Wednesday 31 July 2013

Padawan: Better place, better life, better future


IMPRESSIVE: The entrance to Kolej Sains Kesihatan.
GROWING MUNICIPALITY: A number of federal and government agencies have set up shop in Padawan such as this Police Training Centre.
GREAT POTENTIAL: Townships like MJC pave way for more residential areas to emerge around it.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: It is hoped that events like the Padawan Raft Safari will eventually be run by the community itself, while MPP plays a supporting role.
MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang

KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) often invokes images of villages and waterfalls, a land where the city melts away and lush Sarawakian nature shows its colours and character.

MPP, formerly known as Kuching Rural District Council, was set up in 1956 and operated for 40 years before being upgraded to a municipal council in 1996.

It is home to a number of well-known attractions like Kubah National Park, Annah Rais Longhouse, Benuk Longhouse, and Borneo Highlands Resort.

Residents and businesses converge to townships like Batu Kawah New Township (MJC), Kota Sentosa and Kota Padawan.

Meanwhile, several agencies are also located here. This includes the Police Training Centre, Health Science College, Prisons Department, and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre.

As it stands on its 17th anniversary as a council, MPP’s domain spans an impressive 1,431.82 sq km and its borders are rapidly being overtaken by the suburban sprawl.

Better road networks in Kuching means that the quaintly-named municipality is no longer an outpost that requires expedition-level planning to get in or out of. It is easy enough to jump into a car and experience a fascinating drive through the combination of zones.

Modern dwellings and bustling commercial centres give way to jungles and mountains that is home to a scatter of villages – places so far-flung that the city feels like an alien world.

This puts MPP in an interesting position. With a workforce of 401 staff members as of last year, it is running on numbers that are disproportionate to the amount of development that has arrived at their doorstep.

This is one of the urgent matters that MPP plans on addressing; not by increasing its head count too rapidly, but by identifying and training leaders in order to improve both internal and external communication.

They are looking into revamping their work culture from the inside out and creating managers who are able to manage their resources. This is vital in bringing the council to the people instead of expecting them to make a potentially long drive from the other end of Padawan.

One of the ideas is to set up centres in various locations like Siburan, Telaga Air and Kota Sentosa so residents there can seek out the council in their neighbourhood. For that to happen, MPP needs the right people who can both head such centres and work with the locals there.

The council recorded a population of 316,500 as of 2012, a leap from 2011’s figure of 310,599. Private holdings climbed steadily since 1996 (20,984), with last year’s 65,355 proving that more people are moving their homes and businesses in search of something better.

With it came the increasing cost of development. More buildings do mean more rates, but it also means more infrastructures for maintenance and more waste to haul away.

It lacks the density of urban areas, therefore consuming more resources just getting from point A to point B.

Acknowledging the increased development, MPP’s 17th chairman Lo Khere Chiang expressed keen interest in forming a closer rapport with Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda).

“I would like to see more collaboration and co-existence between MPP and Sheda in an effort to plan and improve developments in our area,” he said.

This should not be limited to buildings, he added.

“There should be more social infrastructure, playgrounds and such that will encourage social development.”

This will help create an environment that is clean, safe and prosperous, which in turn will boost property values and benefit its owners.

Padawan’s strength is in its abundant nature, something worth banking on as people seek to be closer to nature.

Although Padawan is teeming with great potential to make more of itself, its public relations officer Abdul Razak Awang Bini pointed out that potential is merely potential if nothing further is done about it.

“You have to exploit it to become a benefit. Now it’s about manpower. We need people who are competent. The leaders must lead also, if not the staff will only be waiting for instructions.”

Greater community involvement is ideal. While events like the Padawan Raft Safari was initiated by MPP, the ideal scenario is to have the community take charge of the event.

“But they must be creative enough,” Razak said, referring to the opportunities that are created when hundreds of people converge onto the area for an event.

Ideally, they should run the event, with the council playing a supporting role in providing financial or relevant forms of support.

“This is what we’re aiming for. We want to facilitate only, not to initiate all the time. We want the community and NGOs to initiate.”

This falls under MPP’s aim to redefine their goals and focus, and to narrow the gap between where they are now and where they want to be – better than before.- theborneopost

PRS offers G5 parking spot

Masing says door wide open for the former SPDP members to join his party

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has opened wide its doors to the five partyless former Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) leaders known as the G5.

PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said the G5 are free to join the party if they wish to do so.

They are Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, former Mas Gading member of parliament Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, Marudi assemblyman Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Ngumbang and Bekenu assemblywoman Rosey Yunus.

“If the G5 want to join PRS, no demands and no conditions for them,” Masing said in a text message yesterday.

He was responding to Nansian’s statement on behalf of the group that they are considering joining other Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties because there is no longer a place for them in SPDP.

Masing pointed out that PRS will assist the G5 to improve their delivery of services to the people who had voted for them.

However, the Land Development Minister did not reveal whether the five had actually applied to join PRS.

Entri was sacked from SPDP in November 2011, while the other four were made partyless in January 2012.

Nansian is Assistant Minister of Community Services and Assistant Minister of Industrial Estate Development, Rosey is Assistant Minister of Early Childhood Education and Family Development and Entri is Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply) as well as Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Farmers Organisation).

Meanwhile, Paulus is Miri Port Authority chairman and Dr Tiki is National Service Training Council chairman.

During the last parliamentary election, Dr Tiki failed in his bid to retain Mas Gading when he lost to Anthony Nogeh Gumbek of BN-SPDP in a four-cornered fight.

He polled 6,109 votes while Nogeh received 8,265 votes for a 2,156-vote majority.

Should the five join PRS, the party would have 12 state assemblymen.

SPDP currently has one state representative through its president Tan Sri William Mawan in Pakan.- theborneopost

Pan Borneo upgrade: Road patch-up first


The over-1,000km Pan Borneo trunk road connects Sarawak with Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia's territory of Kalimantan.
KUCHING: Eliminating black spots or accident-prone areas on Sarawak’s Pan-Borneo trunk road would be given priority to improve the safety of the road users, said Works Minister Fadillah Yusof, here yesterday.

He said a substantial amount of funds had been proposed for this purpose to be included in the 2014 Budget to be tabled by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak this October.

“The amount proposed is in accordance with the request submitted by the Sarawak government to my ministry recently,” he told reporters after handing over financial aid to 27 mosques.

Fadilah said the proposal was made following a study conducted which revealed that the conditions of certain parts of the road had contributed to frequent road accidents.

“Areas where road accidents occurred more than three times at the same spot due to the road conditions are considered as black spots, and we want to rectify the problems to improve the safety of the road users.”

Fadillah said despite the emphasis given to improving the road conditions, it was not a major contributing factor to accidents compared to human error or vehicle mechanism faults.

He said the emphasis came along with the plan to upgrade the whole stretch of the Pan-Borneo trunk road into a highway by 2018.

“How much work we can do on this plan will depend on how much funds we get yearly for it and definitely it will be done in stages,” he added.

When met by reporters previously, Fadillah had said that the Sibu-Bintulu-Miri section of the trunk road would be upgraded first to highway standard and was expected to be completed by 2015.

The over-1,000km Pan Borneo trunk road connects Sarawak with Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia’s territory of Kalimantan.

-Bernama

Better ‘G5′ joins us than opposition, says Masing

SPDP chief William Mawan's move to field his people in the next state election has forced expelled elected reps to look at joining other parties.
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is gleefully waiting for the five former Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) members to join them.

Irrespective of how SPDP president William Mawan feels, PRS will accept the ‘errant’ five if they decide to join, said its president James Masing.

The five are assemblymen Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru), Sylvester Entri Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) and the former Mas Gading MP Tiki Lafe.

The five have been partyless since they were expelled from SPDP for insubordination in November 2011 and January 2012.

They expressed their intention to join “any” BN party after Mawan disclosed that he had identified seven new faces to contest SPDP seats in in the coming election.

The seats are Tasik Biru, Krian, Meluan, Bekenu, Batu Danau, Marudi and Ba’Kelalan. Mawan himself will defend his seat of Pakan.

SPDP lost the seats of Krian and Ba’Kelalan to the PKR, while the Meluan assemblyman Wong Judat had resigned from the party and joined Sarawak Workers Party.

By putting new faces Tasik Biru, Marudi, Bekenu and Batu Danau, it is now interpreted that Mawan will not accept the return of the four to SPDP.

Stating his stand today Masing said: “If they (the five) wish to join PRS, we will certainly and kindly consider their request.”

Masing’s willingness to embrace the five lies in the fact that their inclusion would boost PRS’ stable of elected representatives to 12, thus making it the second largest in Sarawak after PBB, led by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.


Masing wants merger
Currently Nansian, Entri and Rosey are holding assistant minister posts in the Sarawak state cabinet, while Paulus is the current chairman of Miri Port Authority, despite all being partyless.

Tiki meanwhile still maintains his post as National Service Training Council chairman.

Masing had been talking about merging his party with SPDP for a while.

But Mawan rejected the move saying that he gave more importance to the formation of 1BN.

Earlier today Nansian reportedly said that the G5 members will consider joining other parties within the state Bn coalition.

Nansian was responding to Mawan’s earlier announcement of having found seven new faces to contest their seats.

“The statement (by Mawan) tells that his previous talk of taking some of us back has turned into replacing all of us with new faces and this means that his previous thought of reconciliation is over.

“Therefore, for us to continue to maintain ourselves and our voters on the ground to be in BN we will join the other existing BN party in the state,” Nansian said.

PRS doors open

He however, did not specify which of three state BN parties – Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) or PRS – they would join.

But he did say that for the G5 to “continue to maintain ourselves and our voters on the ground to be in BN, we will have to join other existing BN party.”

In an immediate reaction to Nansian, Masing who is a Senior Minister in taib’s state administration said: “Since Mawan and SPDP cannot compromise with the group, it is better for them to join any of the existing BN parties rather than joining the opposition.

“We cannot leave them in a lurch in perpetuity. If they wish to join PRS, we are too happy to consider their request.

“Such move, I believe, will not disappoint BN supporters in their respective areas.”

Their joining PRS would increase the party’s elected representatives to 12,

The PRS leader had been courting the four since they were expelled from SPDP and had often been seen together in social functions.

Their being together had antagonized SPDP leaders.- FMT.

Tuesday 30 July 2013

SUPP Kanowit members pledge support for Wong’s faction

SIBU: Cracks between the warring factions of SUPP chief Tan Sri Peter Chin and SUPP Sibu head Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh widened further yesterday when party members in Kanowit pledged to “sink and swim” with the latter.

In a press statement, the Kanowit group led by Lee Foh Nun and Wong Kheh Fat said they backed Bengoh assemblyman Dr Jerip Susil’s statement that the six assemblymen in Wong’s faction would stick together should Chin’s faction act against any one of them.

Last week, the 3,000-odd members of SUPP Sibu Branch Bumiputra Unit led by Andrew Shilling also supported Dr Jerip’s call, telling Chin’s faction, “You touch one, you touch all of us. We shall sink and swim with Wong’s faction”.

Based on the attendance of SUPP Kanowit members aligned to Wong’s faction in their annual general meeting last year, there are hundreds of active members in the Upper Rajang town.

In their press statement, the Kanowit group added: “We met on Friday, and we have decided to remain in solidarity with Wong.”

It added Chin’s faction had no right to act against any of the six assemblymen because the Registrar of Societies (ROS) was still investigating claims of irregularities in the run-up to the party’s triennial delegates conference (TDC) in 2011.

The statement hinted Wong had strong support based on feedback from other branches in the state.

The six assemblymen in Wong’s faction are Wong himself (Bawang Assan), Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Datuk Lee Khim Shin (Senadin), Datuk Francis Harden (Simanggang), Renum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili). There is no assemblyman in Chin’s faction.

The statement also echoed the statement of Andrew Shilling’s Bumiputra Unit’s stand: “You touch one, you touch all. We stand united.”

The Kanowit group also expressed their dissatisfaction with how Chin’s faction had handled party matters thus far. It now wanted the ROS to decide on the claims of election irregularities in SUPP.

It said ROS had sent show-cause letters to two branches, and it (ROS) should explain the election irregularities.

“The outcome of the probe on the other 12 branches has not been made known. We call on the ROS to ensure justice and fairness is served in all these investigations.” - theborneopost

SPDP to field seven new faces in state election — Mawan


MOVING UP: Mawan receiving applications from new members at the meet-the-people session in Rumah Jilap Taji. Tuai Rumah Jilap Taji is on third right.


PAKAN: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) is in consolidation mode and will field seven new faces in the 11th state election, disclosed SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan.

He told BAT3 yesterday the party’s Supreme Council would pick the candidates.

For now, the party has identified young and capable people to rejuvenate the party.

“Now is the time for us to consolidate. We have reached rock bottom. The only way for us now is moving forward,” he said when met after a meet-the-people session at Rumah Jilap Taji, some 8km from here, yesterday.

Mawan, who is also Social Development Minister, admitted he was more confident now to lead the party after winning all the four parliamentary seats – Mas Gading, Saratok, Bintulu and Baram – it contested in the May 5 general election.

The current term of the State Legislative Assembly expires on June 19, 2016, but the chief minister has the prerogative to dissolve the Assembly earlier.

In the 10th state election in 2011, SPDP contested in eight seats and won six. It lost Krian and Ba Kelalan to PKR.

But after the state election, the party suffered a huge blow when the party sacked five members, four of them assemblymen and one an MP, for gross insubordination. The MP, Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, defended Mas Gading in the recent polls as an independent candidate, but lost.

The assemblymen are Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian, Datuk Sylvester Entrie (Marudi), Rosie Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau).

The situation in SPDP worsened when its Meluan assemblyman Wong Judat quit and joined Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) as its vice president on Sept 1, 2012.

When asked whether the party would reconsider taking back the four assemblymen, who formed the yet-to-be-registered BN Club, Mawan said the party would consider all options to tackle the issue.

“We have had enough. Now you will not see the same Tan Sri William Mawan. We have had enough of all these,” said Mawan, who is also Pakan assemblyman and Saratok MP.

He added the party would soon have its triennial general meeting (TGM) and then hold inner circle meetings.

“On the new candidates, the Supreme Council will decide who would be the fielded. We will not be talking about the BN Club members. We will only talk about SPDP seats.”

Meanwhile, Mawan revealed that through better rapport with federal leaders, Saratok had received more than RM50 million in allocations in a short period of time.

“We are now in a better position to seek funding from federal leaders, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. This is possible because we are now in BN, and in BN we deliver and fulfil our promises.”

Asked how he divides his time between his ministry, his constituencies and family, Mawan said he was doing it through “smart time management”.

“From Mondays through Fridays, it would be either parliament or serving my ministry. On Saturdays, I will be visiting my kawasan of Pakan and Saratok, and on Sundays it’s my time to play golf and have a relaxing evening with my friends and family.”

At the function he gave RM 25,000 to Rumah Jilap Taji. - theborneopost

BN must win back Chinese voters — Naroden

KUCHING: Barisan Nasional (BN), especially SUPP, must find ways to convince voters in predominantly Chinese areas to return to the ruling coalition’s fold.

PBB deputy treasurer Datuk Naroden Majais said the results from the 10th state election in 2011 and the May 5 general election should not be taken lightly.

In both polls, SUPP suffered huge losses.

“We are not sure how, but we have to do something. We can’t afford to let it continue like this,” Naroden told The Borneo Post in his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.

“If voters in Chinese areas continue to support the opposition, it will not be very healthy for them (Chinese). They need representatives in their areas to speak up for them.”

Naroden, who is also Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development), said BN must set aside sufficient time to rectify the situation.

“That is why I believe it is not possible to have (the state) election immediately.”

The current term of the State Legislative Assembly expires on June 19, 2016, but the chief minister has the prerogative to dissolve the assembly earlier.

“I am very doubtful that it (polls) is going to be this year. There are a lot of party elections this year, for PBB, Umno and SUPP.

“Normally, our state election is called a year earlier, so my prediction is it will be held in 2015.”

Naroden, who is also Simunjan assemblyman, believed that the setting up of a new Chinese-based party would not be a good solution as the mindset of voters would remain the same.

“Given time, we can improve ourselves and SUPP can come up with some restructuring strategies and policies to change the mindset of voters in the Chinese areas.”

He added the government had been trying its best to meet the demands of the Chinese community by, among others, increasing financial aid for Chinese education and creating conducive business environment.

“The government had also made changes to government policies to regain the confidence of disgruntled voters.

“At this point in time, we cannot say the Bumiputeras are on par with the Chinese. We are very far behind. Businesses and commerce are controlled by the Chinese.”

Naroden said all these happened because of government policies.

“There is nothing wrong with government policies. The real issue is not government policies, but the party’s (SUPP) policy …how they can tackle their own members.

“Their members can set examples to non-party members, and later on the general public will follow.”

Naroden said he believed the problem was made worse by the DAP’s success in wooing voters with lies and allegations.

“They (DAP) are successful in their propaganda, which is a disadvantage to us. Their propaganda has twisted the minds of voters. In the long term, it would not be very good.” - theborneopost

SPDP Meluan to refer purported ‘traitors’ to party’s supreme council

SIBU: SPDP Meluan Division members who had purportedly supported the opposition at the last general election would be referred to the party’s supreme council for actions.

SPDP Meluan division chairman Jerry Clement said there had been some members who went against the Barisan Nasional’s interests at the 13th general election, and their names would be disclosed at the party’s annual general meeting in Bintulu next month.

He said as a divisional chairman he was obliged to act against these members whom he termed as `traitors’.

“I think their membership should be terminated because these people are like thorns in the flesh to the party,” he said when met here yesterday.

He said the decision to refer them to the supreme council was a resolution adopted at SPDP Meluan division’s 10th annual general meeting held at Meradong/Julau District Council hall in Julau on Saturday.

To maintain the power-sharing concept of the BN; to appoint SPDP Members of Parliament as federal ministers; and to expedite appointments of penghulus for Julau and Ulu Entabai were among other resolutions passed at the meeting.

“We also want development projects like construction of Entabai-Engkamop Road and Nanga Entaih-Ulu Kemalih Road to be continued, Pakan-Entabai Road to be tar sealed and more areas under Meluan state constituency to be supplied with clean water and electricity,” Jerry said. - theborneopost

Monday 29 July 2013

Bakun Dam not cause of June 27 outage — Sarawak Hidro

KUCHING: Sarawak Hidro Berhad has again defended the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam as not the probable cause for the June 27 statewide blackout.

In a statement issued yesterday, Sarawak Hidro managing director Zulkifle Osman said the blackout may have been due to other factors.

“Bakun plants’ drop in load would not have caused a blackout. There could be other contributing factors such as system under frequency load shedding scheme, response of other power plants in the system, and stress condition of the transmission network,” he said.

The statement was issued in the wake of the possible move by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to sue Sarawak Hidro for the frequent blackouts including the statewide blackout on June 27.

Public Utilities Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan had said on Friday the legal recourse was one of the moves being looked into as it is provided under SEB’s power purchase agreement with Sarawak Hidro.

Awang Tengah had also said review of initial incident reports from both SEB and Sarawak Hidro and initial site investigations conducted by officers from the Electrical Inspectorate Unit of the ministry confirmed that the blackout originated from Bakun.

Awang Tengah explained it happened because of Bakun’s three generating units’ sudden and uncontrolled drop in load of about 650MW, while SEB’s system was not capable of supporting three large, simultaneous tripping of Bakun generating units.

However, according to Zulkifle, Sarawak Hidro, including Alstom engineering design and expert, to date have yet to conclude the findings into the cause of the blackout.

He said it was due to pending information from the relevant parties in Sarawak such as on sequence of events, disturbance records and other power plant behaviour during the incident.

Alstom is a leading energy solutions and transport company headquarted in France, which is active in the field of hydroelecric power generation.

On media report that the Public Utilities Ministry is appointing its independent consultant, he said Sarawak Hidro welcomes the move and hopes this exercise will be the check and balance of the whole scenario in Sarawak.

“And we hope we can compare notes to improve for the benefit of Sarawak. The findings of the study should be used to enforce Bakun’s plants as well as other defence plan in the grid system to avoid risks of another system collapse in the future,” he said.

The consultant, said to be international, was announced by Awang Tengah to undertake the independent study to identify the underlying factors contributing to the recent blackout incident and the measures to mitigate the incident.

It is expected to complete by end of August.

Zulkifle also said an independent consultant had been appointed by the federal Ministry of Finance to look into Bakun’s plants and Sarawak system. “However, the report is pending input from relevant parties,” he explained.

Despite what had happened between them, he assured discussions on technical and commercial matters are conducted between Sarawak Hidro and SEB on continuous basis.

SEB is Sarawak government-owned energy company, while Sarawak Hidro is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Incorporated Malaysia under the federal government which owns, operates and manages Bakun.

The June 27 blackout which started during evening peak hours plunged most of Sarawak into darkness for several hours, and in some places until the next morning.

The business community were the worst affected by it as operations had to be shutdown.

Awang Tengah had also said the blackout had affected public confidence on SEB.-theborneopost

Eliminating black spots on Sarawak's Pan-Borneo trunk road a priority: Fadillah

KUCHING: Eliminating black spots or accident-prone areas on Sarawak's Pan-Borneo trunk road would be given priority to improve the safety of the road users, said Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof, here, today.

He said a substantial amount of funds had been proposed for this purpose to be included in the 2014 Budget to be tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak this October.

"The amount proposed is in accordance with the request submitted by the Sarawak government to my ministry recently," he told reporters after handing over financial aid to 27 mosques.

Fadilah said the proposal was made following a study conducted which revealed that the conditions of certain parts of the road had contributed to frequent road accidents.

"Areas where road accidents occurred more than three times at the same spot due to the road conditions are considered as black spots, and we want to rectify the problems to improve the safety of the road users."

Fadillah said despite the emphasis given to improving the road conditions, it was not a major contributing factor to accidents compared to human error or vehicle mechanism faults.

He said the emphasis came along with the plan to upgrade the whole stretch of the Pan-Borneo trunk road into a highway by 2018.

"How much work we can do on this plan will depend on how much funds we get yearly for it and definitely it will be done in stages," he added.

When met by reporters previously, Fadillah had said that the Sibu-Bintulu-Miri section of the trunk road would be upgraded first to highway standard and was expected to be completed by 2015.

The over-1,000km Pan Borneo trunk road connects Sarawak with Sabah, Brunei and Indonesia's territory of Kalimantan. -- BERNAMA

Friday 26 July 2013

Pembangkang akan bawa ‘pemain import’

SIBU: Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) akan datang bakal menyaksikan ramai ‘pemain import’ akan dibawa masuk ke negeri ini oleh parti pembangkang bagi menghadapi jentera Barisan Nasional (BN).

Pengerusi Tetap Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar berkata, ini berlaku kerana hanya Sarawak akan mengadakan pilihan raya pada masa tersebut.

Asfia yang juga speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas menyerahkan sumbangan kepada tujuh masjid dan 13 surau di Surau Darul Islam, Jalan Bandong kelmarin.

Surau Darul Islam baharu siap dibina dengan kos kira-kira RM1 juta.

Ditanya mengenai langkah bagi mengatasi kebanjiran ‘pemain import’ itu, beliau memberitahu negeri ini mempunyai undang-undang imigresennya yang tersendiri.

“Ini terpulang kepada kerajaan negeri mahu menggunakannya bagi memastikan sesiapa yang memasuki Sarawak menggunakan pas sosial tidak menyalah guna pas terbabit untuk memberi ceramah berunsur politik,” jelasnya.

Di samping itu, beliau juga yakin PBB akan terus mengekalkan rekod cemerlang pada PRN akan datang.

“Kita yakin kerana kita mempunyai barisan serta jentera yang kuat.

Bagi PBB, kita lebih kepada usaha membantu parti komponen BN yang lain,” jelasnya.

Pada PRN lepas, BN Sarawak memenangi 55 daripada 71 kerusi dengan PBB memenangi kesemua 35 kerusi yang ditandinginya.

Asfia juga memberitahu bahawa kekuatan dan sokongan terhadap BN kekal kukuh.

Terdahulu ketika berucap pada majlis itu, beliau menerangkan mengenai kepentingan bulan Ramadan kepada para hadirin.

Hadir sama pada majlis itu ialah Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Nangka Dr Annuar Rapa’ee serta yang lain. - theborneopost

Lagi tekanan kepada Presiden SUPP


SA’ATI: Chan (kiri) bersama ahli SUPP Sarikei yang lain melaungkan slogan parti secara bersama dan serentak.

SARIKEI: Seramai 200 ahli Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) Cawangan Sarikei, juga telah sebulat suara membantah tindakan dan keputusan presiden parti itu yang mahu mengambil tindakan terhadap kem Pengerusi SUPP Cawangan Sibu Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

Jurucakap kumpulan tersebut yang juga merupakan Pengerusi Majlis Daerah Sarikei (MDS) Chan Pan Chan berkata, tindakan yang mahu diambil oleh Presiden SUPP Tan Sri Peter Chin terhadap anggota kem Soon Koh bukannya suatu tindakan yang bijak untuk mengatasi kekeruhan yang berlaku.

“Pada pendapat kami, tindakan tersebut hanyalah berat sebelah.

Apa yang kami inginkan ialah kedua- dua belah pihak (kem Peter Chin dan kem Wong Soon Koh) harus mengadakan perbincangan meja bulat untuk menyelesaikan masalah yang berlaku di kedua-dua belah pihak.

“Masa ini, perkara yang paling penting ialah menyatukan semula ahli SUPP yang telah terbahagi kepada dua kelompok serta mengembalikan semula keyakinan dan perpaduan ahli agar SUPP terus menjadi satu parti yang kuat.

“Sekiranya keadaan ini tidak diatasi dengan segera ia bakal membawa kemusnahan kepada parti.

“Tindakan presiden SUPP itu boleh memburukkan lagi keadaan,” kata Chan sewaktu Majlis Makan Malam Bersama Kem Wong Soon Koh, malam kelmarin.

Majlis berkenaan telah berlangsung di salah sebuah restoran, dekat sini.

Tetamu yang hadir pada majlis tersebut ialah ahli-ahli SUPP Cawangan Sarikei yang terdiri daripada beberapa ketua masyarakat seperti tuai rumah, kaunselor, penghulu dan kapitan.

Dalam ucapannya, Chan menegaskan bahawa sekarang adalah masa untuk membina semula SUPP terutama setelah mengalami beberapa kekalahan yang teruk pada siri pilihan raya yang lepas.

“Perkara inilah yang harus kita fikirkan semula dan bukannya meneruskan perbalahan.

“Sekiranya ia tidak diatasi, kita yakin pihak yang mendapat kesan daripada pertelingkahan ini adalah rakyat dan ahli yang menjadi tulang belakang kepada parti ini,” jelas Chan lagi.-theborneopost

Ngau fires tirade at opposition over statement


GETTING INFORMATION: Ngau (seated second left) getting details on issues faced by the Penans at Selulong recently.

MIRI: Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau has refuted the opposition’s accusation that Barisan Nasional (BN) had not brought positive changes to the life of the Penans, especially those living in Ulu Baram, with regards to the recommendations in the National Taskforce Report.

On the contrary, he said, the BN government had since years ago been engaging with the Penans through dialogues or meetings “to make them understand why they must accept development.

“Lots of efforts and numerous programmes have been carried out by various government agencies to address issues highlighted not only by the taskforce committee but also issues brought up to me as their representative.”

He was referring to a statement by Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chow How that Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Rohani Karim did not tell the truth at the 7th Meeting of the Asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children in Kuala Lumpur.

“I did not read the taskforce report but I’m sure the government took it seriously and at times may have to adjust to suit the local environment.

“It is a continuous effort and involves many parties including pro-government non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and even private companies operating in the area,” he said yesterday.

Regarding the sexual assault and exploitation of young Penan women and girls highlighted by See, he said even as the people’s representative travelling all over Ulu Baram, Apoh and Tutoh regions where Penans live, he did not receive a single complaint on the matter.

“The Penans that I met and asked even denied such thing occurred. They are not happy that certain quarters are picking up issues on the Penans and unfairly accusing the government of being uncaring towards them.”

The Penans, he said, are thankful to the government and its representatives because they are the ones that really care and provide services needed by them.

He also scoffed at See for saying that the Penans in Middle Baram have to rely solely on a single truck that was purchased and given to them by the Selangor and Penang state governments.

“This is absolutely nonsense and pure lies. It goes to show how naive the opposition is and don’t really know what is happening on the ground.

“They might have got information from one or two of their supporters on the ground.

“To put it sarcastically, what is that single truck compared to the millions of ringgit spent by the government so that all these Penan children are properly educated.

“Penan settlements are scattered all over Baram and quite a distance from one another. How on earth can a single truck provide transport for all Penan children all over Baram, for example those at Ba Balau, Ulu Tutoh and Penan kids of Long Beruang, Ulu Baram?”

On the accusation that no additional effort had been made to improve health service, he explained that it is regularly provided by the Health Department through the flying doctor service.

In addition, he said, the timber companies provide regular free transport for Penans to go to the nearest rural clinics like at Long Bedian, Long Seridan and Long Kevok.

He also said the state government will build a new Penan service centre at Long Latie, Apoh.

Touching on national registration, he pointed out that most Penans now possess birth certificates and identity cards through the National Registration Department’s regular mobile service.

Regarding pre-school classes, the government, he said, is promoting Kemas kindergarten to every settlement and longhouse but unfortunately certain irresponsible quarters had instigated the rural folks not to accept the kindergartens as they claim that Kemas is a government tool to spread Islamic teaching.

He also said Rohani is very aware on what is happening on the ground because she regularly receives first-hand information both from him and the member of parliament for the area.

“The opposition must stop accusing the government of not doing anything for the Penans. Just highlighting the Penans is not fair to the Kayans, Kelabits, Kenyahs, Sabans and others who equally need government attention.

“I can’t help but conclude that the opposition is only interested and trying to score political mileage by continuously highlighting all issues with the Penan community.”-theborneopost

Thursday 25 July 2013

Dua ahli Parlimen dan lima lagi didakwa anjur, sertai perhimpunan ‘Blackout 505’

KUALA LUMPUR: Dua ahli Parlimen, seorang pelajar Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) dan empat lagi didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen berhubung perhimpunan ‘Blackout 505’, bulan le-pas.

Kesemua mereka me-ngaku tidak bersalah selepas pertuduhan dibacakan di depan Hakim Mat Ghani Abdullah.

Bagi pertuduhan utama, ahli Parlimen Seremban Anthony Loke Siew Fook, 36, ahli Parlimen Pandan Mohd Rafizi Ramli, 36, dan sekretariat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Muhammad Adib Ishar, 24, didakwa bersama-sama seorang lagi yang masih bebas menganjurkan perhimpunan tanpa mematuhi syarat Ketua Polis Dang Wangi ACP Zainuddin Ahmad iaitu memperoleh persetujuan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) untuk menggunakan Padang Merbok.

Mereka didakwa melakukan kesalahan itu di Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen di sini antara jam 2 dan 6 petang pada 22 Jun lepas mengikut Seksyen 15(3) Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012 yang membawa hukuman maksimum denda RM10,000 jika sabit ke-salahan.

Bagi pertuduhan pilihan, sebagai penganjur mereka didakwa gagal menyertakan salinan persetujuan DBKL bertarikh 12 Jun 2013, 10 hari sebelum perhimpunan diadakan kepada Zainuddin.

Mereka didakwa me-ngikut Seksyen 9(1) Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012 dan boleh dihukum mengikut Seksyen 9(5) akta sama yang membawa hukuman maksimum denda RM10,000 jika sabit ke-salahan.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Kalmizah Salleh menawarkan jaminan RM5,000 dengan seorang penjamin, bagaimanapun peguam Thomas Su, yang mewa-kili Loke, memohon bon peribadi dengan mengambil kira perkhidmatan anak guamnya sebagai ahli Parlimen Seremban serta anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri Chennah, Negeri Sembilan.

Peguam N.Surendran, yang mewakili Mohd Rafizi dan Muhammad Adib, turut memohon mahkamah mengenakan bon jaminan peribadi terhadap anak guamnya kerana ini merupakan kes saman.

Beliau juga berkata pertuduhan ke atas anak guam-nya adalah tidak berasas kerana perhimpunan itu diadakan secara aman serta tidak berlaku sebarang kekecohan.

“Selain itu, ia turut bercanggah dengan fasal 10 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang mana menghalang rakyat untuk berhimpun dengan aman,” katanya.

Kalmizah pula berhujah jaminan yang ditawarkan adalah munasabah bagi memastikan kehadiran mereka di mahkamah.

Hakim Mat Ghani kemudian membenarkan mereka masing-masing diikat jamin dengan bon peribadi RM3,000 tanpa cagaran.

Empat lagi yang didakwa ialah Adam Adli Abd Halim, 25, pengerusi Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) Muhammad Safuan Anang@Talib, 24, sekreteriat SMM Ekhsan Bukharee Badarul Hisham, 22, dan Presiden Persatuan Islam Universiti Malaya Mohamed Bukhari Mohamed Sufian, 23.

Mereka didakwa me-nyertai perhimpunan yang diadakan di tempat larangan iaitu dalam pekarangan Masjid Ar-Rahman Universiti Malaya antara 12 tengah hari dan jam 1.15 petang pada hari sama.

Mereka didakwa me-ngikut Seksyen 4(2)(b) Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012 dan boleh dihukum mengikut Seksyen 4(3) akta sama yang membawa hukuman denda maksimum RM20,000 jika sabit kesalahan.

Mahkamah membenarkan mereka dibebaskan dengan bon peribadi RM2,000 tanpa cagaran dan menetapkan 23 September sebagai pengurusan kes. — Bernama