KUCHING:
State DAP is willing to allow Ministry of Health (MoH) to modify or
improve the dam it *has built to solve the water woes at Kpg Sangai
Empani (Kpg Empani).
Its Serian branch chairman Edward Andrew
Luwak said if modification could be done to the dam built by DAP’s
Impian Sarawak, he would welcome MoH to do so, rather than building a
new one which would be a waste of public funds.
“My priority is to
solve the problem of the people. If MoH can modify the dam to meet
MoH’s standard and later, link the pipe system to the existing one MoH
*has built, we welcome the move, as long as the village folk can enjoy
uninterrupted water supply,” Edward told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Edward
said when Impian Sarawak designed the dam, there was every intention
for the system to be joined to the existing reticulation system.
“When
I went to Kpg Empani on Wednesday, I was told that a small group from
15 families under the instruction of the village chief was making a
survey on building a new dam between the dam MoH built for Kpg Mawang in
2013 and the dam built by Impian Sarawak.
“Whoever are involved, I
hope they stop it as that would trigger further enmity between the
people. It does not make sense to have another dam. The Impian Sarawak
dam is sufficient to store water for the whole of Kpg Empani and even
for expected new families. I am willing to be a mediator to solve this
issue,” elaborated Edward.
He explained that the water supply problem was not caused by ‘bad blood’ but rather due to the wrong approach by MoH in 2013.
“The
right decision of the MoH would have been to convince the people of
both Kpg Sangai Mawang (Kpg Mawang) and Kpg Empani. MoH had the fund and
the experts for the project. It should have been them convincing the
people on which was the best water source. In that way, the cost would have
been reduced,” said Edward, adding that the creation of Kpg Empani 30
years ago was not due to a feud but rather the need to expand the
village area.
He further pointed out that the Steward Tray Filtration system (STFS) is not a water treatment system.
“It
is rather a small filtration system placed at strategic locations in
the village where people can take treated water for direct consumption.
Under gravity feed system provided both by MoH and DAP, water running
from the tap in the houses is raw untreated water. Therefore, there
should be no question of ‘degradation of water’.”
Edward was
commenting on the response from Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben and state
Health Director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan on the matter.
Both Martin
and Dr Zulkifli had come forward to give their explanations for the
water shortage after state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen had accused MoH
of choosing a poor water source for a dam for Kpg Empani folk in 2013
and for its refusal to give permission for the new system built by
Impian Sarawak to be connected to the existing system.
According
to Martin, the water problem at Kpg Empani was because the villagers
refused to share the same dam with Kpg Mawang due to a long-established
feud while Dr Zulkifli said the reason for turning down the application
to merge the two water supply systems, among others, was the fear of
degradation of water as DAP’s dam did not have a filtration system and
the dam was at a low elevation.
“I am to correct the statement of
Martin which stated that Impian Sarawak water supply did not reach the
village. The commissioning of the supply on Oct 3 was at the village
itself. Impian Sarawak just requests to connect the supply to the
existing main pipeline,” clarified Edward.
He further emphasised
that just like the water from the dam built by Impian Sarawak, water
from the dam built for Kpg Mawang by MoH was not treated, which put into
doubt the legitimacy of Dr Zulkilfli’s claim of possible water
degradation when the two systems are joined.
“Putting politics aside, let us work for the wellbeing of the people,” stressed Edward.
It
is indeed good of Edward
Andrew Luwak to speak the truthof what has really gone wrong to the water
supply system.He has also made good
suggestions how to improve the existing dam built by DAP.Now everybody has the true picture of what
has happened.
It is good that we live in the age when
nothing can be hidden like before.No
one whose voice is to tell all anymore.Everybody
can chip in to tell and guess what they know.
Negotiation hits snag as MAB board of management mulls making MASwings its own regional airline
Abang Johari (centre) speaking at the press conference after opening
the CoCIAF 2015. Also seen are (from right) Shazali, Dr Thein, Kadim and
Mohammad Abdullah.
This was revealed by Tourism Minister Datuk Amar
Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday, who said stakeholders from Sabah and
Sarawak were anticipating another meeting with Khazanah Nasional Berhad
and Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) sometime in the next two months.
“The
plan can only materialise when there are no objections from the federal
government for Sabah and Sarawak to take over the operations of
MASwings,” he told a press conference after opening the 2nd
International Conference on Contemporary Issues in Accounting and
Finance (CoCIAF) 2015 at Hilton Hotel here.
“I’ve had meetings with Khazanah CEO and MAB Board of Management two months ago,” he revealed.
He
said the state’s proposal, which the Sabah government had agreed to,
was to make MASwings a regional airline to serve routes with fight
duration within seven hours to destinations like Bali, Jakarta, Bangkok,
Tokyo and Australia.
“MAB can continue to be the premium airline
much like Cathay Pacific which is complemented by its regional airline
Dragon Air and similar to Singapore Airline (SIA) and Silk Air,” he
pointed out.
However, the MAB board of management had been
hesitant and silent upon hearing the proposition because it had
intention of making MASwings its regional airline, too.
“With the new management, I think they are still thinking about the possibility,” he added.
However,
Abang Johari remained optimistic that the plan could materialise due to
strong economic justifications, especially the huge tourism potential
in Sabah and Sarawak.
On another development related to the
CoCIAF, he admitted that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) definitely had
an impact on rural people but said it was unavoidable.
“While Sarawak continues to retain the Sales Tax, we however do not want to burden the people,” he said.
“So
it will be part of the devolution of power to negotiate and engage with
the federal government to secure our benefits from the GST collection,”
he highlighted.
He explained that Sarawak, being an equal partner
in Malaysia, needed to negotiate and understand better how the federal
government would distribute the collection.
“It may not come in monetary term but perhaps by giving more projects to Sarawak,” he said.
GST
is a sophisticated yet complex form of taxation, but Abang Johari
assured that the Sarawak and the federal governments could work out the
benefits.
CoCIAF 2015 is jointly organised by Universiti Malaysia
Sarawak (Unimas), Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC) and
Malaysian Institute of Accountancy (MIA).
The conference themed
‘Theory Meets Practice’ from Oct 8 to 10 serves as an important platform
for academicians, researchers, industry practitioners, policy makers to
interact and exchange viewpoints and research findings on contemporary
issues in Accounting and Finance.
It is attended by some 100 delegates from various countries including Iran, Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Malaysia.
Also
present were Unimas vice chancellor Prof Dato Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi,
Cooperative University of Thanlyin, Myanmar rector Prof Dr Thein Tun,
Dean of Faculty of Economics and Business of Unimas Prof Dr Shazali Abu
Mansor and CoCIAF 2015 organising chairman Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel.
Devolution
is only possible when the domination of Federal government can be undone by the
political leaders from Sarawak.Being
able to takeover Maswing is a good proof of the seriousness of the Federal
master to devolve.
Sarawakians, young
and old, are watching with anxiety and eagerness.We,of
course, also harbour so much rage being so suppressed and oppressed as well as
exploited for so long.Sarawak for
Sarawakians are our move towards ………………….
If
China having the population of 1.4 billion can become self-sufficient in rice
production, I really cannot understand why Sarawak cannot do it.
It
is just like a student who has the ability to score 100% in the test but has no
will to do so.Itagain is the ‘tidak apa’ attitudes and ends
in so-so result.
What
a shame to note that Sarawak can only produce about 53% of the rice needed for
its 2.5 million population.Is it
correct to be so self-complacent in this respect?
I
believe they know this proverb, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” I wonder “when there will be a will to ensure
the way “.People are waiting.
A
week or so ago, there was a newspaper news about the government going to give
free land to people so much to our delight.My son even went to the department concerned to ask about it.
We
were all disappointed finding that there was no such offer to encourage people
to opt for farming.Farming should be a
good option for many to get employed.
Rice
is our staple food.I must say I just
like rice.I might cry my heart out if I
do not have rice for my meals.We have
rice and porridge for 19 meals.
My
husband and I have porridge, egg and a kind of vegetable for 5 mornings. On Saturday evening, we often have porridge as we have lunch late. We have rice, fish or pork or both and 2
kinds of vegetables for lunch and 1 kind of vegetable for dinner.
On
Saturday morning, I only boil eggs and a
kettle of water.We are free to eat what
we like.On Sunday morning, we have
long-life noodles in chicken soup.
Imagine
if one day just in case we could not import rice from the rice producing
countries like Thailand, Vietnam and so on, we had daily ration on rice.Oh, mine, how could I survive?
For
the past 33 years, ex-CM Taib Mahmud just issued a lot of licences for large
scale oil palm plantations for his own personal gains and interests only.
He
and his cronies had no heart for rice cultivation for the sake of food security.Can we live on palm oil instead of rice to
survive?I surely die without rice as
it tastes so nice.
About
40 over years ago or so, I remember there was a time when the rice in town all
imported tasted terrible.I complained
loudly to my parents that I could not eat the rice.
I
must admit that I have too sensitive tongue and nose to tolerate food that is
not fresh or good anymore.I am always
so careful with the choice of rice.
Being
able to produce own rice and other agricultural products for self-subsistence should
be the hallmark to decide a good or poor governance. A good government will guard the agricultural
sector at all cost.
I
am looking forwards to more dynamic leadership in every level to expect a
better future and the right direction for development.
No political will to achieve rice self-sufficiency — Masing
Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com
Farmers till land for planting paddy on Masing’s land along
Kuching-Serian Road. The rice he produces can last his family for a year
at least.
KUCHING: There is still a lack of political will
to strive for self-sufficiency in rice production in Sarawak which only
manages to produce about 53 per cent of the rice consumed by its
population of 2.5 million.
As such Land Development Minister Tan
Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing urged the relevant authorities to
put greater emphasis on rice cultivation.
“Food security should be
among our priorities and not just submarines and aeroplanes for our
defence. We have the land resources and our population is only 2.5
million so there is no reason not to be able to feed ourselves,” Masing
told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
He was asked why China with a
massive population of 1.4 billion is able to feed its people, whereas
Sarawak with a small population depends on imported rice, especially
from Thailand and Vietnam.
To become self-sufficient in rice,
there was a need to provide better infrastructure such as irrigation in
areas suited for rice cultivation such as the Bijat-Stumbin area, Masing
said.
“Regular water supply is needed so we are talking about
good irrigation network and schemes to develop areas for rice
production.
“We cannot keep on importing rice from these countries
because if one day they decide not to export rice to us, we will be in
trouble,” he said.
When contacted, State Agriculture Department
director Datu Lai Kui Fong said the government should put more money
into irrigation and research and development (R & D) if it wanted to
be self-sufficient in rice.
“We have fertile lands but they are
too soft for mechanisation. We need a good irrigation system but
implementation is very expensive – between RM35,000 to RM50,000 per
hectare,” he said.
Lai said some 5,000 hectares of land in
Bijat-Stumbin area had been planted with padi and it would take another
five years for 60 per cent self-sufficiency in rice.
He said in the long run, the government also needed good anchor farmers to supplement its padi-planting efforts.
He said apart from Bijat-Stumbin, Bario Highlands had been identified as potential rice bowls.
According
to Lai, one of the reasons for low production of rice in the state was
the private sector’s lack of enthusiasm since it did not provide good
returns.
This was despite the government giving farmers a subsidy of RM1,000 for each hectare of hill paddy planted.
The state government is also cultivating highland crops such as fruits and vegetables in Ulu Baram.
Sarawak currently imports most of its fruits and vegetables from Cameron Highlands and Kundasang in Sabah.
Lai
disclosed that Padi Beras Nasional Berhad (Bernas) practises a policy
whereby the country must have at least six months of holding stock of
rice for emergency needs.
It
is good of James Masing to tell the people frankly the problem of the BN government
who has failed to prioritise the needs.
I believe we can reach 100% self-sufficiency in rice, fruit and
vegetable productions for the population in Sarawak and surplus for export if
the government has enough political will to help farmers and encourage youths
to join in the force of farming.
If
there are enough incentives, I believe, many youths will be most willing to
join in the force which someone said would be as hot as real estate business one day.
