Chee How: Masing is displaying his arrogance

Kuching (March 6, 2012): Sarawak PKR vice chairman and human rights activist, See Chee How, said Tan Sri Dr James Masing, in backing Datuk Mong Dagang, was clearly displaying his arrogance that call for the severest political condemnation and censure.

“With the show of misdeed by party’s Youth chief and an assistant minister, one would have expected  Masing, as a Senior State Minister, to mollify the damages that has been inflicted on image of the BN government. 

“Instead, he amplified the contemptuous act by challenging the most fundamental ideals of a democracy,  that a government is “of the people, by the people and for the people”, See, who is also the Batu Lintang State Assemblyman, said when commenting on Masing's full support to Mong to stop welfare aid to a disabled person, Frusis Lebi.

Mong also instructed the Agriculture Department to stop giving agriculture subsidies to Frusis.

See said Masing’s callous remarks that that the people should not go against the government because the government was the boss (“towkay”) reflected terribly on the BN leadership of  Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and  Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. 

“It is obvious that the reign since independence has made him egoistic and arrogant. 

“ Masing should be taught that the relationship between the government and the people is alike the ship and the water. The water can keep you afloat, it can also sink you,” See warned.

 Earlier, Masing, who is also the Land Development Minister, said Frusis should know the rule in life.

“Follow the rule of life, that is, jangan lawan towkay,” Masing, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, said in defending Mong for stopping a RM300 monthly welfare aid to Frusis Lebi.

Asked to comment, Masing said:”In any organisation, including political parties, we cannot go against the boss. That’s the golden rule in life which we must observe.”

Mong, who is also the PRS Youth chief, is the State Assemblyman for Bukit Begunan.

Frusis, 51, is from Kampung Entulang which is in Mong’s constituency.

Mong claimed that Frusis openly gave support to the Opposition in the April 16, 2011 state election.

Frusis lodged a police report last Friday against Mong for issuing directive to the Welfare Department and Agriculture Department. By Sematong Express

Is it worthwhile for NCR land owners to participate in Salcra scheme?

Kuching, March 6, 2012: Is it worthwhile for the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land owners to participate in the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilation Authority (Salcra), asks former deputy president of the Council of Dayak Customs and Traditions, Nicholas Bawin, today.

He said Deputy Chief Minister and Salcra chairman Alfred Jabu Numpang talked big about Salcra and its so-called millions of dividends which had been given out to the NCR land owners, but in reality, it was not the case.

Take the case of the 30-door Rumah Empirong, Nanga Tutong, for example, Bawin said in the year 2010, each family received a paltry dividends of RM95 only.

"Last year, each family received RM305 and this year, RM350," Bawin told reporters.

He said what he pointed out was true "because I come from the longhouse".

Bawin said land owners from other longhouses received slightly more.

"Salcra is supposed to help the poor land owners, but with the small dividends they reach yearly, how could their economic well-being be improved?" he asked.

Bawin also complained about the unreliable water supply to 21 longhouses in the Batang Ai resettlement scheme, a far distance from the Batang Ai dam.

These longhouses were formerly from areas which were now submerged by the dam.

The government made many promises to them, but at the end of the day, each family was given three acres of land in the resettlement scheme.

Bawin said there should not be any problem for the water supply to reach each family in these longhouses.

"But what we experience regularly is that there are often interruptions of water supply to our homes.

"There should never be any problem because the source of the water is from the big Lemanak River. Why is it that we have this kind of problem?" he asked.

Bawin said after a heavy rain up the catchment area, the water that came from the tap was very muddy.

He said there used to be logging activities up the Lemanak River the past, but because the logging activities were so intensive and extensive, it took years for the trees and plants to grow in the logged-over areas.

He said rain water from these areas washed the mud into the river, the main source of fresh water supply of the longhouses, and that was why the water that came out of the taps was muddy and polluted.