Don't question people for not flying the national flag, says Baru Bian

Kuching, Aug 30, 2012:  The people cannot be faulted if they do not fly the national flag on their houses, commercial buildings and vehicles as a mark of respect for the Merdeka Day celebration, PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian said in a statement today.

He said that Aug 31 is the wrong date for the celebration and that the correct date is Sept 16 on the formation of Malaysia.

“Aug 31 is only for Malaya and nothing to do with Sarawak and Sabah,” he added.

Picture left: Baru Bian, flanked by Sarawak PKR secretary Stanny Embat and PKR National Women vice head Voon Shiak Ni, at the press conference.

Baru said the focus of celebration is on Sept 16, which is Malaysia Day, to mark the formation of Malaysia when Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah, as equal partners, came together as one nation on Sept 16, 1963.

“We, the Malaysians in Sarawak and Sabah, look forward to celebrating Malaysia Day with fellow Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia on Sept 16 when we will commemorate the formation of Malaysia.

“We are ever hopeful that the day will come when we will be recognised as equal partners as was the objective and intent of our founding fathers,” he said.

 Baru, nevertheless,  extended his felicitations to fellow Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia on the occasion of the 55^th anniversary of Malaya’s independence from the British rule.

Baru also said gross injustices have been done on the people of Sarawak and Sabah for less than keen to fly the national flag.

He said that the country, for many years, has been run by the Barisan Nasional government which has treated every government department and body as its own BN tool.

“Examples are too numerous to count,” he said, these government allocations being given only to BN elected representatives for their constituencies while those of the Opposition are given nothing, putting their constituents at a disadvantage, perhaps as a punishment for rejecting the BN.

Baru said the other examples are the issuances of timber concessions and alienation of the native customary rights (NCR) lands to politician families and cronies by the state authorities, the swarming of  the rural areas by the government bodies like the Special Affairs Department (JASA) of the Prime Minister’s Department and the Community Development Department (KEMAS) during the last state election and the utilisation of government transportations by the BN candidates during the campaign period.

He said the other examples are the behaviour of the Election Commission personnel during the voting and counting process, the distribution of government handouts by the BN elected representatives and most recently the fiasco of the Merdeka Day logo and the theme song, chosen and written by the BN politicians.

“Therefore, how can one blame the people for being confused if the BN politicians themselves cannot maintain the separation of the executive and the legislative, and insist on portraying the BN and the government as one and the same?” Baru asked.

Baru also accused the BN government of using an overseas bogeyman scare story in treating the citizens like children.

“Who are our enemies from overseas?

“To my mind, our enemies are those from within this country who betray the trust given to them to govern the country.

“Our enemies are the people who enrich themselves at the expense of the ordinary people and then refuse to acknowledge their wrongdoings when caught out.

“Our enemies are the leaders who betray the country by giving identity cards and citizenship to illegal immigrants in exchange for votes.

“Our enemies are those people within the circle who are aware of the abuse of authority, profligate rampant corruption and cover ups but choose to remain silent for lack of moral fortitude or perhaps of their “tidak apa” attitude that prevails,” Baru said.

He also questioned, on the issue of patriotism,  why are the people needed to be reminded, urged, prodded and cajoled to fly the Jalur Gemilang by politicians.

“Perhaps, it is because they have no reason to rejoice. When the immediate concerns are their own survival, flying of the flag may not be of any priority.

“When the state and country have failed to protect their interests and to provide their basic amenities such as clean water and electricity, healthcare, education and housing, I cannot blame them for their lack of interest in flag flying.

“When the state is party to land grabs from the people and the country does not speak up against the abuse of power, how can we ask them to show patriotism and love of the country by flying the flag?

“If the government had performed honourably and not let the people down, if the rakyat were well taken care of and able to fend for themselves and prosper under a good and caring government, they would come out in droves to fly the flag without being asked to.

“But making the people to fly the flag for the sake of a good show is just that – a show for appearance’s sake,” he said.

Baru also called on the people to reflect what has been achieved since the formation of Malaysia some 49 years ago, in terms of aspirations and hopes.

“ I dare say  many people are now realising that while there has been development and advancement, far more could have been achieved had we chosen a government led by people of integrity and moral courage, and that what the country needs is a new beginning, a fresh start with a new team of leaders who are determined to building a country we will truly be proud to call our own.

“Let us give ourselves a chance of that new beginning when casting our votes in the upcoming general election. Vote for justice, fairness and equality for all people, regardless of race and religion,” he said. By Sematong Express.

Shiak Ni: Karim makes irresponsible statement, degrades female community

KUCHING, Aug 30, 2012: PKR national women wing vice head Voon Shiak Ni has told Assistant Minister for Youth Development Karim Hamzah to "just shut up" and not issue statement degrading the female community.

"His call for a review of the statury rape law so the age of consent for girls be lowered from 16 years is an irresponsible statement," Voon told reporters today.

Picture left: Voon (seated, second right) at a press conference. Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian is on her right. 

“We wish to tell him that he has blatantly insulted the women race and has shown that he is being insensitive towards the implications of sexual crimes inflicted upon women and girls,” she said.

Voon challenged Karim to tell women, especially mothers of young children, that he is supporting sex among children as young as 12 years old.

“It is really unbecoming and irresponsible of him, as an assistant minister, to make such a statement,” she said.

Voon asked Karim at what consent age the girls should have sex.

"If he talking about 12 or 13 years old for the consent age to be imposed from the present 16 years?" she asked.

Picture right: Voon (centre) with Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian and Lynette Tan (right).

Voon said the age limit of 16 years is universally imposed, not just Malaysia.

She said the two girls involved in the two cases of statutory rape which have been brought to court were 12 and 13 years when they had sex with two men.

"These two girls are still young and do not know of their rights," she added.

Karim, in suggesting that the statutory rape law be reviewed, claimed that many

 cases of statutory rape involved  “victims” who were willing partners.

He claimed that many children nowadays were matured physically and mentally, including their understanding of sex.

He felt that it was not fair to bring the men to court when the victims themselves were conensual partners. By Sematong Express.

PKR Wanita wants drainage system in Batu Kawa improved

Kuching, Aug 29, 2012): PKR Sarawak Wanita has called on the state government to widen and deepen the drainage system in Batu Kawa areas, especially along Jalan Kong Ping, Jalan Bayan, Jalan Dogan, Jalan Stephen Yong, Jalan Arang and RPR Batu Kawa.

PKR National Wanita vice head Voon Shiak Ni said today each that time there is a brief heavy rain, these areas are hit by flash floods.

She said the residents of Jalan Bayan have complained that the road was under two feet of water after 30 minutes of heavy rain last Monday.

Picture left: The drainage system is being widened, but still not enough

“The flash floods have something to do with the narrow drainage system at Jalan Bayan,” Voon, who is also the PKR Stampin deputy head, told reporters.

“We were told by the residents that there used to be 30 to 40 houses along Bayan in the old days, but now there are about 3,000 of them. The drainage system, however, has remained or less the same,” she said.

As a result, she said that Jalan Bayan would be hit by flash floods three to four times a year.

She said the narrow and small drains could not accommodate the huge volume of water after heavy rain, hence the road is flooded.

“The drains should be widened and deepened to ensure a smooth flow of monsoon water to the river,” she said.

Voon also said that many low lying residential areas are also often hit by flash floods because the monsoon drains are clogged due to construction of houses and other development.

Picture right: Voon talking to one of the residents of Jalan Bayan

“The planning of more housing estates and further development should come with good planning for the drainage system to ease the drainage and to contain flash floods each time heavy rain falls,” she said.

Voon said that the government should tak

e the occurrences of major floods in Kuching over the past years as a lesson for them to take the necessary steps in the flood-proned Batu Kawa areas.

Picture left: Voon listening attentively to a resident of Jalan Bayan

She said that the state government appears to have lack of detailed study and a clear masterplan on how to minimise the occurrences of flash floods.

“We are still unaware of any masterplan by the Drainage and Irrigation Department to contain the flash floods and we urge all the relevant authorities which include JKR and Lands and Surveys, to sit together and to come up with a master plan,” she said. By Sematong Express

What has happened to your promise, Simon Siah asks Adenan Satem

Kuching (Aug 25, 2012): Minister with Special Functions Tan Sri Adenan Satem has been asked on what has happened to his promise to the people of Kampung Kudei Lama located at the end of Rubber Road West and Nanas Road West here. 

About 200 people,  comprising the Ibans and Chinese, have been staying at the village since the early 1960s and were mostly from Simunjan, Sri Aman and Betong, hoping to get better life in Kuching.

Picture left: This is what Kampung Kudei Lama looks like

“In 1992, Adenan, who was then Minister of Social Development, had promised that this village will be resettled to the Batu Kawa Resettlement Scheme near Desa Wira, which was then being developed as a low cost housing scheme.

“During the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Nov 17, 2011 Adenan, now the Special Functions Minister, stated that there was now no need for the residents of this village to be resettled at the Batu Kawa Resettlement Scheme because the government has now gazetted the Kampung Kudei land as Government Reserves for village purposes.

“He even mentioned that there were plans for the village to have better drainage and irrigation system,” Siah, who is the Personal Assistant to Batu Lintang State Assemblyman See Chee How, told reporters today.

“However, until today nothing was ever done,” he said, adding that early this year PKR has collected signatures from over 200 families living in Kampung Kudei requesting from the government for proper drainage and electricity. 

He said that the petition was received by Adenan’s private secretary who gave an assurance that the matter would be dealt with.

Picture right:  PKR Stampin leaders             (squatting) Desmond Kho, Simon Siah and Voon Shiak Ni

“We waited for half a year for their      response and again nothing has been done. Not even a single reply of a letter or a phone call from Adenan’s office.

“Then on July 13. 2012, we wrote to Adenan to request for a meeting with him and his representatives to solve the problem of Kampung Kudei and again our letter was ignored.

“In fact the villagers of Kampung Kudei have also written a letter dated June 22, 2012 to him to fulfill his promise,” Siah said, adding that the promise made by Adenan since 1992 had not even been fulfilled after a span of 20 years.

He said that the slogan “Janji Ditepati” used by Barisan Nasional government this year was not only misleading and a clear attempt to lie to the Rakyat.

“With all these billboards being erected in town declaring that Barisan Nasional has fulfilled their promises to the Rakyat, the slogan is not only a mockery to the aspirations, but also the hopes of the Rakyat for a better life and a better future for their children.

“A kampung in the middle of Kuching town which has no drainage system and electricity after over 50 years of independence is indeed a great failure by the Barisan Nasional government,” he said, adding it was rather unsightedly to see the villagers living in such poor and unhygienic conditions and whenever  it rained, dirty and black water would rise up to their houses.

“Therefore, I urged and challenged Adenan to fulfill his promise to the villagers of Kampung Kudei before the Merdeka Day celebration.

“We are expecting to receive a call from him personally or from his department for us to meet him and to resolve the issue of Kampung Kudei together,” Siah said, adding that PKR had been asked by the villagers to voice their problems to Adenan.

“With our country Independence Day or Hari Kemerdekaan Negara drawing near, we are now more than certain that the governance under Barisan Nasional has created years of lies to the people of Sarawak.

“Rather than Janji Ditepati, it has been 50 years of Janji Dimungkiri especially for the villagers of Kampung Kudei who has been cheated for over 20 years,” he stated. By Sematong Express



Hydro Tasmania confirms involvement in dam constructions in Sarawak

Roy Adair, CEO of Hydro Tasmania, confirms company's involvement in controversial Malaysian rainforest dam constructions

Aug 24, 2012: (HOBART, TASMANIA) Roy Adair, the CEO of Australian state-owned energy provider Hydro Tasmania, said yesterday his company had no audits in place to prevent Hydro Tasmania’s participation in projects in Sarawak.

In an interview with the Australian ABC Radio, Adair admitted that only general “pre-bid checks” were done on Sarawak Energy, a Malaysian dam builder and business partner, prior to Hydro Tasmania’s engagement in a “100 billion dollar” energy project in Sarawak.

He said that “not so much auditing” on Sarawak Energy had been done.

Sarawak Energy is owned by the Malaysian state of Sarawak and chaired by Hamed Sepawi, a cousin and close business associate of long-term Sarawak Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud.

In an attempt to downplay Hydro Tasmania’s involvement in Sarawak’s dam building spree, Adair said his company role was “relatively minimal” as it was only earning 3 million (Australian) dollars from its Sarawak projects.

However, Adair failed to acknowledge the central role played by Hydro Tasmania engineers such as Andrew Pattle, who has been the Project Director of the 944 MW Murum dam, which is currently under construction, and has been appointed as the Senior Project Manager for another two proposed dams, Baram (1,200 MW) and Baleh (1,400 MW).

The Sarawak dam building spree has drawn heavy criticism from indigenous associations and environmental organisations.

The Baram dam alone would displace 20’000 Sarawak natives and flood over 400km2 of tropical rainforests.

Yesterday, the Tasmanian Greens called on the Tasmanian Minister for Energy “to recall all of its employees currently involved in environmentally and socially destructive dam building practices in Malaysia.“

Without the expertise of foreign consultants such as Hydro Tasmania, Sarawak Energy would not be in a position to realize its controversial dam plans.

Oil royalty: Why want to negotiate with PM in private, Baru asks Taib

Kuching, Aug 24, 2012:  Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian said today he is curious why Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud wanted to discuss the oil royalty for Sarawak with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in private.

“I am curious that Taib should think royalty negotiations are better done in private. Why is that so? The oil and gas in Sarawak is not the property of the chief minister as it belongs to all the people of Sarawak, hence we have a right to know what is being discussed,” Baru said at a press conference.

He said that a proposal to increase oil royalty payments for Sarawak is most pertinent at the moment.

“We in Pakatan Rakyat have calling for the government to review and increase the royalty from 5 % to 20 %. This is one of the issues we have put up in our election manifesto,” he said.

Baru, flanked by Sarawak PKR secretary Stanny Embat (left) and National Wanita vice head Voon Shiak Ni, at the press conference.

Nevertheless, he welcomed the announcement by Taib who stated that the royalty should be increased.

“But why is it only now that the chief minister is agreeing to pursue the matter? One can’t help but think that it is because this is an issue very close to the hearts of the people, an issue which Pakatan Rakyat has promised to address.

“Obviously there has been no political will on the BN government’s part over the last 30 or so years to seek a fairer share of the royalty until now when they are realizing there is a real possibility that the rakyat will vote them out in the coming elections,” he said.

He said that Sarawak has been lagging behind Peninsular Malaysia in every aspect “you care to name”, be it roads and infrastructure, education, healthcare, jobs, transportation, industry and development.

“One could say that Peninsular Malaysia and many individuals have prospered or benefitted via Petronas at our expense.

“Sarawakians now say ‘Kini masa balas budi’ to quote a line from the infamous BN Merdeka theme song 2012.

“We want to know what the Chief Minister intends to do about it, and we remind him that he is a servant of the people and is accountable to them.

“The former PM, in a Freudian slip, had referred to the current administration as the ‘devil’ and the opposition as the ‘angel’.  That in itself says it all,” Baru said.

“I trust that the rakyat are astute enough to judge for themselves whether to choose more of the same or to give themselves the hope of a better and brighter future with the Pakatan Rakyat,” he added. By Sematong Express

Not the people, but the corrupt BN leaders who will be in perilous position when PR comes to power, Baru says

Kuching, Aug 24, 2012: If there are people who will be in a perilous position when Pakatan Rakyat PR) comes to power after the upcoming general election, they will be the corrupt and guilty Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders.

“They will not be the people who support and vote for the PK, but those BN leaders,” Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian told reporters today.

Baru, who is also the Ba’Kelalan State Assemblyman, was commenting on remarks made by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing in a local newspaper yesterday.

Masing was said to have remarked that it would be a political suicide to give 0pposition PK a test mandate to govern the country while giving his support to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir’s statement that giving the opposition the mandate to rule would be dangerous as many things could be destroyed.

Baru said today:” Yes, it would be perilous indeed when the Opposition takes over from the BN. Exceedingly perilous for those who have the most to lose, those who have taken advantage of their positions of authority to enrich themselves at the expense of the people, who have remained poor and stagnant for the past 50 years.

“Perilous for the BN elite who done nothing of substance to advance the lot of the common people but who resort to giving away insubstantial sums of money nearing election time in the guise of the ‘caring’ government.

“It is perilous for the corrupt politicians and their families who have their greedy hands in every project and contract even though they do not know the first thing about the business concerned.

“(It will be) imminently catastrophic for the selfish leaders and their cronies who have taken away the lands of the natives, cut down their trees for profit of billions of ringgit and drowned the lands in their insatiable quest for even more wealth, all in the name of ‘development’.

“These are the people who will see the destruction of their parasitic way of life and easy money as they have known it.

“Their misdeeds will be revealed just as the cowgate and Scorpene scandals were uncovered,” Baru said, adding that investigations will be carried out on these people and their leader, a man and his family members who are said to be stakeholders in more than 400 companies in 25 countries, worth several billion US dollars, robbed from the people of Sarawak.

Baru pledged that there will be no witch-hunting against BN leaders when PR comes to power.

“We will just allow the process of law to take its course. This country is governed by the rule of law so we will let the law to takes its course,” he explained, saying that PK’s policy is based on justice and that is what the people want to see.

He said that the Attorney-General has to discharge his duties in accordance with the law when investigating corrupt practices and abuse of power against those involved in such practices.

Baru said the people, therefore, have nothing to lose by giving a mandate to the Opposition.

“They have already lost their lands, their livelihood, their pride, their chance for advancement and now their patience with a government lacking accountability and transparency.

“The BN government has had 50 years to run the country and if indeed they have done such a sterling job, they should have nothing to worry about and that they should be able to let the record speak for them.

“Unfortunately for them, among their more memorable achievements are a dangerously high national debt, a soaring crime rate (and a police force that manipulates the statistics to fit the KPI), a rakyat fearful for their safety, a culture of rent seeking, cronyism and corruption, ministers mired in kickback scandals, murder allegations, bailout of family companies using public funds and many more of similar unpalatable nature.

“In contrast to that, the PR is offering the very positive track record of the Opposition-run states and the promise to put in place a Federal Government that is competent, accountable and transparent. 

“That is why are we now seeing BN politician after BN politician, day after day in the mainstream press trying to instill fear into the rakyat by giving silly warnings about what would happen if there is a new government.

“The rakyat are now mature enough to discern that the current crop of leaders does not have sound policies to sell nor any track record to back them up, hence they resort to selling fear.

“After all, fear is in plentiful supply within the BN clique, and the fearful are eager to spread the fear.

“However, in their attempt to do so, they come across as tired defenders of a government that has let the people down time and again.

“Even now, in their bid to restore some credibility, the Najib administration has nothing original to offer but instead has been implementing or promising to implement policies borrowed from the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto.

“Examples are the abolishment of the ISA, the implementation of the RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah and ‘Project IC’ and the proposal to lower car prices,” Baru said. By Sematong Express.

Taib told he is out of touch with the feelings and sentiments of the Baram people

Miri, Aug 22, 2012:  Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has been accused of being out of touch with the feelings and sentiments on the ground pertaining to Baram Dam which the state government wants to build.

About 20,000 Orang Ulus will be displaced and affected by the construction of the dam.

Save Sarawak's Rivers Network (SAVE Rivers) and Baram Protection Action Committee (BPAC) asked the long-serving chief minister to meet the people and find out their feelings and sentiments against the construction of the dam.

"He is only listening to some community leaders and Barisan Nasional elected representatives who are giving false information to him that all the people in Baram agree to Baram dam project," BPAC chairman Philip Jau said in a statement today.

"We suggest that Taib to go and make a surprise visit to Sungai Asap as well as the Penans living in Murum and the communities that are going to be affected by Baram Dam in order to get a first hand feel of the real situation on the ground instead of making statements saying that everything is alright and people are happy with the dam projects," Jau told Taib.

He said SAVE Rivers and BPAC totally disagreed with Taib that the proposed Baram Dam is vital for the Baram's future.

“He is right in saying that the Baram Dam is vital for the future of Baram, but the future he is painting looks very bleak as far as the people of Baram is concerned”, Jau said..

.

“I can safely say that the reality on the ground is most of the people in Baram do not want the dam as they have seen and heard about the hardships and the unresolved problems that the people of Batang Ai and Bakun faced”, Jau stressed.

“Even in Murum, the Penans affected by the Murum Dam are not happy with the way the government is treating them. How can Taib say that the people of Murum are okay?” he asked.

Chairman of SAVE Rivers, Peter Kallang refuted Taib's claim that Baram is half empty and Baram needs the dam in order to attract people who had migrated to towns to come back.

“Taib should ask himself why Baram is empty”, Kallang said.

“Since the 1970s, the timber in Baram has been exploited and many of the timber companies and those connected to the timber industry made money. However, not much of the revenue from the timber industry went back to develop the Baram District.

“Baram still lacks the basic infrastructures for it to progress and most of its natural resources such as timber and land have been exploited without much had been given back to the locals and that is why people in Baram migrated elsewhere to look for a better living”, Kallang explained.

He  went on to explain that in the Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme, the unemployment rate is quite high.

“Half of the people resettled in Sungai Asap have left to look for better jobs elsewhere.

“For the other half that stayed, half of that have gone back to their original lands or living on jelatongs (floating houses).

“Most of the lands surrounding Sungai Asap are leased out to timber and plantation companies, making it more difficult for the people there to farm and earn a decent living”, Kallang claimed. By Sematong Express.

Don't accept gift from Taib, BMF tells diving queen

KUCHING, Aug 20, 2012: The Bruno Manser Fund congratulates Malaysian Olympics medalist Pandelela Rinong Pamg for her fantastic performance at the London Olympics, which won her a bronze medal in the 10 m platform diving event.

The Sarawak diver was the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal.

However, the Swiss human rights organization warns the diving champion from political manipulation by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

Last week, Taib announced he would reward the 19-year old bronze medallist with a “special gift” upon her return to Sarawak.

Pandelela, is a Bidayuh lass, is expected to return to Sarawak on Tuesday,  August 21.

BMF, in a statement said:” We call on Pandelela not to let herself be politically manipulated and advise her to politely turn down  the special gift.”

“It is feared that Taib is planning to abuse Pandelela’s Olympic success to boost his own dwindling popularity. The only gift Pandelela should accept from Taib is his resignation as Chief Minister, which would be a relief to the whole of Sarawak,” BMF said.

Serian police should be impartial and professional, reminds Chee How

TR Nyalu anak Tampa (left) with four of his anakbiaks after their release from the police custody.

Kuching, Aug 17, 2012: The Serian police have been urged to be impartial and professional when receiving reports lodged by the villagers of Kampung Danau Melikin in Balai Ringin constituency.

Since the beginning of this month alone, four reports have been lodged with the Serian police.

YB See Chee How (centre) meeting the villagers at PKR Stampin Service Centre at Sungai Maong Bazaar.

“All these reports concerned the use of gangsters, who are armed with samurais and spear-like kuan- tows, by two plantation companies to terrorise the villagers,” State PKT vice chairman See Chee How, who is one of the lawyers representing the villagers, told reporters today.

The companies – Malaya-based WFM Plantation Sdn Bhd and Sibu-based United Teamtrade Sdn Bhd –  have been issued with provisional leases by the Taib Mahmud administration over the areas which the villagers insisted are their native customary rights lands.

The villagers have also sighted the gangsters holding what appeared to be a shotgun from a distance.

“As you can see, the police actually did nothing. There was no arrest, from what we know, and the police have not even asking these people (gangsters and the planters) to come to the police station to give their statements,” See, who is also the Batu Lintang State Assemblyman, said.

“Because the two companies are employing the gangsters, the headmen of seven surrounding longhouses held an emergency meeting on July 17, 2012 on what course of action to take,” he said.

Out of this emergency meeting, they decided to lodge a report the following day, telling the police that the gangsters were seen armed with samurais and kuan-tows terrorising and frightening the villagers from the seven longhouses.

“The gangsters actually went to all these villages, threatening the villagers,” See said.

See said that he was sad that the police did not take action on the reports lodged by the police.

“But when United Teamtrade lodged a report, they almost immediately took action by arresting five villagers of Kampung Danau Melikin, including headman Nyalu anak Tampa, close to midnight on Sunday night,” he said.

The five were later released on Aug 15 as there was no evidence linking them to the burning of a bridge owned by United Teamtrade.

See said:”But of course, they are not very happy at the way the police are conducting themselves, and I don’t see any reason why they should be siding the plantation companies.

“The villagers and the villages have been there for a long time while the companies are the trespassers and intruders, and they are employing gangsters to disrupt peace of the area.

“So, the least the police should have done is to call these people for investigation, if not arresting them.

“So, I hope that the police, especially Inspector Mohd Azlan Abdul Wahab, who has become personal with the villagers, instead of conducting the investigation in a more impartial and professional manner,” See said.

He added the people would have more confidence in the police force if they had been impartial and professional.

“The police should have been more concerned with the villagers who are trying to protect their rights and properties from the intruders,” he said.

YB See Chee How (centre) with the villagers and supporters at the PKR Stampin Service Centre.

See said he would file a court action against the two companies as soon as he had all the names of NCR land owners from 21 longhouses in Balai Ringgin.

He said that more longhouses wanted to sue the companies and the government for encroaching into their NCR land.

“Once this is done, I will file another court action to sue the police for malicious and wrongful arrest of five villagers,” he said.  By Sematong Express.

Wan Junaidi supports calls for review of the controversial amendment to Evident Act

Kuching, Aug 16, 2012: Parliamentary deputy speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is supporting calls by Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on the Najib administration to review the controversial amendment to Evident Act which was passed by Parliament in April and gazetted on July 31.

He said the Act should not have been tabled without getting the feedback from the people.

“The government should have appointed a committee, similar to the parliamentary select committee, to get the views and feedback from people.

“The committee should hold public hearings all over the country, from Perlis to Sarawak and Sabah,” the outspoken Santubong Member of Parliament said at the Media Appreciation Night at a hotel here tonight.

“If you want to have fair and genuine views of the people, then the committee should be allowed to hold public hearings,” he said.

Wan Junaidi said the support given by the Wakil Rakyat does not reflect the true feedback from the people.

“ If you want to have a government by the people, for the people and of the people, then the government should consult them,” he said.

Junaidi claimed that the BN chief whip had given warning to the BN Wakil Rakyat to support the passing of the amendment to the Evident Act.

The amendment was passed by the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara in April this year amid accusations that it was bulldozed through along with other reform laws without proper debate on its repercussions.

Section 114A — otherwise known as Evidence (Amendment) (No 2) Act 2012 — was gazetted on July 31 by de facto law minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The amendment enables law enforcement officials to hold publishers of websites accountable for seditious, defamatory or libellous postings even if they are not the actual authors of the content.

Those affected include people who own, administer or edit websites open to public contributors such as forums or blogs, people who provide web-hosting services on Internet access and people who own the computers or mobile devices used to publish content online.

This resulted in the “Stop 114A campaign” by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) on Tuesday which was backed by organisations such as the Bar Council.

The opposition to the amendment dominated miro blogging site Twitter and social networking site, Facebook.

Saifuddin  described the controversial amendment to Section 114A of the Evidence Act as a “hiccup” to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s political transformation programme.

The Umno leader, speaking at a Bar Council forum on the law’s possible threat to internet freedom, said the law was a setback to Najib’s democratic reforms as the Act gives wide prosecution powers to create fear and narrow dissenting space.

Critics of the law claimed the section makes it easy for the government to charge anyone seen “facilitating” what is deemed as criminal comments on the internet even if the comments were made by someone else.

Those supporting the Act argued that the law gives space for the accused to prove innocence although they admit that it does not solve the problem of hacking or fraudulence where criminal comments may be posted by hackers under fake accounts.

The Malaysian government under the Mahathir administration, in an effort to promote the country’s internet communication technology market, vowed to leave internet free as it aims to draw investments into a sector that makes up 4.1% of GDP.

Saifuddin said the amendment may become a threat to the sector.

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