Waste of tax payer's money

This small building looks like a "Pondok Polis", but has been unmanned for as long as it has first existed. It is located around Sg Plan area, Jalan Tanjung Kidurong. It was built for reason unknown and now not properly utilised. Doesn't that means the waste of the people's money erecting it and in the end left unused?

Even how simple and small the building is, it must have cost thousands of ringgit, who knows!!!

Squatters along Tg Kidurong

Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu, Sarawak is where the country’s biggest oil and gas resources originated.   Malaysia LNG contributed largely to Malaysian economy.   Petronas Twin Tower existed due to MLNG.  A large number of work force from Semenanjung came to Tanjung Kidurong Bintulu and made oil and gas industries as their career and rice bowl.  Expatriates from foreign countries also came to Bintulu.  Bintulu is renowned worldwide due to its MLNG plant.

The world only knows about oil and gas extracted from here.  But all along Tanjung Kidurong road, there’s a disease hidden from the world. The diseases are the squatter areas such as Sebatang, Openg, Muzako and BDA Pasir Putih.  If you happen to drop by at one of these areas, you would not believe that there still exist places like that.  I doubt the authority ever care to know about the existence of these squatters.  Even if they know, what have they done?   What effort has the local authority carry out to change them?

Problem related to MyKad/Birth certificates

This is a big problems for the state government, even bigger problems for the people.   I've heard about this issue years ago, but what have been done by the authorities concerned?   What steps were taken by then NRD to solve it? Continuous efforts on the part of NRD are very important in order to ensure that the number Sarawakians without IC would increase further.  The ministers who are responsible for this should take further actions, not just barking and making mere publicities in the newspapers.   The ministers should take the lead.

We know how difficult it is to be born without IC or birth certs.   Amongst others, they can't go to further studies, open bank accounts, look for jobs, travelling and the list goes on and on.

We Hate! Mukah-Selangau Road!

This post is inspired by the FB group with the same name.  There was a previous post regarding this road dated 3rd October, 2008 http://theoryofzero.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/the-worse-road-in-sarawak/.  The conditions of that road is beyond words, there's no better words to describe it present condition.  The facebook group is now doing the car sticker and t-shirt campaign in order to open the eyes of the authorities concerned to look into the matter seriously.

For those who wish to buy the car sticker or t-shirt, please direct your order to : thirdvoice2010@gmail.com


Prices:

1.  Car Sticker = RM10.00 per piece (width: 6" x height: 18.5")

2.  T-shirt = RM28.50 per pair (include courier/postage)

This gear is aim for use or to be worn during the Kaul Festival in Mukah.

 

More money for Sarawak

In today's paper, Najib said he will assure that more money for Sarawak in the next 10th Malaysia Plan. Immediately, it came across my mind the following questions:

1. How much more?
2. Who benefits from that fund?
3. How would the rakyat know that, the fund are really for the people, not for "Certain People"?

Like before and always, there's no transparency in implementing any kind of project. Only a certain people did really enjoy the "isi" and the rakyat will, like always, get the "kuah". This has been the federal practice towards us, especially Sabah and Sarawak.

Another question which I love to ask is, why is it only now that the federal really take care of Sabah and Sarawak? Why? Is it because of the change of leadership? Or is it because of the result of the previous GE which might have woken them from sleep? Well, if it so, good for Sarawak. At least they are awake before the thieves take away their beloved empire from them. This means too, the result of the previous GE really scare them to death.

The future of Sarawak, where are we heading?

Socially:

Talking about social development, one tend to compare Sarawak with the rest of the states and bigger cities such as KL.   Though social problems in Sarawak is showing a worrying upward trend, it is still at a level much lower than those in bigger cities.   Social problems in bigger cities is different.   However, later on when a town spring into big city, these kinds of social problems tend to be out of control.   Crime rates will also be on the rise.   Surprisingly, gansterism in Sarawak used to be amongst the worst.   Sibu used to be known as gangster town way back in the 70's and 80's.   Then there emerge a new breed of triad which haunts Bintulu town just recently.   Thanks to the efforts of YB Datuk Tiong in dealing and cleaning them, if not looks like Bintulu would be the least safest place to reside in Sarawak.

Other criminal activities such as theft, house breaking, snatching and drug pushing in Sarawak as a whole seems to be on the rise.   This is probably due to economic pressure on unemployed citizens.   As can be observed from the recent cases, most of these crimes were committed by foreigners, that is the Indonesians.   This phenomena reflects the low level of security in our state.

There's also the problems of drug taking and gum sniffing amongst our youngsters.   Most youngsters involved in these activities are either being influenced or just fancy to try out new stuff.   Smoking amongst young school students seems to be normal.   This trend has been in existence since the olden days.   Who are to be blamed?   Certainly, parents are responsilbe for this social ills amongst school students for not doing sufficient close monitoring.   Most parents are too obsessed in their daily routine until they are overlooking their so-called parental responsibilities.

These young school students are the future citizens who will take over from the older generations as the backbone of our nation.   If they were not properly educated and nurtured as useful citizens, the future of Sarawak will be socially handicapped, hence will affect the states politically and economically too.

Economically:

At least once in a lifetime, a nation is boud to be hit by economic recessions.  This happens as a result of global economic changes.   Once bigger and dominant countries are being affected, the others follows, unless careful measures are taken.   During Dr. Mahathir's premiership, our country has also been hit by several economic downturn, but the ability of Dr. Mahathir in dealing with these situations has saved our country from being devastated and badly affected.   I really adore him for that aspect.   Our present and future leaders should follow his example and learn from his experiences, as they are not as smart as him.

Thus far, the present economic downturn has not affected Sarawakian individually, but more to corporate and big companies.   Comparably, only a small portion of our Sarawak citizens are affected.   Farmers, fishermen and small business are still doing very well.

To me, the economic recessions and turmoil are the jobs of humankind themselves.   Someone with substantial amount of power wants economy turning bad, and these someone are businessman and policians who benefits from these economic turmoils.   Only human kind themselves can cure and bring the global economy to it's original state.

Since the 1970's, workforce from Semenanjung flocked into Sarawak to look for jobs.   They were either being sent by the government, company or individually.   The presence of the abundance natural resources has attracted tens of thousands foreign workforce into Sarawak.   Presently, workforce from Semenanjung are engaged in white colar jobs such as teachers, the police force, the army, oil and gas industries and plantations where a large portions of the high ranking jobs are being dominated by them.

Compared to Semenanjung, jobs in Sarawak are plenty and the ceiling wages are very low.   Take for example in Semenanjung nowadays shops assistance can easily fetch a gross salary of RM700 per month whilst in Sarawak, the maximum wages is around RM500 per month for the same level of jobs.   Another example is the factory worker's salary.   In Sarawak the average daily wages is about RM14.00 whilst in Semenanjung is about RM25.00.

Given these wide gaps in terms of workers wages between Sarawak and Semenanjung, looks like it would take another 10 - 20 years for Sarawak to be on par with Semenanjung.   Who is/are responsible for these slow economic growth?   Let us find the answer in ourselves.

Politically:

Politically, Sarawak is the most stable amongst the 13 states thus far, in the view of the ruling coalition.   The reason for this political stability is due to the reserved and liberal nature of the thinking of Sarawakians.   These reserved and liberal nature of Sarawakians in turn were due to limited communication facilities and limited amount of foreign cultures and informations to the hardcore government supporters and voters.   Years of brainwashing and shaping by the present ruling coalition has formed an ideologically unbreakable loyalty amongst the older generations towards them.   It would take years of hardwork for the oppositions to wrest the trust of these voters, that even if they were to succeed.   If not, it would remain as it is for the rest of Sarawak history.

Geographical factors too, play an important role in contributing towards the dominance of the present government.   The good performance of the present state government has thus far prevented the federal government from bringing in UMNO into Sarawak.   I am ready to bet, if UMNO were to be allowed into Sarawak land, that would mark the end of BN dominance in Sarawak.   This is especially so, judging from the level of patriotism amongst Sarawakians.   As has been said before, and said over and over again, even a child representing the "Dacing" can easily win any constituency in Sarawak.

This is a democratic country.   Opposition come and go, but BN is always there.   To the older generations, BN is the ultimate government.   If BN lose, there's no government for them.   This has been the mentality nurtured by BN amongst the old folks all those years.   BN and opposition alike, take note of this facts.

However, as times passed, there has been a gradual changes in the perceptions of a much younger Sarawakians towards political situations in Sarawak.   As most of the citizens are now more educated and better exposed to fresh ideas and informations as compared to the older generations who are hardcore government supporters, the trends seems to be a little bit worrying for the ruling coalition.   The younger generations no longer listen blindly to baseless claims and empty promises without first accessing the actual truth, unlike the olden days.

The future of Sarawak politics is gradually changing for the better or for the worst.   Judging from the present development, it is very clear that Sarawakians are no longer become "Pak Turut".   They are now more vocal, sensitive and daring in voicing out their views.   These can be proven with the emergence of countless number of social/political blogs written by Sarawakians.   Most politicians do not believe blogs and bloggers help shape the entity of certain government.   My advise, they better do believe.   They better believe in the "Power of Blogging".

To sum up, Sarawak is heading towards a new direction, which only time will tell.

UMNO leaders are racists

This article is taken from Utusan Online "Bangkitlah Melayu"

Bangkitlah Melayu

KUALA LUMPUR 14 April – Orang Melayu perlu bangkit dan bersatu dalam berhadapan dengan tuntutan kaum lain yang kini dilihat semakin keterlaluan.

Mereka juga perlu sedar dan insaf dengan situasi politik semasa yang menyaksikan pelbagai tuntutan hingga boleh menjejaskan kekuatan politik orang Melayu.

Sehubungan itu, orang Melayu diminta tidak tunduk kepada tuntutan keterlaluan tersebut sebalik bangkit bersatu bagi mempertahankan hak dan kepentingan mereka.

Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas, Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata, pemimpin bukan Melayu dalam hal ini perlu sedar yang sesebuah kerajaan itu boleh sahaja untuk tidak ‘melayan’ tuntutan mereka.

Katanya, jumlah kerusi terbanyak di Parlimen adalah milik Melayu dan ia cukup untuk membentuk sebuah kerajaan berasaskan wakil rakyat Melayu semata-mata di negara ini.

Katanya, justeru, dari segi politiknya kerajaan itu sepatutnya memenuhi apa sahaja yang menjadi kehendak Melayu kerana mereka adalah majoriti dan bukan asyik bertolak ansur dengan bukan Melayu.

‘‘Parti Melayu akan kuat bila Melayu dijaga. Jadi UMNO kena fokus orang Melayu. Jadi UMNO tak perlu takut kerana saya lihat bila UMNO itu kuat orang bukan Melayu automatik akan sokong juga Barisan Nasional (BN) macam dulu,’’ katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas pandangan mengenai situasi politik semasa yang menyaksikan kedudukan politik Melayu seakan terancam dengan tuntutan bukan Melayu pada masa kini.

Ahli Parlimen Sri Gading, Datuk Mohamad Aziz berkata, parti pemerintah ketika ini tidak boleh merasa bimbang untuk membuat apa sahaja keputusan yang dilihat perlu untuk membantu orang Melayu.

“UMNO kalau kita tengok Fasal 3 perlembagaannya ialah memperjuangkan hak Melayu.

“Pada masa sama orang Melayu pun kenalah sedar, asyik bercakaran sesama sendiri, tak untung Melayu sedangkan kita main politik untuk apa kalau tidak untuk membela Melayu.

“Jadi UMNO dan Pas kena duduk, tak kan dalam berbeza tak ada persamaan. Atas persamaan ini kita duduklah semeja dulu,” jelasnya.

Pemimpin UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim menegaskan, dalam soal wakil Kabinet misalnya, semua pihak harus menerima pilihan Perdana Menteri kerana ia bidang kuasa beliau.

“Saya fikir kalau dilayan, Najib tak akan ada kerja lain.

“Apa pun ini akan mengajar UMNO supaya terus kuat. Bila kuat, orang segan, kalau lemah orang kucar kacirkan,” ujarnya yang juga Ketua UMNO Bahagian Jelebu.

Ketua Pembangkang Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo berkata, hak orang Melayu tidak harus dilepaskan dalam usaha kerajaan memenuhi kehendak masyarakat pelbagai kaum.

“Biar wujud situasi menang-menang. Kita tidak boleh biar sebelah pihak sahaja menang. Kalau kita nak penuhi apa yang mereka nak, jangan pula kita lepaskan apa yang jadi hak kita,’’ katanya.

Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Syed Anuar Syed Mohamad berkata, walaupun kerajaan mahu menekankan konsep Satu Malaysia yang menyatukan rakyat pelbagai kaum, langkah juga perlu dilakukan bagi mengembalikan keharmonian di kalangan orang Melayu sendiri.

“Dalam keadaan sekarang ini, orang Melayu berhadapan banyak cabaran semasa dan kita perlu mencari cara untuk memastikan kaum itu tidak berpecah-belah,” katanya.

Katanya, UMNO dan Pas tidak boleh melengah-lengahkan masa lagi untuk bekerjasama dalam memajukan orang Melayu.

Ketua Umum Badan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), Osman Abu Bakar yang sependapat dengan GPMS berkata, cadangan yang baik seperti itu perlu dilaksanakan secepat mungkin.

Katanya, kerjasama antara dua parti politik itu bukan sahaja akan memberi faedah kepada orang Melayu sahaja tetapi juga kaum lain.

Tambahnya, penyatuan UMNO dan Pas perlu menjadi batu loncatan untuk mengeratkan semua rakyat berbilang kaum di negara ini.

“Sememangnya usaha ke arah itu akan mengambil masa tetapi sekurang-kurangnya kita tidak hanya bercakap atau mencadangkan sahaja,’’ tambahnya.