Baru explains: We will not rush into cutting ties with Pas

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, March 31, 2015 - Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chief Baru Bian said the party will not rush into cutting ties with Sarawak Pas over the implementation of hudud law in Kelantan.

"We will not rush into cutting ties with Pas. I have to consult the state leaders as well as the national leaders," he said explaining the reason for the delay in deciding Sarawak PKR's relationship with Sarawak Pas.

A Dayak university proposal hotly debated on social media: Should or should not we have a Dayak university?

KUCHING, March 31, 2015. - A growing interests in setting up a Dayak University is being hotly debated on the social media.

It comes about with  a press statement of Dr Ellie Lihat being posted on March 28 last year. Ellie issued the statement after expressing his interest to vie for the top post of the Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association at its annual general meeting (AGM) 2014.

He said the idea to set up the university was achievable if Dayak community had the political will.

MLNG BEACON Project completes deployment of 1,500 reef balls

 BINTULU, March 31, 2015 . -  Malaysia LNG Group of Companies (MLNG), in collaboration with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd, yesterday completed a three-year reef ball deployment programme under its Biodiversity, Environment and Conservation (BEACON) Project.

Under the BEACON Project, MLNG has allocated RM4.7 million for the reef ball programme which saw the deployment of 1,500 units of specially-made reef balls into Bintulu's waters over a period of three years. 

Dayak community wants teachers sacked for attempting to Islamise Christian girl

 By Simon Peter

MIRI, March 29, 2015 . - About 100 members of the Dayak community yesterday marched to SMK Lutong where they submitted a strongly-worded memorandum to the school's Parents-Teacher' Association, demanding that the Education Ministry immediately sack the teachers involved in attempting to Islamise an under-aged schoolgirl two weeks ago.

The memorandum was received by the school's PTA president Ahmad Shukri, who was then chairing the PTA's annual general meeting.

Sarawak DAP quits opposition coalition, blaming Pas for the decision

KUCHING, March27, 2015 - Sarawak DAP said it has made a painful decision to quit the State Pakatan Rakyat (PR), squarely blaming Pas for implementing the hudud law in Kelantan.

"We can no longer work with Pas as a political party in Sarawak," Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said to reporters after chairing the Sarawak DAP state committee meeting here.

Chong Chieng Jen

Illegal logs, worth RM200,000, seized in Sibu region

KUCHING, March 23,2015:   The Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd's enforcement teams in Sibu, Bintulu and Kuching have seized various quantities of illegal logs over the weekend.

The biggest haul, comprising 330 pieces of hill logs of mixed species, was made in Sibu region. These logs, with an estimated volume of 300 m3 and worth more than RM200,000 were found at an abandoned logging road located between Sungei Takan and Ngungun, Song.

Illegal logs seized in Sibu region

Another arson attempt on the house of village chief?

 By Simon Peter

MIRI, March 23, 2015. – Around midnight on March 22, a house belonging to Tuai Rumah Jambai Ak Jeli, located at Taman Jelita, Miri was purposely set on fire in a suspected arson which have apparent links to the current Native Customary Rights (NCR) land dispute involving five longhouses of the Iban community of Sungai Bekelit, Sungai Serunggut and Sungai Kelitang, Sibuti sub-district, Miri.

"This is the second arson case to befall Tuai Rumah Jambai, whereby exactly three  months earlier, on 22 December 2014, his car was torched by unknown persons right in front of his house.

Slightly burnt marks on the wall of TR Jambai's house.Note traces of inflammable liquid on the floor and wall.

DAP to take final step to leave Pakatan Rakyat

KUCHING, March 20, 2015: In light of the “back-stabbing” by PAS in the tabling of the hudud bill in Kelantan, it is now either PAS or DAP in Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak.

"Given such a betrayal, DAP Sarawak will have no choice but to consider taking the final step to leave Pakatan Rakyat," Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen said to reporters today.

Chong Chieng Jen (left) and his political assistant Sanjan Daik

Adenan:Less priority given to Sarawak before by the federal government

KUCHING, March 18, 2015. - Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said Sarawak is lagging behind Malaya "perhaps, because of less priority given to us before" by the federal government  over the last 50 years.

"I will not put it (unfair treatment) in that way," he told reporters when asked to elaborate on his speech earlier at the opening of the National Smallholders and Commodities Entrepreneurs Conference here today.

Anti-Baram dam activists smearing our name, SEB accuses

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, March 16, 2015. - The state-owned power supplier Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) said  today it is disappointed to note the latest chapter of the long running international campaign to smear its name and the state government by  Sarawak's anti-development activists in Manila.

A statement on its website said SEB has complied with the standard requirements for the proposed loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) when submitting a Resettlement and Ethnic Minority Development Plan (REMDP) last September.

Protesters at the proposed Baram site

You can retain Adenan as Chief Minister, but help us to oust BN from Putrajaya, Chong asks Sarawakians

By SIMON PETER

KUCHING, March 15, 2015: Sarawak DAP said that the people of Sarawak can give Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem a chance to be the chief minister again, but should help Pakatan Rakyat (PR) oust the Barisan Nasional from Putrajaya in the next general elections.

"We cannot allow the Barisan Nasional to ruin the country for another five years. We have been giving them 51 years to rule the country," Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said today.

Chong Chieng Jen

Tegulang and Metalun resettlements marking their first year with thanks giving ceremony

BINTULU, MARCH 5, 2015: -  Villagers at the Tegulang and Metalun Resettlements in Murum held a thanks giving ceremony to mark their first year of settling in their new homes.

The ceremony, initiated and organised by the Murum Penan Development Community (MPDC) and supported by Sarawak Energy, consisted of a thanksgiving prayers, home blessing and a symbolic ribbon cutting at one of the longhouses. 

Set deadlines on completion of projects, Jabu told

By Simon Peter

BETONG, March 5, 2015: Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang has been reminded to set a definite deadlines on completion of projects for the benefits of the affected target groups.

"He cannot just make promises left, right and centre. He must set the deadlines for projects to be completed," State PKR information chief Vernon Aji Kedit said in a statement today.

Chong: Masing is not reluctant on hiring of Bangladeshi workers by plantation companies

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, March 5, 2015: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has hit out at Land Development Minister James Masing over his confusing statement regarding the hiring of Bangladeshi workers by plantation companies in the state.

"The government’s policy to allow the hiring of Bangladeshi workers for plantation will only benefit the BN cronies and plantation companies, but at the expense of the locals," Chong said when commenting on Masing's statement yesterday.

Chong Chieng Jen