Observers to tell UN the true SARAWAK story

From: Baru.net (FMT Staff)

The highly disputed Senadin win by Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) will be the leading example of polls malpractices which will be presented to the UN.
KUALA LUMPUR: The incident in Sarawak’s Senadin constituency involving PKR candidate Dr Michael Teo will be presented to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva today.

The disputed results on April 16 will form the spine of a presentation to be made by Sarawak Report (SR) and other observers of the recently concluded 10th Sarawak election.

According to SR blogger Clare Rewcastle Brown, “we will tell exactly what happened (in Sarawak)”.

Citing Senadin, she said PKR was leading by 1,000 odd-votes during the last ballot counting in Miri City Stadium when suddenly a blackout “conveniently occurred”.

The blackout, she said, lasted an hour during which time the Election Commission (EC) continued counting.

“Suddenly they brought in ‘postal’ votes at an illegally late hour and SUPP was declared ‘winners’ with a slim 58-vote majority.

“The EC also announced 158 spoiled votes favouring PKR. The commission refused a recount despite the fact that there was a clear case for it,” she said.

Brown added that the Senadin incident was only one example that SR was planning to present to the UN.

She said SR’s report to the UN would include the “mass disenfranchisement of much of the population in the interior”.

This, she said, enabled Taib to operate a “rotten borough system” where seats are decided by just a tiny number of people whom he can pressure and influence.

“Some 470,000 natives do not voting rights out of Sarawak’s 2.5 million population.

“There is also the illegal touting of projects and votes by Barisan Nasional politicians, including the prime minister, in the run-up to the election.

“These are used as a direct bribe and form of blackmail. They tell the voters that they will not get the projects and worse, may be discriminated against in the provision of basic amenities if they do not vote BN, ” she said in her posting on SR.

Postal votes and bribery

On postal votes, she said this was another issue which would be made known to the UN.

She said SR would inform the UN about the abuse of postal votes and the “outrageous targeting of postal votes at single constituencies” BN wants to influence.

“We will also tell them about the practice of doubling up by sending in postal votes by the army and then bringing in plane loads of the same soldiers to vote in person as well and the introduction of suspicious last-minute ‘postal votes’ in order to try and boost BN’s tallies far later than legally allowed.”

The other areas that the report will highlihgt include the use of gangsters to intimidate and turn away voters from the polling stations, the abuses by the EC which included switching voters’ polling stations away from their home areas to distant places they cannot get to and hiding ballot boxes.

The UN will also hear of the tampering of Form 14, cutting off mobile phone networks on polling day as well as the “naked bribery by BN” of poor voters on the eve of the election.

Brown said the scale of these bribes went sky high at this election and was indicative of how unpopular BN is.

BN secured 55 seats against the opposition’s 16 in the April 16 polls.

RM1000 per door paid in Balingian

By Clare Rewcastle Brown

KUCHING: Sarawak has changed and all Sarawakians know it. Chief Minister Taib Mahmud also knows it as he sits in his headquarters at Demak Jaya aware that all around him the people of the capital, his home town of Bintulu, Sibu, Miri and across the country have mobilised against him and want him out.

So strong and so obvious was the unity and determination of those population centres that Taib did not dare cheat too heavily and obviously in the urban areas (apart from some outrageous exceptions, like Senadin) the opposition swept to victory, more than doubling their seats and wiping out BN as a force in the cities.

But Taib cheated blatantly and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak colluded in this.

So what forms of rigging were used?

Taib used his sister-in-law Gertie Chong to bring the money. Gertie is Taib’s favourite brother Arip Mahmud’s second wife.

Her name pops up as a major shareholder in a good number of Taib’s crony companies.

She is a major shareholder of Jaya Tiasa, a plantation-based company which Taib gave Arip who then sold it to tycoon Tiong Hiew King of Rimbunan Hijau for a fat profit.

Gertie is also a fellow director and shareholder with Taib in Mesti Bersatu, and a shareholder in the Royal Mulu resort and Miri Properties, which owns the Marriott in Miri among other ventures.

She also is a shareholder in Lanco Plantations, along with Taib.

Funds from crony

Gertie has been associated with so many of the Taib family business ventures that have taken advantage of their political stranglehold on the state that it is no surprise that she was brought in to help with the emergency operation of keeping them in power at whatever cost.

Gertie was the one who was charged with bringing the bags of money over from Sibu to bribe and bully the impoverished voters.

This is how small and desperate the circle of Taib’s supporters has become.

She handed it out to the Taib’s Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) workers who then went round the houses distributing RM1,000 per door to people.

Last election (2006) it was only RM50! More than anything the wild inflation of Taib’s bribes tells you the level of his deep unpopularity.

And where did this money come from?

It came from Shin Yang, a crony timber and plantation company which has relied on Taib for the fat concessions that have turned its owner Ling Chiong Ho from being a barge handler in Sibu, working for Taib’s brother Onn Mahmud’s Achipelago shipping monopoly just a few years ago, into a multi-millionaire.

So, of course Shin Yang had to cough up.

As far as Taib was concerned he was calling in favours – the sort of favours that gangsters call in.

Reduced majority

Just look at the evidence on Shin Yang’s palm concessions alone, all handed to them via private deals with Taib Mahmud’s Resources and Planning Ministry.

In just one case alone, Shin Yang is the major shareholder of Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd, which used to be a government venture.

Taib, in a typical move, privatised it into a public company in 1990 and Shin Yang was allowed to buy over 37% of the company.

Since then Sarawak Oil Palms says it has expanded its land-bank to 65,000 hectares, with 35,000 planted with oil palm in Sarawak.

Gerald Rentap Jabu, son of Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu (who also bought his way into scraping back his Layar seat) is also on the Board of Sarawak Oil Palms.

Until recently, Taib’s brother and proxy, Onn Mahmud, held shares in the company through his own nominee, Shea Kin Kwok, identified as a key player in the Japanese timber kick-back scandal.

Yet despite this Taib’s majority in Balingian was slashed from some 6,000 to around 2,000 on the day, so sickened have his people been by his greed and land grabbing.

Clare Rewcastle Brown is the founder of Sarawak Report

Victory not all that sweet

Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was returned to power in the 10th Sarawak election but it was a bittersweet win because it came with unprecedented losses in the Iban and Chinese seats.

IT was not quite the perfect storm that some people had predicted but the Sarawak election is a signal that the political landscape in the state has shifted in a way that its leaders had not foreseen.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was returned to power with a two-thirds majority but his victory was punctured by unprecedented losses.

A total of 16 seats fell in the rural heartland where Barisan Nasional used to hold sway while Deputy Chief Minister and SUPP president Tan Sri Dr George Chan’s 30-year political career came to a crunching halt.

Dr Chan’s stunning defeat by a young DAP lawyer topped the trail of losses of other SUPP candidates, leaving the party with a big question mark over its future.

Taib’s party PBB remained on top of the game, retaining all the 35 seats it contested.

But even before the night was out, it was evident that Sarawak’s politics would never be the same again.

Taib’s coalition crossed the two-thirds margin shortly after 6.30pm, by which time five seats were confirmed to have fallen to DAP and PKR.

Before that, tweets from opposition politicians claimed they were on the way to smashing the Barisan’s two-thirds majority.

A Perak leader tweeted that he had received a call to ask Pakatan Rakyat to get ready to form the Sarawak Government.

But it was one of those “Sept 16” claims.

However, there has been a Chinese tsunami of sorts in the urban centres where DAP took 12 of 15 seats contested.

The DAP was the big winner in Sarawak and scored astonishing victory margins in several seats.

DAP also made a clean sweep of all the seats it contested in the capital.

The Chinese in Kuching have made themselves heard loud and clear.

In fact, Dr Chan’s defeat was a metaphor of the Chinese rejection of SUPP which they see as too much of a yes-man to Taib.

But the earth-shattering reality for Taib and his government was the erosion of support in the rural Iban seats.

Barisan not only lost Iban-majority seats but saw its victory margins in other Iban seats slide to an all-time low.

Politics in the rural hinterland is no longer what it used to be.

The Iban support can no longer be taken for granted.

Ba’Kelalan fell to Baru Bian, the indigenous lawyer who has been such a thorn in the side of Taib’s administration.

PKR’s win in Ba’Kelalan was expected but the party’s win in Krian, another Iban seat, was a big blow because the defeated incumbent Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie is the deputy president of SPDP, a Barisan component party.

DAP’s ceramah in Kuching, Miri and the central basin of Sibu, Sarikei and Lanang had drawn massive crowds night after night.

Their Ubah mascot, a cute soft toy in the form of the Sarawak hornbill, was sold out and every night, there were more and more people wearing the signature red T-shirts at their ceramah.

Their grand finale in Kuching was the biggest rally that local folk had ever seen and the opinion that night was the Chinese tsunami would reach the shore the next day.

It was not the da xuan or big change that the party was hoping for but it has been DAP’s most successful outing in Sarawak.

SUPP, the party that has represented Chinese interest all these years, will have to do a lot of soul-searching on how to recover and remain relevant.

Voter turnout has been quite low in the last few elections.

It was no different this time around despite the most intense electioneering in Sarawak history.

Some saw the low turnout as a form of silent protest.

The perception was while many voters did not want to vote for Barisan, they were also not keen on voting for the opposition DAP or PKR and definitely not for PAS which lost all the seats it contested.

This election has been all about Taib or Pa Mao – the name by which he is known to all and sundry.

His 30 years in power, unfortunately, coincided with the ouster of Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak.

His overstaying became such an awkward issue for his coalition government that he could not even celebrate his three decades in power.

The results suggest that the power transition will definitely take place.

Taib may even have to bring forward his transition plan to perhaps next year when PBB, of which he is president, is scheduled to hold its party election.

Taib has seen how he was openly criticised and ridiculed throughout the campaign, something which had never happened in any state election.

There is no denying the groundswell and it is not only against him but also those around him who have overstayed their welcome.

The Iban change of heart is also a slap in the face for PBB deputy president Tan Sri Alfred Jabu who represents the indigenous Pesaka wing of the party.

Jabu, who won narrowly, is the only top leader of Taib’s generation who has yet to indicate whether he is making way after the polls. Regardless, he will be under great pressure to go after this.

In overstaying, Taib had given the basis for others to cling on. Those who have overstayed are what is known as the Ming Court generation, the group which came to power with Taib in the 1980s.

The signs of what would happen last night were already in the 2006 election and the Sibu by-election but those in power chose not see it.

The outcome in Sarawak is not exactly a disaster for Barisan but it spells trouble in time to come.

The political transition after this becomes more crucial than ever to Barisan’s hold on Sarawak.

How Taib handles the transition which will impact the coalition’s ambitions in the general election.

Kemengalka pending bekaul isu NCR: Rundi

Posted on April 13, 2011, Wednesday
Borneo Post Onlines


GAMBAR KENANG: Rundi (lima kanan) begulai enggau raban ke bukai ba rumah panjai lebuh bejalaika pengawa kimpin.

BINTULU: Pengari Kunsil Nengeri (DUN) Kemena Dr Stephen Rundi madahka, rayat ba Suai enggau Niah patut nulak raban penyakal ti ulih ngasuh penyerakup raban bansa tebererak.

Iya madahka, raban penyakal enggau naka ulih ngenataika isu Tanah Bansa Asal (NCR) dikena ngeruga runding rayat.

Isu ti dikenataika raban penyakal bekaul enggau tanah NCR ngagai rayat ba Suai tu udah lama.

“Rayat udah nemu penguntung nengah projek kerejasama tauka ngatika diri ba pengawa program pemansang tanah tu,”pia ku Rundi bejaku ba pengerami begulai enggau rayat ba Rumah Emperang Bayu, Sg Tutung,Batang Suai ditu.

Nyerumba nya, iya madahka rayat deka ngasaika penyenang enti tanah ulih dikemansangka kelebih ba pengawa nanam sawit.

“Barisan Nasional(BN) ulih nulung rayat ngemansangka tanah ti ulih nyungkukka penatai pemisi,”pia ku iya.

Iya ti mega nyadi Menteri Muda Pengerai enggau Perengkaguna Mensia Mayuh madahka, BN disadang ulih menang.

“Tu ulih dipeda nengah kaul sereta kerejasama ti diberi mensia mayuh ngagai BN ba DUN N.60 Kemena maya pengawa kimpin ti dipejalaika,”pia ku Rundi nerangka.

Berebak enggau nya, Rundi mega mujur bejalaika kimpin ngagai Rumah Merudi ba Suai enggau Rumah Jelian Lajon ba Ulu Niah.

Change We Must

Dear Fellow Sarawakians,

On Saturday, 16th April, Sarawak goes to the polls. Sarawak today stands at the brink. Our state is broken and bleeding, the people oppressed, no thanks to deep corruption and massive abuses by this BN state government led by CM Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Poverty remains deeply entrenched. Wealth inequality is very large. Taib Mahmud and his family have become the richest political family in Southeast Asia. BN politicians and crony businessmen have also become extremely rich and have hidden all their wealth overseas. Meanwhile, many Malays and Native Bumiputeras live in crushing poverty. And things are getting worse. The price of petrol and essential commodities like food are rising and rising due to BN’s inefficient management of the economy. The poor are going to suffer the most when Barang Naik (BN) lagi!

NCR Land belonging to the native Bumiputeras of Sarawak has been grabbed by Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family and political cronies for themselves.

The development of rural infrastructure has been neglected even ignored. Abdul Taib Mahmud’s politics of development has been a dismal failure. Our rural health service is broken and under-serviced while our rural schools are badly resourced. Roads and other rural infrastructure promised by the BN are not built.

This election is critical. CM Abdul Taib Mahmud refuses to step down. He needs our help. We have to make him retire. This election is critical. BN is incapable of reform or renewal. They talk about “transformation” but they do little. After 30 years of BN government, things are worse than ever. The rot in our public services is too deep and our state leaders must be changed if we want to save our state and its people.

As the “hottest ever” election in the state since 1987, we therefore urge all Sarawakian voters outside Sarawak to please return to your constituency in Sarawak and to vote for change and for justice. Vote for PKR!

If you are unable to return home to vote, then we urge you to phone, e-mail, tweet, and/or campaign via facebook to encourage all your family and friends living outside Sarawak to return home to vote.

As well, we urge all Sarawakians to contact and speak with their family and friends who are voting in Sarawak to urge them to be brave and to vote for PKR. Tell them not to be afraid of BN intimidation but to vote for change and for justice.

Sarawak needs you! Will you respond?

Berubahlah! Vote PKR! Vote for change and for justice. The time is NOW!

Yours sincerely,

Baru Bian

Main Wayang

Tanah NCR akan dikembalikan
by Jessica Jawing. Posted on April 14, 2011, Thursday

Najib umum tanah seluas 40 hektar di bawah Seksyen 5 (3) (4) dibatal untuk Zon Keinstitusian Kerajaan Bau

BAU: Harapan penduduk di kawasan DUN Tasik Biru untuk mendapat semula tanah Hak Adat Bumiputera (NCR) mereka daripada Seksyen 5 (3) (4) yang diwartakan sebagai tanah simpanan kerajaan kini menjadi nyata.

Ia berikutan pengumuman Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak semalam yang mengesahkan tanah NCR seluas 40 hektar di bawah seksyen berkenaan dibatalkan untuk tujuan Zon Keinstitusian Kerajaan Bau.

“Saya mengesahkan atas permintaan rakyat, Kerajaan Sarawak bersetuju supaya Pemberitahuan Warta Nombor 1309 Seksyen 5 (3) (4) di sepanjang persimpangan Jalan Grogo dan Opar dibatalkan,” katanya berucap selepas tinjauan mesra dan majlis bersama rakyat di Gerai Mas di sini.

Beliau turut mengumumkan berita gembira kepada penduduk di kawasan Gunung Singai, Bau apabila kerajaan negeri juga bersetuju bahawa penguatkuasaan tanah rizab kerajaan yang meliputi kawasan terbabit (Singai) dibatalkan wartanya dan kini selamat digunakan penduduk.

“Bagi kerja penyukatan tanah kampung dan lot tradisi, survei perimeter dan individu sememangnya sedang dijalankan berdasarkan peruntukan RM80 juta yang diluluskan kerajaan pusat untuk Sarawak.

“Manakala berhubung pembinaan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Singai kerajaan bersetuju atas keputusan Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Pelajaran Malaysia akan dipercepatkan.

“Iaitu daripada fasa kedua Rancangan Malaysia Kesepuluh (RMK-10) kepada fasa pertama RMK-10 iaitu akan dilaksanakan pada tahun ini,” kata beliau.

Lawatan pemimpin nombor satu negara ke pekan Bau turut membawa khabar gembira kepada komuniti Cina apabila kerajaan memperuntukkan RM500,000 kepada SJK Chung Hua Bau bagi menyiapkan blok baru sekolah itu.

Note: Asal suba tanah tu tanah adat (NCR) dayak, tang diambi perintah ngena section 5(3)(4), udahnya diatu nyau deka bepilih Najib madah ka meri pulai. Nama kebuah ngambi tanah tu suba deh? Tu mina 40 hektar, kati ko beribu-ribu hektar ke diambi sida Elia Geneid, Sda Roziah enggau bala crony Taib ti bukai? Kemaia sida deka meri pulai ngagai rakyat deh?

Berubah tauka pulai baka selama?

FB: Unggal Rantai Naga

Sekeda tanya ti patut disaut kitai empu lebuh maia berpilih tu.

1. Kitai masuk gerempong Malaysia taun 1963. Reti nya, nyau deka 50 taun kitai merintah menua diri, ukai agi dipegai ribai, ukai mega dipegai Malaya. Nama kebuah kitai agi berandau pasal nadai api, nadai ai, nadai jalai raya?. Taja pan semua nya semina basic amenities, perintah ti megai perintah kitai ngelama tu, enda ulih mai semua pemansang nya. Sanggup kitai nganti 50 taun da? Enti meda pengelama sida perintah bejaku ka 'politik pembangunan' nyau deka setengah abad, peda meh gaya “pemansang” ti diberi sida. Nama patut digaga kitai deh? Majak milih sida, tauka nguji ka pengari bukai?

2. Kitai bela nemu pengawa bala tuai menua Sarawak, sereta tuai kitai Iban mega. Enda iboh aku nusoi panjai agi, laban semua utai nya maioh udah dibantai ba macham bengkah website. Kitai mega nemu pengawa sida endang salah, nguna kuasa ti diberi rakyat ka sida kena ngumpul pengeraja dunya ka diri empu sereta kroni sida. Nama meh kebuah kitai majak ngasuh orang ti endang ditemu enda ulih dikarap ka agi, sereta terang-terang ngerumpak asil menua kitai, nyadi perintah kitai?

3. Nyadi di Semenanjung, orang ti nadai tanah, diberi tanah ngambi ka bisi endur bertanam bertupi, nanam sawit, nanam getah. Semua sida diberi benih sawit, paong getah, lalu skim nya digaga ka perintah jalai raya, diberi api, ai sereta mega diberi perengka kena berumah. Nama kebuah perintah menua kitai, enda ulih meri katan/allocation dikena nyaup rakyat ti endang sigi bempu ka tanah, ngemansang ka tanah sida empu? Nama meh enda tau enda berkunsi ka tanah kitai enggau kompeni baru perintah ka ngemansang ka tanah kitai?

4. Tiap kali udah semak maia berpilih, perintah lalu announce maioh macham projek. Maioh bengkah meh nilai projek, munyi ko sida ka tuai, peneka nyebut. Bisi sekeda projek mit, ti diberi terus e.g. atap 10 singkap sepintu, baja 8 kambut, anak manuk 20 iko, sereta duit ringgit RM200 sepintu. Lalu kitai mega dipadah, enti kitai terus ngundi sida, maioh agi, sereta besai agi, projek ti deka diberi. Udah abis berpilih, lalu ga nadai didinga rita projek. Ba menua kitai di Machan, lama bendar udah ninga bisi plan ka ngaga jambatan meraka Sg Kanowit, sereta jalai datai ke Ulu Machan, ngambi ka semua raban ti diau ba seberai pasar baka bala di Matau, Sg Latong enggau Sg Machan ulih ngena jalai darat datai ba pala tangga. Semaia tu disebut belama lebuh maya berpilih, tang udah tembu berpilih, lalu nadai didinga berita. Munyi ka salah jako, sunyi agi ari Nanga Sebelian, ti endur niang aki-ini kitai nyangkai ka diri belama-lama iya. Sekali tu, agi ka enda kitai andal ka jako sida?

Pengujong bendar, undi genap iko kitai berega amat. Nya kebuah genap iko kitai ti ulih pulai maia berpilih tu ila, bela pulai magang. Enti sema enda ulih pulai, kitai patut bertalipon engau bala apai-indai, bala menyadi, bala kaban belayan suku juru enggau semua orang ti dikelala kitai. Terang ka sida enggau silik utai ti nyadi ba serata menua, awak ka sida enda semina ninga ari mainstream media (surat khabar, RTM, TV3).

Pia mega, lebuh maia berpilih tu, enda ulih kelari ka bersengki penemu, laban kitai mensia endang nadai sebaka runding 100% . Taja pia, semua utai tu enda patut nyadi ka penyarut. Kitai ti rebak baru, patut ulih berunding enggau berkereja ngena chara baru, enggai ka kitai majak berpechah. Lebuh ti berkempen, jaga meh leka jaku, laban jaku ti badas, datai ari ati ti badas.

Anembiak Latong Rebak Baru

BN made us beg for our rights

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

BN politics is not to bring systematic development to Sarawak but a systematic rape and robbery of Sarawak resources and development fund.

Where is our NCR land title?

When we formed Malaysia, we dream of freedom, selfless government and prosperity. Our old Dayak folks wanted to see that they are rightful owner of the land that they cultivated. Today, is this so? No. About 95% of Dayak still do not have title to their land. Even their longhouses are constructed on land without title. If the land is not titled, Awang Tanah (Tengah) say it is State land. So Dayak today are basically people who are squatters in Sarawak because they do not erect their house on titled land.

DAYAK – do you accept that Dayak are squatters by virtue of BN land law and policies? God forbid, I do not accept such plight and I do not spare my effort to have a rightful place in the land of my fore fathers.

Who own Sarawak now?

It is Taib, the elite politicians and the very rich businessmen from the urban areas. They are given million of hectares of land. We Dayak received almost none. Is that acceptable? It is not acceptable and we must put an end to this situation.

How? This coming election we go out in force and vote for Pakatan Rakyat candidates. Pakatan Rakyat promised to give us back our rights to the land that was created through farming from our fore fathers. Today, BN do not allow automatic hand down of NCR land to the descendant of thgose who farm the land. Why? This will allow BN to divide the land and sell it to rich companies or even sell it to their family members at cheap price and sell it to investors at high price. It is a simple mechanism to become rich and millionaires instantly.

We do not see much development in Sarawak.

BN keep on telling us that Sarawak has made big progress, is it so? The quality of our roads are bad. Our hospital and clinics and medical services are not adequate. Our school facilities and at most basics in the rural areas. Our drinking water is so poor that we have to resort to drinking rain water. We do not have electricity for 90% of our longhouses. Is that the “big” development that BN is tellin us after having led the government for over 30 years.

We have given BN a chance. Dr. James Masing observation that educated Dayak is not supporting BN is correct. Educated Dayak are educated in cities and travelled widely and they can see the development in Malaya and elsewhere. By making comparison, these graduate has come to the conclusion that BN actually did a poor deleivery of development in Sarawak. Excuses are many. Sarawak is big with small population etc. That is just excuses. Even towns like Selangau, Julau, Song, Kanowit, Marudi, Saratok, Spaoh, Lachau etcis not well equip. These towns even do not have good clean toilets as a basis of looking for progress`in Sarawak.

But then, billion of money is announced annually to Sarawak? If it is, then where is the money. The endless traffic of logging trucks and tug boats pulling timber barges are an hourly sight. But then where is the moeny gotten from timber to develop Sarawak.

We received 5% oil and gas royalty and every quarterly we received almost 400 million ringgit from Petronas – where is the development that BN is claiming that they are giving Sarawak. In fact we now learn that our Thief Ministers has many billions outside Sarawak. I hate to think about the money that Samling, WTK, KTS, Shin Yang, Naim Cendera has gotten from our natural resources.

Religious rights

Sarawak do not have official religion. Yet today, BN is enforcing restriction and rules for religious practices in Sarawak. The Allah issue and the translated Bible is just the tip of ice-berg. BN Sarawak has fail to bring Dayak issues to national level.

Economics Rights

So Dayak remained a farming community. BN has transform Malay from mere fishermen to global business players by pumping so much money to support Malay transformation. Dayak is included as Bumiputera but we Dayak never enjoy such rights. The Affirmative action of Dayak is limited to the very few. It is so difficult to get the small jobs from the development fund.

Education

In the Eygpt uprising, we see 14,000 students affected by the event and brought back to Malaysia. How many Dayak student are studying in Eygpt? These student are finance using tax payer money – but where are the Dayak students?

Conclusion

We have voted for BN for 40 years now. we have voted BN Dayak leaders. Have they been effective? NO! Dayak leaders are just passengers and doing almost nothing. They champion no issues and have not made any impact to improve the livelihood of Dayak. This is what we DayakBaru are voting against. We must change our leaders from the BN camp to the Pakatan Rakyat camp. Now is the time and let us triumph over the marginalization of BN.

The Sultan of Bintulu Helps Himself to The Airport!

Diambi ari: Sarawak Report
The Sultan of Bintulu Helps Himself to The Airport!
Thursday, April 7th, 2011 GMT

The Old Bintulu Airport now occupies a prime space in the centre of the town.
Businessmen in Bintulu have been eying the opportunity of acquiring the vast area of the Central District occupied by the old airport.

This is public land, of course, and so its disposal comes under the control of the Chief Minster, because (outrageously) he is also the Planning and Resources Minister and Finance Minister and the man who dominates his home district of Bintulu.

Under an honest administration this valuable land would be auctioned openly and conditions would be attached to benefit the wider community. Such rules would not deter plenty of businesses that would be happy to make a go of improving the centre of their town.

Sadly, it will come as little surprise to readers of Sarawak Report that we have now received information that the Chief Minster has, instead, secretly handed the entire area to one of his own favourite family companies, Naim Cendera.

Handed over to nominees at a nominal price!

Two prime plots in the centre of developed Bintulu - worth tens of millions handed out for peanuts
A trip to the Land Registry in Bintulu has revealed that this vast area of prime land, two plots of 11.852 hectares and 2.841 hectares, was quietly handed to Naim Cendera in November 2008.

The rent requested for these areas is ridiculously low RM88,890 per year and RM3,409 per year respectively (with no requirement to put it up over the 60 year lease provided).


A deal of just over RM 4 million for the premium on the land is also registered, which again is peanuts for land that could raise Naim Cendera tens if not hundreds of millions in profits.

An insider has told Sarawak Report that during the secretive planning negotiations a ‘smart’ deal was arrived at whereby the runway, which is federal land, was planned for conversion into a dual carriageway to service the centre.

In this way the premium has been largely avoided, ignoring the value of the surrounding land. The two plots are assigned in the planning documents to commercial and residential purposes and both have been handed to Naim Cendera.

This vast development has gone for a piddly price - Naim Cendera 'hits it lucky' (again)

The former town-planner and member of the Bintulu Development Authority (and till recently a Director of Naim Cendera) Sylvester Ajah Subah says he knows just how the system works, which is why he is now campaigning as the candidate for the opposition PKR (PR) in the nearby constituency of Dalat in Mukah. He told us there is no such thing as transparency in Sarawak:

“Of course other people were interested in the land. But, it’s simple, the government is favouring the developer who is the blue eyed boy of the Chief Minister. The developer is the company that is very closely connected with the Chief Minister”

Taib’s blue-eyed boys

Sepawi – cousin to the Chief Minister. How come he does so well when it comes to Government contracts? The Blue-eyed Boy in question is of course Hamid Sepawi, the Chief Minister’s own cousin, who works with his ubiquitous partner Hasmi bin Hasnan in charge of endless construction businesses, public bodies and plantations all over Sarawak.

The duo are the veritable Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum at the top of numerous Boards of Directors and between them they own around half of the supposedly public holding company of Naim Cendera!

Both men have also featured on Malaysia’s Top 30 Rich List, owing to their vast shareholdings in the enterprises they manage. Time and again their success can be put down to the good fortune of being chosen by Taib to be awarded contracts and land concessions.

It is hardly surprising therefore that most insiders in Sarawak regard the men as none other than proxies and nominees for Taib himself – men behind whom the Chief Minister can hide his own business interests.


Premium for Lot 4172 is a mere RM 4 million. What if anything was paid for Lot 4173?

Consider how Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum started out in life. Let’s put it this way, they were nobody very much before Taib hit office in 1981, but after that their careers went stratospheric!

Take Hasmi bin Hasnan. His CV for Sarawak Plantations (which is a venture benefiting from the acquisition of over 50,000 hectares of State plantation lands which Taib decided to privatise ) explains that the 54 year old had been a humble valuer in the Land and Survey Department, until Taib took over in 1981 and made the department his crucial power-base for talking over the lands of Sarawak:
From valuer in a government department to top businessman in just a few years!
“He began his career in 1979 as a valuer n the Land and Survey Department of Sarawak. Since 1982, he has been involved in a wide range of businesses, including valuation, project management, property development and management, timber, construction and and publishing. He has been the Managing Director of Naim since 25 July 2003 as well as Non-independent Non-Executive Chairman of Sarawak Plantation Berhad since 30 August 2005. He also holds various directorships in other companies. He was awarded the Property Man of the Year for 2008 by the International Real Estate Federation in Kuala Lumpur” [Sarawak Plantation An. Rpt 2009]


Hasnan is the Executive Chairman of Sarawak Plantation and, together with the Director Hamid Sepawi, owns over 30% of this company made up of lands previously owned by the State under the Sarawak Land Development Board.

60 year old Hamid bin Sepawi is equally busy with public and private posts:

Sepawi just loves trees...
“He has been a substantial investor in a number of oil palm companies for about ten years, including such names as Landang Selezu Sdn Bhd, Medan Sepadu Sdn Bhd and Butrasemari Sdn Bhd. He is very active in timber, property, construction, as well as the oil palm business. He has been the Executive Chairman of Ta Ann Holdings Berhad a resource-based group since 1999, the Chairman and and a substantial shareholder of Naim Holdings Berhad and the Chairmand of Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), a company that owns 100% of a power-generating company in Sarawak namely SESCO Berhad” [Sarawak Plantation An.Rpt 2009]


Both these men have also benefited from their own extensive personal plantation licences of course and Hamid has also been appointed Chairman of SESCO, the public company that holds a monopoly over electricity supply.


Sepawi poses as a tree-hugger, but his company Ta Ann has sparked fury in Tasmania as well as Sarawak for its plunder of the forests

Hamid Sepawi also is the major shareholder in another supposedly public timber and plantation company Ta Ann – he owns a third of the shares in the company, which declared RM 1.5 billion in assets last year and a profit of RM 72 million. We are sure that Sepawi remembered to thank Taib Mahmud for all those concessions and licences that have been made available to Ta Ann through the behind closed doors negotiations that the Chief Minister favours when it comes round to deciding who gets what.

One can, on the other hand, forgive the suspicions of those who believe that this cousin of Taib is in fact just doing business on the Chief Minister’s behalf and holding most of that money in trust for him. After all, documents obtained by Sarawak Report prove that it was through just such a use of nominees that Taib shielded his real interest and shareholding in his North American properties!

More and more projects for Naim Cendera


Traditional government housing and nice fields in Batu Lintang, due to be developed by Naim Cendera
It is not just the businessmen of Bintulu that have been disappointed over the favouritism of the Chief Minister towards his Blue-eyed boys.

Over in Kuching there was anger and dismay in January of this year when another prime piece of government land was handed over for commercial development to Naim Cendera again for what was regarded as a way below market price.

14 hectares of government housing land with extensive traditional grounds was slipped into the possession of Naim Cendera by cousin Taib Mahmud for a mere RM 20 million, which local businessmen consider to be a fraction of its real value.

This means that not only did the other local businessmen lose out (as usual) from the chance of winning a good contract, but the Sarawak taxpayer lost out, because so little money was gained from the sale of the public land. But, in a year or so, if BN get back into power, the profits will soon begin to pour into the Naim as it starts to develop the site.

Sub-contracting and the Bengoh Dam

There is money for Naim, even if the company can’t actually perform all the contracts that are handed to it. Lots of money. One recent example of the scandalous skimming of public money by the Taib family through the sub-contracting of public contracts was the awarding of the Bengoh Dam to Naim Cendera for RM 310 million. Sepawi promptly sub-contracted the whole job on to Synohydro a mere RM145 million, leaving a profit of RM165 million of taxpayers’ money neatly in the pockets of Taib’s cousin Hamid and his fellow shareholders!


Good detective work by the Dayak Blog in 2008, which spotted the RM 165 million difference between the award of the project to Naim Cendera and the subsequent sub-contract to Synohydro Corporation!

Such a handsome profit for Taib’s family member puts the ‘generous’ compensation payments touted for Bengoh’s Bidayuh villagers, who have been forced from their lands and seen their territories stripped bare, into some perspective!

Battle of the ‘Ngaus’ in Telang Usan

Joseph Tawie | April 7, 2011
Another 'hot seat' in rural Sarawak is the Telang Usan constituency where PKR has the edge over its five rivals including Barisan Nasional.

KUCHING: For the past two years, Telang Usan has been making national and international headlines following the government’s proposal to construct two dams in the area – one at Sungai Tutoh and the other at Long Keseh on the Baram River.

The dam at Long Keseh is the better known issue.

Since the proposal for the dam was announced, the local Kayan, Kenyah and Punan communities have had sleepless nights.

When implemented this project will displace more than 10,000 natives from 10 longhouses from upper Long Keseh and submerge for good their churches, chapels, native customary rights (NCR) lands, roots and culture.

Besides, it is not known yet where and how these natives will be resettled.

This issue will be Harrison Ngau Laing’s platform going into the 10th state election. Ngau is the PKR candidate in the Telang Usan constituency.

Described as a “hot seat” for Barisan Nasional (BN), the constituency will see a six-cornered fight.

Telang Usan incumbent Lihan Jok has for some unknown reason declined to defend his seat and BN partner Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) is now fielding his cousin Dennis Ngau.

Others in the fight are Sarawak Nasional Party (SNAP) candidate Kebing Wan and two independents Jok Ding and Henry Belawing.

Belawei claims to be representing the agrarian coalition supported by Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu (PERSB).

But the real battle is between the two Ngaus.

SNAP worry

Of the five candidates, Harisson appears to have an edge. He was a Baram MP in the 1980s.

Harisson was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for championing the cause of the marginalised people.

He was then an activist with Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) fighting injustice against the natives over the native customary rights (NCR) lands.

Following his release from Kamunting, he took up law studies and is now a respected NCR lawyer in Sarawak.

Kebing Wan, who is SNAP deputy president, has made many unsucessful attempts, in the past, at wresting the Telag Usan seat from BN.

Considered as a “recycled” candidate, Kebing’s lifestyle is well noted in the area.

They know him well enough what he can and cannot do in Telang Usan. He has been in politics for the past 20 years.

Rumours are rife that Umno is supporting SNAP candidates.

Voters in Telang Usan are worried that if SNAP wins. the candidate will likely jump ship to BN.

Despite SNAP’s denial and its continued push to promote the party as local-based, voters in Telang Usan remain sceptical.

BN’s ‘good work’

Meanwhile, PBB through Dennis is hoping to ride on non-defending incumbent Jok’s “good work” in supporting the consruction of the Baram dam.

Jok once described the construction of the dam as a “gift of God” for the Baram people. His comments, however, were much chastised by the opposition.

But Jok’s argument was simple. He said that because of the dam, some RM500 million worth of roads and other infrastructure projects were being constructed for Telang Usan.

It appears that Jok has schooled his cousin well in the business of politics.

Dennis is expected to continue pushing for the construction of the dam in Telang Usan.

Dennis, who was Jok’s personal aide, is closely associated with PBB and Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

It means it will be easier for him to look for more funds for the development of Telang Usan besides solving many of the people’s problems.

But the constituents may suffer a major setback: if they vote for Dennis, they are also keeping Taib in power and allowing him to wipe out NCR lands to build the dam and re-settle the Orang Ulu near the Sarawak-Kalimantan boarder.

In the run-up to the polls on April 16, Dennis will have to deal with native opposition to the dam.

He will also have to explain the government’s seeming inability to deal with resettling their kinsmen in Sungai Assap who were affected by the construction of the Bakun Dam more than a decade ago.

Bakun luggage

The native issue in Bakun is still unsettled. Protests after protests have been carried out by the natives, but nobody listens to them.

A signature campaign containing some 20,000 signatures has been carried out in the past two years.

The signatures will be attached to a memorandum which is to be submitted soon to the relevant authorities including the Prime Minister’s Department.

Meanwhile, the two independents – Ding and Belawing – have been dismissed as “irrelevant” in the fight to wrest Telang Usan from BN and end Taib’s rule.

Telang Usan has 13,000 voters who would prefer a candidate who is god-fearing (read bible issue), patriotic, courageous (to stand up against NCR grabs), educated and with good morality and leadership ability.

A longhouse chief in Telang Usan, when contacted after nomination yesterday, said: “We are looking into the qualities of the candidate, someone who dares to defend our rights and speaks for our interests.

“Ultimately, we the voters need to judge and analyse each of the candidates seriously. We must look at their achievements and, most importantly, how each one of them can live up to serving the people of Telang Usan,” he said.

Land issues overshadow sex video

Though hotly debated in the peninsula, the sex video allegedly involving PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, part of which has been leaked online, only got lukewarm response from Sarawakians who will elect their next state government on April 16.

Random interviews with voters by Malaysiakini revealed that despite some of them believing that Anwar is the 'actor' in the footage, the sex video is not their major concern.

"Here we only have three TV stations - TV1, TV2 and TV3. People believe what they have twisted," said voter Ibrahim Ahmad when met at Debak, Saribas.

The 40-year-old businessman estimated that the sex video issue, including BN's attacks on Anwar, would only affect 10 percent of the total 979,796 voters in the state.

Voters interviewed by Malaysiakini in two rural seats - Saribas (Malay-majority) and Krian (Iban-majority), are clear about the real issue of the people - the release of individual land titles for NCR land.

"The villagers' demands for land titles are not addressed, although the lands belong to our ancestors," Ibrahim added.

Nevertheless, Malaysiakini discovered that personal attacks on Anwar have also crept into the election campaign in the Sri Aman area.

Leaflets carrying a Malay translation of excerpts related to Anwar's alleged homosexuality from former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad 's memoir, Doctor in the House, have been distributed on the streets.

However, a private sector employee, Laga Biju, told Malaysiakini that people in the interior area are not too bothered with such national issues.

"People will not believe. They know this is politics. It is nothing, It is up to the court to decide on such matters.

"The court is like God," said the 40-year-old Iban, who just came back from Kuala Lumpur to be in his state constituency of Krian to vote.

Besides demanding a solution to the NCR land issue, Laga hoped issues affecting local communities, such as agricultural problems, would be solved ahead of the state polls.

"For instance, the planting of pepper... it is bought from farmers at RM15 a kilo now, but the price of fertiliser sometimes rises to RM100 a bag. The farmer can only get RM5 a day," he explained.

Another officer in the civil service shared the same view.
'Sarawakians want their rights back'

"This is all politics. Everyone knows what is the purpose," said the man who was only willing to be known as Jemali, saying he feared his identity being known to the government led by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

According to Jemali, Sarawakians want to take the opportunity of the state election to get their rights back, such as land titles, which have long been overdue.

"If we only ask for it after the election, they (the winners) will surely ignore us," he told Malaysiakini when met at Saratok.

Senior citizen Abang Hamzah Abang Seman said he did not closely follow the sex video issue and when asked whether he believed the man in video was Anwar, he replied, "that's why he was sacked".

The farmer said he liked Anwar because he had learnt about Anwar's ability to govern through a PKR candidate who happened to be his relative.

According to several political observers Malaysiakini spoke to, national issues will not attract the attention of voters in every state election. For Sarawakians at least, especially the rural folk, the land issue is their biggest concern.

DAP’s permit to hold public speeches cancelled due to karaoke function

DAP’s permit to hold public speeches cancelled due to karaoke function
Posted on April 8, 2011, Friday

PERMIT CANCELLED: (From centre) Fong, Loke and Ling display the police permit at Pelita Commercial Centre witnessed by (from left) Wu, Kok, Chua and Leong.

MIRI: The issue over last-minute cancellations of police permits issued to opposition parties has cropped up again.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) is upset over last-minute cancellation of a permit issued by the police to hold their speeches in Boulevard Commercial Centre on the first night of the 10-day Sarawak election campaign period.

“We would like to remind the police that they are bound by professional ethics to be impartial, now that the campaigning period has started,” said DAP Miri branch chairman and Pujut candidate, Fong Pau Teck in a press conference held at Pelita Commercial Centre yesterday morning.

Fong pointed out that with the dissolution of the Sarawak State Assembly (DUN) on March 21, local authorities like the police are in charge during the transition period without a state government.

“The police called up our election agent yesterday to tell us our permit to speak in public had been cancelled,” said Fong standing for the second time against Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) incumbent Andy Chia Chu Fatt.

The DAP was fuming when police said their function would disturb a nearby karaoke function planned by their rival, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) which has three incumbents defending their seats in Piasau, Pujut and Senadin.

“We set up our stage with proper lighting at the approved venue to speak to diners, but the last-minute cancellation forced us to find another place nearby so as not to disappoint people who turned up,” he added.

He called upon the police to discharge their duty without fear or favour, in accordance with a call by Transparency International Malaysia on March 30 for relevant parties including the police to ensure all political parties get equal and free access to the public media.

Also present were DAP members Anthony Loke, Teresa Kok and Vincent Wu; Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MP Tian Chua and Perak assemblywoman Leong Mee Meng.

Fong and fellow DAP candidate Alan Ling Sie Kiong went around introducing themselves to the public after the media briefing.

PKR pits shy underdog against S'wak strongman

The story of the David and Goliath has never been as personified in Sarawak elections as the current contest in Balingian, which sees the meek PKR candidate Suriati Abdullah pitting herself against long-time chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud on his own turf.
At least physically, the word "meek" is not an overstatement to describe Suriati. Standing at a diminutive five feet, she is dwarfed by her numerous PKR minders flanking her.

Not too far from her is her husband, keeping a close eye on his wife, who is on her first foray into politics.

Though it will be an almost impossible task for her to defeat the man who just celebrated his 30th anniversary as head of government in March, she is banking on her personal contacts to throw support her way.

In fact, she even claims to have had first-hand experience with what she called “Taib's oppressive regime” back in 2005.

She was then a foodstall operator, owning and managing a warung called 'Suriati's Cafe' in Selangau - an hour's drive away from Balingian - when the state government unceremoniously tore her stall down.

"They said that it was state land, despite me holding a land title.

"They didn't care anyway, and bulldozed my stall. They told me they wanted to build a park or some lake garden but to this day, nothing was built on that land.

"They didn't pay me a single sen and I lost my source of income,” she lamented to Malaysiakini on the sidelines of the nominations yesterday.

Since then, Suriati - known as 'Su' to her friends - now runs a sundry shop, while her husband deals in antiques.

But Suriati knows the daunting task that lies ahead of her.

'If I was scared, I might as well stay home'

In fact, her demeanour during nominations before this reporter approached her may not even inspire confidence as she frequently shied away from the press and speaks only demurely when her handlers were not around.

This is of course, in contrast with the flamboyant Taib.

Though himself barely a few inches taller than Suriati, the chief minister of 30 years would have learnt not a little about charisma in his longtime stint as a politician. It is said that his second marriage to a Lebanese 44 years his junior has invigorated him even more.

"Of course, I cannot compare myself with Taib. He is one of the richest men in the world," said Suriati.

"But I have a strong will and support from the people I know," she added.

Apart from Taib, Suriati also faces former deputy education minister and independent candidate Salleh Jafaruddin.

In the last state election in 2006, Taib won with a whopping 5,726 majority while his opponent from PKR only garnered 667 votes.

With 11,792 voters, the state seat has about 70% of Melanau voters, 17% Iban voters and 13.2% Chinese voters.

The state of Sarawak will go to the polls on April 16 after 10-day campaigning period.

Suriati said that her family was initially against the idea of her contesting, with them worried about their daughter's safety.

"But they later came around and now I have their full support," she said.

Though shy at first, she later confidently said that she was not afraid of the contest.

"If I'm scared, I might as well stay at home and not contest.

"Sarawakians are now very fed up of Taib and what he is doing to them. I just hope to be their voice," she said softly.

And facing two heavyweights for the seat, she may very well have to speak louder now.

Fear tactics may no longer work for Jabu

Diambi ari: Barubian.net
Fear tactics may no longer work for Jabu
'Jabu is a man in desperation after 1,000 people came out to hear Anwar talk in Betong. For the first time in history, the people have overcome their fears.'

DCM Jabu warns campaigners from peninsula
Jungle Son: This is the voice of Alfred Jabu Numpang, a man in panic and in desperation after 1,000 people came out to hear Anwar Ibrahim at a ceramah three days ago in Betong. For the first time in history, the people of Betong have overcome their fears.

Jabu, there is no need to threaten our Peninsular Malaysian brothers and sisters. We Sarawakians welcome them to help open the eyes of the Betong and Sarawak Ibans to Taib Mahmud's and your wrongdoings. Your days are numbered.

You, Taib and George Chan are in your 70s. Give a chance to the younger generations. Your 'miring' will not help you a bit. Instead, God will intervene and you will be shown your rightful place after this election.

BigBens_KL This is a voice of a man who is afraid of challenges. You can use this tactic 100 years ago but not now. Jabu, be a man and face it like a warrior. Have a fair fight like a real Iban warrior (if you are one). Agi Idup Agi Ngalaban!

Atan-Toyol: Why do you think the peninsula people are troublemakers, Jabu? Shame on you for having such a low opinion of your countrymen across the South China Sea. You said the BN brought prosperity to your people. The only prosperity brought to Sarawak mostly went to Taib Mahmud, his family, relatives and yourself.

The people in the rural areas have not benefited much development. Their lives have not changed much since 1963. Please don't fool the people. How long more will you want to plunder your state's wealth?

Sarawakian_3ff9: Like Taib Mahmud, Alfred Jabu likes to threaten others with his hocus-pocus nonsense. He's trying to turn a traditional treatment for illness into some sort of black magic.

Anonymous_3ea4: Again the BN's fear tactic is showing holes. Most, if not all, Sarawakians know that their politicians have been screwing them for years. An oil- and timber-rich state with so little development for the people, yet being plundered and screwed more by the BN political morons who head the state.

Sarawakians, claim what is rightfully yours. Reclaim your state from the 'Barisan Nonsense' and give your people a good education to rise up and bring prosperity to the state. Vote out the donkeys and nonsensical morons like Jabu.

Ronin: Jabu, you prayed for peace and harmony but instill hate among Ibans against West Malaysians even before the campaign has started.

Junky: Jabu is advising Peninsular Malaysians to behave themselves. The way Jabu put it, it sounds like he is warning them to stay away from the Sarawak elections so that they can easily win the state election and continue skim off the wealth of Sarawak to the last drop.

FatLOM: Many of you may not know what Jabu is doing with the 'miring' ceremony. In short, he is asking for blessing from the 'petara', in the same way you would pray to your god for victory in battle.

However, there is more to this than meets the eye. By inviting the tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs) to participate in the ceremony, he is basically reminding them of their obligation to ensure his victory in the election.

A parallel would be when you are invited to be someone's godparent. Whether you hate or love your godchild, you will feel somewhat compelled to help the child through thick or thin. This is the true meaning of this ceremony.

Pakatan Rakyat would do better to bypass the tuai rumah if Pakatan are to win their vote. A good way is to remind the tuai rumah that they are not a true "leader" in the sense of the word but rather a keeper of the adat for the rumah panjai.

Technically, in the Iban comunity, there is no such thing as a "leader" since everyone are entitled to his opinion and have freedom to do what he want.

Note: Nya meh kebuah Dayak tusah ka maju laban tegal ti ngembuan tuai ti buyan,mako,isu serta aguk tambah mega enda nemu bejako.

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‘Securing two-thirds majority not a problem’

Diambi ari: Borneo Post Onlines

SIBU: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is confident that the Barisan Nasional will be able to secure at least a two-thirds majority in the 10th state election.

This is despite the record number of independent and opposition candidates contesting in the April 16 polls.

Taib said his confidence stemmed from the fact that the BN had an established pool of core supporters who would not gyrate to the beat of the opposition.

In fact, Taib pointed out, the huge number of candidates would make the opposition weak as their votes would be split.

“It is those floating voters that will normally try different candidates,” he told reporters when met after a meet-the-people session at Rumah Jelani Daud in Nanga Lesih of Bukong-Jagoi Road in Kanowit yesterday.

Taib admitted that he was a bit puzzled and surprised that 213 candidates had joined the fray for the 71 state seats.

“Anyway, this is a free country,” he said.

On PKR and SNAP resorting to using outsiders or “parachute” candidates, Taib replied that he would not be surprised “if they end up in the bush.”

“On the part of the BN, if we want to use quality outside candidate, we
will do so with the consent and full support of the locals.”

Earlier in his speech, Taib said the state BN’s brand of politics was all about bringing development and progress to the people.

“We do not believe in spreading lies and slanders and making personal attacks like what the opposition leaders are doing.”

For example, he said, allegations of land grab were all baseless because the government always compensate the landowners if their property were acquired for development purposes.

Taking a swipe at opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, he said he was not fit to be a leader because of his personal behaviour.

Meanwhile, the BN candidate for Machan, Datuk Gramong Juna, who spoke earlier, said RM32 million had been set aside for a water treatment project for the area.

“At the moment the consultants are still on the ground conducting various surveys. We expect this project to begin in May,” he said.

On another matter, Gramong ridiculed the opposition for resorting to use foreign plantation workers to carry their party flags during nomination on Wednesday.

Also present at the function were Taib’s wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, his daughter Hanifah Taib and Gramong’s wife Datin Catherine Gramong.

Note: Ila kitai sama meda amat ke enda project ke nelan belanja RM32 millions nya nyadi.