The DAP sales: Shopping Bag to Generate Election Expenses

Source: www.sarawakupdate.com

by Jamie Harrison

DAP is going green by encouraging people to get recycle bags for their shopping instead of using plastic bags.

Launching the recycle bag of the DAP designed with its cute cartoon rocket and “Love Earth”, State Assemblywoman for Pending, violet Yong said each bag cost RM2.

“The money generated is for the expenses of the coming State election,” she said.

Violet said the party also wanted to emphasis on a clean and healthy environment and urged people against using plastic bags.

She said when Pakatan Raykat took over Penang, MB Lim Guan Eng encouraged the people to go without a plastic bag once a day at all shopping centres. The move was so successful and created an awareness that the Penang government has now went on a three-day per week without using plastic bags.

Violet said they would set up a stall tomorrow at Premier 101 from 7.30 pm to 10 pm tomorrow and 8 am to 1 pm at Kenyalang Park on Sunday. At both times, they would also be registering new voters.

On another issue, Violet urged the JKR to get the U turn in front of the Traffic light at Chung Hua School, Jalan Tun Razak to be installed fast as a lot of vehicles had been making illegal U turn to go to Jalan Peace Selatan and other housing areas there.

She said the public has appealed through her in 2008 for the U turn to be constructed. Recently, she brought up the matter again in the last DUN sitting and the JKR replied to her that to get the project done, they need RM100,000 .

Violet said the JKR should considered the project as urgent as there were a few housing estates which need the U turn instead of making a big round.

Meanwhile, at Riverine Housing estate and Mid Way Crescent, Violet said the authority should consider making an opening to the housing estates instead of them making a big U-turn.

After going to the site, Violet said those who wished to go to Samarahan from Riverine Housing estate need to make at least 6 km U turn while at Mid Way Crescent those who wished to head towards town has to go 4 Km to head to the town.

She urged the authority to consider either to install a traffic light or an opening to these housing estates to avoid jams along the roads especially at peak hours.

Land Grabbing - When will it end?

Chung Fung Moi whom I choose as a model of strength for women has weathered storms in her years of life.

Life has never been easy for this woman whose looks mirrored the hard years of life that she had gone through. Losing a husband in her young days and having to bring up 4 children herself, she toiled hard on the land left behind by her late husband at Bako.

Fung Moi worked hard, brought up her children, who subsequently have their own children. Life is hard but happy for a woman who is surrounded by her families. What more would a simple woman want in life.

Building a nice country house with her children’s adjacent to her, Fung Moi’s life turned upside down when the government took away 21 acres of land in 1997. She was told that the lands were for a Malay cemetery.

A pious Buddhist, Fung Moi respected the dead, never mind what color they are. She gave in.

With her 3.8 acres of land enough for her family to work on, Fung Moi was contented thinking that to sacrifice her bigger portion of land, she would be rewarded in her after life.

Never in her thoughts did she realise that she would be robbed of a place which has been her roof all these years. Life shattered when Fung Moi found that her remaining land has been alienated under Section 47 of the Land Code and the time is coming near forcing her to give up her land totally.

No one could empathise the bitterness and anguish of how life is unfair to Fung Moi unless they were in her shoes.

At 65 today, Fung Moi life-long slaving and toiling on her land and to be surrounded by loving children and grandchildren would be coming to an end soon.

Life today holds no certainty for her. Where would she and her big brood of family go to? Her life has been spent in the country side, quiet and filled with contentment. Where would she go to find such peace again? Were her children be able to live with her? Would there be a house big enough to house them together? Would there be a garden for her grandchildren to run and roam with nature? Would she be able to cope with life in a different place? These thoughts plague her daily, giving her great mental anguish.

As all these thoughts came to her mind, she sought my assistant hoping that something could be salvaged. I have seen so many ‘Fung Mois’ the last few years. Each story told to me was filled with heart-beaking pain, fear and uncertainty.

Each time the story was retold, it ends with most of the land owners wiping tears; they were shedding tears of fears, of facing an uncertain future in their life. I hope members of the heartless government responsible for their plight could see and feel for their suffering. To see and able to perceive that their irresponsible action are cold and heartless, instead of what good governance is meant to be - caring and not treating its citizens in such a manner, all for want of greed.

Fung Moi is not alone. Chin Siew Jung, 72 has a lot to lose too as his land spans 20 acres. So will Lee Yong Thien, 43 who inherited the lands from his forefathers.

Chin has a beautiful orchard of fruits and vegetables. He planted coconut, oil palm, coffee, oranges, bananas, rambutan, rubber, langsat, sweet potatoes and all the fruits that he could sell in the market to earn a decent living for himself and his children.

All the three has received letters of rejections from the Department of Land & Survey Sarawak and within the next two years, they would be losing their lands one by one if the government continued to turn a blind eye to their fate.

The most ridiculous thing was the land that was alienated under Section 47 for the last 30 years, which the government claimed it wants to develop but nothing was done yet. How much planning period would they need? Another 30 years?

Two parcels of land belonging to the Chief Minister’s sister Raziah @ Rodiah Binti Mahmud, i.e. Lot s 127 & 129 both of Block 2 Muara Tebas Land District were also around the area. As expected the lands have perpetual titles and free from Section 47. How easy for them to get that. Has it been easy due to nepotism and because she was the Chief Minister's sister?

Chin's son Mr. Chong said he refuses to go to the SUPP for help because as he always expected SUPP is useless and will only asks the people to wait. “Wait until I got kick out of my own land and sleep in the streets,” he said when he was asked by a team of reporters recently. Mr. Chong threw in a sarcasm saying that when the land was snatched from him, he hoped not to see private companies acquiring it for commercial purposes.

The government should stop this land robbing. It’s like daylight robbery. Draw a Section 47 and the land is mine. I believed that if the land is really needed for development for the benefit of the people, then compensate them accordingly.

Sarawak is a land of plenty. While must the government break out families who lived together for their own greed or ‘Fung Sui’ factor. I was made to understand that by lifting the Land Code of Section 47, it would be bad 'Fung Sui' of one "Mighty Person" who lives nearby.

What Fung Sui are you talking about? A Fung Sui at the expense of bringing misery to the people by grabbing their land? That is not good Fung sui. To steal and rob people off a roof over their heads is a big sin.

I am writing to the Land and Survey and the Chief Minister himself over this issue. I want them to see of the sufferings they have subjected to the Sarawakians.

SUPP Getting the People to be Clowns

It is interesting to watch what the SUPP will do next after losing their Sibu by election. Trying to find out what the Sibu people wants and refusing to face facts over what causes the loss, the SUPP is still at a lost, blaming everything and everyone from A to Z except themselves.

They started to put the blame on DAP for importing the West Malaysian culture followed by the fear and hate tactics used by Pakatan Raykat. Of course, the most idiotic statement came from their top boss who wailed the next day after the loss, “I don’t know what Sibu people want.”

Everyone knows why they lost except the SUPP. And everyone knows that PM, his Deputy and ministers were in Sibu to ‘woo’ the Sibu people with money. And don’t tell me the PM and his cabinet ministers are from Sarawak.

After a couple of weeks searching for answers, SUPP suddenly came out with a ‘brilliant’ solution. Do what the DAP did. SUPP starts to collect data from those landowners who had paid their hefty land premiums as a result of the unfair and unreasonable BN Government Land Policy announced in year 2007 and submitted them to Land and Survey.

Coming to such a desperate act, they decided to set up a booth in front of Kenyalang Theatre last Sunday and tomorrow, asking those who have paid their land lease renewal to come out and sign the petition for refund. It was so sad to see the pathetic act of SUPP.

I want to know the necessity for the SUPP to collect names when the data were already in their hands and the Land and Survey Department Sarawak. To refresh everyone’s memory, in December 2007 and 2008, SUPP Secretary General, Sim Kheng Hui came out in the media asking every resident to pay up fast for the land lease renewal. He said the renewal fees were already very cheap and urging the people not to delay in making their payment . He even told the public the longer they wait, the more expensive the premiums they have to pay.

As a result of SUPP's fault in 2007 & 2008, the people are now facing the problem of overpaying the land lease renewal premiums.

The SUPP is a Barisan Nasional coalition party. Why the need to collect data which was already in their files and in Land and Survey. Why don’t they bring up the people's problem in the state cabinet and said, Look here, we need to refund these people the overpaid land premium which has now gone down 50%, a tactic to win the voters over in Sibu by election.

SUPP is one of the ruling parties, their role is to come out with a policy in refunding all the moneys which are due to the people. That's why it is aptly for me to say in the recent state assembly meeting that SUPP is just a mere puppet of the Chief Minister. No guts at all to tell the Chief Minister of what the people want.

If there is a refund, all those who had paid would be more willingly go back to Land and Survey to collect their refund. There is no need for them to know who has paid up. And the SUPP don’t have to use the people as clowns for their act in gaining their political mileage. It is just too cheap. Have some dignity and pride. Go back to see Chief Minister and get him to refund the people who had already paid. SUPP should stop making fools of the people.

And I want to congratulate the Sibu people for being so brave to vote for DAP despite money used as a carrot by the Prime Minister to win their votes.

Sibu win is the People’s win!

Police Flexing His Muscles

I am most upset to see police flexing their muscles at the people whom they know very well would not be able to fight back. What coward would do that.

When I received a call from Serian claiming that three persons had been beaten, my first thought was whether they had lodged a police report elsewhere.

A father, Baini and son Sharil including the uncle Jeli were allegedly beaten up by a policeman in Serian last Thursday.

Sharil had gone with friends to ‘lepak’ at a bus stop and when a patrolling police car came, the friends all ran off leaving him behind. He was beaten up, slapped, kicked and punched both at the bus stop and in the police station.

The next morning Baini who heard of his son’s arrest went with his brother to Serian police station at 6 am. They were told to return at 11 am but they went back at 10.30 am. When the family saw the Sharil’s face, they brought him to the Serian hospital for treatment.

Baini and Jeli went back to the police station to get back Sharil’s motorcycle which proved to be a wrong move. While trying to get out the motorcycle, the two brothers were stopped by a police who asked them why they made complaint about him. Jeli retorted that why he, the policeman beat up his nephew. The two brothers were then at the mercy of the police and were punched and kicked.

I read that the media had contacted Serian KPD who assured to give a fair investigation. This is not the only case of police abuse in Serian. The next day, a case handled by my colleague, Wong King Wei was also on police abuse. If indeed, there is a suspect arrested, I don’t think kicking and punching him is the answer to get him charged. Everyone has their rights, in case the police forget that one.

The public has lost faith and confidence in the police. Yet once too often, they always appeared in the news for all the wrong reasons. Shooting dead teenager, corruption of police, suspects died in their lockup and now we have to deal with this in our own state, abuse of police power.

It is time an Independent police misconduct and complaint commission is set up to stop all these. Absolute power of the police is unhealthy. Someone needs to take a look at their conduct. How many cases would they cover up especially when it involves one of their own man. Stop all these abuses and get down to real crime work.

Sarawak for Change-The Sibu Declaration Adopted by DAP Sarawak State Committee On 23rd May 2010 In Sibu, Sarawak

The Sibu Miracle on 16th May 2010 is the beginning of the awakening of Sarawak. From now on, no one will take us – the people of Sarawak – for granted. One small step in winning Sibu is one big step to winning power in Petrajaya, and a giant step forward to winning power in Putrajaya. Sarawak is rich. It has the largest land mass in Malaysia and an abundance of resources such as timber, land, palm oil, gold, oil and gas. But the people of Sarawak are among the poorest in Malaysia because of low pay, poor employment opportunities and a business environment which is monopolised by a selected few. It is the only state in Malaysia where one family – that of the Chief Minister’s – practically has complete power over the state’s entire economic and political activities. It’s time that we say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Let’s chart a new future for Sarawak and Malaysia. GOOD GOVERNANCE = NO MORE TAIB Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib bin Mahmud will be in office for three decades by next year. It’s time that we take the mandate back from Taib and herald a new era of reform and rejuvenation for Sarawak. DAP and Pakatan Rakyat stand for good governance. Taib Mahmud’s BN has a track record of bad governance. Taib’s family through Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) and other crony companies control the most lucrative contracts and businesses, impoverishing the rakyat while making life difficult for small businesses. EQUAL PARTNERSHIP DAP and Pakatan Rakyat believe in equal partnership in political coalition and in federal-state relations. The sole purpose of the existence of Sarawak BN is to prop up Taib’s empire whereas Pakatan Rakyat practices equal political partnership for the betterment of the rakyat. Nationally, resource-rich Sarawak has been given a raw deal. CAT GOVERNANCE DAP believes in Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) governance. We listen and engage with all citizens, not just those with the money. Less corruption means more for everyone. Sarawak is rich. By having open tender to all government procurements, timber extraction licenses and alienation of state lands for commercial and plantation purposes, all Sarawakians will be richer. SENIOR CITIZENS’ BONUS – When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat become the Government of Sarawak, all Sarawakians above 60 years of age will receive a minimum of RM400 per annum in appreciation of their contribution to the state. HARDCORE POVERTY An annual RM 80 million allocation from the State budget will be set up to eradicate hardcore poverty in Sarawak. EDUCATION When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat become the government in Sarawak, all schools regardless of background will be given allocations according to needs as practised in Penang, Selangor and Kelantan so that our children can have a bright future. OIL ROYALTY Pakatan Rakyat National Common Policy Platform commits to provide Sarawak 20% in oil royalties from Petronas, instead of the current 5%, if Pakatan Rakyat wins federal power. LAND REFORM When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat become government in Sarawak, all NCR land will be surveyed and titles (communal and individual) issued while all expiring leases will be unconditionally renewed. With lands accessible to the people and not cronies, we believe that the great economic potential of Sarawak will be unleashed. INVESTING IN THE FUTURE The flood problems in Sarawak needs serious attention while long term investment in human capital and infrastructure is needed to make Sarawak a great economy. WIFI will be provided free to move Sarawak into a knowledge state. BN will not and cannot change. For BN to change spells destruction for its leaders. But without change spells certain doom for all Sarawakians.The choice is clear. Sarawak for Change.

改变，从砂拉越开始 – 诗巫宣言

改变，从砂拉越开始

砂拉越行动党州联委会于2010年5月23日在诗巫采纳的

诗巫宣言：

2010年5月16日的诗巫奇迹是砂拉越觉醒的开始。从今开始，再也没有任何人可以轻视及忽略我们-砂拉越人民。诗巫胜选的一小步，将是迈向古晋柏特拉再也的一大步，也将是迈向布城的巨人脚步。

砂拉越是个富有的州属。它拥有马来西亚最辽阔的幅地，以及丰富的资源如：木桐、土地、油棕、金矿、石油及天然气。

可是，砂拉越人民却是全马最贫客穷的群体之一，他们领取低薪、就业机会低，并且由少数几个集团垄断的商业环境。

这是全马来西亚唯一一个“家天下”- 由首长全权掌控全州经济及政治命脉的州属。

是时候说“够了！”，让我们为砂拉越及马来西亚重谱一个全新的未来。

良好施政= 终绝泰益

明年将是砂州首席部长丕显斯里阿都泰益玛目在位的第30年。是时候收回人民交给泰益的委托，宣告砂拉越迈向全新改革及重生世纪的来临。

行动党及民联主张良好施政，而泰益玛目所领导的国阵政府则以腐败施政见称。泰益的家族通过砂州日光集团（Cahaya Mata Sarawak）及其它的朋党公司，控制了大部份最高回酬的合约、生意，处处压榨着老百姓，也让小商人难以生存。

平等伙伴关系

民主行动党及民主相信政党联盟及联邦-州属之间应有平等的伙伴关系。砂劳越国阵存在的唯一目的就是支撑泰益王朝，而民联则是为了人民更好的生活，奉行平等的政治伙伴关系。就全国而言，资源丰富的砂拉越也没有得到公平的待遇。

能干、公信及透明的施政

行动党秉持能干、公信及透明的施政原则，坚持聆听全民的声音，而不只是富人的声音。打击贪污，人人受益。砂拉越是一个富有的州属，通过公开招标发出所有政府采购合约、伐木执照及土地转换为商业及种植用途，全体砂州人民都将变得更富有。

年龄人士花红

一旦行动党及民联执政砂拉越，所有60岁以上的砂拉越州人民，将可以获得每年400令吉的回馈金，以示感激他们对砂州所做出的贡献。

扶助赤贫

每年从州政府财政预算案中拨出8000万令吉，以扶助砂拉越州内的赤贫人士。

教育

一旦行动党及民联执政砂拉越，我们将依需求拨款给州内各源流学校，就像民联目前在槟城、雪兰莪及吉兰丹所实施的那样，确保我们的孩子拥有光明的未来。

石油税

民联的共同执政纲领承诺，一旦民联执政联邦，从国油拨出20%的石油税给砂州，而不是目前的5%。

土地改革

一旦行动党及民联执政砂拉越，我们将调查所有的原住民习俗地，发出地契（共同及个人），并更新所有逾期地契。当人民掌控土地拥有权，而不是朋党，我们相信如此一来，砂州经济将能够展现其巨大的潜能。

投资在未来

我们将认真看待并解决砂拉越的水患问题，砂州需要长期地投资的人力资源及基础建设以成为一个重要的经济体。我们将免费提供无线上网，让砂州迈向一个知识型州属。

国阵不会改变，它也不能改变。 国阵一旦改变，意味着国阵领袖的穷途末路。

但是，没有改变，则意味着全砂州人民的穷途末路。

因此，选择是明确，改变，从砂拉越开始。

SPEECH BY Y.B. VIOLET YONG WUI WUI - DEBATE ON MOTION OF THANKS TO TUAN YANG TERUTAMA on 17th May, 2010

Tuan Speaker,

Thank you for allowing me to participate in the debate on the motion of thanks to the royal address by the Tuan Yang Terutama on 17th May, 2010, and at the same time to raise some issues in this august House.

1. Money politics

Tuan Speaker,

First of all I would like to congratulate Honourable Member for Bukit Assek for his miracle victory as the first Pakatan Rakyat MP in Sarawak on 16th May 2010 in the Sibu by-election.

I am proud of the Sibu people for standing up and spoke loudly and angrily against the politics of corruption, the politics of cronyism, the politics of money politics and the politics of threats and fear practiced by the BN government. BN government deserves the defeat!

Sibu people have awakened on May 16th when the Honourable Member for Bukit Assek was voted in. It is the day that Sibu voters had matured and sent a loud voice to vote against the BN government runs by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Sarawak. "This victory is one small step in Sibu, one big step to Petrajaya, and one giant step to Putrajaya."

I must say the Barisan Nasional government needs to re examine what they have done wrong all these years and why are the people in Sibu united to reject them.

Let me tell you why the people rejected you. One of the many reasons that BN failed is due to the overstaying of the CM and also many of you here. The Chief Minister is a liability among the Chinese voters. The voters want the Chief Minister to retire. And I know there must be many of you waiting anxiously and quietly to become CM but not daring to speak out in fear of CM. Is Honourable Member from Layer one of them, I wonder?

Another reason for the defeat is that SUPP has downgraded themselves to become the puppets of PBB. Whenever PBB asked SUPP to sit, SUPP dares not stand. And whenever PBB asked SUPP to stand, SUPP dares not sit. SUPP leaders are mere puppets of the Chief Minister.

Tuan Speaker,

Dangle carrots in front of the voters during the election period is wrong. Never takes the people to ransom.

The Prime Minister is playing with the feelings of the people. He has enraged the people of Sibu especially the Rejang Park people. The Sibu voters are sickening of the money politics played by the BN government. The people at Rejang Park have showed you that they want to throw back the RM5 million in your face. The votes in favour of DAP at Rejang Park had increased from 62% to 68%. The voters had voiced their anger and unhappiness over the PM threats not to give the money unless BN candidate is voted in. What is this? You think by dangling money in their face, the people will do your bidding?

Tuan Speaker,

The government should be consistence in helping the welfare of the people and should not wait until someone passed away or that there is an election only handed out grants and allocations for development. Don’t neglect the people and then only offer them some crumbs when you want to fish for their votes during elections. Never ever underestimate the wisdom of the people.

2. Land Issue

Tuan Speaker,

The land issue on Section 47 of the Land Code has yet to be fully resolved by the BN state government.

There are still land owners in Bako/Sejingkat area who are in the dark about what are going to happen to their lands. Most of the lands in the area have been under Section 47 notification for over 36 years and hence the Section 47 notification has caused great anxiety to the landowners. The landowners worry that they will lose their property and end up with nothing because the state government does not have to pay them a single cent of compensation when their land leases expired. Where is the justice and fairness to all these land owners?

I know of a Chai family and also one Mdm. Chin who will lose their lands in March, 2012 and in July 2012 respectively if the state government refuses to uplift their lands from Section 47 notifications. The two families have been staying on the lands for as long as 7 decades. The two families depend solely on their lands for livelihood. I urge the Honourable Chief Minister to put himself in the shoes of the unfortunate ones and be sensitive to the need of the poor rakyat. Please, Chief Minister have a heart for the poor rakyat. Do not take the lands away from the legitimate landowners. The two parcels of land are Lot 549 Block 3 Muara Tebas Land District & Lot 152 Muara Tebas Land District.

Tuan Speaker,

Unfortunately, in 2007, the BN state government had turned down the application of the Chai family and Mdm. Chin in renewing their land leases for the very reason that the lands are subject to Section 47 notifications. Why can’t the BN state government approve their application for renewal? Why is the BN state government trying to make life difficult for the poor rakyat? Will these two parcels of lands end up in the hands of the cronies or members of the BN leaders upon the expiry of the land lease in 2012? By then in 2012, upon expiry of land lease, where do you expect the landowners to live on?

As I said in the last Dewan sitting, if the lands in Bako can be registered under the names of CM’s sister i.e. Raziah @ Rodiah Binti Mahmud which are free from Section 47 notifications and furthermore with perpetuity term, why can’t other ordinary landowners enjoy the same conditions like the Chief Minister’s sister? Why is the CM’s sister better off than others?

Tuan Speaker,

The BN state government must stop all its greedy acts by robbing the lands away from the rakyat. I urge the Chief Minister to personally look into the application of the Chai family and Mdm. Chin and approve their applications for extension of land lease without further delay.

Of course, the best solution to the problem is to amend Section 47 of the land code so that all notices imposed on the land under Section 47 of the Land Code shall automatically lapse two years after its imposition if the government does not proceed with the acquisition of the affected lands within the said two years period.

3. Rubbish Collection Charges

Tuan Speaker

Recently, a factory owner from Demak Laut Industrial Park, Sejingkat told me in anger thatthe DBKU had issued all the companies in writing to inform them that the rate of garbage collection had been raised to 200% from the original rate with effective from April, 2010.

In other word, instead of paying RM100 per month, the user had to pay RM299.10 with the new increased rate.

That is after he paid a hefty assessment rate of over RM22, 500 annually. Assessment rate is supposed to includes the paying for service of garbage collection. And now Trienekens wants to collect additional RM 3,600.00 per year for garbage collection charges from the operators. This is ridiculous! How much garbage collection charges is Trienekens collecting from the people? Bearing in mind, Trienekens is only providing twice a week garbage collection services to the consumer.

Trienekens was said to be established to lighten the burden of the people. What a joke. Instead, it was like a “forever hungry” leech!

Now the councils are like the servants of Trienekens using all means and ways to bleed the people.

Tuan Speaker,

I checked with DBKU and to my horror, I was told by a staff that the extra collection from the industrial operators is to pay for a bigger bin and not for extra collection or extra frequency of service. The original bin capacity was only 120 litres and the payment was for the 1,000 litre bin. Someone in the company must be given the job through the back door to ever think of giving a plant or factory a small size bin of 120-litre. Every year, the factory operators are paying more than RM20k in assessment to DBKU. In big families, even 120 litre is hardly enough to fill up the household garbage, what more a factory. Does Trienekens and DBKU have brains in their heads or have their brains been filled with coconut water? Kepala tidak ada otak.

DBKU has the social obligation to help the people, and understand their difficulties, their grievances and not to enrich Trienekens. It does not mean that just because you are a monopoly, you can do things at your own whims and fancy. Don’t you all have a heart? Where is your conscience?

I want Trienekens to stop this unwarranted act! DBKU should replace the bins capacity from 120 litre to 1000 litre for all industrial operators. Do a proper study before putting it in black and white asking people to pay up for this and that. The people worked hard for their money, they just did not bleed or steal like BN leaders.

4. Jetty at Sg Apong Market

Tuan Speaker,

The request for the upgrading of the timber jetty next to the Sg. Apong Market had been met with problems and is a classic case of the government agency trying to pass the problem from one to another.

I wrote to the DID and Sarawak Rivers Board in March, 2010 urging them to upgrade the jetty for the benefit of luring more tourists from West Malaysia and Singapore who enjoy fishing. The tourists had to use the jetty to get to their boats which berth at a distance from the jetty.

There were at least two to three batches of tourists coming in to charter boats to go fishing. The Fishing Kotak Association has wanted the authority to upgrade the jetty by raising the height of the jetty so that the tourists do not have to go through the agony of wading in the water to their boats.

To my disappointment, no one seems to care for the problem. All are experts in buck-passing. I received a rather curt reply from the DID saying that they are not the authority to handle the jetty problem. It is obvious that the department is trying its best to wash their hands out of the responsibility.

As for the reply from Sarawak Rivers Board which I had received last month, SRB claimed that the problem is not theirs to solve also as they had handed the jetty back to the Fisherman Kotak Association. Is this the attitude of the BN in attaining the people’s problem?

Tuan Speaker,

There are a few pertinent questions to be clarified. I would like to know when was the jetty handed back to the association, and if so, was it done in the proper manner, with the appropriate documentations?

Even if it is so, why is the government showing its reluctance by not helping out to upgrade the jetty that could bring in tourists?

Why is the government agency so lackadaisical in promoting our own state when there is a chance to do so?

It is time for the BN government agency to discard this sort of mentality which is considered not caring, and trying to push the responsibility to other departments. I dare to say that the state service slogan “An Honour to Serve” remains an empty slogan and is said to “Shiok Sendiri” sahaja!

5. Sesco

Tuan Speaker,

It is disturbing to get complaints from members of the public over SESCO’s enthusiasm to change SESCO meter and charging exorbitant bills to consumers with an excuse of trying to recover arrears. We DAP had received at least 15 complaints from house owners whose meters were taken away to be replaced, alleging they are faulty and have been tampered.

The users were then slapped with an unreasonable administrative charges of RM400 and RM150 of meter replacement fee plus an arbitrarily imposition of unaccountable arrears of electricity charges which runs to thousands of ringgit.

Sarawakians have to pay the highest electrical tariff of 33 to 34 cents per unit while TNB users only pay 29 cents.

The BN government appears to get an enjoyment out of bleeding the people with using dirty tactics and harassments.

I am very much interested to know why sesco so desperate of money by charging such a higher rate compared to TNB? is it to recover the loss of selling the electricity below costs price to the smelting plants like Press Metal Berhad and Rio TInto?

The consumers in sarawak demand an answer respecting the amount of loss that sesco suffered as a result of selling the electricity below the costs price to the two companies? And why should they enjpy such benefits and not the people of Sarawak? What is so special about Press Metal Berhad and Rio Tinto to have such special privileges?

Sesco, please stop harassing the consumers now. If anyone is caught tampering, give them a warning and tell them of the danger of doing so. Do not use your high handed manner of being the monopoly electric supplier by acting like hooligans.

6. Penan Issue

Tuan Speaker,

Eight months have passed since the Ministry of Women’s Taskforce Report confirmed that the allegations of rape and sexual abuse against Penan girls and women in Sarawak by outsiders who have dealings with the Penan community, including workers of logging companies and traders, are true.

The government has repeatedly said that they will do this and that to assist the Penan Community. But have those plans being implemented? Do not rely solely on the NGO, they have their limitation and constrains. The government should set up a Special Unit to tackle the problems once and for all.

The rakyat demands an answer from DCM II who has been assigned to in charge of the Penan Affairs to inform what concrete steps have been carried out by the Sarawak state government so far, in response to the recommendations of the ministry of Women’s Taskforce Report? And also, what is the current status of the police criminal investigation of the sexual abuse cases n the Penan girls and women?

Tuan Speaker,

Financial Aids, I understand was supposed to give out to the Penans to allow them to pay for transportation for schools. The students also have the chance to stay in boarding schools so they are safely house and can return home for four trips per year.

However, I learned from reliable source that one school, SMK Temenggong Datuk Lawai Jau, did not get their allocation for May last year until now. The cash was not available for the students’ transport so a number of students did not bother to go to school. I urge the relevant authority to carry out a thorough investigation on the matter to find out if it is true.

And there were also problems that some of the school headmasters handed the cash to their parents who, instead of using it for transport for their children to go to schools, spent it on other things. Hence, resulting many students escape from school. There is no consistency in the implementation of the policy in handling out the financial aid.

In my opinion, the implementers must be firm in working out a formula and ensure that there is no leakage of money going to the wrong hands.

Tuan Speaker,

On the medical aspect, transportation is again a problem for the sick amongst the Penan community to go for medical help. A lot of the sick were unable to get medical help as they did not have money to get transport to get to the clinic.

I was also informed that medical representatives were at times sent to collect all the medicine for the Penans. However, there were times that the representatives who went there could not get any medical supply except Panadol.

I hope that the government would look at this problem and do something positive about it. I am not here to point fingers at DCM II. I am here to tell him there is such a problem and hope that something is done about it. So I hope he will not get all heated up again.

Whatever the situation, the state and federal government should monitor closely all the plans they have laid out, and then implement them to help the Penans community. There should also be a follow up on the progress of things done to ensure its effectiveness.

7. Police

Tuan Speaker,

I have something to reveal in this August house. On May 5 as I went through the news portal, “Malaysian Mirror,” I was shocked to find that three notorious gangsters have escaped from a police cell at Samarahan Police Station.

The report in Malaysian Mirror stated that three men, two gangsters and a drug pusher who were waiting to be banished for gangsterism and drug peddling had overpowered the Samarahan police guarding their cell and made their escape on April 30th at about 7.30 pm.

The article stated that two of the escapee were rearrested the next day, one a Sibu gangster and another, an ex-police turned robber.

I read that it was the Malaysian Mirror’s exclusive. I checked and found out from local media that they were advised not to write the story.

Why is it so? Did the police want to cover up their inefficiency and trying to sweep the matter under the carpet? Should they not warn the people through the media that the surrounding residents in Samarahan could be harmed if the gangsters were to hold them hostage?

How irresponsible it is of the police to cover up such criminal act of the escape. What happen to the police on duty? Is there any action taken? Why it is that the public were not informed that there are criminals roaming the streets with us? Why is it that the police wanted to cover up such a big incident that could affect the security of the public? Instead of tighten up the security of the cell, 2000 policemen were sent over to Sibu for the by election just to harass the voters and opposition. How could you expect the public to have confidence in the police force where gangsters can free easily from the police cell?

I think the police force owed the people an explanation on the whole incident. I also wanted to know if the other escapee had been arrested or was there any attempt to do so.

Tuan Speaker, with these words, I conclude my speech.

Thank you.