RM160 Million Federal Government Aid For Sarawak Road Projects

KUCHING: The federal government has allocated RM166,018,540 this year to carry out 20 road projects in Sarawak, State Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said today.   

He said five of the projects had been completed while the rest were under various stages of implementation.

Some RM37,814,550 of the allocation had been spent, he said when winding up debate on allocations for his ministry at the State Assembly.

The proposed Sungai Pandaruan Bridge linking Limbang district and Brunei’s territory of Temburong, which cost RM20.8 million, was among the ongoing projects this year and was expected to be completed by Aug 14 next year.

“The cost of the bridge (project) would be shared by both governments (of Malaysia and Brunei),” he said.

Manyin said that for last year, Sarawak received a Federal allocation of RM242,159,485 to implement 44 road projects.

Some RM241,299,710 of the allocation had been spent, whereby 26 projects had been completed with the remaining still under implementation, he said.

Under the National Key Results Area (NKRA) for rural basic infrastructure, he said, the state had received RM100 million from the Federal government and RM95 million of it had been spent. – Bernama

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/05/21/rm160-mln-federal-govt-aid-for-sarawak-road-projects-new/#ixzz1vVtM1jAP

No Clean Water, Electricity In Krian

        Salcra settlements in Krian constituency are without electricity and clean water, according to its assemblyman Ali Biju.

Despite having been under Barisan Nasional rule for four election terms, longhouses, schools and clinics in the Krian constituency are still without clean water and electricity.

Raising this issue during the current Sarawak State Legislative Assembly sitting, Krian assemblyman Ali Biju said clean treated water and electricity were rare commodities in Krian as well as in the state government-owned Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) settlements.

He said Salcra, which has been tasked with developing NCR land into oil plam plantations, had failed to provide electricity to some 13 longhouses in the Krian constituency as part of its obligation.

“The construction of electrical transmission lines along Ulu Awik and Ulu Kabo areas under rural electrification scheme has been stalled due to Salcra’s refusal to have its oil palm trees under the transmission line to be cut down.

“I urge the state authority to settle the matters with Salcra for the sake of the people.

“Those longhouses are Rumah Ngerubong, Engkala; Rumah Balang, Sungai Sawa; Rumah Majang, Ukir; Rumah Aji, Jaong; Rumah Achai, Ulu Awik; Rumah Beti, Ulu Awik; Rumah Kat Jugah, Ulu Awik; Rumah Entalang, Lubok Rembai; Rumah Jilan, Ulu Risau; Rumah Tangan, Ulu Risau; Rumah Bennet Buan, Ulu Risau; Rumah Kadam, Sungai Tapang and Kabo Ulu,” he said.

Biju also said that many longhouses, clinics, and schools in his constituency still do not have clean treated water and proper electricity.

He said the longhouses that did not have clean water included Rumah Belong, Munggu Embawang; Rumah Untan, Tanjung Sikup; Rumah Tajak, Kaki Wong; Rumah Gana, Nanga Drau, Sungai Tapang and Sungai Wong.

He also said that schools and many more longhouses in Krian constituency were not listed in the construction of clean water project currently being carried out.

Biju was elected as the Krian assemblyman in the April election last year after he defeated the four-term incumbent Peter Nyarok. Nyarok was the former deputy president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

Fear over perimeter survey

Biju also said many native landowners in his constituency are worried about the perimeter survey exercise, which will convert their NCR land into so-called Communal Reserve Land under Section 6 of the Land Code

“Section 6 (3) of Sarawak Land Code mentions clearly that such land remains as state land whereby landowners become licensees only from the government.

“Many native landowners havde refused to convert their NCR land into Communal Reserved Land.

“Instead, Krian natives have been waiting for the establishment of a NCR Land Registry under the Land and Survey Department.

“It is surprising to know that this assembly had passed the native land registry legislation way back in 2000 but so far has yet to be implemented or gazetted.

“Once the registry is established, native landowners can be easily trained to demarcate their own NCR land for registration,” he said.

He also suggested that the state government survey all NCR land under Section 18 of the Land Code as this is what native landowners want.

He said that “land use map” for Sarawak and Brunei showed that there is no state land in Krian constituency.

“The natives have been in occupation of the area long before the coming of Rajah Brooke.

“Recently Awik-Kabo natives discovered certain parts of their NCR land of about 2,000ha are mentioned as state land.

“They are concerned about the matter as they know that there is definitely no state land in that area.

“In view of this, I am seeking a proper explanation from the Land and Survey Department,” Biju said.

 

Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/05/20/no-clean-water-electricity-in-krian/

GM Super Bugs?

            It is no longer a secret that drug-resistant bacteria are rapidly emerging and spreading all around the world as a result of the continued overuse and abuse of antibiotic drugs in both conventional medicine and industrial agriculture. But now it appears that the genes responsible for spawning these so-called “superbugs” are also spreading, and turning otherwise mild conditions such as throat infections into deadly killers.

Known as NDM-1, or New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1, these genes basically hitch a ride on mobile DNA loops known as plasmids, and latch themselves onto various bacteria whenever and wherever they find an opportunity. The end result of this parasite-like invasion into bacteria is that even largely innocuous microbes can become extremely virulent and fully able to outsmart even the strongest antibiotic drugs available.

“Things as common as strep throat or a child’s scratched knee could once again kill,” said Margaret Chan, Director-General of theWorld Health Organization(WHO) at a recent meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, about the phenomenon. “Hip replacements, organ transplants, cancer chemotherapy and care of preterm infants would become far more difficult or even too dangerous to undertake.”

According to a recent report byBloomberg, the spread of NDM-1 and antibiotic-resistant superbugs has become so extreme that even beneficial bacterial, also commonly referred to as “probiotics” or “gut microflora,” are being affected as well. And as long as antibiotics continue to be abused in the careless way that they now are globally, the situation will only worsen over time until eventually even the most minor infections and injuries become fatal.

“If this latest bug becomes entrenched in our hospitals, there is really nothing we can turn to,” said Donald E. Low, head of the public health lab in Toronto, Ontario. “Its potential is to be probably greater than any other organism.”

How you can help fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs

Besides raising awareness about the issue and pushing for a complete moratorium on antibiotic drug use, there is little that can be done on a large scale to effectively stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. But there are some simple steps you can personally take to help you and your family avoid superbug infection.

*If you eat meat, purchase only pasture-raised, antibiotic- and hormone-free varieties.Conventional meat from animals raised in confined feedlots is often loaded with antibiotics, chemicals and other toxins that can exacerbate the superbug problems. By consuming only grass-fed, organic meats, you and your family will avoid repeated exposure to meat-based antibiotics and any superbugs that might be living in it.

*Avoid taking antibiotic drugs, and instead try colloidal silver, garlic, coconut oil and other natural antibiotics. Instead of taking prescribed antibiotics for every minor ailment, which is contributing greatly to the spread of superbugs in society today, try boosting you and your family’s immune systems with bacteria-resistant superfoods. You can also promote healthy bacterial growth that naturally fights off the deadly kind by drinking kombucha tea and eating kefir, yogurt, and other probiotic foods.

*Educate your friends and neighbors about drug-resistant superbugs, and the dangers of antibiotic overuse. Many people are simply unaware of how antibiotic drug abuse is contributing to the rise of deadly superbugs. By sharing this information with your friends and neighbors, and teaching them about how to boost their immune systems naturally with herbs, superfoods, clean water, organic produce, and probiotics, you can help to bring about real change on a societal scale.

Source : http://www.naturalnews.com/035857_superbugs_antibiotics_India.html

Dayaks – Arise, Unite & Claim Back Your Land

Taib saw that the land code as a stumbling block for his “Politics of Development“. So, he went on to change the provisions of the land code pertaining to Native Customary Land especially S5(2) not once but FOUR times. The manner in which he passed those amendments is akin to a boat owner fixing leaks in his boat!

In the early 90’s Taib came up with his so called visionary “Politics of Development“. In various gatherings and speeches, he told Sarawakians then that his new found idea would transform Sarawak into a model state in Malaysia.

Under this noble idea, land will be developed and people will reap huge benefits and would improve their economic and social being, so he claimed!

However, large tracts of land are owned by the Dayaks who have acquired them through native customary rights which is provided for under Sarawak Land Code 1958.

Taib saw that the land code as a stumbling block for his “Politics of Development“. So, he went on to change the provisions of the land code pertaining to Native Customary Land especially S5(2) not once but FOUR times. The manner in which he passed those amendments is akin to a boat owner fixing leaks in his boat!

The Amendments

In 1994 minister in charge of land matters was given the power to extinguish native customary rights to land.

In 1996, the onus was placed on a native claimant to prove that he has customary rights to the land

In 1998 mechanisms for assessment and payment of compensation were put in place in event of compulsory acquisition.

In 2000 the amendment deleted “any lawful methods” as set out in S5(2)(f).

In 2002 following Nor Nyawai case, Land Surveyors Ordinance 2002, was passed allowing only licensed surveyor to make, authorize or sign any cadastral map. It means only Land & Survey Department can come up with a map!

Following Nor Nyawai case, Taib passed another law relating to land matters – the Land Surveyors Ordinance 2002 which provides for only licensed surveyor to make, authorise or sign any cadastral map. It means only Land & Survey Department can come up with a map! So Dayaks can no longer prepare their own map of their own area by themselves or by a third party.

So by now, Taib has fixed all the leaks, and the Dayaks are in a fix!

The net effect of these amendments is to legalize the process of taking away native customary right land (NCL) and alienate them to politicians, cronies, relatives who in turn sell them to big time oil palm planters!

And so began the process of land grabbing by the State which is run by state Barisan National , led by party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu of which Taib is the president.

As the laws are being changed, the process of giving away licences and provisional leases to whosoever Taib desires, began in earnest. A number of licences and provisional leases have been issued by Taib to his family members, cronies and who later sell them to local and private oil palm planters.

The provisional leases holders armed with the lease waste not time and start working on the land indicated in the lease with little regard to the presence of people’s garden, farm house, farmed area, buildings/structures or even burial ground!. To them everything that stands on their new found land is theirs and can be removed or bulldozed at will. Past records have indeed proved that they could do it with impunity! They have the “papers” whereas the NCL owners have nothing to show other than the crops that they have planted for ages!

This is how some of the confrontations occurred between the new land owners the NCL owners who are 99% Dayaks. The number of cases that are pending court hearing is almost reaching 200. But some just gave up fighting against the might of Sarawak state government – a government who always claim that they care for the rakyat at least during election time!!

Where can the NCL owners turn to defend their rights?

Nobody, Nobody, Nobody !!!!

If they report the case to the Land & Survey Department they would be told that they are squatting on state (Taib’s) land.

If they go to the police no action will ever be taken. The report if ever written/recorded, will just gather dust!

If they go to their Dayak politicians they will be told invariably not to go against the government.

However if they take the law into their hands by blocking entrance to the disputed land, they will be charged for committing some form of criminal act! But the new land owners can engage “gangsters” to harass the NCL land owners. “The Niah Muder case”

This is the background to the famous Nor Nyawai case(Please watch the video at the end of this post) and many more land dispute cases between NCL owners and the government of Sarawak and/or big time oil palm planters. Fortunately the Nor Nyawai case, the lawyer Baru Bian had done Dayak community proud for bringing and arguing the case with wisdom and integrity. The judge Ian Chin earned the respect of the Dayaks for his wisdom and courage to interpret the laws as they are rather than interpreting the law to the tune of the politicians! The case has shed light to other judges and brought some relief to the Dayaks whose NCLs have been hanging on the balance for a long time.

For more information of the Rumah Nyawai case, please click here for an excellent article by Baru Bian, Advocate and Solicitor for the case.

Causes of the Problem

One of the main causes of the current Dayak situation is of course Taib Mahmud. He had no intention to develop or help the Dayaks! He also has little or no respect for them. The way he treated the Dayaks since he became Chief Minister in 1981 speaks volumes about how little regard he has for the Dayaks. He split the Dayaks many times over. He cleverly engineered the destruction of various Dayak based parties – SNAP & PBDS and the Dayal leaders. Today the so-called leaders of the forerunner of these 2 parties – SPDP & PRS are completely at his mercy. If the colonial power practised divide and rule policy, Taib perfected it in Sarawak at least amongst the Dayaks.

Recently he evenly despised the Dayak way of life where in his speech during Agro Fest Day in Nov, in Kuching he condemned the Dayak forefathers for creating NCR land through shifting cultivation. You see they (Dayaks) have 2million acres under NCR land just because of shifting cultivation” ! Summarized from The Broken Shield.

If that is not a mark of total disrespect for the Dayak community, I don’t know what else!

Secondly, most of the Dayak politicians do not have the courage to stand up against Taib. This is because their nominations before the elections have been endorsed by him. So they owe him a living!

And given the mentality of the Dayaks of “not to bite the hand that feeds you” compounded by the fact that most if not all, would not be able to seek employment anywhere else none would not raise a finger on anything that are seen to be going against Taib’s liking. In fact some went to the extent of praising Taib for passing some of the amendments to the land code that clearly disadvantage the NCL owners!

Thirdly, the Federal government couldn’t be bothered one bit about the well being of the Dayaks. Mahathir had come and gone, Badawi had come and almost gone. Najib will be coming. He has shown interest but for the moment it is mere interest!

So the Dayaks are in limbo and they are losing their very important asset – land by the day!
Taib engineered it, Dayak politicians saw it and did not do anything; some are unashamedly his partners in crime; Federal government is either too far away or couldn’t be bothered!

The Way Forward

The problem is serious and if nothing is done most of NCL will be gone before vision 2020 sets in. According to the 2005 reports of Land and Survey Department, some 1.2 million hectares of land were approved for oil palm plantations, the bulk of which is NCR lands. And by the year 2015, some 4 million hectares of land are to be planted with oil palm. Out of the total, about 1.5 million hectares are NCR land. By then there will be a few acres of NCR land left, if any.

One of the ways for the Dayaks to get out of the situation is to use their democratic rights smartly i.e. to vote for party that promise to solve the land issue.

The stand of the BN and that of current Dayak politicians stand are clear – they don’t care one bit about NCL-they have been with Taib for the last 28 years !

The least the Dayak people should do is to put up credible line of opposition to BN. Twenty-eight years of suffering is too long and losing one’s own land is painful. It is time for the Dayak to get their land back and the only way is to VOTE OUT BN and VOTE IN PKR!

Let’s begin the journey of a thousand miles in Batang Ai! and there is no better candidate than Bawin, the guy who was sacked by Taib for supporting Nor Nyawai case!

Source : http://ckcounterpunch.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/dayaks-arise-unite-and-claim-back-your-land/