FMT
Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian is the choice of the Movement For Change, Sarawak (MoCS) to be the chief minister of Sarawak should Pakatan Rakyat comes into power after the next state election.
“Today, MoCS officially endorses Baru Bian as the new Sarawak CM in the event of a change of government after the polls,” the movement’s leader Francis Paul Siah announced here Sunday.
In a shocking move Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s (PRS) strongman Tedwin Ngumbang has quit the party he founded, slamming Chief Minister Taib Mahmud for ‘bullying and ignoring’ PRS.
Ngumbang, who is ‘special adviser’ to party president James Masing, said Taib ‘consistenty ignored’ Masing’s requests and demands which were in the interest of the Dayak community and this compelled him to resign. (more…)
Joseph Tawie
Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is whistling a different tune lately and it is puzzling the opposition.
Earlier this week, he boldly declared to Sarawakians that there were “equal opportunities for all”; now, the “I have more money than I can spend” billionaire is asking his people to “walk straight” and not be a “crab”.
A bemused Sarawak PKR has likened Taib’s latest comments to a “father crab” trying to teach its offspring to walk straight when he himself is walking sideways. (more…)
Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, MI
Najib Razak will meet Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen on February 6 at the federal Chinese New Year open house in Miri in what is seen as a sign of impending state polls.
The Sarawak state government’s mandate ends this July. Speculation is rife that the state assembly could be dissolved anytime from now to make way for state-level elections. (more…)
FMT
A revolt is simmering in Sarawak and is threatening to indirectly topple self-declared first lady, Rosmah Mansor, unless she manages to “pillow-talk” her husband Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak into holding concurrent polls.
Suave Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Taib Mahmud is pandering to Rosmah’s vanity and is hoping that her sweet-talk for “concurrent polls preferably in June” will save his hide.
To help Taib achieve this, is his wealthy flamboyant sister Raziah Mahmud, who is said to be very pally with Rosmah. (more…)
. Sarawak Report
We all love to admire this well-connected socialite and businesswoman, Elia Abas/ Geneid! She may look like a barely-dressed party girl, but Elia was scarcely into her 20s by the time she had established herself as a major figure in the oil palm plantation business, with a series of multi-million ringgit concessions all to herself!
But, of course the gorgeous young trend-setter is also Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s neice and therefore has several brilliant (if hidden) attributes. Indeed, the Taib family has provided endless shining examples for the rest of Sarawak’s youth, showing how to seize the many ‘Equal Opportunities’ that are handed to them through government projects! (more…)
Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle
The economic gloom has made men in Perak more innovative when seeking ways to earn a living. Many have set up businesses providing useful services, principally serving the international community. Despite some criticisms from disgruntled women’s groups, others feel that these men are attracting much needed foreign investment into Perak.
These men have business arrangements in the form of ‘Sole Proprietorships’ (SP), the most common and least expensive method of setting up business. (more…)
John Berthelsen, Asia Sentinel
An apparent trial balloon about censoring the country’s bloggers and news sites goes flat
Malaysia’s government Wednesday appeared to be backing rapidly away – for now at least – from a statement by Home Ministry Secretary General Mahmood Adam that that the country’s Printing Presses and Publications Act, which requires all publications to be licensed by the government, will be amended to include online publications. (more…)
SWWS
Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS) members met today with Puan Norjanah Hj Razali, the Director of the State’s Women Bureau, to present recommendations on how to address the risks of sexual abuse and exploitation of young girls and women in remote parts of the State. These recommendations arose out of the Empowering Rural Girls Project which they conducted in the Baram region over the last 18 months, with the support of the Bureau. (more…)
FMT
What could possibly justify a RM15 million increase in allocations for the 10th Sarawak election? And where would the additional RM15 million, which incidentally wasn’t there six months ago, be channelled?
Would it go towards “helicopter charges” as indicated by the Sarawak Election Commission’s latest disclosure that it had allocated RM45 million for the 10th state polls? Or will it translate into a government’s “gift” to ease the burden of the people? (more…)
. Sarawak Report
The man pictured in the party-buggy sitting next to the Deputy Chief Minister, Alfred Jabu, is a Greek called Achilleas Kallakis. This was in April 2008 and Kallakis was already a man with a criminal record. Back in 1995 he and a colleague, Alexander Williams, had been convicted in the UK of selling false Hong Kong passports for RM 100 thousand each and also for selling fake Lordship titles to Americans for nearly twice that amount!
First, SNAP says it is leaving Pakatan Rakyat. Then it says it is joining UBF, another political platform. Then it says it is definitely in Pakatan Rakyat. But then its leadership goes to KL to attend the launching of KITA. Then it announces that it is still within Pakatan Rakyat. Paul Kadang says one thing. Anthony Liman says another. Then Stanley Jugol contradicts both of them. And as for the President, Edwin Dundang? He says nothing. What is going on SNAP?
ANWAR IBRAHIM, The Wall Street Journal
Tunisians earlier this month forced their president out of office, marking the first popular revolution in an Arab country in modern history. The swiftness with which it came about should send a clear message to other autocracies and dictatorships in the Muslim world.
The longevity of such regimes comes from their ability to suppress dissent with state-controlled organs, particularly the military. What Tunisia’s example demonstrates is that when one of these organs malfunctions—as the security forces did when they failed to mobilize effectively—others, like the media and the judiciary, can fall rapidly as well. (more…)
Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
Malaysia’s Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein backpedalled from a decision to expand existing, oppressive press laws to include online news websites, saving the ruling coalition from what many experts said would be “certain death” at the next general election.
“Malaysians take their Internet very seriously. They pride themselves on their Net-savvy. The alternative media is like their own unique bastion, their own special space away from the government-controlled mainstream media. Now if you were to take this away from them, you can be sure there will be a huge reaction,” Ramon Navaratnam, past president of Transparency International told Malaysia Chronicle. (more…)
Keruah Usit
An interim injunction has been granted to 15 Iban longhouse communities in upper Sebangan in Simunjan, Sarawak, ordering Quality Concrete Holdings Bhd and its contractor Loyal Billion Sdn Bhd to halt logging, land clearing and other related activities there.
Timber concession licence holder Quality Concrete is substantially owned by Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s sister, Roziah. Another two of Taib’s family members also have shares in the company. (more…)
Keruah Usit
“Many of the children honestly love to learn. They’re the ones who keep pushing me to teach them, I’m not the one trying to push them to learn,” said Amelia Balan, the teacher in the brand new pre-school in the small Penan settlement of Long Item.
“Some of them learnt their ‘A to Z’ and ’1 to 10′ within a week of starting pre-school. They like playing with the books with their friends. They’re comfortable in the new pre-school, especially the little boys, who enjoy teasing the girls,” she went on with a smile. (more…)
Joseph Tawie
Newly wed Taib Mahmud may be feeling the springtide – which probably explains his brave declarationt that there “are equal opportunities for everybody” in Sarawak when it is common knowledge that his family members and cronies have amassed their wealth on “lopsided opportunities”.
Stumped by the Chief Minister’s latest “blatant lie”, Sarawak DAP secretary-general Chong Chieng Jen said: “Coming from the chief minister it is most shocking… to say that there are equal opportunities for everybody to be rich is unbelievable…” (more…)
Stephen Tiong, Malaysiakini
The Sarawak DAP wants the federal government to start investigating politicians whose family members own valuable property overseas if it truly intends to get to the bottom of the illicit outflow of fund from Malaysia, its secretary, Chong Chieng Jen, said in Kuching today. (more…)
Aidila Razak, Malaysiakini
A report has been lodged, for the second time yesterday, with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud over his alleged conflict of interest in the transfer of state land to a company linked to his family.
The first report was lodged by Dennis Along and Willie Kajan at the MACC office in Miri on Dec 13, and it was referred to the Kuching office as it was considered a “high profile” matter. (more…)
barubian.net
In his latest, vaingloroius, public appearance, in Sarekei, Taib announced that there is no shortcut to success except by working hard. Unfortunately he did not go on to explain what he meant by “working hard.”
Did he mean working as a labourer on the oil palm plantations of his business cronies for a daily wage barely enough to keep alive on? Or did he mean stealing native lands to sell on to cronies at a huge personal profit? (more…)
HU Editor
15 Iban longhouse communities taking the action at The High Court in Kuching was today granted an interim injunction against Quality Concrete Holdings Berhad, a logging company substantially owned by Sarawak Chief Minister’s sister Roziah Mahmud and Loyal Billion Sdn Bhd the logging contractor, restraining them from continuing logging and land clearing works and any other related activities within the area 15 Iban longhouse communities are claiming native customary rights (NCR). (more…)
Heba Saleh in Tunis
Flower power: tanks and heavily armed soldiers stand guard outside the headquarters of Tunisia’s former governing party
The new national unity government in Tunisia has decided to recognise all banned political parties and extend an amnesty to all political prisoners.
Ministers said after the government’s first cabinet meeting that Ennahda, the outlawed Islamist party, would be legalised and prisoners jailed for membership of the party would be among those freed under the amnesty. (more…)
Heba Saleh in Tunis and Haig Simonian in Zurich
Tunisia has arrested 33 members of the family of Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali, the president ousted on Friday by a popular uprising.
State television said they were suspected of “crimes against Tunisia” and showed footage of gold and jewellery, including gold necklaces and earrings with precious stones, said to have been found in their possession. (more…)
. Sarawak Report
A series of sickening revelations have started to emerge about Kuching’s newly-opened ’Heart Hospital’ at Kota Samarahan, following investigations by Sarawak Report.
The Unit, which was opened to a fanfare last week by the Malaysian Prime Minister, has turned out to be the most expensive hospital ever built in Malaysia in terms of the cost per bed. (more…)
Newsweek.com
At first, the family of Tunisia’s toppled president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, refused to accept that their decades of profiteering and profligacy had come to an end. As rioting killed scores of people in Tunisia’s streets, Ben Ali’s daughter and her husband holed up in the luxury suites of the Castle Club at Disneyland Paris. Ben Ali’s wife, Leila Trabelsi, took her personal jet from Tunisia—her “shopping plane,” as protesters called it—and grabbed as much mad money as she could get her hands on. By some accounts, that included a ton and a half of gold from the nation’s central bank. Tunisia’s first family had such a reputation for ruthless extravagance that even after the bank denied the story, the street continued to believe it. A new rallying cry broke out: “Hang them all—but let’s get our gold back first!” (more…)
Joseph Tawie
Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition partners – the Dayak-driven Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) – are already “locking horns” as rumours of a March 2011 state election gathers momentum.
For the second time within a week, PRS president James Masing has issued a warning against sabotage from within BN component party members.
“I know what happened in 2006 and 2008 elections, and you must not do such things in the coming election. (more…)
When an Air Asia plane crash landed in Kuching recently, one young BN politician’s first thought was how he could save his … iPad. ‘Inspired’ by our ‘hero’s’ selfless act, our correspondent iCrash Landed draws a link with the importance of electoral reforms.
( A young BN politician, a Sarawak State Assembly member, was on flight AK5218 from Kuala Lumpur when it crash landed in Kuching airport on the night of 10 January 2011. After he escaped from the wreckage and recovered from the initial shock of the disastrous landing, he called up a local English-language newspaper to relate his horrible experience. ) (more…)
Justin Yap
There’s a quiet revolution of sorts taking place among the marginalised communities in rural Lundu and Mambong in Sarawak.
A not-for-profit group calling itself Breakthrough is helping to make families here self-sufficient with the introduction of low-cost “natural farming” methods.
Natural farming, according to project coordinator Jerry Lam, is a form of sustainable farming which makes use of all-natural materials to create inputs such as fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. (more…)
Malaysia Chronicle
Pakatan Rakyat has proposed the setting up of a RM1 billion Dayak endowment fund if it wins the coming Sarawak state election, DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng said in Kuching today.
“The fund is to redress the gross neglect, improve the economic welfare and uplift the educational standards of the Dayak community,” he said to reporters after the opening of the 15th Sarawak DAP annual convention. (more…)
Apang
Ooi … SNAP in, SNAP out … Sarawakians aren’t amused!
They were part of the reason for Sarawak in Malaysia, then they were in, then out – some even say thrown out – and then almost deregistered, and then they remained out, of the BN, that is. It was then that they were in wilderness, as orchestrated disintegration of SNAP ensured that those remaining would be weak, financially and thus politically. But those few who remained holding the torch of SNAP were principled, and deserved to be respected. Others had left, or should I say hand-picked for the “greener” pasture of the PBDS. Then it is further torn apart by the few leaders, in the name of Dayak political future. Well, we all can see whether it was Dayak political future or the few individual Dayak’s political future. You can decide, can’t you? (more…)
Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle
Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said that the government needed to carry out social transformation in order to create a balanced, fair and equitable society.
Never mind the social transformation, what about the party’s transformation?
Why has it taken Najib several years to tell us what we have known for a long time? Why is he telling us this just before a general election? (more…)
Joseph Tawie
Sarawak PKR wants Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to pay the 1,700 families in Sungai Asap eesettlement scheme housing compensation due to them since 12 years ago.
They want Najib to compensate the families with interest and bonus.
Said state PKR chairman Baru Bian: “If Najib is really serious about genuine compensation, his Barisan Nasional government should pay the people of Sungai Asap the housing compensation due to them from 12 years ago (more…)
Pak Bui
“Teoh Beng Hock is no different from millions of ordinary Malaysians. This country must treasure their lives and contributions, just as the Federal Constitution must ensure their fundamental rights and their right to live.
“Nobody’s life should suffer deprivation and be snatched away, in the land one was born (in). Nobody should experience any form (of) institutional torture and violence, just as the respect for the dignity of life and the protection of human rights is the benchmark of a nation’s greatness,” said Teoh Lee Lan, sister of the late Teoh Beng Hock, in an open letter from her family to the Prime Minister (PM) Najib Razak. (more…)
Crocodile Minister – YB James Dawos, representative for Mambong
Sarawak Report can reveal there are a number more converted YBs in Taib Mahmud’s BN State Government, who are seeking to conceal the fact from their Dayak constituents. The shy YBs include the Minister James Dawos, who is the representative of Mambong as well as Johnical Rayong who is the representative for Engkilili for SUPP. (more…)
. Sarawak Report
Sarawak report can reveal that a number of BN’s political state representatives have changed their religion and accepted new names. However, they are hiding the fact from their constituents! Among them are YB Efendi bin Abdullah, who is still publicly known by his original name of Sylvester Entrie.
An angry Efendi Abdullah was challenged on the matter during a radio interview earlier today. The independent, Iban broadcaster Radio Free Sarawak had called the politician to ask for news about the welfare of flood victims in the area he represents in Marudi. (more…)
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