State relishes getting carte blanche cheque — Naroden

October 29, 2015, Thursday Lian Cheng, reporters@theborneopost.com

S

Datuk Mohd

Naroden Majais

KUCHING: Giving Sarawak complete freedom to manage all federal government allocations will help soften the impacts of falling oil and commodity prices on the state’s economy.

Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais opined that if the federal government just hand over all funds approved for Sarawak, the state could ensure all programmes and projects would be implemented effectively.

“Autonomy is the key to ensure effectiveness (of project/programme implementations) by cutting off red tape to reduce incidences of delayed or sick projects.

“It is also the only way to stop funds from being withdrawn, apart from helping Sarawak to cushion the impacts of commodity and oil price fall,” he said in response to a recent report by Moody’s Investors Service entitled ‘Sarawak – Sub-sovereign – Malaysia: Sarawak’s Conservative Budgetary Practices, Strong Liquidity Blunt the Effect of Falling Oil Prices”.

The report stated that Sarawak would remain resilient against the impacts of falling commodity prices in the near future. The report, however, cautioned that a prolonged period of low oil prices might erode the state’s financial might.

“Despite the falling prices of our commodities, especially crude petroleum and crude palm oil, Sarawak will still be able to see its plans implemented throughout the 11th Malaysia Plan,” said Naroden, also Assistant Minister of Resource Planning.

Acknowledging that the state’s revenue from oil had dropped drastically, Naroden said revenues from other traditional sources such as timber and land premiums continued to flow into the state’s coffer.

In terms of fossil fuel, he said the state was basically affected only by the fall of the price of crude petroleum.

The price of liquified natural gas (LNG) had not been affected as the state had long term contracts with its importers.

In the fuel sector, Petronas’ commitment to give RM2.1 billion worth of contracts to local contractors would create more job opportunities and spur domestic spending.

To prepare locals to secure high-level jobs in Petronas and other giant companies in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), the state had embarked on producing more skilled manpower by setting up technical colleges and universities, and Naroden believed this effort would further stimulate the domestic market.

“The upgrading of the Pan Borneo trunk road to a highway will also help spur economic growth in the state.

“Basically, Sarawak has a strong economic foundation.  Development may slow down a little bit in the near future, but I believe the state can sail through this economic downturn.”

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/10/29/state-relishes-getting-carte-blanche-cheque-naroden/#ixzz3pxDVoL6p

carte blanche  cheque /ˈkɑ:t ˈblɑntʃ  /tʃek//  (French words) blank cheque

My comments:
It is called plundering and exploitation at will from the imperialist Federal government.  Count how many  promises of all the allocations since 1963 have been fulfilled and by how many %.

Sarawak more or less have been pawned by X-CM Taib Mahmud (33years) and his uncle Yacob (n years).

Another fact to note is that the Sarawak MPs have been too docile to say, "No!" and to guard the interests of Sarawak.  They have been only mindful for their own interests and positions to care for Sarawak as a whole.

The deplorable conditions people especially in the rural areas face today are the results of poor governance.  Do you want to give anymore supports to your own ethnic leaders who have betrayed you all the time since time immemorial?

Get back history before reclaiming rights

Get back history before reclaiming rights, activist tells Sabah, Sarawak state governments

October 29, 2015, Thursday

Zainal showing his book on his right hand and the Inter-Governmental Committee Report and Malaysia Agreement 1963 on his left hand.

KUCHING: Sarawak and Sabah must first reclaim their history which was purposely lost before they can start to reclaim their rights in the Federation of Malaysia.

This is because when history is denied to society it may disappear for good, opined Zainnal Ajamain, a Sabahan who is active in reclaiming Sabah’s rights as provided in the caveats and safeguards in the Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGCR) and the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He lamented that the formation of the Federation of Malaysia was the missing chapter in the nation’s history – the part that was denied to Malaysians as well as people of the Borneo States of Sabah and Sarawak for the last 52 years.

He noted that the rights of the people of Sarawak and Sabah were enshrined in the IGCR and MA63, which were finally incorporated into the Federal Constitution (FC).

“We have very little time left to reclaim our history and with it our rights.

“The people in the Borneo Territories have eight more years to create awareness about this part of our history, failing which we shall be people without understanding about our past,” he said at the launch of his book entitled ‘The Queen’s Obligation’ here yesterday.

Zainnal said it was critical for the people in Sabah and Sarawak to dig deeper into the formation of Malaysia, push for the writing and studying of the history of the formation of Malaysia, organise healthy discourse and create the necessary awareness among the people with regards to their rights that were clearly spelt in the IGCR, MA63 and the FC.

“This is our birthright. It shall be our legacy to the future generations of Sabahans and Sarawakians,” he stressed.

He said Sabahans and Sarawakians, including politicians, should stop being delusional and start demanding for something which most of them knew very little about and were totally not prepared for.

He said the British had indeed left the people in Sabah and Sarawak with entrenched safeguards in the supreme law of the country.

The British, he added, even made it in such a way that even the highest law making body in the country – Malaysian Parliament – cannot touch or change the caveats and safeguards written in the IGCR and MA63.

Thus the people in Sarawak and Sabah must read and understand both the IGCR and MA63 properly, he continued.

He asked if the people in Sabah and Sarawak were clueless about their own rights and their own value, how then, could they bargain with anyone including the federal government.

Zainnal believed it was about time that all the people in Sabah and Sarawak must be assertive about their history, and read and understand it fully.

In addition, the people in Sabah and Sarawak, young and old, must have the knowledge and confidence to engage their ‘Trust Administrator’ about their rights, he asserted.

Equally important, he added, Sabahans and Sarawakians must be able to get their demands fulfilled in accordance with the IGCR, MA63 and the FC – no more no less – and not the 20 or 18 points memorandums.

Zainnal argued that the 20 or 18 points memorandums did not provide the safeguards for the Borneo states. He noted that in the case of Sabah, apart from four pieces of paper signed by local political parties in North Borneo at that time, there were no other documentations which could substantiate the claim.

“Those who read and analyse the 20 points memorandum closely will find that it contains no protection for Sabah and some points were headlines plagiarised from the Cobbold Commission report.

“The 20 points memorandum was never even considered in the ‘great compromise’ which was the Inter-Government Committee’s working parties and plenary sessions,” he elaborated.

He, however, was not sure of the contents of the 18 points memorandum signed by the political leaders in Sarawak during that time.

Zainnal is an economist by profession, graduating with a Masters degree from University of East Anglia.

He has held several high ranking positions in government and government think- tanks and has worked as a university lecturer, senior researcher, stockbroker and economist, and published several papers in international journals.

He is the co-founder of the United Borneo Front and a passionate activist promoting the Formation of Malaysia and Malaysia Agreement 1963,

Sabah Rights in the Federation, Sabah Oil & Gas rights, development of BIMP-EAGA and abolishing the long standing Cabotage Policy.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/10/29/get-back-history-before-reclaiming-rights-activist-tells-sabah-sarawak-state-governments/#ixzz3px8gLxrE

龙门阵  2015年10月28日 | 作者：杨善勇 | 专栏：仅供参考

资源寄生权力所在

此一时，彼一时，本来就是人生的常態；人走茶凉，因而也就见怪不怪。瞭解这些，自然也就可以明白巫统署理主席慕尤丁被黜副揆之后，权限似乎已被架空，本身在党內的角色日渐受制。

举例言之，过去在巫统最高理事会开会前，都由署理主持会前会议。如今规矩改了，会议交党主纳吉处理。青年团及妇女组据说甚至也想背反传统，改邀党主席开幕。身处此境，慕尤丁深感自己不获尊重。

说是这样， 政治之上， 权力就是硬道理，权位当先。今日的妥协，往往只是一时的无可奈何。但是，时过境迁，一切都將重新洗牌。对待陈六使，新加坡建国总理李光耀当年秉持的就是这么一套：「时机到来我会对付陈六使的。」。

是的， 时机到来， 自然有变； 一旦当家当权， 党国的资源分配，隨之转圜。去岁居鑾国会议员的刘镇东之文告已说：「首相署在2011年获得总国家拨款中的21%拨款，2012年获得15%，2013年有18%，2014年则是23%。」

跟著，刘镇东报告：「2015年的发展拨款只有区区505亿令吉，首相署仍然伸手掏取130亿令吉，而这笔钱佔了有关拨款的26%！」说是这样，2016年的財政预算，首相署配得203亿1000万令吉！

总的来说，25个政府部门当中，18个的拨款减少。当中，高教部少了24亿令吉，交通部减去6亿4千万，卫生部也削掉接近3亿。儘管如此，首相署所得则仍然增加了11亿令吉！

编算国家財务的凭借到底何在？为何全国400余个新村2百万村民上缴的N亿所得税，最终只有微不足道的4千万配额？首相署內主管新村的那一位十分之一部长，想必也不能圆满解释了。

都说了，权力就是硬道理：资源寄生之处，正是权力所在。慕尤丁当初身为一人之下，万人之上的老二，大概也不能体会盟党小二的感受，唯有失势之际，才有「多么痛的领悟」。可惜，太迟了。

My comments:
这是一篇对Najib拨款分配写得很清楚。 可以做很好的参考。

董教总斥政府　未发拨款互推諉

（吉隆坡28日讯）董教总不满教育部和財政部，在处理去年財政预算案拨给华小和国民型中学款项课题上，不仅没即刻採取解决行动，反而各执一词，推諉责任，此举董教总震惊及不满。

董教总要求教育部和財政部尽速解决此事，必须在近期內將余下拨款发给相关的学校。其中，董总要求相关的政府部门清楚交待发生拨款乱象的原因，追究失责官员，同时必须向公眾道歉，以贯彻实现政治问责文化和制度。

董总也促政府必须透明地公佈学校拨款机制，明確列出拨款的申请、预算、决策、分配、发放、监督、问责、检討等的完整程序和文件，让人民瞭解及提出改善意见。

董总发表声明称，政府实行的学校拨款机制由来已久，却不断发生拨款不公、拨款迟发或去向不明等各种问题，而董总对於所谓「財政部和教育部在行政沟通上出现状况，导致部份拨款仍未拨给各源流学校」的理由，深感错愕且无法接受。
学校发展拖延

董总也认为，相关拨款迟迟未能发下，將导致相关学校的发展计划遭到拖延，学校的建设工程因无法付款给承包商而被迫搁置中止，严重打击学校的建设和发展。

另一方面，教总则称，在2015年財政预算案中，华小和国民型中学各获得5000万令吉和2500令吉的拨款，以作为维修校舍及提升校內设施的用途 並改善学校的环境，让学生和老师拥有安全和舒適的环境来进行教学和学习活动，对华小和国民型中学来说，有关的拨款本来已经不够应付学校的实际需求，如今又 雪上加霜，迟迟拿不到有关的拨款，在在影响了学校的发展。

「事实上，政府也於2015年財政预算案中，宣佈承担政府资助学校每月最高5000令吉的水电费，但却迟迟没有拨下水电费拨款，结果造成政府资助学 校拖欠水电费，甚至还接获国能公司通知切断电源供应的警告信，经过校方和华教团体一再爭取后，政府才在八月份发放2000万令吉给政府资助学校来缴付水电 费。」

教总表示，上述的事件暴露了政府部门不负责任和没有效率的问题，也彰显了当局的严重失职，因此他们促请財政部和教育部必须立即採取行动，把2015年財政预算案中拨给华小和国民型中学的款项全部发放到有需要的学校。

教总也吁请政府须对发放拨款给各类型学校的行政作业方式作出检討和改善，以避免继续发生类似的问题，同时也促请政府公佈分配给各类型学校的拨款准则和机制，擬定一个统一和完善的拨款制度，確保各类型学校公平享有国家教育资源。

My comments：
对于拨款时间一定要订好，之后大家就要盯住，定时催着3步法。  第1步，问几时？  第二部，要求赶快！ 第三步，准备公开追讨之前，36小时缓冲期。 再没有行动，I'm sorry。  透过各媒体公告天下。

对付贪官只有一招[狠狠下手]。 看他们怕不怕？

Tweets 29/10/2015

Tweets 29/10/2015

原来2015还有 教育局还有RM30million 这么大的余额还未拨放下来。这笔账目，如果没有魏家祥吹bebe通知大家，这笔拨款最后，我相信肯定会给有心人吞掉。 这种事不是不可能。以往，就以308之前为定位，我可以logic推理给40%-50%，其余的嘿。。。。嘿进入[有心人] 的私人户口，你们说有不可能的吗？

嗯。。嗯，经过新MP张盛闻检查后，又有新发现2014 还有欠款RM。。。。万。这太可怕了。 如果，没有这些人吹bebe，这笔钱，最后[钱落谁家？]谁也能预料？ 掌权者上上下下前前后后左左右右的人都有% 的分赃。官官相护保权益，其他良知的事，直多少斤量？ 在天主/Allah眼里是否有罪/没罪，谁会管那么多？

嗯。。嗯，除了关心华小的拨款有这种拖欠的问题，请也Satu Malaysia 帮帮忙看看国小和谈小是否面对更严重问题。 只要你是MP，不用管你是哪里的MP，就要帮忙查查看，一有问题就吹bebe告知天下。 这样这个国家才有希望。 我看到砂邦穷乡辟谣的学校基本措施如此破烂，每年教育拨款提升学校基本措施的钱跑去哪里？

我希望不管你们在野/在朝，真的要好好去做事。 拨款是第一件事要好好去看好的事。 请不要浪费时间在不必要的琐碎小事上。 请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。请把该做的事做好。

Kerajaan disaran laksana sekolah swasta guna bahasa Inggeris sebagai pengantar

October 28, 2015, Wednesday

KUCHING: Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) Sarawak mencadangkan agar kerajaan negeri memulakan skim untuk melaksanakan sekolah menengah swasta yang menggunakan bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa pengantar.

KUCHING : Democratic Action Party ( DAP ) Sarawak state government proposed to implement the scheme to launch private secondary schools that use English as the language/medium of instruction .

Pengerusinya Chong Chieng Jen berkata pelaksanaan skim itu perlu sementara menunggu penyerahan semula kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri dalam aspek pendidikan.

The Chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the implementation of the scheme pending submission must return the autonomy of education  to the state.


Bagaimanapun ujarnya, kerajaan negeri tidak boleh mengenakan sebarang yuran kepada pelajar.

However, he said , the state cannot impose any fees on students.

“
Cadangan saya kepada kerajaan negeri ialah, gunakan peruntukan RM500 juta untuk pendidikan sementara mengunggu kerajaan pusat menyerahkan kuasa dalam bidang itu kepada Sarawak,” katanya.

 " My suggestion to the state government is to use the RM500 million allocation 

for education while waiting for the central government to hand over the power 

to Sarawak , " 

Menurut Chong yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bandar Kuching, peruntukan RM500 juta itu boleh digunakan untuk melatih guru dalam bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa pengantar dengan peruntukan RM100 juta.

According to Chong , who is also the MP of Bandar Kuching , RM100 million out of 

an allocation of RM500 million could be used to train teachers in English 

as a medium of instruction.

Manakala RM250 juta lagi katanya, untuk menubuhkan sekolah swasta yang menggunakan bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa pengantar, RM40 juta bagi mewujudkan Jabatan Pendidikan kerajaan negeri, yang akan berusaha ke arah autonomi penuh dalam pendidikan di Sarawak.

RM250 million could be used to set up private schools using English as the 

medium of instruction.  RM40 million could be used for the creation of the Education 

Department of the state government , which will work towards the full autonomy in 

education in the state.

“RM30 juta lagi digunakan untuk mempromosikan pengajian bahasa Iban atau bahasa etnik kaum Dayak yang lain.

" RM30 million is to be used to promote lban Dayak language learning or 

other ethnic Iban languages 

“Baki RM80 juta, kerajaan negeri gunakan sebagai geran dan subsidi kepada Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) dan sekolah menengah Cina,” ujarnya.

For the balance of RM80 million, the state government could use the grants 

and subsidies to help the Chinese Primary Schools ( SJKC ) and Independent 

Chinese secondary schools , " he said.

Tambahnya lagi, beliau merancang membangkit isu autonomi pendidikan kepada Sarawak ketika membahaskan Bajet 2016 (Malaysia) pada persidangan Parlimen kelmarin atau semalam.

He added that he plans to raise the issue of educational autonomy to the state 

when debating the Budget 2016 ( Malaysia ) in Parliament on Tuesday or 

Wednesday.

Chong turut mencabar Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional (BN) dari Sarawak agar memberi sokongan penuh terhadap perkara itu apabila ia dibahaskan nanti.

Chong also challenged the Barisan Nasional ( BN) government of Sarawak 

for the full support to the matter when it was debated. 

“Ini adalah perkara dalam Parlimen. Tuntutan Adenan (Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem) di luar Parlimen tidak memberi kesan terutama apabila tidak ada seorang pun Ahli Parlimen Sarawak membangkitkannya dalam Parlimen,” ujarnya.

" This is a matter of Parliament . Claimed Adenan ( Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan 

Satem )  It is futile if the Sarawak MPs especially do not raise the issue in the 

Parliament to create the impact  and effect, " he said

Chong yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Kota Sentosa turut mempersoalkan bila untuk Ketua Menteri mendapatkan kuasa dalam pendidikan daripada kerajaan persekutuan.

Chong , who is also a Member of the Legislative Assembly ( Assembly) 

of  Kota Sentosa also questioned  when  the Chief Minister  is to get the 

autonomy of education from the federal government.

“Berapa lama untuk Adenan mendapatkan autonomi pendidikan diserahkan kepada kerajaan negeri. Lima, 10, 15 tahun atau selama-lamanya?

" How long does  CM need 5 , 10 , 15 years or forever to submit the letter to 

request for the educational autonomy to the state?

“Perlu diingatkan, malah royalti minyak dan gas sebanyak 20 peratus yang dipersetujui sebulat suara dalam DUN Sarawak, benar-benar diabaikan oleh kerajaan pusat,” katanya.

" It should be noted that the request for the hike of the royalties for oil and gas 

to 20 per cent agreed unanimously in the state assembly  was completely ignored 

by the central government , " he said.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/10/28/kerajaan-disaran-laksana-sekolah-swasta-guna-bahasa-inggeris-sebagai-pengantar/#ixzz3puBkCa9j

The following is the original translation from Google.

KUCHING : Democratic Action Party ( DAP ) Sarawak state government proposed to implement the scheme launch private secondary schools that use English as the language of instruction 

 Chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the implementation of the scheme pending submission must return power to the state in education .

However, he said , the state can not impose any fees on students.

" My suggestion to the state government is , use the RM500 million allocation for 

education while mengunggu central government handed over power in the field of 

Sarawak , " he said.

According to Chong , who is Bandar Kuching MP , an allocation of RM500 million 

could be used to train teachers in English as the language of instruction with 

an allocation of RM100 million .

While RM250 million is being said , to set up private schools use English as the language 

of instruction , RM40 million for the creation of the Education Department of the 

state government , which will work towards full autonomy in education in the state.

" RM30 million is being used to promote language learning Iban Dayak ethnic or 

language to another.

"The balance of RM80 million , the state government use grants and subsidies to 

Chinese National Type Schools ( SJKC ) and Chinese secondary schools , " he said.

He added that he plans to raise the issue of educational autonomy to the state when 

debating the Budget 2016 ( Malaysia ) in Parliament on 

Chong also challenged the Barisan Nasional ( BN) government of Sarawak in order 

to give full support to the matter when it was debated later.

" This is a matter in Parliament . Claim Adenan ( Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem ) 

outside parliament does not impact especially when no one raises Sarawak MPs 

in parliament , " he said.

Chong , who is also a Member of the Legislative Assembly ( Assembly) Kota Sentosa 

also questioned if the Chief Minister to power in education from the federal 

government

" How long for CM educational autonomy submitted to the state . Lima , 10 , 15 years 

or forever ?

" It should be noted , but the royalties for oil and gas by 20 per cent agreed unanimously 

in the state assembly , was completely ignored by the central government , " he said.

My comment:
We cannot totally rely on translation.  To translate an article, you must have enough knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and the knowledge of the issue to be presentable. 

Villages get flood mitigation master plan28/10/2015

Villages get flood mitigation master plan

October 28, 2015, Wednesday Peter Boon, reporters@theborneopost.com

File photo shows stagnant water at a low-lying area in Kampung Usahajaya, Sentosa, Salim after a heavy downpour last month.

SIBU: A flood mitigation master plan costing RM2.14 million will reduce flooding in three villages here by between 80 and 90 per cent.

Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) deputy chairman Datuk Andrew Wong said the master plan involved projects at Kampung Bahagia Jaya, Teku (RM700,000); Kampung Jeriah, Oya Road (RM920,000) and Kampung Sentosa, Salim (RM520,000).

“Although flash floods will still happen in certain areas (low-lying) on and off, as water cannot flow out fast enough, the occurrence nevertheless will be reduced tremendously. The funding for the project comes from the state government,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

“The proposed construction and completion of a twin culvert at Teku Road; proposed construction and completion of culvert at Ulu Oya Road; proposed construction and completion of RC (reinforced concrete) culvert at Kampung Jeriah Road; proposed construction and completion of HDPE (high density polyethylene pipe) culverts and earth drain at
Kampung Jeriah and proposed construction and completion of HDPE culverts and earth drain at Kampung Sentosa have been tendered out.”

Wong said the Sibu Municipal Council has a separate master plan to resolve the water ponding problems at the Pahlawan commercial centre bus terminal.

“The project costing RM1.3 million is mainly concentrated along the back portion, beside Everwin Supermarket. This is purely for the bus terminal.

“I would not call this flooding but water ponding, where the stagnant water is on the road surface. So, we are redoing all the culverts and drainage besides raising the level of the road to prevent water ponding from happening,” he explained.

Wong said a culvert would be laid at the Merdeka Road/Oya Road Roundabout where water ponding is a problem.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/10/28/villages-get-flood-mitigation-master-plan/#ixzz3ppw9FVoC

My comments:
I hope everybody helps to take note of the funds allocation and time-frame to complete the project.

This is an important record to refer to every now and then.