Is the BN govt that really caring? asks Baru Bian

In recent days we have been assailed by newspaper and television reports on the BR1M aid, whether they be of BN politicians giving out the money to successful applicants, people pushing and jostling to check their applications and to collect their money, successful applicants praising and glorifying the ‘caring’ BN government, BN politicians insisting that the BR1M is a ‘sincere approach’ by the ‘caring’ BN government concerned about the welfare of the people and not a vote-buying tactic, and BN politicians castigating opposition members for politicising the issue.

It does not take much for the ordinary person in the street to think logically about this. In the recent months, schoolchildren were given RM100 each and college and university students RM200 in aid before the BR1M was given. Why is it that these forms of ‘caring’ monetary aid are only given during the election year and not during non-election years? Can we say that during those non-election years, the government was uncaring about the people? It is obvious to even the least skeptical of persons that this is an election ploy by the BN government no matter how vehement and incessant the denial by their spokespersons.  As commented by some, this is a blatant ‘Beli Rakyat 1M’ vote–buying exercise.

Contrary to what the BN politicians are saying, it is not the opposition that has been politicising the BR1M but the BN politicians themselves who are guilty of it by taking advantage of the distribution of the money (for the BR1M as well as the students’ aid) to orchestrate photo-opportunities and feel-good press conferences. The RM2.6bil to fund this fishing expedition comes from all taxpayers, not from BN politicians. If this is not a vote-buying exercise, all state assemblymen and members of parliament, regardless of their political affiliations, should be given the chance to distribute the aid in their constituencies.

It was revealed in the last Sarawak DUN sitting that there are 55,975 poor households in the state, of which almost half are categorized as hardcore poor families earning less than RM520 a month. While they and the lower income earning households certainly welcome the RM500 aid as instant relief, a truly caring government would have implemented policies and programmes years ago to help these people improve themselves and to promote their socio-economic development. What will the one-off RM500 quick-fix band-aid scheme achieve for them once it is spent? The poor will still be languishing in poverty, forgotten until the next election looms and Sarawak’s population will remain among the poorest in the country. That the government of the day (and indeed of the past 50 years) has failed the country and the people is clear from the sheer numbers of people who have been scrambling for the money since the scheme was announced. Why are there so many people eligible for the aid? That alone is proof that the welfare of the ordinary citizen is of no consequence to the government until election year rolls along. The RM500 payment offers no expiation for the neglect of the government over the years.

Hence, I suggest that the BN politicians should stop politicising the issue and in the process causing the BN government embarrassment over its poor track record. Of course the rakyat should take the money from the taxpayers but I urge them to vote wisely in the coming elections. The PR has proven itself in the states it governs in West Malaysia. By voting for us, you will be voting for a brighter future for yourselves and your children. The PR is committed to eradicating poverty, corruption and cronyism and to providing good educational resources, capable and efficient institutions, stability and prosperity.  Our policies as stated in the Buku Jingga and our State PR manifesto emphasize good governance premised on proven international principles of Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT). We will prioritise health care and educational facilities to enrich human capabilities and opportunities. We will provide basic facilities to the people and improve the infrastructure of the state. We will ensure fair distribution of the state’s wealth and resources among the people. Our focus will be on steadily improving the lives and livelihood of the rakyat. In other words, a Pakatan Rakyat government will make it our business to ensure that the people’s welfare is paramount so that they will never need to be subjected to the indignity of queuing for long hours in the hot sun and to pushing and jostling in large crowds just to receive some inducement money from a panicked government on the eve of elections, and thereby be unwittingly exploited as election propaganda. Give the PR coalition as chance - you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

IBRAHIM ALI AND THE WHITE PACKET

Much has been said about the insensitivity of Ibrahim Ali in distributing white packets to senior citizens at Perkasa’s Chinese New Year open house. The revulsion and anger felt by the Chinese community is heightened by the fact that the recipients of the white packets are in their senior years and hence feeling more vulnerable than other segments of the population. Many of them are doubtless now plagued by feelings of unease and worry. The arrogance of Ibrahim Ali in brushing off the incident as an innocent act stemming from his ignorance of Chinese custom and practice shows his lack of respect for the Chinese community. This abhorrent behavior displayed by a Member of Parliament brings disgrace and shame to his office. Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak calls for Ibrahim Ali to show some semblance of human decency by apologising to the Chinese community for his crass actions. We are thankful everyday that Sarawakians value the harmony that exists amongst ourselves, and the mutual respect for each other’s religion and culture.  It is our fervent hope that this will remain the case as we approach our Jubilee year and continue well beyond that.

Baru Bian

Chairman

PKR Sarawak/

State Assemblyman

N70 Ba’ Kelalan

Baru Bian branded Taib Mahmud as a total failure

Baru: Last year, Taib said Sarawak would be richest state by 2020, but now he said Sarawak would be richest state by 2030. Has he moved the goalposts by another 10 years?

Today’s headlines in the Sarawak Tribune proclaimed the latest fanciful edict from Abdul Taib Mahmud: Sarawak will be the ‘Richest State by 2030’. This was the subject of his speech at the Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations’ 2012 Chinese New Year Gathering and 33^rd anniversary dinner.

The initial thought that springs to mind is this: Has he become so desperately short of ideas that he is recycling his speeches from 1981 when he became the Chief Minister of Sarawak? This is the sort of promise a fresh-faced dewey-eyed leader would make upon assuming office, when he is full of vigour and inspiration, and driven by visions of development and progress for his state and people. That Taib Mahmud should still be spouting his empty promises 31 years after taking office is proof that he has been and is a failure as leader of the State. Let him answer these simple questions: Why is it that you have failed to achieve this status for Sarawak in the 31 years you have been Chief Minister? What exactly have you and your ministers been doing all these years aside from enriching yourselves and your families? Why should we give you and BN another 18 years when you have failed us so badly for the last 31 years? How pathetic and how offensive to us that you should have the gall to try to keep on deceiving the people whom you have let down so abysmally.

In his speech Taib called on the people to look at the success rather than the failure in the past. What success is he referring to? The most significant statistic and one that speaks volumes about Taib’s reign is this: Sarawak has the dubious distinction, nay, the humiliation and ignominy of being the state richest in natural resources but at the same time, one of the poorest states in the country. The dubious distinction for Sarawak is in having a Chief Minister who is reputed to be wealthier than the Queen of England. The shocking revelations made over the past year about the Taib regime’s wealth, businesses and properties in 25 countries around the world is an indictment of the grand corruption that has blighted this once pristine land of noble people.

As I recall, in April last year Taib made the same promise of Sarawak becoming the richest State in Malaysia when unveiling the State BN electoral manifesto, except that last year, the target year was 2020. Why has the goalpost been moved forward 10 years in the space of less than a year? Does Taib actually keep track of the poppycock he feeds to the masses? Does he actually have a plan in place or is he making up stories in his old age?

In his speech at the dinner, Taib also said that every community in the spirit of give and take can find a place in our struggle to build a better future. Many Sarawakians can attest that Taib and his family and cronies are exceptionally accomplished in the practice of  ‘taking’, amassing obscene amounts of wealth from land-grabs and awarding contracts to family-controlled companies. They have effectively robbed the people of their lands and livelihood so that the once-proud natives are reduced to struggling with poverty and hardship.

Having expressed my incredulity at his gall and pomposity, I have to agree however, with one point made by Taib Mahmud. He is absolutely spot-on in saying that Sarawak will be the richest state in Malaysia by 2030 (or even 2020) because the state has better leaders coming up in future. What he omitted to say, was that these leaders are from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. Our leaders are people oriented, and not self-serving opportunists like many of the current BN politicians. Our leaders are motivated by altruism and not by greed. Our leaders are committed to undoing the damage done by Taib Mahmud and his ilk. Our leaders are determined to make up for years of neglect and abuse of the natives by the government. Our leaders have policies to develop and prosper the people and state of Sarawak. I fully support the call of Taib Mahmud to help these leaders so that they can come up and take the challenges to build our country together. A Pakatan Rakyat government will succeed where the BN government has failed!

As for Taib Mahmud, we have this to say to him: There is a way to move the goalpost back to 2020 for Sarawak to become the richest state - give back the wealth you and your family have been accused of plundering from the state and people and resign from your office now. Sarawakians have woken up to the bitter truth of your misrule. We have had enough.

Baru Bian

Chairman

PKR Sarawak/

State Assemblyman

N70 Ba’ Kelalan

Temporary teachers treated like dirt, says Chong Chieng Jen

Kuching (Feb 1, 2012): Sim Yian Yun and six of her colleagues were told to leave after teaching two weeks at a government school here, but they are still hanging on to their job.

The seven teachers were recruited as Guru Sambilan Harian (GSH) at the end of last year based on a circular to all headmasters and principals of government and government aided schools in Sarawak.

The circular, dated Dec 30, 2011 and issued by the State Deputy Education Director Jaidah Alek, authorised headmasters and principals to recruit GSH.

However, Sim and the six were shocked to be told that their service was no longer needed through a second circular signed by Kuching Division Education Office’s Head of School Management Unit, on Jan 18.

The second circular, however, withdrew the powers of the headmasters and principals to recruit GSH.

Sim and the six were told on Jan 18 to leave their jobs  with three days’ notice.

 “Our last teaching day was on Jan 20, but we hang on,” Sim told reporters at the Kuching DAP service centre here.

Sim said she had the permission of the school’s principal to talk to the media about their plight, on condition the name of the school be not mentioned.

“My principal is giving us his support, and that is why he is allowing us to continue teaching,” Sim, who teaches Mathematics to Form 2 classes, said.

An electronic engineer by training, Sim said if she and the six teachers were to leave, the students would suffer because the Education Department has not sent any replacement teachers to the schools.

“In a way, we are giving our voluntary service and we hope that the department would allow us to continue teaching based on the terms and conditions offered to us, in the first place,” she said.

Sim said after obtaining her bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering from MultiMedia University, she became a part-time Mathematics teacher at a tuition centre.

She said she applied to be a GSH, and was accepted by the school’s principal.

Bandar Kuching member of parliament Chong Chieng Jen, speaking at the same press conference, said he has written a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Education Minister, on the plight of Sim and her six colleagues.

“I am very disappointed with the flip-flop policy of the Education Ministry regarding temporary teachers,” he said.

He said the rights and welfare of temporary teachers have been gradually eroded over the years.

“Teachers who served as Guru Sambilan Harian do not have paid holidays. Basically, they are paid five teaching days,” he said.

“While the government is preaching better treatment for our workers, why are temporary teachers, especially GSHs, omitted?” he asked.

Chong, who is also the Kota Sentosa State Assemblyman, said there is no security of employment for GSHs.

“The ministry should treat them with more respect and accord them with the basic workers’ rights in country.

“It is not right for the ministry to treat them like dirt when there are replacement,” he said.

Chong said the cases involving Sim and her six colleagues were not the only ones in Sarawak.

“There are 607 GSHs whose services have been terminated and that 349 Guru Interim were sent to fill up the vacancies,” he said.

He said 258 vacancies have not been filled up.

Star may contest in five seats in the general election

Kuching (Jan 30, 2012): State Reform Party (STAR) is likely to contest in at least five seats in the coming general election, its Youth leader Kakoh Kiles said today.

He said three of the seats would be Mas Gading, Mambong and Serian, all Bidayuh majority areas, while the other two seats would be in the Iban majority areas.

“We are in the process of selecting the right candidates for all the five seats,” he said, adding that the party’s executive committee met yesterday to discuss on the election preparations and the potential seats to be contested.

“We have identified a number of potential candidates, including businessmen and professionals,” he added.

Kakoh declined to say whether he would a candidate to contest in one of the Bidayuh seats.

“All I can say is that we have people willing to come forward to be the candidates,” he added.

He said the party wanted to contest in few seats because of financial constraints.

“This is our biggest problem because we limited means to challenge the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat (PR),” he added.

Kakoh said the Sabah chapter of STAR would decide on its own on the number of seats it would want to contest.

STAR was formed by former Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Dr Patau Rubis after he was sacked from the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) in 1996.

It has never won a seat in either the general or state elections.

STAR has never been invited to be a component party of Sarawak  Pakatan Rakyat whose members are DAP, PKR and PAS.

Baru supports suggestion to set land tribunal

Kuching (Feb 1, 2012): Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum’s suggestion for the setting up of a Native Land Tribunal in Sabah has received the support of a well known Sarawak native customary rights (NCR) land lawyer, Baru Bian.

“The suggestion by the Chief Judge fortified our views of our support for the recent call by the Bar Council for a specialised Indigenous People’s Court to be established,” Baru said today.

“We in Sarawak also want the same court to be set up, not just in Sabah,” he said.

“Whether it is called the Indigenous People’s Court or the Native Land Tribunal, the important thing is that this forum should provide an appropriate process to investigate land claims brought by the natives of the land,” he said, referring to the recent suggestion by the Chief Judge at a symposium on Sabah Native Land Rights at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

“ As pointed out by Malanjum, there are certain limitations to having such cases heard in Civil courts, such as the requirement of strict compliance with the Evidence Act, unfamiliarity of judges with native adat and culture, and lack of judges,” he said.

He added that the proposed Tribunal or Court should comprise of qualified individuals preferably standing on par with High Court judges.

“Of utmost importance is that they must be well-versed in the adat, customs and culture of the people.

“They must be given the power to hear cases which involve non-natives, unlike the current Native Court which does not have such power.

“Their remedial power must be equivalent to the High Court’s to grant injunctions and unlimited award and damages, which again is restricted in the current Native Court.

“The composition, ambit and procedure of the proposed Native Tribunal or Indigenous People’s Court are open for debate and discussion,” Baru, who is also the Sarawak PKR chief and State Assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan, stressed.

He added what is clear is that there is a pressing need for this specialised tribunal or court given the recent calls by various parties for its establishment.

“It is our hope that the Chief Justice will heed the calls and initiate steps to carry out the proposal,” he said.