Not a hollow hope for Sarawak to be Asean powerhouse, says Abang Johari

KUCHING, March 2, 2022 - Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg tonight said the state's aim to be Asean powerhouse is not a hollow hope as BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines - East Asia Growth Area) is moving towards energy security in the sub-region.

Picture: Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg says Sarawak aims to achieve more than 15% income from foreign markets 

He said Sarawak is pursuing interconnections within the Asean region building upon the foundation of the successful interconnection with West Kalimantan, Indonesia, the first step towards materialising the Borneo Grid and the Asean Grid.

He said the state aims to achieve more than 15 percent income from foreign markers to position Sarawak as Southeast Asia’s renewable energy powerhouse.

“To fulfil these, the renewable energy sector will continue to implement various initiatives which will provide local businesses with participation opportunities,” he said  at the Sarawak Energy Vendor Awards 2021.

The premier also said the state is accelerating rural electrification to reach a 100 percent domestic electrification rate for Sarawak by 2025.

“Sarawak aspires to continue to achieve more sustainable growth and prosperity through affordable, reliable and renewable energy and the Sarawak government will provide support and promote public-private collaborations in the renewable energy value chain.

“This will ensure ample opportunities for our local vendors and contractors to engage with the energy industry,” Abang Johari said.

Eleven vendors with outstanding performances in 2021 were recognised for excellence in contract delivery at the SEVA ceremony.

The awards recipients were evaluated for their performance in health, security, safety & environmental excellence (HSSE), quality of works, delivery of services and integrity in the categories of ‘Best Works’; ‘Best Supplier’; ‘Best Service Provider’, ‘Best Local Consultant’,‘Best International Consultant’, as well as ‘Best Bumiputera Vendor’ and ‘Promising Bumiputera Vendor’.

The recipients for ‘Best Works’ award categories were Ody Enterprise and Mega Electrical Engineering Services.

Shorefield Sdn Bhd received ‘Best Bumiputera Vendor’ award while Faizal Engineering (FBI)Trading Limbang and Geoimpact Resources received ‘Promising Bumiputera Vendor’ award.

For ‘Best Service Provider’ awards, the recipients were Melbourne Business School in Australia, Crest Business Solution Sdn Bhd and NIOSH Certification Sdn Bhd.

Pine Contract & Supplies received the ‘Best Supplier’ award, while Jurutera Azan Bersekutu received the ‘Best Local Consultant’ award.

Take a cue from descendants of last Sultan Sulu, PBK Voon tells GPS government to sue federal government

 KUCHING, March 2, 2022 - Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government should take a cue from the descendants of the last Sultan Sulu to sue the Malaysian government for breaching the terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan said today.

Picture: PBK president Voon Lee Shan urges GPS government not to wait further to take legal action against the federal government

He said the GPS government should not wait further to take legal actions in court to sue the federal government or even the United Kingdom for breaches of terms and conditions in the MA63.

“A failure to do so should be seen by Sarawakians as inability by GPS government to protect Sarawak rights,” Voon, who is a practising lawyer, said in a statement when commenting on the award of RM62.59 billion (US$14.92b) to the descendants of the last Sultan Sulu.

News reports had reported that the Malaysia government was instructed to pay the amount by a Spanish arbitrator, Gonzalo Stampa,  in an arbitration court in Paris, France.

Citing Spanish news website La Información, the ruling was made following a violation of the 1878 agreement signed by Sultan Jamal Al Alam, Baron de Overbeck and the British North Borneo Company’s Alfred Dent.

It was reported that Malaysia had stopped paying Sultan Sulu’s heirs their annual RM5,300 cession money since 2013 as a result of the Lahad Datu armed incursion.

Voon urged GPS government to take a serious look at the claims by the descendants of the last Sulu Sultan for violation of the 1878 agreement.

He argued the fact that the federal and state governments of Sabah and Sarawak had formed steering committees to deliberate and overcome the breaches leading to recent amendments to the Federal Constitution is a clear admission or acknowledgement by the federal, Sarawak and Sabah governments of the breaches of the terms and conditions of MA63.  

He said Sarawak and Sabah were once colonies of United Kingdom and  Malaya became the successor of United Kingdom after  Sarawak and Sabah were handed to Malaya to enlarge her territories to form Malaysia.

“This should be used by the Sarawak government to make the federal government of Malaysia liable for damages, loss of revenues, oil and gas and all other rights that Sarawak had suffered caused by the breaches,” he said.

The Sulu sultan’s descendants had initially wanted to claim US$32.2 bil (RM135.08 bil) from Malaysia to recover the unpaid cession money along with how much they believe should have been paid for the oil and gas found in the region.

The descendants had filed the case in Spain as the 1878 agreement was signed in the country.

It was initially heard in Madrid until the Madrid High Court (Tribunal Superior de Justica de Madrid) annulled Stampa’s appointment, citing that Malaysia was not properly informed about the case and was thus “defenceless”.

The case was later moved to the French capital.

According to the arbitration news website Global Arbitration Review, Malaysia did not send a team in the Paris arbitration hearing.

Following Stampa’s annulment, Malaysia is now challenging his validity to hear the case in criminal court. 

Three family members in Sibu burnt to death when their house was destroyed in a fire

 SIBU, March 2, 2022 -  Three members of a family were burnt to death when their house at Kampung Bahagia Jaya, Jalan Burung Beliris, here was destroyed in a fire last night.

Picture: The firefighter putting off the fire that destroyed two houses at Kampung Bahagia,  Sibu, last night

Sibu Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) identified them as Sima bte Abdullah, 20, Abdullah bin Bus, 64, and Rasidah bte Suut, 80.

“Their charred remains have been handed over to the police for further action,” Sibu Bomba investigating officer Jackson Anyie said in a statement.

He said six other family members managed to escape from the fire.

They are Nur Fazli bin Mahdi, 27, Taib bin Bus, 56, Mohd Zaini bin Taib, 25, Rafidah bin Bat, 44, NurHijrah binti Taib, 12, and Nur Damia binti Taib, 8.

Jackson said the Sibu station received an emergency call at 8.15pm last night, saying that a house was on fire at Kamung Bahagia and caller wanted the firefighter to come.

He said 19 firemen equipped with firefighting equipment from Sungai Merah and Sibu stations were dispatched to the scene.

He said one wooden was completely destroyed and another 90 per cent.

Taib takes oath of office as Sarawak Governor for third term

 KUCHING, March 1, 2022 - Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud took his oath of office as the Sarawak Governor at the Dewan Lapau of the State Assembly here this afternoon, soon after arriving
from the federal capital.

Picture: Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud taking is oath of office, witnessed by Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg  (standing, left) and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim (seated, right)

The oath taking ceremony was witnessed by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim.

The ceremony began with Abang Johari reading the letter of appointment of the head of state.

Among those present at the oath taking ceremony were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, state ministers, deputy ministers and Sarawak Government Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion.

Taib received his letter of appointment from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong yesterday to be Governor for the third term.

He was appointed the Governor in February 2014 after stepping down as the chief minister, the post he had held since 1981.

With effect from today, the post of Chief Minister is now known as Premier of Sarawak

 By Simon Peter

KUCHING, March 1, 2022 - Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg is now known as  Premier of Sarawak  in place of Chief Minister following the passage of an amendment to the State Constitution in the State Legislative Assembly on February 15 this year.

Picture: Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg is Premier of Sarawak, effective today

State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion said the amendment is effective from today, March 1, 2022. “The Chief Minister of Sarawak after the date of coming into force of the amendment will be addressed in English as the “Premier of Sarawak" and in Bahasa Malaysia as “Premier Sarawak”,” he said in a statement.

He said the Office of the Chief Minister will be referred to in English as the "Office of the Premier of Sarawak” and in Bahasa Malaysia as “Pejabat Premier Sarawak”.

“In this connection, Deputy Chief Minister (Timbalan Ketua Menteri) will be referred to as Deputy Premier (Timbalan Premier) and Assistant Minister (Menteri Muda) as Deputy Minister (Timbalan Menteri) with effect from the same date,” he said.

When tabling the Sarawak Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022, Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Sri Karim Rahman Hamzah in the State Assembly said the restyling of the post of head of Sarawak government from “Chief Minister” to “Premier”  was to give full effect to the amendment of the Federal Constitution.

He added the recent amendments to the Federal Constitution restores the spirit originally  contemplated by the parties to the Malaysia Agreement, 1963 (MA63) and that is, when Sarawak agreed to be a party in the formation of Malaysia, it was intended  that Sarawak retain its status as one of the three regions that formed the new Federation of Malaysia.  

He said this put Sarawak as one of the three regions and is to be regarded not with the  same status as the other component States in the Federation of Malaya.

He added the  special status of Sarawak needs to be reflected in the manner different from other  States in the Federation.

“As practised in other Commonwealth regions assuming similar set up with  Malaysia including Australia and Canada, the Head of the Federation is styled as  Prime Minister and Heads of Regions constituting the Federation is styled as  Premier while the other sub-regions or states are headed by Chief Ministers.

“Therefore, to correctly reflect the status of Sarawak as different from the other  States in the Federation, it is proposed that the designation and style of Chief  Minister be re-styled to Premier,” Karim said.

He said the amendment also to change the designation of “Assistant Minister” to  “Deputy Minister” .

“In view of the responsibilities that they hold  and exercise, it is therefore necessary to reflect the proper designation and style  from that of “Assistant Minister” to “Deputy Minister”,” said.