See Malaysiakini video "Trading Penan for palm oil".
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Taib's "Till Death Do Us Part" Cabinet
It is quite obvious now that Taib wants to die in office. His "new" cabinet line up sees no "new" ministers being appointed and a few "new" assistant ministers, all yes-men and sycophants, like any good cabinet should be of course. They are only there for Taib and themselves, not the rakyat.There is still no clear successor in sight, as Taib wants it to be.
Only the rakyat of Sarawak can now decide whether he stays to die in office or is booted out unceremoniously at the next state elections. If the people cannot make the right choice, maybe God will decide for them.
Whatever it is, Taib's days are numbered and he may not even live to see his 75th birthday anniversary, which is also the limit of his present term.
The only question is whether he goes quietly or is dragged screaming to his grave trying to bring all his ill-gotten wealth (actually Sarawakians' wealth) with him.
See The Broken Shield report "Taib's New Cabinet line-up" and also The Borneo Post report Six new faces; three dropped by Zora Chan "Revamp to prepare Sarawak for new development policies and approaches: CM".
In actual fact the revamp is to prepare Sarawak for new exploitation policies and approaches. Taib is asking for more Federal funds for this very purpose. See The Borneo Post report "Taib wants more federal money for development".
What this means is that Taib wants more Federal money for exploitation by himself, his family, henchmen and cronies. Do you think he wants it for the people?
"He said Sarawak was still very much behind compared to other states in terms of infrastructure development due to its size and geographical conditions".
Not to mention the fact that most of Sarawak's resources have either been siphoned off to benefit the Malayans or Taib, his family, henchmen and cronies.
“There’s no major cabinet reshuffle until after the next state election,” he told a media conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here.
Of course if he wins or unless he dies before that. What will the rakyat of Sarawak be praying for?
Monday, November 2, 2009
MPOC Advert Banned By UK For Being Misleading
Blow to Malaysian palm oil industry as UK bans advert
from Survival International
2 November
 |
| Oil palms planted on recently-deforested land, Sarawak © M Ross/ Survival |
– Penan tribe in Borneo welcomes ban
An advert for Malaysian palm oil has been banned in the UK, dealing a major blow to the credibility of Malaysia’s palm oil industry. Members of the hunter-gatherer Penan tribe in Borneo have welcomed the ban, saying, ‘Oil palm plantations have not benefited us at all; they have only robbed us of our resources and land.’
The Penan live in Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of Borneo, and are fighting to stop the forests they rely on being cut down to make way for oil palm plantations. Survival International is calling on the Malaysian government to halt plantations and logging on their land without their consent.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency banned the magazine advert, placed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. The advert claimed that Malaysian palm oil was ‘sustainable’ and contributed to ‘the alleviation of poverty, especially amongst rural populations.’
The advertising regulator ruled that these and other claims made in the advert were misleading and could not be substantiated.
Members of the Penan tribe who have already lost much of their land to oil palm plantations said today:
‘Our people welcome the ban on the magazine advert by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. How come the advert claimed that palm oil helps alleviate poverty, when from the very beginning oil palm plantations have destroyed our source of livelihood and made us much poorer? A lot of people are hungry every day because our forest has been destroyed.’
Oil palm plantations and logging are destroying the forests the Penan hunt and gather in, and polluting the rivers they fish in. Without their forests they have difficulty finding enough food.
Survival’s director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Claims that Malaysian palm oil is green and people-friendly will not wash, especially with the Penan. The industry’s expansion onto their land is a disaster.’
Palm oil is used in many everyday grocery products, and is increasingly being used for biofuel.
Act now to help the Penan
- Write a letter to the government of Sarawak in Malaysia urging action on the Penan’s situation.
- Donate to Survival’s campaign for the Penan and other campaigns.
- Write a letter to your MP or MEP (UK).
- Write to the President, your senators, congressmen or other elected officials (US).
- Write to your local Malaysian high commission or embassy, find out the address here.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Do The Malayans Get To Decide Who's A Sarawakian Bumiputra?
Marina, you’re no bumi Friday, 30 October 2009 02:02
KUCHING - For 17 years, Marina Undau lived a life of a child growing into a young adult.
School, her family and friends were a central part of her existence. She dreamt of doing her parents proud by furthering her education in a university and eventually getting a good job.
SPM came and went, and the 18-year-old science stream student of SMK Simanggang did well, scoring 9As and 1B last year.
But then she had a rude shock.
Not eligible
The education system said she was not eligible to enroll in a matriculation course, a prelude to varsity and a degree. The reason? She was, it seemed, not a bumiputra.
Born to an Iban father and a Chinese mother, Marina’s hope for a smooth climb up academia was dashed. With it went a part of her identity and the drive that made her a top scorer.
In an interview with The Borneo Post at her house in Sri Aman on Wednesday, Marina expressed her feelings in Iban: “Aku amai enda puas ati nadai olih nyambung sekula ngagai universiti (I’m very sad that I can’t pursue my university education).”
Meantime, she has started Form Six in her old school as a workaround solution for now.
Upset and bewildered
Seated between her parents, Undau Liap and Wong Pick Sing, the disappointment in the teenager was plain to see.
Her elder sister never had a problem getting into a university. Her identity was never questioned and she is at present in her second year at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang.
Marina is worried that a similar obstacle awaits once she completes her STPM.
“If I get good results, what’s next?”
Marina’s father, Undau, would not take no for an answer.
When her application to enter matriculation was rejected, Undau, a civil servant, contacted the Education Ministry’s Matriculation Department in Putrajaya on June 23 and was told that her daughter was not a bumiputra.
Pressing on
Dissatisfied, the father wrote to the ministry on July 1. The reply he received shocked him, and it is bound to challenge the identity of many Sarawakians who are of mixed-parentage.
The ministry said in a reply on July 14 that Undau’s appeal was turned down because “the candidate is categorised as non-bumiputra (father is Iban and mother is Chinese)” based on a definition used by the Student Intake Management Division, Higher Learning Department and Higher Education Ministry.
Their definition is as follows:
• If either parent of a candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/Orang Asli as defined in Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.
• Sabah – If the father of the candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/native of Sabah as defined by Article 161A(6)(a) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.
• Sarawak – If the father and mother is a native of Sarawak as defined under Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.
Despite the explanation, Undau is still dissatisfied and urged the government to clear up education issues that differentiate bumiputras from non-bumiputras.
He said the 1Malaysia concept would be rather hollow if education today continues to be polarised along such lines.
“Why all the differences in the intake of students for higher learning? I am not questioning the Constitution, but what is the meaning of 1Malaysia if things like this happen?”
NRD and Native Court weigh in
The National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters here said it has received a flurry of enquiries about the bumiputra status of late.
An NRD spokesman said that in Sarawak, a person’s race is registered based only on the race of the father.
On whether such a person is automatically accorded bumiputra rights, the spokesman said: “We don’t actually handle that. We look at the race of the father. If the father is Iban, the child is Iban. If the father is Chinese, the child is Chinese. The bumiputra status comes under the Native Court.”
Native Court registrar Ronnie Edward said the bumiputra status was a “birthright” and the Native Court only hear cases where a person who was to be declared a bumiputra although his father was not a native.
He said Marina was not alone in facing this problem.
Edward believes the only way to clear the air is to amend the Federal Constitution.
“Article 161(A) of the Constitution has to be amended. The article says that in Sarawak, both parents have to be ‘exclusively’ a native,” he said.
Being ‘mixed’ is no privilege
Iban-Chinese schoolgirl in limbo over Bumi status; ministry ascertains her as non-native, throws out application to do matriculation
KUCHING: Getting her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) result was the best — and the worst — thing that could happen to Marina Undau.The 18-year-old science stream student of SMK Simanggang scored 9As and 1B in the SPM examination last year.
She thought she was on her way to university, especially being a Bumiputera and all, but that was not to be.
Born to an Iban father and a Chinese mother, Marina’s life was turned upside down when her application to undergo a university matriculation programme was rejected by the Ministry of Education. The ministry determined that she is not a ‘Bumiputera’.
Her dreams were crushed and in the process, she lost a part of her identity and the drive that made her a top scorer.
The Borneo Post met Marina at her house in Sri Aman yesterday.
Seated between her parents, Undau Liap and Wong Pick Sing, the disappointment in the teenager was obvious.
Speaking in Iban, she said: “Aku amai enda puas ati nadai olih nyambung sekula ngagai universiti (I’m very sad that I can’t pursue my university education).”
With no chance of entering a university for now, Marina has started Form 6 in her old school.
Asked what she thought of everything that was happening, she replied: “What worries me is that will this happen again when I pass my STPM next year? If I get good results, what’s next?” What confuses Marina even more is how her elder sister could further her studies in Universiti Sains Malaysia in Pulau Pinang, where she is now in her second year, without ever having her identity questioned.
When Marina’s application was rejected, Undau contacted the Education Ministry’s Matriculation Department in Putrajaya on June 23 and was told that her daughter was not a ‘Bumiputera’.
Dissatisfied, the father, a government servant, wrote to the ministry on July 1 and the reply he got shocked him, and it is bound to challenge the identity of many Sarawakians who are born of mixed-parentage.
The ministry said in a reply on July 14 that Unau’s appeal was turned down because “the candidate is categorised as non-Bumiputera (father is Iban and mother is Chinese)” based on a definition used by the Student Intake Management Division, Higher Learning Department and Higher Education Ministry.
Their definition is as follows:
• Semenanjung – “Jika salah seorang ibu atau bapa calon adalah seorang Melayu yang beragama Islam/Orang Asli seperti mana yang ditakrifkan dalam Perkara 160(2) Perlembagaan Persekutuan; maka anaknya adalah dianggap seorang Bumiputera.” (If either parent of a candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/Orang Asli as defined in Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a Bumiputera.)
• Sabah – “Jika bapa calon adalah seorang Melayu yang beragama Islam/Peribumi Sabah seperti yang ditakrifkan dalam Perkara 161A(6)(a) Perlembagaan Persekutuan; maka anaknya adalah dianggap seorang Bumiputera.” (If the father of the candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/native of Sabah as defined by Article 161A(6)(a) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a Bumiputera.)
• Sarawak – “Jika bapa dan ibu adalah seorang Peribumi Sarawak seperti mana yang ditakrifkan dalam Perkara 161A(6)(b) Perlembagaan persekutuan; maka anaknya adalah dianggap seorang Bumiputera.” (If the father and mother is a native of Sarawak as defined under Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a Bumiputera).
Undau could not accept the explanation given by the ministry and he hoped that the government would seriously look into education issues that involve Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera status.
“Is this what we call the 1Malaysia concept? Why all the differences in the intake of students for higher learning. I am not questioning the constitution, but what is the meaning of 1Malaysia if things like this happen?” Unau asked.
A check with the National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters here revealed that there have been numerous enquiries about the Bumiputera status of late.
A staff said she was somewhat surprised because no one had asked until recently.
A spokesperson for the NRD here said that in Sarawak, if a person is born to an Iban and his mother is Chinese, he is registered as an Iban according to the race of his father.
Asked if such a person is automatically accorded Bumiputera rights, the spokesperson said: “We don’t actually handle that. We look at the race of the father. If the father is Iban, the child is Iban. If the father is Chinese, the child is Chinese. The Bumiputera status comes under the Native Court.”
Native Court Registrar Ronnie Edward, when contacted, said the Bumiputera status was a ‘birthright’ and the Native Court only hear cases where a person who was to be declared a Bumiputera although his father was not a native.
He said there had been others who had suffered the same fate as Marina and it all boiled down to the Federal Constitution.
“I think to solve this problem. Article 161(A) of the Federal Constitution has to be amended. The article says that in Sarawak, both parents have to be ‘exclusively’ a native,” Ronnie said.
Marina, you’re not alone
By Nigel Edgar
Parents like Marina’s now worry for children’s future; STU calls for immediate solution
KUCHING: Marina Undau is not alone. Apparently, there are many students in Sarawak suffering the same fate as her.Yesterday, several parents contacted The Borneo Post to thank Marina for speaking up for them and of the heartache they now endure after learning that their children are not Bumiputera.
One of them is a teacher here, who wants to be known only as James. Like Marina, James’s daughter, Lymie, was also rejected after applying for matriculation this year.
James is an Iban-Bidayuh from Serian while his wife is a Chinese-Iban from Kuching.
“My daughter from SMK Kuching Town No. 1 also scored 9As and 1B in her SPM but she was rejected when she applied for matriculation. I asked her to appeal to the Education Ministry online. The appeal failed,” he said.
“I contacted the matriculation section of the Education Ministry after that and their explanation was that my daughter is not a Bumiputera. I was puzzled because as far as I know, if the father is Bumiputera, the children are also Bumiputera,” he said.
He said he had recently written another appeal letter to the Education Department with the help of two elected representatives whom he declined to name.
“A few months ago I also went to an education fair. I stopped by a matriculation programme booth opened by the Education Ministry to ask one of the people there on the criteria of enrolling into the programme.
“I explained to them my daughter’s status but they said she is considered a non-Bumiputera and is not qualified to enrol. I asked them why and they replied it is according to Sarawak law. They even explained to me other local higher learning institutions like UiTM also implement this criterion,” said James.
“My daughter is now in Form Six in SMK Kuching Town No. 2. My concern is what would be in store for her after Form Six?”
He urged the state ministers to look into the matter because there could be more parents and students facing the same problem.
“My brother-in-law also faced a similar problem with his daughter who tried to enrol at UiTM. He, a Bidayuh, is married to my wife’s sister who is a Chinese-Iban,” James said.
Another father who wants to be known only as Lambros, a Bidayuh-Iban with a Chinese-Iban wife, said his daughter also had excellent SPM results but failed to enrol at UiTM for the same reason.
“I have to put my daughter into a private college for now. I am concerned over my four other kids who are still schooling. What does the future hold for them?” he said.
Some more parents called in to express their concern as well as support for Marina and all those children in a similar predicament.
They said many Sarawakian native children who are excellent in their studies have been bogged down by this issue which is preventing them from utilising their full potential.
When Marina’s application was rejected, her father Undau Liap had contacted the Education Ministry’s matriculation department in Putrajaya on June 23 and was told that his daughter is not a ‘Bumiputera’.
Sarawak Headhunter's comments:
Looks like it's easier to be a Malay in Malaysia than a Sarawakian Bumiputra, if we leave it to the Malayans. Even if one's father was Indian and mother half Malay and half Indian, one could still be a "Malay". What nonsense is that?
Irrespective of what the Federal Constitution says (who cares anyway?), what business do the Malayans have of deciding who is a Sarawakian Bumiputra and who is not? That is for Sarawakians to decide.
Just give those idiots a declaration or certificate from the Sarawak Native Court or the NRD. If neither of these wants to give the requisite declaration or certificate, time to declare 1Malaysia DEAD and Sarawak INDEPENDENT!
The Sarawak government under the evil Taib's regime also has some dirty tricks of its own. See Jetty's comments from "Is Iban a Bumiputra or not?":
If the Higher Ministry of Education really applies the ruling as it does to Marina, then many of those having native fathers with Chinese as their mothers in Sarawak will suffer. For Marina, her status as a Bumiputra is being questioned and it is made worse by the amendment to the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance in 2004 when the State Government banned the use of the word “Dayak” in official communication. Thus “Sea Dayak” has been changed to “Iban”, “Land Dayak” has become “Bidayuh” and “Murut” to “Lun Bawang”.The words “Iban, Bidayuhs and Lun Bawang” are not listed in Article 161a (7) and thus they are considered as non-natives under the Federal Constitution. The legal effects of these are many and Marina when she puts her race as Iban, she is not considered as native or Bumiputra, and should not be accorded any privileges given to natives.
Even now, there are efforts to say that Ibans do not have any native customary rights over land as they are not natives according to the law due to the amendment to the Interpretation Ordinance. When the bill was passed, our Dayak elected representatives including Alfred Jabu, William Mawan, Michael Manyin and James Masing were too eager in supporting the amendment in 2004. They did not realise the legal implications.
From now on, it is advisable for Iban when filling a form asking for race, to write down “Iban (Sea Dayak)” to ensure that they are not going to be disqualified. I believe Marina could have been a victim of the doing of our elected representatives.
Since the story has been highlighted by The Borneo Post, our leaders like Jabu, Masing and Mawan should do something to help her and many others by urging the authorities to relax the conditions of entry to matriculation, etc. These students really need their help since they (ministers and our elected representatives) are walking along the corridors of power and rub shoulders with the powers that be. If they can do this, then they really help Prime Minister Najib Razak in his campaign of 1Malaysia. Otherwise the 1Malaysia is a mere lip service.
These are the issues that our Ministers – Jabu, Mawan, Masing and Manyin – should be very vocal and firm in fighting for the rights, the future and livelihood of the Dayaks rather than shouting at the top their voices on petty issues such as “cawat” “sirat” (loin clothes) or Miss Dayak Borneo pageant contest.
Don’t you think so? – The Broken Shield
Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sarawak: Government Servants Of The People Or People Servants Of The Government?
From Sarawak Talk:
A day in the life of an investor in Kuching
Posted by ENDING, SAYING GOODBYE SARAWAK, MALAYSIA FOREVER on October 27, 2009 at 15:03:54:
Temporarily working for a would be large foreign investor in
Work for the same company in
The company had a pilot team to feel the investment atmosphere here. They been here 2 months and my job is to show them the truth about local conditions. They have signed a MOU with the government but finality only after 6 months.
First thing is the visit to TM office for telephone lines and internet lines. The foreigner was aghast at the chaos at the waiting area. He was even more astonished when I told him that TM do not care how big or busy a boss you are, you must come here and sign the contract yourself, and also wait in line for 1 to 2 hours. He had a good laugh.
Next we went to the Immigration Department to extend his visa. At the entrance we were told our car must be parked at a public carpark far away and the near car park is for staff. He said, in our place staff park at the far car park and all customers park at the near car park otherwise the boss there will get sacked. Continuing he said, "public serve the boss or the boss serve the public?" he laughed.
Then we entered the building, he could not find where he needed to go to because all (the signs) were in Bahasa. (Melayu). So I pointed to the place where he needed to go. Again he laughed saying, "your Immigration expects us foreigners to study Bahasa (Melayu) in your country? Visas are for foreigners and yet no English or Chinese language signs!"
We went into the Immigration room, 20 people, all foreigners are waiting, so we asked the receptionist. She said we had to wait. So my foreign friend asked her, "for how long?". She screamed at him, "WAIT LAH!" and walked away. My foreign friend saw 4 to 5 people laughing and chatting in another room. He went in to ask and was rudely told to get out and wait outside. 15 minutes later that woman came out and looked at the pile of forms.
My friend said he also needed a form to fill maybe. She gave him one. It was all in Bahasa (Melayu), so he asked her to help him to fill. She scolded him and asked him to look for a runner to help him. Immediately someone approached him to help for a fee.
Promptly he refused and asked to leave.
He was not angry, just amused. Then he asked me to bring him to MIDA at Bank Negara. There the people know him and try to carry his balls knowing him to be a big guy from a big company. The MIDA boss personally came out to ask him to go into his office and try to sell him
Then we went back to the hotel, had a bath and he said he wanted to buy me the best dinner in Kuching. We went to the Hilton bistro.
Finally, after dinner he told me, "I thank you a lot for telling me to go down to the ground and see for myself the atmosphere of the situation in Sarawak. On one hand your government begged us to come in, on the other hand your other ministries do not care about the investing people or rather any people. The people serve the government in this country and all its servants and not the government and its servants serving the people. So investors like us come in, then we become like Sarawakians serving the government and its servants. In the end it is the people and the investors paying for the government and its servants. So if we come in, we are paying billions to be slaves of your government and its servants. Yes, the businessmen Sarawakians are very helpful and diligent and hoping that we will invest here so that they have some business and jobs to do. But the government and its servants not only want to get paid by the people but also want to be their Boss, God and their Lord. So tell me a good reason why I want to bring my money and my people to come here and be slaves?"
He laughed and laughed and laughed.
Adding he said, "why invite foreigners to your country when you make sure they do not understand anything, from forms and making them to walk so far to see the authority while your office boy can park his car in front of the authority's office? If you cannot serve your own public with ease and convenience to them, it means your servants do not know their priority, it means the civil servants top to bottom do not understand their jobs and priority, so tell me what am I doing here?"
With this he ended his company's mission to invest in Sarawak and paid me 25k for the simple reason of opening his eyes, ears and feeling to the reality in Sarawak (and)
So, why does anybody in Sarawak believe that the government can turn Sarawak into a higher income state from the poverty we are in? It is not my duty to con anybody for my state and country. I show the foreigners the truth. The government must change, address the bullshit in the civil service and the negative image that civil servants are king and the people paying their salaries are slaves.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Behind The Sarawak Headlines 17.10.2009
Sarawak Headhunter is starting a new series of short looks behind the headlines of the local Sarawak newspapers, especially the Borneo Post. Sarawak Headhunter's comments will be in red, as usual.
Same role but new approaches for Saberkas
Anthony Aga | Sat, October 17, 2009
Youths of today are very knowledgeable and more demanding compared to their predecessors: Abang Johari
SARIKEI: Sarawak’s largest multi-racial youth organisation, Saberkas, will continue to lead and guide youngsters to become the country’s important asset, its president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said.
Mislead and misguide is what they do best. Important asset for whom, their political masters?
Not true SPDP breaking up, says political secretary
Churchill Edward | Sat, October 17, 2009
KUCHING: Multi-racial Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) yesterday brushed aside talks that it is on the verge of breaking up.
They have already broken up, they just don't know it yet. And since when were they "multi-racial"?
Safeguard spirit of sharing in society: Sng
Sat, October 17, 2009
For the benefit of all politicians, especially Taib Mahmud, his henchmen, family and cronies, including the Sng dynasty. But they don't need to share with the people, they only take.
My duty to serve everyone, says Taib
Sat, October 17, 2009
KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said Thursday night his responsibilities as a Muslim leader of the state were not only towards Muslims, but also non-Muslims.
Who is he kidding? His only duty is to serve himself, his family, henchmen and cronies first, all others only by the way, if at all.
Hardcore poverty no more for these families
Doreena Naeg | Sat, October 17, 2009
DALAT: A total of 104 out of 170 families in Rejang Hilir have managed to break out from the cycle of poverty.
Let's hope they stay out of poverty. But if Fatimah thinks that there are only three components of poverty, i.e. lack of money, education and food, chances are they won't last very long out of hardcore poverty.
SCORE to draw RM300 bln investment in next two decades: CM
Gaing Kunding | Sat, October 17, 2009
BALINGIAN: Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) is to attract more than RM300 billion worth of investments over a period of 20 years from now, Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said yesterday.
We all know for whose benefit. The ordinary people will just remain enslaved to him, his family, their henchmen and cronies and their descendants - not just for the next 20 years. That is what the so-called "employment opportunities and economic spin-offs" really means.
“It is very important for the people not to listen to negative ideas and perceptions painted by irresponsible quarters aimed at discrediting the government so they will not become the ultimate losers, deprived of development and progress,” said Taib, referring to these irresponsible quarters as people playing ‘hatred politics’ for personal gain.And what "personal gain" would such "irresponsible quarters" (presumably including Sarawak Headhunter) get? Who is getting most if not all of the "personal gain" from Taib's "politics of development"?
The people will only see real development and progress once Taib and his evil regime are no longer in power.
Sarawak Headhunter
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
sarawak headhunter
Posts
