Synopsis
A laugh-out-loud film about a Chinese boy’s misguided attempts at opening an Islamic bank account.
By Churchill Edward and Saibi Gi
Source: The Borneo Post
Mawan, Masing say time to allocate constituency to another BN party since seat lost twice consecutively
KUCHING: Senior Barisan Nasional (BN) Dayak leaders believe that if there is to be any re-distribution of seats among the coalition parties, the Kidurong state constituency should be prioritised.
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Dato Sri William Mawan Ikom and Parti Rakyat Sarawak president Dato Sri Dr James Masing said they felt that this was apt, saying since the BN had lost twice consecutively in Kidurong, it may be timely that another BN component be given a chance to contest there in the next state polls.
Mawan and Masing were responding to a suggestion by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin that BN should review allocation of seats among component parties to suit the needs of the electorate.
Mawan suggested a review of Kidurong when he said: “BN has lost the seat to DAP twice consecutively (in the state polls of 2001 and 2006) whereas every time (SPDP treasurer-general) Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing contested in the (Bintulu) parliamentary seat (which includes Kidurong state constituency), the BN won,” he said.
Masing who also felt the Kidurong state seat should be subjected to review, said: “BN will have to discuss how best not to lose that seat again.”
Mawan and Masing both revealed that the BN had an understanding that if a component party had lost twice consecutively in a particular constituency – be it parliamentary or state – the seat would be subjected to a review.
According to the two leaders, seat arrangement is not only a strategy but a serious matter to ensure a BN victory at all cost in the next state election, due latest by early 2011.
Kidurong has been allocated to Sarawak United People’s Party headed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan.
SUPP had lost the state seat twice to DAP’s Chiew Chiu Sing.
Apart from Kidurong, BN also lost in the Bandar Kuching parliamentary seat to the DAP twice consecutively – in 2004 and 2008 parliamentary elections.
The BN allocated this seat to SUPP twice but they lost it to state DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen.
Mawan, also Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation, said he supported Khaled’s suggestion.
“To me, it has always been the understanding among BN components that the allocation of seats be reviewed from time to time or when the need arises. As a matter of principle the BN should also talk about it,” he said.
“That need arises if, for instance, BN loses a particular seat twice consecutively,” he added.
Mawan said when one talked about seat redistribution, the overall interest of the BN must come first rather than that of individual component parties.
“The minister’s (Khaled) suggestion is something we should be looking into because it is very practical. As far as he and the BN in West Malaysia are concerned, he has hit the nail on the head.
“If BN loses again in any particular seat, we can say that BN as a whole is losing. So it is imperative for the BN to gain public confidence and return to its winning ways,” he said.
“Any individual component should not be self-centred. What is the point of being self-centred when one drags BN to lose seats? This will slowly weaken the BN and erode the spirit of teamwork,” he said.
“If a review is made, component parties must not interpret this as a ‘plus or minus’ thing but rather a strategy to win seats or win back seats it has lost,” he said.
According to him, if BN wins big the next time around, interest of every component party will be better taken care of.
On the Sarawak front, Mawan said he would let the BN leadership decide on seat allocation because this, according to him, is a major strategy rather than plan to boost the self -esteem of any individual party.
He said boosting self-esteem was something that could not be entertained in this current political time.
Masing who is the Land Development Minister, said Khaled was basically referring to the state of the BN in Peninsular Malaysia when he suggested his idea.
Nonetheless, he said even though the BN seat arrangement in Sarawak seemed to be working better than that in the Peninsula, the state BN must study the impact of such review carefully.
“The minister’s (Khaled) suggestion is something worthwhile looking into because of demographic changes which can occur in any seat over a period of time. This has been the understanding of the state BN,” he said.
According to Masing, there are things which the BN must tackle urgently to win back lost seats, including the swapping of seats among components.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman said the state BN would only review seat arrangement if the grassroots demanded it.
However, the state BN may not want to disrupt the equilibrium of power by subtracting or adding seats of component members.
According to Daud, the state BN may want to maintain the status quo when it comes to the numbers’ game.
“PBB may be the backbone of BN in Sarawak but PBB will never resort to taking away seats already allocated to other components,” he insisted.
“What may happen is the swapping of seats by taking into account what the grassroots want,” he said.
He said he believed the allocation of seats depended heavily on the strength of parties in areas they represented.
“We must go back to the reality that BN’s victories in elections depend very much on the votes of the majority and that BN subscribes to the concept of power-sharing,” he said, urging component parties to be mindful of the political sensitivities surrounding the issue.
“BN elected representatives serve all races and communities regardless which component they come from,” he said.
PBB Youth chief Fadillah Yusof, meanwhile, said BN elected representatives must have quality and integrity as well as the sincerity to serve the people.
He said he agreed with Khaled’s suggestion to study the demography of each area when BN should decide to review seat allocation.
By Abdul Hakim Bujang
Source: Sarawak Update
Frustrated contractors who are unable to secure the clearing job for Bakun Dam biomass is believed to have spread false information as an act of revenge to demonised the government, said Natural Resources Environmental Board (NREB) controller, Dr Penguang Mangil.
“I have the contract with me here and all the figure put up by the Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) are wrong,” Dr. Penguang told Sarawak Update in a telephone conversation.
Dr. Penguang was commenting on reports by Anil Netto and Stephen Then.
He said the NGO was confused between the size of reservoir and the area that have to be cleared for safety reason and eco-tourism potential.
“The reservoir size is the size of Singapore but they are not clearing all of them. They will only be clearing at the elevation 180 meter to elevation 228 meter above sea level within 15 kilometer radius of Bakun Dam which is only about 455 hectare,” Penguang explained.
The areas beyond that would not be cleared at all and the allegation by the NGO is completely wrong.
“I believe there is some motive because many are angry at not getting the job contract, there are so many applicants of course not all will be getting the job,” he said.
Penguang also explained that areas with slope more than 35 degrees within the stipulated area earmarked for clearing would not be touched to avoid erosion and environmental disaster.
Penguang said they have frozen all burning permit since the beginning of the dry weather and all the existing fire are mainly bush fires in peat area.
“The peat fires are happening in Miri, Sibu and Mukah. The problem with peat fire is you are not going to see the flame but there will be a lot of white smoke,” he explained.
He said the public should stop pointing fingers and have a closer look at the Satelitte imagery of haze map that clearly shows big fire beneath Kuching and Kota Samarahan, but across the Sarawak border.
Penguang said the authorities are working closely together to monitor bush fire as the following week is expected to witness the return of the dry South Westerly wind.
“Now we are still enjoying the rather wet South Easterly that blow the haze away from our direction but once the South Westerly wind came it would be (different story),” he said.
He called upon the so called concern NGO to come forward and tell NREB what can they do to help mitigate the bush fire and stop whining and complaining that government is not doing anything.
“The police, army, local councils and us are working together, the fire brigade are working around the clock to put out the bush fire, what have the NGO do and please tell us which area they could help fight this peat fire in this kind of weather?” he asked.
By Abdul Hakim Bujang
Source: Sarawak Update
It has been five boring years since I was being paid three months salary to go on leave forever by the Sarawak Tribune. Based on the sacking letter the management was saying this was according to the agreed term that we can part company by paying each other three months wages.
However, when I met Datuk Seri Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar slightly earlier than that I was told that I have to be sacked because of my tendency to meddle in Sarawak succession issues. Hmmmm hmmm hmmm.
My largest sin according to Asfia was for openly supporting Datuk Amar Abang Johari liutenant, Ibrahim Baki in the race to become Petra Jaya MP. Asfia said he fully understood my support for Johari because of my Kuching roots, ha ha ha.
Mak kau tu’au Belawai lah pok! Apak kau tu’au Ajang! A former YB of my Kampung not knowing my family roots, he must be sick. My uncle is now a certain MP pol sec, true blue grassroots Gurkha, pity Asfia – typical of a parachutist that think too highly of their paper credentials.
In fact, Ibrahim lost that race partly because of his refusal to listen to my advice on the danger of certain “3/4? advisor. Ibrahim knew whom, and we had a good laugh about it, years ago…
That “3/4? advisor eventually climb Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) hierarchy at lightning speed right after that, of course much more higher than Asfia himself, surely at the chagrin of pure Malays who are much more senior than him.
We cannot blame the advisor because he and Abang Johari sharing a common trait, liked and accepted by people from all walks of life, regardless of race or religion.
Unlike some arrogant, fake pretenders of PBB who have forgotten that their election victory are purely courtesy of Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket and help from the Chief Minister during campaigning period.
Come the next election, let wait and see, the people eyes are wide open now and they knew BN are not indispensable. Illiterate parents are blessed with educated children and oppositions are slowly adopting BN strategy, translating support into vote.
Those in BN who are still dreaming must remember that Datuk Alfred Yap once said that he can win without Malays votes, and he successfully dig his own political grave.
With the current H1N1 outbreak and bad weather, Yap can always put on a haze mask and try asking what the Malays have to say about him?
Look at SK Haji Baki, the Malays majority school that is still sporting 1965 pre independence like building. Datuk Yong Khoon Seng vehicle too are rarely being sighted at Kampung Semaba now after winning by a whisker against DAP.
Politic of earned respect and acceptance
I have seen Chief Minister blue eyed boys came and go. Names like Datuk Dr Seri Effendi Norwawi, Datuk Wahab Dollah, Haji Bolhassan Di and many more would surely came to mind, but where are they now?
Oh my God, I forgot about Datuk Seri Adenan Satem, is he still alive and alright? He was once rumoured to be Taib successor.
I was on so many occasion being tasked to spin great stories about Adenan but more than often would never get the desired level of co-operation.
Partly because we never have that chemistry. My friends who can cope cocky species, having patience to wait for hours, and wasting time writing caption moronic report, does not have problem dealing with Adenan, not me.
Nobody in right frame of mind would believe that Adenan is an ordinary Joe equivalent to Dr Wahbi Junaidi now despite whacking PKR Sarawak treasurer general Haji Sobey Daud to pieces. (Haji Sobey goes into hiding for several months after that defeat unable to accept losing deposit and feeling ashamed of certain quarters ridicule, politic!)
Adenan, Wahab and Bolhassan obviously sharing same quality, they are very intelligent people. However in politic being intelligent alone is not enough, you have to be smart.
Sadly, in my personal opinion all three are simply not smart enough. Bolhassan attitude changed him from the most popular supreme council member to an overnight party poll loser. There no need for me to elaborate about Adenan and Wahab, people knew.
Wahab used to be my employer “owner”, Bolhassan my boss “Best Friend” while Adenan “most important VIP” but all three have disappeared into thin air.
There are simply too many other names, and majority are choosing to blame conspiracy for their failure to get the spot in the press.
Probably, they must hire me to bring a tape recorder in my pocket and start listening to what the rakyat have to say about them, what the average reporters have to think about them and what their grassroots leaders have to tell the press. I can do that at RM5,000 per month.
In politic, respect is earned until you become the most powerful guy. I criticise Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman like hell over the Muslim graveyard issues in Mile 3. He still smiles to me and shake my hand instead of cursing or hurling abuses to me.
I write very nasty remarks about Abang Johari at the height of the previous state election, he still shake my hand and smile to me. Same thing Dr Abdul Rauf, Wan Junaidi and few others. We still have certain level of respect for each other although we are not friends like what we used to be.
Parachutist syndrome in PBB
I have never read any report on Wanita PBB activities in the media. May be partly because I no longer subscribe to PBB linked Eastern Times and Utusan Sarawak.
When I was working for NST (stringer), Bernama and Sarawak Tribune, getting comments from Hajah Fatimah the deputy PBB Wanita chief was the easiest thing to do. When I was tasked to publish a Wanita magazine, trying to meet her is much more difficult than that of meeting a super senior Minister 20 years her senior. How people changed!
Ironically, majority of the PBB Wanita are now working on their own. Fatimah going to the left with her Ministry roles, Hasidah going to the right over her constituency function, while Nancy Shukri busy with her so-called Parliamentarian capacity. By the way, who is the Wanita chief? Is PBB Wanita headless or what?
To me this is only supposed to happen to an organisation led by the so called barely-educated-project driven grassroot politician.
That was not to be. Sadly, more and more parachutist are landing in PBB and creating what my friend described as “Pemimpin yang perlu dipimpin”. It is not only in PBB though, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) much worst than that, I will write about their anti institution leadership at some other time.
I have heard about so-called PBB youth leaders rarely attending meeting, overheard about youth leaders openly requesting for project during meeting, and many more.
Its sad to hear this kind of accusation about PBB flying around, I hope they are plain rumours. If they are indeed true, PBB must start doing something and goes back to the basic.
Do not wait much longer, do the spring cleaning and get rid of some of the deadwood that spell very negative connotation!
PRS TDC and SPDP TGM
This year is also supposed to be an election year for two Dayak majority or so-called Dayak-based political party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).
I have almsot lost track of Dayak politic. In the early 2000, Dayak politic was literally my game. I followed the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) crisis from day one. It was triggered by the sacking of Datuk Tiong King Sing.
This year, Tiong is also carving a name for himself in SPDP and most likely would vie for deputy presidency. Tiong trusted friend called me the other day optimistic that SPDP deputy president, Datuk Peter Nyarok would be giving way. I hope Tiong will not reveal his generosity to Nyarok in public the way he did about Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA) president that earned him MACC attention.
Mawan, the most intelligent Dayak leader and very smart too, had given the greenlight for a contest in SPDP, for all position out of democracy spirit. I know deep in his heart, Mawan is praying that Tiong would not changed mind or strike a deal with Nyarok to oust him, ha ha ha.
Over in PRS, talks about Datuk Seri Dr James Masing will be challenged by Datuk Joseph Entulu had silent down. Though the two extreme outside PRS are obviously showing comfort that Entulu is making his displeasure toward Masing publicly on differing background.
Some are hoping that Masing would be ousted so that those kicked out from the party during the recent spat can be brought back and maintained their respective status quo in the Sarawak state Cabinet. Majority of those kick out, however have openly joined PKR or DAP bandwagon, except Larry Sng, my ex FB friend.
The other extreme are hoping that Masing would be challenged so that Entulu would be able to put brake on Joseph Salang political carrier. It was widely speculated that Masing proposed Salang name ahead of Entulu to become Federal cabinet minister.
Salang presence in PRS is a threat to some, partly because of his “independent” financial status or political world view. In fact, Salang and Masing were the original “successors” groomed by Tan Sri Leo Moggie. That what Salang often told me, but politic would always be tricky and full of uncertainty.
Anwar and his Dayak paratroopers
The dull Sarawak political landscape was once again alive with the arrival of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Ibans from Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar was never tired of saying that Pakatan Rakyat would be taking over Sarawak government in the next State election. I would love to see that happening. Anwar, however, is far from having the right team to realise his dream.
He got very good Chinese leaders to help him in Sarawak, but they are not from his own party. PKR chinese leaders could throw a party if they do not lose their deposit in the next election, honestly. Dominique Ng included. I hoped DAP and PKR would square off in Padungan to teach Dominique a lesson that his victory was not about him or PKR, but the public dissatisfaction to the government of the day.
Anwar success in Dayak area would be depending very much on the support that he got from his Kuala Lumpur-based Ibans. These young Ibans from Kuala Lumpur would be playing very important role. Not his existing Iban leaders that have long overstay their welcome in politics.
The so-called Kuala Lumpur Ibans, however are of mixed background as well that Anwar have to do his homework very carefully before trusting or simply fielding the so called champion that stand out.
Some of these highly decorated are actually nothing more than pretenders themselves.
There is one who blogs highly about his business acumen and parenting skills, but is nothing more than a PBB rejects who failed both his business and family life.
A seasoned writer, who was formerly based in UK once told me that Sarawak is actually a State with the highest percentage of PhD holder per capita, and Pakatan Rakyat is probably blessed with half of them, majority specialising in alternative medicine.
The once footballing Bintangor clinic dresser turned Doctor included but he would be joining BN soon, not vice versa.
Anwar must not waste his time and effort in Malays area because his anti institution Band of Samseng Kampung will not bring PKR anywhere.
They can deny it but for how long? I fully agree that politician have to utilise all kind of supporters but naming one such personality as a top leader like what Anwar did before was far from right.
Looking at what is happening in Penang, I am sure the Rakyat knew that there is nothing wrong with having a Malacca guy as Chief Minister, at least among the Kampung Buah Pala folks.
Check the details at RumahDayak.com!
-
- Parti komponen BN diingatkan agar tidak ‘kacau daun’ di konstituensi SPDP
- Sylvester Entri dinasihat supaya jangan main kayu tiga
- Wong Judat declares he’s still with BN
- Minos assures PBB do or die with all BN parties
- Taib urges social media enthusiasts to use Internet responsibly
- Internet censorship is useless in today’s evironment – Taib Mahmud
RumahDayak.com on Facebook
