INSIDE STORY OF MALAYSIA FORMATION

By : TAN SRI SIMON SIPAUN

I thank the organizers of this Muzakarah Pakar ‘Adil Dan Beramanah Dalam Tadbir-Urus’ for having invited me to share my thoughts on the topic ‘Pembentukan Malaysia dan Pembangunan di Sabah’ or ‘The Formation of Malaysia and Development in Sabah’.

I have requested earlier for permission to speak in English which was granted. However I will be quite happy to respond in Bahasa Malaysia during the question and answer session.

I wish to make it very clear at the outset that what I say is purely my own opinion and does not necessarily reflect the stand of SUHAKAM or agreed to by my fellow-commissioners. My presentation is based on my personal recollection, observation, perception and experience.

The Formation of Malaysia

The nation called Malaysia was born on 16 September, 1963. This is a historical fact. It cannot be disputed. I remember it very well. I was already 25 years old at the time. I also remember the day when Malaya gained independence on 31 August 1957. 1957 was the year I left school.

It was the year I sat for my Cambridge Oversea School Certificate – only a handful of us. In school my teacher used to discuss with students the possible merger of North Borneo (as Sabah was then known) Sarawak and Brunei, all British Colonies. Malaya was never mentioned. We were also asked to write essays on the subject. It was then that I became aware that when separate independent states federate big fish in a small pond becomes small fish in a big pond.

When Malaya became independent on 31 August 1957 there was great jubilation in Malaya. You could feel the atmosphere of jubilation through ‘radio tanah Melayu Kuala Lumpur’ and Tunku Abdul Rahman’s famous exclamation of ‘merdeka!’.

However it occurred to me at the time why Malaya chose the love song ‘terang bulan’ as the national anthem. ‘Terang bulan’ was a very popular song in North Borneo at the time.

You could hear it being played in houses with the famous ‘His Master’s Voice’ grammaphones. I would have thought that a completely new tune for the Malayan national anthem based on a nation-wide competition would have been more appropriate and preferable.

It has been said that history is subject to different interpretations. For example, during the colonial era in North Borneo Mat Salleh, we were told, was no more than a robber terrorising people. Now he is glorified and labeled as a hero and a freedom fighter.

Personally I do not know what to believe. It happened such a long time ago. There are times when history is also the distortion of facts by people in power. Lately I notice slogans like ‘celebrating 51 years of nationhood’.

The question that comes to mind is which nation is being referred to? If it refers to Malaysia then obviously it is not factual because in 2008 Malaysia is only 45 years old. If you refer to Malaya then it will be correct.

However I believe Malaya ceased to be an independent separate nation when it joined with Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah to form a new federation known as Malaysia on 16 September 1963. 51 cannot be equal to 45 unless we have forgotten how to count. I wonder why we cannot be honest about something which is impossible to deny.

Personally I feel the formation of Malaysia came at least 10 years too early in the context of Sabah. I vividly remember a conversation I had in 1962 with one of our community leaders who was very close to Donald Stephens regarding Sabah’s participation in the formation of Malaysia. I expressed the following views, amongst others, to him:-

i) Sabah would lose the only opportunity to experience being a truly independent sovereign state.

ii) It would simply be a transfer of power from the British to Malaya.

iii) Sabah did not have the people qualified and experienced enough to negotiate with Malaya and Singapore.

iv) Sabah should demand for self-rule initially followed by full independence from the British.

v) Sabah should then go to the negotiating table without the British if the people, via referendum, wished to federate with Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Brunei.

vi) Sabah should examine carefully the pros and cons of joining the proposed federation both in the short and long term before deciding.

vii) Sabah should insist on an escape clause in the event it found itself short-changed.

viii) At best it should only be a lose federation. And finally,

ix) The political union between Malaya and North Borneo would be artificial because the two territories had very little, if any, in common and separated by almost 2000 km of sea. North Borneo’s case could not be compared with Singapore.

Singapore was geographically part of the Malayan peninsula. Political union with Malaya made a lot of sense especially in terms of economic survival for Singapore. It had no natural resources, not even enough water for Singaporeans.

At the time an independent Singapore was not a viable option. The word ‘Malaysia’ itself is a combination of Malaya and Singapura. The recruitment of North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei was an attempt to counterbalance Singapore’s Chinese population in the proposed federation. It was an after thought.

The literacy rate of Sabahans at the time was very low at best. They had no idea what was happening. In 1962 only 2 political parties were just formed. They were the United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO) headed by Donald Stephens and the United Sabah National Oganization (USNO) headed by Datu Mustapha Bin Datu Harun.

As it turned out Brunei opted out at the last minute and remained a big fish in a small pond. The intention of the founding fathers was a federation of 4 independent states namely Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah.

I have been unable to obtain a copy of the first Federal Constitution following the formation of Malaysia to see if such intention was ever reflected in the Constitution which could have been subsequently amended. Sabah according to the present Constitution is just one of the 13 states, a very small fish in a very big pond. The opening statement of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement reads as follows:-

“The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore, desiring to conclude an agreement relating to Malaysia agree as follow:- ……………………..”

Malaya is referred to as the Federation of Malaya and the individual states were not identified and specified.

Article 1 of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 provides that “The Colonies of North Borneo and Sarawak and the State of Singapore shall be federated with the existing States of the Federation of Malaya as the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore in accordance with the constitutional instruments annexed to this Agreement and the Federation shall thereafter be called ‘Malaysia’.”

The signatories to the Agreement were the UK, the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. Article 1 of the Federal Constitution provides that the Federation shall be known as Malaysia.

However in Article 160 of the Federal Constitution the term ‘The Federation’ means the Federation established under the Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1957. Under the circumstances where do Sabah and Sarawak fit in? Are they really part of the Federation of Malaysia?

I am not sure whether Singapore left the Federation on its own accord or expelled from it in 1965. In my opinion when one of the original signatories ceased to be a party to the original Agreement then that Agreement should have been abrogated.

After all it was very conceivable that Sabah and Sarawak became part of the federation because of Singapore. Brunei opted out of the federation in July 1963 and became independent only in 1984. I remember Donald Stephens did suggest that the Malaysia Agreement and Sabah’s, position in the Federation should be reviewed. Very shortly he ended up being sidelined and neutralised.

The principle of a federal system of government is based on the sharing of powers between the Central and State governments. In the case of Malaysia they are listed under 3 main categories namely the Federal List, State List and Concurrent List. It can be seen that most powers are in the hands of the Federal government.

The States are left with land and local government matters. Even these, there are such Federal agencies as the National Land Council and National Council for Local Government. The system is one in which it is federal in form but unitary in substance.

‘Malaysia Day’ is referred to no less than 6 times in the Malaysia Agreement which has only 11 Articles. The birth of Malaysia falls on 16 September 1963 which is Malaysia Day and passes by like any other ordinary day in this country. The national emphasis is 31 August which is the independence day of Malaya. This date receives all the attention. To Sabah and Sarawak 31 August has hardly any significance.

Finally on the formation of Malaysia let me share with you some of my recollection of North Borneo before it became part of Malaysia. First and foremost the race/ethnic relations were excellent. There were a lot of inter-marriages.

When Peninsula Malaysia was experiencing riots on 13 May 1969 there was no sign of them anywhere in Sabah. If Sabahans are now conscious of racial and religious divides they learned it from Semenanjung. Life was peaceful.

Admittedly there was no development of the kind found today. However Sabah was not alone. What was more significant was that there was no illegal immigrants. There were no cases of local natives losing citizenship status whilst foreigners gain it without difficulty.

There was no repressive and draconian laws such as the Official Secret Act, the dreaded Internal Security Act, the Printing Presses and Publication Act, the Sedition Act, the Police Act and the 4 Proclamations of Emergency.

There was no quarrelling over dead bodies. The Civil Service was multi-racial and meritocracy was recognized and practised. Corruption was unheard of. No community claimed superiority over the others. So much for my version on the formation of Malaysia. Let me now briefly turn to:-

Development in Sabah

I understand that Sabah is the poorest state in the country. This speaks volumes in terms of development in Sabah. What is surprising is that it happens in a state with rich natural resources such as timber, oil, gas and possibly other minerals. It has fertile soils, geographical features including mountains, beaches, islands, flora and fauna which could be developed as tourist attractions.

Compared to Semenanjung infrastructure development such as roads, water and electricity supply is way behind. The same can be said for health care and educational facilities.

For example, before the formation of Malaysia 45 years ago the districts of Tongod and Banggi had no doctor. Today 45 years later they still have no doctor. The district of Paitan does not even have one secondary school building. If you visit remote areas abject poverty can be seen and felt everywhere.

Yet I have heard Federal and State political leaders saying abject poverty can be eliminated by 2010! Government has been unable to do it for the last 45 years and it can now do it within less than 1 ½ years? To me only miracle can make it possible.

When I was in the Civil Service I remember at the time Sabah was producing between 110,000 and 120,000 barrels of oil per day. It was reported in the newspaper recently that Sabah has gas reserve amounting to about 12 trillion cubic feet.

Yet there is no commercial project and activity related to oil and gas. Terengganu where oil was discovered much later has refinery and related activities. I read in the local newspapers recently a Petronas statement indicating that Sabah has the least amount of gas reserve and located and spread in different places. I get the impression that it is not viable to exploit it.

If this is the case then it should be left alone for future generations. Yet a decision had been made to build more than 512KM gas pipeline from Kimanis in Sabah to Bintulu in Sarawak. I believe this is a multi-billion ringgit project. The source of gas is from Sabah why can’t the project be located in Sabah?

If there is doubt as to the reliability of gas supply the multi-billion ringgit project should be abandoned and the funds used to finance programmes for the eradication of poverty in Sabah.

The mother of all problems in Sabah is associated with the presence of unusually large population of illegal immigrants. It is quickly changing the economic, social, cultural and political landscape of the State.

The question that is in the mind of many Sabahans is – why has the government allowed this to happen? Thousands of people have requested for an Independent Royal Commission of Inquiry to be established to determine who are responsible for this state of affairs. I hope a day will not come when the Philippines need not claim Sabah anymore due to a reverse take-over which in my view, has long started.

The illegal immigrants issue represents a national problem but shouldered by Malaysians living in Sabah. Sabahans feel threatened and insecure as the number of foreigners keeps increasing. My gut feeling is that there are more foreigners than locals. It has to be admitted that they contribute to the development of the state by providing labour especially in the construction and agricultural sectors.

Sabah without them would come to an economic standstill. Personally I have never blamed the illegals for being in Sabah. If I was one of them I would be doing exactly what they are doing--searching for a better life.

The blame is on the relevant authorities for allowing them in illegally. Two books entitled ‘IC Projek’ and ‘Lelaki Malaysia Terakhir’ have identified national and state leaders who are alleged to have played important roles associated with the illegal immigrants issue. To the best of my knowledge none of those leaders mentioned in the books has refuted or denied the allegations.

I understand that allocation of funds to Sabah is based on the number of Malaysian citizens living in the State. The estimated Sabah population is 3.5 million. Therefore the amount of funds received is only meant for 1.75 million people which has to be shared by 3.5 million people assuming that 50% of the population are foreigners.

The bottom line for Sabah is that it is the poorest state in the country.

Recommendations

I have been requested to suggest some proposals at the end of the presentation. As requested and due to time constraint I briefly list the following recommendations:-

i) Genuine unity and national integration are vital for Malaysia. It cannot be denied that this country has plenty of divisive factors. It is a land of ‘multis’. The process of unifying and integrating should be based on justice, egual rights and respect. Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides that all humans are born free and equal in dignity and right. No nation which embraced race-based politics and one community claiming superiority over others survived. Nazi Germany and Aparthied South Africa are cases that come to mind. We are all Malaysians and equal before God.

ii) We should focus on our similarities rather than on our differences. For example, school uniforms should be the same for every student. Mykad should be the same for every Malaysian. There should only be one box for all citizens indicated in government forms and not at present – one for Malays, one for Chinese, one for Indians and one for others. These are but a few examples of things which are not conducive to the creation of a genuine united country. Let us concentrate on our commonality and humanity.

iii) To reduce, if not, eliminate polarisation, the composition of the Civil Service and government agencies should be more reflective of the multi-racial make-up of the Malaysian Society. Meritocracy should be recognised, appreciated and practised, otherwise Malaysia will lose out in a globalised and competitive world.

iv) We should concentrate on enlarging the size of the economic cake rather spending too much effort and time how to share it.

v) We should have a sound education system at par with the best in the world and all Malaysians should be subject to the same system.

vi) Good governance is described as participatory, transparent, accountable and efficient. It promotes the rule of law and equal justice under the law. Good governance should be promoted and maintained at all cost for the present and future good of the country.

vii) No Malaysian or community should feel deprived or marginalised. Everyone should be treated equally and fairly. Selective prosecution or application of the law should stop.

viii) All laws which empower the government to arrest without trial should be repealed. Article 10 of the UDHR provides that everyone has the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial legal body. Article 11 provides that everyone has the right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

ix) It has been said that politicians think in terms of the next election whereas statesmen of the next generation. Malaysia needs more statesmen and less politicians.

x) Corruption is like a cancer to the country. It is costly. It should be minimized, if not, eliminated.

xi) The provisions of the Treasury Instructions should be strictly complied with. Negotiated contracts should be stopped. It is preventing the realization of the real value of public funds. One ringgit spent should realize the value of one ringgit not say 50 sen or less.

xii) The illegal immigrants in Sabah should be shared equally among all the States in Malaysia. Why should Sabah alone suffer from a national problem allegedly self-created by government?

xiii) Sabah deserves better treatment by the Federal Government in terms of more equitable distribution of opportunities and development projects. There are far too many talks and pledges but little, if any, action.

ix) September 16 every year should be observed and celebrated as ‘Malaysia Day’.

SEGERAKAN PEMBAIKAN JALANRAYA KG MANSASOH

Oleh: MAIL MATHEW Penduduk Kg Mansasoh dalam daerah Kemabong menggesa kerajaan agar menyegerakan kerja-kerja membaikpulih jalanraya sejauh kira-kira 4 km dari simpang besar menuju ke pusat perkampungan kerana jalanraya tersebut tidak dapat dilalui sebarang jenis kenderaan; terutama membawa keluar hasil tanaman mereka untuk dipasarkan.

Malahan masalah kerosakan tersebut yang telah berlaku lebih dua tahun lalu dan telah pun disuarakan kepada pihak tertentu menerusi Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampong (JKKK) Kg Mansasoh, namun sehingga sekarang tiada tanda- tanda tindakan telah diambil.

Jurucakap penduduk, Rasat bin Risut, 45, berkata demikian ketika memberitahu Sabahkini.net pagi tadi bahawa beliau terpaksa meluahkan kekesalan menerusi media sebagai jalan terakhir untuk mendapatkan perhatian pihak berkenaan.

“Kita kesal dengan kelembapan pihak tertentu menangani masalah kami di sini sedangkan masalah itu berulangkali sudah dikemukakan kepada Pejabat Daerah Tenom, tetapi kami tidak faham mengapa ia seolah-olah tidak dipedulikan,” tegas Rasat sambil mengharapkan agar pihak atasan akan termaklum rungutan mereka itu.

“Kami juga ada projek tanaman pertanian jenis papaya di bawah kelolaan Jabatan Pertanian tetapi kelancaran pelaksanaannya terbantut disebabkan masalah jalanraya yang tidak baik,” tambah Rasat.

Rasat menegaskan bahawa beliau kesal hasrat kerajaan untuk mendahulukan rakyat dalam mengatasi serba serbi masalah yang dihadapinya sepertimana yang sering diungkapkan pemimpinnya; namun aspirasi itu tidak akan kesampaian matlamatnya selagi pihak pelaksana gagal memenuhi kehendak pemimpin berkenaan.

Dalam pada itu, Pengerusi JKKK Kg Mansasoh, Zakaria @ Miong b. Laminit, 50, ketika dihubungi menjelaskan bahawa masalah tersebut telah pun dikemukakan kepada Pejabat Daerah (Pegawai Daerah) sejak tahun lepas untuk tindakan namun sehingga sekarang belum ada apa apa tindakbalasnya.

“Kita juga sudah berulangkali membuat ‘folow up’ segala permohonan kami tetapi kita tidak faham kenapa ia terus menyepi begitu sahaja,” tegas Zakaria.

Menurut Zakaria lagi, jalanraya tersebut telah pun dinaiktaraf dan diaspal kira-kira lebih 10 tahun yang lalu tetapi disebabkan terlalu banyak kenderaan berat yang berlalu lalang di situ, menyebabkan jalanraya itu mengalami kerosakan teruk sejak lebih dua tahun lalu.

MANA JANJI SELENGGARA JAMBATAN TENOM LAMA?

Oleh: MAIL MATHEW

PENGERUSI Tenom Chinese Chamber of Commerce (TCCC), Datuk Teo Ming Chung kini mengulangi gesaannya yang pernah dilakukannya sekitar Julai, 2010 berhubung keuzuran Jambatan Tenom Lama atau lebih dikenali Jambatan Tun Mustapha kepada Jabatan Kerjaraya Sabah; namun sehingga kini tidak ada tanda-tanda jambatan tersebut diselenggarakan.

Katanya, beliau kesal kerana janji Pengarah JKR akan mengusahakan peruntukan berjuta ringgit untuk menyelenggarakan jambatan tersebut, malangnya janji itu tidak tepat kerana sehingga sekarang nampaknya terus senyap sahaja.

“Pengarah JKR datang ke sini memeriksa keadaan jambatan tersebut dan dia memberitahu saya yang JKR akan berusaha dapatkan peruntukan untuk menyelenggara jambatan itu. Tetapi sampai sekarang tiada apa-apa mereka lakukan,” kata beliau sebagai mengulas kenyataan pegawai itu pada 23 Julai 2010 yang memberi jaminan bahawa pihak JKR Sabah akan mengambil tindakan serius selepas kenyataan Teo terpampang di dalam media yang melaporkan bahawa jambatan tersebut mengalami keuzuran serius dan perlu diperiksa seterusnya diselenggarakan.

Bagaimana pun Datuk Teo yang telah mengintai janji tersebut hampir setahun lamanya merasa kecewa dan tidak berpuas hati terhadap sikap yang ditunjukkan oleh JKR Sabah kerana tidak ada satu pun tindakannya dibuat selepas itu yang disifatkannya seolah-olah sekadar ‘melepaskan batuk di tangga’.

BERAT….Jambatan usang ini turut dilalui lebih 100 lori balak sehari sedangkan tiang jambatan telah mengalami runtuhan tebing sehingga dinaiki air Sungai Padas.

Dalam pada itu, Teo menegaskan bahawa, ramai rakyat di kawasan Kemabong dan Melalap bimbang akan keselamatan mereka ketika melalui jambatan tersebut yang dibina lebih 30 tahun lalau (dibina ketika era kerajaan USNO), namun sepanjang usia itu ia tidak pernah diselenggarakan.

Tambahnya lagi, sedangkan kenderaan yang menggunakan jambatan tersebut bukan sahaja tertumpu kepada kenderaan kecil daripada Sipitang, Sarawak dan Brunei malah ia turut dilalui kenderaan besar bermuatan tinggi seperti lori pengangkut balak.

“Ini soal keselamatan rakyat. Kita pernah dikejutkan satu trajedi mengerikan pernah berlaku suatu ketika dahulu di jambatan Mandahan yang turut mengorbankan nyawa manusia yang tidak berdosa apabila jambatan roboh ketika kenderaan melintas (jadi), kita harus sedar semua itu sebelum terkena,” tambah Teo dengan wajah serius.

Jambatan Tenom Lama yang dibina ketika era kerajaan USNO sekitar tahun 1970-an sering menjadi tohmahan rakyat di kawasan Kemabong dan Tenom kerana sejak ia dibina, ketahanan fizikal jambatan itu tidak pernah diuji mahupun diselenggara.

UMNO JANGAN CAMPURI RUSAN LDP

Oleh: MAIL MATHEW AHLI Majlis Tertinggi Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Tenom, Kapitan Ng Tet Hau meminta Ketua UMNO Penampang, Datuk John Ambrose agar menjauhkan diri daripada mencampuri urusan politik LDP, kerana LDP lebih tahu apa perlu dilakukannya malah telah sedar ke mana halatuju parti itu. Tegasnya, buruk dan baiknya tindakan LDP itu adalah tertanggung kepada kewibawaan kepimpinan parti itu untuk menanggungnya sendiri tanpa mengharap bantuan daripada pakar-pakar penasihat politik dari luar.
Kapitan Ng yang juga Ketua Bahagian LDP Tenom seterusnya berkata, kepimpinan Presiden LDP Datuk V.K Liew tidak pernah disesali atau diragui oleh ahli-ahli parti itu di peringkat akar umbi sebelum ini berhubung kewibawaannya memimpin parti malah setiap tindakan Liew pasti mendapat sokongan kukuh dari akar umbi.

Beliau menambah, begitu juga setiap janji dan keputusan yang pernah dizahirkan LDP kepada gagasan Barisan Nasional (BN) sebelum itu untuk mengukuhkan konsep perkongsian kuasa bagi menjamin penerusan kuasa di Sabah tidak pernah luntur.

“Malangnya, kesetiaan LDP dipandang serong oleh pihak tertentu namun sanggup menghalalkan perkara yang bertentangan dengan prinsip perkongsian kuasa dalam BN,” tegas Kapitan Ng sebagai mengulas kenyataan Datuk Ambrose berhubung kesetiaan LDP dalam BN sambil menggesanya memberhentikan tuntutannya.

Tegasnya lagi, bahawa ketika BN Sabah ditubuhkan selepas tahun 1990-an iaitu ketika UMNO dikembangkan sayapnya ke Sabah, kepimpinan BN pusat berkehendakkan tiga parti tempatan perlu dimantapkan selain USNO yang diambil alih UMNO mewakili Bumiputera Islam.

Malahan kewujudan LDP untuk masyarakat Cina selain MCA dan Parti Akar mewakili masyarakat KDM pimpinan mendiang Datuk Mark Koding, merupakan sebahagian daripada strategi BN Sabah untuk menawan tampuk kerajaan di Sabah.

“Kita tidak mahu berselindung dengan prinsip perjuangan kita bahawa LDP ditugaskan memperjuangkan masyarakat Cina tempatan, UMNO untuk Bumiputra Islam dan Parti Akar untuk KDM malangnya Ambrose berada dalam UMNO persoalannya kenapa tidak dalam Akar atau UPKO,” tegas Ng.

“Apa rasionalnya Datuk Ambrose berada dalam UMNO sedangkan beliau seorang pemimpin KDM yang sepatutnya memilih antara UPKO, PBS atau PBRS mungkin juga Ambrose juga sudah sesat jalan dalam BN?,” tambah Kapitan Ng.

KEGAGALAN BESAR UMNO-BN DALAM EKONOMI

Kegagalan Besar UMNO/BN Dalam Ekonomi

Gagal mengawal peningkatan harga minyak walaupun Malaysia adalah pengekspot minyak. Dari tahun 2000-2006, harga minyak telah meningkat dari RM1.10/liter (tahun 2000) hingga RM1.92/liter (tahun 2006) iaitu peningkatan sebanyak 75% dalam masa 6 tahun.

Gagal menyekat harga tol yang meningkat tahun demi tahun. Walaupun kerajaan berjanji tiada peningkatan tol pada tahun 2008, tetapi tahun 2009 akan pasti menyaksikan peningkatan harga tol yang seterusnya. Kerajaan membelanjakan lebih 300 juta ringgit wang rakyat setahun untuk membayar konsesi tol.

Gagal menyekat kenaikan harga barangan asas hasil daripada kenaikan harga minyak dan tol. Kenaikan harga barangan ini terpaksa dibayar oleh segenap lapisan rakyat walaupun sebahagian daripada mereka tidak menggunakan jalan bertol terutamanya mereka yang tinggal di kampung-kampung.

Statistik menunjukkan pendapatan isirumah kaum India RM3,215, lebih tinggi daripada purata kebangsaan RM3,022, dan juga kaum bumiputera RM2,522. Ini jelas menunjukkan UMNO tidak bersungguh-sungguh malah telah gagal menaikkan taraf hidup orang Melayu setelah 50 tahun memerintah.

Duit rakyat dihabiskan hasil daripada ketidakcekapan pengurusan ekonomi: Pengagihan projek yang tidak telus - dikuasai oleh kroni2 Patrick Lim dan Kamaluddin - taman tamadun islam, penang global city center Pembangunan Koridor Ekonomi dengan angka tidak masuk akal - jumlah RM1 trillion, Dari manakah BN mendapat duit sebanyak itu, sedangkan pembinaan jambatan Pulau Pinang yang kedua yang berharga kurang 3 billion pun terpaksa meminjam wang daripada Negara China.

Hutang Kerajaan Persekutuan terus meningkat dari RM146 billion kepada RM165 billion. Beberapa Fakta yang perlu diketahui untuk perkongsian: Bailout Bank Bumiputera sebanyak 4 kali - rugi RM10.4 billion. Kerugian Perwaja Steel - rugi RM10 billion. Bailout Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) - rugi RM200 juta. Bailout Konsortium Perkapalan Berhad - rugi RM1.7 billion. Hicom (Proton) kerugian sehingga Kerajaan terpaksa menggunakan duit Petronas untuk membeli saham Proton -rugi RM1 billion.

Membeli semula saham MAS daripada Tajuddin Ramli dengan harga RM1 billion lebih dari harga pasaran. Menggunakan Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pencen (KWAP), Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP), Danaharta dan Khazanah untuk membeli saham-saham Timedotcom yang tidak laku - rugi RM3.3 billion. Bailout LRT PUTRA dan STAR - rugi RM6 billion. Bailout Renong/UEM - rugi RM12 billion.

Pampasan pembatalan Projek Empangan Bakun - rugi RM950 juta. Hutang tertunggak InventQjaya - rugi RM228 juta Pampasan Jambatan Bengkok - rugi RM257 juta Pampasan pembatalan Broga Incinerator - rugi RM500 juta Kerugian membeli saham Agusta - rugi RM510 juta Skandal Port Klang Free Zone - rugi RM4.6 bilion Skandal Offshore Petrol Vehicle (PSC-NDSB) - rugi RM6.75 bilion Blok L dan M - RM 380 billion Sime Darby - RM 1.6 billion Pos Malaysia - RM 546 juta Felda - RM 8 Billion
Irwin Manan 24 March 12:09
Kegagalan Besar UMNO/BN Dalam Ekonomi

Gagal mengawal peningkatan harga minyak walaupun Malaysia adalah pengekspot minyak. Dari tahun 2000-2006, harga minyak telah meningkat dari RM1.10/liter (tahun 2000) hingga RM1.92/liter (tahun 2006) iaitu peningkatan sebanyak 75% dalam masa 6 tahun.

Gagal menyekat harga tol yang meningkat tahun demi tahun. Walaupun kerajaan berjanji tiada peningkatan tol pada tahun 2008, tetapi tahun 2009 akan pasti menyaksikan peningkatan harga tol yang seterusnya. Kerajaan membelanjakan lebih 300 juta ringgit wang rakyat setahun untuk membayar konsesi tol.

Gagal menyekat kenaikan harga barangan asas hasil daripada kenaikan harga minyak dan tol. Kenaikan harga barangan ini terpaksa dibayar oleh segenap lapisan rakyat walaupun sebahagian daripada mereka tidak menggunakan jalan bertol terutamanya mereka yang tinggal di kampung-kampung.

Statistik menunjukkan pendapatan isirumah kaum India RM3,215, lebih tinggi daripada purata kebangsaan RM3,022, dan juga kaum bumiputera RM2,522. Ini jelas menunjukkan UMNO tidak bersungguh-sungguh malah telah gagal menaikkan taraf hidup orang Melayu setelah 50 tahun memerintah.

Duit rakyat dihabiskan hasil daripada ketidakcekapan pengurusan ekonomi:

Pengagihan projek yang tidak telus - dikuasai oleh kroni2 Patrick Lim dan Kamaluddin - taman tamadun islam, penang global city center

Pembangunan Koridor Ekonomi dengan angka tidak masuk akal - jumlah RM1 trillion, Dari manakah BN mendapat duit sebanyak itu, sedangkan pembinaan jambatan Pulau Pinang yang kedua yang berharga kurang 3 billion pun terpaksa meminjam wang daripada Negara China.

Hutang Kerajaan Persekutuan terus meningkat dari RM146 billion kepada RM165 billion.

Beberapa Fakta yang perlu diketahui untuk perkongsian:

Bailout Bank Bumiputera sebanyak 4 kali - rugi RM10.4 billion.
Kerugian Perwaja Steel - rugi RM10 billion.
Bailout Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) - rugi RM200 juta.
Bailout Konsortium Perkapalan Berhad - rugi RM1.7 billion.
Hicom (Proton) kerugian sehingga Kerajaan terpaksa menggunakan duit Petronas untuk membeli saham Proton -rugi RM1 billion.
Membeli semula saham MAS daripada Tajuddin Ramli dengan harga RM1 billion lebih dari harga pasaran.
Menggunakan Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pencen (KWAP), Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP), Danaharta dan Khazanah untuk membeli saham-saham Timedotcom yang tidak laku - rugi RM3.3 billion.
Bailout LRT PUTRA dan STAR - rugi RM6 billion.
Bailout Renong/UEM - rugi RM12 billion.
Pampasan pembatalan Projek Empangan Bakun - rugi RM950 juta.
Hutang tertunggak InventQjaya - rugi RM228 juta
Pampasan Jambatan Bengkok - rugi RM257 juta
Pampasan pembatalan Broga Incinerator - rugi RM500 juta
Kerugian membeli saham Agusta - rugi RM510 juta
Skandal Port Klang Free Zone - rugi RM4.6 bilion
Skandal Offshore Petrol Vehicle (PSC-NDSB) - rugi RM6.75 bilion
Blok L dan M - RM 380 billion
Sime Darby - RM 1.6 billion
Pos Malaysia - RM 546 juta
Felda - RM 8 Billion

HALALKAH BERI STATUS PR KEPADA PATI?

Written by Admin Sunday, 20 March 2011 12:38 Share

Oleh: MAIL MATHEW

CADANGAN yang tidak berasas perlu digugurkan sebelum ia merebak ke seluruh pelusuk akar umbi terutamanya perkara yang melibatkan pemberian keistimewaan kepada PATI kerana yang terbaru ialah cadangan Presiden PKR, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail akan memberikan status ‘Penduduk Tetap’ (PR) tetapi tiada hak mengundi kepada PATI apabila PKR menang dan berkuasa di Sabah selepas PRU13 mendapat tentangan hebat rakyat pelbagai kaum di kawasan akar umbi.

Penolong Pegawai Penerangan SAPP kawasan Dun Melalap, Flavius Robert berkata demikian pada sabtu ketika memberitahu wartawan Sabahkini.net yang mengulas cadangan Presiden PKR itu yang terkandung didalam ‘Buku Jingga’ sepertimana yang diumumkannya pada baru-baru ini.

Robert menegaskan, mungkin segelintir pemimpin PKR Sabah sekali pun bersetuju dengan cadangan itu, namun ia perlu mengambilkira pandangan keseluruhannya termasuk rakyat diperingkat akar umbi sebagai asas pertimbangan kepimpinan PKR sebelum pengumuman itu dilakukan.

“Sememangnya kita dalam SAPP khususnya di daerah Tenom dan Kemabong tidak mahu campurtangan cadangan PKR itu kerana buruk dan baik akan ditanggung oleh kepimpinan PKR itu sendiri, malangnya tempias negatif dari cadangan itu turut melibatkan keseluruhan pembangkang khususnya SAPP yang menjadi masalah baru bagi barisan kepimpinan pembangkang, kecuali PKR tidak dilibatkan dalam PRU13 di Sabah,” tegas Flavius.

“Kita mengharapkan agar cadangan PKR itu dapat diperhalusi ke arah suatu cadangan yang boleh diterima rakyat yang selari dengan tindakan parti-parti pembangkang lain di Sabah untuk mengusir balik PATI seramai kira-kira 600,000 orang ke negara asal mereka,” tambah Flavius sambil menggesa Presiden PKR itu menggugurkan hasrat beliau untuk memberi PR kepada PATI.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Flavius turut mengalu-alukan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi di sini pada baru baru ini yang membatalkan pindaan Perlembagaan Persekutuan pada tahun 2006 menggugurkan kuasa Gabenor dalam melantik Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman (JC) ke Mahkamah Tinggi Sabah dan Sarawak.

Pada amalan sebelumnya mengikut Perlembagaan asal, semua perlantikkan JC ke Mahkamah Tinggi bagi Sabah dan Sarawak dicadang dan disyorkan oleh Hakim Besar Borneo untuk kelulusan dan Perlantikan Gabenor negeri masing-masing. Bagaimana pun selepas pindaan pada tahun 2006, semua perlantikan dilakukan oleh DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong atas syor Perdana Menteri Malaysia.

Plaintif mantan Pegawai Polis Robert Linggi yang mencabar Kerajaan Malaysia kerana pindaan itu disifatkannya tidak mengikut Perlembagaan telah mendapat pujian dan jolokan sebagai ‘wira’ pelbagai kaum dan keturunan di kedua-dua buah negeri dalam Wilayah Borneo kerana berjaya menyelamatkan sebahagian daripada penghakisan hak asasi dan kuasa autonomi Sabah dan Sarawak.

Flavius berkata, keadilan dari segi hak asasi rakyat kini sudah mula terserlah kerana ia bermula daripada insiden penangkapan enam orang penduduk Kuala Tomani yang berladang di kawasan NCR tetapi mereka diseret ke Mahkamah kerana dituduh menceroboh hutan simpan Imahit tiga tahun lalu.

Meskipun pun dalam perbicaraan pertama di Mahkamah Majistret Tenom, keenam enam tertuduh telah dijatuhi hukuman denda seribu ringgit seorang namun perbicaraan yang bersambung ke Mahkamah Tinggi akhirnya keenam-enam yang telah disabitkan kesalahan pada sebelumnya itu telah dibebaskan.

BUKU JINGGA SABAH

BUKU JINGGA SABAH

Reformasi Dalam 100 Hari Pertama Mentadbir Sabah

oleh
Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sabah

TELAH DI LANCARKAN OLEH :
PRESIDEN PKR DATUK SERI WAN AZIZAH
PADA: 12 MAC 2011.
DI BORNEO PARADISE BEACH HOTEL
KINARUT PAPAR SABAH.

Dalam masa 100 hari pertama mengambil alih pentadbiran negeri Sabah .
PKR akan berkerjasama dengan rakan politik didalam Pakatan Rakyat untuk
melancarkan reformasi berikut untuk membela rakyat

1. Menjunjung kedaulatan Negeri Sabah sebagai sebuah negeri yang sah di dalam Persekutuan Malaysia dengan memastikan sebarang tuntutan bertindih ke atasnya termasuk menghentikan bayaran kepada negera asing yang membuat tuntutan bertindih ke atas Sabah.

2. Membawa usul ke Dewan Undangan Negeri untuk menuntut hak ke atas Block L dan M yang dirampas tanpa persetujuan rakyat Sabah. Termasuklah mengambil tindakan mahkamah sivil dan jenayah ke atas pihak pihak yang bertanggungjawab menyerahkan Block L dan M tanpa izin dari rakyat Sabah.

3. Menyempurnakan penubuhan sebuah Suruhanjaya diRaja bagi mencari jalan menyelesaikan kemelut pendatang tanpa izin di Sabah dan menawarkan peluang menjadi penduduk tetap tanpa hak mengundi kepada pendatang tanpa izin dengan tujuan memutihkan senerai kerakyataan dan pengundi.

4. Menubuhkan Tabung Warisan Sabah dengan modal awal RM 1 billion dari wang royaliti hasil industri minyak dan gas bagi tujuan program-program pembasmian kemiskinan kepada semua rakyat sabah yang dibawah paras pendapatan isi rumah
RM 1500 setiap keluarga.

5. Menyempurnakan tunrutan kenaikan royalti hasil minyak dan gas kepada 20%
dengan mendatangani perjanjian baru dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan agar bayaran kepada rakyat Sabah adalah berkadar langsung dengan keuntungan tambahan dari
hasil minyak dan gas di negeri itu.

6. Menubuhkan sebuah syarikat minyak dan gas yang dimiliki rakyat Sabah dengan modal awal berbayar RM 1 billion dengan tujuan mewujudkan sebuah konglomerat antarabangsa yang dapat dibimbing oleh PETRONAS untuk bersaing di persada dunia dan menyediakan peluang pekerjaan dan membina kepakaran rakyat Sabah dalam industri minyak dan gas.

7. Melancarkan program Borneonisasi dalam sektor perkhidmatan awam secara berperingkat untuk memastikan jawatan jawatan awam dipegang oleh rakyat Sabah.

8. Menuntut hak ke atas semua pulau pulau kecil di perairan Sabah yang masih belum diselesaikan tuntutannya untuk menjamin kedaulatan sempadan Sabah dan juga hasil minyak dan gas di perairannya.

9. Menghormati hak tanah adat dan menarik balik semua kes mahkamah yang selama ini dibawa oleh Kerajaan Negeri sekiranya kes-kes tersebut secara jelas mencabuli hak
tanah adat.

10. Mengukuhkan Autonomi Sabah dengan menyemak kembali perkara-perkara yang termaktub di dalam Perkara 20 untuk memastikan sebarang tidakan yang melanggar Perkara 20 dihentikan serta-merta.

PAHLAWAN MURUT, AKI ANTANOM 1915

Murut Warriors Murut people (Murut means “Men of the Hills”) are famous for their headhunting history and bravery. Their traditional warrior costume is always my favorite, so are their stories. We still could find pieces of their past in their dance performance and festival (such as Kalimaran Festival). With a bit of imagination, I try to use some photos to paint a complete picture of how they looked like in the past…
Photo: Ontoros Antonom Memorial
Murut Warriors

Standing in the heart of Tenom town is the Memorial of Ontoros Antonom, a Murut hero who led the uprising against the British colonists in 19th century. Under the administration of British Chartered North Borneo Company (BCNBC) more than 100 years ago, besides imposing many funny taxes, which the locals never heard of, British also forced every Murut couple, who had two children, to give up one of them as forced labor.

Photo: Murut warrior get ready for battle
Murut Warriors

Running out of tolerance, Ontoros Antonom gathered nearly a thousand of Murut warriors from Tenom, Keningau dan Pensiangan to fight the British empire in 1915. According to the description in Murut Museum, the British officers were totally shocked to see hundreds of Murut flooded their administration building and attacked them. The document also mentions Ontoros Antonom built a few strongholds that even got underground tunnels and houses!

Photo: The rise of Murut warriors
Murut Warriors

In April 1915, British sent 400 soldiers equipped with firearm to counter attack. Though Murut were only using primitive weapons such as blowpipes, swords and spears, British army failed to take them down. Therefore, they set a trap by offering a peace talk at Rundum. When Ontoros Antonom and his followers were on their way to the venue, hundreds of British surrounded them and arrested them. Later Ontoros Antonom was executed. This Sabah hero died at age of only 30 (year 1885-1915). Seeing more and more corrupted, self-interest and big-mouth Sabah politicians nowadays, the more I respect this hero who loved his land and really did something for his people.

Photo: Warriors departed for battle
Murut Warriors

Photo: Murut girl celebrated the victory of the warriors with Anggalang dance
Murut Warriors

Below are the weapons used by Murut to fight gun and bullets. Note the hole in the spear. It is a 2-in-1 weapon (Blowpipe + Spear). Also note the human hair at the end of the headhunter sword. I wanted to buy the headhunter sword (for appreciation, of course not for headhunting), but it costs RM300 (nearly USD100). Ok… O_O
Murut Warriors

Below are the containers that store the darts and poison for blowpipe.
Murut Warriors

Photo: Murut girls waiting for the return of the Murut warriors
Murut Warriors

Murut Warriors

The era of conflict and headhunting has become a thing of the past. No matter you are British or tourists from other countries, what you will experience here is very warm welcome from our friendly Murut people. They will invite you to dance with them and even try the blowpipe.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Pahlawan Murut, Aki Antanom

Murut Warriors Murut people (Murut means “Men of the Hills”) are famous for their headhunting history and bravery. Their traditional warrior costume is always my favorite, so are their stories. We still could find pieces of their past in their dance performance and festival (such as Kalimaran Festival). With a bit of imagination, I try to use some photos to paint a complete picture of how they looked like in the past…

Photo: Ontoros Antonom Memorial
Murut Warriors

Standing in the heart of Tenom town is the Memorial of Ontoros Antonom, a Murut hero who led the uprising against the British colonists in 19th century. Under the administration of British Chartered North Borneo Company (BCNBC) more than 100 years ago, besides imposing many funny taxes, which the locals never heard of, British also forced every Murut couple, who had two children, to give up one of them as forced labor.

Photo: Murut warrior get ready for battle
Murut Warriors

Running out of tolerance, Ontoros Antonom gathered nearly a thousand of Murut warriors from Tenom, Keningau dan Pensiangan to fight the British empire in 1915. According to the description in Murut Museum, the British officers were totally shocked to see hundreds of Murut flooded their administration building and attacked them. The document also mentions Ontoros Antonom built a few strongholds that even got underground tunnels and houses!

Photo: The rise of Murut warriors
Murut Warriors

In April 1915, British sent 400 soldiers equipped with firearm to counter attack. Though Murut were only using primitive weapons such as blowpipes, swords and spears, British army failed to take them down. Therefore, they set a trap by offering a peace talk at Rundum. When Ontoros Antonom and his followers were on their way to the venue, hundreds of British surrounded them and arrested them. Later Ontoros Antonom was executed. This Sabah hero died at age of only 30 (year 1885-1915). Seeing more and more corrupted, self-interest and big-mouth Sabah politicians nowadays, the more I respect this hero who loved his land and really did something for his people.

Photo: Warriors departed for battle
Murut Warriors

Photo: Murut girl celebrated the victory of the warriors with Anggalang dance
Murut Warriors

Below are the weapons used by Murut to fight gun and bullets. Note the hole in the spear. It is a 2-in-1 weapon (Blowpipe + Spear). Also note the human hair at the end of the headhunter sword. I wanted to buy the headhunter sword (for appreciation, of course not for headhunting), but it costs RM300 (nearly USD100). Ok… O_O
Murut Warriors

Below are the containers that store the darts and poison for blowpipe.
Murut Warriors

Photo: Murut girls waiting for the return of the Murut warriors
Murut Warriors

Murut Warriors

The era of conflict and headhunting has become a thing of the past. No matter you are British or tourists from other countries, what you will experience here is very warm welcome from our friendly Murut people. They will invite you to dance with them and even try the blowpipe.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Great ruins Malaysia, says Simon Sipaun

By Eleazar Zachariah KOTA KINABALU: The wise man of Sabah, Simon Sipaun, warned that human greed is on the rise and that it would ruin the country as it destroy everything in its path, be they good men, good policies and programmes.
He said greed had been inherent with human beings from the beginning but it had become more and more prevalent and worse with the advent of today's very materialistic and consuming society.

"Way back in the early 1960's even the British confided in me that little did they realise that greed would overwhelm the earlier leaders of Sabah. The British identified three leaders of the major communities then and wanted them to lead.

"The British thought that in order for the three leaders of the major communities to command respect, they should be in better shape economically than the others, and so the British gave them timber licenses. But is is difficult to satisfy human, or human's greed..." he said acknowledging that money politics in Sabah started with the birth of its two earliest political parties in 1961, albeit not as virulent as today.

Sipaun, who is former vice chairman of SUHAKAM, was sharing his understanding as panelist at a public forum on "reforming political financing in Malaysia" jointly organised by Transparency International - Malaysia and Malaysian Movement for Free Election (MAFREL), Thursday evening in Kota Kinabalu.

Saying greed is the root cause of corruption, Sipaun, who is well in his 70's and was a luminous civil servant until he retired as state secretary, said very few in politics would be able to avoid the temptation of greed especially when they were in power.

Even then, he said, someone who did not succumb to greed would be ridiculed by the public as "stupid" for not taking advantage for ownself. Instead of being praised, such selfless breed of politician or leaders, are stamped as stupid, he said adding that such view does not help at all.

"I have a friend from Penampang who was a state minister of health and later natural resources minister in the 1960's and he was a traightforward person and did not take chance of his position for himself, and he retired a pauper, but people said he was stupid for not taking advantage to himself," he said adding that it shows how greed rules human's mind.

"Mahatma Gandhi once said "this world is enough for every human, but is not enough for every human's greed" and so this is very true to this day," said Sipaun.

He also admitted that being a Yang Berhormat (YB) is not easy as many supporters look up to YB as their "saviour" in time of their needs. Hence, he said, people come to Yang Berhormat for money to pay even water and electricity bills.

"And a lot of politicians nowadays are very cash-rich. We don't know where their money come from... One YB even told me that he spent one million of his own money on an election...," he claimed.

Ironically, the Thursday forum was informed that a candidate in a state constituency is only allowed to spend a maximum RM30,000 while a Parliamentary candidate allowed RM100,000. But somehow this has not been followed in all elections, judging from the way many candidates spent money on huge billboards and on foods and transportation, the panelists agreed.

TI-M and MAFREL are in final leg of their round-the-country forum in an attempt to refine proposals on how to regulate and make political financing during election campaigning more transparent.

According to TI-M executive director Alan Kirupakaran, they have had roundtable sessons with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat and that they are submitting their proposals to interested parties soon.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Election Commission (SPR) deputy chairman, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, who was a panelist at the forum said there were grey areas on aspects of operating election in Malaysia and this include making political financing transparent and regulated.

"We need more legislations on political financing. We can propose but it is the Attorney General who initiate legislation," he admitted the constraint on his part on instituting legislations for even better, fairer and transparent running of elections in Malaysia.

The other two panelists were Prof Dr Mohamad Ali Hassan, deputy president of TI-M and Col (R) Shaharudin Othman, deputy chairman of MAFREL. Also in attendance with about 80 other people were SAPP's Liew Teck Chan and consumer activist Patrick Sindu.

SAPP will subdivide communal title if it comes to power

Kota Kinabalu, March 7, 2011: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said it would push for sub-dividing of the communal titles into individual native title, if it has a say in the future new state government.

"If we have a new government and we (SAPP) have a say, the communal title can be subdivided. The election is just around the corner and we will do it properly if we win," he said.

Speaking at a news conference held after the inter-party dialogue and leadership seminar organized by the Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF), at the Beverly Hotel here yesterday, Yong was responding to a question on whether the issuance of the communal title for Native Customary Right (NCR) land to the natives was beneficial to the natives.

He said land reform is one of the three issues which SAPP intends to resolve if it comes to power. The other two issues are employment among the youth and high inflation rate.

"Communal title is under the trustee of a village head and if the trustee is to heed the instruction of the government to go into joint-venture or to transfer it to someone else, all the native people in the scheme will lost their land rights," he said.

Yong also said there's nothing to stop the government from issuing native title to individual native, as this had been done in the past.He said that when he was Chief Minister from 1996 - 1998, more than 40,000 native titles were issued.

On the State government's contention that the issuance of the Communal Titles was to safeguard the interest of the natives to prevent them from selling their NCR land to others, non-native especially, he contended that like in the case of the low-cost housing scheme, the state government could impose a policy barring the transfer of native title land to a non-native or even to another native except the next of kin of the holder.

Penghidupan rakyat Sabah sebelum 1963 lebih baik dari sekarang

Kota Kinabalu, March 7, 2011: Tan Sri Simon Sipaun said life in Sabah was considerably better in many aspects before Malaysia was formed compared to now. [Watch video]

"Life in Sabah before Malaysia was good to say the least. Admittedly, there was no development then, as seen today, but Malaya was not much better," said the former Vice President of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) at the United Borneo Front's (UBF) Inter-Party Dialogue and Leadership Exclusive Seminar held at Beverly Hotel, Saturday.

He was making his concluding remarks at the panel discussion which he chaired at the one-day seminar. (Video on Speech)

He said there was no racial problem (in Sabah before Malaysia was formed) while "inter marriages were very common and that's why there are many 'peranakans' in Sabah."

"If Sabahans are now conscious of racial and religious divides, they learned this from Semenanjung. There were no illegal immigrants.

There were no cases of Sabahans losing citizenship status and foreigners gaining it without much difficulty," he said.

"There were no repressive and draconian laws such as the Official Secrets Act, the Internal Security Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Sedition Act, the Police Act and the Proclamations of Emergency."

"There was no quarrelling over dead bodies. The composition of civil services was multiracial. Meritocracy was appreciated, observed and practised. Corruption and 'ketuanan Melayu' were unheard of. The list continues. How not to miss pre-Malaysia?" he said.

Sipaun, also said that agreements and related legal rights of Sabah as well Sarawak within the federation of Malaysia are, more often than not, seen as inconvenient truths and preferred to be forgotten than fulfilled.

Citing September 16 as an example, he said the fact that it took the Federal Government 46 years just to admit and officially recognise the date as the birth of Malaysia speaks volumes.

He added the political union between Borneo territories and Malaya was at best an artificial one as the two regions had very little, if any, in common.

"The inclusion of Sabah and Sarawak was an afterthought to counter balance the Chinese population of Singapore. As it happened, Singapore left or were kicked out of the federation in 1965 but continued to progress by leaps and bounds.

"Brunei decided to withdraw from the negotiation at the eleventh hour and has survived well to this day. It remained a big fish in a small pond while Sabah and Sarawak became a small fish in big pond," said Sipaun.

He pointed out that Sabah which is rich in natural resources and once the second richest state is now the poorest in the country while its so called self autonomy is only imaginary, arguing that Malaysia although federal in form is unitary in substance.

Sarawak, he said, was somewhat better than Sabah as its people, in the absence of Umno, still have a say in deciding who is going to be the Chief Minister.

"I believe that there are also more local Sarawakians holding senior and important positions in federal departments in Sarawak.

The illegal immigrant problem is also minimal," he said.

However, he said Sabah and Sarawak do have many things in common since forming Malaysia including, sadly, predicaments.

As such, it is in the best of both states to have very close cooperation and to continuously pool their resources and exchange skills, knowledge and experience to maximise mutual benefits.

He added there is general consensus that Sabah and Sarawak deserve better treatment by Federal in terms of, among others, more equitable distribution of opportunities and development projects.

He noted that the value for development projects for Sabah and Sarawak in the 2011 Budget only amounted to about RM9.55 billion which is "peanuts" compared to the massive RM109.74 billion for Semenanjung.

"One project, namely the 100-storey building located in KL has been allocated RM5 billion which is more than what Sabah received.

Yet both Sabah and Sarawak are producers of oil and gas, which represent an important source of federal revenue.

The term 'fixed deposit' used by Barisan Nasional (BN) in referring to Sabah, said Sipaun is derogatory and insulting, as the central government continues to give lop-sided treatment to the State.

He stressed that during the last general election, it was the voters of Sabah and Sarawak who saved the present government from losing power, so much so that Sabah has now been referred to as a fixed deposit.

"But in return for all these Sabah and Sarawak appear to continue to be short-changed and getting a raw deal," he added. (source DE)

SEMINAR BAHASA IBUNDA MURUT BAKAL DIRASMIKAN DUTA FINLAND KE MALAYSIA

Oleh: Mail Mathew TENOM: Murut Language Center (MLC) dengan kerjasama Yayasan Bahasa Kadazandusun (KLF) serta Suomen Vapaakirkko (SVK-Finland) akan mengadakan seminar Bahasa Warisan Murut pada Mac 14 hingga 17, 2011 bertempat di Hotel Perkasa disini yang akan dirasmikan Duta Finland di Malaysia Henna Knuuttila.

Demikian dinyatakan Pengerusi MLC Dr. Lucas Umbul (gambar),ketika memberitahu Harian Ekspress pada Isnin berhubung perkara tersebut sambil menjelaskan bahawa seminar itu terbuka kepada semua masyarakat Murut secara percuma.

Tegasnya, seminar tersebut merupakan atas daya usaha KLF yang membantu MLC dalam memperjuangkan bahasa ibunda Murut ke peringkat antarabangsa dengan bantuan kedutaan Finland.

Selain itu tegas Dr Lucas, dalam seminar itu yang turut disertai oleh para pegawai dari Jabatan Pelajaran Sabah (JPS) dijangka akan membentuk satu perbincangan khusus untuk memasukkan Bahasa Murut sebagai salah satu Kurikulum yang bakal diajar disekolah sekolah kelak.

“ Tujuan seminar ini juga antara lain untuk memelihara adat dan senibudaya Murut selain mendokumentasikan secara lebih formal dan sempurna sebelum ia menjelajah ke peringkat antarabangsa,” tegas Dr Lucas yang yakin bahawa Bahasa Murut akan mendapat sambutan yang menggalakkan diperingkat antarabangsa.

“ Pendokumentasian bahasa ibunda ini salah satu usaha untuk mempertahankan talian hayat bahasa itu daripada pupus ditelan zaman…sedangkan sekarang pun ramai generasi muda terutamanya generasi di alab baru tidak dapat menguasai bahasa Murut dengan lebih sempurna,” tambahnya lagi.

Dr Lucas menambah, sepertimana kata pepatah Melayu ada mengatakan bahawa hilangnya budaya dan bahasa, maka hilanglah bangsa. Maksudnya, kemertabatan bangsa dan budaya bagi sesuatu kaum tidak boleh dipisahkan.

“ Kita juga boleh ibaratkan tamadun bangsa, budaya dan bahasa sama seperti lagu dan irama jika dipisahkan maka sumbanglah lagu itu, “ jelas beliau.
Ends////..

Caption:-

Gambar DR LUCAS UMBUL

UMNO-BN TUMBANG PRU13 JIKA PEMBANGKANG BERSATU DIBAWAH SATU LAMBANG PERJUANGAN!

Oleh: JACKSON LU, B.A.(Hons) USM

RANJAU dan onak duri yang diharungi disepanjang liku liku perjalanan untuk sampai ke matlamat kebahagiaan yang dicita oleh RAKYAT Sabah sukar dapat di materialisasikan selagi pelbagai masaalah seperti pemberian Kad Pengenalan dan pemberian kerakyatan kepada PATI tidak selesaikan secara mutlak.

Menghimpit masalah itu sebagai satu satunya kekangan kepada penyelesaiannya adalah kerana dalang yang merencanakan pemberian Kad Pengenalan dan kerakyatan kepada PATI masih segar dan berlegar legar berada disekeliling rakyat Sabah, apa lagi jika golongan itu terus disokong oleh segelintir petualang rakyat dikalangan pemimpin KDM Sabah yang pernah menyuburkan kehadiran UMNO ke Sabah dalam tahun 1990an.

Malahan keadaan bertambah buruk lagi apabila Menteri Dalam Negeri Dato’ Hishamuddin berterus terang menolak cadangan Ahli Parlimen Malaysia (Tuaran) Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing bagi penubuhan Suruhanjaya DiRaja (RCI) untuk menyiasat isu pemberian Kad Pengenalan dan kerakyatan kepada PATI.

Sudah tentu wujud seribu satu persoalan bermain dikepala setiap rakyat Sabah yang ingin tahu siapakah dalang disebaliknya yang mencipta ‘malapetaka’ ini kepada bumi bertuah Sabah ini yang dicintai. Umum mungkin sudah dapat menekanya tetapi masih khuatir akan keselamatan dirinya selepas itu.

Selain masalah pemberian Kad Pengenalan dan kerakyatan kepada PATI, masalah masalah lain juga turut memainkan peranan untuk memberi tekanan mental kepada rakyat Sabah seperti pemanipulasian ekonomi, pembangunan, menidakkan hak kuasa otonomi diSabah dengan harapan mereka supaya pemimpin Sabah yang berpengaruh tunduk dan bersifat ‘YES BOSS’ kecuali DSP Wilfred Bumburing, kepada Kuala Lumpur (KL).

Apabila semua gejala tersebut terungkai dalam seminar UBF diIbukota disini baru baru ini, maka timbulah persoalan persoalannya diantaranya bahawa siapakah dalang atau ‘master mind’ disebalik persoalan itu dan jawapannya tidak lain tidak bukan ialah UMNO dan dibantu BN.

Mungkin umum masih segar kenyataan mantan Ketua Penerangan UMNO Sabah Datuk Karim Ghani ketika beliau keluar UMNO dan menyertai PKR yang mengesahkan bahawa kehadiran UMNO ke Sabah adalah semata mata mahu menumbangkan kerajaan PBS pada ketika itu yang masih berpengaruh diSabah supaya jatuh tersungkur dibumi Sabah.

Terbuktilah sengat yang dirancang khas UMNO bahawa selepas tumbangnya kerajaan PBS pada tahun 1994 selepas beberapa bulan memegang tampuk kerajaan diSabah apabila beberapa ADUNnya yang dipilih melompat menyertai UMNO yang diketuai Adun Kota Klias DSP Lajim Ukin, Adun Kemabong Datuk Rubin Balang, dan Adun Dilantik Datuk Zaini Isa, mengakibatkan kerajaan PBS tumbang kerana kurang korum majoriti ADUN untuk meneruskan tampuk kerajaan diSabah.

Titik tolak kepada peristiwa itu, maka ramailah ‘katak katak puru’ mengikut jejak kawan kawan lamanya yang bergelar ‘King katak’ melompat kepada UMNO dan BN menjadikan BN diSabah lebih kukuh untuk membentuk kerajaan diSabah dimana mantan TYT Tun Sakaran Dandai dinobatkan oleh KL mengetuai kerajaan diSabah untuk menjawat jawatan Ketua Menteri Sabah secara bergilir (rotation system diperkenalkan Tun M kerana janji sebelum PRU1994).

Selang beberapa tahun UMNO-BN berkuasa diSabah pelbagai strategi turut dimantapkan dalam usaha untuk mengekalkan kuasa mereka diSabah agar berterusan selama lamanya dirancang begitu kemas dan rapi ibarat pepatah Melayu yang pernah disebut, “Kalau menarik rambut dalam tepung, rambut jangan putus dan tepung jangan berselerak”..

Dalam kesempatan itu secara kebetulan SPR ketika dalam rangka penyusunan semula persempadanan kawasan pilihanraya. Maka disinilah bermulanya kewujudan pemberian Kad Pengenalan dan kerakyatan PATI untuk digunakan pengisian tambahan populasi pengundi baru bagi kawasan kawasan yang baru diwujudkan selepas penambahan kawasan DUN diSabah diluluskan diParlimen.

Mekanisma itu ternyata berfungsi dengan baik apabila dua PRU selepas tahun 1994, kekuatan PBS tidak dapat menggoncang UMNO-BN untuk direbahkan ke bumi namun kelibatnya terus kukuh dan megah mendabik dadah kononnya merekalah “Sangkaka Waja Pejuang Perkasa” rakyat Sabah.

Ekoran itu, PBS yang lantang membela rakyat Sabah dan memperjuangkan hak otonominya namun suara ‘mengaum umpama singa kelaparan’ tidak bertahan lama dan akhirnya diulit sindrom ‘lemah longlai’ dan terpaksa sujud kepada KL dan merangkak semula menyertai BN walaupun BN pernah diludahnya pada pilihanraya Parlimen tahun 1990 yang bertindak keluar dari gagasan BN dan menyertai Semangat 46 yang dipimpin Tengku Razaliegh Hamzah bersama sama DAP dan PAS tetapi malangnya impian mereka ‘kecundang’.

UMNO-BN yang mempunyai pengikut akar umbi yang utuh dimana teras kekuatannya 60 peratus daripadanya adalah PATI yang mempunyai Kad Pengenalan dan kerakyatan Malaysia serta telah terdaftar sebagai pengundi, terus memainkan perana penting malah terus mengusai peluang peluang pekerjaan yang selesa di Jabatan Jabatan Kerajaan termasuk mengeksploitasikan ekonomi untuk kepentingan kroni kroni mereka.

Jawapan mahunpun ‘finding solution’ kearah menghapuskan kerakusan dan malapetaka itu, seorang panel UBF yang juga mantan Ahli Dewan Negara Parlimen Malaysia Dr Chong Eng Leong menegaskan bahawa tindakan hanya berkesan jikalau semua parti pembangkang bersatu ala pentadbiran BN menghadapi satu lawan satu menentang UMNO-BN pada PRU13.

Jika semua strategi itu berlaku pastinya UMNO-BN akan tumbang pada PRU13 sama ada diSabah mahupun diSemenanjong supaya kerajaan baru dapat dibentuk selepas UMNO-BN tumbang yang sekaligus melakukan pembersihan terhadap sisa sisa pentadbiran kotor UMNO-BN. Hanya menumbangkan UMNO-BN pada PRU13 sebagai jawapan yang tepat untuk menyelesaikan pelbagai masalah diSabah.

SEMINAR UBF "INTER PARTU DIALOGUE AND LEADERSHIP" MENCAPAI MATLAMAT

Oleh: Mail Mathew

KATA DISUSUN, JANJI DIPADU DAN IKATAN PERJUANGAN TERUS DIKUKUHKAN antara ramuan perbincangan yang menjadi agenda khusus seminar eksklusif bertema “ Inter Party Dialogue and Leadership” dimana sesi perbincangan pelbagai isu telah memakan masa sehari suntuk yang dihadiri seramai hampir 200 pemimpin pelbagai parti pembangkang diseluruh Sabah, disebuah hotel lima bintang diKotaraya Kota Kinabalu pada Sabtu.

Presiden UBF (United Borneo Front) Datuk Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan selaku penganjur seminar tersebut menyampaikan kata kata aluan sebelum seminar itu bermula dengan menekankan betapa pentingnya kesepakatan rakyat Borneo khususnya Sabah dan Sarawak memahami beberapa pencabulan kepada hak asasi rakyat oleh kerajaan Persekutuan sejak 47 tahun lalu terutamanya asas perjanjian 20 Perkara bagi Sabah dan 18 Perkara bagi Sarawak perlu dikaji dan dilaksanakan.

Jeffrey seterusnya menekankan bahawa isu yang sudah berlarutan itu telah menghantui perasaan rakyat dikedua dua negeri Wilayah Borneo iaitu negeri Sabah dan Sarawak tetapi menjelaskan bahawa isu tersebut tidak dapat dilakukan secara berseorangan “ sendiri sendiri sahaja” namun ia perlu disertai oleh banyak pihak yang cintakan KEADILAN dan KESAKSAMAAN yang memerlukan penyertaan parti parti politik sama ada dari pembangkang mahupun parti parti dalam komponen BN

Mantan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Sabah yang juga mantan Pesuruhjaya SUHAKAM Tan Sri Simon Sipaun diberi mandat mempengerusikan seminar sehari suntuk itu yang turut dihadiri pemimpin pemimpin parti pembangkang antaranya mantan Ketua Menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee, Timbalan Ketua Perhubungan PKR Negeri Sabah Christina Liew, wakil Presiden SPF(Sabah People Front dulu Bersekutu), Timbalan Speaker Dun Sabah Datuk Frankie Chong, Adun Likas Datuk Liew Teck Chan, Adun Luyang Melanie Chia, mantan Senator Dr Chong Eng Leong dan Aktivis masyarakat Datuk Patrick Sindu.

Manakala para ahli panel terdiri daripada golongan profesional Amde Sidek (Peguam), Nillakrisna James (Peguam dan Ahli Sejarah), Zainal Ajamain (Economic), Daniel John Jambun (Sastera), Dr Chong Eng Leong (Pengamal Perubatan) dan Yunuf Maringking wakil Persatuan Guaman Sabah.

Dalam pada itu Datuk Dr Jeffrey menekankan bahawa beberapa kumpulan yang menamakan diri mereka sebagai kumpulan Pembela Rakyat, Cendikiawan Alab Baru dan banyak lagi telah mengikrarkan sokongan mereka kepada agenda UBF yang mempunyai 7 teras permintaannya kepada kerajaan pusat untuk diperbetulkan seperti,

1. That the Federal government establishes a “ Compliance Mechanism” berdasarkan Artikel 8 dalam Perjanjian Malaysia.
2. Demand for a Faierer and more equitable revenue sharing formulae;
3. Restor the equal partnership status of Sabah and Sarawak to Malaya in the Federal including special rights & privileges & role of Sabah, Sarawak in citizenship & natural registration and Immigrations;
4. Demand for abolishment of cabotage/Transport/Trade Policies that negatively affects the Borneo States;
5. Demand for the respect and implementation of ative rights/NCR and Article 153 Federal Constitution;
6. Demand for a shift in the economic development focus to Sabah and Sarawak including the narrowing of the economic and digital devides between Malaya and the Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak);
7. Resolve the Illegal immigrants (PATI) “Project IC” problems and the threat to the territorial intergrity of Sabah and Sarawak including the passing of the heaviest deterrent sentence on crime related to the issuance of citizenship to illegal immigrants.

Katanya lagi, manakala parti parti komponen BN seperti PBS disifatkannya sebagai ‘malu malu’ untuk menyokong agenda UBF, UPKO menyokong agenda perjuangan UBF tetapi tidak menyatakannya secara terbuka dimedia.

Bagaimanapun penyertaan daripada delegasi Sarawak dalam seminar itu tidak kelihatan dan difahamkan bahawa mereka menumpukan persediaan menghadapi pilihanraya umum negeri itu yang akan diumumkan pada bila bila masanya sahaja.

Dalam pada itu, ketika sesi soal jawab daripada para peserta dengan ahli ahli panel dibuka selepas para ahli panel selesai membentangkan kertas kerja masing masing, para opeserta tidak membuangkan masa melorongkan beberapa pertanyaan seperti berikut,

Wakil Tenom ( Ambrose Mail Mathew) – meminta UBF menderaf satu memorandum kepada kerajaan untuk mengkaji ordinan Tanah dan juga hak asasi penduduk kampong tentang NCR yang memasukki kawasan Hutan Simpan. Menurut ordinan itu kerajaan khususnya Jabatan Perhutanan tidak ada kuasa mutlak menidakkan kewujudan tanah adat atau NCR meskipun ia dalam kawasan Hutan Simpan.

Beliau mengambil contoh insiden yang berlaku di Perkampongan Kg Sumambu, Kapulu dan Katubu dimana penduduk disitu kini ‘melilau’ tiada ketempatan setelah Jabatan Hutan melabelkan perkampungan itu sebagai HARAM kerana berada dalam kawasan hutan simpan. Sedihnya, penduduk disitu kini menggelarkan mereka sebagai ‘pelarian dibumi sendiri’.

Wakil Tongod – meminta UBF memberi defibisi yang tepat dan fungsian geran ‘Komunal’ sepertimana yang dilancarkan oleh Timbalan erdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyddin baru baru ini. Mereka menyifatkan pemberian itu sebagai ‘olok olok’ yang antara lain untuk menutup isu itu dari berpanjangan kerana kerajaan gagal mengeluarkan gerantanah kepada penduduk disitu lebih 30 tahun lalu.

Penjelasan UBF (Yunuf Maringking)- Pemberian geran Komunal bukan ikhlas dan lebih condong kepada strategi politik kerajaan BN. Geran Komunal antara lain menidakkan hak penerima daripada mengusaha dari segi perdagangan (pinjam wang dari bank) untuk menggunakan geran itu sebagai cagaran untuk memulakan bisnesnya.

Aktivis masyarakat Datuk Patrick Sindu – menyuarakan kebimbangan yang mendesak berhubung penyelesaian pemberian Projek IC dan kerakyat kepada PATI yang sehingga kini belum selesai. Memburukkan lagi keadaan apabila Menteri Dalam Negeri Dato’ Hishamuddin menolak cadangan penubuhan RCI. Patrick minta UBF menyediakan memorandum yang agak keras sedikit kepada kerajaan untuk mengambil tindakan masalah tersebut.

(Isu ini hangat dan lebih ramai peserta yang mengambil bahagian membahaskan masalah tersebut yang meliputi kawasan Sandakan, Lahad Datu dan Tawau).

Ahli panel Dr Chong Eng Leong memberi penjelasan – Isu Kad Pengenalan yang berleluasa diSabah beliau mengakui isu itu sehingga ke hari ini masih terus tertunggak kerana belum diselesaikan oleh Federal meskipun beliau dan beberapa pemimpin dan individu lain termasuk seorang wartawan dan pengarang buku Mutalib M.D telah berjuang habis habisan namun pihak pemimpin Persekutuan tetap membisu dalam persoalan ini.

Chong menegaskan bahawa untuk menyelesaikan sepenuhnya masalah ini tidak lain dan tidak bukan, kita rakyat Sabah Sarawak dan Semenanjong bertekad menumbangkan kerajaan kukubesi BN pada PRU13. Setelah kerajaan UMNO-BN tumbang barulah masalah Kad Pengenalan dan PATI diSabah dapat diselesaikan.

Manakala Ahli Panel Zainal Ajamain terus merungkai permasalahan isu “Cabotage” apabila isu itu turut di ketengahkan oleh para peserta. Zainal menyifatkan system kabotaj merupakan suatu penindasan dan penyisihan hak ekonomi diwilayah Borneo yang sepatutnya Sabah dan Sarawak juga bebas mendapat habuan hasil perniagaan menerusi pungutan hasil pelabuhan jika Sabah dan Sarawak diberi kebenaran dalam ‘Import dan Export” secara terus.

Ketika sesi penutupan seminar tersebut, Tan Sri Simon Sipaun dam ucapan penggulungannya menyifatkan seminar itu telah berjaya kerana segala isu isu yang diketengahkan berjaya merungkai persoalan perkara yang merupakan masalah ‘tenat’ yang perlu ditangani kerajaan BN kerana telah terabai sekian lama iaitu sejak 47 tahun lalu.

Tan Sri Simon turut memperkecil kecilkan bajet 2011 yang dibenatng tahun lepas sebagai ‘kacang’ (peanuts) dimana bajet tersebut memperuntukkan sekadar RM9.55 billion untuk Sabah dan Sarawak berbanding diSemenanjong yang meraih RM109.74 billion.

“ Satu projek yang dinamakan bangunan 100 tingkat di KL telah diberi peruntukkan RM 5 billion dimana ia lebih sedikit peruntukkan diterima oleh Sabah, malah Sabah dan Sarawak merupakan penyumbang ekonomi kepada Negara kerana mengeluarkan minyak dan gas,” tegas Sipaun.

Kebimbangan rakyat Sabah dan Sarawak terus menular kerana pemimpin Persekutuan terus memainkan strategi penyisihan dan taktik kotor seperti masalah PATI dan Kad Pengenalan tetapi tanpa segan silu menamakan Sabah sebagai “fixed deposit’ hanya kerana mendapatkan sokongan sokongan Sabah dan Sarawak untuk mengukuhkan kerajaan UMNO-BN diperingkat Persekutuan.

No room for Taib to dodge debate!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Stephen Tiong

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, chief political secretary to Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, has been caught out in a bid to enable his boss to dodge a public debate on land matters with state PKR head Baru Bian.

DAP parliamentarian Chong Chieng Jen has branded Abdul Karim “foolish” for contenting that Baru cannot take part because he is not an elected representative and because he was appointed - not elected - to his party post.

Karim (left), also the Asayajaya state assemblyperson, had made his remarks when responding to Baru's challenge to Taib to debate the issue of native customary rights (NCR) to land.

“Anyone can engage in such a debate, whether or not he is an elected representative. You don't have to be an elected representative to debate with Taib on land matters,” countered Chong, who is Sarawak DAP secretary.

“My question to Karim is whether he is speaking on behalf of chief minister. If that is the case, then I throw a challenge to have the debate with the chief minister, as I am the assemblyperson for Kota Sentosa and Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching.

“If Taib wants to avoid the debate with Baru (right) and if Karim is acting as the chief minister's spokesman, then I challenge Taib to debate the land policy.”

He said his key points would cover all land matters, including NCR land and land policy.

“Taib has claimed that the landowners' problems have all been solved, and that land is no longer an issue in Sarawak. He has also said he does not know what Chinese landowners want,” Chong said.

“The landowners feel that there are a lot of problems, and that the state government's land policy (discriminates against them). So, let us put all these issues up for debate.”

He suggested that Karim organises and moderates the debate, since he seemed to be speaking on Taib's behalf.

'What's the difference?'

Social activist John Brian Anthony also questioned Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Youth for suggesting that Baru had no locus standi to debate with Taib.

“How does an appointed position affect a good debate that is based on facts? What is the difference between Taib (left), who was appointed by the prime minister to lead Sarawak BN, and Baru, who was appointed as Sarawak PKR chief?”

Brian said PBB Youth was only trying to protect Taib, 75, from his lapses of memory on land matters.

“Being of advanced age, Taib would be forgetful and easily confused... which is why he is always repeating himself on his initiative to develop Sarawak, although nothing comes out of it,” he said.

He said the people were interested in knowing whether Taib, at his age, still had the mental capacity to lead the state government.

“It is time for fresh brains to help steer Sarawak to greater progress, without the usual corruption culture or blackmailing Sarawakians through threats,” Brian added.

Last Sunday, Taib gave a conditional approval for the debate, first demanding strong evidence that the state government had grabbed NCR lands from the owners.

PROTES RAKYAT SARAWAK DILONDON, BEKUKAN ASET TAIB MAHMOOD?

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Artikel ini dipetik dari blog Baru Bian:

Kalau pemimpin BN boleh berbohong kepada Perdana Menteri, kenapa tidak mereka boleh berbohong kepada rakyat….JANGAN UNDI BN, UNDI SAHAJA PEMBANGKANG…NYAHKAN UMNO DARI SABAH!!!

London protesters want Taib's assets frozen

Some 20 protesters comprising Malaysians and foreigners have staged a 'Stop Timber Corruption' demonstration in the British capital to highlight alleged abuses of long-serving Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The demonstration, organised yesterday by NGO Bruno Manser Fund (BMF), was held outside a property company controlled by the Taib family, Ridgeford Properties Ltd, in central London.

It was led by Clare Rewcastle Brown, the sister-in-law of former British premier Gordon Brown, and Sarawak native Peter John Jaban.

Rewcastle Brown is the founder of the critical website Sarawak Report, which has been exposing Taib's alleged corruption and global business empire.

Peter (left) is the DJ of Radio Free Sarawak, an independent short-wave radio station broadcasting from London. It focuses on Sarawak activists and communities defending their land rights and opposing abuses by Taib.

Protesters unfurled posters with Taib's portrait that said 'Stop timber corruption in Sarawak' and 'Freeze Taib assets'.

Other posters read 'Chief Minister of Sawarak - 30 years is enough!', 'Stop illegal logging on native lands' and 'Respect natives' rights'.

A similar demonstration organised by BMF was held in downtown Ottawa, Canada, outside another property company controlled by Taib's family - Sakto Corporation.

Last week, BMF released a list of 49 companies located across four continents around the globe, which it claims are linked to Taib and his family.

The intention of the blacklist is to help anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering authorities in the countries listed, to identify and freeze allegedly illicit assets accumulated by Taib and his family, the Swiss-based BMF said.

Following the release of the list, BMF launched an online petition on its website, calling on the authorities in the respective countries to investigate Taib and his family's financial dealings and freeze their assets for subsequent restitution to the people of Sarawak.


Taken from Malaysiakini

SUB PKR TENOM, NASIHATKAN SUHAILI JAGA TEPI KAIN SENDIRI?

Oleh: Mail Mathew

SETIAUSAHA Cabang Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Tenom Misery Raisimin menggesa pemimpin Umno disini khususnya Timbalan Ketua Bahagiannya Suhaili Guriaman agar tidak mencampuri urusan kepimpinan dalaman PKR tetapi adalah lebih baik beliau menumpukan perhatian kemantapan bahagian parti itu yang kini pengikut mereka semakin berkurangan dan berhijrah ke parti pembangkang

Katanya, adalah kerana beliau (Suhaili) senantiasa ‘syok sendiri’ dan duduk dibilik berhawa dingin setiap hari menyebabkan dia sendiri yang tidak tahu apa telah berlaku dengan pengikut pengikut parti itu yang dianggapnya masih kukuh seperti dulu lagi.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam satu kenyataan disini pada Isnin ketika mengulas kenyataan Suhaili yang tersiar diakhbar tempatan (bukan Daily Express) baru baru ini yang mendakwa kononnya kepimpinan PKR semakin berkecai kerana pemimpin pemimpinnya tidak sehaluan dan tiada halatuju membangunkan rakyat.

Misery berkata, Suhaili yang sekadar melihat satu pihak sahaja terutamanya pembangkang yang mengambil contoh pergolakan dalaman PKR sebagai sasarannya kononnya pembangkang lemah dan tidak mampu menawan hati rakyat adalah merupakan satu anilisis dan perkiraan politik yang diamalkan Suhaili sebagai ‘silap dan kabur’.

Misery menambah, mengapa Suhaili tidak melihat secara keseluruhannya yang melibatkan parti parti komponen yang kini sedang bergelut dengan masalah korupsi yang serius dan berhadapan dengan perbicaraan diMahkamah seperti beberapa pemimpin MCA.

Malahan merangkumi beberapa pemimpin Umno yang telah terlibat dengan kes korup semasa pemilihan Umno lalu termasuk beberapa kes pemimpin Umno Sabah terutamanya mantan Ketua Menteri Sabah yang terlibat kes hutang jutaan ringgit kerana perjudian luar Negara.

“ Inikah jenis pemimpin yang dikatakan Suhaili kononnya pemimpin Umno semuanya baik baik dan BN adalah wadah perjuangan politik terbaik kerana pemimpin pemimpinnya berwibawa dan baik baik. Apakah benar dakwaan Suhaili itu dan betulkah mereka ini baik dan layak disokong rakyat sekali lagi,” tegas Misery.

Tegasnya lagi, soal pergolakkan dalaman parti ia bukan sahaja dialami kepimpinan PKR tetapi juga dipihak UMNO juga pernah melaluinya malah lebih teruk daripada apa yang berlaku dalam PKR sejak akhir akhir ini.

“ Kita juga pernah dikejutkan apabila beberapa pemimpin tertinggi Umno pusat suatu ketika dulu keluar beramai ramai ketika era Tun Mahathir dimana antara lain Tun Musa Hitam letak jawatan sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah keluar Umno dan menubuhkan Semangat 46. Manakala diSabah Datuk Karim Ghani dan beberapa lagi yang lain keluar Umno kerana tidak sehaluan dengan kepimpinan Umno negeri yang tidak konsisten dalam agenda perjuangannya,” tegas Misery.

Mengenai dakwaan Suhaili kononnya PKR sudah tidak ada pemimpin yang baik baik kerana semua pemimpin yang baik baik sudah berada dalam BN menyebabkan PKR sukar untuk memenangi pilihanraya akan datang Misery berkata,

“ Soal menang atau kalah dalam sesuatu pilihanraya ia ditentukan oleh pengundi dan bukan ditentukan oleh seseorang individu khususnya Suhaili kerana pengundi yang lebih arif dan paling berkuasa membuat pilihan pemimpin yang mereka suka malah mereka lebih cenderong memilih pemimpin yang tidak korup biar pun pemimpin itu dilihat perawakannya agak sederhana,” tegas Misery.

Dalam pada itu, Misery mencabar Suhaili agar membuat satu memorandum yang ditanda tangani oleh semua ahli Umno disini menyokong cadangan Ahli Parlimen Malaysia- Tuaran Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing untuk menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Siasatan DiRaja (RCI) bagi menyiasat pemberian Kad Pengenalan Palsu dan kerakyatan kepada PATI jika Umno Tenom dan Suhaili menyatakan kehadiran UMNO-BN diSabah demi keselamatan dan kesejahteraan serta keharmonian rakyat Sabah.

Sebagai makluman Suhaili, kepimpinan PKR dan lain lain parti pembangkang diSabah sudah pun menubuhkan ‘task force’ masing masing untuk mendapatkan tanda tangan segenap lapisan rakyat Sabah untuk menyokong penubuhan Siasatan DiRaja (RCI) untuk menyiasat siapakah dalang disebalik projek pemberian Kad Pengenalan dan kerakyatan kepada PATI termasuklah warga Pakistan yang kini berkeliaran diTenom.

MANA KIBLAT POLITIK DATUK PANG SELEPAS BERCERAI LDP?

Oleh: GONOD SUNDA

SEJENAK selepas pergolakan parti parti komponen BN diSemenanjung seperti Gerakan, MIC, UMNO, PPP dan MCA reda seketika kini timbul lagi pergolakan sebuah parti tempatan LDP yang dianggap sebuah parti ‘senior’ dalam komponen BN diSabah bersama dengan parti AKAR (sudah dibubar) sebuah parti ‘multi racial’ tempatan pada ketika itu.

Kemelut pergolakan LDP-Umno diSabah itu, semakin diburukkan lagi situasi politiknya apabila pemimpin kanan LDP itu yang juga seorang Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Pang secara tiba tiba mengumumkan keluar daripada LDP sekaligus meletakkan jawatan sebagai Timbalan Ketua Menteri merangkap Menteri Belia dan Sukan Negeri Sabah tetapi masih mengekalkan statusnya sebagai Adun Karamunting....meletakkan suasana kepimpinan LDP dalam keadaan terus tertekan.

Senario ini mengingatkan semua rakyat Sabah bahawa apa yang berlaku dengan SAPP suatu ketika dahulu rintangan politiknya seakan akan sama dengan apa yang sedang mendepani kemelut kepimpinan LDP ketika ini. Malahan penderhakaan segelintir pemimpin SAPP yang meninggalkan bahtera SAPP dan masih bersama BN disaat saat mereka diperlukan bagaikan dimakan arus sumpah SAPP malahan sumpahan itu terus ‘mengena’ sehinggakan pemimpin kanannya ketika itu yang juga seorang Timbalan Ketua Menteri terpaksa hinggap ‘mengemis meminta suaka politik’ disebuah parti yang kurang ternama dibumi Sabah suatu ketika dulu semata mata untuk meneruskan cita cita dan 'survival' politik mereka dibawah telunjuk ‘Mahaguru barunya’.

Ramalan demi ramalan terus bermain dikepala 'peramal bintang kedai kopi' bahawa senario yang dialami kawan Raymond seSandakan dengan Pang mungkin akan mewah seketika sehingga PRU13, namun rakyat dikawasan mereka sudah pun berkira kira dan mencongak congak masa depan karier politik kedua dua pemimpin serpihan ini sama ada masih diterima oleh pengundi kawasan masing masing atau sebaliknya. Jika tidak! Jawapannya amat mudah mereka akan berada disenarai antara pemimpin ‘makan pencen’ untuk selama lamanya.

Ramai yang berpendapat bahawa kemelut kepimpinan LDP ketika ini bukanlah suatu tekanan tetapi sebaliknya kini LDP melalui suatu proses 'Re-branding' terhadap tahap kesabaran, kesetiaan dan keberanian pemimpin pemimpinnya dimana selain itu ia seolah olah dalam proses menapis kredibiliti dan pendirian perjuangan pemimpinnya dan ternyata sudah terdapat seorang daripada pemimpin kanannya terkeluar daripada jenis baka pemimpin yang tulen yang disangkakan mampu melawan arus dan kini beliau bersiap sedia mengharungi dunia politik lain dan dijangka akan menjadi ‘pengemis politik – untuk mencari suaka politik dari rakan rakan komponen yang lain atas perintah Tok Guru Cucu Datuk Merah’.

Kemungkinan talian hayat politik Pang akan terselamat dan nilai saham politiknya masih diparas ‘Dinar’ jika Pang tidak teragak agak untuk mengosongkan kerusi Dun Karamunting dari sekarang untuk membuktikan pegangan kenyataannya yang memilih Musa Aman sebagai idola politiknya berbanding V.K.Liew bekas bossnya yang pernah berhempas pulas mengangkatnya ke takhta politik yang lebih tinggi dan selesa berbanding Teo dan Chin yang kini lantang bersuara menuntut keadilan dari Musa dan BN.

Kenyataan Perdana Menteri yang juga Pengerusi BN Dato’Seri Najib Razak ketika mengulas perletakkan jawatan Pang dan tindakannya keluar dari LDP tanpa segan silu terus menyatakan Pang keluar LDP akan berhijrah ke Gerakan. Apakah Najib sudah merancang perkara ini lebih awal kalau tidak mengapa Najib terus sahaja menyatakan bahawa Pang akan berhijrah ke Gerakan? Wajarkah seorang Pengerusi BN bertindak sedemikian rupa tanpa berunding terlebih dahulu apabila seorang pemimpin BN melompat dari parti ke parti dalam parti komponen BN! Apakah perasaan parti komponen BN yang terlibat yang seolah olah dimalukan dengan tindakan sebegini rupa bertujuan menggertak LDP dan V.K.Liew atau antara lain perkataan mereka berusaha bersungguh sungguh men-demoralise-kan LDP?

Segenap lapisan rakyat yang menyokong dan mengundi LDP pada PRU12 kini terus tergamam dan tertanya tanya dihati kecil mereka bahawa apakah isu yang paling besar dihambatkan oleh LDP kepada BN sehinggakan LDP disisihkan secara tidak demokratik. Apa yang rakyat dan pengundi LDP tahu ialah isu MAZU di Kudat dan isu Ketua Daerah Kudat Haji Harun Bidin yang memecat 8 pemimpin masyarakat tanpa pengetahuan wakil rakyat Tanjung Kapor Teo Chee Kang.

Isu MAZU yang sangat popular dikalangan masyarakat Cina khususnya diKudat sepatutnya Musa selaku Ketua Menteri terus berpegang teguh kepada keputusan awalnya (yang telah pun mempersetujui lokasi cadangan itu diperingkat awal menurut mantan Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat) dan bukan bersikap berbelit belit dengan menukar keputusan disaat saat akhir menjadikan gangguan besar kepada proses pembinaan patung MAZU.

Akibat daripada keputusan Musa yang sering berubah ubah membuatkan ramai masyarakatCina merasa marah dan kurang senang dengan kelibat Musa yang dilihat seolah olah ibarat ada udang disebalik batu malah lebih sinonim dengan cerita donggeng wayang Indonesia sekitar tahun 1970an yang bertajuk ‘pembalasan siPitung’(sebuah kisah seorang pedagang yang suka memendam dendam).

Apa pun riak riak ini sudah menunjukkan bahawa bahtera UMNO-BN akan karam pada bila bila masa sahaja dari sekarang yang bukan sahaja diSabah dan Sarawak tetapi juga meliputi kawasan kawasan negeri diSemenanjung. Nyatalah andaian tokoh tokoh politik veteran dalam pembangkang bahawa Sabah dan Sarawak bukan lagi ‘Fixed Deposit’ tetapi kini telah bertukar kepada ‘Lost Deposit’ adalah tepat dan benar.