Friday 31 October 2008

Prime Minister in Sabah Saturday

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, will be in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday to open the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) 23rd Annual General Assembly which will be held at Magellan Sutera Hotel & Spa.

Registration for delegates had began yesterday and continue today at the party's headquarters in Donggongon, Penampang. The meeting proper will be on Sunday at Hongkod Koisaan, Penampang.

PBS is headed by Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who was Sabah's Chief Minister when the party ruled the State from 1984 to 19940 He is now one of the three Sabah's Deputy Chief Ministers.

Pairin is Tambunan Assemblyman since 1984 and is also the Member of Parliament for Keningau.

History of PBS

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS, or United Sabah Party) is a political party in Sabah, east Malaysia. It was registered as a political party on March 5, 1985.

The founding president was Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who broke away from the then ruling Parti Berjaya because of his differences with party president Datuk Harris Salleh, the Chief Minister in whose cabinet Pairin served before the break.

Although it is mainly seen as an ethnically-based Kadazan-Dusun political party, PBS calls itself a "Malaysian multi-racial political party".

Its declared political mission is to strive to safeguard Sabah's autonomy and states rights, promote democratic principles, economic advancement, human rights, and justice.

PBS formed the State Government after winning the 1985 state elections and governed Sabah from 1985 to 1994.

PBS joined the Barisan Nasional after winning the May 1986 state election. However, on the eve of the July 1990 state election, PBS pulled out of the coalition and won the State election for a third time.
It also won the 1994 state elections by a narrow margin.

However, numerous defections occurred as many PBS representatives switched allegiance to Barisan Nasional before PBS were even able to form a new State Government. These politicians were nicknamed katak, which means frogs in Malay.

PBS subsequently rejoined the BN in 2002, ending any form of opposition as BN fully occupied the State legislature and returning Sabah to the rule of the BN that holds the Federal Parliament.

Thursday 30 October 2008

Kota Kinabalu High Court Judge Has Resigned

KUALA LUMPUR: High Court Justice Ian Chin (pix), who once said that he had been among judges sent to a boot camp back in 1997 that sought to encourage judges to rule in the Government’s favour, has tendered his resignation and will leave office on Dec 1.

Justice Chin wrote a letter to the king on July 16 to resign and went on leave from August 21 till November 30.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department T. Murugiah said this in reply to Tian Chua (PKR - Batu) who asked if the government had taken steps to investigate Justice Chin’s allegations against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Murugiah said there was no need to investigate the matter as Justice Chin had resigned.

Earlier, Murugiah told Mukhriz Mahathir (BN - Jerlun) that the Government did not intend to make a representation to the king to cite Justice Ian before a tribunal.

In June, Justice Chin caused a stir when he claimed that Dr Mahathir had made a thinly veiled threat against the judges at the Judges Conference on April 24, 1997, that they could be sacked if they failed to deliver judgements in the Government’s favour.

Justice Chin also said that Dr Mahathir was dissatisfied over his unwillingness to award astronomical sums in damages in two libel suits in 1997 and that "errant" judges were sent to a boot camp in an "attempt to indoctrinate them to hold the view that the Government's interest was more important than all else."

Dr Mahathir, in his blog, has denied the claims, saying the judges had never been sent to a boot camp.

Migrants shot up Sabah's population

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president Datuk Eric Majimbun said the Federal Government had confirmed that the entry of Philippine and Indonesian migrants into Sabah was a main contributor to the 278 per cent rise in the State's population between 1970 and 2000.

Majimbun, who is Sepanggar member of Parliament, said this information was in a form of written reply by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz to his question during his debate on the National Budget in Parliament Wednesday.

In his debate, he said the increase in Sabah's population by 285 per cent, based on the Population and Housing Census for 1970 and 200, was higher than the 113 per cent increase at national level in the same period.

Nazri said the steep rise in Sabah's population between 1970 and 2000 was also contributed by the high percentage in natural population increase in the State by 137 per cent. The country's natural population increase was only 59 per cent for the same period.

Nazri said migration into Sabah also contributed to the State's population increase, with 8 per cent recorded in 1970 compared to 7.3 per cent at national level. In 2005, it rose to 16.3 per cent compared to the national leverl of 7 per cent.

He also said that the increase in population by ethnic composition was also high, with the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera population recording an increase by 253 and 333 per cent, respectively.

SAPP opens up new branches in Pensiangan

SAPP still strong despite out from Barisan Nasional

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) held its 114th Supreme Council meeting in Sandakan on Oct 28, 2008. One of the decision of the meeting chaired by party's president Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee was to open up new branches in Nabawan and to expand its branches in Sook.

Nabawan and Sook are state constituencies that made up the parliamentary constituency of Pensiangan whose MP Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's win in the March 8, 2008 general election was declared null and void by the Kota Kinabalu Election Court on Sept 8, 2008.

Although SAPP did not decide on wheter or not to participate in tbe Pensiangan by-election, if any, the party's decision to open up new branches in Sook and spread its wing in Nabawan are hints that Yong may field a candidate for the MP seat.

A by-election will only be held if Kurup's appeal is dismissed. Hearing of the appeal by the Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president is still pending. Kurup was made the Federal Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister after he won the Pensiangan's seat unopposed.

The full text of SAPP Press statement after their meeting is reproduced below.

PRESS RELEASE

Sandakan, (Oct 28, 2008) Tuesday:

1. SAPP held its 114th Supreme Council meeting at the SAPP office at CLC Elopura Conference Room today. This is the third time that SAPP has held its Supreme Council meeting in Sandakan, the other times being on Jan 19, 1995 at Elopura office, and on June 25, 2006 at Sabah Hotel.

2. For one month, SAPP has been working on the rebuilding and strengthening of the Party in Sandakan due to the departure of leaders in the municipality after SAPP was no longer in BN coalition government. SAPP is greatly encouraged by the people in Sandakan who fervently urged SAPP to strive on and to rebuild SAPP. SAPP promises that the Party shall not let down the people of Sandakan.

3. SAPP is also extremely grateful to local leaders and members who have remained loyal to the Party. In spite of attempts by the departing leaders, especially in Tanjong Papat, to block Sandakan members from meeting SAPP leaders, SAPP is proud that many members have voluntarily contacted the Party HQ, Supreme Councilors and local leaders such as Poon Kee Yang and Tenny Chang Yee Chung to report that they will not leave the Party. Some members even traveled all the way to the Party HQ in Kota Kinabalu to enquire about their membership status after reading news reports of their “mass resignations” from the Party in Sandakan.

4. This proves that the September news rumours of “2000 members resigning from SAPP” and another “15,000 resignations” engineered by the departing leaders is a lie meant to deceive the people and the BN leadership.New Appointments:

5. SAPP hereby announces the appointment of Tuan Hj Kassim Amir Hussein as new supreme councilor. Tuan Hj Kassim has served in various capacity in the Party since its formation in 1994.

6. Datuk Tain Fook En is the new chief for Sungei Sibuga CLC replacing Yap Vui Hun. Datuk Tain was the original chairman of this CLC from 1994 till 2004. He now reverts to this CLC in addition to his current chairmanship of CLC N43 Sekong.

7. The new CLC chairman for N.45 Elopura is Tenny Chang Yee Chiung replacing Au Kam Wah. TennyChang, aged 48, is a founder member of SAPP in 1994. He served as Supreme Councilor from 1994 till 1998 as Assistant Organising Secretary and later as Assistant Secretary General. He was the CLC chairman for Elopura from Jan 19, 1995 till June 29, 1998 before Datuk Tham Nyip Shen took over from there.

8. Chairman for N46 Tanjong Papat is Poon Kee Yang. Poon was first appointed chairman for this Constituency on August 30, 2008 to replace Raymond Tan in order to reactivate this CLC. The appointment today is to establish a team to help Poon build up SAPP in this constituency in order to recapture this seat back to SAPP. Poon was a founder member of SAPP. He has served continuously as Supreme Councilor from 1994 till now.

9. These newly energized CLCs shall now reorganize the branches and reactivate its members and recruit new members. Several gatherings have already been held in the last two weeks and more will be held in the coming month.

10. The Sandakan Zone Committee consisting of the state constituencies of N.41 Gum Gum, N.42 Sungei Sibuga, N.43 Sekong, N.44 Karamunting, N.45 Elopura and N.46 Tanjong Papat is currently headed by the party Secretary General, Datuk Richard Yong We Kong.

11. The meeting have drawn up new line-up for The Sandakan ZoneCommittee, CLC Elopura and CLC Tanjong Papat.Receiving new members.

12. At two gatherings, one held at the party’s Elopura office on October 27 and another held in Sekong on October 28 received 526 new members joining SAPP. This group of new members have applied to join SAPP in Elopura, Tanjong Papat, Karamunting, Sekong and Sungei Sibuga constituencies. The applications forms were received by SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee.SAPP entrenching in 25 districts, 45 constituencies.

13. The Party HQ shall now proceed to other constituencies to form new branches and to strengthen the Party. From November to December, training programmes and new membership induction courses have been arranged in 15 districts consisting of 45 state constituencies. The Party targets to increase the membership from the current 40,000 to 60,000 by year 2010, spread over the 60 State constituencies in Sabah and one parliamentary seat of Labuan FT.P.182 Pensiangan Parliamentrary by-election.

14. The Supreme Council did not make any decision whether to take part in the Pensiangan by-election but decided to form branches in the N.38 Nabawan constituency and to expand the number of branches in the N 37 Sook constituency, which together form the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency.

Issued by SAPP HQ 28 October, 2008 in Sandakan, SAPP Elopura Office.

Tuesday 28 October 2008

Bung Moktar: I will resign...


Malaysia Parliament's Government Backbenchers Club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (pix) said he will resign as Kinabatangan Member of Parliament if allegation of abuses during the Kinabatangan Umno Division's election is proven.

He was responding to the allegation by Sukau Assemblyman Saddi Abdul Rahman that the divisional election on Aug 18 had been tainted with abuses.

Sadi said he lost in his bid for the divisional deputy chief post not only because of fraud but also a conspiracy to topple him. He lost to the division's former secretary Jeffrey Ariffin while Bung Moktar retained his divisional chief post unopposed.

"Saddi must prove his allegation and if proven to be true I am prepared to quit as an MP and Kinabatangan Umno divisional chief," he said in a statement to the Press in Kota Kinabalu today
.

Monday 27 October 2008

Public Holiday Today

A Happy Deepavali To All Visitors

Sunday 26 October 2008

Ancient burial jars in Pogunon

The excavator

Coins from the grave

Himpogot One of the jar
Thirteen ancient burial jars were unearthed from an old graveyard in front of the St Joseph Chapel in Kampung Pogunon, Penampang. From one of the broken jar, human bones and artifacts were found.

Coins dating back 1885, bangle and belt (himpogot) made from ancient coins were also found from the jar which was broken when hit by an excavator levelling the ground.

Joe Sulaiman, a villager, said he had seen a jar at shop in Kota Kinabalu similar to those found at the Kampung Pogunon graveyard which cost RM100,000 each.

He said elders in the village believed that those buried at the cemetery were their ancestors. The graveyard had also been gazetted as an ancient burial ground and is being looked after by the Sabah Museum.

Lajim's trick worked



Before the 555 delegates casted their votes for the Beaufort Umno Division's election at Dewan Pak Musa, Beaufort yesterday, Datuk Lajim Ukin announced that he would resigned as Federal Transport Deputy Minister should he lost to Sabah Community and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Hajah Azizah Mohd Dun.

Lajim and Azizah were involved in a straight fight for the Beaufort Umno Divison chief post.

"I have made up my mind that I will resign from the Federal post if I lost the post in this election," Lajim told the delegates.

The `bombshell' that Lajim dropped worked for he retained his post, which he had won uncontested since 1999, polling 378 votes against Azizah's 173. There was four spoilt votes in the election when the results were announced about 10pm.

This is the first time that Lajim was challenged for the post.

In the March 8, general elections Azizah then Federal Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister contested for the Klias state constituency while Lajim contested for Azizah's MP seat of Beaufort.

Azizah said she contested for the post as it was normal in a democratic process of any party division in the nation. She said the contest was an election among family and within the party.

"There was no need to be emotional," she said, obviously referring to Lajim linking the outcome of the election to his post in the Federal Government.

Friday 24 October 2008

Sabah/Sarawak Bumiputeras = Illegal immigrants

Bumburing says Sabah-Sarawak Bumiputeras in same category as illegals

Kuala Lumpur: Tuaran MP Datuk Wilfred Bumburing claimed that Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak had been placed in the same category as thousands of illegal immigrants in Sabah, devoid of race distinction, as shown in official statistics and application forms as "yang lain-lain" (others).

Some were even humiliated by the term "second-class bumiputeras", he said, adding that this was the result of the ignorance of the officers concerned.

Citing an example, he said a Kadazandusun male by the name of Max was listed a second-class Bumiputera when he failed to produced his birth certificate while applying to invest in the ASB.

Speaking during a debate in support of the 2009 Budget in Parliament, in Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, Bumburing, who is Upko Deputy President, also hoped that the status of marriages under the Native Court would be recognised by the National Registration Department.

He urged that the special assistance of three per cent accorded to Malaysians Indians be extended to Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak.

My Say:

I reproduced this here as I found it was not carried in other newspapers that I read except in the Daily Express.

Thursday 23 October 2008

King of the road


I was driving from Kimanis toward Papar when suddenly this round-timber laden logging truck(pix) appeared from a junction just after the roundabout junction to Keningau. The car moving from the opposite direction was dwarfed by the truck.

Obviously this truck was over-loaded and had escaped from the eyes of the authorities.

I was able to take this photograph with by small but trusted Sony digital camera while driving as the truck was moving slowly.

I remained driving behind hoping that the truck would move on and passed by the Road Transport Department station down the road. But with the RTD station in sight, the truck turned right moving on to a junction and disappeared into the dusty road.

Having my breakfast in a coffeeshop in Papar town, I asked a customer who joined me about logging trucks on the road. He told me that for them such a sight was common, especially before 8am.

"They will be the king of the road at night," he said.




I am tempted but...

Can I believe this?

Google Online Promo © 2008 Inbox

"info@googlepromotion.co.uk"

9:31 am (47 minutes ago)

This E-mail is to inform you that your e-mail have emerged a winner of £500,000.00 GBP (Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in our online Give-away 1Oth year Anniversary draws.Your Winning details are as follows:Computer Generated Profile Numbers (CGPN):7-22-71-00-66-12, Ticket number: 00869575733664,Serial numbers:/BTD/8070447706/06, Lucky numbers: 12-12-23-35-40-41(12)

To claim your give-away prize, send the following Your full Names, Address Location and Winning details to: Mr. Francis Henson,

Email: giveaways.team1@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Mrs Felicia Johnson

Wednesday 22 October 2008

Fruits of my parents' labour




Though my mother is no longer with us, she had left to her husband (my father) and children memories that will forever be cherished by us all. Not only her love in bringing the six of us but the many thing she left behind that we are now enjoying.

Among the many things that are still living in her memory are, among others, the rambutan, durian, mangosteen, langsat, durian, pulutan and bambangan trees that provide us endless supply of fruits when in season. Together with my father, she toiled the once jungle into fruit trees that are now tall, dwarfing us. When the trees were small, we used to touch their leaves.

And this is the time that we are enjoying the fruits of her labour. The photographs above are some of the fruits from her orchard inherited by her living famlly members in Kampung Kionsom, Inanam.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

Strange but true

Businessman Raymond Tindil, 38, was away from Tenom when the Kampung Marais Baru 1 Umno branch held its meeting in August this year. But it had come to his knowlegde that he was listed as among those 40 Umno members who attended the branch's delegates conference.

"I did not attend the meeting as I do not want to be a party in the tussle for the Tenom Umno Divisional head between Datuk Rubin Balang and Datuk Rizalman Abdullah," he said in Tenom Tuesday.

He also disclosed that among the 40 members registered to have attended the meeting was his relative Zaini @Andaun Lawor who had passed away long time ago.

Pairin and PBS the real bullies says Harris




The above are two pages Press statement by former Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh in respond to PBS president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan. Refer to my earlier posting.
(Please click on the statement to read)

Pairin: Dr M bullied PBS

The Daily Express's front page Tuesday (Oct 21)

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the Umno-led Barisan Nasional under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad bullied his party when the latter was Prime Minister.

Speaking to Daily Express (correction: Speaking to the Press) in Kota Kinabalu Monday, the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister said,," If I were to look back, during the time of Dr Mahathir, of course we (PBS) were bullied."

Pairin, who was a Chief Minister during the PBS State Government, said over the years, they had been a number of cases where people had raised the issues of a BN component bullying its partners.

"However, the most important is to sit down and discuss the issue in a roundtable meeting in the spirit of BN," he said.

Meanwhile, Pairin said MCA was only thinking of itself when it proposed two deputy chairman posts in BN with one of them filled by an MCA leader. He said other parties might demand similar recognition should the extra BN deputy chairman post be created.

"If an extra post is created, why not another one, what about Sabah and Sarawak," Pairin said.

Monday 20 October 2008

What is now safe to eat?

Factory Sealed, Two Biscuits Being Tested For Melamine

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has sealed a factory producing two local biscuits which are said to contain excessive amount of melamine by the Hong Kong government's laboratory.

Its Food Safety and Quality Division director, Noraini Mohd Othman said, in a statement Sunday night, the products would be tested for melamine.

She was commenting on a Reuters report that excessive amount of melamine had been found in Munchy's Mini Crackers with Peanut Butter and Munchy's Mini Crackers with Cheese Cream, produced by the Munchy Food Industries Sdn Bhd.

Meanwhile, she said the ministry cleared 11 more food products of melamine.

They are Amoy Flour Vermicilli (Sau Tao), Chocolate cookies (Golden Fuji), Chocolate Drink (Garden Stone), Cream Flavour Biscuits (Hong Da Food), Creamy Peanut Butter (Kinus), Crips Chocolate Flavour Cracker (Golden Fuji), Fiber Cracker (Aji), Gula Udang Merah (Sanwa), House of Steamed Potato (Silang), Saltine Crackers (Four Seas) and The Original Danish Butter Cookies (Silang).

Noraini also advised consumers not to buy unlabelled biscuits at night and farmers' markets, and check the content of those with labels before buying them.

Consumers could contact the Food Safety and Quality Division at 03-88833655, 03-88833503, 03-88833652 and 03-88833500 or surf http://fsq.moh.goc.my for information.

Meanwhile, Munchy Food Industries chief executive officer C.K. Tan said none of its products contain any dairy-based ingredients from China except from Australia and France.

The company will give full cooperation to the ministry, he said in a statement.

"As a reputable 18 year-old homegrown manufacturer of confectionaries with a strong international brand presence, we have consistently view consumer food safety as a top priority. We will continue to uphold this without any compromise," he said.

He claimed that independent certification agencies, namely Chemical Laboratory (M) Sdn Bhd and Pacific Lab Services of Zargo (Singapore) had certified its products as safe.--
BERNAMA

Sunday 19 October 2008

Shafie: I want to be the first from Sabah


Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal wants to be the first Sabahan to be elected Umno Vice President.

"I had qualified to contest for the post in the party's election in March," he said in Kota Kinabalu Sunday. Shafie, an elected supreme council member, had so far secured 26 nominations, six more than the minimum 20 to qualify to contest for the Vice President post.

Shafie will be the second Umno leader from Sabah to vie for the post, the first being former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Osu Haji Sukam. Osu lost in the election.

He also denied that in going for the Vice President post, he had a pack with Education Minister Datuk Hishamuddin Tun Husseian and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Muhammad Muhammad Taib in the party election.

Muhyiddin has this to say

I Respect Transition Plan, Will Explain To PM If Needed: Muhyiddin

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin, who is contesting for the deputy presidency in the March Umno elections, said he has always respected the transition plan that has been agreed upon and reiterated that his comments were merely on the campaign period.

"I respect the transition plan that has been agreed upon. I was the first one who responded to say I respected it, I accepted it, I don't ask anything about it anymore because that has been agreed upon by the leaders, council members, it is good that we stand by with the decision.

"I was just stating facts, if it (the campaign period) is long, it's long. I didn't propose beyond what I said," he told reporters after attending the state Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) hari raya get together here, today.

Asked if he would make clarifications to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi directly, Muhyiddin replied: "I will definitely want to explain, no problem, if the Prime Minister wants me to explain what I said."

On a question if he believed Abdullah had misunderstood what he was trying to say, Muhyiddin said many people did not understand what he was saying.

"Datuk Seri Najib also asked me two days ago whether I've read the report that came out in Utusan Malaysia."

Actually I said, I was just commenting on people asking me about four months of campaign period, is it long or not? So I said of course it's long, that's it," he explained.

"I don't even touch on the transition plan, I was just responding to a question with regard to the campaign period," he added.

Muhyiddin said he had been advised by many of his friends to be patient with the situation and not give further comments that could be misinterpreted.

Asked if he believed he could continue functioning properly in the cabinet now that some members might be upset with him, he said: "I have no problem because I delivered what I'm supposed to do. I sat together with the Prime Minister in all the cabinet meetings and other important meetings."

Meanwhile on him qualifying to contest the Umno deputy president's post, he thanked all the divisions that had given him their support.

"I'm very encouraged with this positive development, but of course I hope this will not stop, (I hope they) will continue just to give me the much needed support. At the end of the day, of course I hope to win," he added.-- BERNAMA

Muhyiddin's statement above was in respond to what the Prime Minister said in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday. The story is reproduced below.

Abdullah Lashes At Mahathir For Behaving Like Party Election Director

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 19 (Bernama) - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lashed out at Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad whom he described as behaving like the party elections director who decides "the leaders in the Umno party and whom should be removed".


He said Umno had never needed instructions from leaders who were not in the party.

"Who is Tun (Dr Mahathir) who has left Umno and trying to issue orders to Umno people which should be followed?"

He is behaving like the director for the party elections, determining so and so should hold such a position...this person should hold this position, who needs to be in the party, who needs to be removed. What right has he to do this," he said at a press conference at Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, here Saturday night.

Abdullah said this when commenting on Dr Mahathir's statement wanting Umno delegates to "remove Abdullah's men" in the party elections in March. "

Actually he wants to create changes, anger and hatred

."Is it really wrong for people to work with me. Should those people who don't speak and don't make noise be considered as bad people...people who have never done good for Umno and the government."Who is he to make such decisions. This will create hatred among Umno members, teaching Umno members to quarrel among themselves," he said.

Abdullah said he had decided not to defend his Umno presidency to avoid quarrels among party members.

"Because of the contests which normally happen especially at the top level, there will be splits. We should learn from what had happened in the past.

"Such talks will raise anger among those who are considered unacceptable, (those who) must be sidelined. I consider what Tun had done had actually led to quarrels within Umno," he said.

According to the Prime Minister, what Dr Mahathir had called for would not bring any good."Is this the reform that we want...We have freedom, every Umno member has the freedom to contest."I hear that there was an attempt by someone to ask Ali Rustam (Melaka Chief Minister), who wants to contest the deputy president's post, to withdraw...Why ask Ali to withdraw? What is bad about Ali."

Let him contest and let Umno people decide whether they want Ali or otherwise," he said.In this matter, Umno members did not need outsiders to give orders."It's better for Tun not to speak at all today," he said.

Meanwhile, Abdullah was also disappointed when Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, did not heed the decision on the power transition in March which had been agreed upon between him and Najib."

Actually it was him (Muhyiddin) who had raised the issue on speeding up the power transition by making statements abroad, in Singapore."

Everyone had agreed. They themselves had not said that they did not agree. Datuk Seri Mohd Najib and I had reached an agreement which was endorsed and agreed upon by the members of Umno Supreme Council," he said.

Abdullah said he had explained the reasons why he needed time that was agreed upon between him and Najib, among them, there were matters pertaining to reforms that he wanted to implement and table at the Dewan Rakyat sitting.

"Is he afraid of the reforms. Does he not want the reforms. Is it one way of frustrating these efforts whereas the people want the reforms."

The people were angry with me for not fulfilling the promises. That's why it was in the 2004 manifesto when I contested, when we won the 2004 general election with a landslide victory."

Why is he making such suggestions? It means that he wants to frustrate the actions that I have planned for implementation."The point is that there is an agreement. Why want to raise it again? Can't wait to become deputy president. That is if there is enough support for him (Muhyiddin)," Abdullah added.-- BERNAMA

Saturday 18 October 2008

I'm back!!!!!

At 10am today, TM technicians came to my house and within five minutes my Streamyx link was restored. I could not say I was happy, to cry or whatever for the problem, which locked me out of the outside world since Oct 10, was the modem.

All the they did was replaced my ADSL DB102 with a new one ADSL2+Modem/Router and I was connected to the world.

I was so naive that when I reported to TM Customercare about my link blinking, a technician called me that my fixed telephone line was ok but needed to check my port so they have to come to my house - they said would fixed appointment. Two days later, I received a call that TM people will come Saturday (today). The rest is history.

Thinking about all this, I should had just walk in to any Kedai Telekom and bought a new modem but than again, as I had said earlier, I was so naive, a simple `orang kampung' who took for granted that government or its agencies' services worked that way.

And my apology to all visitors during my `absence'. Thanks to Angel Bear for that encouraging posting.

Friday 17 October 2008

Still out

My streamyx is still out of link. TM promise to check but a week now no sign of them. This posting via my Nokia 6600.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

Tuesday 14 October 2008

Still blinking

Orange button of my streamyx modem still blinking since 3 days ago. This posting from my trusted N6600.

Still out of links

Aki feel like in different world. My Streamyx still out of service.

Monday 13 October 2008

Out of actions

My apology to my visitors. My streamyx link went kaput

Friday 10 October 2008

Citizenship back after 20 months

Yong showing her MyKad to the Press yesterday

Reports by Muguntan Vanar HERE


KOTA KINABALU: Seventy-eight-year-old Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin got her Malaysian citizenship back after a traumatic 20 months that turned her life upside down.

Yong, a Sabah bumiputra, who received her MyKad yesterday demanded to know why it took so long for the National Registration Department (NRD) to sort out her woes.

“I have been suffering and waiting for two years without an identity card. Now in just three minutes of turning up at the department I am given my MyKad.

“What does this mean, what have I done wrong? I want to know!” said Yong, a Sino-Kadazan from Penampangan, who was at one point screaming and crying as she received the MyKad from NRD officers.

After finally getting her MyKad and her citizenship back, she is demanding to know why the NRD took so long to sort out her woes.

Yong’s nightmare started when the NRD made her a permanent resident after she lost her MyKad in February last year.

Following this she had trouble gaining access to her bank and Amanah Saham Nasional accounts, before her plight was highlighted by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok’s party.

Home Minister Datuk Syed Hamid Albar who was at the NRD head office here for a briefing, told reporters that he had decided to consider granting the citizenship to Yong as it was a genuine case.

However she was never registered as a citizen and held a permanent resident status but was mistakenly issued a citizen’s identity card by the NRD in 1996, he said.

“It was only when she lost her MyKad did NRD officials realise that she was not a registered citizen and reverted to her status as a permanent resident. That is why she got back her permanent resident status,” he said.

Syed Hamid, in stressing that there was no conspiracy involved in the NRD decision, said that there were about 30,000 citizenship applications in Sabah involving locals.

He gave an assurance that each application would be carefully studied and genuine cases would be resolved,” adding that native Saba­hans were rightful Malaysians but explained that Malaysia did not allow dual citizenship.

Syed Hamid said he had directed NRD to make it clear that applying for permanent resident status and citizenship were not a right but a privilege.

Sabahan now heads NRD



KOTA KINABALU: A local senior civil servant has been appointed director of the state National Registration Department (NRD), following complaints about alleged inefficiency and discrepancy in the issuing of MyKad.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said state deputy director of immigration, Abdul Jaffear Henry (pix) , from Papar, would head the state NRD with immediate effect.

Jaffear's appointment came amid discontent among leaders of political parties and non-governmental organisations, prompted by reports that some locals born overseas had experienced problems applying for MyKad and citizenship.

Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin, 78, for instance, was issued a red MyKad (for permanent residents) when she applied for a replacement after losing her blue MyKad .

Many in the state, including Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, who sympathised with Yong's plight, had called for a revamp of NRD and for it to be headed by someone from Sabah.

There were also allegations that illegal immigrants had been issued MyKad through dubious means.

"Most of the NRD staff in Sabah are local people anyway. There will come a day when we are all just bangsa Malaysia, but for now, we have in place a director from Sabah who will handle all the problems here," Syed Hamid said during a visit to the state NRD office yesterday.

The state NRD is currently dealing with 30,310 applications for citizenship.

Yong, a Sino-Kadazan from Penampang, received her MyKad yesterday, along with full citizenship status.

Syed Hamid explained that the mistake made in issuing Yong the red MyKad came about because she had lost her blue MyKad twice.

"The mistake was genuine and the department was keen to rectify the issue." Syed Hamid also said the government would begin issuing temporary residence green cards to foreigners.

There were problems in the past because many people did not realise that it needed to be renewed and was not a valid travelling document. (This story reported
HERE today)

Wednesday 8 October 2008

SAPP out forever...


Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) will not rejoined Barisan Nasional Government which its ditched on Sept 17, 2008. The party's president Datuk Yong Teck Lee (pix) said SAPP would not return to BN even if Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi resigned as Prime Minister.

"It is not a personal issue that If Abdullah were to leave...we will be back in BN," he told reporters in Kota Kinabalu.

On another matter, Yong confirmed that Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tah Shu Kiah, who had declared himsepf a BN Independent after SAPP quit BN, had yet to submit his resignation as a member of SAPP.

My Say:

It look like SAPP will forever be in the Opposition unless of course the BN will lose grip of the Government to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led Pakatan Rakyaat.

Monday 6 October 2008

Sabah United Party (SUP)

Sabah will get a new political party which will be headed by Deputy Chief Minister and Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah.

Tan, who is Tanjong Papat Assemblyman, is said to have submitted to the Registrar of Society (ROS) in Kuala Lumpur the application to register the party and expected to get the approval within a week.

The new party will be applying to join Barisan Nasional (BN).

According to a close aide of the former Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president, Tan had submitted at least five names for the new party for the ROS to scrutinise. The party will likely be registered as Sabah United Party (Parti Perpaduan Sabah).

Once the new party is registered, Tan and the pro-tem committee members are expected to be joined by 15,000 SAPP members who are ready to ditch the party headed by Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

Among those who are expected to be in the new party line-up are Elopura assemblyman Au Kam Wah, and Jimmy Wong, the former Chief Political Secretary to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Tham Nyip Shen, who like Au had resigned from SAPP, and former Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Liew Yun Fah are among those likely to be teaming with Tan in the new party.

Tan and many founder leaders of SAPP are leaving the party formed in 1994 after Yong announced the party pulling out of Barisan Nasional on Sept 17, 2008.

Tan seemed to have taken Musa advice in forming a new political party as a vehicle to continue serve the people of Sabah through BN.

On Sept 21, Musa had said that SAPP members who had resigned from the party were welcome to join any of the BN component party or formed a new political party.

In another development, one elected representative who won on BN-SAPP ticket in the March 8, 2008 general elections is said to have met with top Umno leaders. The YB wanted to join the Kuala Lumpur-based party.

After the general election SAPP have two Members of Parliament - Datuk Eric majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) and Member of the Sabah Legislative Assembly - DDatuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah (Tanjong Papat), Datuk Liew Teck Chan (Likas) Melanie Chia (Luyang) and Au Kam Wah (Elopura).

Tan and Au had quit SAPP eventhough the party said it was yet to see their resignation letters.

Tham: MCA's Donald Lim arrogant


Sabah former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Tham Nyib Shen said it was very arrogant for MCA Vice President Datuk Donald Lim to ask Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman to appoint Sabah MCA only Assemblyman Datuk Edward Khoo to replace Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah as Sabah Deputy Chief Minister.

"I know Datuk Edward Khoo is very keen to be Deputy Chief Minister but for Lim to demand for it publicly is an insult to the Chief Minister," Tham said in a statement Sunday.

Tham, who had resigned from Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), was responding to Lim's statement Saturday that the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister post should be given to Khoo and also MCA be allowed to contest 10 state and five parliamentary seats in Sabah.

"MCA should first look after its own backyard, especially to better unite its leaders and members, instead of demanding for the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister's post and more seats to contest, " Tham said.

He also said that it made no sense for Lim to demand for more seats in Sabah when MCA had done badly in its home base in Peninsula Malaysia during the March 8, 2008 general elections.

Tham also reminded Lim and Khoo not to use their respective government positions as a `bargaining chip' in their political pursuit yo gain supports, especially in the coming MCA election.

"It's very unethical, ungentlemen and wicked to use government post to fish for votes," he said.

Sunday 5 October 2008

Raymond Tan is saying...

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said his position in the Sabah Cabinet is the prerogative of the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

He said this had long been made clear by the Chief Minister that for now `I remain as Minister' eventhough Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) was long longer in the Barisan Nasional's (BN) fold. SAPP of which Tan was one of its Deputy President pulled out of BN on Sept 17.

Tan, who is also Infrastructure Development Minister, was responding MCA Vice President Datuk Donald Lim who yesterday called on him (Tan) to resign from the Sabah Cabinet saying the his continuity in BN was not in the spirit of the national coalition.

Lim, who was in Kota Kinabalu, also said that Tan's place as Deputy Chief Minister should be given the Sabah only MCA Assemblyman Datuk Edward Khoo. Khoo is now Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister.

Lim had also said that having been in Sabah for 17 years, MCA should be given at least 10 seats to contest in the next general elections. He further said that MCA and Umno were the two biggest party in Malaysia and should be given the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister post now held by Tan.

Speaking to the Press today, Tan said the Chief Minister had told him to continue working but should he is to be asked to resign `I will willingly do so.'

Tan said that Lim might had made the call in his personal capacity and that of MCA.

Meanwhile, responding to a SAPP's statement then he was still a SAPP member, Tan said he had his letter of resignation as a member of SAPP ready. He said anytime he could submit the letter.

SABAH MYKAD SCANDAL

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Deputy President and MP for Sepanggar Datuk Eric Majimbun's Press conference Saturday as reported HERE

KOTA KINABALU: The surname and address on his MyKad are the same as the ones belonging to Sepanggar member of parliament Datuk Eric Majimbun, but they are not related.
Neither do they know each other.
The MyKad carries the name Jerome Majimbon and the address is Kampung Pomotodon, Jalan Kionsom, Inanam.
In Sabah, people are regarded as having the same surname despite a slight variation in spelling.
Majimbun said: “I was surprised because we don’t have a relative with such a name and the people in Kampung Pomotodon are unaware of the existence of such a person in the village.”
He found out that the man in question was a Filipino illegal immigrant whose real name is Jerom Maguil.
Majimbun wants answers from the Home Ministry and the National Registration Department (NRD) on how the man had obtained the MyKad bearing the number 560930-12-5739.
“I have written to the secretary-general of the Home Ministry but I have yet to receive a reply,” he said today.

Friday 3 October 2008

Raymond Tan still in SAPP???

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) information chief Chong Pit Fah today issued a statement to the Press in Kota Kinabalu, among others, discloses that Deputy Chief Minister Raymond Tan has not resigned from the party.

The Press statement in full from HERE.

SAPP is fully aware that Datuk Raymond Tan and his agents, including Chief Agent Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, have been offering inducements to SAPP members to join their new party, with incentives for publicly announcing their resignations from SAPP.

Mostly, the members have remained steadfast to SAPP and rejected their advances. Nevertheless, some members have decided to leave the Party for various reasons. SAPP respects their decision.

SAPP would like to inform that the Party HQ has received 134 membership resignations from the Elopura CLC, including that of Datuk Tham Nyip Shen and Encik Au Kam Wah and nine from the Telipok Town Branch previously headed by the Chief Minister's Political Secretary Jimmy Wong Chee Kiong.

As of today, none of the members in the Tanjung Papat constituency which was previously headed by Datuk Raymond Tan, has sent in their resignation letters.

Under the party constitution, until and unless a member has resigned in writing and surrendered his membership card or has been expelled, his membership in SAPP is still valid. Branch officials who resign are also required by law to return party properties such as membership files and accounts.

It is also possible that, some time in the future, some or all of these ex-members, including Datuk Raymond Tan, may claim that in fact they have never resigned as members of SAPP.

And as members, they would still have rights to attend meetings, enter party premises, vote and to hold office according to the party constitution.

Therefore, if there is still no resignation letters from Datuk Raymond Tan and his five agents, SAPP will have no choice but to proceed with actions to establish permanently the membership status of Datuk Raymond Tan and the five agents.

SAPP will launch a series of political activities next week, including accepting membership applications from many people who see SAPP as a viable and serious political party in the struggle for the fulfillment of the eight points, namely good governance, Sabah autonomy, 20% oil royalty, return of Labuan, review of unfair laws and departments, Borneonisation, solution of the illegals problems and redress socio-economic imbalances.

I'll be rich but will not accept this

LOTTERY BOARD

7:21 am (3 hours ago)

This is to inform you that you have emerged a lucky winner in the UKLOTTERY Award to recieve the payout sum of 800,000Pounds. You areadvice to file for your claims immediately.

Mr. James EdwardEmail:fiduciary_jamesedward@live.comTel: +44 703 191 2545

Claims Requirement:1. Full Name:2. Nationality:3. Telephone:4. Fax:5. Residential Address:6. Occupation:7. Marital Status:

Dr. Andrew B James(Information Officer)

Thursday 2 October 2008

Majimbun: I have the proof


Sabah Propgressive Party (SAPP) deputy president and Member of Parliament for Sepanggar Datuk Eric Majimbun (pix) says he has the proof to show that foreigners/illegal immigrants who came to Sabah through the `backdoor' had been issued with MyKad making them citizen of this country.


"I have the evidence of illegal issuance of MyKads to foreigners in Sabah," he said Thursday.


Asked for the proof, the former Kota Kinabalu City Native Court's chief judge said he would only reveal everything during a Press conference in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday.


"My figures will also include those people who were not born in Sabah but have become citizens of this country," he said.


Majimbun said he had to make the revelation as it is connected to the explosion of the Sabah's population which had increased by 285 per cent between 1970 and 2000.

Can this be applied to human?

Scientists freeze, thaw then transplant pig liver

Reports by Chris Irvine HERE


Scientists have successfully frozen, thawed, and transplanted a pig's liver. Scientists at the Israeli Agricultural Research Organization in Bet Dagan, which carried out the work, said the key to their success was a slow freezing method.

Amir Arav, who pioneered the new method, says the key to limiting cell damage during freezing is to cool the liver very slowly, as it prevents the formation of ice crystals.
He and his colleagues flushed the blood from the liver before cooling it to a temperature of -20ºC in roughly 90 minutes.

The team then thawed the liver, and transplanted it into another pig, using it as a second liver. The liver recovered its red colour, and began to produce bile, signs of a healthy liver.

The pig was killed about two hours later and the auxiliary liver analysed revealing the cells were alive.

Dr Arav told New Scientist magazine he was not allowed to do more than a temporary secondary transplant because of restrictions imposed by animal welfare.

He said: "We hope to repeat it and do those other tests next time."

He plans to evaluate how long livers can be stored as well as the optimal storage temperature. The process raises the distant possibility that work using the same method could be conducted on human livers, which are roughtly the same size as a pig's, to see if they could survive.

Livers deteriorate rapidly without a blood supply, becoming useless between 12 and 24 hours later, so getting them to a potential recipient is extremely difficult.

A frozen liver 'bank' would greatly increase the number of patients who could benefit from transplants.

Phil Newsome, a senior lecturer and consultant hepatologist at University Hospital Birmingham, said the research was encouraging but it left a lot of questions.

He warned: "We have to be sure there are no ill effects from this process. You don't want to find there are complications in the long term. There needs to be a large amount of evidence that this is a safe and effective proceedure."

Wednesday 1 October 2008

I won RM16,000 from ASTRO???

It took me a few minutes to figure out a message SMSed to my pre-paid hand phone yesterday. Then I realised that it was one of those messages that had made the gullible lost their hard-earned money.

The massage in Malay and I quote `TAHNIAH! Prepaid Anda Berjaya Memenangai Cek, RM16,000, Dari ASTRO MALAYSIA Sila Dail Nomber Talian Office: 0062818686416, Terima Kasih. Sender +6281511035734' (Congratulation! Your prepaid successful in winning a cheque, RM16,000, from ASTRO Malaysia, Call Office Line: 00062818686416, Thank You. Sender: +6281511035734.

I believe, I am not the only one receiving this `too good to be true' message. My emails are also receiving lots of letters informing my that my email accounts had won millions of ringgit lottery in UK. There are also letters trusting me to a partner in transferring money from Africa, Ivory Coast, amongst other, to my account and be paid a fat commission.