land, their most important assets. SUPP could not until now lived up to its election manifesto, “What SUPP Stands For”, published in 1969 which said that the Party would protect the land rights of the dayaks by revising laws relating to land to enable the dayaks to hold individual land titles. This matter had not until now been aggressively pursued by SUPP although it is in the government by virtue of being a coalition member of the state BN. SUPP had not through its leaders done enough for the dayaks and the indigenous people of Sarawak.

Being the oldest party in the State and being a senior partner in the state BN, SUPP is at the mercy of PBB as land matters are held by Ministers from PBB. Of course, the other two parties, that is, PRS and SPDP being junior partners in the state coalition could not do much to help the dayaks to protect their lands. It is a rule that if seniors can't talk, can one expect the juniors to talk and be busy body?

Most of the native lands in Sarawak had not until now been surveyed. We now could see that without land titles issued to them, there arose frequent land disputes involving lands alienated to some individuals and companies. The Batu Niah incident a few years ago involving ibans in which led to the loss of lives could have been averted had the dayaks felt their land been properly protected. Under the present law, unless you hold document of title to the land, you are not a land owner. So, how can dayaks be said to have land when they were not issued with document of titles to their native lands? The dayaks shouted at the top of their voice and even performed the “miring” each time disputes over their land were brought to court, but, still the land would not be theirs, not until, these important documents be issued to them. The only right the dayaks have to these lands was only to use them without interference from other communities as long as the government would not use them for development. When their lands need to be developed as oil palm plantation or for other purposes, the government could just take them away from them with a stroke of a pen. The poor dayaks could claim the lands as theirs and been taken away. They may protest against it, but, what could they do? They were helpless people and were at the mercy of their own political leaders whom they elected. These polticial leaders in their area where land has been taken away, may just say they wanted to help, but, were themselves helpless people. They were helpless because land matters is in the hand of one person, that is, the Chief Minister, whom most of the present YBs are afraid to get near and to talk with for fear that they may irk the "old man". If the "old man" may not be happy, this can put their political career on line and they may be dropped from the next state election of which is at the moment is around the corner. When a person is helpless, how can he help others?

In the end, these dayaks when they have no more land in search of their livelihood, will have no choice, but, to leave their homes and became squatters in the town and cities in the state. They will not be able to compete as most may not have the living skills to compete with people in towns and cities. They may become more frustrated with life and in order to drown their hardships and sorrows, they may just began to spend whatever ever money they have in “Cap langkau” and got drunk!

Should Dayaks Continue to Support BN through SUPP?

2009-10-11T13:34:00.002+08:00

When the Sarawak United Peoples’ party (SUPP) was registered on 12 June, 1959 many dayaks joined the Party. It was a good multi-racial Party set up with the aim of protecting all races in Sarawak. Prominent dayaks joined the Party at that time included Jonathan Bangau ak Renang who was also the Party’s first Branch Chairman in Sibu who together with Francis Umpi ak Rantai were founding members and Vice Chairmen of the Party. Others who were in the Party included Barbara Bey, Charles Linang and Tamewang Tinggung Wan. As early as in October 1962, SUPP lost one of its most prominent dayak leaders, Jonathan Bangau ak Renang who left the Party due to political differences with Chinese leaders in the Party. In October, 1965 Charles Linang, the Treasurer of the Party also left the Party. According to Charles Linang, he had to leave as the Party had been neglecting the Iban Community (see Vanguard 26 October, 1965). The more recent one was the resignation of Hollis Tini, from Sri Aman, who was a member of the State Cabinet.

Some months ago after the 2008 General Election, a dayak YB who was returned to his seat a number of times was said planning to leave the Party and to join the Opposition, after he was not made a Federal Cabinet Minister. He was said to hold talks in Singapore with an Opposition leader about the matter, but, was later persuaded not to go ahead with his plan.

A senior bidayuh Dewan Undangan Negeri member in SUPP was also not happy with the Party as he should be made at least an Assistant Minister to replace one of the two assistant ministers’ posts slotted by BN in the state Cabinet.

Until today no dayaks through SUPP have been appointed full minister post in the state Cabinet and this speaks volume of the inability of SUPP in protecting dayak interests.

“PKR never listened to us”

2009-09-19T16:46:00.004+08:00

I laughed when I received a message through my phone this morning that I was quoted by an English daily to have said, “PKR never listened to us” and a complaint has been lodged by PKR to our State DAP Chairman. I did not read that part published by the daily and there is nothing to respond either. When election is nearly anything funny can happen and people out there are always eager to get or to create news. These five words which appeared in the said daily could spin-off into many interpretations in the light of coming negotiations for seats to be contested among opposition parties in the state.

The opposition parties believe that the “jual-beli” process has to go on. That is, whether it be “Buy One, Free One” or “Nett Price”, “No Discount” or “For Members Only” can buy, the process has to go on. But one thing I can assure the people of Batu Lintang that Batu Lintang is not to be treated like a commodity for sale. The past is gone! Batu Lintang is not for barter nor can Batu Lintang be for sale. You can give better offer to DAP, but, this time around, it shall not be for sale. Therefore, the sales tactic of “Buy One, Free One” will also not apply to Batu Lintang.

Therefore, any suggestion that DAP swap Batu Lintang, say with Padungan with PKR or any other constituency with another opposition party, this idea will not work and neither will it work in “Buy One, Free One” business gimmick, say by DAP “selling” Batu Lintang and in return gets Batu Kawa and Padungan.

DAP is eager to contest in Padungan in the coming poll, but, it would not be easy to persuade PKR to let DAP do so as the seat is being held by PKR through Dominique Ng. DAP also is eying Batu Kawa, a seat previously constested by PKR, on reason that there is growing support for DAP in the constituency as of late. At the same time there are groups of people wanting to see DAP instead of PKR to contest in Batu Kawa. This will also give a headache to all in the negotiation teams among the opposition parties.

I hope whatever it is in the run-up to negotiations of seats for the coming state election, my Batu Lintang Branch and I shall stand firm that Batu Lintang shall not be a seat to be given away to any other political parties in swap with any seat or seats to be contested by any opposition party in the state.

Take my word, Batu Lintang shall not be put up for sale and if this is done, I shall make a lot of noise.

The story of Monkeys, Prostitutes, Bastards and Hypocrites!

2009-09-18T07:04:00.006+08:00

People just can’t say nice words about politicians especially when elections are near. Many are worried that politicians, especially, among the opposition may not be able to work with each other as many try to point fingers at each other for slightest wrong or for differences of opinion or strategies in fighting the Barisan Nasional. Due to these, many people had become more worried that opposition politicians may not be able to form a coalition to fight the state Barisan Nasional. In recent weeks, I met and received many phone calls saying that some leaders in the opposition camp are made up of very arrogant people while some say that some are very unreasonable in the way they see things. These unpleasing words not only came from Barisan people and supporters, but, even party members in casual conversations also said that there are “Hitlers”, “monkeys”, “prostitutes”, "big cannons" and "empty drums" in the opposition camp and with the current trend of thoughts, there could no more anything nice be said about politicians. It also seems that politicians also do no more trust each other and many are afraid of their own shadows trailing them.

Many politicians who supposed were leaders in our society, collapsed or could not absorb what was said against them or could not hold on their words about others. This is where a display of leadership comes. I had told our comrades and leaders to be more focused against our opponents and in order to avoid tensions among ourselves, have advised them to keep deaf ears, but, tensions were felt for right or wrong thing, where comrades began to blame or accuse each other. It shocked me when in a meeting, a leader also accused his comrades as "communists" and that there are people who wanted to topple him. I think in Barisan Nasional, there could also be leaders like that who just collapsed under pressure.

The tension was unavoidable and in a recent message in my handphone received by me from an opposition leader was very apparent of this in which the short message said:

“We shd be more concerned that even in Swk among our aduns we have one asked people not to listen to state chair and secr. We have worst bastards and hypocrites among us than from pkr.”

The message made apparently was due to mounting pressure that the leader faced in recent weeks due to his own work and commitment to his party, but, probably without knowing what actually had happened and if such comments or words have been said, why these were said. I just can’t blame his peculiar style. Like anybody, human beings have weak and strong points, but, we need only look at strong points of the person when a crisis comes because to look at his weak point, will prejudice our mind about his leadership.

The leader just jumped into a conclusion that there are “bastards and hypocrites” among us. We must realize what malay people always said, that is, "when we point our finger at others, we also have our fingers pointing back at us."

In war, if a commander succumbed to pressure, the whole battalion of army will be wiped out. I also nearly lost my cool when I received that message, but, I later on realized that I was a trained person in leadership and warfare and should avoid all these. At times, we need to be deaf and dumb, but have to keep on finding ways to solve problems faced.

Leaders who were cool and could absorb pressures and those who could solve problems at critical times and avoid criticizing people around him are difficult to find. However, in what ever undertakings, we still need a leader and in whatever situation it is, we should need him to lead and give him the support if he is the best option we have.

The most important thing in leadership is not to habour unnecessary suspicions and prejudice towards colleagues and subordinates and must be able to accommodate their style and thoughts, must be patient, stay focused and be able to listen to people first before making a decision or jumping to a conclusion, otherwise, we can be branded as “Hitlers!”, “monkeys!”, “prostitutes!” and so forth. A leader must know that to criticize people around will only cause losing support from people who have supported him. A good leader is a problem solver and is the one who welcomes constructive criticisms. These were the basic things I learned in my leadership and warfare courses while in the Police Force.

The only thing we need to do now is just to keep a deaf ear and just think and march forward each day and see what’s happening in the opponent's camp.

Let us all cheer up and be focused to fight the Barisan Nasional!

Respect Malaysia Day!

2009-09-16T23:57:00.002+08:00

September 16 each year should be celebrated with flag waving, bands and music in the streets. Alas! Malaysia, the Barisan Nasional government ignored your birthday! People in Sabah and Sarawak love you, Malaysia, and had all these years wanted to celebrate your birthday, but, Barisan Nasional government had not allowed this to happen. We don’t know why they don’t want to celebrate your birthday. They refused to give us an answer. Now, you are 46 years old, but, we can’t yet express our feelings and love for you with a celebration.

We in Sabah and Sarawak know that you are very sad, with no cake and candles to make a wish. Malaysia, we hope you can understand that under the Barisan Nasional government, to light up candles can put us in trouble. We can be taken away from our homes and be thrown into the "caves" created by the Barisan Nasional government. Never mind Malaysia, don’t be too sad. A day will come when Pakatan Rakyat takes over the government, we will surely give you a big birthday cake. We will decorate your birthday cake with flowers that could only be found in Borneo. Malaysia, we love you!

The Ego of Opposition Politicians in Sarawak.

2009-09-12T16:01:00.002+08:00

Can PKR, DAP, SNAP and PAS form a formidable pact to defeat the state Barisan Nasional in the coming state election? With election fever around the corner, there will be more talk than work among many politicians who are aspiring to be candidates. In the end of the day, many also will not find themselves prepared to face the giant they are fighting. We in the Opposition must know that we are only a small army, yet, with very limited resources to face the war against the state Barisan Nasional led by Taib. He is almighty and has the money and influence to throw around, but, what do the Opposition has compared to him? He alone is enough to keep us busy. So, we must devise a plan to cripple his plan.

Most often than not in all these recent years, opposition leaders tend to talk a lot and tried to outwit each other in publicity. Publicity is of course necessary, but, many forgot that publicity at the right time and occasion is more important. These politicians tend to place utmost importance on publicity for themselves only rather than publicity for the Opposition as a whole. There has been very little co-ordination among the leaders as many still harboured fear that their comrades from the rank may just overshadow them. Sometimes, we could observe and hear that there are already cracks among leaders in the Opposition. If this goes on, the dream of capturing the state government will not be a reality in the coming election.

We should talk less, but, must organize ourselves, plan, and work more and try to penetrate the enemy territory discreetly. We have dealt with wars but do not know how to apply war tactics in political situation.

Since we do not have the army, we must plan, lay ground work, and move in to enemy territory like commandoes. Ours should be a hit and run tactic at targeted places according to schedules in the assault plan. Meaning that, we in the Opposition, should be more organized in accordance with laid out schedules to hold talks, ceramahs and dinners at targeted constituencies. This will when election comes, caught the state Barisan Nasional flat footed.

For the Barisan Nasional, they have nothing to worry as money still is relevant to win the votes in both the rural and urban areas. At the same time, they have all the government machineries to back them up.

SIGNS OF CRACKS IN BN PARTIES

2009-09-09T17:24:00.002+08:00

If there are cracks among leaders of the Barisan Nasional how can BN could be trusted by Malaysians to lead this country?

When Khairy Jamalludin won the UMNO Youth Chief, Najib refused to make him even a deputy minister. Instead the son of Dr. Mahathir, a junior leader in the said youth organization got it. Khairy now after not being named as a member of the Cabinet is slowly not in the limelight. UMNO also got problems in Terengganu as who should be the Menteri Besar after the general election. Some of UMNO people enjoyed street politics with banners and flyers.

Now, we have a good show in MCA. Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek is now sacked from the MCA over a sex scandal. He pointed his finger at Ong Kee Teat, the Party President. Datuk Seri Ong Kee Teat himself also found himself in trouble. After being claimed by Datuk Seri, Tiong King Sing, the Director of Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd., to have received RM10 million from him, five Perak MCA divisions then called for Ong’s suspension (The Borneo Post August 26, 2009). Ong Tee Kiat, in retaliation then filed a defamation suit against Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. The dirt now came out to public.

Funny, when PKFZ issue heated up in public implicating irregularities of some RM12.5 billion ringgit, UMNO leaders except Datuk Sharir, came up to defence of Ong Kee Teat when attacked by fellow Malaysians over handling of the issue.

All is not well in MIC, the largest Indian based party in the country. Samy Vellu had been at political enmity with his former deputy, Subramaniam. The feud between both of them went on for years and seems will not end soon. To take another turn, Subramanian then on August 13, 2009 filed a defamation suit of RM100 million against Samy Vellu’s son, Vell Paari and the hearing will be heard before High Court Judge, Justice Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusuf.

In PPP, another Indian based party, which claimed to be multi-racial, thing also brew up recently when its’ Party President, M. Kayveas got head on fight for the presidency. The matter was only resolved recently after it was declared by the relevant authorities that M. Kayveas was still rightful party President.

In Sabah, we saw Datuk Yong Teck Lee leading his party out of the Barisan Nasional. Datuk Yong Teck Lee and his party was not happy with the Barisan Nasional the interests of the people of Sabah and illegal immigrant problems in Sabah had been ignored by the Federal Government all these years.

Likewise, in Sarawak, nothing is all well here. SUPP said they represented the Chinese in Sarawak, but, could not do well to protect the interest of the community. This was because their leaders were more interested to protect their own interest. The Dudong Branch issue had been haunting the party since many months and will not end so easily. It is a weak party within the coalition and many times times, the party depended on the patronage of Tan Sri Ting Pek King to enhance its image.

RPR led by Dato’ Seri James Masing may also not have an easy ride after Larry Sng was made partyless caused by tussle for party leadership.

In Sarawak, only SPDP and PBB seemed able to avoid crisis in them, but, maybe there could be something boiling within in which the public are yet to know. So let us see.

With the problems faced by the BN coalition parties, and the series of defeats faced by Najib’s government in recent by-elections, it is time for the people of Malaysia to throw this BN government out and be replaced by a new government. Let us all work hard towards this goal.

2009-09-06T09:24:00.005+08:00

1MALAYSIA CONCEPT, What it meant?

1Malaysia Concept mooted by the Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, could not heal the wounds of Malaysians. Najib’s 1Malaysia Concept has confused the people. Najib never until now produced a blue print of the concept and this had led the concept being very much misunderstood even by BN leaders themselves. Najib was just shouting a slogan. Maybe, Najib himself could not understand the concept well or maybe Najib has something to hide in his 1Malaysia Concept.

This IMalaysia Concept of Najib is in actual fact the hidden concept of his late father, Tun Razak to strengthen malay political dominance over other races in Malaysia. His late father had wanted to copy the "Malaysian Malaysia" Concept of DAP (at that time, PAP before Singapore left Malaysia which led DAP born in the mainland Malaya) but, with in a different way so that malay dominance over other races could be realized. DAP has until today hold firm to this Malaysian Malaysia Concept, which also was followed by Malaysian First Concept.

The late Tun Razak had called all political parties in 1970s to unite under the Barisan Nasional but, these parties did not realize that they fell into the trap. SUPP also joined in after political situation in Borneo became more stabilized. Their joining in gave the Barisan Nasional under UMNO the much needed two-third majority to amend the Federal Constitution. By being in the Barisan Nasional, they all thought that it was a Unity Concept for all races, where all races would be treated as equal and that there would not be any discrimation due to skin colour, religious beliefs and so forth. When they were in, they did not realize that UMNO became the boss and all other political parties had to "kowtow" to UMNO and its leaders. Tun Razak then quickly amended the Federal Constitution and other relevant laws including the Sedition Act to allow UMNO's dream and struggle for the malays to take precedence over other races.

With the amendments no questions could be raised even in Parliament about malay privileges and no parliamentarians could freely talk abou the New Economic Policy. No one could question what the sultans did and how our nation's money were spent on them and their families. We also could not questions land alienated to the royalties and whether or not these royalties, if given land have or not been required to pay the premiums to the lands. We are all kept in the dark until now.

Now, Najib's 1Malaysia Concept is nothing, but, a struggle by UMNO and Najib the idea of his late father, Tun Razak's concept of unity through Barisan Nasional style of government, where, UMNO is the boss and other races have to be subservient to UMNO. Therefore, it is only through this concept that Najib is hoping that his regime will last for many years to come.

This 1Malaysia Concept has made us a fool of our own. This is because we Malaysians always tend to believe and adopt what our leaders said without thinking of their implications over us. Malaysia is a multi-cultural, multi-religious nation and no one race should be allowed to dominate over each other.

This was the reason why DAP had used to stand firm that this nation of ours is a secular state and not an islamic state and although Islam is our official religion, no religion should dominate another religion. This also goes to race. DAP recognise the malay race is dominant in this country, but, this does not mean that the malays should dominate other races in all things. DAP is the only party since its inception in 1960s to tell UMNO and the Barisan Nasional that the civil service, especially, the army and the police should not be dominated by one race alone. Now, we could see most department heads are muslims just because our official religion is Islam and that almost all departments were occupied by one race alone. This will be unhealthy and will divide the peoples of Malaysia further. Now, it is common knowledge that other races like, chinese, Indians and dayaks are losing confidence in the administration because of discrimination in work and promotions in the civil service.

When I was still in the Police Force, I had to work like hell because chinese officers were few. This was because not all that came to the police station could speak english and Malay language well. Nowadays, it became common knowledge that many statements recorded from witnesses and suspects during investigations did not reflect the true picture of what happened during a crime or what the witness or suspect had wanted to say. The statements were just bulldozed and witnesses and suspects were just asked to blindly sign at the spaces provided in the statement forms. At the end of the day, not only suspects, but, witnesses could also find themselves charged in court for perjury for giving inconsistent or untrue statements in court.

Therefore, the 1Malaysia Concept is not a true unity concept for Malaysia, but, a concept to enhance malay supremacy and dominance over others. This is because UMNO fears that malay will soon lose power to other races. The 1Malaysia Concept will see UMNO and Najib be more aggressive in using Islam, the Malay race and the Sultan to stay in power. It will be like a firewall around them so that they could not be "hacked" or hurt by others from outside.

We just hope that Malaysia will not experience another May 13 because of exploitation by people in power who just wish to see their dominace over others. This 1Malaysia concept if not corrected, will spell disaster in Malaysia in the very near future. In actual fact, things are already happening, where governments won by Pakatan Rakyat has been destablized and Parliament and Legislatures been used to fill the political hunger of the few. Likewise, government agencies like the police and MACC were made tools and were actively interfering the political rights of politicans and activits who voiced their grievances against the present government.

1 Malaysia, One Civil Service Administration

2009-08-25T09:19:00.002+08:00

Sabahan and Sarawakians should not be enticed by the suggestions of some administrators and politicians to change our present administration system. At this moment we have two tier systems, that is, federal and state administration systems. When Sabah and Sarawak helped formed Malaysia it was already spelt out in the 20 points agreement raised by Sabah of which was also adopted by Sarawak (20 points) that there are matters that the Federal government must help protect for the benefit of the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak. This includes forestry, labour and immigration matters affecting both states. However, many of the 20-points had not been observed and not been reviewed until now.

The One Civil Service Administration may also deprive of the state’s rights to control the resources of the state. Both Sabah and Sarawak are rich in natural resources and if One Civil Service Administration be a reality, we may also see that many legislations, affecting the control of these resources will be passed by Parliament and this will give our State Legislature very little say. In the end our State Legislature will just be reduced to window dressing with very little influence over the administrative matter in the state. In the long run, we can even later on see Parliament passing laws that may even take away the rights of Sabahans and Sarawakians to become governors in their own states. I am not imagining things too far, but, this can be a reality if we just simple give in to the suggestions or proposal of the administrators and politicians. We cannot just follow things blindly and be caught later on.

Sarawakians must remember, SUPP was caught in 1971 when Tun Razak proposed that SUPP should join the government. By joining the government, BN government led by UMNO took the chance and quickly amended the Federal Constitution and the relevant laws which zipped the mouths of dissent voices in Malaysia. SUPP leaders should be held responsible for what had happened to Malaysia which led to classifications of races into Bumiputera and non-bumiputera in our administration. We all know the classification of bumiputera never really benefited the dayaks and minority races in the control of the administration and also in the control of our rich natural resources.

The One Civil Service Administration is not suitable for a multi-racial Malaysia as it will be against the spirit of the Federal Constitution which states that Malaysia is a secular state. With the One Civil Service Administration, the BN government headed by UMNO would be tempted to assimilate Islamic concepts into the vein of administration. If this be done, many Sabahans and Sarawakians who are Christians and Buddhists may shun the civil service. At the same time, we can see the influx of West Malaysians coming to hold top posts in the civil service in both states at the expense of the locals. We may also find our people lose out in minor posts including office boys and messengers.

Siapa Pengkhianat Bangsa dan Negara Yang Sebenarnya?

2009-08-21T10:18:00.000+08:00

Para pemimpin UNMO telah membuat satu fitnah yang tidak masuk akal dimana mereka telah menuduh Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai pengkhianat orang melayu. Bagi saya, barang sesiapa yang menuduh orang lain penghkianat, dialah yang pengkhiakianat yang terbesar sekali. Perkara marah orang lain dengan tujuan menyingung perasaan seseorang bukan cara kita patut berpolitik. Di Negara maju seperti di Eropah dan Amerika, kita belum lagi pernah mendengar ahli ahli politik menuduh antara sama sendiri mereka sebagai pengkhianat ataupun mengunakan kata kata kesat keatas seseorang. Bagi menuduh Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai pengkhianat menunjuk begitu rendah mentality atau daya pemikiran mereka itu. Ini juga menunjuk mereka mempunyai pemikiran yang sempit dan boleh meracunkan pemikiran rakyat dan menyebab keteganggan dalam Negara kita. Sepatunya mereka itu perlu ditangkap oleh polis bagi tujuan meredakan keadaan dan perlu didakwa didalam mahkamah di bawah Akta Hasutan kerana mereka telah membangkitkan isu yang amat sensitif kerana telah menghasut rakyat Malaysia membenci antara satu sama lain dengan melempar kata kata yang kesat antara diri mereka.

Para pemimipin UMNO yang diamanahkan oleh rakyat sepatutnya mencari jalan untuk mengatasi ketidakpuashati rakyat terhadap parti yang terbesar itu. UMNO pada masa kini telah dilihat sebagai parti yang merosakkan perpaduan rakyat. Bagi rakyat yang berbangsa melayu, mereka sepatutnya berpayung dibawah UMNO. Pada zaman Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, jelas sekali kaum melayu teguh sekali menyokong UMNO. Tetapi sekarang kaum melayu telah berubah kerana UMNO tidak lagi dilihat melindungi hak hak orang melayu dan juga tidak melindungi hak hak Negara yang berbilang kaum. UMNO yang pada masa kini hanya mampu dan mahu melindungi hak hak segilintir orang melayu yang berkuasa sehaja. Bagi orang melayu yang mempunyai pemikiran yang adil dan yang saling menghormati bangsa lain di Negara ini telah putus harapan keatas UMNO dan dengan itu telah menyeratai parti parti politik yang lain. Pada masa kini kita telah dapat lihat begitu ramai masyarakat melayu menyertai PKR yang dipimipin oleh Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan PAS. Begitu juga bilangan kaum melayu yang meyertai DAP juga sekian meningkat.

Jelas sekali UMNOlah yang perlu dipersalahkan kerana telah mengipaskan isu isu yang memecahbelahkan kaum melayu sendiri.

Para pemimpin UMNO sebenarnya telah mengkhianat amanah rakyat dengan skandal penyelewanggan dana awam berbillion ringgit diatas nama komissen pembelian senjata, jet dan kapal selam, mengaut saham, kontrak dan lesen yang diperuntukkan kepada kaum bumiputera. Mereka telah dengan cara pengkhianatan mereka telah memperuntukkan hak hak keistimewaan bumiputera ini kepada ahli ahli keluarga dan kroni mereka sahaja. Ini telah menyebabakkan kaum dayak di Sarawak dipinggirkan kerana mereka tidak mempunyai apa apa perhubungan dengan UMNO. Begitu juga kaum melayu Sarawak juga telah dipinggirkan kerana tidak ada apa apa perhubungan dengan UMNO. Bagi kaum dayak dan melayu yang dapat habuk hak keistimewaan ini adalah mereka yang terdekat sekali dengan pucuk kepimipinan PBB.

Kita juga jangan lupa bahawa pemimpin UMNOlah yang menghina institusi Raja-Raja Melayu pada 1983 dan 1993.

Para pemimpin UMNO juga perlu mengetahui kebanyakkan orang Kelantan ialah orang melayu, tetapi, para pemimipin UMNO dengan enggan membayar tuntutan royalti minyak bagi negeri itu. Ini menunjukkan para pemimpin UMNO yang berkuasa telah mengkhianati orang melayu di negeri Kelantan itu.

Polisi yang dikeluarkan oleh pemimpin UMNO juga membuat para remaja bangsa melayu menderita sekarang kerana kebanyakkan mereka sekarang tidak pandai berbahasa English. Ini menyebabkan mereka itu sukar mendapat pekerjaan disektor awam dan juga diluar negara. Dengan perasaan marah dan “frustration” kerana tidak dapat perkerjaan yang sempurna mereka telah membuang masa sehaja menyertai mat rempit, melepak di tempat membeli belah dan juga menjadi pengedar dadah dan juga terlibat dalam jenayah. Ini adalah hadiah yang paling zalim dan pengkhianatan yang terbesar sekali yang diberi oleh para pemimipin UMNO kepada kaum orang melayu.

“Dewa” Najib in Batu Caves

2009-08-17T13:24:00.000+08:00

It is interesting to know that a huge replica showing the image of PM Najib Tun Razak, was constructed to welcome him on his visit to Batu Caves on 8th August, 2009. His image was bigger than any image of hindu gods in Batu Caves. From Suara Keadilan (11th – 18 August, 2009) the image of PM Najib Tun Razak was displayed at the entrance of the steps infront of an image of the Hindu god. A statue of a Hindu god has to stand behind the replica of Najib. This shows how important Najib is in IMalaysia Concept mooted by Najib and Hindu god by protocol of the BN government has to give way to Najib in the name of I Malaysian Concept and BN style of Malaysian Unity. This gives the impression that a devotee has to show respect to Najib first before showing respect to the Hindu god. Young children may at such a religious place be mistaken that the image is also an image of a Hindu God. For the unknowing children, they may just worship him too.

This really was a display of arrogance in a religious place which showed little respect to the Hindus who visited Batu Caves.

Now, whether Malaysians should call “Long Live Najib, Bless Malaysia” or “Bless us God, we need Your Divine Protection” when Malaysians who came to pay homage to the gods in Batu Caves.

Dominique Ng to promote a new political party?

2009-08-17T12:11:00.003+08:00

News went around that Dominique will start a new party and if this is true then this would not be in the good interest of the Opposition. He may call those disgruntled politicians to join his cause, but, I can assure that at this moment, no one in DAP is interested at that idea. In any organization, differences of opinion are bound to happen, but, the best solution to it is to try to accommodate oneself to the opinion of others and be patient. Of course, there are limits to patience.

If DAP cannot in the coming election work with PKR and other Opposition party, DAP will, I think go all out alone. After all, DAP had done that way all along except for some brief moments with some loose liaison or understanding with PERMAS and Barisan Alternatif since it set foot in Sarawak.

If a new party could be born before the coming election, this will lend weight to suspicion that the new party was sponsored by the Barisan Nasional. This is because there is no reason the party can get itself registered while MDC could not. The new party will only create a wider wedge among the Opposition and our struggle of toppling BN will not materialize in the next election. The new party will instead be an instrument for the Barisan Nasional to retain power.

To add salt in the Opposition camp, See How was said to have claim that he got the mandate to contest Batu Kawa state seat in the coming election. However, from what I know, those PKR leaders who recently had a talk with DAP leaders were only directed to find out the views of Sarawak DAP on seat allocations for the coming state election. There was no mandate at all to them to negotiate and to confirm seats to be contested by PKR. All I know was that, during his recent visit to Sarawak about nearly two weeks ago, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in a closed door meeting with some leaders here has said that seats for PKR will only be decided by top leadership of PKR and not by leaders of PKR in Sarawak. Therefore, the claim by See How that he got the mandate to contest may hit a nail on his own feet.

I regret that See How being a veteran politician had not been a formidable force so far for the Opposition. He contested twice and had lost his deposits badly. Once in Mas Gading against Dr. Patau Rubis when contesting under the DAP banner and in 2008 in Stampin Parliamentary under PKR. If he goes to Batu Kawa - a seat in which DAP will likely to contest, See How could find himself be accused as a destroyer or spoiler of the Opposition in the event the Opposition could not wrest the seat. PKR has no better candidate than See How to contest in Batu Kawa and neither PKR had made much impact in the area since it set foot in Sarawak. Proven record had shown that only DAP could make a more formidable impact against the BN in the area. His presence there will only see BN retain the seat. It would not be difficult for the voters to smell the rat that this will be a strategy to give victory to BN at the expense of the Opposition.

Divorce Law – Women and Children Suffer

2009-08-07T17:34:00.001+08:00

Nowadays divorces between couples are very a common thing. Most divorce ended with bitterness and lasting scars on both husbands the wives and their children. In divorce proceedings, the courts normally were very concern with the maintenance and welfare of the children and wives. But, on thing is that many did not realize that despite the amicable terms agreed by the parties or as imposed by the courts, these terms were seldom been carried out by the husbands. Even if carried out, the ex-husbands may after a period of time abandon the maintenance for their children and their ex- wives.

The ex-wives being the weaker sex when caught with the situation could not know how to overcome the situation. Even if they know, they would not have the means to pursue the matter before the courts because court costs and legal fees are expensive things. To go to Legal Aid may also not assist the ex-wives because without proper monetary consideration it was also difficult for officers in the Legal Aid to do a good job. Moreover, Legal Aid has been bogged down with cases which kept on piling up each year and with inadequate manpower, Legal Aid faced problems to pursue justice for the ex-wives and their children.

The law on this area therefore may need to be amended. The law should when the ex-husbands defaulted or ignored to maintenance their ex-wives, the law should make this a criminal offence and to allow the relevant authorities to place them under arrest and to prosecute them. Besides that the ex-husbands should be made to pay back arrears with interests and their properties be seized to satisfy the maintenance arrears for the ex-wives and children. If they have no property to satisfy the claims, then, jail terms in default should also be imposed.

These are necessary because in our modern society we should not allow the ex-wives and children to suffer.

冠英与你有约 A Night with GUAN ENG - 30/7/2009

2009-08-07T09:08:00.008+08:00

Abolish ISA, Stop Act of Brutality!

2009-08-07T09:07:00.000+08:00

The mass arrest of Anti-ISA demonstrators by the authorities last few days in Kuala Lumpur showed BN’s desperation in control of power. BN government should not underestimate peoples’ power and peoples’ anger towards the government. The BN government each day had become more cruel and cruel to its own citizen. We have in the past months seen and heard how BN government had abused their power by using the MACC and the police as instruments against the Opposition and dissent voices. The BN government had caused the collapse the PR government in Perak and had tried all means to destabilize the PR governments of Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor.

The most pitiful victim of all these BN abuses was none other than Teoh Beng Hock whose death was a mystery while under the detention of MACC. MACC could have said that Teoh Beng Hock had been released on the early morning to go back, but, it was unbelievable that Teoh Beng Hock had been released. The assault and battery of own citizens have become a norm of BN government in control of its own people. The demonstrators against ISA had been bashed and arrested.

In recent months the relevant authorities had become more aggressive in using force against the people. Politicians and suspects were harshly treated alike and in a recent video clipping in the internet this brutality was an uncivilized act by some law enforcement officers in treating people in custody. Police should start an investigation into the video clipping and track down the culprits.

Only yesterday family members of an assault victim came and complained to me that one of their family members was assaulted and battered by the Kota Samarahan Police. A police report has been lodged and the victim, who had underwent operation some years ago complained to them that he suffered grave bodily pain and had to confess to the crime alleged against him. On receiving the complaint, I immediately rang up a senior police officer in Kota Samarahan police station telling him to tell his men to stop the brutal act.

Sarawak Head of Crime Branch had also been informed by me by a faxed letter, but, I received no response from him yet about the complaint. I hope the complaint would be investigated as we do no wish another act of brutality by law enforcement officers.

JUSTICE FOR TEO BENG HOCK - 20.7.2009

2009-08-04T08:51:00.015+08:00

Why Petronas Sold Our Much Needed Gas to Foreigners?

2009-08-02T19:06:00.000+08:00

Petronas has failed to protect the interest of the nation when it allowed the supply of 3. 03 million tones of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) a year to Shanghai Gas Terminal for twenty five years effective from 2009. There is not enough gas in the country and there is no reason for Petronas to allow the shipment of our gas out of the country which may also result in tens of billions of ringgit in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This will in the future cost our gas to be more expensive in local market. The country has badly in need of cheaper gas and has to import about 19% of the country’s gas from Indonesia.

Petronas should be held for all losses the country will incur due to gas shortage in industries that may need gas to operate. On top of that Petronas had betrayed the confidence of the people in its management of the country’s most precious resources as its action has highly been against national interest. It is a terrible waste of our money when Petronas spent RM11.5 billion to build the Penisular Gas Utility System (GPU) pipeline to supply gas throughout the country when there is no gas flowing through the PGU pipeline.

We all know that the National Gas Policy was supposed to reduce gas supplies to the power sector that consumes 61% of gas supplies to 40%. However there has been no effort made to reduce dependence by the Independent Power Producers (IPP) which consumes 35% of our much needed gas supplies. The Malaysian government has made 27 million Malaysians looked like stupid people when gas was only used to serve the few IPPs to allow them generate and enjoy billions of ringgit of profits at the expense of Malaysians.

Leave Behind “Cawat” Issue And Move Forward

2009-07-29T08:52:00.001+08:00

The remark by Hadi Awang on the recent concluded by-election result in Btg. Ai was an expression of frustration. Hadi Awang clearly showed that the result reflected the thought of the people of Btg. Ai still clinging to the “old” thinking that only Barisan Nasional government was good for them while people outside Btg. Ai had begun to expect a change in government as seen in the defeats by BN in series of by-elections in West Malaysia and the fall of many states under the BN government to Pakatan Rakyat.

We now have to move forward and leave behind what Hadi Awang had said and be focused on capturing the state government through the coming state election. If Pakatan Rakyat wins to form the state government, the people of Sarawak will see a lot of changes. We will ensure automatic renewal of all land leases to a further period of 90 years without premiums. We will also see Native Customary Land and kampong land be issued with land titles. At the same time, Pakatan Rakyat will ensure that all consumers will enjoy free first 20 cubic metres of treated water.

Not only that, we will also ensure that government grants be given to all religious and vernacular schools and Chinese schools. Senior citizens and single parents will also enjoy better welfare benefits and allowances so that they can enjoy the sunshine everyday.

Now its time for change!

OPENING OF NEW DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI

2009-07-27T14:09:00.008+08:00

The official opening of the new DUN Building just now by the King was very grand with VIPs throughout Malaysia coming for the function. We Opposition YBs had no seat and it was a very embarrassing official function that I ever attended. It took me more than an hour before I could find a seat.

The new DUN building costing about RM300 million does no reflect a building for a multi-cultured and multi-religious society. The building reflects one culture of one race only. The concept does not also reflect a building based on democracy. Democracy in Malaysia came from Westminister and it should be a blend of Western and Eastern cultures. The west represents where democracy came from and the east should represent our culture.

The Chambers is more or less the size of the Chambers of the old DUN building and this reflects a waste of public fund for the new building. Therefore, there is no much difference at all. I thought that the Chambers could be bigger where in the event that the number of YBs to be increased, seats could be extended to them. I was told that all YBs have been allocated an office each in which I don’t see a need at the moment. This is because it is not the comfort that we are looking for, but, a place where democracy could be heard. There is no point having a Dewan so majestic like this if voices of our YBs could not be heard. For BN YBs, they may feel the luxury of comfort in listening speeches of Ministers, but, to us in the Opposition, what we need is a forum where voices of the people could be heard.

If the BN government which is a big spender government is serious about democracy, then the best thing is to televise all debates “live” during all sittings of the Legislature. This is to ensure that all YBs behave and can deliver their speeches intelligently and debate well. This is also to enable voters to gauge for themselves the performance of their own YBs. In previous DUN sittings, what went on was that while we in the Opposition spoke, the YBs from BN kept on shouting abuses at us. When we shouted at them, they booed at us to sit down and this wasted a lot of time.

I hope in this new DUN there no more to be such misbehavior from YBs. I was quite fed-up of all these antics which made me stood-up and had a shouting match during the last DUN sitting with Dr. George Chan and other YBs when issue on land matters could not be raised by the DAP. I had kept my cool for too long and too patient with their style in stifling our voices.

Teoh Beng Hock’s Death – Was investigation professionally done?

2009-07-21T13:15:00.003+08:00

Although the death of comrade Teoh Beng Hock was given wide news coverage in the last few days, but, one thing that was a mystery was the low key investigation conducted by the police and or by the relevant authorities. If later on that it be announced that Teoh Beng Hock committed suicide, then, the public will have a right to condemn the investigation as a cover-up operation by the BN government. Such a high profile case should be given a very transparent investigation and the public should not be left guessing and speculating what actually had led to Teoh Beng Hock’s death or what went on with the investigation.

From what went on in the news, it seems that the police had failed to follow the international police practice of immediately sealing off Wisma Masalam and its surrounding areas. At least from the 14th floor housing the offices of MACC down to the 5th floor of Wisma Masalam where the body was found should have been sealed. It was not known whether this was done. The need to seal off a scene of crime for the purpose of investigation was always necessary to prevent possible tampering of evidence by people who may come in contact with the scene of crime. At the same time, all equipment used in the interrogation and investigation including office all investigation papers, diaries and logbooks should have been immediately seized.

Simultaneously, all personal vehicles and houses of MACC officers who were involved in the arrest and interrogation of Teoh Beng Hock should be seized and searched for evidence so that nothing should be left to chance to escape from the net during investigation. So far, nothing was heard had been done.

I would suggest that if anything goes wrong with the investigation for lack of thoroughness where evidence could have been collected, but, negligently not collected, the police officers conducting the investigation should be held responsible and be brought to justice.

The police should re-construct how Teoh Beng Hock had fallen if he was to have committed suicide. This will also help determine whether or not foul play was involved giving the fact that the window from which he purported fell or thrown out could only open just 45 degrees wide. Such an opening for a person of medium size could hardly afford an easy passage to go out of the window without hitting any mark to the window or without having his body injured in the process. We should not only be concern as to why Teoh Beng Hock had fell, but, should also be concern as how and when Teoh Beng Hock fell if not being pushed down alive.

It was also observed from the pictures shown in local tabloids that the window was at least four feet high and in such circumstances, it was not easy for a person to climb up unassisted or if with nothing on the glass wall to hold on. To avoid further allegation or suspicion of cover up, the police should have call foreign forensic pathologists to assist in the investigation. This is because it is doubtful that Malaysia has such an expert that could assist in this kind of investigation involving deaths that fell from high rise buildings as in Malaysia cases of such nature are not many for local forensic experts to develop their skill and experience.

I hereby also urge the police to get the assistance of the FBI and Scotland Yard to at lest assist in crime scene investigation. At the same time, this would avoid the suspicion of tampering of evidence or cover up by the government. There is also nothing wrong for our Malaysian Police to seek their assistance in this high profile case. In a recent missing girl case who could have been raped and murdered, FBI was called in to assist.

Although the police said that the autopsy report showed that Teoh Beng Hock died of multiple injuries due to a fall, but, this could not be taken as conclusive proof of how he could have died. In law, such autopsy report shows strong proof, but, not conclusive proof of cause of death.

The public needs to be informed that a person could have been assaulted and be injured by the assault, but, injuries caused to the victim could be difficult to detect if the interrogator or assailant knows the technique of how to do it. The victim could tolerate injuries but could not withstand the pain caused to his body. The private part and areas near to the heart are two most vital areas where excruciating pain could easily be caused with very little force, yet injuries to these parts would be difficult to be detected. Once caused, not only there could there be pain, but, at the same time this could lead to shock and cardial arrest which can cause immediate death to the victim. Therefore, death could be caused to a victim first, even, before the body could be thrown out from a total building and when landed on the floor multiple injuries to the body would definitely be caused. This will then show that the victim had died from a fall, but, in actual fact had died even before his body was found on the floor.

The government should on this case set up a Royal Commission to investigation this case with the help of foreign experts including FBI and Scotland Yard so as to dispel fear of impartiality.

DAP SERIAN Branch to officially open office

2009-07-14T16:50:00.001+08:00

The Democratic Action Party will officially open its Serian Branch Office on 26th July, 2009. The office will be located at 2nd Floor, Room 7, Lot 611 Block B, Jung Kuo Commercial Centre, Jalan Serian By-Pass. At present the Branch has about 400 members and mostly are dayaks from Serian District. Dayak participation in the Party from Serian is very encouraging and BN can expect much impact from DAP Serian in coming elections. The Branch is headed by Encik Langgong anak Nangat and the Branch Secretary is Mr. Tay Wei Wei. Encik Langgong anak Nangat is not new in politics and had helped many politicians won elections in Serian District.

Issues that DAP Serian will be harping on include lack of proper electricity and water supply, poor quality of fertilizer subsides to the Dayaks, poor road infrastructures as many roads are yet been tar-sealed. Many Dayaks in the area complained that the lack of electricity has hampered their children’s education. Without electricity their children could not use computers and therefore, could not catch up with e-knowledge.

This coming state election to be scheduled in 2011, DAP Sarawak may likely to contest in at least one of the constituencies in Serian District. DAP Serian has already identified their likely candidates to stand in the coming election.

To boost the morals of its supports, DAP Serian will hold a dinner on 29. 8. 2009 at Sui Fung Lai Restaurant at 35th Mile Kuching-Serian Road. A few DAP leaders may come from West Malaysia to grace the occasion. Dinner tickets are available from Mr. Tay Wei Wei and Encik Langgong anak Nangat. They can be contactable by their handphones 016-8552214 and 019-8450024 respectively.

Najib’s Goodies – A trick for Manik Urai

2009-07-12T23:29:00.001+08:00

During the Batang Ai By-Election, the government announced “quick mee” projects of RM70 million for the area, but, until now we are yet to see the money be poured in for Batang Ai. People in Batang Ai were so happy with it but where are the projects and money promised by BN?

Now comes Manik Urai by-election, Najib announced a more “quick mee” for not for Manik Urai but for Malaysians. This was in the hope that he will get a boost in his image and that this was also with the hope that the people in Manik Urai will buy this “quick mee” concept. Why only now the announcement was made? Najib in his “quick mee” projects also announced more roads for Sabah and Sarawak? Why now? Sabah and Sarawak had suffered much since Malaysia was formed, but, again will the roads be constructed?

Our oil money went the federal coffers and from the federal coffers where the money went to? Had the oil royalty been increased for Sabah and Sarawak, the two states would have seen better roads and infrastructures long time ago.

Najib also said improvements will be made in registering births in Sabah and Sarawak, but, again why only now? The BN government could spend billion of ringgits elsewhere but had neglected to see that the citizens’ basic rights for identity be ignored. If a person has no identification paper, then, legally he has no name to identify himself. This is because he could only prove his identity through identity cards only. Even our pets got names, because when we gave names to our pets, we normally put a chain with the pet’s name over his neck, but, funny many human beings in Sabah and Sarawak had no names to identify themselves. Most people who are affected with no proper identification papers are those living in the rural areas and they are mostly dayaks.

Flood Relief Assistance 2009

2009-07-03T13:38:00.002+08:00

The government has failed to see sufferings of flood victims caused by floods between December 2008 to February 2009 be properly looked into. The government was not action orientated and took too much sweat time to cope with disasters as until not many flood victims are yet to receive monetary aids or assistance from the government. Until now, I still receive complaints and queries from flood victims in my Batu Lintang Constituency about the assistance from the government to them. There is no reason why these money aids could only be handed out by Ministers and Barisan Nasional YBs alone, while these could also be done by Welfare Officers, Residents, District Officers and also by the Administrative Officers of the District Office.

It has been observed that the handouts were mostly to Barisan Nasional stronghold constituencies and handouts in Opposition areas were slow or not done at all. Otherwise, all those affected in Batu Lintang should have received their aids by now.

The slow action by the government to hand out these aids either showed the lackadaisical attitude of the government who could not understand the sufferings of the people or it could be that the government is at the verge of bankruptcy now and could not help its people.

People are also kept in the dark of the amount of money that had been handed out to victims and also the amount of money spent in rescue and flood management operations. During the recent DUN sitting, except, for a sum of RM3 million for food, shelter and other necessities, money spent in rescue and flood management was also not disclosed at all and the funds could have been abused.

To those flood victims who had not received any aids, I hereby advise you all to see the District Officers in your district and the local authority offices to get information and seek relief aids from them. For information, the government has allocated four types of flood relief assistance as follows:-

Assistance for evacuees to evacuation centers, at the rate of RM500 per family;
Assistance for flood victims who for some valid reasons were unable to move to evacuation centers, at the rate of RM300 per family;
Assistance for farmers whose farms and animals were destroyed by the flood, at the rate of RM1,000 per family; and
Assistance for those whose houses were totally destroyed shall be given RM3,000 per family.

The state government needs RM346 million to build damaged infrastructures caused by the recent floods, and although a sum of about RM200 million has been allocated, we are all still kept in the dark as to how and where the money has or will be spent. It was also not correct for the government to keep us in the dark the total sums of money that has been pumped in for flood victims and for repairs of infrastructures damaged by recent floods. Since the money involved was a huge sum, all expenditures should be audited by a reputable accountant firm and the report should like the PKFZ Report, be made available to public and for public viewing. This is to ensure accountability and transparency in spending people’s money by the government.

Who Are “Natives” of Sarawak?

2009-07-02T18:37:00.000+08:00

The Federal Constitution made no mention about Iban and Bidayuh as “natives” of Sarawak. They are unknown races in the Federal Constitution. Indigenous races in Sarawak that were mention as “natives” in the Federal Constitution only included Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Kadayans, Kalabits, Kayans, Kenyahs (including Sabups Sipengs), Kajangs, (including Sakapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs and Kanowits) Lugats, Lisums, Malays, Melanos, Muruts, Penans, Sians, Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits.

Other Dayaks, not stated in the Federal Constitution, therefore, could not be considered as natives of Sarawak!

To call the Ibans as Sea Dayaks and to call the Bidayuhs as Land Dayaks could be very deceptive or misleading. We all know that Ibans and Bidayuhs are Dayaks, and being Dayaks, they are also natives and are indigenous people of Sarawak. Why not identify them clearly in the Federal Constitution? We need also to understand that not all Ibans lived near the seas and likewise, not all Bidayuhs lived in the interior part of country.

Our colonial masters called natives who lived near to the seas and coastal areas as Sea Dayaks while those who lived in the interior as Land Dayaks. The word, “Iban” and “Bidayuh” were unknown to them, otherwise, these races could have been identified by the colonial masters. Therefore, the term Sea Dayak and Land Dayak was for convenience of the colonial masters, but, we must understand that not all things done by our colonial masters were correct or is still suitable in our present day situation.

Ibans and Bidayuhs are not foreigners in Sarawak, but, since there was no special mention of them in the Federal Constitution, the matter has to be looked seriously by our politicians.

Without properly identifying the Ibans and Bidayuhs in the Federal Constitution, this could just deprive these two largest groups of Dayaks from being given the preferential treatment accorded to the natives in the Federal Constitution. Matters for preferential treatment for natives include the reservation of positions in the public service and scholarships, educational and training privileges or special facilities, permits or licences for the operation of any trade or business.

A Bidayuh young man recently was not accorded this preferential treatment by a government agency and the matter was raised in Parliament by an Opposition Parliamentarian.

IS PUBLIC CANNING BY JUDGE A GOOD MOVE FOR BETTER JUSTICE?

2009-06-27T11:58:00.001+08:00

The public canning by the Sessions’ Cout Judge, Zainal Abidin Kamaruddin, in the court premises in the presence of the convicted Muhammad Syafiq Abdul Wahab for a simple robbery this coming July 15, 2009 would be an unprecedented move in our justice system. As far as I know, sentencing was only carried out by prison officers and if canning be imposed this could only be done in prison and out of public eye. The function of the Judge should only be to dispense justice and not to carry out sentencing himself. What purpose will it serve for such a canning of a young person in public and yet done by the Judge personally?

If the Judge is to carry out the canning himself, then, the time is near that a Malaysian Judge may hang his convict by himself! This will be something unheard of in the world and Malaysia will be the first!

We are civilized society and such canning should not be imposed for such a minor offence of robbing an identity card and a cell phone. Ten strokes of rottan will be very painful thing for a young boy.

People robbed everyday and in Malaysia, people were also convicted for drugs trafficking and sentenced to death by hanging, but, yet there were still people who went around to committing such crimes. People committed such crimes which came with it monetary benefits or gain not because they most of the time wanted to commit them, but, because society’s social system had forced them so. Had they enough to eat and had they be taught the right way of life and to treasure their lives, I believe that people who wish to commit crime will be less. Tell me who wants to commit crime just for the sake of committing it!

The effect of canning on such a young man would definitely be traumatic to him and to those who may come to watch the canning. It will definitely leave a lasting scar in the young boy and he may find it difficult to live his life and be shunned by his peers. His parents who will be required to watch the canning will also be left with deep scars in their heart. Will the parents ever love Muhammad Syafiq Abdul Wahab more and live with it just because of the canning? Will it not a form of punishment to Muhammad Syafiq Abdul Wahab’s parents? Should his parents be punished for a crime not committed by his parents? These are questions that a civilized society should answer.

There is a saying that says that justice needs to be done but at the same time, there is a saying that says that justice need be tampered with mercy. In a civilized society, we should no more impose such a harsh, violent and crude way of sentencing.

I still remember vividly sometime around 1982 or 1983 a schoolboy in Alor Gajah, committed suicide after being alleged to have commit theft in a supermarket was ordered by his school principal to make an apology before his school mates. Lim Kit Siang came to see in my police station as I was the officer investigating the case. It was a big story nationwide. The coffin of the boy was nearly been carried to the supermarket.

So, in Muhammad Syafiq Abdul Wahab’s case, I hope his lawyer or the Malaysian Bar Council will take his case to the High Court to revoke the sentencing as being too harsh and violent on a young boy for just robbing a handphone and an identity card.

Lawyers Must Act Without Fear.

2009-06-21T09:45:00.002+08:00

When my client, Hendrick Tan, was released by the court, the police immediately wanted to re-arrest him. When asked, the police officer could not give me reasons why Hendrick Tan should be re-arrested and this prompted me to advise the officer that the re-arrest of Hendrick Tan after an order of unconditional release has been made, would be unlawful and that she could be sued if she proceed to re-arrest. It was also a very embarrassing situation, but, I had to act without fear because I just had to enforce the court order. Had the officer wanted to re-arrest Hendrick Tan and where force could be used, I would definitely also stop this as an innocent person’s liberty should be protected at all cost. The officer, after being advised, just left us.

Hendrick Tan then followed me back as he had no vehicle and no money to go back.

During the remand proceedings before the magistrate, Mr. Brian Tan, the investigating officer was not present and his investigation diary was also never been transmitted to the court. Such an application definitely should fail as it was a requirement of the law that the diary of the investigating officer must be transmitted to court. What the court got during the remand proceedings was the diary of remand officer and worst still her diary did not at all disclose any offence upon which a remand application should be made. Meaning that, Hendrick Tan was arrested and produced before the court for no offence at all. Can the police do this? No court of law would allow this!

More than two years later, a team of police officers then came to my office to arrest me and charged me for harbouring Hendrick Tan. It shocked me! My wife panicked!

After being charged in court, some people approached me and told me that the charges could be dropped if I were to leave the Democratic Action Party and to join the Barisan Nasional! Immediately, I sensed politics in my arrest. Being a lawyer and politician, I knew very well that the charges against me was trumped up and initiated to curtail my political activities. After the arrest, I was warned to slow down my political activities or else face further harassments.

After losing their case in the magistrate court, the relevant authorities were still not happy and appealed to the High Court. YA David Wong in his strong worded judgment said that it would make the re-arrest of Hendrick Tan after being released unconditionally by a proper court “a farce” and that there was nothing wrong for me to enforce the order of the court. Despite that, a further appeal was made before the Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal found nothing wrong with my action.

Photo of myself taken immediately after I came out of the Court Room

It took me nine years to fight this legal battle, but, the matter is not over yet. I am now studying the matter and may take my time to file a civil suit for wrongful arrest and for malicious prosecution. This may take another few years.

In jubiliant mood with my counsels after winning the case!
From L - R: Osman Ibrahim, Chong Siew Chiang, Voon Lee Shan, RJ Noel, Roger Chin
A truly multi-racial legal team to defend me!
All of them were good learned counsels, very experience in their trade

Bumiputera Preferences, is it still necessary?

2009-06-17T17:31:00.001+08:00

Parties like MCA, MIC, Gerakan, SUPP, PRS, and SPDP have to explain the Malaysian public their stand in supporting UMNO all these years their reasons in supporting UMNO to allow 30% equity to bumiputera under the New Economic Policy (“NEP”) to go on and on and not for a more balanced equity for all races. These Parties also have to explain their stand on the imbalance in civil service recruitment ratio of 4:1 between bumiputera and non-bumiputera, yet, bumiputera seems to favour one bumiputera race only. This imbalance in recruitment had over the past 50 years seen Malaysia Civil Service being occupied by one race only. At the same time, they also need to explain their stand on the issue of meritocracy and quota system in entry into public universities and this left only about 20% of public university places to Chinese and Indians in the country.

Although NEP which implemented into effect the bumiputera preference in business, education, licences and recruitment in the civil service has officially ended in 1990, UMNO leaders have in 2005 called the restoration of NEP and yet parties MCA, MIC, Gerakan, SUPP, PRS and SPDP never until now officially declared their stand on the matter. This shows that these parties were subservient to UMNO and PBB.

Ong Ka Ting was also a lame duck, only voiced his personal stand against it in the 55th MCA General Assembly in October, 2008 , that is, when he was about to vacate his Presidency in MCA.

In Sarawak, SUPP leaders must understand that the people of Sarawak voted for them to voice the plight of the people and to seek justice and equality, but, not to elect them to become Sarawak useless people party. At least DAP had in the past years voiced much concern over the implementation of the NEP, the equity and quota system.

MCA, Gerakan and SUPP being in the government should also point out to UMNO that preferences in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution which gave rise to the implementation of NEP should not go on and on without ending. This is because the system has been subjected to abuse as not all bumiputeras benefited from the preferences. SUPP should also be told and be reminded of the Reid Commission which drafted the Federal Constitution in 1957 had stated that “in due course the present preferences should be reduced and should be ultimately ceased”. SUPP also need to understand that even Tunku Abdul Rahman had in 1980s and later Abdullah Ahmad Badawi voiced much concern of the adverse effect of the 30% equity in NEP. Even Khairy Jamalludin, who was then the UMNO Deputy Youth Chief, in a televised debate with Chua Jui Meng in 2005 had agreed that a committee be set up to review the NEP. This was because NEP had created economic set-backs in the country as many overnight millionaires had not the skill to further develop their business with their new found wealth.

The government’s move on 23 April, 2009 to liberalize the 30% bumiputera equity policy in 29 sub-sectors although a welcome move, but, will not cure the ailing Malaysian economy as the damage has already been done. Foreigners had long lost business confidence in this country by consistently questioning the bumiputera equity in their investments here. The matter will not be solved until action been taken by the present government to implement the recommendations of the Reid Commission to completely cease the preferences given to bumiputeras in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

Professionals as Politicians what are the differences between them when it comes to Comradeship and political Struggle?

2009-06-11T10:20:00.002+08:00

Professionals who joined politics see and solve issues differently and many were influenced by their professional training. Lawyers for instance, by their training were supposed to be able to see for themselves what is just, fair and equitable. They were also trained to determine what was wrong and what was right and their legal training also gave them much advantage over other professionals in handling debates about public issues. This was because lawyers were trained to argue and be sensitive to social perception of a given issue.

But one thing about lawyers in politics, that is, if an issue affect themselves, they may, based on the urgency and necessity of the situation when had to chose between two evils, many say lawyers tend to sacrifice comradeship by “killing” the other comrade off so that he could be saved. It was said, he has to decide, in between the two evils that the “killing” of his own comrade was the only way out to prevent the other evil from destroying him. He has to save himself if he sees himself as the lesser evil, but, normally it was a natural thing that he would decide, even if he was not the lesser evil that he needs to see himself saved! So, he has no choice, but, has to put his comrade on alter and “kill” the comrade so that the comrade could be, instead of himself, be offered as a sacrifice to solve the political problem affecting him and the organization. This was what people used to observe and for me, I also came to the same conclusion of my analysis of a lawyer being a politician.

Many may not agree with me, but, this was an unavoidable fact. A lawyer may take such an action based on the law of necessity. The lawyer by his training was told that necessity was a general defence and in certain circumstances, killings based on necessity to save lives was said a good defence, especially, when it involves self-defence in homicide cases.

Every lawyer knows the case of Dudley v. Stephens (1884) very well. The case for the three accused men in this case called for the defence of necessity of killing the boy in an open boat after they were drifted in the sea after the shipwreck. This differentiates law and morality. Therefore, when a politician who is a lawyer by training decides to chose the two evils, the law of morality may play no part on him anymore. He has to choose who among the evils he has to destroy and here where selfishness creeps into his head, he may then make the wrong decision and may even go to destroy the lesser evil, but, dared not himself be destroyed!

How about doctors? Doctors by their training normally are not people who were argumentative, but, they were very observant and careful in their undertakings. This is because they could not afford to make mistake as mistake may be fatal to his patient’s life. Unlike the legal profession, the lawyer can still have the opportunity to appeal to a higher court to save the life of his client if he lost the case in the lower courts, but, in medical practice, there is no such opportunity for doctors. So doctors by their training were always careful in making decisions and their judgment must always be accurate and they were not trained to argue.

When they see cancer cells in the body, they may just decide to cut or chop off that part of the body so that the cancer cells will not separate to other parts of the body.

Therefore, when it came to politics, if the doctor-politician decides that his comrade is a liability in his organization, the doctor-politician may just decide to “eliminate” him and may not wish to allow him chance to survive politically for the doctor-politician may fear that this comrade may destroy the whole organization.

So, there could be a difference between a lawyer and a doctor in deciding things. A lawyer if he takes necessity as a need and if he himself was involved, necessity may require him to be selfish in his decision and may tend to decide in favour of himself while a doctor who could not treat himself, could not decide for himself, but, only could decide for his patient.

How about engineers and accountants? We don’t find many engineers and accountants who are politicians in Malaysians politics, but, there is no reason why these professionals should shun politics.

However, there are police and army officers in politics. By their training police and army officers were trained to eat, live, do things and die together in the battlefields. They were trained to be armed and to fight a war and to win a war be focused on their enemy. If they were commanders in their units, they were trained in military strategies in a given battlefield. They were also trained to be disciplined to orders and they were trained to carry out their orders strictly to the letters irrespectively whether the order was right or wrong! They were in actual fact trained to be obedient followers and were told not to question an order from their superiors. This was pure blind obedience! Creating a sense of camaraderie and esprit de corp among themselves were of exceptional importance and they were trained to pull their ability together as a team to persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose.

People say politics is a game and you must be skillful to play the game within the rules to survive and to succeed, but, police and army officers by their training when they became politicians may not see politics as a game. They may see politics, like war, as a cause to struggle and as politicians they should be diehard fighters for a cause along their comrades, not a player in politics. By their military training, they were expected to fight on and on with their comrades and the objective of their struggle must be clearly understood by the public. They were also trained to win their enemies not only by military skills, but, also by psychological warfare.

In politics, police and army officers as politicians, in order to win the public by in psychological warfare will normally adopt a strategy to tell the people that they were fighting for a worthy cause, that the “war” could be won and worth winning. To do this in politics, they had to get rid of the “bad boy” image associated with discipline in the force and the perception that they were rough people.

I was a police officer and it had been difficult for me in the past years to win people and even now I was also much understood by friends, comrades and foes in my struggle to see a just and fair society. I hope people will just give me a chance to fight on and to serve and I need the help of every pe0ple.

SUPP Politicizing Chinese Education

2009-06-04T16:29:00.005+08:00

On 8. 12. 2006 SUPP launched the Penguin Educare Programme which came with the Penguin Educare Scholarship. It was said on 12. 5. 2007 SUPP donated RM500,000.00 to 14 Chinese Middle Schools in Sarawak, but, being a political Party which has no business arm, I wonder how SUPP could come with that huge sums of money when there was no help at all from the government for the said huge fund. This is money politics in education and a new brand of politicizing education by SUPP and its leaders.

SUPP should disclose where the money came from. We have a right to know and find out whether this came out from the pockets of SUPP’s ministers, assemblymen and Parliamentarians as many complained that allowances of Honourable Members were hardly enough to cover political expenses.

How can SUPP being in the government for the past 39 years be said able to advance Chinese education when the Party could not get the BN government to give annual grants like what Penang PR government been doing? By right, the Party being a partner in the BN government should be able to make both the state and federal governments come out with annual grants for all Chinese schools in Sarawak through the state Legislative Assembly and also through Parliament.

In another political stunt, it appeared in the Star (January 30, 2007) that Dr. George Chan had announced in Miri that SUPP led by its Secretary-General, Datuk Sim Kheng Hui will draw up a blueprint to chart the way forward a ten-year plan for the 222 chinese schools in Sarawak. He said all communities, not only Chinese would benefit out of the blue print. How it would benefit all communities were not made known and the public has a right to know. Where is the blueprint now? Can it be made public? Is there anything secret about it? Is this another empty promise?

Dr. George Chan again made another important announcement in February 2008 (see Bernama February 6, 2008) that the Education Ministry will announce strategies in assisting Chinese education in Sarawak, but, so far there was nothing concrete about this from the federal government. BN government was always fond of giving promises, but, after the parliamentary election, everything is now quiet. In election campaigns, SUPP told the voters to support the Party for promotion of Chinese education and also for the recognition of the United Examination Certificate. Such election promises including the recent 12th General Election, were always bare promises only and after each election was over, SUPP hoped that everybody will just keep quiet and forget these promises.

For SUPP to come out with promises showed that SUPP as a Party is no more dependable for the fight of our Chinese rights and Chinese education in the state. They are a weak Party and we had given them too much time to put things right, but, they had failed to do so.

Instead Dr. George Chan during the recent DUN sitting which ended in May, 2009 challenged the DAP to build schools.

SUPP must be reminded that although DAP is not in the government, DAP Sarawak, had done its part in promoting Chinese education. SUPP need to recall that in 1978, the Sarawak United Chinese Association (“SUCA”) of which many SUPP members were also members of the association nearly turned SUCA into a political party because of the inability of SUPP to fight for the advancement of Chinese education in the state. This showed that there were many members of SUPP that had no confidence at all in SUPP in fighting for the cause of Chinese education.

Ling Sie Ming, the then President of the Sarawak Taiwan Graduates Association and later our DAP strongman in Sibu region, was actively soliciting public funds. In the campaign to set up the Merdeka University, DAP Sarawak, in 1978 collected nearly RM280,000.00 without the help of SUPP. SUPP leaders must be reminded that many members of SUPP resigned from the Party when they saw the inability of the Party, although, in the government had failed to advance the cause of Chinese education in the state and in the nation.

The public should be reminded that SUPP in order to keep afloat had no choice but to politicize Chinese education by putting the blame on the DAP, instead of blaming themselves for their own failure. The public also should be reminded that by joining the Federal Government in 1971, SUPP had caused must erosion of Chinese rights by helping UMNO many times amended the Federal Constitution in which affected Chinese rights to better education and business and SUPP helped the promotion of malay supremacy over other races. With all these things happening caused by SUPP joining the government, Sarawak people should now reject SUPP to be in the government and to put the Opposition to run this country.

It must be remembered that in 1971, the UMNO-led federal government had no two-thirds majority but SUPP parliamentarians at that time traded their positions for a ministerial post for their Party Chairman. With that, it allowed the UMNO-led federal government 2/3 majority all the time, until the 12th General Election and with 2/3 majority at all times, the Federal Constitution was amended a number of times to the detriment of the Chinese community and other races in Malaysia.

Semi-Healthy Malaysians Eat Economy!!

2009-06-01T12:52:00.002+08:00

I raised the issue of semi-healthy Malaysians in the recent concluded Dewan Undangan Negeri sitting and by doing so, I came under much fire from ministers and YBs from the Barisan Nasional. I told the Dewan that the rise of the semi-healthy Malaysians was caused by bad policies of the BN government, which failed to ensure safer foods and drinks and a cleaner environment. The government in the past years talked so much of enforcement and control of food and environment, but, in reality had done very little. Instead, it was only promises over promises to do better but nothing concrete done so far.

I had spoken twice in the Dewan Undangan Negeri the contaminated water supplied by the authorities. In an audit report by the Audit Department, it was found out that many times the presence of bacteria and chemicals used to threat our water were above the permitted level. The water purification systems could have been out of date too and a new water treatment solution need to be found. Datuk Awang Tengah said I just wanted to create public anxiety on the matter. I was not there wanting to seek political mileage, but, I had to raise the matter because contaminated water had in the past years contributed the rise of medical bills and ate into our economy. The government and the public should be made aware of this that contaminated water and open burning each year in oil palm plantations also contributed to acute skin diseases, kidney and heart diseases, cancer and other ailments. Medical bills nowadays for their treatment are very costly and the government seemed kept mum over the matter and denied its policy over enforcement and health matter contributed to the recent increase of semi-healthy Malaysians. We could observe that too many if not most Malaysians over the age of 45-years old are semi-healthy people and they ate eat into our economy.

In the New Sunday Times ( May 31, 2009) it was said that tobacco smoking in 2004 in a research by the University Kebangsaan Medical Centre showed medical bills came to RM3 billion a year. The costs of treatment went up each year due to increasing healthcare costs. Experts said it could be higher and said, “The number of deaths and economic losses due to tobacco use exceeds that of the combined total of most infectious diseases including influenza, dengue, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS”

If treatment for sicknesses caused by smoking alone eats into medical healthcare of about RM3 billion a year then there is no reason why medical healthcare bills caused by contaminated water, food and polluted environment could not eat into RM10-15 billion a year! What a waste of public funds! With each year’s healthcare costs reduced, Malaysians would not only enjoy a much more healthy life but also better education opportunities and infrastructures because money for healthcare could be channeled to these developments.

Deaths caused by tobacco were said about 10,000 per year. What about the unnecessary deaths caused by kidney and heart failures due to poor environment, contaminated water and food? All deaths bring sufferings and pain to the families of the dead. The dead may leave with their children and family without no proper bread winners and also lonely people behind and increase in suicide cases. In the end, the school going children will be forced to leave schools and some may even be forced to prostitution, rob, cheat and to steal and peddling of drugs. It has the effect in contributing to social ills and decay in society and moral.

It has now been than 50 years as an independent nation, the Alliance and BN government had failed miserably to ensure better health and better economic environment for Malaysians. The Alliance and BN governments had committed grave political crime and comes the next general election they should be wiped out as too many lives had been innocently taken away because of their bad policies.

Dayaks split right, left and Centre, why?

2009-06-01T12:48:00.004+08:00

The dayaks in Sarawak are a split race, being split politically right, left and centre. If dayaks could group themselves together, no where other races could be near them economically and politically. Dayaks are in fact like Chinese and Indians and they all, unlike the malays, are of many races. Politically, the Chinese and Indians as a race in Malaysia, like the dayaks are also split, but, the split among the malays are not that serious. This was because the malays was helped by being a single race. Unlike other races in Malaysia, the malays all shared the same religion.

How and who split the dayaks? During the Brookes and British time, the indigenous people of Sarawak, were collectively known as dayaks. But, these Mat Salleh people later on preferred to call ibans as sea dayaks, and they called bidayuhs as land dayaks. Was not this a way to split the dayaks politically? How about other indigenous people, like kelabits, kenyahs, bukitans, in the Baram and Miri areas? Are they not also dayaks? Why split them as orang ulus? Who did this?

To split the dayaks further and placing them as if the dayaks are without nationality or race in the many official forms as “others” or “lain-lain” has further confused the dayak people of their identity. People like Tan Sri Jabu and James Masing being dayak leaders themselves should take the courage and positive effort to correct this misconception. I had spoken at length in the Dewan about this matter because I fear dayaks will lose their identity. There was no reply from the ministers.

The term sea and land dayaks are seldom heard or used of nowadays. In the Article 161A (7) of the Federal Constitution while other indigenous people are mentioned, it gave no mention of iban and bidayuh at all. Why the Federal Constitution did not define the term “dayak” but, “natives” for the purpose of indigenous people of Sarawak? Now, some bright spark out there wanted to split the dayak further by suggesting that the term dayak no more be used. Would not this politically was split the dayaks in Sarawak further?

If Najib is serious of 1 Malaysia Concept as a front for racial unity, he should amend the Federal Constitution so that Malaysians do no be called “bumiputera”, non-“bumiputera” and “others”. As it stands now, the law and the government treat races differently. This was evident when a bidayuh was not given a financial loan to start his business because he could not qualify himself as a bumiputera which prompted Lim Kit Siang to raise the matter in Parliament. Some dayaks in West Malaysia were said not been recognized as bumiputeras when buying houses, thus, depriving them of houses allocated to bumiputeras.

Datuk Joseph Entulu has much to explain to the community for his suggestions on the use of the term dayak and he was said to have said that the term dayak bore connotations that were negative, derogatory, uncouth and low class. If Datuk Joseph Entulu had said this, I would be sorry to him because there is nothing derogatory to call all indigenous people of Sarawak dayaks. If a person says that the term dayak is derogatory, uncouth and low class, then, it was his personal perception unsupported by any findings or is contrary to public perception. To clear the air, Chinese people never called dayak, derogatory or low class and since coming here from China, the Chinese people always showed much respect to the dayaks. That was the reason why when SNAP was formed as an umbrella for the dayaks, many Chinese businessmen supported the Party.

So don’t split the dayaks further. They are human beings like any other people in this earth. No body had a choice which race they wanted to be when they came to this earth. That is, nobody may wish to be born as dayak, a Chinese or an Indian, etc if he has the right to chose which race he should be before he comes to this world. We are all God’s creation and God had created us that way, so we must accept this God’s will.

The dayak should by now know why Malaysian Dayak Congress (“MDC”) could not until now be registered as a political party. With the name “dayak” in the Party’s name, it could be feared that MDC could be the umbrella to where the dayaks, whether, ibans, bidayuhs or orang ulus could find political shelter and political strength together. So, promoters and supporters of MDC, your wait may not see any light at all!

The dayak community has to think hard and find a solution to come together so that they could be stronger politically to fight for their rights which had long been neglected by the government.

Selamat Gawai Dayak Gayu-Guru Gerai-Nyamai!

2009-05-29T17:46:00.002+08:00

Ditu aku ngajih semua kaban belayan enggau semua bangsa dayak ba menoa kitai tu “Selamat Gawai Dayak, gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai!” Endang patut kitai sama ngerami ke ari besai tu enggau ati ti gaga lalu sama sama rindu ke semua bangsa. Aku pun arap semua orang bangsa dayak maju semoa dalam pengidup sida.

The dayaks are the people of this land but the Dayak Day was never been recognized by the rulers in this country until 1962! It was only in 25 September, 1964 that the Dayak Day was gazetted as a public holiday and was first celebrated on 1 June, 1965. Since then, this day had become a symbol of unity, aspiration and hope of the dayak community, but, it is difficult to see a united dayak race fighting along each other against the exploitations of this government against them. The symbol of unity, aspiration and hope, will just remain a dream only.

The dayaks were at one time very united under SNAP, then PBDS and now they are “parked” in obscure corner of the ruling parties and given minor roles to play in the government.

Although dayaks is a major race in the country, they were not collectively recognized as dayaks in the Federal Constitution. They were only known as “natives” and for the purpose of the definition of “natives” in the Federal Constitution, the words “iban” and “bidayuhs” were not used to define these two big ethnic groups of dayaks in Sarawak. Something must be very wrong with this government and the BN government should come up with a reasonable explanation for this.

Why the dayaks when they are to fill in forms from many agencies, they could not find “dayaks” in the many special columns provided in the forms? So, dayaks have no choice, but, consider themselves as “others”. This was not what they wanted and neither was their doings. Are they foreigners in their own land? Definitely, not!

To dayak people, do not give up and you all have to stand up be counted and fight all injustices against you. May this Gawai Dayak bring you closer to each other to realize your dream of a more united race.

Sama sama kitai agi engcelak agi bebatak. To end here, “Selamat Gawai Dayak”. Enggau tu, sekali agi aku ngajih kita “Gayu guru, gerai-nyamai, lantang ngereja semua pengawa.”

Challenge by Dr. George Chan & SUPP to Opposition to set-up Schools.

2009-05-29T16:32:00.007+08:00

The challenge by Dr. George Chan and SUPP to Opposition to set-up schools was like challenging a cow to jump over the moon. Dr. George Chan and SUPP should know despite being in power, SUPP could only get the government to allow to build two Chinese schools, that is, Chung Hua School No.6 in Sg. Maong in Kuching and also another one in Tudan, Miri, in the past 39 years since SUPP was in the government. They should know that these schools were built because of political pressures from the DAP and the Chinese community. Dr. George Chan and SUPP should know that it is the responsibilities of the government to build schools and to challenge DAP and the Opposition to build schools shows how irresponsible they are as leaders of the Party and as leaders of the Chinese community.

In 1978 when DAP and 4238 Chinese guilds and associations throughout Malaysia was fighting for the setting-up of the Merdeka University, SUPP leaders helped UMNO to opposed the move in public. SUPP also did not support the motion in Parliament by the DAP to amend the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 which could have paved the way for the formation of Merdeka University. Why? They were too scared of UMNO!

SUPP also did not sign the Memorandum to the King for the setting-up of the Merdeka University. (ref: South East Asian Studies Vol. 34 No. 2, September 1996 "The Sarawak Chinese Voters and their Support for the Democratic Action Party (DAP)" by James Chin at page 393). DAP and these Chinese guilds and associations had to solicit money from the public to get Mr. Michael Beloff QC., and 10 other lawyers to fight the case in court. The Chinese in Sarawak should still remember and their children should also be informed of the “Merdeka University $1 per head legal fund campaign” launched by DAP Sarawak which collected nearly $280,000-00 (Berita Petang Sarawak 13 June, 1980) to engage Mr. Michael Beloff and legal experts to fight the case in court. Where was SUPP at that time? So do no simply accused DAP of not doing anything!

Although the proponents of the Meredeka University also stressed the use of English and malay in the proposed Merdeka University, the proponents lost their case in the highest court of the land because it was ruled to have conflicted with the national education policy which, by Article 152 of the Federal Constitution, promotes the use of malay language in educational institutions.

Therefore, if SUPP is genuine to help the development of the mother tongue as medium of instructions in schools, SUPP should move a motion in Parliament to get the BN government to amend the Federal Constitution, the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and also the Education Act 1996. The laws should allow not only primary and secondary schools be built, but, also the building of universities. Without the Federal Constitution and relevant laws being amended, SUPP was challenging DAP and others to jump to the moon. This showed how irresponsible SUPP was to throw such a challenge and to politicize the issue.

Even if the Federal Constitution be amended, which is unlikely, SUPP must also see that permits issued for the setting of these schools should not come with it unnecessary restrictions, incapable of performance by the proponents. The permit should allow not only the use of the mother tongue in these institutions, but, also English and other languages and also should allow participation by foreign universities from countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and China possible. If these could be done, I am very confident that many countries and foreign universities will participate to promote education in this country for the benefit not only for the country, but, also for this Asian Pacific region of the world. Parents will then, have no worry to send their children to seek further education somewhere else.

Not only that, SUPP should get the BN government to donate land to set-up schools and these land should be land in the cities and not in the forests away from the people. If PAS government in Kelantan could give land to the Chinese community to take care of their community and their schools, there is no reason why BN government could not do this.

Even if schools could be built, SUPP should also ensure that the BN governments shall give recognition to all academic certificates and graduates that graduated from these schools and universities later on.

So, Dr. George Chan and SUPP do not simply shout and challenge others when you yourself although in the government could not do much. You get the laws be amended first and put everyone on the same level of playing field before you throw challenge at others. You and your Party had failed miserably all these 39 years to help Chinese education and you could only boast 2 schools but even that with the political pressures of the DAP and the Chinese community.

FLOOD MITIGATION FOR KUCHING

2009-05-15T08:39:00.001+08:00

There is no need for a flood mitigation scheme had we not going against the law of nature. Why massive felling of tress? Why the barrage? Experts had warned against the effect of building the Sarawak Barrage across the Sarawak River. Who benefitted from the barrage? Was it not for the feng shui of the crocodile living somewhere near to the river?

We had been told in an expert report from UK that if the barrage had to be built across the Sarawak River, a diversion channel must be built upstream to let water from the upper stream of the Sarawak River to flow to the seas. It was said in 1991, that the diversion channel only could cost us RM70 million. Now, the State Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Minister, Datuk Michael Manyin said that this will cost RM2 billion to save Kuching City from floods and this flood mitigation scheme can only be completed at the end of the 10th Malaysian Plan. This shows poor planning by the state government.

It was also been announced by the said Minister that a tender for the proposed Sungai Padungan Mitigation Project (Phase II) and Sungai Maong Paroh will be out at the end of this month. These projects will eat into our pockets another RM50 million as disclosed by the Minister. With all these projects, who will be their beneficiaries?

Laws on Assembly, Meeting & Association, unconstitutional

2009-05-12T19:46:00.001+08:00

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Freedom of association and assembly is one of the most important fundamental rights of human beings. It was a right given to us by God. When God made man, God didn’t want man to be lonely, so God created a woman for him and with the warmth of the woman, they bore many children. God gave them the power of speech and the ability to speak and understand each other and with this lie the right to association and meetings. The world was for them and their children to live and move around and God never imposed any condition on their movement and association. But in Malaysia, we have laws that went against God’s will that took or curtailed our God given right of freedom of association, assembly and meeting.

We need what God gave us, that is, free movement and also the right to speak and meet with each other in public, but, in Malaysia, our movements, assemblies, associations and meetings are regulated by the Police Act 1967, the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code.

Although Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, protects the right to peaceful assembly without arms, but, under section 27(5) of Police Act 1967, peaceful assembly must also be with licence. In Malaysia, laws on assembly, meetings and procession have always been harsh on politicians and political organizations. Therefore, the rule of equality before the law as provided under Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution seems has no application when politicians are involved. Whether politicians could get fair justice and fair trial in courts is also another matter.

Under the Federal Constitution, the judges were all appointed by the King, but, upon the advice of the Prime Minister. Being appointed upon advice of the Prime Minister, how independent could our judges be from political influence when judging cases involving politicians? There had been much talk by the people in the street and this had easily aroused suspicion.

Article 10 of the Federal Constitution does not talk about licence for assembly or meeting. Here, it gives the judge a choice, that is, whether to enforce the spirit of the Constitution or the letter of the law. If the spirit of the Constitution which allows peaceful assembly without arms be followed, then, the issue of licence does not arise, but, if the particular judge looks at the letter of the law, then, licence under section 27(2) of the Police Act 1967 has to be required before you can get involved in any assembly, meeting or procession.

Under the Police Act 1967 when two persons assemble or meet even for food, driving in a car in public road or standing on the roadside in public without licence issued by the police as required under section 27(2) they could be arrested. This is provided under section 27(5)(a) of the Act itself. The law is clear because it only take two persons for an assembly, meeting or procession.

Section 27(5) of the Police Act 1967 has two limbs which read:-

“Any assembly, meeting or procession –
(a) which takes place without a licence issued under subsection (2); or,

(b) in which three or more persons taking part neglect or refuse to obey any order given under the provisions of subsection (1) or subsection (3),

shall be deemed to be an unlawful assembly, and all persons attending, found at or taking part in such assembly, meeting or procession and, in the case of an assembly, meeting or procession for which no licence has been issued, all persons taking part or concerned in convening, collecting or directing such assembly, meeting or procession, shall be guilty of an offence.”

This provision of section 27 of the Police Act 1967 gives much arbitrary power to the police to arrest any person they wanted. It seems that read literally law enforcement officers themselves, including the police can also easily commit an offence under this proviso, but, so far no reports had been made against the police for assembly without licence when themselves were in the assembly or when enforcing law and order. The law does not exempt police officers from committing an offence. This is also on the premise that no one is above the law, not even law enforcement officers.

If the Barisan Nasional government says that there was no discrimination in the enforcement of laws in the country, then, unless they have licence to assemble issued under section 27(2) of the Police Act 1967, all the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen in Perak including all dignitaries and people who assembled at the roadside and building of the Legislative Assembly in the last few months should be charged in court under section 27(5)(a) the Police Act 1967 and see how the judges chosen by Barisan Nasional government going to judge the case. This will settle once and for all the allegation of selective prosecution and the issue of equality before the law.

DUN Questions 11-20 May 2009

2009-05-04T19:12:00.004+08:00

Q. 1 To as YB Minister of Land Development

(i) Give details of land alienated by the state government since 1990, if any, to the past and present Honourable Members of this august House and their immediate family members and also to the companies in which they or their family members are shareholders.

(ii) If there had been such alienations, please state the reasons for the alienations?

(iii) Who are the Honourable Members or companies in which the Honourable Members and their family members have shares still awaiting, if any, the approval of their applications of land from the state government?

(Oral Answers)

Q. 2 To Ask YAB Chief Minister of Sarawak

(i) Give details of government projects undertaken by Cahaya Mata Sarawak Berhad in the past seven years and how effective the company was in completing the projects in accordance with schedules?

(ii) Give details of complaints of work, if any, of government projects undertaken by Cahaya Mata Sarawak Berhad since the past seven years and if there were such complaints what steps the state government had undertaken to rectify them to ensure efficiency of services and delivery?

(iii) Name these projects undertaken by Cahaya Mata Sarawak Berhad and the contract costs of each project?

(iv) There had been comments and interviews in a recent Aljazeera television programme involving the former state secretary and also our Minister of Lands Development which suggested that there seemed there could be lack of transparencies in the awards of government projects to Cahaya Mata Sarawak Berhad. What has the state government has to say about the Aljazeera interviews?

(v) Please give reasons why the Chief Minister was said had declined to be interviewed to enhance the image or to clear any possible doubts about the operations of Chaya Mata Sarawak Berhad?

(Oral Answers)

Q. 3 To ask the Minister of Environment and Pubic Health

(i) How many patients had died, if any, for each year from 2000 – 2008 during operations and surgeries and also how many had died during after care operations and surgeries in the Sarawak General Hospital, Sri Aman General Hospital, Sibu General Hospital and Miri General Hospital, respectively?

(ii) What were the causes of the failures of the operations or surgeries that led to these deaths and what had the authorities done to rectify the problems and to ensure safer operations and surgeries with the view of reducing these deaths?

(iii) How many patients died in these hospitals during treatment and medical care (not inclusive those who died during and after operations and surgeries) during same period 2000 – 2008?

(iv) Please give details of common sicknesses and the number of patients that had been admitted and also patients receiving out patient treatments in these said hospitals during the same period.

(Oral Answers)

Q. 4 To ask YAB Chief Minister.

(i) In the past ten years how many people were injured, shot dead or killed in the state by the following authorities in pursuit of their arrests and law enforcement and also how many were injured or died during detention by:-

(a) police officers;
(b) Customs officers:
(c) Immigration officers; and,
(d) Prison officers.

(ii) Please give details of each people injured, shot dead or killed by these officers and also please give details of people injured or died during detention by them and also the causes of their deaths during detention.
(Oral Answers)

Q. 5 To ask YB Finance Minister

(i) So much talk about our oil and gas royalties, but, what action had been taken by the state government in the past two years to have the Federal government reviewed to increase these royalties and may the details to be disclosed of the negotiations?

(ii) What will be the strategies of the state government in pursuing the increment of these royalties for the state and how soon the state government going to pursue these strategies?

(iii) How much royalties and other payments, if any, still remained in respect of our oil and gas by the Federal Government and what strategies or planning the state government will pursue to make sure that the federal government pay us in time all these royalties and payments?

(iv) How much oil and gas reserve Sarawak still has at this moment and given the current production how long can our oil and gas last?

(Oral Answers)

Q. 6 To ask the YAB Chief Minister

(i) What steps the government had undertaken and will undertake to ensure a more balance racial representation in the state civil service and also a more balanced racial representation as heads of government departments and also as holders of key posts in the civil service?

(ii) At the present trend most heads of departments and holders of key posts in the civil service were muslims and the number of West Malaysians becoming Heads of Departments had been increasing over the years, why?

(Written Answers)

Q. 7 To ask the Minister of Social Development and Urbanization
(i) Give details of racial breakdown of Sarawakians still living below the poverty line and what programmes, if any, both the state and federal government had undertaken to uplift them from present poverty?

(ii) How effective had the government been in the past ten years in fighting against poverty among the people in both the urban and rural areas?

(Written answers)

Q. 8 To ask the Minister or Social Development and Urbanization

(i) What programmes the state and federal government had to improve further the following popular sports in the state?
a. Football;
b. Badminton;
c. volleyball;
d. basketball; and,
e. athletics

(ii) How successful was the state in the past five years in these sports?

(Written answers)

Q. 9 To ask Minister of Planning and Resource Management

(i) How many leaseholders who applied but are still waiting for the approval of the extension of their land leases and to those who are still waiting how soon the government will clear their applications?

(ii) For those who have applied for the extension of their leases, how many have been rejected, if any? Please give reasons for their rejections?

(iii) For those whose lands have been placed under section 47 notices under the Sarawak Land Code what had the government done so far to ensure speedy decisions to be made on these lands and if no decisions have been made, why the state government still failed, neglected and or refused to uplift these notices?

(iv) How many and where were the lands affected under these section 47 notices of the Sarawak Land Code?

(Written Answers)

Q.10 To ask Minister of Deputy Chief Minister II

(i) During recent floods early this year 2009 how many flood victims in Kuching District had received financial help for the government and how many still, if any, had not received theirs?

(ii) Please give reasons for the delay of the hand-outs of these relief funds.

(iii) What is the amount of stand-by funds for natural relief disaster operations in the State at this moment?

(Written answers)

LEADERSHIP – 1 MALAYSIA CONCEPT

2009-05-04T19:00:00.001+08:00

Contrary to democratic norm, instead being elected, all prime ministers in Malaysia were all appointed from UMNO because there was never an election for Prime Minister and our present Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak is also no exception. Being the President of UMNO Baru, the son of Pahang automatically became the Prime Minister. The Malaysia political reality is that only those from UMNO can become Prime Minister! This surely is contrary to One Malaysia Concept! Therefore, by not being elected, but, appointed, it is not known whether our present prime minister could command the respect of most Malaysians. Being not elected but being appointed to the office of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister tried to make himself acceptable and popular among Malaysians and abroad by promoting his People Come First One Malaysia Concept.

His predecessor Pak Lah, when launching Islam Hadhari at least outlined to Malaysians what that concept was all about. Islam Hadhari was an original concept of Pak Lah of government and administration based on Islamic principles and teachings, but, this Prime Minister only shouted slogan to attract the attention of Malaysians and foreign people, with no original idea at all! The Prime Minister’s idea of a One Malaysia was also sketchy in which he need to explain in clear, simple terms the true concept and meaning behind it. Although not explained, at a glace of the said slogan, unless explained, it could be understood that the Prime Minster’s People Come First One Malaysia Concept was nothing, but, a copy cat of the concept of Malaysian First, People Comes First, by the Democratic Action Party launched in Kuala Lumpur in August 2008 during the Democratic Action Party 15th Triennial Party Congress based on the political vision for a Clean, Accountable and Transparent Government.

Malaysians, especially, Sarawakians, should be wary the direction this Prime Minister would bring us to. It was no more than a move to retain the confidence of East Malaysians in the Barisan Nasional government, but, also an opera mask to win back support of Malaysians caused by the heavy losses of the Barisan Nasional during the recent 12th General Election.

How can there be One Malaysia when UMNO Baru still holds on to race politics where policies implemented were with extreme racial overtones and marginalization of other Malaysian races and also the marginalization of many malays and native people of Sabah and Sarawak? If the Prime Minister is serious to sell his People Come First, One Malaysia Concept, then UMNO Baru should be dissolved or its Constitution changed so that United Malay National Organization should become United Malaysian National Organization where all races can join so that when policies to be implemented by the Barisan Government pushed through by UMNO Baru will have without race as a considered factor and will have a better sense of equality, fairness and justice for all.

To Sarawakians, there is no reason why we should not be wary because all these while UMNO which led Malaysia of which our beloved state is part of it, had been marginalized in terms of financial provisions, developments, ministerial posts in federal cabinet, positions in government linked companies, senior posts in federal government departments and we must understand that UMNO led government had been “siphoning” too much of our state’s oil wealth and revenues collected by federal departments in the state where these money were used to help develop West Malaysia to what it is today and leaving East Malaysia still very much undeveloped.

Is SUPP a sleeping beauty in the Barisan Nasional government?

2009-04-20T17:33:00.003+08:00

There had been no doubt that SUPP had been marginalized in the Barisan Nasional government both at the state and federal levels. Tan Sri George Chan has his Finance Minister portfolio taken away and has been given a lesser important portfolio as Minister of Modern Agriculture with very small budget each year. The Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud has taken away that portfolio from Dr. George Chan. Dr. George Chan’s one-time potential challenger, Dato’ Seri Wong Soon Koh, although was made the Second Finance Minister, was only a spokesman of the Chief Minister in respect of financial matters and when answering questions posed by Honourable Members of the august House of the Legislative Assembly, the pitiful Second Finance Minister had little choice, but, had to turn his face and look straight at the YAB Chief Minister who just sat not far from him as if looking for answers or to answer as to be directed by the YAB Chief Minister. Dato’ Seri Wong Soon Koh was always seen only to make a “sure” reply after reading the face of the YAB Chief Minster.

This showed that the YAB Chief Minister had lost confidence at the present leadership of the SUPP. At least, when Tan Sri Dr. Wong Soon Kai was defeated in 1997, the Finance portfolio was still with SUPP. Incidentally in 1997, it was also a very bad defeat of the SUPP in the hands of DAP with three seats, including that of Bukit Assek, held by Tan Sri Wong Soon Kai, who at that time was also the Chairman of the Party.

To add salt to the woes of SUPP, the state Barisan Nasional government under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud also did not wish to appoint the two Assistant Ministers that are vacant in Kuching. These posts of Assistant Ministers were vacant as a result of defeats of Datuk Sim Kheng Hui and Datuk Alfred Yap Chin Loi at the hands of YB Violet Yong and YB Chong Chieng Jen respectively in the recent May 20, 2006 state election. SUPP also lost the mayorship of Majlis Perbandaran Kuching Selatan to civilians after their mayor Chan Seng Khai also lost the Batu Lintang seat. At least, the mayorship post should still be with SUPP, but, why not?

Now, YB Haji Daud Abdul Rahman, the Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, has announced the state government is proposing to re-delineate the boundaries of Majlis Perbandaran Padawan (MPP), Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) and Majlis Perbandaran Kuching Selatan (MBKS) should be seen as a step to further marginalize SUPP within the state Barisan Government. The tone of the Assistant Minister was a clear indication that the huge area of Majlis Perbandaran Padawan, now currently under the Chairmanship of YB Tan Joo Phoi, the Assemblyman for Batu Kawa from SUPP will likely be re-delineated and to make it smaller. This will again be seen as another step to be taken by the state “big brother”, PBB of Pehin Sri Taib’s Party to marginalize SUPP.

YB Tan Joo Phoi’s deputy is from PBB, but, was said the man behind the Majlis Perbandaran Padawan in many policies by the MPP. It was little wonder that many problems which I brought up to MPP and also to the personal attention of YB Tan Joo Phoi, was not solved or sweet time was taken to solve them. To me, I understand the problems faced by YB Tan Joo Phoi and I personally observed that he wanted to perform his work well, but, he could not as if under some remote control!

Mistreatment by Federal Barisan Nasional

SUPP had from the first day it joined the government, then under the Perikatan and now the Barisan Nasional was in actual been trapped to surrender their sacred rights and power given to them by the people who supported them to UMNO and PBB. Their then Chairman, Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui, on 11 February, 1971 was only given a junior ministerial post. SUPP joining the government gave the Barisan Nasional government led by UMNO the two-thirds majority in Parliament to proceed with the amendment of the Federal Constitution which literally shuts the mouths of dissent voices until today. The mouths of SUPP not only that of DAP also been zipped and they had made themselves fools and unable to speak effectively for the people until now.

Tan Sri Dr. George Chan wanted to show that he was speaking for the people and has said that he wanted very much to see YB Richard Riot, the Member of Parliament of Serian who also is from SUPP to be in the federal cabinet to at least represent the bidayuh community in Najib’s Cabinet. Now, there is no bidayuh federal minister, not even a deputy minister in Najib’s Cabinet. Najib apparently had forgotten that it was SUPP that helped his late father, Tun Razak, achieved what his late father and UMNO had wanted at that time. The late Tun Razak and UMNO dreamt of perpetuating malay political supremacy over other races, and with that “Ketuanan Melayu” was born which led to UMNO youths’ show of extremism by displaying the kris at functions in recent years.

In respect of funds for Chinese and mission schools in the state, SUPP also has little say, in actual no say at all! The matter is protected by the Federal Constitution and in actual there is no need to speak on this issue at all because once the matter is as provided in the Federal Constitution, it should be automatically provided and the rights should at all times be protected. It was a pity that SUPP being a component of Barisan Nasional, although, represented in the federal cabinet, had to rely on the courteousy of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) to solicit funds for Chinese and mission schools in the state. During the last Parliamentary Election 2008, it was through MCA that the Barisan Nasional government distributed funds to Chinese schools in the country inclusive that of the state of Sarawak. Why not through SUPP?

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who then was the premier, when letting MCA to distribute these education funds, could not see the role played by SUPP in 1971 in helping UMNO achieved what UMNO wanted, that is, to enhance the malay supremacy over other races by amending the Federal Constitution and giving un-challengeable protection to special position of the malays and the status of the malay language as the National language.

Now, Tan Sri Dr. George Chan said of funding to Chinese schools, “… we are requesting the government to come up with a systematic mechanism for allocation of funds to these schools” (see The Borneo Post dated April 19, 2009 at page 4) clearly showed that SUPP was only a sleeping beauty within the Barisan Nasional with no power at all. To make a request clearly shows that this was an admission by Tan Sri Dr. George Chan that the voice of SUPP could not be heard at all! This treatment of SUPP put SUPP in a position worst that the Opposition. At least, we in the DAP when we shouted whether inside or outside the Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies, our voices were heard!

Pehin Sri Taib Mahumud as Chief Minister had in recent years took away many of the political rights and concessions of SUPP. Taib seemed to have forgotten the good deed of SUPP for packing the bags at midnight and turning away from SNAP and Pesaka to join Parti Bumiputera led by his uncle, Tun Rahman on early morning of 7th July, 1970. If SUPP had not made the midnight roundabout turn to cross the Sarawak River, the political scenario in Sarawak could be different which may not have seen Pehin Sri Taib as Chief Minister today. Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud may also have short memories of the Ming Court affairs in 1987 in which SUPP were firmly behind Pehin Sri Taib in overcoming the storm from his political opponents. Now, Pehin Taib had his own ways and had taken away some ministerial positions from SUPP and also some of SUPP’s positions and influence in local government.

Now, the Chief Minister could not even be bothered with the request made by SUPP to have better funds for Chinese schools and also to have a native from SUPP to be in the Federal government. The chief Minister just refused to comment and Najib just could not be heard! With that, the dayaks in the Party again felt betrayed because SUPP had not until now since joining the Perikanan and Barisan Nasional governments been able to help the dayaks through the Party.

When SUPP which claimed to represent the Chinese could not as a Party able to protect and help itself, then how could SUPP be able to help the Chinese community? If SUPP could not help the Chinese community, then, how can SUPP be able to help the dayaks? SUPP’s stay in the government was futile and SUPP’s influence has dwindled each year, neglected and unimportant. The longer SUPP stays, the more damage SUPP will cause to itself and to Sarawakians. So by not naming YB Richard Riot in his Cabinet, Najib has put a nail on the coffin in which SUPP will have to carry to the next state election.

Keep Dayaks Poor and Hungry, BN sure will rule for ever!

2009-04-17T17:34:00.000+08:00

As long as the dayaks remain poor in the rural area, the State Barisan Nasional will rule Sarawak for long time to come. Taib will create a dynasty and Jabu will follow suit with Rentap later on. With them more dayak land will be taken away arbitrarily. At this moment, it seems the dayaks in the rural area are very contented with the ways how the State Barisan Nasional government had treated them.

Being very honest and simple people, their demand was always easy to be fulfilled by the state BN leaders. Being poor the dayaks depended very much on subsidies, especially, fertilizers because it was through agriculture that they have to survive. The political bribe of few packets of cap dacing fertilizers was just enough to make those hard pressed dayaks to remain loyal to the Barisan Nasional. So until now, many dayak areas which came under the Barisan Nasional flay could not compete with many areas now held by the Opposition. The BN government just was afraid not to develop areas won by the Opposition. This is because it would make the people angry with the government.

The dacing is a branded political symbol of the Barisan Nasional which the Barisan Nasional had used since Tun Razak, but, was used in fertilizers shows that it became a cheap symbol and effective way to entice the rural dayaks to stay loyal to the Barisan Nasional. Therefore, there is no need for the Barisan Nasional to bring the dayaks the progress that they should deserve. The dacing symbol has already been embedded in the dayaks’ mind. At the look of the dacing, the dayaks may just love it and vote for it no matter what people says and what happened.

The poor dayaks in the rural at this moment are at the mercy of the government and it is now left to the more educated dayaks to tell them about their democratic rights and the need to have a fairer deal from both the state and federal governments who had until now had failed to do things more positively for them. If no elections, the dayaks were forgotten, but, when elections come, ministers will fly with helicopters to see them. The Opposition had no helicopters, but, had to do with foot, bicycles and cars to fight the BN’s might.

See what had happened in the just concluded Btg. Ai by-election. With the announcement of the pumping of about RM70 million into the constituency, the dayaks were “bought over” by the state BN government. Dayak may need be informed that it was the upbeat in popularity of Opposition at urban areas plus the hard work of Jawah Gerang and Nicholas Bawin, to name a few that caused the state BN government to announce the RM70 million for Btg. Ai. The fact that such a huge sum would not be possible had the Opposition was weak.

It will take another generation of dayaks to wake up to fight against the might of the BN government who until now had not done much for them.

OPPOSITION NEEDS WORK HARDER!

2009-04-07T14:58:00.001+08:00

All Opposition Parties in the Sarawak has to work a bit harder if the Opposition harbours the dream of capturing the state government in the coming state election in 2011. I felt the might of the Barisan Nasional was everywhere in this Batang Ai By-Election. They not only got the manpower, but, their firepower was powered by MONEY. The money the BN had, fell faster from the sky than the leaves that fell from the trees! With money the Barisan Nasional leaders could fool the people. An Assistant Minister told me that BN only got the money but lacked the issues. So they had no choice but pumped in money! We in the Opposition only have ideology and principles to fight on. We need to work harder.

I was involved in the campaign and was also was together with Nicholas Bawin for some brief moment. Nicholas was very tired but he was a true iban fighter and worked well with Jawah Gerang. In this by-election, what I could observe was that we got the issues, but, had failed to properly exploit the issues. Land issue was always important, but, this issue could not been exploited to the maximum for lack of data and coordination among the campaigners of the Opposition. The Opposition needs to form an Election Committee and with the Election Committee only then heads could be put together to tackle the issues more forcefully.

I was impressed with the speeches of Tan Sri Khalid and Jawah Gerang, but, my humble observation, the presence of Tan Sri Khalid could help, but, Jawah Gerang, hard working and gave his best seemed lacked the punch. I regret that I could not lend much punch to him because this was the first time I campaigned in dayak areas. My iban may have captivated some of the dayaks there, but, this was also not enough.

Whatever it is, maybe, Jawah was yet able to tune himself well to be a more forceful Opposition fighter because it was not always easy for him to go against his former masters. It may take a bit of time for him, but, I saw Jawah as a fighter. Just pray the best for him and may the new dayak generation rise to the occasion to help people like Jawah Gerang and Nicholas Bawin.

Enter Prime Minister Najib with Garbage!

2009-04-03T17:33:00.000+08:00

Dr. Mahathir handpicked Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to take over as Prime Minister in October, 2003. He was a Mr. Clean and had dreams to tackle corruption as his top agenda. Hopes on Badawi in leading Malaysia to a clean and incorruptible government was very high, but, it was corruption within his Administration that also led to his down fall. Badawi had tried hard to clean his government, but, he was fighting an uphill battle. He wanted to reform the Judiciary, strengthen the police and to bring all people together. Instead, under his administration there were too many high profile trials before the court, scandals implicating Najib, corruption and money politics. These led to his downfall. He simply could not control those around him and many openly wanted him out.

To add to his woes, Dr. Mahathir many times condemned him and wanted his successor to step down. Dr. Mahathir then “anointed” Najib to take over and made his moves. Now, Najib is our 6th Prime Minister.

The new Prime Minister carries with him a lot of garbage. He has in the years been accused of complications with the Mongolian beauty, Altuntuya and also the purchase of submarines. Will he become a respected Prime Minster? He entered his office as 6th Prime Minister with some garbage. Can he leave the garbage behind him?

Najib always respected him mentor, Dr. Mahathir and never at once he had any disagreement with Dr. Mahathir over government policies. Najib was always close with Dr. Mahathir and Dr. Mahathir knew Najib since he was young and the relationship between them grew and bonded well. Now, with Dr. Mahathir throwing his weight around can Najib get off the shackles from Dr. Mahathir. Can Najib stands on his own feet without any interference from his Mentor?

Doubt, I guess because Dr. Mahathir will be in the Prime Minister in shadow directing Najib what to do. Another baggage!

Batang Ai By-Election – Window to Determine Next State Government

2009-04-03T15:27:00.002+08:00

Opposition parties and Opposition leaders in the state in the last few years had worked hard to find a common solution and platform on how to topple the State Barisan Government led by Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud. Things seems very encouraging when leaders of all Opposition Parties, except, STAR, were seen mingling around in Lubuk Antu during the Nomination Day. I had asked Dr. Patau why his Party was not present. His answer was simple. He told me that they never invited him and saw the Party as a “mosquito” and could not contribute. If this was the attitude of some Opposition parties and Opposition leaders, trying to sideline one another or to show who is stronger or to identify who is weaker, then, only God could get us together. Mind you, a mosquito sometimes can kill!

Before Nomination Day, I had sent message across to some Oppostion Leaders, that an Election Committee need to be formed to tackle Batang Ai By-Election, but, no such Committee had been or could be formed. So this seems should be the way Opposition should work in the State. So, let it be.

Despite the absence of STAR, I could see during Nomination Day that the Batang Ai By-Election could lead the Opposition in the State to pull themselves together. Although there were still heads among the Opposition that still seems not focused on their common enemy, but, still some on each other, but, this seems could be trashed.

I was too happy to see all of us could group ourselves together, but, I was a bit discouraged after the shout of Pakatan Rakyat was sorely missing after the Nomination was over. I went to Lubuk Antu town, walking behind PKR leaders and their members that afternoon and I felt something missing. The leaders of other Opposition parties were not called to join them and some of their leaders only sold their Reformasi alone to the public. I had wanted to give an improtu speech, but, the lack of organization had caused this not to happen.

I felt lonely although they noticed me there, but, still I harboured some hope that the Opposition could pull together.

However, my heart sank after when coming back to Kuching after Nomination Day, I read about the political antics of veteran politician, Ting Ling Kiew, of SNAP who appeared in the local press, giving full support to the Barisan Nasional.

People had wanted change, but, if politicians among the Opposition were still thinking of personal gains and try to project themselves as heroes alone, then, no where the dream of toppling the State BN government in the next state election will be a reality. It will be a very painful thing if we could not make it this time.

Opposition leaders should have been getting rid of internal party politics and should focus on tackling the BN and be steadfastly focus on this mission alone. There is no room for disagreement and this takes a lot of discipline to do so. I am now very worried as to who to trust and how to trust these politicians that hit at each other and their own comrades. We should no more betray each other and compete with each other, but, to show strength together and compete and fight BN's power.

We have to stand and fall together and should not let ourselves survive alone and see others around us die. We must swim and sink together and this should be the way how we should build our esprit de coup against BN. Pehin Sri Taib will be just gentleman enough to step down and admit defeat if we can work together and he is there to test our strength. We should not blame Pehin Sri Taib to stay a bit longer, but, ourselves if we could not make it this time. If Pehin Sri Taib could command his men to hold on, but, we in the Opposition could not, then, how could be better than Pehin Sri Taib in managing the affairs of the State if we be entrusted by the people to be the government?

Come on! Wake up! We should not destroy this opportunity to take over the state government. The success of Batang Ai will only see us capture the state government, if not, we will not make it and our supporters will have to suffer for a long time to come.

$9,609,000 Rockcliffe “palace” in Ottawa belonged to Taib’s daughter?

2009-03-24T11:50:00.003+08:00

688 Manor Avenue, "The Palace" of Sean Murray & Jamilah Taib
in Ottawa, Canada

The frontal view of "Palace" of Sean Murray & Jamilah Taib

A house of a Barisan Nasional Supporter?

Seems many poor malaysians still supporting BN government

A house of Mdm. Chang with 7 children in Batu Kawa Constituency

Hope Pehin Sri Taib can take notice and help the family

If the home at 688 Manor Avenue, in Rockcliffe Park in Ottawa, Canada, assessed by the Municipality Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) worth Canadian $9,609,000 (RM28. 3 million) truly belonged to Sean Murray and his wife, Jamilah Taib and if Sean Murray is Pehin Sri Taib’s son-in-law and Jamilah Taib is Pehin Sri Taib’s daughter, then, Sarawakians have a right to be taught by the Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Taib and his daughter, Jamilah Taib and also by his son-in-law how they be able to make so much money to acquire such an expensive and incredible house in Canada.

If the house does not belong to his son-in-law and daughter, Pehin Sri Taib Mahumud and his family also have to come out to deny this. This is because the “palace” came in news lately and it was alleged that this RM28.3 million property belonged to his daughter and son-in-law. I am not sure, so Pehin Sri Taib, should not leave this to doubt and has to explain this to the people and should not leave any doubt in the mind of the people.

The chief minister has in the years talked so much of how to lift the standard of living of Sarawakians and it was his vision to see a more vibrant Sarawak with its’ people more prosperous. It is to him that the people of Sarawak looked upon to guide the people of Sarawak to a better future. With that we put him as chief minister for 27 years hoping to learn a thing or two from him. So it is right that every Sarawak needs to be taught by Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud and his family how his family could acquire so much wealth for the family. There is no need that we learn all the technical know-how to amass such a wealth. It is sufficient if every Sarawakian could be taught just 10% of how this could be done. With the 10%, I think, all Sarawakians, can become millionaires. Pehin Sri Taib can achieve his dream to help Sarawakians by teaching the people of Sarawak by just sharing 10% of his family business expertise.

The house is said the 2nd most expensive house in Ottawa, Canada. The picture of the Rockcliffe “palace” taken by one, Chris Mikula was recently splashed in the internet. A guest to the house said, “There is marble and the colour of gold everywhere, and there must be 20 chandeliers on the ground floor. It’s like a palace, really.”

CMS - Taib's investment Arm

What we were told was that Jamilah Taib was a daughter of Taib and was involved in Taib’s family business was said holding 13. 85% of Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) and Taib’s family was said holds about 57% of CMS shares. Members of the public can make a search of Taib’s family’s stakes in CMS with the Registrar of Companies. This CMS which started in 1974, spans out more than 40 companies in almost all type of businesses.

In a recent TV clippings in Aljazeera channel, although I learnt something how CMS had acquired the many contracts, I am not at all impressed about transparency in the award of tenders in the state by the state government to bidding contractors. James Masing, the Minister of Lands Development, said in the TV interview by Aljazeera that all contracts awarded to CMS were properly tendered. I could see some discomfort in the face of James Masing when questioned by the interviewer about this. He kept on adjusting his tie and seemed choking when he spoke.

According to James Masing, if otherwise, the law would have taken its’ course and Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud could be punished by the voters, but, I can say most voters are still in the dark in the award of tenders by the state government. There is a lot for Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud as chief minister to explain some unknown matters surrounding the award of contracts to his family company Cahaya Mata Sarawak. Let us hear his explanation.

The Battle for Batang Ai.

2009-03-20T11:56:00.001+08:00

I am impressed with the credentials of the Barisan Nasional candidate, Malcolm Mussen, but, in politics academic degrees should not mean much to the voters. What is most important is that the politician who is put as a candidate must be acceptable to the people and that he himself also should be willing to work for the people with sincere heart and love for the people. There is no point that an academically qualified politician who after winning the election will then take advantage of his office to “rob” the people of their trust and wealth.

To the dayaks, I feel sorry for them and also feel sorry to my many dayak relatives and friends for keeping the Chief Minister and his cronies in power for too long. Without the dayak votes, the state Barisan Nasional could not stay in power and Pehin Sri Taib and his cronies will have to go, but, Chief Minister is smart. He has with him Tan Sri Jabu and James Masing to hold on with the dayak votes. In return, both Tan Sri Jabu and Jabu were also properly taken care of by the Chief Minister. Both are very rich people, at least if compared to the many dayaks in the longhouses.

The dayaks had been fooled by their own elected representatives for too long. While their elected representatives enjoy good life with many having vast agricultural plantation lands, most dayaks until today remain poor and survive on farming and fishing in the streams of their longhouses. Vast agricultural plantation lands alienated to these YBs, infact, were within or included the many disputed native customary rights land. This was just to get these YBs to keep quiet. These YBs were only busy when elections were near and most their tasks were just to distribute fertilizer subsides, some stones for their village roads and perhaps some petrol and generators for electricity.

The dayaks should not more in return for such small favours support their present leaders in the government.

Now, if Malcolm Mussen is elected how much can he do if Tan Sri Jabu himself could not do much for the dayaks? Tan Sri Jabu, an agriculturalist and being a Deputy Chief Minister could not make natives land agriculturally more productive for the dayaks, it is doubtful Malcolm Mussen can do better? So, Malcolm Mussen’s academic qualification and vast experience in agriculture would mean nothing to help the dayaks. The dayaks will just remain poor, not until the dayaks themselves wake up and change the government. Instead of getting subsides, the dayaks should be given capitals and interest-free loans from the government to kick-start their lives.

Poverty – A crime Against Humanity!

2009-03-16T09:42:00.022+08:00

Figure 1:

The shed viewed from outside

Figure 2:

The photo showing the entrance to the shed and also places for drying clothes

Figure 3:

A group photo with Mdm. Chang and three of her kids

Voon Lee Shan, the State Assemblyman for Batu Lintang in white longsleeves shirt

Figure 4:

The plateform where the kids and mother slept
Lots of rubbish under the platform

Figure 5:

Picture showing the cooking area
There was no gas stove when first visit made
Gas stove was donated by a stranger

Figure 6:

The poles that supported the shed was tied with a copper wire

Figure 7:

The leaking roof at the cooking area

Figure 8:

The three kids and the only table found in the shed
Some rice donated by stangers
see the walls that separated the sleeping platform and the sitting area

A good and responsible government should see poverty as a crime against humanity and that all efforts should be made to eradicate this crime from human sight. The country, despite having enjoyed independence for more than 50 years with abundant resources not found in many countries, are still in a sorrow state, incapable to get rid of poverty among its people. The government’s economic policy in the past 50 years had failed its people. Instead, the rich became richer while the poor became poorer. Despite claim by the BN government of improved quality of life among Malaysians, the economic policies in recent years had created much dissatisfaction among its people.

In the past, we have heard political leaders from the BN government talked much on poverty but, many bothered not to visit their constituencies to find out where these poor are.

Poor Mdm. Chang’s family

Figure 9:

Mdm. Chang and one of her kids with Voon Lee Shan

Figure 10:

Mattresses, food and some other necessities donated by people

Figure 11:

Drinking water stored in some plastic containers

Figure 12:
Some mattesses donated by stangers
The family had no mattresses before donation drive

Figure 13:

See the roofs above the sleeping place

Figure 14:

The well where the family took their bath

The water in the well was green in colour

When no rain water available the family also used this as drinking water and for cooking

[ALL PHOTOGRAPS TAKEN WITH PERMISSION OF MDM. CHANG]

In a case, a family of eight in the Batu Kawa constituency, with no bread winner was found lived, not in a house or hut, but, a shabby shed, not even fit for animals! The mother could not go to work because the kids were still very small and needed her care very much.

The case was highlighted by me to the public about two weeks ago and within that period, I had visited the shabby shed for about ten times. The roofs were seen leaking, covered with plastic sheets and wires were used to tie the poles to support the shed. There was no bed but, a few broken planks placed across on top of a pole to form a platform for them to sleep at night. Under the platform, there were a lot of rubbish and useless things, but, were treasures to the family.

When no rain at night, I was told, the mother had to sleep on the bare earth floor of the shed. When it rained, the children had to share an umbrella for their shelter. What a pity! I could not hold my tears on seeing their conditions. So were others who followed me. I had been to poor places including that of the penans in ulu Baram and also the orang asli in West Malaysia, but, I yet ever saw one like this before.

Although the matter has been highlighted by me in the local press with the consent of the mother of the kids who wanted help, I have yet in the past two weeks heard leaders from Barisan Nasional visiting them and I hope they come forward and do their part. Please do not politicize the plight of Mdm. Chang and her family. They just needed help and all parties irrespective of colour, race, creed and political affiliations are requested come forward to help them.

To this family, donations had come pouring in and many also wanted to supply building materials and furniture to them, but, a house still could not be built because the owner of the land where the shed in which the family now lives still refused to come out and to negotiate with me to have a house built for the family. I hope whoever knows the landowner, please help.

I want a fund to be created, at least, to last for two to three years for the education and for daily maintenance of the kids. Although, I offered help, I was poured with cold water and sabotaged in the press, but, I am determined to help them. I want not only a roof over their heads, but, a proper roof! They are not animals, but, human beings, fellows that need our help!

For those of you who wish to help the family you can always hand them to the family. If that may not be convenient, you can channel the donations through my office, Messrs. Voon & Co. Advocates, next to Hong Leong Bank in Sekama-Pending Road junction and my office phone contact is telephone (6)082-336389.

My legal firm’s address:

Messrs. Voon & Co. Advocates,
1st Floor, Lot 7036, Pending Road,
93450 Kuching, Sarawak, MALAYSIA.

Donations could also be channeled through my service centre at Hock Kui Commercial Centre, Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Addruce (formerly Jalan Keretapi) in Kuching. The phone contact of my service centre is (6)082-419389. You can also phone to me at (6)019-856 7385.

Please insist receipts to be issued and if you wish to conceal your identity, we can do this by not showing your full or true name in the receipts.