theborneopost.com

Residents running out of patience

Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com

People in Ba Kelalan staging daily demonstrations demanding immediate repair of road leading to their area

Demonstrators in Ba Kelalan demanding the road to be repaired as soon as possible.

KUCHING: A group of people in Ba Kelalan are staging demonstrations there to demand the road leading to their area, which is so badly damaged that it  is almost impossible to drive on, be repaired soonest possible.
      After their numerous appeals to the government to repair the road had failed they have now resorted to daily demonstrations to vent their anger and frustration over the condition of the road.
     According to Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Ba Kelalan Youth chief Tadem Arun, the repair of the road should not be politicised as it is a very basic need of the people.
  “We are very sick and tired of the political rhetoric. So, we urge the ministers, both at the state and federal levels to assist us to repair our road soonest possible.  Please don’t treat us like this as though we have no government,” Tadem said when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.
     He also insisted that ministers at federal and state levels go to the ground and see for themselves the condition of the road.
  “We demand the ministers in charge of road at both the state and federal levels to come and see how bad the road condition is now especially during the wet season.” said Tadem.
     When contacted, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation (MIDT)  Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing said he had received the proposal from a timber company operating in the area to upgrade the logging road to R1 type at a cost of RM35 million.
   “I hope the YBs (elected representatives) of the area will discuss the matter with my officers from MIDT to look at the details of the proposal so that it could be implemented as soon as possible,” said Masing.
     Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong when contacted thanked Masing for his ministry’s response to the demands of the people and said he would meet the MIDT officers to expedite the repair of the road.
     “I am as excited as the people as I have highlighted the issue ample times in parliament.   I have also written to the respective ministers at both the federal and state levels on the urgent need to upgrade and repair the road,” said Sum, who is also Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.
     Meanwhile, Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian was thankful that the road would soon be repaired and he welcomed the government’s initiative to assist the people.
“On my part I would like to say thank you to the government and I will go to the ground to ensure that the road repair could be implemented according to specifications,” added Baru.

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  My comments:
  Building and maintain roads are the responsible of the government.  Why did James Masing, the political thug thinks that the timber company can really upgrade the road.  Don't accept the proposal from the timber company to upgrade the road.  Ask the government, be it so-called Federal or state government to upgrade the road if you really want the road to be done properly and accordingly and regularly and legitimately and effectively.  Don't be fooled again and again and again and again.  Change your mindset for a better future and road condition.   
• Don't compromise to the promise of the political thug to accept the proposal of  the timber company to do the work or the appalling road condition will continue to happen again and again.  There will be no ending of this condition. 

Sarawak gets largest slice of Education Ministry funding, says Director-General

September 17, 2017, Sunday

Khair (front facing camera, third right) interacts with the children at the launch of the programme. — Photos by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

        KUCHING: The allocation for Sarawak this year by the Ministry of Education is the biggest among all the states in Malaysia.
       Sarawak receives RM442 million out of the RM3 billion allocated by the ministry under ‘Schooling Assistance’ this year.
According to the ministry’s director-general Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof, this schooling assistance for Sarawak is divided into three categories – general assistance worth RM89 million, special assistance (RM319 million) and one-off assistance (RM34 million).
 “All these three categories of assistance are meant for children who are attending lessons at 1,436 schools in the whole of Sarawak,” he said in launching the ministry’s ‘Explore Education’ programme at Plaza Merdeka here yesterday.
Khair pointed out that the assistance is aimed at ensuring that children in the state would have access to quality education like their counterparts in developed countries.
On teachers, he said the ministry is targeting to have 90 per cent of those teaching in Sarawak and Sabah to consist of locals.
According to him, the process of transferring teachers began last June and the target should be achieved by this January.
For Sarawak, he said 90 per cent of the 43,000 teachers would be Sarawakians by early next year.
On the two-day programme, Khair called upon the community particularly the parents to visit the exhibition on the atrium of Plaza Merdeka to obtain the latest information about the nation’s education policy.
He said the ‘Sarawak Edition’ marked the ninth leg of the nationwide ‘Explore Education’ programme.
“I hope this programme would receive good response from Sarawakians who should take the opportunity to get information from the right source, instead of false information circulated on social media.”

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  19/9/2017
          Shamelessly, BN political thugs or officers bark often and again to tell us Sarawakians what we have got from the Federal government without thinking that how much they have plundered from us.  What a curse when 400 plus schools in Sarawak are in dilapidated conditions.   This shows how long these schools have been neglected.  This shows how long Sarawakians have been exploited.  This shows how deprived these schools have been.
          Now by the force of the situation, the Malayan government is coerced to dish out the amount that is nothing to the total amount owed to us Sarawakians. 
          If Sarawak has been independent enough like Singapore, our economic development will be on par with those in Singapore.  You will not face the appalling road conditions, lack of basic amenities in most rural areas, poor school facilities, poor hospital facilities..….
   

theborneopost.com

Chong hits back at Manyin over English education

Chong Chieng Jen

KUCHING: DAP Sarawak has hit back at Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin for claiming that the party has no suggestion on how to improve the standard of English amongst the young in Sarawak.

Its chairman Chong Chieng Jen said for Manyin to make such claim, the latter must have been ‘sleeping in the DUN (State Legislative Assembly)’ in the past two years when he was debating.

“We DAP Sarawak have constructive and workable suggestions on how to improve the standard of English amongst the students in Sarawak. The sad fact is that the BN government has consistently turned a deaf ear to our suggestion.

“To reply to Michael Manyin, I do not mind to repeat the DAP Sarawak’s suggestion on how to improve the standard of English amongst the young in Sarawak which I have mentioned in DUN several times,” he said in a press statement yesterday.

Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, suggested that to improve the standard of English, there was no other way except to revive the English schools system in Sarawak.

“DAP Sarawak has proposed that the state government allocate funds to set up English private schools or revive the English medium mission schools systems.

“At present, there are only a handful private schools where English is the medium of instruction. At private schools, students have to pay school fees which are not affordable to many from the low-income group.”

He said if the government could allocate funds to set up English private schools with no fees payable by the students, there would be more opportunities for children in the state to receive English education, especially those from lower income families.

“I have also suggested that such English schools be not confined only to the urban region but also suburban and rural areas.”

As to Manyin’s claims that education policies are federal matter and that his ministry is only there to complement the federal Education Ministry (MOE) and thus has no power to formulate policies, Chong said it was just another ‘lame excuse’ by Manyin to run away from his responsibility.

“If we can have the private sector funding private schools with English as the medium of instruction, why can’t the state government fund more of such private schools?

“Furthermore, if the state MOE cannot even formulate policy on education, then it is actually a department of the federal MOE, disguised as a state ministry to give the state BN a ‘syok sendiri’ (self indulgent) feeling.”

Chong said for DAP, if the policy of the government is not workable or detrimental to the people, they will object to it.

“For the state government, with billions of reserve fund and a new Ministry of Education set up, to come up with such a ridiculous policy (which even Michael Manyin’s own colleague (Datuk) Abdul Karim (Rahman Hamzah) disagrees), is doing a disservice to our younger generation.”

Therefore, Chong said it is DAP’s duty to voice out and not sit back and keep quiet like those in SUPP or other BN component parties.

“If Michael Manyin is mindful of doing good in education for our future generation, he should implement the revival of the English medium schools or at least get the state government to fund some private schools teaching in English so that these schools can provide free English education to the students.”

As for Pakatan Harapan (PH), Chong said if they capture Putrajaya, Sarawak will be given autonomy in education and they will set up English schools to offer parents a choice – to have their children educated in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin or English language.

“For now, we welcome the BN Sarawak government to adopt our proposed policy of having ‘Fully Government Funded English Schools in Sarawak’.”

Chong said even if BN Sarawak was not willing to adopt DAP’s suggestion, they were confident that Sarawakians would not need to wait long for such English schools to be set up in the state because the 14th General Election is near and the likelihood of PH capturing Putrajaya is high.

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  My Comments:
  I would recommend to set up another stream of schools which have 30% of the texts to be taught in BM, 30% of the texts to be taught  Chinese or Iban or other languages as people's wish and 40% to be taught in English.  Just try and see what stream of schools will get most supports and which stream gets so few students in the competition. 

Say 'No!!!!'. That's!

Tweets  30/8/2017

        An Autocracy is, no doubt, an autocracy who so set to do what he desires to accomplish with the power in his hands in the country where all the laws have to bend to his commands.  If Taib Mahmud of Sarawak, Mahatir/ex-PM of Malaysia (for 22+ years), the present PM, Najib, Zahid Hamedi, the present deputy PM of Malaysia……….were in Koreo, they would be in jail now.  I believe 1 day, history will showcase of their sins,  abuses, lifestyles  and ill-gotten wealth in possession in the museums.

        History will tell the truth of every sins they committed.  History will no longer be told by just few professional historians who help to twist, distort and fabricate to the dictation of the dictatorship.   History will be told by everybody and it will be like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to be put together to tell what the picture is.

Every Sarawakians with the exceptions of 1 % will know the true history of Sarawak by heart.  Every Sarawakian should know how our countrymen in Sarawak colluded with the Malayan government to open the way for them to come in to plunder and exploit us with such shameless and lame excuse that they were subjected to the whip of the party to obey even if they had to betray Sarawak.  How every act signed unconstitutionally as against the MA63. 

by these betrayals, so called National Representatives.

It is no doubt when we say and protest what 31^st August is to celebrate, one of the betrayals called Stephen Rundi stepped out to tell the people to accept the decision of the ‘Federal Government’.  These betrayals have had too good the benefits of the positions and income to think and care to set their foot down to protect Sarawak from being humiliated and debased from the status of a country to a state unconstitutionally.  These betrayals are so subservient to their ‘Federal’ master that they are ever ready to sign any act proposed. 

Why should Sarawak in such an appalling conditions in many respects still subject to GST, tourism tax and the like?  Who gives the Federal master the rights to do so?  Are there not slaps in the face of these political clowns and Sarawakians in general?

What do Abang Johari and his cronies say about the celebration on 31^st August?  This is how the autocrazy/autocracy wants to test Abang Johari

and his cronies’ loyalty to the authority of the Malayan government, their Federal Master.   This is just a date to showcase their mindset. 

        So, to celebrate or not to celebrate, we Sarawakians should stay united to decide and our decision is, “No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

And there is nothing to celebrate on the 16^th September, either?  It only reminds us how Sarawak has been plundered and exploited since our betrayals signed the MA63.

What is that we are celebrating?

Tweets 14/8/2017       What is that we are celebrating?

The Independent Day of Sarawak is on 22 July.  The so called Malaysia Day is on 16 September.  What is 31^st August we are celebrating?  Through the collusion of the local parties with the UMNO-BN, Sarawak has been plundered and exploited for over 54 years, what are we thankful for? 

It is a blantant mistake to form Malaysia 54 years ago and what a shame to see 70% of Sarawak in appalling conditions in every respect with the exception of town areas when compared with Brunei and Singapore.  What are we thankful for the Federation of Malaysia?  Don’t force the the so-called national flags into people’s hands. 

I don’t know whose idea to force Sarawakians to celebrate the Peninsula Malaya and Sabah Independent Day on 31^st August?  Do they celebrate Sarawak Independent Day on 22 July in the same manner?  Please don’t waste resources and don’t mislead Sarawakians.  It is time for the leaders to stand up tall and straight to say “No”.  Save the energy and resources for better use. 

Say “No to GST and tourism tax” to assert our position as a partner in the Federation of Malaysia.  Abang Johari and his cronies should set the time to get back all the rights that belongs to Sarawak or be prepared to secede.   Don’t wait for Sarawakians to flush you out. 

On behalf of all the Sarawakians with the 2% exception, I plead you to abolish 31^st August to be a public holiday to show that it is just an independent day of Peninsula Malaya.  It is time to hit back for all the transgression and trespasses of Malaya government in Sarawak.  Don’t behave like fools and become a laughing stock to the whole-wide world. 

It is not nosy of me to tell all these.  When some political thugs bring flags to schools to fools pupils and teachers, I believe the sight will cause rage to 1.5 million of Sarawakians.  I feel really disgusted and angry to see those in blue uniform with the logo of weighing scale to set out to distribute the flags for nothing meaningful but a show of your loyalty to the Malayan government.  Like betrayers, they act and behave to much to the disgust and anger of Sarawakians.

大马政治改革最忌「休克疗法」

2017年8月18日

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评论: 丘光耀
我小时候看港漫《龙虎门》，对黄玉郎笔下有一招印象特別深刻：那就是男主角双掌运劲，再往死者胸膛击下，叫「死马当活马医」，图令阵亡的兄弟恢復心跳。
后来看港剧《仁心仁术》，也有医生在加护病房里，用两座类似电熨斗的医疗器材，往心跳停顿的病人胸膛猛击好几回，医学常识「有限公司」的我，只觉得那手法很「龙虎门」。
中学毕业后，因家庭左派背景影响，我很关心中国六四和苏联瓦解，两父子购买了大量相关的书报杂誌，还经常激烈辩论。撇开感情不谈，我一直很想从社会科学，理性地、系统地探究苏联成立70年，竟在一夜之间崩解的原因。
后来我到中国读研究所，进图书馆如进宝山，发了疯似的研究马克思主义。暨南大学社科部的教授们对我这个来自资本主义大马学生的「学习热情」都很惊讶，因为暨大作为侨校，图书馆的马克思恩格斯原著，早就封尘多年，无人问津好久。
当年，我从社科部学习到的一个关键词：休克疗法（Shock Therapy），又称震盪治疗法，那是研究东欧剧变的重点之一。
后来在学术圈里也听闻，香港新右派经济学家张五常曾在六四之前，带他师父米尔顿.弗利曼（Milton Friedman）到北京访问，亲自给邓小平和赵紫阳介绍其「芝加哥学派」的经济改革方案。眾所周知，中共隨即强推的「价格闯关」，正是引发中国社会经济动盪的原因之一，也为此埋下六四民运的伏笔。

回顾金融风暴
1997年，我硕士毕业后即回到民主行动党总部，担任林吉祥政治秘书。翌年发生亚洲金融风暴，总部也有两种经济学派在交锋。其中一派主张大马应该接受国际货幣基金（IMF）的拯救配套，因为大马的朋党/裙带资本主义（Crony Capitalism）猖獗，只有吞下激进改革的猛药，才有望早日復甦。
当然，马哈迪不会拱手让IMF侵蚀巫统朋党的企业王国，所以断然拒绝之。但是，时任副首相暨財政部长的安华，是赞成向IMF求救的，然林吉祥则持反对立场。我们作为政治秘书，天天翻译老大的文告，从中理解他的思考脉搏。
林吉祥作为国会反对党领袖，一方面批评马哈迪的「否定症候群」，一味地將金融风暴的责任推给国际货幣大炒家索罗斯（George Soros），另一方面也提出一系列符合社会民主价值的政经改革建议，如：
（1）呼吁政府须先解放传媒，让可靠的经济数据自由流通，以克服在坊间的种种不利谣言，从而拯救国人的信心危机。
（2）马哈迪应该摒弃由敦达因所领导的国家经济行动理事会，因为没有人相信敦达因的经济改革方案会以公共利益唯上。
（3）强烈反对巫统挪用公积金来挽救朋党企业。
（4）建议內阁应对中央银行和金融界进行透明化改革，除了有效地清理烂账，也要给那些具有生產性及出口导向的企业发放贷款，协助国家经济加速復甦。
（5）要求政府成立的中小型企业基金、国家高等教育基金、食品供应基金等，一视同仁地按需求而非肤色或政治背景来发放。
（6）加强对政府机构內部的稽查，杜绝浪费、挥霍、贪污、无效率和繁文縟节。
（7）加紧打击黑市外劳，优先保障在金融风暴期间一百万失业国人的就业机会和利益。
至於行动党內支持IMF挽救配套的另一派，则认为林吉祥太过君子风范，应该「乘金融风暴之病，拿马哈迪之命」，他们主张「打开国门让IMF进来，由鬼佬来收拾巫统的朋党企业」，「请大鬼打小鬼」！然而，林吉祥却反对有关举措，他认为「请鬼容易送鬼难」，盖IMF的挽救配套，其实就是新自由主义的財政紧缩方案，如砍掉国家津贴、取消税务优惠、提高银行利率、放鬆外匯管制、解除贸易壁垒、欢迎外资涌入、收购大马国企等，一句话：「由国际自由市场决定一切」。
吉祥反对IMF
IMF主张的休克疗法，从南美、东欧到中国，都有人尝试过；成功的经验少，付出代价的多。它短期內会引发经济激烈震盪，国民经济如病人那样进入休克状態，但右派的经济学家说，市场供求一旦恢復平衡，就会呈现经济復甦，这是「经济改革的阵痛」，「市场转型的必要之恶」。

林吉祥显然不接受这种经济学派的观点。
当年马哈迪也反对新自由主义，我记得《马来前锋报》头版特地放大一张相片，那是印尼大独裁者苏哈多总统在IMF挽救方案上签字时垂头丧气的模样，背后是叉腰见证苏哈多签字的老外，即IMF主席。而林吉祥的爱国，总是被人误解，当年的倒林运动（KOKS）就曾谎称「林吉祥变了」，污蔑吉祥支持马哈迪是为了「挽救儿子林冠英免於煽动法令官司的牢狱之灾」。
我引述廿年前的这段金融风暴歷史，是要提示大家：

一、林吉祥不是政客，他有大局意识，判断问题，不仅是为了行动党的选举利益，还包括国家整体利益。

二、「渐进改革」比「激进改革」更符合国家利益，类似休克疗法的IMF拯救方案，不只是会典当国家经济主权给跨国大財团，也可能引发社会动盪，因为一旦「自由市场法则说了算」，一个多元民族的国家，处於经济竞爭劣势的族群，在政客的蓄意操弄下，就会寻找代罪羔羊。而大马华人很可能如当年印尼华人的命运，沦为暴力政治的牺牲者。

脑残的主张
三、当前华社有一些政治脑残者，主张行动党要提出激进的改革议程，尤其涉及爭取「民族平等」的诉求，绝对不能向马来土著特权跪下，否则就是「同化的两线制」，应当投废票抗拒之。他们说，行动党已经变节，出卖建党原则，否则林吉祥就应该要爭取列华文为官方语文、大胆呼吁取消「马来人特权」、承诺改革公务员的臃肿体制、敢於发声抗议皇室干预政治等等。

我说，挑战马来人特权和封建王室的激进诉求，就好比政治上的休克疗法，对马来人而言，更是「文化大革命」，会坏了希望联盟「改朝换代」的大局，让纳吉在马来社会得以借题发挥，转移视线。马来人一旦误以为希望联盟是由「华人行动党」操控，马哈迪、安华和末沙布是民族叛徒和火箭傀儡，大家认为保守的马来人会有啥反应？五个字：含泪投巫统！

须知道，依靠枴杖60年生活的人，好比吸食鸦片超过半个世纪的病夫，你要他在一个星期戒毒，等於要他老命。这种休克疗法，既不科学，也难以让吸毒者即刻就能自力更生，甚至还会让「恐惧情绪」在甘榜发酵，挽救垂死挣扎的鸦片贩子巫统，这无疑不利於巩固各个民族在关键时刻，同仇敌愾推翻腐朽巫统的团结力量。

那些执意要在此时此刻疾呼废除马来特权的脑残者，是搅局的华人右派法西斯，他们打著爭取华人权益的旗帜，其实正是捍卫纳吉政权的变相维稳者！

记得，我们的敌人是巫统，不是马来人！我们要拉下的是国阵贪官，不是马来公务员！贪腐文化，自上而下，促成两线制后，我们才能让开明进步的大马政治议程，改造各族落伍腐朽的政治文化！而这一切，得从巫统倒台后才能开始！

Couple shocked by rattling of cave-in beneath house

August 16, 2017, Wednesday Raymond Tan, reporters@theborneopost.com

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A resident looks at the caved-in compound of a house rented by George.

Firemen check the peeled tiles in the sitting room.

A hollow beneath the house at Crystal Lane in Sibu Jaya.

SIBU: A couple was shocked yesterday when the ground under their rented house in Sibu Jaya caved in, causing the floor in the sitting room to crack.

The incident occurred at 9am when the 25-year-old tenant was having breakfast with his wife in the kitchen.

He said they heard loud cracking sounds and ran out to the sitting room to check.
“We found the floor cracked and tiles peeled. Apparently, the earth beneath the house has moved due to the sinking and caving-in effect.”

The frightened couple called the police and the Fire and Rescue Department, but, there was nothing they could do.

The owner, a contractor who identified himself only as George, said the semi-detached, single-floor unit was no longer fit for occupation.

He said they would decide what to do next, adding that they  only moved into the house a few months ago.

Apart from the house at Crystal Lane he was renting from his relative, two rows of houses at the same area are also badly affected by the sinking ground. He said the
house owner had tried filling soil in the garden as the compound continued to sink but it did not improve the situation.

My comments:
These people next move is to go the relevant departments, especially, SMC, to seek their assistance to check the foundation of the house to find out if the developer has piled in enough poles to form the foundation of the house.  This is the responsibility of SMC.  The occupants in the area should band together like the people in the longhouse to sue SMC for their neglect to protect the house owners from being exploited by the developer.  They must have cut-cost-to-save cost (偷工减料) in poles piling for the foundation.