Dayak community leaders bringing their water problem to DAP Sri Aman to highlight

BY Andrew Daniels

SIMANGGANG, Sept 30, 2015 - A week after DAP Sri Aman branch highlighted the plight of Batu Lintang Undup residents requesting for clean treated water, some community leaders from Kara,Bukit Begunan and Lachau have asked its branch chairman Leon Jimat Donald to air their greviances.

The drought has hit the residents of the longhouses hard  and they are now asking that DAP Sri Aman write on their behalf to request to Chief Minister Adenan Satem to have a water treatment water plant be built in Lachau as to provide clean treated water to the many longhouses in these areas.

Climate change affects us more, say indigenous peoples

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, Sept 28, 2015 - The indigenous peoples, whose homes are in the mountains and forests, the coasts and small islands, are the real victims of climate change as a result of the failure of a development model which is contingent on using up natural resources with no consideration for sustainability and social equity.

"Corporate greed and control over resources have rendered our national decision-makers powerless in the face of pressure from industrialised nations," said a statement issued at the conclusion of a Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 21st Session of the UN Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)  Conference of Parties (COP21) from Sept 16-18, 2015 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Let the people be the judges - Opposition or BN who are the mind-poisoners?

By Baru Bian,

Sarawak PKR chairman

The recent statements by Sylvester Entri and Johnical Rayong calling for the people to reject the opposition parties and Peninsula Malaysian parties is a sign that BN is afraid that the people will come to realize that they have been duped by BN for the past few decades.

In fact, there has been an increase in these sorts of statements lately from BN politicians, which points to their worry that more and more people are beginning to reject their ‘empty promise and money’ style of politics.

BMF says moratorium on Baram Dam should follow with action to find alternative energy sources

KUCHING, Sept 24, 2015: The Bruno Manser Fund, in welcoming Chief Minister  Adenan Satem’s decision to impose a moratorium on the Baram Dam, is asking the government to quickly follow this up with action in order to boost confidence in the policy turnaround.

In a statement, BMF said there should be a prompt launch of collaboration with a team from University of California, Berkeley, to find an alternative energy path for Sarawak.

Why ban Tony Pua? Is it got to do with him exposing 1MDB scandal?

By Chong Chieng Jen,

Sarawak DAP Chairman

Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s full support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak cannot be any clearer than the banning of  Petaling Jaya Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua from entering Sarawak, yesterday.

Though Adenan has openly said that he will ban the racists and religious bigots from entering Sarawak, his act to ban Tony from entering Sarawak does not reflect what he has pledged.

Nomadic Penan boy who rises up to become Petronas welding instructor

KOTA KINABALU, September 14, 2015 - As a boy in the hinterland of Baram, Sarawak, it was usually on Saturdays at the end of the school holidays that Rendy Ziki, now 30, would wake up at midnight, pack his meagre possessions and bid his parents goodbye before making his way into the darkness for the long journey back to school.

For the graduate of PETRONAS’ VISTA programme, in collaboration with Kolej Yayasan Sabah (KYS), the journey from being a nomad boy to a welding instructor has been no walk in the park.

BMF's campaign gaining traction in Australia for recovery of AS$30m allegedly stolen from Sarawak

ADELAIDE, September 10, 2015 -The Bruno Manser Fund's campaign for the recovery of stolen assets to Sarawak, Malaysia, has gained traction today with extensive media reports on the alleged laundering of $30 million.

BMF executive director Lukas Straumann and Jenny Weber of the Bob Brown Foundation briefed the press in a boardroom of the Adelaide Hilton hotel this morning on the dodgy origins of the funds with which the Hilton was purchased  in 1994.

 From left: Lukas Straumann, Mark Parnell and Jenny Weber in South Australia's corridors of power

Over 2,000 turned up to lend support to TR Sandah in landmark land appeal case by the government

By James Joseph

KUCHING, Sept 9, 2015 - Over 2,000 customary rights Dayak landowners crowded the High Court building  today to give support to Tuai Rumah Sandah anak Tabau, TR Lajang anak Lang, Semawi and Paong, Semunggah anak Janda, Muli Paong, Bonyoi Jawa, Suluk Paong and Bajing Apong, all of Kanowit, in a land mark case.

Beautiful Sino-Dayak woman lawyer joins Sarawak PKR

Athina Klaywa Sim

By James Joseph

KUCHING, Sept 5, 2015 - Pretty 26-year old lawyer Athina Klaywa Sim has joined a  growing number of young professionals to be members of Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

She submitted her membership application form to Sarawak PKR vice chairman See Chee How this morning.

"I am always attracted towards PKR's political struggle and principle," she told reporters at a press conference. 

Athina, a Sino-Dayak parentage, will be a member of the Bengoh branch. She is from Kampung Podam, Bau.

The branch chairman Willie Mongin said she will take charge of the day to day operation of the branch.

See, commenting on Athina's application to join PKR, said she is among the young professionals who have joined the party.

"Like many other professionals, we welcome her to join us," said the Batu Lintang state assemblyman.

Athina (centre) submitting her membership form to Chee How (right) while Bengoh branch chairman Willie Mongin and PKR national women vice head Voon Shiak Nie (left) and Iana Akam of Tasik Biru branch look on.

Meanwhile, Mongin asked Minister of Communications and Infrastructure Development Datuk Seri Michael Manyin on why construction work on the proposed construction of tourist facilities for raft safari event park at Kampung Git, Kota Padawan, has not begun yet.

He said Manyin made the promise to construct the facilities two years ago, but until today, nothing has been done at the site.

Athina (3rd from right) and Voon Shiak Ni (centre) holding a banner "Wanita Berdaya Harapan Negara" with other PKR women members.

"The riverside at Kampung Git is scenic, good fishing spot and quality jungle trekking but what missing are the tourist facilities," he said.

Mongin said the tourist facilities should include stalls for the villagers to ply their handicraft, farm and jungle produce and foodstalls.

SEB-Lubok Antu community cooperation paved the way to sustainable development

KUCHING, September 2, 2015 - The level of cooperation attained between Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and the communities in Lubok Antu has paved the way for sustainable development in the area over the past 30 years since the construction of the Batang Ai Hydroelectric Plant.

SEB's executive vice president of corporate services Aisah Eden said this has enabled the state power company, the State government and relevant agencies to attend to the needs of the communities in regards to basic amenities and socio-economic aspects.

Lawyer receives RM74 only as dividends this year from his 4.8ha NCR land developed under Salcra scheme

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, September 2, 2015 - Practising lawyer Francis Teron Kadap expressed his shock that he only received a pittance sum of R39 in July and RM35 in January this year as dividends from  his 4.8ha native customary rights (NCR) land developed under the Sarawak  Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) oil palm scheme in Stenggang, Bau-Lundu area.

"I am not exaggerating, but this is true," he told reporters here today.

Bersih 4 Kuching is not about mob politics, but voice of the voting public

The Bersih4Kuching organisers wholeheartedly thank the people of Sarawak for their support over the Bersih weekend events – thank you to those who attended for coming and to those who didn’t for accepting any disruption.