Taib re-appointed as Sarawak's Governor for the third term

 KUCHING, February 28, 2022 - Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud was today re-appointed as Sarawak Governor by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong  Al Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al Mustafa Billah Shah for a third term, beginning March 1.

Picture: Tun Taib receiving his instrument of appointment from the King at Astana Negara

The former chief minister received the instrument of appointment at the Dewan Sri Setia Istana Negara.

Prime Minister,Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and Minister in attendance Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail were among those present to witness the handing over ceremony.

Taib  returned to the State capital this evening.

He will take his oath of office during the swearing in ceremony at the State Legislative assembly tomorrow afternoon.

He was appointed as the seventh Governor post-Malaysia in March 2014, replacing Tun Abang Salahuddin Abang Barieng, after stepping down as fourth chief minister, the post he had held since March 1981, on February 12, 2014.

His former brother-in-law, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, succeeded him as Premier with effect from March 1, 2014.

At the same time, he received the official credentials as the 7th Sarawak Head of State from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara on February 28, 2014 and officially took the oath of office on the following day.

Taib has nine siblings namely Ibrahim, Onn, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Arip, Mohammad Tufail, Aisah Zainab, Roziah, Faridah Hanon and Zaleha.

 Taib studied at at Andi Malay School and later St Joseph's Primary School in Miri.

He later won a Shell scholarship to study at St. Joseph's Secondary School in Kuching with the help of his uncle, aTun Abdul Rahman Yaakub who was also a Probationary Native Officer in Miri.

In 1958, his excellent performance in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination earned him a Colombo Plan scholarship, allowing him to further his studies at the University of Adelaide in South Australia.

He graduated with Bachelor of Laws from the university in 1960.

After graduation, he was appointed as an associate to Justice Sir Herbert Mayo of the Supreme Court of South Australia.

 On returning to Sarawak, Taib worked as a Crown Counsel from 1962 to 1963. He was then persuaded by his uncle to take part in the formation of Barisan Ra'ayat Jati Sarawak (BARJASA) party. Taib resigned as the Crown Counsel and assumed the post of vice-chairman of BARJASA in 1963.

In the 1963 local council elections, Taib's BARJASA party won only 44 out of 429 seats.

Taib's uncle was defeated in the election.

Sarawak National Party (SNAP) became a majority party with Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan as the state's first chief minister. However, Taib was able to join the Council Negri of Sarawak on July 22,1963, where he was appointed state minister for Communication and Works from 1963 to 1966 although Taib did not contest in the election.

Although Taib was a minister in the Sarawak cabinet with a superior education background, he was frustrated when his BARJASA party was consulted last after expatriate, SNAP party, and Sarawak Chinese Association (SCA) were consulted in a cabinet decision making.

Taib's anger towards Ningkan's leadership intensified in 1965 when Ningkan decided to pass a land bill which would allow Chinese to purchase native land.

BARJASA party later formed an alliance with Parti Negara Sarawak (PANAS), and Parti Pesaka Sarawak (PESAKA) in order to challenge Ningkan.

Taib and another BARJASA leader Awang Hipni was expelled from Sarawak cabinet by Ningkan.

In June 1966, Taib and his BARJASA partner was re-accepted into the cabinet in order to end the ruling coalition crisis.

However, the crisis between SNAP and BARJASA worsened into a constitutional crisis and Ningkan was removed as chief minister in 1966.

Taib later became Minister of Development and Forestry in 1967 under the leadership of new Sarawak chief minister Tawi Sli.

On several occasions, Taib acted as Chief Minister. Taib later fall out with Tawi Sli.

Taib decided to shift his focus onto the Malaysian federal cabinet.

Taib was appointed Federal Assistant Minister for Commerce and Industry from 1968 until 1970.

He represented Parti Bumiputera Sarawak, which was a component party of Sarawak Alliance, in 1969 Malaysian general election.

 During the 1970 parliamentary election for Sarawak, he was elected as the member of Malaysian parliament for Kota Samarahan seat.

He was later appointed to numerous portfolios including Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (1970–1972) and Natural Resources Minister (1972–1974).

In 1973, Taib was appointed deputy president of the newly formed PBB before subsequently becoming the president of the party.

Abdul Rahman Ya'kub was Taib's political mentor for 20 years.

In 1980, Taib was appointed as federal territory minister which would be the Taib's last portfolio before he returned to Sarawak.

Taib stepped down from federal cabinet post on March 9, 1981.

In order to let Taib to become an elected representative in Sarawak state assembly, a PBB assembly woman vacated the Sebandi (now Asajaya) seat and a by-election was held in March 1981.

Taib won the seat unopposed. He was later appointed as Sarawak's Land and Mines Minister.

On March 26, 1981, Abdul Rahman, who was the chief minister of Sarawak at that time, announced his retirement from politics by vacating his state constituency of Paloh and PBB presidency.

However, the Malaysian federal government favoured the appointment of Tan Sri Sulaiman Daud as the next chief minister because Taib was away from Sarawak for 13 years.

Abdul Rahman was able to convince the federal leaders to appoint Taib as chief minister because Sulaiman was much more junior than Taib.

Taib retained entire cabinet line-up of his uncle except for Celestine Ujang who would vacate his ministerial post to become speaker in the Sarawak state assembly.

Taib held the Sebandi seat until 1987, when he was elected as state assemblyman for the Asajaya constituency.

In 2001 state election, he decided to contest in Balingian.

Sarawak human rights activist calls for overhaul of administration of citizenship approval

 KUCHING, February 8, 2022 - Human rights activist Peter John Jaban, who has been advocating statelessness issues for decades,  is calling once again for an overhaul of the administration of citizenship approval in Sarawak following a case of Jeanny Lianna Ating, published in a local daily recently.

Peter, a member of the Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF), echoes the statement by Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Datuk Sri Fatimah Abdullah that detailed how the long wait for citizenship approval has caused great suffering for applicants.

He said he believes that, with Sarawak recently regaining its original status in the federation, it is high time for the state to demand full autonomy over its administrative requirements for citizenship to better reflect the local context and to put an end to this misery once and for all. 

 “I am deeply disappointed that this remains a problem in Sarawak or indeed in Malaysia. Personally, I have been campaigning on this particular issue for nearly a decade and many activists and civil society groups have been calling for change for many years,” he said in a statement.

Picture: Peter John Jaban says the federal government cannot continue to remain deaf and dumb on the stateless issue in Sarawak

“This is not to mention the efforts made by the Department for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development in tackling the issue,” he added.

He said yet the federal government has remained deaf and dumb to our demands, adding:” It is time the issue was taken out of their hands and into our own.”

Peter said as the citizenship is set by the Federal Constitution, the guiding principle is that every person born within Malaysia of whose parents, one at least is at the time of birth either a citizen or a permanent resident, should be given citizenship and all the rights that this affords.

“This is a statement of intent for our nation, for how we wish to include those born within our borders, and yet the state National Registration Department (NRD) insists on doing everything in their power to exclude anyone who doesn’t quite fit their exact profile.

“Sarawak natives have been particularly hard hit by their administrative rigidity, particularly concerning registrations of marriage as a prerequisite, but this inflexibility or, frankly, lack of understanding of the local context has impacted on all Sarawak communities and many Sarawak citizens.”

“We have had so many cases come across our desk of the effect of NRD’s inappropriate policies. I recall the rainbow family, in which seven siblings have the full range of identity cards: blue, green and red.

“This case has been going on for so long that both the father, who was a former border scout, and the mother, have died in the interim. Even worse, one of the siblings passed away during the pandemic with no resolution to their status,” he said. 

Peter said NRD) again has failed to provide citizenship to native Sarawakians including a former boarder scout who died recently despite defending the country during confrontation.

Peter reiterated it is time the country helps stateless natives in Sarawak after 59 years of Independence.

He called on Sarawak’s Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to put his foot down, saying that it is time to bring the approval process back to the state.

“This will ease the unbelievable delays involved, which see young children unable to attend education while they wait, but also allows for more appropriate administrative requirements to be drafted.

“In fact, with Sarawak’s newly regained status and the current unity government, our premier should be campaigning for amendments to the Constitution so that it becomes the Constitution for all regions of Malaysia, not just Malaya,” he said.

Another activist Bill Jugah , also the founder and chief visionary officer for a newly-formed Independent Council Of Natives (ICON), said the reasons behind stateless also exemplify the roots of the problems in the procedure of NRD. 

He said NRD needs to overhaul its policies in the state in order to recognise the stateless situation of many natives.

He said the state should be given the full autonomy over NRD, remarking that the current role of the state NRD director and staff is akin to an office boy or mail delivery service, where the process of approval for applications from Sarawak only comes from Putrajaya.

“Let us solve this issue of statelessness once and for all genuine Sarawakians without going through Putra Jaya. The solution cannot be on a case by case basis,” Jugah said.

He said rules set in Putra Jaya, which does not understand the issues or the customary laws (Adat) cannot be allowed to continue as it has resulted in denial of Sarawak natives nationality,health care, education and even their rights to vote.

“We want the state government  to take control of the registration of stateless people or even issue its own registration card.

"If the government lacks the fortitude to establish its own identity card, ICON is willing to initiate this move even if it is seen as a sign of being recalcitrant or even rebellious,” Jugah said.

 

RM108 million Bebuling Airport project delayed by 19 per cent

BETONG, Sun -- Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah today asked the state Public Works Department (JKR)  to closely monitor the ongoing construction of three big projects in Spaoh district near here.

Picture: DCM Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah being briefed on the construction of Sungai Paku bridge by a site engineer.

According to him, the three projects are the Bebuling Airport, Sungai Paku bridge and  Debak-Tuie Road.

He was informed that airport project is delayed by 18.99 per cent in its construction schedule.

The RM108million project was scheduled to be completed on September 17 this year.

The delay is said to be mainly caused by problems in constructing access road to transport  the machinery and building materials as well as poor weather conditions.

However, the contractor has now resolved the issue and is catching up on the delay with sufficient machinery and manpower at the site.

On the Sungai Paku bridge at Tanjung Sebekut,  it is delayed  6.71 per cent, mainly attributed to the slow performance by the contractor, delayed arrival of construction materials from Malaya and slow delivery of machinery and construction materials to the site

The 100-meter long steel arch bridge costing RM26.75million is now scheduled to be completed by December 21, instead of the original date on  November 5, 2023.

Its construction had commenced on 6th May, 2021

Uggah said all contractors must take note of the steps taken by JKR to catch up on the delays.

"They too must comply with all terms and conditions of their contracts,” he said.

Get yourselves vaccinated with booster dose, Uggah advises 250,000 Sarawakians

BETONG, February 27, 2022 - Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah today urged some 249,000 people, who are yet to get the Covid-19 booster jabs, do so as it is very important  to protect themselves against Covid-19.

Picture: DCM Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah exchanging greetings with PBB members before officiating at the Kpg Tengah Spaoh subbranch

He said they should make full use of the opportunities accorded to them by the government to get the booster dose.

"The booster dose is to strengthen your double vaccination doses,"he said when officiating at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera (PBB) triennial delegates conference of the Kampung Tengah Spaoh sub-branch at the community hall here.

Uggah who is also the chairman of the  State Disaster Management Committee( SDMC) said as of yesterday, the state health department said some 86.3 per cent of the state population have been vaccinated with the booster dose.

 He again called on all to continue to observe all standard operating procedures.

He said the current Omicron variant was very transmissible.

 Sarawak had recorded 476 cases today and 483 yesterday.

Meanwhile Uggah also thanked voters here for their full support to him in the recent 12th state election.

He said although two other candidates had challenged him, they had decided to support him as the GPS candidate from PBB.

He said they knew that the GPS had very good leader in the person of the Chief Minister  Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg who had proven himself to be a people centric, caring  and visionary leader for all Sarawakians.

"They have wanted him to continue leading the state,"he said.

Earlier, Uggah who is Bukit Saban state assemblyman visited the RM6.2 million Spaoh waterfront park and the RM5 million Spaoh market which is under construction.

Elderly couple expressed shock when bank told them they still owe over RM80,000

 KUCHING, February 21, 2022 - An elderly couple, who thought that they have settled their housing loan with a bank, was shocked to learn they still owed the bank of over RM80,000.

Picture: Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen (right) talking to the couple outside the bank.

They took their case to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen after the bank insisted that they must settle the outstanding amount.

According to Chong, the couple, identified as Mr and Mrs Jee, both retirees, had been paying their loan for 20 years and were shocked to learn that they have only settled one-third of the loan.

“This is the distressing and shocking encounter of Mr and Mrs Jee when they found out that, after they have regularly made monthly repayment towards their housing loan for more than 20 years, there is still an outstanding of more than RM80,000 owed by them to the bank,” he said after meeting the couple.

He said that the couple told him that in the year 2000, they borrowed a housing loan of RM125,000 from to part-finance the purchase of their house.  

“Under the loan agreement, the repayment term is 240 months, that is 20 years.

“From year 2000 till 2021, over a span of 21 years, the couple have dutifully repaid the bank the monthly instalments.  

“Though there were a few rare occasions of delayed payments over the years, they have made up for the delayed payments.

“However, in 2021, the retired couple approached the bank, with the intention to fully settle the outstanding loan to discharge their house from the bank.  

“They thought, given that they have been regularly paying their monthly instalments to the bank for more than 20 years and that there is no letter of demand from the bank for any default on the repayment, the loan would have been substantially repaid.  

“They expected that the outstanding loan amount would, at most, be a few thousand ringgit.  

“They would use their retirement savings to clear the loan.

“However, that was not the case.  They were informed that as at December 31, 2020, there was still an outstanding amount of RM80,362.17 owed by them to the bank under the loan.  

“They were shocked and totally devastated.  Mr and Mrs Jee are now 68 years old and 63 years old respectively.  

“Having retired, they would have no income to continue paying their loans.

“As such, they approached me for help,” Chong said.

He said he brought them to discuss the matter with the bank and he also helped to draft a letter addressed to the bank seeking explanation on why, for a loan the repayment tenure of which was 20 years, there is still an outstanding of about tw-thirds of the loan amount.

He said in the course of the discussion with the bank’s manager, it was disclosed that there had been some variation of interest by the Bank as a result of which, the main bulk of their repayment were mainly for the interest charged.  

“Even if such were the case, there could not have been such a great disparity in the outstanding amount,” he said.

Chong said he had also sought the intervention of Bank Negara Malaysia to ensure that justice be done.to the couple.

“This is a battle between the ordinary helpless people against a giant corporation, in a battlefield where rules are set by the government in favour of the giant corporation,” he said.

“On a general note, all borrowers should regularly check their loan accounts to ensure that the interest rates charged by the banks are in accordance with the loan agreement and not unilaterally increased by banks,” he said.

Sarawak CM praises Sarawak Energy for transforming itself into a global energy industry player

KUCHING, February 21, 2022 - Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg today heaped praises on Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) for transforming itself into an international energy industry player, in the process carrying Sarawak’s flag at internationally and regionally energy industry platforms.

Picture: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg (centre) with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian (third from left), SEB group CEO Datuk Sarbini Suhaili (third from right) with other invited VVIPs at the centenary townhall.

He said for SEB to survive and thrive for 100 years is an exceptional feat, one which SEB has managed to accomplish.

“The longevity and achievements of your organisation are something all of us are very proud of,” he said at SEB Centenary Townhall here.

 “As Sarawak's primary power utility, your efforts and contributions have been key in supporting the government's efforts to drive socioeconomic development in Sarawak towards our ambition of becoming a high-income state by 2030,” he said.

Picture: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg launching the centenary townhall.

“Our goal is to ensure all Sarawakians have equal opportunities to participate in the state’s overall development and enjoy equitable distribution of wealth through jobs and business opportunities.

“Rural areas of Sarawak must be equipped with all the basic infrastructure and facilities to enable communities to participate in wealth creation activities, improving the standard of living in these areas,” he added.

“In comparison to 2009 when the rural electrification rate was only at 56%, today about 97% of our rural communities have access to 24/7 reliable, renewable and clean electricity via a suite of grid and off grid solutions including solar and micro hydro power systems,” he said.

SEB group chief executive officer Datuk Sarbini Suhaili said SEB has achieved remarkable milestones over the last 100 years.

“We can say with a strong measure of pride that we are now ahead of the sustainable energy development curve, transitioning from a generation mix that was 100% fossil fuel when we began in the 1920s to over 90% fossil fuel in 2010 to predominantly renewable hydropower today.

“We are now Malaysia’s largest renewable energy developer, we have almost met our target of achieving full electrification of Sarawak by 2025.

“From a customer base of just 84 in southern Sarawak in the 1920s, we now provide electricity to over 740,000 accounts, serving a population of almost 3 million people in Sarawak, with customers in Indonesia.

“We started with around 30 staff and today, we are among the largest employers of professional Sarawak talent with 5,400 purposeful and dedicated employees.

“In fact, our subject matter experts are sought after to share their knowledge and technical expertise beyond our borders,” Sarbini said.

He said these accomplishments were made possible by the support and strategic direction of the Sarawak government, with much of today’s major corporate achievements a direct result of SCOREwhich was launched in 2008,” he said.

He said the period 2010 to 2020 was an important decade for Sarawak Energy as a direct result of its investment in hydropower development and focus on SCORE.

He said it has allowed SEB to support Sarawak’s economic growth and significantly transform Sarawak’s energy sector.

He said many important milestones were achieved during this period including the commissioning of the 944MW Murum Hydroelectric Plant as well as the delivery of Sarawak’s first interconnection to West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

He said during the past decade, SEB increased its installed generation capacity by 3.8 times to 5,233MW, with large hydropower contributing 3,452MW to the total capacity and increased its annual revenue by 3.6 times and reached the RM5 billion mark.