Sabah: Sabahans should run national registration department

Sabah: Sabahans should run national registration department

Written by Staff Reporter

Sunday, 28 September 2008

Kota Kinabalu: Both BN component PBS and opposition PKR said the case of a Sabahan Bumiputra being downgraded to that of a Permanent Resident highlights the need for both the State NRD and Immigration to be headed by Sabahans. Parti Bersatu Sabah Chief Information officer Johnny Mositun said PBS had been calling for Sabahans to lead the two Federal agencies since they would be more familiar with problems affecting the local population. At the same time, he said PBS had been lodging so many reports to the police and Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and also included lists of dubious Identity Cards (ICs) issued to illegal immigrants via false Statutory Declarations. He said PBS is baffled that the National Registration Department could conveniently do so to a genuine citizen but not to illegal immigrants holding MyKads. "Nothing seems to be done but now we have our own citizen having her citizenship reviewed easily and judging from the news reports her plight was also taken lightly by the NRD," he said in a statement, Saturday. Mositun, who is a Deputy Speaker, was commenting on the plight of 78-year-old Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin, a Sino-Kadazan who was issued with a red IC with the status of a PR when she replaced her blue IC that she lost in a supermarket in Penampang Baru last year. It was also reported that when the woman enquired about the mix up she was asked to "apply for Malaysian citizenship", instead. This is despite a Sijil Anak Negeri (SAN or Native Certificate) issued on Dec. 5, 1963, verifying Yong's status as a Sino-Kadazan. "We find Yong's case as appalling and unacceptable. It reflects badly on the system of the NRD. To me the information given by Yong should have been sufficient for her to get her original blue IC back," said Mositun. He said if it was a case of the NRD playing by the book then "it should not be difficult for the NRD to do the same to review and revoke all the Malaysian ICs that have been issued to illegal immigrants". "We want the Government to seriously look into this and rectify the glaring weaknesses in the NRD system urgently to safeguard the interest of Sabahans better," he said. Meanwhile, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah Deputy Chairperson Christina Liew also said both these posts should be replaced by Sabahans in view of what happened. She said all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should also quit the coalition in protest over the manner in which genuine Malaysians in Sabah are being treated by the Department. Liew believed what was done to Yong smacked of a hidden agenda as it is common knowledge that illegal immigrants entering Sabah through the back door can easily acquire Malaysian citizenship via the MyKad, IMM13 or PR status through authentic or dubious channels. According to her, those illegals now in possession of the MyKad are in a privileged position such that they can secure Bumiputra status or apply for or buy NT land in Sabah. Yong revealed her predicament at a press conference called by Resource Development and Information Technology Assistant Minister, datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin on Thursday. Liew concurred with Mojuntin that there was no reasonable explanation from the JPN as to why Yong's citizenship was changed to the status of a PR. It is understood that applicants for red IC normally have to wait for 9-12 months for the outcome but in Yong's case it took merely a few months. Source: http://www.worldfutures.info/News/Latest/Sabah-Sabahans-should-run-national-registration-department.html

ISU ANCAMAN NASIONAL DAN POLITIK DI SABAH : SAYA SUARA HATI RAKYAT: Illegals and documents woes over if PKR forms govt: Chau

ISU ANCAMAN NASIONAL DAN POLITIK DI SABAH : SAYA SUARA HATI RAKYAT: Illegals and documents woes over if PKR forms govt: Chau

Have you signed yet?

Appeal to free RPK, TK and others

Press Statements

Written by CPI

Saturday, 20 September 2008 07:38

View Current Signatures - Sign the Petition To: Prime Minister of Malaysia We, citizens and friends of Malaysia from the international community, call upon Dato' Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia, to act immediately to set free Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Teresa Kok who are presently being held in detention without the right of due process under the Internal Security Act (ISA). We also call for the release of the HINDRAF Five and others presently imprisoned under the ISA. The two latest detainees - together with Tan Hoon Cheng, a newspaper reporter who was subsequently released following widespread local outrage and protests - were arrested on September 12th under the draconian ISA which permits the police to detain a person for a maximum of 60 days for investigations. Based on the outcome of the investigations, a person can be detained for two years without trial. The two-year term can be renewed indefinitely. The use of such legislation – a legacy of British colonial rule - violates the basic rights of detainees to due process and fair rule of law. We are of the opinion that there is no basis whatsoever to justify the detention of these individuals, despite the manner in which some in the government-controlled mainstream media may have painted them as threats instead of objectively reporting the facts. Raja Petra Kamaruddin is alleged to be a threat to security, peace and public order as a result of posting in his widely followed blogsite – www.Malaysia-Today – various articles deemed as seditious and belittling Islam. In his defence, it should be noted that various Islamic political parties and organizations (including the Board of Directors, Muslim Professionals Forum in their Press Release on 13 September) as well as numerous Muslim leaders have publicly refuted the Government's view that the writings of Raja Petra are in any way a threat to the nation or to Islam; and they have called for his release. Further proof that this allegation is unfounded can also be found in the decision of the Malaysian Cabinet on 12 September ordering the authorities responsible for Internet policing in the country to unblock public access to Raja Petra's website. The website currently is still unblocked and the so-called seditious and anti-national contents are publicly accessible, although Raja Petra is in detention. Targeting an internet blogger who holds views that differ from the Government is unacceptable in any system of democracy. Teresa Kok's arrest under the ISA has been justified by the authorities as stemming from her involvement in activities which can cause tension and conflict among races and religions. This allegation appears to be based on a claim by the former Selangor Menteri Besar, Dr. Khir Toyo, that she organized a petition presented to mosque officials to lower the volume of the azan (call to prayer). Teresa Kok has categorically denied organizing any such petition. Abdul Rahman Nasir, head of the Masjid Kinrara committee (the mosque in question) and Dr Siti Mariah, Member of Parliament for Kota Raja where the mosque is situated, have also denied that Teresa Kok was involved in any such happening. The unjustified arrest of a respected member of parliament and state assemblywoman is unacceptable. We are encouraged that various leaders of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition parties have recently spoken out against the use of the ISA. We wish to express our deep respect for the de facto Law Minister, Zaid Ibrahim, who has resigned in protest against the Government's use of the ISA on the three individuals. We agree with his view that "there [are] ample punitive laws to act against lawbreakers without having to invoke the ISA. [The law] should only be used on armed terrorists or those out to topple the government by force," We urge the Prime Minister to take note that the continued detention of Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Teresa Kok will only strengthen the view of Malaysians and many friends of Malaysia around the world that the Government is rapidly losing control over the political situation and, as a result, is embarking on desperate authoritarian measures. These measures can only further undermine political stability and confidence in the legitimacy of BN rule. They will also undoubtedly contribute to the increasing capital flight and worsen the growing socio-economic turmoil. The arrests of Teresa Kok and Raja Petra Kamaruddin and their detention under the ISA are not serving Malaysia's national interests. Both detainees – as well as the HINDRAF Five and other political detainees - should be released immediately and unconditionally. Sincerely, The Undersigned

Sina Kadazan - Permanent Resident

Why is that certain government departments do not improve their efficiency like Immigration Department and Road Transport Department? Are we wasting tax payers' money on salary increase for government servants?

Puteri Umno deputy chief : issue of changing the status of a Sino-Kadazan Sabahan to that of a permanent resident should not be politicised.

Puteri UMNO Deputy Chief Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the matter can be resolved as it only involves the Sabah branch of the National Registration Department (NRD).

"Of course, this should not have happened but there is still time to resolve the matter instead of politicising it," she told reporters when met at her joint Hari Raya open house with Assistant State Minister for Housing and Local Government, Datuk Gulam Khan Bahadar, at the Papar Community Hall, Thursday.

Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu (Upko) Deputy President, Datuk Wilfred Bumburing, had said last week that the party would reconsider its position in the Barisan Nasional (BN) if the matter was not rectified.

The statement was made following the NRD issuing a permanent resident identity card to local resident Yong Lee Hua, 78, who lost her identity card which stated she was a Malaysian citizen.

Several other local leaders have also voiced dissatisfaction over the manner in which the National Registration Department (NRD) had dealt with Yong's case.

Meanwhile, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah has asked the NRD to explain the apparent different "sets of rules" or "double standards" practised in Sabah in securing identification documents.

Its Deputy Chairperson, Christina Liew, said Thursday that while Sarawak NRD does not accept certification by local chiefs or village headmen that those applying for identity cards are local residents particularly from the longhouses, the Sabah NRD simply acknowledges an attestation by a village chief or a statutory declaration (in lieu of a birth certificate) for applications of the MyKad.

"Sarawak NRD insists on the applicant producing a birth certificate as proof of origin but its Sabah counterpart seems to be very lenient and accepts declarations by the Ketua Kampung even though the applicants are obviously outsiders without birth certificates.

"This is a blatant display of 'double standards' in the NRD's system. Is there a larger political agenda involved?" she queried.

Liew said, as a consequence, illegal immigrants in Sabah have taken advantage of the laxity to obtain MyKads for themselves and become automatic Malaysian citizens.

"It is no secret that many dubious voters have made their way into the electoral rolls and cast their ballots in several general elections, becoming 'kingpins' of the country's political destiny.

"By default, if they succeed in gaining entry to the State Legislative Assembly one day, it will be too late to cry over spilt milk," she pointed out.

On Tuesday, Sarawak's ruling Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Secretary-General, Dr Stephen Rundi Anak Utom, told Daily Express that the Sarawak NRD's requirement is so stringent that people in remote longhouses who do not have birth certificates cannot apply for their identity cards despite the fact that they are locals through and through.

"The department should be more lenient. But no, their response for consideration is that cold that they do not even recognise the declaration from the Penghulu or Ketua Kampung. Some of the officers are even very mean," he was quoted as saying.

- Daily Express, Sabah

Sabah Population Explosion

Sabah Population Explosion

Hantu Laut

SAPP's MP for Sepanggar Eric Mojimbun said he would reveal the details that led to Sabah population explosion.He said the population has increased by a mind-boggling 285% between 1970 to 2000.

Read more

Greetings from RPK to us

John @ Johnny Doe: Sabahan and Medical Care

John @ Johnny Doe

I wish this letter could be posted somewhere to show just how incompetent the greedy Sabahan politicians are. This letter shows their incompetence and neglect towards the people of Sabah.

Don't neglect Sabah, please

Another Doctor Sep 8, 08 5:11pm

I refer to the Malaysiakini article Kota Marudu needs more than wireless Internet

I read Dr Hams letter and cannot help but agree with many of his observations. I worked in Sabah for over seven years as a house officer and medical officer. After my housemanship, I was sent to Ranau to serve in the district hospital. What Dr Hams described in Kota Marudu is not something isolated to that district alone in Sabah. It is an often repeated story in the whole of Sabah.

My first introduction to the poverty in Sabah came during my first months there, when a sweet 70- year-old lady from Kota Marudu was sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with deep jaundice. She lived alone in a small village off Kota Marudu and noticed the jaundice about a month before.

She had no money for the taxi fare and so waited a month to sell off her chickens to have enough money to pay RM50 for the transport to Kota Marudu Hospital. She had to walk two miles to get to the road to get to the taxi.

Having been born, bred and educated in Peninsular Malaysia, I was shocked. When she arrived, she was septic and had a gallstone lodged in her common bile duct. The stone was duly removed but she was found to have a heart problem that required a pacemaker. We arranged for her to get a permanent pacemaker but she refused.

When I pressed her for her reason, she told me that she couldn't afford to buy batteries for the pacemaker, having sold off her chickens. Once I explained to her that the batteries would last for years and we would provide them, she agreed to the pacemaker.

Ranau town itself has roads and is on the main highway between Sandakan and Kota
Kinabalu. It developed primarily as a result of the Mamut Copper Mines in the district. However, highway in this context means a two-lane road with frequent landslides and potholes, with a two-hour drive to Kota Kinabalu.

Outside Ranau, transportation becomes a problem as tarred roads disappear to become gravel or crudely marked logging trails. Anyone who has worked in Sabah would have the same stories to tell, of extreme poverty and poor transportation.
During my 2 years in Ranau, I've heard and seen it all, patients with cerebral malaria, a condition unheard of in Peninsular Malaysia, coming in after 48 hours to the hospital from places like Kaingaran and Karagasan, with relatives having to push the 'pirate taxi' through the mud, spending RM50 on fare during the monsoon season, the equivalent of 2 months income, this too when petrol was only around RM1.20 a litre in Ranau.

Patients having to delay treatment for life threatening conditions because a bridge washed away along the trail (I won't even call it a road) to Tambunan. Emergency surgery such as caesarian sections, appendectomies and even ectopic pregnancies had to be performed in our little district hospitals by Medical Officers with little more than 4 months housemanship experience.

Medical emergencies such as myocardial infarctions, which in Peninsular Malaysia would be managed in a Coronary Care Unit setting, had to be managed in the district hospital level. I'm grateful however, that my staff in that hospital were the best I've ever had the pleasure of working with and were dedicated enough to want to make a difference in their patients' lives.

But poor transportation does not only affect the access to healthcare. Having no roads to be able to transport their agricultural produce for sale means that these people are stuck in a never ending cycle of poverty.

At most, some of them get RM20 to RM50 by selling their produce to middlemen to be sold at the monthly tamu or market at prices that are perhaps only 10 percent of the value of the goods. These innocent people are also preyed upon by traveling cloth merchants, mostly foreigners, who offer them 'easy payment schemes' to buy cloth for clothes, and when they cannot pay for the cloth and the interest accumulates, they end up having to marry their daughters to these men, who often have wives back home in Pakistan.

One of the cases I could never forget was of the family who came to Ranau Hospital just as I was leaving, a family who had failed crops, were hungry and unable to get food. The father collected some toad eggs and fed them to the whole family in a desperate attempt to stave off hunger. When they arrived at our little emergency room, one of the children were dead and two passed away within 10 minutes of arrival in our casualty unit due to poisoning.

Education is a problem in parts of Sabah outside major towns like Kota Kinabalu at the moment. Many children would be lucky to be able to get to a school or even afford to get to one. Most of my patients outside Ranau were lucky to even have a primary school education and a vast number of women marry in their teens.

I've had 14 year olds delivering babies in Ranau, most of them have never ever stepped foot in a school. The education level is so poor that many women feed their children condensed milk thinking that it's better than breast milk.


But at the heart of it all, these mothers want the best for their children but are not empowered with the knowledge to help them. Major towns in Sabah have electricity courtesy of the Sabah Electricity Board, but smaller villages have either diesel generators or rely on candles or lamps when night falls.

How can children study in these conditions? Like many doctors in the districts, I had to learn Dusun to communicate better with these patients who could speak little else.
Forty five years after the formation of Malaysia, the promise of a better life for these poor Dusun, Murut and Rungus patients in the districts of Sabah is a pipe dream at best. How can our politicians claim to have brought development to the state and have neglected these poor people, many of whom still wear the cheap t-shirts and caps given free by political parties from many elections ago.

How can I claim to be proud of Putrajaya with it's beautiful bridges and lamp posts and the Petronas twin Towers when our fellow Malaysians in Sabah are so neglected?
The cycle of poverty and illiteracy one sees in the districts in Sabah brings despair to the heart. Eradication of poverty must tackle the real issues of education and transport and not just handouts to poor people.

By all means, declare Sept 16th a public holiday, but remember it in it's real context, where we made a promise to our brethren in Sabah and Sarawak to treat them as equals in Malaysia, and give them the development they've been long denied.

Posted by MarGeeMa
Source: http://margeemar.blogspot.com/2008/09/sabah-politicians-are-incompetent.html

Aki Momogun: A SOPO Blogger from Sabah

Joseph Bingkasan

http://akimomogun.blogspot.com/

Listing latest matters of interest to the people of The Land Below The Wind - Sabah, who together with Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963. (Singapore left Malaysia on Aug 7, 1965).

Blogger since June 2007. A semi-retired journalist that had the opportunities to work with local and national publications. A former News Editor of the New Straits Times and was also the paper's news correspondent based in London, five years in Kuching (as News Editor for Sabah and Sarawak before moving to Kuala Lumpur on the same post). Before joining New Straits Times (1987 - 2004), was attached with Sabah-based Daily Express and Sabah Times. Presently living in Kota Kinabalu.

Aki Momogun: A SOPO Blogger from Sabah

Aki Momogun

Listing latest matters of interest to the people of The Land Below The Wind - Sabah, who together with Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963. (Singapore left Malaysia on Aug 7, 1965)

Blogger since June 2007. A semi-retired journalist that had the opportunities to work with local and national publications. A former News Editor of the New Straits Times and was also the paper's news correspondent based in London, five years in Kuching (as News Editor for Sabah and Sarawak before moving to Kuala Lumpur on the same post). Before joining New Straits Times (1987 - 2004), was attached with Sabah-based Daily Express and Sabah Times. Presently living in Kota Kinabalu.

Source: http://akimomogun.blogspot.com/

Illegal Immigrants in Sabah

Majimbun: I have the proof

Sabah Propgressive Party (SAPP) deputy president and Member of Parliament for Sepanggar Datuk Eric Majimbun (pix) says he has the proof to show that foreigners/illegal immigrants who came to Sabah through the `backdoor' had been issued with MyKad making them citizen of this country.

"I have the evidence of illegal issuance of MyKads to foreigners in Sabah," he said Thursday.

Asked for the proof, the former Kota Kinabalu City Native Court's chief judge said he would only reveal everything during a Press conference in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday.

"My figures will also include those people who were not born in Sabah but have become citizens of this country," he said.

Majimbun said he had to make the revelation as it is connected to the explosion of the Sabah's population which had increased by 285 per cent between 1970 and 2000.

Source: http://akimomogun.blogspot.com/

Linkin Park - What I've Done (Malaysian version)

What Have I Done? A song by Linkin Park. WE have suffered much in this administration. Read more the suffering of Sabahan people in rural areas.

Why are we so rich (in resource) yet so poor (in living standard)? What went wrong?




Original Lyrics

What I've Done Lyrics Artist(Band):Linkin Park Review The Song (51) Print the Lyrics Send "What I've Done" Ringtones to Cell Phone In this farewell There's no blood There's no alibi Cause I've drawn regret From the truth Of a thousand lies So let mercy come And wash away What I've done I'll face myself To cross out what I've become Erase myself And let go of what I've done Put to rest What you thought of me While I clean this slate With the hands Of uncertainty So let mercy come And wash away What I've done I'll face myself To cross out what I've become Erase myself And let go of what I've done For what I've done I'll start again And whatever pain may come Today this ends I'm forgiving what I've done I'll face myself To cross out what I've become Erase myself And let go of what I've done What I've done Forgiving what I've done

Meet the family of ISA victims on 3rd Oct 2008

See you all at the anti-ISA rally tomorrow

Open letter to the politicians who have pledged to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat by Farida

Open letter to the politicians who have pledged to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat

October 2, 2008

By Farida Jivamalar Ibrahim

Dear Yang Berkhidmats,

I have absolutely no idea who you are but you are there, your names etched in Anwar Ibrahim’s memory, and because he has given you his word, there they will remain until you throw aside fear and step out of the shadows into the sunlight of service above self.

As I write this, it is almost noon on the first day of the festivities, 1st October 2008. I can only imagine all of you mingling with the dignitaries and VIPs at PWTC, among them ambassadors and high commissioners of other countries.

I can be sure the rendang tasted good, the kuih-muih were mouth-watering and the air bandung was rich. I wonder whether you spared a thought for the 64 detainees languishing in Kamunting, served food that caused RPK to vomit and also gave him diarrhoea.

I wonder too, even as you greeted the PM and other politicians, whether you felt a twinge of guilt because you intended but have changed your mind / still intend to cross over, and so you feel dishonest wishing them well and enjoying the camaraderie.

Perhaps those of you still intent on leaving BN felt nervous because these others will condemn you as traitors and hypocrites for behaving so well at Raya but all the time knowing you are leaving.

Most of all, I wonder whether my Anak Bangsa Malaysia brothers and sisters who are there on my behalf and that of countless others are okay.

They have turned up because they are committed to dismantling the ISA, made treacherous by BN. They have turned up at the PWTC because every appeal we have made to the PM and your other comrades has fallen on deaf ears and hardened hearts. The more the cries for justice, the more people fighting for truth and justice are harrassed, warned and arrested!

I wonder if the presence of my brothers and sisters in black, red, orange, etc. with significant words emblazoned on their T-shirts caused pride and admiration to swell up in your hearts because they are so very brave.

Or were you embarrassed because the foreign dignitaries were around? Or were you ashamed because you have the power but failed to do something, choosing instead to watch the iron hand of your masters crash down on ordinary people?

Do you have a friend, a relative who went through incarceration? Are you aware what it is like not only for them but also their families and other loved ones?

There is the waiting and waiting to see once again a much-loved face.

There is the long-drawn silence and the utter, utter loneliness of a never-ending night.

There is that bewildering, loveless state that comes from deprivation of touch, warmth and human embrace.

There are the struggling attempts to stave off the cruel methodology practised by authorities to break the human spirit.

There is the wasting away of the body.

But worst of all, worst of all is that terrible dying of the self, that inner turmoil of a suffering soul when visits of loved ones are deliberately curtailed, when the lies relentlessly fed by authorities are slowly accepted and internalized, when hope gives way to disillusionment, despair and the belief that tomorrow has absolutely nothing to offer and so it is better to just lie down and die.

Raja Petra Kamarudin knows this so well.

He had experienced before what the human spirit can and cannot endure. And that is why he said in all seriousness, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

YBs, his message is not just for MT readers like me. It is not just for Anak Bangsa Malaysia and our society at large. It is for you, too.

Please take that message seriously.

I know you have your own reasons for holding back but I ask you to search your hearts and your conscience.

Ask yourselves whether there is justice in this land.

Ask yourselves whether BN is a people’s government or a government that oppresses its own people.

Ask yourselves where BN will take this country to in the next one year, the next six months.

The way it is going – allowing the Ahmad Ismails, the Molotov-cocktail culprit and other law-breaking individuals to go free but incarcerating RPK, Hindraf and others who speak up for a better Malaysia – it is clear we have little hope for better change.

Ask yourselves how you can get this regime to repent and make good and go beyond paying lip-service to the tenet of ‘Maaf Zahir dan Batin’.

Ask yourselves, if it was your father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, offspring, relative or friend, would you not be outraged that the fairness of a trial is denied them?

If you are honest with yourselves, you would have to say without a shadow of a doubt that BN has already brought Malaysia to the edge of a precipice and it will take very, very little to push this country over and into the abyss of final destruction below.

YBs, never again may we have the chance to escape the dictatorship of the unjust.

Never again may we be able to wrest this country away from the stranglehold of the corrupt, the bigoted, the self-serving, the wicked and the ones whose hearts have turned to stone.

Never again may we be able to protect ourselves from those who seek revenge but not righteousness, who take so much for themselves but serve little.

None of us has any right to let this situation continue. We have a responsibility to our children and children’s children to hand over to them a nation whose government will not divide and rule, will not pollute minds and destroy identities, and will not reduce people to helpless individuals who think they can do nothing without government help.

It is an insult to Anak Bangsa Malaysia of Malay origin to say they are never able to catch up with the others. They can. It is an insult to Malays to tell them they need crutches perpetually. They don’t.

UMNO has not given them that chance to prove themselves and never will because staying in power means having to deceive the Malays into thinking they need UMNO forever to survive.

Buying into BN propaganda and believing the MSM lies have been detrimental. What Malays and all others need is an untainted education that teaches values, that teaches an abiding respect and acceptance of one another in a land that has so much to offer but whose future is being hijacked.

Truly, YBs, the ball is in your court.

None of us can get you to come out of the shadows. Not Anwar. Not Pakatan Rakyat. Not RPK. Not Marina. Not Hindraf . Not any of the bloggers. And not civil society. No, not even God for God doesn’t use force but gives all men free will.

It is not betrayal to cross over for your very own party has betrayed the cause for which you entered politics.

Your party has betrayed the trust and goodwill of the people of Malaysia. Billions that belong to the rakyat have gone astray. The rights of indigenous people have been whittled away. Corporations have siphoned off the land of the poor.

How did it come about that so much of Malaysia belongs to so few?

It has taken me a long while to come to this position of accepting crossovers because all along I have decried such moves as acts of convenience without consultation and the consent of constituents.

But I realise now that if the motive is right and noble, not for self but for society, a responsible constituency should stand by you and forgive that you acted first and asked for consent later.

YBs, I appeal to that finest part of you. Let your highest thoughts, your noblest efforts be to uphold justice and for the betterment of all Malaysians.

The abolishing of the ISA and the release of RPK and 63 other detainees - this has become the pivotal point at this moment in our history.

This nation will either go down because the detainees are in OR this nation will rise up because the detainees are out.

For us to have the one and not the other, we have to have you on our side now.

So YBs, please, step forward and show yourselves.

Cross over for the release of the detainees. Cross over so that sanity and sanctity will return again to Parliament, so that the Federal Constitution will regain its rightful position, and so that we shall live in peace again.

Posted by The People Parlimen, Haris Ibrahim

http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/open-letter-to-the-politicians-who-have-pledged-to-cross-over-to-pakatan-rakyat/

Jeffrey: New PM, New System soon, NOT New PM, Old System

Jeffrey: New PM, New System soon, NOT New PM, Old System

by Joe Fernandez @ Fernz

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi has denied it and so has Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim: there are no talks taking place between Umno, the ruling party, and Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition alliance, on a transfer of power soon

However, second level leaders on both sides tell a different story. Informal talks have apparently begun, says PKR Sabah Chief Datuk Dr Jeffrey Gimpoi Kitingan. “A new government with a new prime minister will become a reality soon rather than a new leader under the old system,” adds Jeffrey. “Anwar and Abdullah may benefit from a compromise rather than prolonging the political suspense that could tear the nation apart if left unresolved.”

Jeffrey, a vice president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, cites several reasons for his cautious optimism over an emerging new political scenario in the country:

(1) Badawi is under great pressure to hand over the leadership of Umno and the premiership to his deputy, Najib, before the month-long Umno divisional elections begin on Thurs 9 Oct this year;

(2) Badawi’s supporters are unwilling to accept the “transfer power now” demand, saying that the Prime Minister and his deputy have a deal for the power transition to take place by 2010; and

(3) Tengku Razaleigh is also coming into the picture in December to challenge the Umno president.

“Given the pressures, Badawi has no choice but make peace with Anwar for a compromise,” said Jeffrey. “After all, the latter was a deputy president of Umno and heir apparent before Badawi became the Prime Minister.”

The Sabah PKR chief thinks that “what is needed now is the consent of the Yang Di Pertuan Agong. Anwar already has the numbers.” “Rather than allow the situation to worsen by waiting for the big Umno leadership challenge in December and an uncertain future, the Agong may chose to save the nation from all the potential troubles,” said Jeffrey. “He can allow the new government to take over under the leadership of Anwar whose stewardship may be more clear-cut and certain.”

Jeffrey is the second PKR leader to mention talks between the Anwar and Badawi camps. Tian Chua, PKR information chief, said yesterday (Tues) that the opposition has opened talks with the government via a third party. “We managed to break through in some discussions through a third party and soon direct negotiations will happen between Abdullah and Anwar,” he said.

. “We have a problem here because we have the numbers but we can’t move while Parliament is in recess,” Anwar has been quoted as saying in an interview with London’s Daily Telegraph.

In Kuching, Barisan Nasional MPs think that “the question of Badawi staying on until mid-2010 does not arise if Anwar has the numbers. That’s the main point. This can be demonstrated when parliament re-convenes after the Hari Raya holidays. The Prime Minister cannot choose to delay re-convening Parliament indefinitely.”

A group of MPs polled think that Umno warlords want Badawi to quit now and allow for a new Prime Minister from the party to take over so that Anwar plan’s to seize the reins of the Federal Government would fall through. “They think there won’t be a no confidence motion against a new Prime Minister from Umno. That’s why they have threatened Badawi that he will not get enough nominations once the Umno divisional elections begin on Oct 9,” said a political secretary to Sarawak Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Source: http://malaysiannewsnetwork.com/?p=5179

They did it for RPK and the rest

Read more here:
http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/hartal-isa-at-pwtc-where-theres-a-will-theres-a-way/

From Rocky Bru

All Blooger Night 100 Days - RPK

I got these pictures from someone. I would like to share it with you.

Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan of PKR Claims 13 MPs From Sabah Ready To Join PR

The date is not important! 916, 1016 or 2009 916. The cross over will happen anytime now. Let;s wait and see.

Tham quits as Science adviser and SAPP member

Tham quits as Science adviser and SAPP मेंबर

24 September, 2008

Penampang: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) was dealt a major blow when one of its founding members, Datuk Tham Nyip Shen, announced his resignation from the party, Tuesday.

Tham, who cited disagreement with the party's decision to leave the Barisan Nasional as the reason, has also resigned as Science Adviser to the State Government, which carries Ministerial status. He told a press conference he tendered his resignations on Sept. 18, a day after SAPP, which he helped found in 1994, announced its withdrawal from the coalition.

"Because of this development, I must say that the consequence of the party leaving the BN also brought me out of BN by default। (So) it is a very sad day for me to make this public announcement that I am leaving the party that I was partly responsible in forming," he said.

Tham, who said he was leaving SAPP with a heavy heart, pointed out that it has always been his principle to make use of the Government as a platform to serve the people, explaining this was the basis for his leaving the then opposition Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in 1994.

Towards this end he said while his relationship with SAPP President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee remained cordial, the party's decision to ditch the BN was not something he could readily accept.

To end up in the opposition especially after winning on a government ticket in the election, is something he would never subscribe to, he added. He said being in the opposition was pointless because "(in the opposition) you just make a lot of noise."

But being party-less does not make him an opposition or anti-BN, he said, describing himself as staunchly pro-government. He has not made any decision yet on his immediate plans. However, he did not discount the possibility of joining a non-governmental organisation or business sector where he could play his role in helping the people and the nation.

"But for the time being, I will remain low profile (and) I believe as an independent in a sense, I still can speak up and do whatever to help the people," he said.

On talks about him and others who have left SAPP forming a new party, Tham said he has had enough of setting up political parties.

He also shot down speculations of joining Gerakan, MCA or the DAP, adding that he had not received any invitation from these political parties.

On political developments in the country, Tham said that there was no reason why the BN should not be allowed to continue governing the State and the country.

By Western standards, he said he BN had won by a landslide during the March general elections.

He also had kind words for his former boss, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman who he said has done a good job of running the State.

"Out of the 10 years I was in the State Cabinet, most of the time the State's coffers were either very low or there was no money.

"But after Musa assumed the leadership, there is more than RM2 billion in the coffers," he said, adding that the present State Government has no outstanding payment to any contractor.

On his future in Sabah politics, Tham said while he felt politics play an integral part in his life, there are many younger politicians, thus leaving him with very little "space' in the State's politics.

On his former colleague, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, he said that he had not been in touch with him.

He said that the government of the day could make use of anybody to be a Cabinet Minister even though they are in the "opposition".

"They still can appoint you if they think you are useful," he said.

So, there is nothing out of the ordinary about the government continuing to consider Tan as Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development, he said.

However, he said he would be meeting him and Elopura Assemblyman Au Kam Wah soon to discuss their next course of action.

Nutgraph: A third force in Malaysian politics?

A third force in Malaysian politics?

22 Sep 08 : 9.00AM

By Sim Kwang Yang

THE departure of the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in recent days could have impregnated our body politic with far-reaching consequences, even if top BN leaders have brushed the incident aside as something they long expected to happen.

With only two Members of Parliament (MP) and four state assemblypersons, the SAPP may be regarded as a “mosquito” party. But it has played a critical role in Sabah’s complex state politics, ensuring thus far the continued grip on state power by the Sabah BN.

Yong Teck LeeThe president of the SAPP, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, is a particularly respected political leader in Sabah, especially among the Chinese community. To date, he is probably the most articulate spokesperson on the neglect of Sabahan woes by the federal government in the last few decades.

His insistence that the SAPP leave the BN, on the principle that prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has failed to fulfil his promise of solving the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah, is bound to strike a sympathetic chord among the multiracial population of the Land Below the Wind.

That the SAPP has chosen not to join Pakatan Rakyat is interesting.

While the parliamentary opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim continues to mesmerise and baffle Malaysians with talk of a regime change in Kuala Lumpur through mass defections of BN MPs to the Pakatan Rakyat, that process is mired in a sea of technical problems. The laws and parliamentary conventions simply do not have a clear-cut precedent for such a procedure.

With such uncertainties hanging over that possibility, the SAPP people are simply keeping their options open in these very muddied times. Perhaps they see no immediate advantage in joining the Pakatan Rakyat immediately.

After all, Sabah politics is a unique universe unto itself. What has worked so well for the Pakatan Rakyat in Peninsula Malaysia may not work at all in Sabah. Like Sarawakians, Sabahans are much more passionate about their state problems than national politics. In that sense, Sabah politics is localised, and this is an attitude often described by peninsular counterparts as “parochial”.

Lost confidence

(© Sam LeVan / sxc.hu)The departure of SAPP must have inflicted deep wounds within the BN coalition in Sabah. Whether their bold move will trigger a domino effect of successive departures of other component parties in the state and national levels of the BN is unclear. Nobody in Malaysia nowadays dares to claim to be a prophet, with dramatic and unimaginable developments unfolding before our eyes daily.

What is certain is that the SAPP may not be the only component party that has lost confidence in the concept of the BN.

After the 8 March political tsunami, the MCA and Gerakan have been grumbling about how they had become victims of Umno’s racial posturing throughout the years. Many of the leaders of MCA and Gerakan, at various party levels, have attributed their electoral demise to the voters’ disenchantment about Chinese representation in government.

In the case of Gerakan, they have been wiped out of their power base in Penang. In recent months, there has been a lively debate in the Chinese press on whether the party should quit the BN. There have been calls for leaders and members to revive the original spirit of Gerakan’s multiracialism as envisaged by their founding members in the 1960s.

In this soul-searching exercise, some Gerakan leaders have proposed that the party need not join Pakatan Rakyat upon departure from the ruling coalition. The born-again party can seek alliance with like minded Malaysians to constitute a third force in Malaysian politics.

The SAPP could very well be kick-starting that third-force alliance outside the two dominant coalitions, the BN and the Pakatan Rakyat.

Pros and cons of a two-party system

With this talk of Pakatan Rakyat emerging as the government-in-waiting of Malaysia, commentators extol the virtue of a two-party system to replace the old virtual one-party state. Less discussed are the pros and cons of a two-party system as opposed to a multiparty system, as is the case in Germany, Israel, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom.

A multi-coalition system is still something to be explored, and may not come to pass in the end. But the prospect nonetheless presents some very interesting possibilities.

(© Diego Medrano / sxc.hu)For one thing, small parties within all the three coalitions could play the king-maker role in determining who shall hold the reigns of power. This will be to the great advantage of many small political parties in Sabah and Sarawak. No small political party will ever be a mere “mosquito” party anymore.

Furthermore, the emergence of a third force will also decentralise further the monopoly of power at the centre.

Let us suppose that this third force joins hands with a victorious Pakatan Rakyat in a future election to form a new government. If the new Pakatan Rakyat government turns out to be as repressive as the old BN, then there is no reason why this third force cannot use that leverage to check and balance the new political masters. Their most effective weapon is to threaten to join forces with the old BN again!

Then, political narratives will be much more diversified and hopefully much more dynamic than at present. A multi-coalition political system would then be good for the progression of healthy democratic culture in Malaysia.

I am getting ahead of myself, of course. It all goes to show that all sorts of vibrant possibilities have surfaced only after the 8 March general election.

Whatever our uncertainties at the confusing turn of events, we at least have ample evidence that Malaysians are increasingly alienated by the divisive communal politics of the past, and that we cannot accept on faith alone the kind of soft totalitarian patriarchal politics that has dominated our country for half a century.

There is still hope for Malaysia yet!

Source: http://www.thenutgraph.com/a-third-force-in-malaysian-politics

Red Alert in Sandakan!

Coal Powered Plants in Sandakan?

I read an article published by Nathaniel Tan in his blog Jelas.info about a coal
powered plants in Sandakan. Please read the following letter and support
the petition.

A letter from Sandakan.

From KL to Sandakan on Air-Asia is a fast 2 plus hours and one is
ready to enjoy friendly hospitality, fresh-seafood and the embrace of
mother nature. On our MAS, Malaysia’s National Carrier it takes a bit
longer - 2 hops and almost a day. Besides seafood, Sandakan is also
well known to Westerners as the sanctuary for Oran Utan, Proboscis
monkeys and endangered Turtles (on Turtle Island). To Australians,
Sandakan is known for her War Memorial dedicated to our Aussie heroes
marched to their death in WW2. To be fair, Sandakan was also captured
in a less known Japanese “B” movie of the same name. She is also home
to the famous American writer Agnes Keith who once lived here with her
family and was inspired to write of her experiences about the Land
under the wind. Her house now stands as a tourist attraction
show-casing how the whites lived in paradise as it was then (after the
Government spend millions fixing the old home at the hill top). Even
books were written about the non-white inhabitants - The Towkays of
Sabah - better known for clan rivalry to exploiting timber trade.
Setting aside its historical moments, Sandakan always stood as a
refuge for us who have made it our home since grandpa’s time, all
stood proud when she was crowned with the Title - Nature City, a first
in Malaysia.

In early 2008, Sandakan woke up to the prospect of hosting a 300 MW
Coal powered plant at her door-steps, courtesy of the Government and
the Sabah Electricity S/B (subsidiary of Tenaga Bhd).This Coal powered
plant was earlier rejected by Lahad Datu (a nearby town) because it
might endanger or damage Meliau Basin and its prehistoric flora/fauna.
If the Government have their way with Sabah Electricity, they will put
a 300 MW Coal powered plant in Sandakan and more specifically (though
unconfirmed) in the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) which is
situated a stone throw from two housing estates (towards north) and to
the forest reserves for Oran Utan (towards west). Sandakan town sits a
close 14 km to the east.

Interestingly this throws up TWO questions which are why COAL and WHY
in Sandakan? What did Sandakan do or did not do to deserve this ? No
responses from the relevant authorities to date to answer the call for
Coal or Sandakan or both. In fact the only response from them (Sabah
Electricity S/B) is a rhetorical reply asking the public to present
other viable alternatives to their liking if this Coal powered plant
is to be questioned. Great, this already tells volume of the EIA
report which by the way is not even ready. For the uninitiated, Coal
powered plants are well studied and well known to be the least
favorable option of all the alternatives even with the soaring costs
of other alternatives. For example SierrraClub provides a link to show
how bad it is http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/ and that is only the
surface. With information at our finger tips, our leaders must think
we are slow or unassuming and we so easily cowed by their
irresponsiveness, as a sign of their strength or ignorance ?

Be that as it may, Sabah (the State) in fact has voluminous off shore
gas (if they had not already pre-sold to the Japanese by Petronas-
since no one is saying) and this should be considered the better
alternative requires little mental effort. In fact, a combination of
gas, biodiesel, solar (being in the tropics) and biomass should be
considered given Sandakan is the uncrown palm oil capital of Malaysia.
Anyone with some common sense could see Coal is not the answer to
problematic electricity problem. In fact, this was the first excuse
the Sabah Electricity S/B gave to pacify the population. It is no
secret that the main issue with blackouts in Sandakan has to do with
maintenance and the lack of it, as stated by a former Minister who was
also a former employee. It is often that after a heavy downpour the
electricity goes out because some trees fell and tripped the lines.
There are unconfirmed rumors that equipment used in the current power
plant are reconditioned from other states which may partially explain
its dire state. After all, Sandakan is still the record holder with
the most blackouts in Malaysia but we don’t really mind given the
alternative. Dinner by candle lights ? Blackouts give more quality
time with family watching fireflies instead of TV or playing computer
games. Some tourists that I know were delighted because they had not
experienced a blackout before. Fancy that.

Why Sandakan ? Most cities in Sabah are connected by a national power
grid which means one can have the Coal powered plant plugged anywhere
on the grid. Logically, this could be at a site of most opportune
(read cheap) and logistically convenient. I assume the Coal powered
plant will be located at the POIC but to be fair no official
announcement on this has been made to date. The POIC is a 1000 acs
development to enhance the Palm Oil Industry. The proponent has a
website here http://www.sawitpoic.com/ and is offering RM 12 (US 3.64)
per square meters. A typical Coal powered plant will take up at least
300 acs of land with a further 100 acs for its waste (ash). But who
are the real proponents of the POIC ? In fact, the entire POIC was
acquired through the infamous Land Acquisitions Ordinance of Sabah and
some of the former owners are already complaining in Court. So who
else have so much power in this State besides the Chief Minister ?
Well, that will be the Yang Di-Pertua Negeri or Governor but the
Constitution of Sabah
only allows him to act on advice (but whose advice?). With a stroke of
a pen he declared over 100 landowners’ land to be acquired for POIC
under “public purposes”. Those with financial backing will contest
else will have to accept whatever compensation by the State (however
distasteful) which may come only at the State’s convenience (read -
years from now).

Finally, the Local Council (in Malaysia local councilors are unelected
and positioned by their political masters) is trying to rezone the
entire area designated for POIC from preservation of hilltop to
special industrial (an unknown term), a process which actually
requires public participation-feedback from the displaced landowners
under the Town and Country Planning Ordinance. So far no notice was
published in the newspaper or gazetted for this rezoning. I was
informed that this was not required as its rezoning is by an
‘amendment’ to a previous Sandakan Draft Plan 2003. Sounds a bit
controversial to me. For some understanding of Sabah law goto
www.sabahlaw.com.

So at the end of the day or night wherever you may be, I hope you will
put in a word or two for us in opposing this monstrosity and be
disgusted in the manner how this was forced upon us, not forgetting
how this will definitely and positively add more carbon dioxide to the
environment, affecting our climate (yes yours too) and probably
causing us to be homeless due to rising sea-levels. Yes, we will miss
our seafood or blackouts but we do not have any choices as mere
citizenry. But you have choices, please write to the Prime Minister of
Malaysia (if he is willing to listen) http://www.pmo.gov.my/, and
complaint about the Chief Minister of Sabah and the proponent (
http://www.sesb.com.my/) or vote on this
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/sootcity/petition.html.