Pairin wants Anti-Hop Law

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the time was ripe to amend the Federal Constitution for the enaction of the proposed Anti-Hop Law.

"We have seen enough political instability in the past. It is time to give this proposal its due merit and approval."By having Anti-Hop Law provisions in the constitution, we would add another significant milestone in the stability of our social and political landscape," he said in a statement issued in Kota Kinabalu today.

Pairin, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said he would support "all those who are advocating to propose this amendment to the Federal and State constitutions".

He was commenting on Umno Supreme Council (MT) member Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim's statement yesterday who asked the Perak Barisan Nasional (BN) to organise a mass movement to demand that Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim give up the seat to enable a by-election as he had chosen to cross over to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Rais, who is also foreign minister, had said Nasaruddin won the seat on the BN ticket in the general election and by deserting the coalition, he had betrayed the trust of the people.

He said debate on the proposed Anti-Hop Law should be brought to a conclusion so that political stability based on honesty and sincerity in joining a political party and the social contract between the voters and the candidate could be properly crystallised.

"This will justify the placement of the Anti-Hop Law in the constitution both at the Federal and State-levels. I believe it is now an appropriate time to push this Anti-Hop Law through Parliament," he said.

The then-PBS State Covernment and Pairin as the Chief Minister enacted such a law in the 1980's but was later declared ultra vires the Federal Constitution as it restrained one's freedom of association.

Consequently, the constitutional freedom denied PBS, then an opposition party ruling Sabah in 1994, the right to bring action against the majority of PBS assemblymen who switched over to the BN after winning in the ninth general elections.

The mass defection caused the fourth-term PBS State Government (since 1985) to last only two weeks before it was forced out of power by BN.

Who's after Taib Mahmud?

Who will be Sarawak's next Chief Minister?

By Joseph Tawie

Is Abdul Taib Mahmud really anxious now to look for a successor?

This seems to be the hint when he made reference to the criteria of his successor in a speech read by George Chan at the annual general meeting of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) in Sibu 10 January 2009.

Previously he would be furious with reporters when the question of his stepping down or his successor being asked. But at the SPDP function he seemed to be anxious when he included the subject of successor in his speech.

Could he be hard-pressed to look for one knowing that he is now in the twilight zone of his career?

Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sarawak Chief Minster since March 1981, has been saying it now and then that he is still looking for his successor. Since he expressed his intention to step down more than 10 years ago, he had identified a number of politicians who should take over from him. Unfortunately, one by one of them have now disappeared into political oblivion.

Among the politicians were Bujang Ulis, Abang Abu Bakar, Effendi Norwawi and Adenan Satem.At that SPDP function, Taib clearly stated that ANYONE regardless of race could be supported to take over from him as the chief minister.

“He must be trained to do the job from now. The criteria are that he must be smart and sincere in the struggle to develop the state and raise the living standard of the people.”

Immediately coming into our focus are two deputy presidents of PBB the back-bone of the State Government: Alfred Jabu anak Numpang, deputy president (I) and deputy chief minister and Abang Zohari Tun Openg, deputy president (II) and Minister of Housing.No one can deny that Jabu has all the experience and the expertise to be the chief minister of Sarawak.

There is no necessity for him to be trained NOW to hold the highest office in the State the way the Police personnel are being trained for promotions to higher ranks. A graduate in Agriculture, he has been tutored by two Sarawak’s greatest politicians, Abdul Rahman Yakub and Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Like Taib, Jabu who had been elected as State assemblyman for Layar since 1974 has been holding various ministerial posts including deputy chief minister, first under Abdul Rahman Yakub, and then under Abdul Taib Mahmud from March 1981.

Jabu’s main problem is that he has been picking quarrels with those who do not share his political views or see the things the way he sees them. Thus the majority of educated Dayaks and Dayak non-governmental organisations (NGOs) do not support him as their leader.

He is only being regarded as the Dayak leader from Betong where he concentrates his development and political efforts. He has no ideas to develop other districts or divisions. Even projects meant for other divisions have been ‘hijacked’ to Betong.

These are Jabu’s minus points.

In the words of Taib Mahmud that someone who takes over from him must be “smart and sincere in the struggle to develop the State and raise the living standard of the people.”Still, Jabu can enhance his position as the undisputed Dayak leader if he knows how to tackle the educated Dayaks and Dayak NGOs such as calling for a dialogue and seeking their advice and opinions as how to improve the Dayak community.

They can be his “think tank”.Another chief minister material is Abang Zohari. An MBA graduate from a British university, he has shown to be a very effective and capable minister. When Taib appointed him as industrial development minister, he was able to bring billions of ringgit worth of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to Sarawak.

After he left and moved to the tourism ministry, the amount of FDIs to Sarawak declined sharply. In the tourism ministry, he turned it into a machine-making money earning billions of ringgit from tourists who came from Japan, Korea, China, Arab and European countries.

In the last cabinet reshuffle, Abang Zohari was moved from the tourism ministry to the ailing housing ministry which he still holds till this day. He was shocked to find out that the ministry was nearly “bankrupt” and was no fund to build even a single house. And what he did was to meet his federal counterpart and discussed his problem.

From the discussion, he was able to secure RM200 million to carry out people’s housing projects in the State.Abang Zohari’s other quality is that he is kind-hearted and approachable and earns the respect of the people. The Malays in Kuching are his bastion of support.

In the party he has strong support from the party members especially the Ibans as evident by the support they gave him when he contested against Adenan Satem in 1998 PBB election for the post of deputy president. Despite Adenan Satem receiving the full support of the chief minister, Abang Zohari defeated him hands down.Another person who can be considered as a possible successor to Taib Mahmud is Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.

He appears to be the most powerful minister after Taib holding very important portfolios. Like Adenan, the Dayaks are suspicious of him, especially the way he handles the NCR land issues. To be an effective chief minister, he needs the support of the Dayaks.

Coming distant fourth is perhaps Taib’s own son, Sulaiman who is now a deputy minister in the federal cabinet. It appears that he is being trained and groomed NOW to take over the PBB leadership.
All the four politicians have every chance to be the next chief minister. But Sarawak’s book-makers are predicting that Sulaiman is the hot favourite to take over as chief minister and to continue Taib’s legacy, assuming that BN still wins in the next election.

Is there any taker?

However, to sum up, the Dayaks especially the Ibans do not mind who is being appointed as the next chief minister be he Chinese, Malay or Iban as long as he is able to solve the problem of NCR land that has haunted the native landowners since the State government’s amendments of the Land Code in 2000. – From The Broken Shield

Pensiangan belong to PBS???

A by-election will be held in the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency if the Federal Court on Feb 12 and 13, 2009 upheld the Kota Kinabalu Election Court's judgement in nullifying Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's win uncontested in the March 8, general elections.

The `battle' will be between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Though easy as it sound, lobbying for candidacy had started as soon as the Election Court on Sept 8, 2008 declared the seat vacant.

Incumbent Kurup, though he had filed an appeal to the Federal Court, had also made frequent visits to villages in the constituency. Federel Ministers and State and Federal BN leaders had also been visiting the area.

PKR's Danny Andipai, whose election petition was accepted by the Election Court, has always been in the area, his birth place and by right (this is what the people in the area told me) should be the PKR candidate.

But like Kurup, Andipai is also, at this point of time, be not sure or had secured the candidacy.

The candidacy for Kurup, who was made Federal Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister, after the general elections, is being `challenged' by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) headed by Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Andipai's place is said to be being eyed by PKR Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

Pairin had last week warned that BN should not placed a candidate that could not win in the by-election, adding that candidacy must not be automatically given to incumbent.

Although Pairin did not named the PBRS president, Kurup hit back by saying that Pairin should not interfered with the BN preparation for the by-election. Kurup also said that Pairin had failed in bringing about development to Pensiangan during his two terms as Member of Parliament.

Kurup hit back by challenging Pairin to a `one to one debate'.

PBS Deputy President Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, today made it more vocal, saying that BN component members must unite to make sure the coalition win Pensiangan, if a by-election is held.

"But the candidate have to be from PBS, the party commands the majority support from the Pensiangan voters," he said in Kota Kinabalu.

To all my honoured visitors, A Happy Chinese New Year.
I am in Keningau now and will be back in Kota Kinabalu next week.
Posting this via my trusted N73.

Dompok: Leave The Herald alone

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the Home Affairs Ministry should let the court decide instead of continuing to harass the Catholic weekly, Herald, for using the word “Allah” in its latest publication.

Stating that it was an unnecessary controversy, he said the Home Affairs Ministry should just lay the matter to rest because it is waiting for hearing in the court.

He was speaking to Sabah journalists after officiating at the presentation ceremony of the UPSR 2008 excellence award, uniform assistance and Year Six “Aku Janji” pledge at SK St Theresa, Inobong, Penampang near Kota Kinabalu Friday.

“Lately, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been harassing the Herald to such an extent that they have to go to the court and (now) waiting for hearing,” he said, adding that based on comments, including by lawyers, on the issue, the Herald should be allowed to publish as they have done before pending the outcome of the Court.

“It is not for the Ministry of Home Affairs to pre-empt the decision of the court,” said Dompok who is also the President of the United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO).

He was responding to the reports quoting Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar warning the Herald as “the show of defiance could cause conflict and anger among other races in the country”.

Syed Hamid also said that “if anything happens, then don’t put the blame on us” and that he would refer the matter to the Ministry’s legal unit.

“There’s no reason for the Home Affairs Ministry to kelam kabut (get all excited) to look at this. I think they are using very strong language (against the Herald),” said Dompok.

He added that the Herald, is just a small organisation having a circulation of just about 14,000 a week out of the Christian population of about two million and slightly more than a million Catholics in the country.

“It is only being sold in churches so I don’t see how it can confuse the people,” he said, adding that it had also complied with the requirement of the Ministry to stamp the word “Terhad” (limited) on every edition.

Dompok said the matter would have arisen during the Premiership of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad “but I think wisdom prevail”.

He said the usage of the word “Allah” should be viewed from the historical perspective since the terminology had came about when Bahasa Malaysia was used by the people even before Malaysia (existed).

He said it was the language used by the people of the Borneo territories (as the) Melayu tacit lingua franca, even though English was used in most schools but there were also some schools that were conducted in Malay at that time.

“So religion developed along the line of communications and in this particular village (Kampung Inobong) for instance I didn’t have occasion to use the terminology because sermons and proceedings in church are conducted in Kadazan and “Allah” in Kadazan is “Kinoingan”.

“I went to school in La Salle in Kota Kinabalu, when I go to church its in English so God is God,” he said.

However, Dompok said in rural areas where the predominance of Bahasa Malaysia came about, the usage of “Allah” became more pronounced, especially after the importation of Bible written in Indonesian language, which refers to God as “Allah”.

He said the terminology is widely used in Indonesia and also in Arab countries by Christians.

“So it is a universal terminology use in the Christian world when they are praying in their vernacular language. There is no reason for the Home Ministry to continue harassing the Catholic Herald,” he said.

Based on reports, Dompok said it was “as though the Herald was trampling on the toes of everybody while in fact I feel the Ministry of Home Affairs is using a sledge hammer to crack a nut in full force to silence the Herald”.

“We are living in a country that practices democracy, freedom of religion and that the first tenet of the Rukun Negara is Believe in God. People want to believe is God so I think they should be allowed to so,” he said.

Dompok also could not believed that people were even suggesting disallowing worship by other religions in Malay.

“I said how can that be? Bahasa Malaysia does not belong to the Malays alone, this is the language of all Malaysians, your and my language.

“So I feel if there is indeed objection to that then perhaps its time for us to look for a new national language so that there would not be “confusion” among Malaysians,” he said.

To a question, Dompok said he had spoken to Home Minister and brought up the issue in the Cabinet.

“In fact it was the day after the (Federal) Cabinet meeting that they gave back the Herald the license to publish in Malay,” he said.

Kurup: What's Up Pairin?

Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup today said voters in the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency in Sabah are well prepared for a possible by-election, if there is any. He said they already know who they are going to vote.

"As much as I would like not say anything, I am compelled to do so in response to Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan's interference over this well prepared PBRS machineries by raising the question of candidature will undoubtedly, to certain extent, weaken this," Kurup said.

Kurup, in a Press statement datelined Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, was responding to Pairin's statement which appeared in the local newspapers today.

Speaking to the Press in Kota Kinabalu on Monday (Jan 18), Pairin, who is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, said there should not be an automatic selection of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate should a by-election is called for the Pensiangan seat.

Pairin said that although its was normal for BN to give back the seat to component party as was the quota or formula in the March 8, 2008 general elections but that based on the recent Kuala Terengganu by-election result, candidate is an important factor.

In the Kuala Terengganu's by-election BN failed to defend the seat which was won by Opposition PAS.

Asked by the Press if he meant that his PBRS' counterpart, Kurup, should not re-contest in the by-election, Pairin said," No, I am not saying that but candidate is a very important factor."

Pairin said the BN leadership should have to look at the causes of the Kuala Terengganu by-election, which BN lost so as to avoid it from happening in Pensiangan.

Kurup won Pensiangan uncontested in the general election and was appointed Federal Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister. His victory was declared null and void by a Kota Kinabalu Election Court.

The election petition against Kurup was brought by Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Danny Andipai, whose candidacy was rejected on nomination day, paving the way for Kurup to win the seat without a contest.

Kurup appealed and the Federal Court will sit in Kota Kinabalu on Feb 12 and 13, 2009 to decide on the case.

Kurup further stated that Pairin seemed not to have understood the BN's concept of `sharing' `But here, perhaps he could be excused in view of his colourful and well documented history with the BN.

PBRS and PBS are component members of BN.

"Certainly he does not possess the credibility to assess the suitability of a candidate for Pairin has been the MP for Pensiangan for two terms and his performance record in bringing developments to the people speaks for itself," Kurup said.

He said whenever he go to Sook and Nabawan (two state seats within Pensiangan) people there were saying in no uncertain terms that they had not seen any development in their areas during Pairin's tenure as their MP.

`Dead' man walking in the streets

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The federal government has been urged to carry out a massive re-registration of the people in Sabah to ensure that only local residents are issued with the MyKad or citizenship documents.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the exercise was important as there were irregularities in the registration exercise.

He cited the case of Rafli bin Dalam of Kota Belud (pix left), who was declared dead in 2001 by the National Registration Department but was very much alive.

"It should not have happened and maybe a syndicate was involved. The people of Sabah have aired their grouses over the citizenship status issue and now we have a dead man walking in the streets."

"What puzzles me was how Rafli was allowed to vote in the 2004 general election. The problem could be the tip of the iceberg," he told Bernama after accompanying Rafli to lodge a police report at the Karamunsing police station here today (top pix).

Rafli, 38, was certified dead by the NRD office in Hulu Langat, Selangor, on Oct 27, 2001.

Calling for the electoral roll to be cleaned up due to many cases of dubious identity cards brought before the court, he proposed that a royal commission be set up to look into the identity card problem in Sabah.

Meanwhile, Rafli, 38, said he was frustrated as his business license was revoked while his company's low-cost housing project was in limbo.

He found out that he had had been certified dead when he went to the Sabah NRD headquarters to get his daughter's birth certificate on April 30, 2007.

He said the NRD had yet to rectify the problem although he had complained several times, prompting him to make the police report today.

"Ironically, despite being certified dead in 2001, I was allowed to cast my vote in Kampung Sembirai (Usukan) in the 2004 general election. However, I could not vote in 2008 as my name was already removed from the electoral roll," he said

Sabah AG resigns

Sabah State Attorney-General Datuk Roderic Fernandez, who was representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman in the Mazu (Goddes of the Sea) case in the Kota Kinabalu High Court, dropped a bombshell Monday when he announced that he had resigned as the Sabah Government's top eagle eagle.

He was due to cross-examine the plaintiff in the case, former Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat, when hearing resumed but he did not turn up, forcing the case to be adjourned by Judicial Commissioner Yew Jen Kie to May 4, 2009.

State Counsel Hanafiah Kassim informed the court that Fernandez had resigned last Friday (Jan 16, 2009).

In a one-paragraph statement, Fernandez, 50, who was appointed State A-G in 2006 by the Head of State on the advice of the Chief Minister, said he had tendered his resignation last Friday with a heavy heart.

"Due to personal family reasons, I have entertaining the idea of resigning for a few months now, he said, adding, "as of late my personal matters have become more pressing." He thanked Musa, who he said, had reluctantly accepted his resignation, and officers of the State A-G's Chambers for their cooperation.

Fernandez took over from Datuk Mohd Bazain Idris in May 2006, prior to which he was mainly involved in civil litigation and conveyancing.

He had been representing Musa and three other defendants in the civil suit brought by Chong pertaining to the construction of a Mazu statue in Kudat whose approval was revoked by the defendants.

The defendants will now be represented by Richard Barnes from the legal firm of Messer Shelley Yap & Co. The other defendants are former State Secretary Datuk KY Mustafa, Local Government and Housing permanent secretary Datuk Ujang Sulani and the Kudat Town Board.

Barnes had applied for a-three-month adjournment of the hearing `in the interest of justice', saying that he had to go through the volumes of document and issues raised pertaining to the case.

The Multi-million ringgit Mazu project was undertaken by the Kudat Thean Hou Charitable Foundation, headed by Chong. Construction was in progress, the statue brought from China when the approval was withdrawn by the defendants.

Chong's lawyer is Haji Ansari Abdullah.

Meanwhile, in a statement later the former A-G denied that his resignation was connected to the Mazu court case.

Anwar in Sabah on Wednesday

Malaysian Parliament Opposition Leader and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be in Sabah on Wednesday.

According to Kanul Gindol, who was PKR Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan's former political secretary, interesting programmes had been planned for the Permatang Pauh MP in the State.

Gindol said State PKR headquarters is expected to issue a Press statement on Anwar's visit, however, one thing is for sure, this visit is to drum supports for the party in anticipation of a by-election in Pensiangan.

The Federal Court will sit in Kota Kinabalu on Feb 12 and 13, 2009 to hear Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's appeal against an Election Court's declaration that his win unopposed as Pensiangan MP in the March 8, 2008 general elections was null and void.

Dayak party a threat to security and public order???

The protem committee members of the yet-to-be-registered Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) will decide soon whether to make a fresh application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS), its protem information chief Joseph Tawie said Sunday.

He said, alternatively, party members, comprising former Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) members who remained partyless, could join Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or other political parties in the state.

"We (MDC) have received a number of invitations to join the opposition but we are still holding on as we have yet to decide on the next course of action," he told Caroline Jackson of Bernama in Kuching, Sarawak.

The Home Ministry, in a letter dated April 9 last year, rejected MDC's appeal to be registered as a political party on grounds that its registration could pose a threat to security and public order.

The protem committee members had appealed against the ROS' decision to the Home Minister in August 2006, after an application to register the MDC, submitted on May 6, 2004, was rejected on July 19, 2006.

Following the deregistration of PBDS on Oct 21, 2004, many of its 200,000 members opted to join its offshoot, the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), a state Barisan Nasional (BN) component party while "tens of thousands ex-PBDS members remained partyless,"

Tawie said.In the May 2006 state election, MDC candidates had to contest under the opposition Sarawak National Party (SNAP) tickets as its registration could not be approved on time.ROS, meanwhile, had advised the applicants to submit a fresh application if they were still interested to pursue the MDC registration.

Sabah journalists needs union

KOTA KINABALU: The journalism industry in Sabah will not develop and excel without a union to champion journalists' rights and look into their welfare, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Norila Mohd Daud said today.

She said there were huge differences in perks enjoyed by journalists in the peninsula compared with those in Sabah, although they were in the same vocation.

"I'm sad to see that journalists in Sabah do not get perks which commensurate with their posts...their salary and benefits are not the same," she said after a meeting with media practitioners in Sabah here today.

Norila said she would look into the legal aspects of whether NUJ could be expanded to Sabah and Sarawak.Meanwhile, Sabah Journalists Association president Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said a pro-tem committee would be formed to discuss the matter with NUJ.-- BERNAMA

My Say:

Having worked with New Straits Times for about 20 years, I fully agreed that journalists in Sabah needed an union to champion their welfare against the `unfair' treatments accorded to them by the managements of the newspapers they are working.

YB Jimmy Wong of DAP Sabah

This is Sabah sole Opposition Assemblyman from DAP Jimmy Wong (Sri Tanjong) speech during the debate of the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia) at the special sitting of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly in Kota Kinabalu on Jan 15, 2009.

The Bill was keenly debated by the House but was passed unanimously after amendments. The House was adjourned for two hours to make the amendment.

Perbahasan Rang Undang-Undang pihak berkuasa Pembangunan Ekonomi dan Pelaburan Sabah 2009 oleh Jimmy Wong pada Januari 15, 2009
Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) bill 2009

THE ROBBER WHO BECAME THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE(KISAH PEROMPAK MENJADI TUAN RUMAH)

Terima Kasih Tuan Speaker kerana memberi saya peluang membahaskan Rang Undang-undang SEDIA ini.

Terlebih dahulu saya ucapkan Selamat Tahun Baru 2009 dan Selamat Tahun Baru Cina yang akan datang kepada semua ahli sidang dewan, rakyat sabah dan seluruh Malaysia.

Saya harap kedua-dua tahun baru ini akan bawa kejayaan kepada seluruh rakyat dan negeri kita, Sabah Yang Tercinta.

Tuan Speaker, mengenai rang undang undang SEDIA ini, izinkan saya sampaikan dalam bentuk pesanan kepada rakan rakan di Dewan Mulia ini, yang juga setiap mereka adalah rakyat Sabah.
Pesanan saya berbunyi begini….

My fellow sabahans if we love this state and its people you will never be able to support this bill at least not in its present form. An important bill such as this ought to be produced for inspection by all ybs well before and in advance. Why is that only a few days notice is given.

(Rakan-rakan saya rakyat Sabah, kalau kita betul-betul sayang rakyat dan negeri kita, saya rasa kita semua tidak sepatutnya menyokong Rang Undang-Undang ini, terutamanya dengan cara ia dikemukakan.

Rang Undang-Undang yang sangat penting ini sepatutnya diperiksa oleh semua YB terlebih dahulu dengan teliti. Tapi nampaknya notis yang diberi begitu singkat. Tidak cukup masa.)

The object of the bill is noble and for that I as the YB for Sri Tanjong support the intention of the bill. But I cannot support its procedure. I know that as I am in the minority my voice will be drowned by the majority in the support of the bill.

But I plead with you the majority that for the sake of all sabahans, at the very least get the bill to undergo a serious overhaul to ensure that the future of sabah and its generations are protected.

(Sebagai ADUN Sri Tanjung, saya mengambil berat Rang Undang-Undang ini kerana saya tahu, tujuannya sangat baik sekali. Tetapi, saya tidak boleh menyokong Rang Undang-Undang ini disebabkan oleh prosedurnya.

Saya tahu suara saya di Dewan ini sangat kecil ini dan akan tenggelam oleh suara-suara majoriti yang menyokong Rang Undang-Undang ini.)
Tetapi, demi kepentingan masa depan rakyat Sabah, masa depan negeri kita dan masa depan generasi kita, saya mohon Rang Undang-Undang ini dikaji dengan lebih dalam dahulu.)

My concerns / (Apa yang saya risaukan?)
1. Section 4. Who determines whether a project is a SDC project. The TYT. This cannot be. The TYT should act on the advise of the Government. It should not be the discretion of the TYT alone.

(Pertama : Seksyen 4. Siapa yang tentukan satu-satu projek itu ialah Projek SDC? Jawapannya ialah Yang DiPertua ! Ini tidak patut berlaku. Sepatutnya TYT harus bertindak mengikut nasihat Kerajaan. Bukan sepatutnya TYT seorang.

2. Section 8. Why is membership of the Authority so exclusive? How can 7 people decide economic future of sabah? Is the purpose of the small number to ensure and increase the horse power of the vacuum cleaner. Furthermore this Lucky 7 can be reduced further. If you read section 1 (3) of the First Schedule the member can be removed at any time without assigning any reason. If you read section 6(1) of First Schedule with Section 4(3) of the same schedule you only need a quorum of 4 people.

Although this is half the quorum but don’t you think 4 people to decide on issues of such severity is not good enough? Surely the matters under SEDIA are very important matters and they require all members to sit together to peruse and discuss properly. Afterall, they are paid under section 13 to sit in this committee, section 13 of this bill includes retirement benefits!!!

Instead what we have is possibly a Gang of Four to decide the economic future of the state (supposedly RM105 billion). Is this fair and just. Will it not be the source of much corruption and vacuum cleaning.
To make matter worst, this Authority can delegate its functions and duties under section 10 of the bill.

(Keempat : Seksyen 8. Kenapa keanggotaan Pihak Berkuasa terlalu eksklusif?
Saya tidak faham bagaimana 7 orang boleh menentukan masa depan ekonomi Sabah walaupun hanya setakat project SDC sahaja?
Adakah jumlah yang sedikit ini adalah untuk menjaga dan menguatkan horse power si Vacum Cleaner ini?

Tidak setakat itu, jumlah 7 orang itu juga boleh lagi dikurangkan pada bila-bila masa tanpa lantikan, seperti di dalam Section 1(3), First Schedule.

Kalau kita baca Section 6(1), First Schedule bersama Section 4(3) jadual yang sama, cuma empat orang diperlukan sebagai korum, walaupun 4 orang ini melebihi setengah daripada ahli-ahli Authority ini.

Tetapi tidak kah kita rasa yang 4 orang adalah terlalu sedikit untuk menentukan perkara sebesar ini? Apatah lagi jikalau ahli-ahli ini ada mendapat bayaran berdasarkan section 13 rang undang-undang ini. Malah bayaran ini termasuk juga bayaran selepas persaraan.
Perkara ini perlu dikaji semula.

Bukannya Kumpulan 4 atau 7 Orang ini yang diberi kuasa menentukan masa hadapan ekonomi di negeri kita (jumlah yang dijangkakan adalah RM105 billion).
Ini sangat tidak adil dan boleh menambahkan lagi kes-kes rasuah di negeri kita.
Malah Authority ini boleh memberi kuasa kepada orang lain dibawa section 10 rang undang-undang ini.

5 But my fellow ybs it gets even much worse. If you analyse the SEDIA decision making process of the economic future of sabah and the rakyat will be transferred from a committee of 7 in SEDIA and then from 7 to 4 and from 4 it will be transferred to 1….yes one man can decide the future of SABAH. If he is good man then maybe we don’t suffer so much but if he is a vacuum cleaner ….you can imagine the consequences. How is this possible. You read Section 10(1). All the powers of the Authority can be transferred to the Chairman or any of the four persons under b, c, d and e. We will be committing financial and political suicide. Slowly but surely power will be vested in one man and that one man what will he do only God knows. But we cannot blame God because we are the one who have committed this crime against the rakyat of Sabah. Instead of change in Sabah we will be returning to a new dictatorship.

(Kelima : Satu perkara lagi, kita semua mesti sedar… hari ini adalah hari yang sangat penting untuk kita membuat keputusan.
Kesilapan kita hari ini akan menyebabkan kita hilang hak bersuara dan tidak lagi dapat membuat keputusan.
Ini kerana kalau kita betul-betul tengok pada Section 10(1), kuasa rakyat nampaknya boleh dipindahkan kepada Pengerusi atau sesiapa daripada empat orang di bawah b, c, d dan e.
Ini sama ertinya kita semua sama-sama ikut rosakkan sistem kewangan, ekonomi dan politik di negeri kita, kalau kita buat keputusan salah hari ini !

6. But the story get even worse. That one man will be protected by law. Nobody can say anything against that one man. If he does anything wrong or he does nothing or he just use SEDIA to increase his power, wealth and position he will be protected 100 per cent. It is as if a robber enter your house to steal your property. Instead of fighting him you open the door to welcome him to rob you and after that you feed him a makan and invite him to rape your wife. What do I mean? Read Section 25. You are giving him or whoever involved in SEDIA absolute immunity and bullet proof protection against any prosecution or suit. Even criminal prosecution, that means the Authority or any of its members are above the law. On top of that while the robber is raping your wife you cannot know or say anything in protest. Because look at Section 23. Whatever is done in secret will be kept as a secret because if you see anything wrong and say anything the robber and rapist will not go to jail but you will be the one.. why must there be secrecy. This is the rakyat’s money not a matter of national security. Is this logic? If you let this law pass you become the accomplice to robbery and rape of the Sabah rakyat.
Section 5(1)(3) says the Authority can sue and be sued and this contradicts section 25 of the bill. If you read it in context, perhaps it means the Authority can only sue people but people cannot sue them!!!
(Keenam : Apa yang lebih teruk sekali, orang ini pula kebal dari dikenakan tindakan undang-undang. Tiada sesiapa boleh melawan orang yang satu ini.
Kalau satu orang ini buat salah, atau tidak buat kerja, atau salah guna kuasa untuk kepentingan diri sendiri, dia tetap tidak boleh dikenakan tindakan undang-undang.
Kita harus buat keputusan yang betul hari ini.
Kalau tidak, itu maksudnya samalah kita sengaja buka pintu kasi perompak masuk rumah dan curi barang kita.
Lepas itu, kita kasi itu perompak makan sedap-sedap dan suruh lagi dia rogol kita punya bini.
Saya harap semua YB faham maksud saya di sini. Cuba baca dan mengerti Section 25 dan Section 23)
Section 5(1)(3) rang undang-undang ini adalah bertentangan dengan section 25. Jikalau kedua-dua section ini di baca dengan teliti, kemungkinan maksudnya Authority boleh menyaman orang lain tetapi tidak sebaliknya.

7. Is that the most terrible part. No it is not. In fact it gets even worse. After the robber steal your goods, eat your makan and rape your wife the next part of SEDIA will let him take over your home and you will stay outside. How will this happen. You have to read Section 29. Before the next election the SEDIA can be dissolved and the robber can be appointed liquidator and if he lost the election he can go to brazil with all the assets, property and funds of SEDIA, and mind you, he cannot be prosecuted (remember section 25). If the robber win the election the story will be different because after the robber got your house and your wife now he will use SEDIA to take your land and your children. I pray that all YBs will not only see today the evils of SEDIA in its present form and vote to have the entire law go back to drawing board and have it redone with all the relevant provisions I commented on thrown out.

(Ketujuh : Saya sudah cerita tadi kalau ini Rang Undang-Undang SEDIA lulus, itu maksudnya kita sengaja mahu perompak masuk rumah kita dan kita layan pula dia bagus-bagus.
Kita tidak boleh buat apa-apa sebab si perompak ini kebal dari segi undang-undang dan tidak boleh dibawa ke mahkamah (ingat section 25).
Tapi saya mahu bagitahu di sini. Itu masih bukanlah yang paling teruk kalau kita luluskan Rang Undang-Undang SEDIA ini.
Yang paling teruk sebenarnya ialah perompak itu juga boleh mengambil harta dan rumah kita.
Bagaimana ini terjadi. Baca Section 29. Pihak Berkuasa boleh dibubarkan sebelum Pilihan Raya akan datang.
Kalau si Perompak itu menang, dia mungkin boleh pergi ke luar negeri dengan harta kekayaan yang dia dapat dari SEDIA.
Tapi kalau dia menang, ceritanya berubah dan jadi lebih dah-syat kerana si perompak itu akan terus bermaharaja lela dan boleh terus merampas hak rakyat.
8. Section 8(2) even contradicts the Evidence Act 1950 in that all minutes of the meeting can be admissible without having to proof it in the court of law.

Malah Seksyen 8(2) adalah bertentangan Evidence Act 1950 kerana semua minit mesyuarat boleh digunapakai sebagai bukti tanpa pengesahan mengikut undang-undang yang sepatutnya.
OLEH YANG DEMIKIAN, SAYA BERHARAP KESEMUA YB DAPAT MELIHAT PERKARA INI DAN TIDAK MELULUSKAN RANG UNDANG-UNDANG SEDIA DAN KITA BIDERI LEBIH MASA UNTUK MENELITINYA LAGI.
RANG UNDANG-UNDANG INI PERLU DIKAJI SEMULA! DEMI MASA HADAPAN RAKYAT SABAH, PENDUDUK BUMIPUTERA, GENERASI MASA HADAPAN SERTA NEGERI KITA SABAH YANG TERCINTA !
LET US NOT FORGET, THE 5 MAIN THRUSTS OF SDC IS SUPPOSED TO:-
a. TRANSFORM SABAH INTO A REGIONAL GATEWAY FOR TRADE, INVESTMENT AND TOURISM.b. CONTINUE TO MAKE SABAH A HARMONIOUS AND PROSPEROUS STATE IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE AND RELIGIONc. MAKE SABAH MORE TECHNOLOGY SAVY FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE STATE.d. CREATE MORE JOBS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE STATE, ANDe. MAKE SABAH A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO LIVE IN AMIDST ITS RICH DIVERSE CULTURES, HERITAGE AND ENVIROMENT.
I RECEIVE THIS BILL ON THE 13TH JANUARY 2009, I SERIOULSY FEEL THAT THE TIME GIVEN IS TOO SHORT.
PENUTUP
Cukuplah sampai sini dahulu
Saya habiskan ucapan saya dengan kata-kata……
Jangan sokong rang undang-undang SEDIA ini! Jangan raikan tahun baru 2009 dan tahun baru cina akan datang dengan kita membuat keputusan yang salah.
Ingat! Kesilapan kita tiada makna di masa hadapan…..
Sekian dan terima kasih!!

Will there be a by-election in Pensiangan?

The Federal Court will sit in Kota Kinabalu Thursday and Friday (Feb 12 & 13)to hear Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) Tan Sri Joseph Kurup appeal against a Kota Kinabalu Election Court on Sept 8, 1008 that declared his win uncontested as Pensiangan member of Parliament.

This was confirmed today by Kurup's lawyer George Aluda.

Danny Anthony Andipai of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) filed the petition on April 9, 2008.

Andipai's candidacy for the Pensiangan parliamentary seat was rejected by Returning Officer Bubudan OT Majalu on nomination day Feb 24, 2008. After rejecting Andipai’s papers, Bubudan declared Kurup of having won Pensiangan uncontested.

Andipai sought for a court declaration that Kurup’s win was null and void.The Election Court allowed Andipai's petition and Kurup, who had been appointed Federal Rural and Regional Deputy Minister, file a stay of execution of the declaration on Sept 11, 2008.

The Federal Court is also scheduled to hear PKR's appeal against the Kota Kinabalu Election Court decision in dismissing their petitionKota Belud: Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussien said Umno should consider a proposal to include a Sabah leader to be selected Vice-President during next month's party elections.
He commended Sabah Umno for having made valuable contributions towards strengthening the party in the interest of the nation and its people.
He said Sabah Umno had continued to remain intact and strong since the party began entrenching itself in the State, 19 years ago.
Hishammuddin, who is Education Minister, said this when addressing a meeting with Kota Belud Umno leaders, in a local restaurant here.
The strength of Sabah Umno should be portrayed as a fine example of unity and solidarity among the members that should be emulated by the respective divisions in the peninsula, he said.
In this respect, Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would need to accorded due attention to the party's Sabah leaders for inclusion in the Supreme Council line-up, he added against the victory of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai

In the March 8, 2008 general elections, Dr Yee won the Api Api state seat with a slim majority of 174 polling 3,419 votes, defeating Sabah PKR deputy head Christina Liew Chin Jin who garnered 3,245 votes.

The Kota Kinabalu Election Court declared Dr Yee's victory valid and Liew's election agent Audrey Karen Barry on April 9, 2008 filed an appeal to the Federal Court seeking a declaration to set aside the declaration.

The petitioner sought to declare the election's result null and void due to various breaches of the Election Offences Act 1954 and the Elections (Conduct of Election) Regulation 1981.

Rapists gets an earfull from High Court judge

The two rapists ( in white shirts) Sahrizal (left) and Ariffin (right) with their lawyer (left) after their appeals were thrown out by the High Court.

A High Court judge in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on Wednesday gave an earful to two convicted rapists who were appealing against their more than 20 years jail imposed by a Sessions Court last year.


Judicial Commissioner Abdul Rahman Sebli said the two local men who kidnapped, raped and sexually abused a 20-year-old Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student last year did not deserve any mercy from the court.

He said whoever committed these kind of acts should not expect any mercy.

The judge made these remarks in affirming the jail sentences and whipping imposed on mechanic Mohd Ariffin Bidin, 29, and unemployed Mohd Sahrizal suhaili, 21, by Sessions Court on April 24, last year.

They had pleaded guilty before Sessions Court judge Duncan Sikodol to kidnapping, raping and sexually abusing the student between 6.50pm on April 15, 2008 and 4am on April 16, 2008 along the Jalan Kota Kinabalu – Tambunan – Keningau.

Ariffin was sentenced to 23 years jail and ordered to be given 25 strokes of the cane while Sahrizal was put behind bars for 20 years plus 20 whipping.

Both of them appealed for reduction of their respective imprisonment and whipping.

Abdul Rahman, in affirming the prison sentences to he appellants, however, reduced the whipping for Ariffin from 25 strokes to 24 only.

He said the sentences imposed on both appellants were appropriate as violence was used on the victim and in committing the offences there was a complete disregard on the safety of the student.

Counsel Ram Singh, who represented both appellants on pro bono basis, told the court that the prison sentences imposed on Ariffin and Sahrizal were too excessive.

He urged the court to consider that Sahrizal, who was 20 years old on the crime committed, had pleaded guilty to all charges framed against him.

Ram urged the court to consider that both Ariffin and Sahrizal had pleaded guilty to all charges framed against them when they were first brought to the court.




“The court should look into the totality of the prison sentences imposed on them, despite the heinous act, the guilty plea should be taken into consideration similar with the other serious cases such as murder, “ the counsel said.

Submitting on Ariffin’s appeal for his 25 whipping to be reduced, Ram told the court that whipping was illegal if it exceeded 24 strokes. The counsel said this was provided for under Section 288(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jamil Aripin urged the court not to disturb the sentences on both appellants except for the caning on Ariffin, which the prosecution conceded with the appellant’s counsel submission.

Jamil submitted that the sentence imposed by the Sessions Court judge was not manifestly excessive stating that the maximum set under Section 376(2) of the Penal Code under the latest amendment on Sept 7, 2007 is 30 years imprisonment for rape that caused hurt to victim.

He urged the court not to disturb the imprisonment sentences imposed by the Sessions Court as the sentences reflected the gravity of offences committed by the appellants, adding that the sentences commensurate with the offences and not manifestly wrong.

He said based on the facts of case which were presented in Sessions Court, the manner in which the offences committed clearly showed that not only the appellants sexually abused the victim but they also beat and bit her.

“The multiple injury inflicted on the victim as stated in the medical report proved that brutality was used in the commission of the offence, “ the DPP said.

He also submitted that the effect of the case had created anxiety to a lot of parents the safety of their children.

“The manner of the offences committed which were published in the newspapers had not only outrage the feeling of community but also caused public anxiety and worry about their children safety.

“Since both appellants were not sentence to a maximum sentence, it could not be said that the sentences were manifestly excessive.

He further submitted that public interest demand deterrent sentence imposed on sexual offenders and the sentences meted out must reflect the society disdain for such crime.

The DPP said public interest demand that the court must showed this abhorrent toward the sexual offences and one of the was to impose a deterrent sentence to offenders.

“Both appellants deserves no mercy from this court for what they had done and public must be protected against this kind of offenders in order to deter other would be offenders,” Jamil said.


With their appeal dismissed by the High Court, Ariffin will now have to serve 33 years and eight months behind bars and Sahrizal, 29 years and two months as the prison sentences they appealed are to run consecutively with sentences imposed by the Magistrate’s Court charges of kidnapping, causing grievous hurt to the student and also car thefts.

Both appellants were jailed five years and fined RM1,000 in default five months jail each for kidnapping the student and were handed another five years and five strokes of the cane for assaulting the victim which were to run concurrently but to be served consecutively with the prison sentences imposed by the Sessions Court.

In Magistrate’s Court, Ariffin was handed 51 months for three car thefts while Sahrizal was jailed three years and 14 months for two car thefts which were ordered to run consecutively with those meted by the Sessions Court.

Sarawakians uneasy with graduates teachers from Peninsula Malaysia

The influx of 2,000 Kursus Perguruan Lepasan Ijazah (KPLI) teachers from West Malaysia into Sarawak is not only causing uneasiness to the people of Sarawak but it is also depriving thousands of local graduates of employment opportunities.

Under this KPLI scheme those graduating from ordinary degrees are compelled to attend a one-year diploma course before they can be recruited as teachers.

But why preference is only given to West Malaysians?

Chairman of Baleh branch of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Dr. James Masing, has expressed concern over this new development.

In a resolution passed during the branch AGM over the week-end in Kapit, Masing who is also the PRS president and Minister of Land Development called on the government to address the lack of employment opportunities for local graduates especially in the teaching profession.

“The people in Baleh are uneasy as the employment of teachers is mostly from outside Sarawak,” he was reported to have said. Of course Masing is worried as 313 of those teachers have been sent to 47 primary schools in Kapit division.

Not only parents in Kapit have felt uneasy and unhappy, but parents in other Divisions have also expressed similar sentiments. Their posting to Sarawak, as mentioned earlier will not only deprive our own graduates of employment opportunities, but will also affect the standard or the quality of education in the rural areas.

Educated mostly in the Malay medium, they do not in the first place choose the teaching profession and many of them in the past are known to have low determination and motivation.

Posting them to the interior areas of Sarawak especially in Kapit may not be a good idea, where rivers are the mainstay of communication, where accommodation may be a little bit better than chicken sheds, and where they may be cut off from the outside world.

As strangers, they are sure to suffer from cultural shocks. Worst if they are unmarried lady teachers. All these will add to their woes.And it will not be surprising if some of them are asking to be transferred back or leaving even before the year ends.

It has happened in the past and it is going to happen in the future. And if this is going to be the case, not only the government will waste millions of ringgit in training and transferring them, but the performances of the rural pupils will also be affected.

This is our main concern.But on the other hand, it is also a good thing if more qualified West Malaysian teachers come to teach in Sarawak so that they can learn the various cultures of the local people, see how the Dayaks, the Malays and Chinese live harmoniously and respect each others’ religions and see the people of Sarawak display the highest degree of tolerance towards each other.

At the same time our students will also benefit from qualified and experienced teachers.Moreover, when these teachers return to their respective towns and villages, they will tell their relatives and friends that Sarawak, the Land of the Hornbills, are not bad after all and that Dayaks do not live on tree tops. – The Broken Shield

The more the merrier says Kalakau

The United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA) has no qualms over the plan by a group of people to form the Dusun Society Sabah (DSS).
President Datuk Kalakau Untol said in a democratic country like Malaysia everyone has the right to form an association.
He said another association like DSS would not create a split among the society and that USDA would carry on with its work.
"The more the merrier. Everybody can do their part to instil awareness among the society for the sake of development," he said.
It was reported that a group of Dusun leaders in Penampang led by Datu Sebastian Datu Panglima Banting are in the midst of forming the DSS, an "umbrella" association for the community.
It would be open to all natives whose race is defined as "Dusun" in their birth certificates and would strive to nurture the Dusun culture, dialect and to organise programmes that could bring about progress for the community.
According to Kalakau, USDA would not be objecting to the DSS formation because "what we want is for everyone to contribute to the development of the community".
"They can do their bit, we can do our bit for the betterment of the people," he said.

Dusun Society Sabah

The Kadazan and Dusun communities ,who are already politically divided, are again heading for split and this time around due to the emergence of a new body called Dusun Society Sabah (DSS). Its formation is being finalised and will be submitting its application to the Registrar of Society for registration.

DSS will be in the company of the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA), United Dusun Sabah Association (USDA) and Kadazan Society Sabah (KSS).

KDCA headed by Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is the oldest, second come USDA led by Datuk Kalakau Untol and two years ago Datuk Marcel Leking formed KSS. The DSS will be headed by Datu Sebastian Datu Penglima Banting.

DSS objectives, among others, are to strive to nurture the Dusun culture, dialect and organise programmes that could bring about progress to the community.

Membership is open to natives of Sabah whose race are defined as Dusun in their Birth Certificates.

The formation of DSS might had been prompted to what Leiking told KSS members during its annual dinner last month. He said it was timely that the community identified themselves as either Dusun or Kadazan.

"There is no such race called Kadazandusun," he said.

The term Kadazandusun-murut gained acceptance during the Pairin-led Parti Bersadu Sabah State Government (1985-1994) when an attempt was made to reconcile the Kadazans and Dusuns for political strength.

The term Kadazan was introduced by Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens (Datuk Donald Stephens) in 1961. He declared that the Dusuns would be called Kadazans.

Now that DSS is open for those whose race are registered as Dusun in the Birth Certificate, this new body could housed majority of the people as even Pairin's race is Dusun in his certificate.

Dompok: Where is the RM1 billion promised for Sabah?

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok told the Press in Donggongon, Penampang Sabah that there was no sign yet of the RM1 billion special allocation for Sabah that was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last year.

"To my knowledge the commitment of RM1 billion (for the State) has not started to be implemented yet," he said Saturday.

"I think as far as the projects are concerned it has already been finalised by the State authorities for submission to the Federal Government," he added.

He said this when asked how much of the RM1 billion special allocation for Sabah that was announced by Abdullah in May last year during a visit to the State, had actually materialised.

The allocation was meant for the expenditure of several people-centric development programmes urgently needed in the State.

In regards to the RM1 million allocation for Sabah Members of Parliament for the development of their respective constituencies Dompok, who is also the Penampang MP said: "My understanding is that it will start to be implemented this year."

On another matter, Dompok said the Borneonisation of the civil service here was an ongoing exercise and that the Government was looking at the best ways to achieve it without sacrificing the efficiency and implementation of government projects.

"Of course our priority is to give the opportunity for Sabahans to implement government policies, apart from proving that they are capable as their West Malaysian counterpartsÉthere is no reason why (the) Borneonisation (of the federal civil service here) cannot be further accelerated."

When asked if there was a time frame for it to be achieved, he said there was none for this particular exercise.

He pointed out the appointment of a Sabahan as Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Vice Chancellor, National Registration Department State Director as well as the State's Financial Controller as proof that the matter had been taken to highest level of decision-making.

"However, I have to say that this does not mean that those from West Malaysia are less able than those from the State who have been promoted.
We want officers recruited from Sabah to gain experience and move up the ladder in the country's administration."

As for claims that Sabahans were not interested to serve in the diplomatic corps, he said he did not know why it was so when the Government actually wanted them.

Dompok was in Donggongon township to hand over Chinese New Year greeting cards to business operators as well as the public together with Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department-cum-Kapayan Assemblyman, Datuk Edward Khoo Keok Khai.

He later officiated at a lion's eye-dotting ceremony there together with Khoo and other leaders including Moyog assemblyman, Donald Peter Mojuntin and Penampang District Officer, William Sampil, among others.

Suhakam: Refugees in Sabah are illegal immigrants

All refugees in Sabah are actually illegal immigrants too because Malaysia is neither a party to the United Nations Convention on the status of the refugees in 1951 nor the Protocol 1967, according to Suhakam.

Its Vice-Chairman Tan Sri Simon Sipaun made the assertion when commenting on the recent report in a local daily about the displaced Indonesians who number 12,000 and Filipinos who number 81,000, who were given the IMM13 card that allows them to live and work in Sabah in 1965, 1970s and 1985 until today.

"I understand the IMM13 cards were issued in Sabah, but why? The Government started to issue them to the Rohingyas in Peninsular but quickly aborted it. Why the double standard?" he asked.

"It's a national problem and IMM13 cards were issued by the Federal Government. Why are the refugees confined to Sabah?" he asked, referring to the IMM13 condition that the refugees could only be allowed to earn their living and reside in Sabah, and not Peninsular Malaysia.

"The Vietnamese refugees were all gone after two years. How come that in Sabah, the refugees are still here?"

Currently, the majority of the foreigners with refugee status have been living in Sabah for over 35 years, and there is no limit to the length of their stay, while their of their stay, while their children or teenagers are allowed to attend both primary and secondary schools in the State.

Bring home live cattles from Pesta Kalimaran

The Muruts, one of the native of Sabah, will be celebrating its annual festival, Pesta Kalimaran, at the Murut Cultural Centre in Tenom on April 4 and 5, this year.

The organising committee, headed by Sabah Cultural Board's chairman Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, is making the festival this time around `live' by giving away special prizes to six lucky individuals.

They are offering six lucky individuals, who must arrived at the centre between 7am and 9am on April 4, to bring home lucky draw prizes of either a live cow, buffalo or goat. Visitors arriving during the period will be given lucky draw ticket.

Visitors who come wearing traditional Murut costume will be judged by a panel of judges and the winner also stands a chance to win any one of these livestock. All these aim to woo more visitors to the festival.

Apart from that, a wide array of programmes have been lined up for the festival, including the Kalimaran Queen pageant, the Maginakan, traditional Murut dances and songs, handicraft and gong-beating competition.

There will be also eight cultural exhibitions by the various Murut tribes throughout Sabah.

We never learn!!!

Short Messaging Service (SMS) scammers managed to fleece close to RM1.9 million from victims throughout Sabah since 2006.

One of them was bold as to even try his luck on Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim.

Noor said about RM29,000 was lost in 2006 while RM1.8 million went into the pockets of these conmen last year alone.

"We recorded 23 SMS scam cases in 2006 and 65 cases in 2007. The figures reduced to 27, involving losses amounting to RM61,000 in 2008," he disclosed to the Press in Kota Kinabalu recently.

The scams by these con artists ranged from competitions by reality television talent show Akademi Fantasia to big oil company Petronas offering prize money to so-called lucky draw winners.

The only catch was the winners had to pay a sum of money to get their purse. After the targets paid the money, not surprisingly all communication from the lucky draw organisers ended.

Noor Rashid said police have detained 22 people, including nine foreigners, in connection with SMS scams so far.

"They have several modus operandi (MO). The usual MO is the lucky draw competitions while another involves the scammer pretending to be someone with a massive amount of money outside the country É in fact I was contacted once on this.

"The person will try to convince the targets to give him their account numbers so he can transfer and keep the money in the account temporarily, at the same time promising the account holders a sum of money as a token of appreciation," he said.

In the end, he said the scammer will somehow find a way to drain their accounts dry, adding in other instances, scammers will get locals to open bank accounts, take over the accounts to bank money cheated out of other people into them.

"They pay like RM100 to these people who open the bank account for them and that's it," said Noor Rashid.

He advised those who encounter these kind of things to ignore them altogether.

Gangsterism in SMK Kinarut, Sabah

A former New Straits Times Press branch executive for Sabah, Pachelles Jonuat, claimed that certain sutdents of a school in Sabah are engaged in bullying and gangsterism. Being his former workmate, I reproduced here what Jonuat had told a local daily in Kota Kinabalu.

BARELY days into the new school year, a 15-year-old from a school in Kinarut, near here, has already become a victim of alleged bullying and gangsterism.

And this is not the first time Lester Pachelles, a Form Three student of SMK Kinarut, has had to put up with the antics of these bullies.

His father Pachelles Jonuat, a 52-year old contractor, has made numerous reports since last year to not only the school but also the police (including the latest incident) regarding the matter.

Lester claimed the latest incident happened on Tuesday just after school hours at about 12.40pm when he was beaten up by a Form Four student - who that very day had been expelled from the school - using a belt which left with him with injuries to the left side of his neck.

He claimed he was beaten up by the student while five others stood guard outside the school compound and only stopped when someone shouted at them. He did not know why they had picked on him.

"While the police have been very helpful it is the school that needs to be more proactive in dealing with the matter," said Pachelles, who together with his son came to the Daily Express, Wednesday, to air their grievances.

"I have repeatedly called for a meeting between the school and the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) to discuss how to deal with this issue but none has been held.

"It left me wondering about the functions of the PTA or whether the school is really serious in dealing with the matter," he added.

He suggested the school place a security guard in its premises to prevent such incidents recurring, adding it was not only his son who has become the target of rowdy students.

"Last year, I witnessed these troublemakers picking a fight with other students. When the students tried to run away, they gave chase and only after I intervened did they stop chasing," claimed Pachelles, adding that among the troublemakers involved was the student who had assaulted his son.

"There should also be a security guard stationed at the dispensary near the school as this is the area where most of these fights take place," he said.

Many parents, he said, have also raised the same concerns and wanted the school to do more to prevent such incidents.

He claimed when he met the school's disciplinary teacher, he was told by the teacher that the school could not be held responsible if anything happened to the students after school hours and outside the school.

Pachelles said he felt the school was trying to wash its hands off the matter, adding that even though these incidences may occur after school hours, the school still needs to be responsible since the students were still wearing school uniforms.

"I am not trying to be seen as a champion by going to the media to highlight the matter. I just want to help the school get rid of these negative elements and protect its image but to do so the school and the PTA must sit together to find a solution.

"God knows what weapons these students might use in the future apart from belts. Maybe knives, iron rods, machetesÉI fear for the safety of the students," he said.

Kurup have to wait until Jan 15

The Federal Court in the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya, scheduled today to hear Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's appeal against a decision of the Kota Kinabalu Election Court, will only hear the case on Jan 15, 2009.

One of Kurup's lawyer, George Aludah told a Sabah-based daily journalist Jo Ann Mool that they were informed of the postponement last week.

Pending the hearing next week in Kuala Lumpur, Kurup's position as the member of Parliament for Pensiangan as well as Federal Rural and regional Development Deputy Minister will be still `hanging'.

Soon after the Election Court declared null an void Kurup's win uncontested in the March 8, 2008 general elections, the former Sook Assemblyman has been touring Pensiangan in anticipation of a by-election.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Nabawan chief Danny Anthony Andipai, whose election petition was accepted by the Election Court, has also been visiting the people of Pensiangan as the opposition believed that a by-election is forthcoming.

Whatever it is, all have to wait for another eight days to know whether or not there will be a by-election in Pensiangan.

Will there be by-election for Pensiangan?

The Federal Court will sit in Puterajaya tomorrow (Jan 7, 2009) to hear Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's appeal against a Kota Kinabalu Election Court decision on Sept 8, 2008 which declared null and void his election as a Member of Parliament for Pensiangan in the March 8, 2008 general elections.

Judge David Wong Dak Wah ruled that the wrongful rejection of the nomination papers of the petitioner, Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Danny Anthony Andipai, had breached the petitioner’s constitutional right to take part in the election and the written law relating to the conduct of the election.

Kurup, who was appointed Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister after the elections, filed the appeal on Sept 11, 2008

Andipai filed the petition on April 9, 2008. His candidacy for the Pensiangan parliamentary seat was rejected by Returning Officer Bubudan OT Majalu on nomination day - Feb 24, 2008.

After rejecting Andipai’s papers, Bubudan declared Kurup of having won Pensiangan uncontested. Andipai sought for a court declaration that Kurup’s win was null and void.

He claimed that Bubudan had planned to make available only on counter for delivery of nomination papers by candidates contesting in Pensiangan and the state seats of Nabawan and Sook.

Andipai claimed that the plan was to prevent the timely delivery of nomination papers of other candidates to enable Kurup to be returned unopposed in the March 8, 2008 general elections.

Andipai was represented by lawyers Datuk Chau Chin Tang and Haji Ansari Abdullah while Kurup’s lawyers were Alex Deccena, Hajah Mariati Robert, Wilson Lai Wai Shing. Senior Federal Counsel Suzana Atan and Chandra Devi had appeared for Bubudan.

Tadashi Nagase: Have trolley will travel

Picture Tadashi pulling a trolley through the Sahara desert

A Japanese man Tadashi Nagase, 52, from Izumo City, located some 300 kilometer from Osaka, Japan, cited friendly villagers he met the 13 days along the route he took on the Kota Kinabalu - Tawau 512 kilometer journey.

‘Once I was caught in a bad weather but I managed to find an empty hut and kind villagers nearby permitted me to use it as my shelter for the evening’, he said when met at a HASH dinner held byJimmy Wong, DAP State Assemblyman for Sri Tanjong on Saturday (Jan 3, 2009) evening in Tawau.

But the trip was nothing compared to the long list of countries he had visited and walked since 1975 at the young age of 19 – he had walked for nearly 45,000 kilometers until today!

Tadashi claimed to have traveled to exotic places such as the Sahara and Kalahari deserts, Andes mountain range, the Australian desert and Amazon rainforest along with many other countries.

On all his trips, Tadashi pulled a two-wheels trolley filled with needed essentials such as water and food, with the heaviest weight estimated to be at around 150 kilograms depending on the trip’s requirements.

‘Water is the heaviest substance I had in my trolley, especially when I had to walk through deserts’, he explained.

Asked on his future trip upon his return to Japan, Tadashi said that he loves forests and deserts and may plan such walks in future but has no plans at the moment.

Tadashi said his wife is very supportive of his endeavor.

‘She always said go and walk when I plan my next walk’, Tadashi said, adding that he made his living by giving talks on his trips and had written nine books over the numerous journeys he had undertaken.

Tadashi has two sons who had traveled to China, North Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Indonesia, South India, Philippine, Mongolia and Malaysia. A story from HERE