Some 500 attend ‘Malaysia, Sarawak and You’ forum 

 April 8, 2018, Sunday

Wilson (left), Lo (second left), Chong (second right) and Baru (right) join the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching, Most Reverend Simon Poh (centre) for a photo call.

KUCHING: About 500 people gathered at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) yesterday to witness the ‘Malaysia, Sarawak and You’ forum which featured Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan assemblypersons as panellists.

The panellists comprised Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang from Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen from DAP and Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian from PKR.

This forum, which was the first of its kind for the Catholic Church in Sarawak, saw the panellists responding to the concerns raised by those present.

Dr Helen Ting, a political science lecturer from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Bangi, acted as the moderator.

The timing of the forum incidentally coincided with the dissolution of Parliament. The General Elections would be carried out within 60 days of Parliament’s dissolution.

The forum was organised by the Political and Social Awareness Ministry based in the Blessed Sacrament Church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching, with the objective to raise awareness, educate and generate interest among the Catholic community on national and Sarawak issues.

The panellists touched on the economy, governance and accountability, religious freedom and the rebalancing of Sarawak-Federal relation. Such education is necessary for valuable participation of citizens in the democratic process.

It is noteworthy that the Political and Social Awareness Ministry was established in response to the call from the Catholic community, while remaining neutral in partisan politics.

Its aim is to help its members engage in the Malaysian public life and contribute positively to the advancement of the country by serving the common good.

The organisers stressed the importance of respect and decorum during the forum to inculcate a mature and healthy attitude in politics among Christians.

The organisers also hoped for many future collaborations with elected representatives of different political persuasions to serve and educate the community.

Carving smiles for S’wak, Sabah 

 April 8, 2018, Sunday

Barisan Nasional manifesto promises to create more opportunities, rights for Bornean states

Najib (centre) and other Barisan Nasional leaders join the crowd to sing the BN official song during the launching of the BN manifesto for the 14th general election at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil. — Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) in its 14th general election (GE14) manifesto pledged to create more opportunities and rights to Sarawak and Sabah to ensure the two states enjoy balanced and fair development.

Most importantly, the rights of Sarawak and Sabah under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 will be realised by consensus, something the people of both states have been asking decades ago.

The manifesto titled ‘With BN for a Greater Malaysia’, which was launched by Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil here last night, also outlined plans by BN to bring Malaysia and the people to greater heights.

In the manifesto was a mechanism called ‘One Nation, One Price’ to abolish different price labeling of goods in the peninsula, Sarawak and Sabah.

The BN also pledged to provide a special fund for Sabah and Sarawak entrepreneurs.

In addition, the weapons capability of security forces stationed in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) and monitoring of land borders in Sabah and Sarawak through the Border Control Agency Malaysia (Aksem) would be enhanced.

BN pledged to build the Mukah and Lawas airports in Sarawak besides upgrading Sandakan Airport in Sabah.

In recognising the ethnic groups in the two states, BN promised to make a special allocation to train teachers and purchase instructional aids for teaching Iban and Kadazandusun language for the Iban Language Unit of Sarawak State Education Department and Kadazandusun Language Unit of Sabah State Education Department.

Additionally, BN promised to increase the number of officers that are related to Iban and Kadazandusun language services at the Ministry of Education, Sarawak State Education Department and Sabah State Education Department to ensure effective implementation, management of the two languages.

BN pledged to give a special allocation for the Kadazandusun Chair in Universiti Malaysia Sabah as well as creating special programmes and fund for native customary rights land survey, Dayak entrepreneurs and teaching of bumiputera ethnic language. It will also establish an Institute of Native and Indigenous People Studies at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Among the other pledges and promises in the BN manifesto under the thrust ‘More Smiles in Sabah and Sarawak’ are:

• Upgrading longhouses in Sarawak and water houses in Sabah
• Strengthening transportation networks and interconnectivity in Sabah and Sarawak by upgrading 12,500 kilometres of rural roads
• Continuing the water subsidy in rural Sabah
• Incorporating more historical facts and perspective from Sabah and Sarawak
• Building Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes in Tebedu, Sarawak and Kalabakan, Sabah
• Building the Trans Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP) worth RM4.3 billion
• Upgrading the Sabah railway track from Halogilat to Tenom
• Establishing three sewerage schemes in Sabah
• Building five septic sludge plants in Sarawak
• Supporting the Sarawak state government in implementing programmes under Unit for Other Religions (Unifor).  — Bernama

罗克强：避免利用宗教 影响或破坏砂政治稳定

罗克强：避免利用宗教 影响或破坏砂政治稳定

Sunday, 08 April 2018 12:06 

Published in 新闻

（本报古晋7日讯）砂人联党巴都吉当区州议员罗克强认为，砂拉越宗教组织举办政治醒觉座谈是件好事。

他形容这也展現了砂拉越领导人的开明。砂拉越人民应该好好利用类似的平台进行政治交流。

但他强调，应避免以宗教來影响及破坏砂拉越的政治稳定局面。

他今日受邀出席牧灵中心圣约瑟大礼堂，天主教圣体堂举办的“马来西亚、砂拉越与你”政治醒觉论坛后，向媒体发表谈话。

罗克强赞扬类似政治醒觉论坛的举办，倘若群众对某些课题有疑问或困惑，便可通过类似的讲座和论坛所提供的平台进行探讨。

“某些课题，对的就是对，错的就是錯。我们要的是人民合作团结，带领人民迈向对的方向。”

他形容砂拉越是多元宗教和族群的社会，因此民众应理智的心态及具责任感，以便确保类似宗教组织举办的政治醒觉活动能够成功进行，同时也更确保不会以宗教影响政治及破坏砂拉越的安宁和稳定。

500 attend forum aimed at raising Catholic community awareness of national, state issues

April 7, 2018

Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Most Reverend Father Simon Poh (fourth left) in a photo­call with the forum panellists and moderator.

KUCHING, April 7: About 500 people gathered at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) here for the “Malaysia, Sarawak and You” forum today.

According to a press release, panellists representing the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalitions were there to respond to their queries and concerns.

The panellists comprised Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS); Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang from Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP); Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen from Democratic Action Party (DAP); and Ba’ kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian and Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

The moderator of the forum was Dr Helen Ting, a political science lecturer at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Organised by the Political and Social Awareness Ministry based in the Blessed Sacrament Church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching, the forum’s objective was to raise awareness, to educate and to generate interest of the Catholic community in national and Sarawak issues.

The panellists touched on the topics of economy, governance and accountability, religious freedom and the rebalancing of Sarawak­Federal relations.
“Such education is necessary for valuable participation of citizens in the democratic process. It is noteworthy that the Political and Social Awareness Ministry was established in response to the call from the Catholic community for the Church, while remaining neutral in partisan politics,” the press statement said.

Its aim is to help its members engage in the Malaysian public life and contribute positively to the advancement of the country by serving the common good.
The organisers stressed on the importance of respect and decorum during the forum to inculcate a mature and healthy attitude in politics among Christians.

This forum was the first of its kind for the Catholic Church in Sarawak.
The organisers also hoped for many future collaborations with elected representatives of different political persuasions to serve and educate the community.

The statement also said that the forum could not have been carried out on a more suitable day in view of its coincidence with the dissolution of the Malaysian Parliament announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak just yesterday.

The General Elections must be carried out within 60 days of Parliament’s dissolution. — DayakDaily

Chief Minister launches SUPP’s Sehati Research Institute 

 April 7, 2018, Saturday

Chief Minister (6th right) with the audience during the SRI launch.

KUCHING: Sarawak is all set to have a new source of revenue.

“In October I will announce a new source of revenue for Sarawak. With that new source of revenue, things will be easier,” Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg revealed  at the launch of Sehati Research Institute (SRI) in  Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) headquarters here yesterday.

“Tan Sri Dr George Chan is smiling over there because he knows about that sales tax ordinance and what I’m going to do with that power which we have,” he said.

Abang Johari said Sarawak has to look for new sources of revenue to finance the various projects planned for the state.

He said the state has a business model to fund the projects that had been announced.

“We have our own bank, the Development Bank of Sarawak (DBOS). We have the money, but of course we must make use of the money prudently,” he said.

On another note, the Chief Minister stressed that the state government emphasises the importance of research. He said there are lots of things that Sarawakians still do not understand scientifically, including wild flowers and orchids in the state.

He believed that many of these plants possess beneficial properties which scientific research can identify. He reiterated the importance of research and wanted Sarawakians to make research part of the culture.

He said SUPP recognised the importance of research and has set up its research institute.

“SUPP wants to do research and fight Democratic Action Party (DAP) with scientific ways.

“DAP doesn’t seem to be interested in doing research and that is why they are against the proposed light rail transit (LRT),” he concluded.

Mahathir Ridicules Sabah And Sawarak Leaders As 'Greedy', Here Are Their Ministers Replies

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Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently made a statement during a public forum, ridiculing the economic state of Sabah and Sarawak, describing the natives as lazy and offending the states’ leaders by accusing them of greediness in administering the state.

During the Cabaran Ekonomi Anak Muda (Economic Challenges Of The Youth) public forum, he accused the leaders of both states of being selfish and complacent, and blamed them for the lack of infrastructure development there.

“They want to find the easy way out. If trees are being cut continuously, the forests will be gone. This is not the way for Sabah and Sarawak, they have a lot of resource and huge potential for development,” said Dr. Mahathir, as reported by FMT.

Understandably, many leaders of the two states were upset over Mahathir’s statement.

President of the Pasokmomogun Kadazandusin Murut (UPKO) society, Wildred Madius Tangau said the people of Sabah and Sarawak were just as hardworking as their compatroiots in the peninsular.

“Mahathir, you are very wrong. Sabahans and Sarawakians are survivors. It is our culture to do our best for ourselves and our families,” he said, adding that the people in Sabah and Sarawak worked just as hard as Mahathir’s ‘billionaire sons.’

“Our ethos, mentality and integrity for the state is unquestionable, especially by Mahathir who abused our resources to build ‘glamour projects’ in the peninsular,” he said, according to FMT.

Tangau claimed that Sabah and Sarawak were lagging far behind in terms of infrastructure development throughout the 22-year leadership of Dr Mahathir, while at the same time the peninsular was showered with prestigious projects such the KLCC Twin Towers, Putrajaya and Sepang Circuit.

“Adding insult to injury, Mahathir also continues to justify the need for his Project IC. He never has and never will apologise for this chapter that caused so many socio-economic problems for Sabah.

“No one in Sabah and Sarawak should place their trust in Mahathir or those who continue to associate with him. Doing so means that you agree with Mahathir calling us lazy and having a poor mentality compared to the people in Malaya.”

Another Sabahan leader, Johnny Mositun who holds the secretary-general post for the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), shared Wildred’s opinions in rebuking the former Prime Minister.

“Over the 22 years of his leadership, the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak were his men, except for the few years that PBS ruled as an opposition party.

“If they were ‘greedy’ as he claims, it was his prerogative and within his considerable executive and political powers to bring them to heel, but he never did.”

Under Mahathir’s administration, the state experienced extreme manipulation by the federal executive powers that only served to enrich federal leaders and Mahathir’s cronies.

Meanwhile, Sabah Minister of Community Development and Consumer Affairs Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid described Mahathir’s statements as a ‘political ploy.’

“The ministers in these states are being proactive in the development of local industries and infrastructure.

“Why did Mahathir claim that Sabah is undeveloped? The word ‘complacent’ will in fact incite Sabahans’ hatred towards him.

“Maybe he no longer has any idea what is happening within the Sabah state government. To me it is just another political gimmick to provoke Sabahans to reject Barisan Nasional (BN) in the state,” said Jainab, as reported by Astro Awani.

One Sarawakian minister, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah accused Mahathir of treating the Borneo states as ‘stepchildren’ throughout his leadership, prioritising the peninsular instead of developing both regions equally.

According to FMT, he noted that requests for more public facilities in the two states were denied due to unacceptable reasons.

“Requests for a good highway linking the two states, more hospitals, better schools and airports, were shot down using the unrealistic reasoning that they weren’t economically viable due to the smaller population and size of both states,” said the state’s Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports minister.

Abdul Karim was disappointed over Mahathir’s derogatory statements and said he should have remembered the contributions of Sabahans and Sarawakians, who harnessed the resources required to build his glamour projects in the first place.

-- mD

Federal government hands over Bakun HEP to Sarawak state government 

 April 5, 2018, Thursday Yunus Yusop

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Najib (second right), Abang Johari (third right) signing the plaque to signify the official handover of Bakun HEP as (from left) Masing, Uggah and Dr Rundi look on.

BAKUN: The Bakun Hydroelectric Plant (HEP) which has the capacity to generate 2400MW energy was officially handed over to the Sarawak State Government in a historical event at the plant here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who was the guest of honour during the ceremony said the decision to give Bakun HEP to Sarawak was a strategic move as it was based on a win-win situation between the state and federal governments.

“This project should be handed over to the Sarawak state government, for me it make sense to give it to the people of Sarawak because it can contribute to the development of Sarawak, the value can be maximised with the proper plans by the state government particularly in the development of SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy),” he said.

Najib said Bakun HEP is the biggest hydroelectric dam in Malaysia and the second largest concrete face rock filled dam in the world and it was the biggest ever project implemented by the government.

It is located on the Balui River of the Upper Rejang Basin, 37km upstream from Belaga town of Sarawak and the first hydroelectric plant under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy.

Its development involved the relocation of almost 10,000 people living along the banks of the Balui River.

From 1998, communities were resettled from the riverside villages and longhouses to a township with modern amenities, improved access to education and health facilities.

“I took the decision to hand over the project to the Sarawak state government and to the locals based on two perspectives.

“One, the Sarawakians have the feeling to owned and managed Bakun and it can boost the spirit among the locals,” said Najib adding that there is a huge potential for tourism sector to be further developed.

He added the project can give a huge impact to the surrounding areas if it is locally managed by the state government.

Najib said the demand for energy in Sarawak has increased from 1,000MW in 2009 to 3,500MW to-date and there is no need for the energy to be exported to Peninsular Malaysia.

He also noted that Bakun produces renewable energy and Sarawak has the lowest electricity tariff in South East Asia which is capable of attracting energy intensive industry players to invest in Sarawak.

He added that Sarawak generated about 54 per cent of electricity from its hydroelectric dams which also met the federal government’s commitment and national target to utilise the renewable energy and reduce the carbon emission.

Najib said he was informed that the next phase that the state government would embark after taking over the dam is to supply the energy to the nearby longhouses which they previously can only see the transmission lines but were not supplied by the energy from the dam.

He reiterated that the people’s interests come first in whatever projects implemented by the government.

Thus, before coming to officiate at the Bakun handover ceremony, Najib said he had approved RM76 million allocation to those affected in the resettlement by giving an extra three acres of land apart from RM9 million to build the farm road.

Najib also assured that more development allocations will be provided to the people if Barisan Nasional (BN) is given the big mandate in the coming 14th general election.

“The 22-year prime minister (Tun Mahathir Mohamad) has no commitment for the people of Sarawak, his philosophy is to strengthen his power as the prime minister, centralised everything to him not to Putrajaya.

“He is not going to change, from his previous track records he is not a friend of Sarawak as what he described that Sarawakians as lazy, greedy and slow, unlike me, Sarawak is a loyal friend to the government and the state has huge potential to be further developed,” said Najib.

He thus challenged the people of Sarawak to prove the ‘old man’ wrong by managing Bakun dam well and to develop Sarawak to greater heights.

He also called the Sarawakians to reject the candidates from the opposition parties and to give full support to BN candidates in the coming general election.

Among those present were Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Deputy chief ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and Sarawak Energy chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi.

Shoppers flock to Program Jualan Sentuhan Rakyat for cheaper goods 

 April 2, 2018, Monday

Shoppers select fresh chickens sold at one of the booths during PJSR 2018 at SUPP Batu Kitang service centre.

KUCHING: Batu Kitang constituents are benefitting from ‘Program Jualan Sentuhan Rakyat’ (PJSR) – a special sale carnival run by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.

Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian launched the programme at Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Batu Kitang service centre here yesterday, where many people had been gathering as early as 7am – waiting to grab their hands on household goods and groceries being sold much cheaper than market prices.

Thirty items were offered at super-low prices – a move meant to reduce the financial burden off the local consumers.

These items included laundry baskets, storage containers, clothes hangers and essential food items like sugar, cooking oil and flour in 1kg packs.

The PJSR is an initiative by the ministry to help consumers cope with the rising cost of living and inflation.

In Sarawak, the sale campaign kicked off on Jan 27 at three parliamentary constituencies – Lawas, Miri and Kanowit.

Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang, who is also Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman, and the council’s deputy chairman Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim were also present at the event.

Dr Sim (third left) unveils the banner on PJSR 2018 for Batu Kitang, witnessed by Lo (left), Ahmad (third right) and others.

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