Sarawak Chieftain's US Properties

Kuching
Thursday, 8th July 2010

The FBI is at home in a Taib office building in Seattle

We reprint the second report by the Sarawak Project, an NGO based in the East Malaysian state, which has done an exhaustive study of the property holdings controlled by Abdul Taib Mahmud, who as long-serving chief minister controls an enormous empire of natural resources that for decades has allegedly gone to serve his family’s interests rather than the state’s. In the wake of an opposition victory in the town of Sibu in May, Taib for the first time faces the real possibility he could be defeated in the state election which must be held before the end of 2011.

When you have dozens of properties and as many companies to manage them it is always a good trick to stick to similar names. Sarawak Report can reveal that there is a US arm to the Taib family’s North American property empire.

In Ottawa, Canada the family’s interests are managed by Sakto Corporation, but in the US they are managed by Sakti International Corporation. Sakti International Corporation comprises properties totalling an estimated value of US$80 million according to their own company documents. Each property is held under a separate company, usually named after the property’s street address, again in order to aid recognition. For example, W.A. Boylston manages 1117 Boylston St, Seattle (shown right).

However, one of these companies is not so named. Wallyson’s Incorporated, based in Seattle, operates what is known as the Abraham Lincoln Building. The Abraham Lincoln Building houses an FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) facility and to enter requires maximum security clearance.

This is the North West Regional Headquarters for the FBI, America’s domestic security and counter-terrorism service. The Seattle branch lists among its particular responsibilities countering terrorism threats from Far East Asia. This building is owned by the Taib family.

Sakti’s other main US office block, 260 California Street, San Francisco, also rents space to an impressive list of clients including Citibank. It shows once again the Taib family’s ability to ingratiate with the establishment in host countries for their foreign investments.

Taib company history in the USA

Also like Sakto, Sakti is currently managed by Sean Murray, husband of Jamilah Taib, who is the daughter of Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak (salary RM20,000 per month). Sean Murray was re-named Hisham Murray when he converted to the Muslim faith on his marriage to Jamilah, but never uses this name in his business or social capacities outside of Sarawak.

However recent court documents deposited with the San Francisco Superior Court show that the company has always belonged to the Taib family. Sakti makes several key acknowledgements in its deposition to the court. The company admits that Sakti was incorporated in California in 1987 and that it was initially managed by Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib. The documents state “The Defendants [Sakti International Corporation] admit that beginning September 10, 1987, Sakti’s designated Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Chief Financial Officer was Mahmud Taib”.

Previous revelations in Sarawak Report have proved that Mahmud Taib, the eldest son of the Chief Minister, was also an original Director of Sakto in Canada, formed in 1983, along with his sister Jamilah and their uncle Onn Mahmud, the Chief Minister’s brother.

Court Admissions

The Sakti court deposition goes on to admit that Mahmud Taib, who is now a Director of CMS Sarawak, was later succeeded by his younger brother Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib as “sole officer and director of Sakti.” Sarawak Report has documents to show that he was also the sole officer of Wallyson’s.

When Sakti was incorporated in 1987 Mahmud Taib was 27 years old and his brother Rahman Taib was just 20. However, the youthful brothers were supported in their roles by the involvement of other close family members. Two of the Chief Minister’s brothers (Mahmud Taib’s uncles) joined him as the original directors of the company. The deposition by Sakti says “[The] Defendants admit that the original members of Sakti’s Board of Directors were Onn Mahmud, Arip Mahmud and Mahmud Taib”.

Shareholders

Equally significantly Sakti admits that the shareholders of Sakti are all the Chief Minister’s own children or his brothers. The document deposited by Sakti International Corporation states ”the original shareholders of the company were Mahmud Taib, Onn Mahmud, Jamilah Taib, Arip Mahmud, and Rahman.” It goes on to confirm that “Mahmud Taib, Onn Mahmud, Jamilah Taib, Arip Mahmud and Rahaman are still shareholders of Sakti Holdings” (the company into which the shares have been moved).

Sarawak Report can therefore verify that Sakti in the US, like Sakto in Canada, was set up and originally managed exclusively by the Taib family, which provided the original US shareholder investments. The involvement of Sean Murray, the current manager of Sakto and Sakti, began only after his marriage to Jamilah Taib and in fact he succeeded Rahman Taib as the Manager of Sakti only in 2006.

Sarawak Report therefore invites Murray to declare whether he currently holds any shareholdings in the companies he directs, or if he is merely an employee of his wife’s family.

Sarawak Report also invites the Taib family to explain how between 1983 and 1987 they were able to invest millions of dollars in the setting up of two property companies in Canada and the US whose combined portfolios are now worth at at least US$200 million. Of the original shareholders, Jamilah, Rahman and Mahmud (the children of Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud) were in their early 20s and at college at that time, while the other two shareholders, Arip and Onn, are the Chief Minister’s brothers. If the money was all coming from the two uncles, who are purported to be businessmen, then their generosity in including the Chief Minister’s children rather than their own in these shareholdings is surprising.

Time for some answers

Sarawak Report believes that the people of Sarawak deserve an immediate explanation of these facts from Chief Minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud. The chief minister should instantly reveal whether he holds or once held a stake in these companies in North America and if any of the money invested was provided by him. If Taib Mahmud is the beneficial owner of any of the shares in these companies the Sarawak taxpayer is entitled to know he obtained them. Malaysia’s law enforcers should be enquiring on their behalf.

The FBI should also be willing to issue a statement enlightening the public about the ownership of the building they occupy. As joint defendants in the California court case Wallyson’s and Sakti International admitted that the owner of Wallyson’s Incoporated is a company called Rodinmass, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands. It is inconceivable that the FBI did not check who the owners of Rodinmass were, given the sensitivity of this building. As the sole officer of Wallyson’s was Rahman Taib, Sarawak Report contends that the owners and shareholders of Rodinmass are, like with Sakti International, the Taib family. Our information is that Laila Taib was the majority shareholder of Rodinmass.

Taib’s wife, brothers and children are all linked to these North American companies. It is for Taib to now demonstrate that somehow he is not also linked as a beneficial owner of these lucrative properties.

Original article was published in Asia Sentinel on 5th July 2010

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Malaysia's Najib and the Crony Culture

Kuching
Thursday, 8th July 2010

The government backs down on a tycoon's sports betting plan

The Malaysian government has portrayed its recent decision not to legalize sports gambling as the action of a responsible administration responding to public opinion and keeping its promise to be more open and accountable.

In fact, the episode is a sharp reminder of how deeply entrenched the crony culture is in the country and how little has changed under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

While Najib has pleased many Malaysians by refusing to allow businessman Vincent Tan to expand his gambling empire, the prime minister's image has suffered because of his secretive attempt to revive sports betting.

In the public outcry over the proposal, Najib was also outmaneuvered by the political opposition through its control of key states in peninsular Malaysia. By reversing course, he underlined his growing reputation to backtrack on policy in the face of protest, as he has done over his ambition to dismantle certain parts of the New Economic Policy, the affirmative action plan that has benefited ethnic Malays for four decades.

Malaysians were kept in the dark this year as Vincent Tan, invoking an unpublicized agreement negotiated with the government decades ago, geared up to begin accepting bets on the World Cup in South Africa. With little warning, his company, Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd, announced that it had obtained exclusive rights to a business that could top RM20 billion annually – without competitive bidding or public discussion.

Dramatic as the news was, it wasn't the first time that Tan had been on the brink of starting Malaysia's first legal sports betting operation.

In 2004, months after becoming prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi discovered that a license had been issued to Tan in 2003 by Premier Mahathir Mohamad in his capacity as finance minister.

Abdullah's aides said Mahathir had awarded the license not long before retiring, but the former premier denied being "personally responsible" for it.

Worried that his administration would be open to criticism by conservative Muslims, especially the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, which had long campaigned to close existing gaming outlets, Abdullah vetoed the gambling concession.

Tan's revived plans burst into the open in early May in a filing with the stock exchange. Tan's publicly listed Berjaya Corporation Bhd. said it was buying his 70 percent stake in dormant Ascot Sports for RM525 million. (His son holds the remaining 30 percent.)

Berjaya said, "The Ministry of Finance has given its approval for the re-issuance of the license…upon certain terms and conditions." Berjaya subsequently made it known that the "re-issuance" took the form of a "letter of approval" it had received from the finance ministry in January. Najib acts as finance minister as well as premier.

In the uproar that followed, some of the mysterious history of the sports betting proposal emerged.

It transpires that Dr. Mahathir's government first issued a license to Tan in 1987, without informing the public. After suffering losses, Tan surrendered the license in 1990, but apparently negotiated for Ascot Sports to be given the right of first refusal if a new license was issued.

At first, the Najib government did not dispute Berjaya's claim to have obtained the license. But as opposition mounted to more legalized gambling – betting is permitted by non-Muslims on horse racing and lotteries and in a casino -- Najib, wearing his finance minister's hat, stunned the country by declaring that the license had not yet been issued after all.

In a written reply to members of Parliament, he said the government was "still getting feedback from various quarters" and had not finalized the terms and conditions. Najib's hesitation in following through on the letter of approval his ministry sent to Berjaya four months earlier reflected his political dilemma.

A strong element in the backlash was the memory of the Mahathir era, when well-connected businessmen, widely termed cronies, were given privatization and other government contracts without any tendering process. Vincent Tan was the chief non-Malay crony.

Moreover, Tan made his initial fortune when granted the privatized lottery Sports Toto, until then controlled by the Ministry of Finance, in 1985. The deal was kept secret initially, erupting into what became the "Sports Toto Scandal" when word of it eventually leaked.

By seeming to allow the license to go to Ascot Sports in a non-transparent fashion, Najib drew attention to what looked like his broken promises to be more open. He also appeared to be condoning gambling, which is forbidden in Islam and opposed by many Malays.

The government attempted to frame the widening debate as an effort to curb underground sports betting, which is known to be rampant in Malaysia.

But in reality Najib needed increased gambling tax to help reduce Malaysia's officially projected budget deficit from 7 percent to 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2015. One industry group estimated illegal sports betting turnover at RM20 billion to RM30 billion, and calculated potential government revenue at RM1 billion to RM3 billion.

Najib was also outflanked by the opposition. The Penang state government, led by the Democratic Action Party, declared a ban on sports betting, followed by Kedah and Selangor. Kelantan, controlled by Parti Islam and the only other state in opposition hands, forbids all forms of gambling.

Narrowing Najib's options further, sections of his United Malays National Organization, including UMNO Youth, opposed the move. Terengganu state, in UMNO hands, also said it would not allow sports gambling, according to local press reports.

After a meeting of UMNO's Supreme Council, Najib capitulated, saying the decision was taken "after much deliberation on the impact it will have from the perspective of religion and politics." Left unsaid was why Najib felt bound by a tainted agreement entered by a past administration, and whether more such deals might surface.

Barry Wain, writer-in-residence at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, is author of Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times. The original article was published in the  Asia Sentinel on 7th July 2010

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Raja Petra To Najib : Then Who Do We Trust?

Kuching
Monday, 5th July 2010

RPK said...News Strait Times belonged to UMNO and the Star owned by MCA, then we should not trust those two newspaper right ? RPK

Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin has scoffed at Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s accusation that he is funded by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and therefore untrustworthy.

Referring to other media outlets in Malaysia which are either owned or controlled by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, the controversial Malaysia Today writer rubbished the prime minister’s suggestion that political backing equated to a lack of credibility.
“Well, isn’t New Straits Times backed by Umno? The Star, by MCA?” he said here yesterday.

Najib had said the people should not believe the claims made by the blogger, who has fled to London, and challenged the Malaysian government to bring charges of sedition, criminal defamation and an appeal against his release from the Internal Security Act to the United Kingdom’s courts.

“If Raja Petra is funded by the opposition, it means that his statements are politically-motivated. We should weigh them carefully and not merely [accept] them,” Najib told reporters after opening a Pekan Umno meeting yesterday.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider here, Raja Petra said that all media outlets were backed by investors with some kind of agenda, regardless of whether they affected the editorial direction.

“So is he saying that we shouldn’t trust any media?” he retorted.

The member of the Selangor royal household has been a thorn in Najib’s side even before he stepped up to the premiership, with the most prominent allegation being over the latter’s involvement in the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shariibuu.

When quizzed on whether he was receiving any money from the federal opposition, Raja Petra replied that “I am trying to raise money for Pakatan, not take it from them.”

He said that his reason for doing so was his desire to see a two-party system established in Malaysia, instead what was described as BN hegemony.

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Sarawakians Are Waiting For Their Corrupted Chief Minister Being Investigated By MACC..Atlast!

Kuching
Sunday, 4th July 2010

Until When are we going to let this man rob us Sarawakian of our wealth?

After two report have been lodged to MACC against Taib Mahmud, all Sarawakians have been waiting for the MACC next action.
These are not the only reports being lodged against Taib Mahmud, so far no action had been taken by MACC.
As reported in FreeMalaysiaToday on Wednesday, 30th June 2010, PKR Sarawak’s youth wing had officially asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate reports that Chief Minister Taib Mahmud heads a RM3 billion international business empire that he built with ill-gotten gains.

At the MACC office in Putrajaya on the same day, three Sarawakians acting as private citizens lodged a similar report against the Sarawak strongman.

Both reports allege that Taib is a corrupt politician who has abused his power, and both are based on articles carried by the news portal Sarawak Report.

The PKR youth wing lodged its report in Kuching yesterday. It plans to make similar reports at MACC offices nationwide, according to the wing's Sarawak leader Ahmad Nazib Johari.

“We hope MACC will not cower in fear just because the case involves a high-profile individual,” he said.

“What is exasperating is hearing the MACC say that it will investigate the complaint but that the Attorney-General’s office will decide whether to prosecute or not.”

He alleged that Taib had acquired immense wealth by abusing state resources and had channelled those riches to his children, Abu Bekir, Jamilah and Sulaiman, and a relative, Onn Mahmud.

“They are so rich that they can afford to buy assets abroad,” he said.

“It is hard to imagine that a Chief Minister earning RM20,000 a month can posses assets worth billions through legitimate means.”

Second time around

The three who lodged their complaint in Putrajaya were Ting Cek Ming, Kung Chin Chin and John Brian Anthony.

Ting, accompanied by Ahmad Najib and one James Wong, had tried to lodge a similar report in Shah Alam last week, but decided against it when the MACC office there refused to give them a copy of the handwritten complaint.

“This time,” said Ting, “we came with a typed copy of the report and the MACC officer signed it as acknowledgement of receipt.”

According to Sarawak Report, the Taib family have assets in Canada, Australia and Britain. It also claims that Taib, his family and close friends own 85 percent of Cahaya Mata Sarawak, said to be the biggest conglomerate in the state.

Well MACC, what are you waiting for? Waiting for PM Najib instruction to proceed with the investigation? Or still waiting until Tok Uban lost his seat in the election than the investigation will be carried out?  We  agree that  this is a high profile case, everyone is looking at your move.. but it does not mean this guy is immuned from the law...Please do not make our/rakyat prediction come true!

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Masyarakat Antarabangsa Diharap Meminggirkan Kerajaan Malaysia Terajui Barisan Nasional

Kuching
Jumaat, 2hb Julai 2010

Kerakusan Kerajaan Terajui Najib seharusnya Dipinggirkan oleh Masayarakat Antarabangsa

Saya merasa marah dengan kerakusan kerajaan Barisan Nasional yang sewenang-wenangnya menggunakan ajensi kerajaan untuk menganiayai parti pembangkang. Perkara ini memang telah lama berlaku tetapi ianya semakin ketara semenjak kekalahan BN di dalam Pilihan Raya Umum yang ke-12 (PRU12) pada tahun 2008 yang lepas.
Tetapi apa yang lebih merisauklan apabila jabatan-jabatan dan ajensi-ajensi kerajaan serta pihak istana telah dilibatkan sama  oleh BN. Apa yang berlaku di Perak di mana Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) telah membuat perangkap untuk "mengenakan" dua wakil rakyat dari parti Keadilan Rakyat, yang mana akhirnya kedua-dua mereka telah mengistiharkan diri keluar daripada PR dan menyokong BN . Perbuatan mereka ini telah menyebabkan kejatuhan kerajaan PR di Perak. Keadaan menjadi bertambah teruk dengan kesediaan Sultan Perak melantik Zambri sebagai Menteri Besar .

Pemimpin Rakus  yang bakal Menghancurkan Malaysia. Masyarakat Antarabangsa Seharusnya Meminggirkan Kerajaan Pimpinan Pemimpin Yang Rakus Ini

Di Selangor, sekali lagi MACC telah memainkan peranan untuk menjatuhkan kerajaan PR tetapi setakat ini mereka masih belum berjaya.
Kerakusan kerajaan BN semakin menjadijadi dewasa ini. Yang terbaru sekali lagi melibatkan MACC dan juga Kementerian Dalam Negeri. Semalam telah dilaporkan bahawa dua alhi DUN Selangor telah disiasat oleh MACC.

White Haired Rajah mempunyai kekayaan yang tidak munasabah, tetapi sampai sekarang masih tidak disiasat oleh MACC..Butakah Mata , Pekakkah  Telinga MACC sehingga sekarang masih gagal untuk bertindak?

Tetapi apa yang menghairankan, sampai sekarang MACC masih tidak bertindak terhadap kekayaan yang tidak menasabah yang dimiliki oleh Taib Mahmud walaupun berpuluh-puluh laporan telah dibuat terhadapnya.

Semalam juga menyaksikan kezaliman oleh Kerajaan Barisan Nasional, kali ini melibatkan Kementerian Dalam Negeri yang diketuai oleh KerisMuddin. Semalam KDN telah tidak menyambung Permit Penerbitan  Suara Keadilan iaitu akhbar Resmi Parti Keadilan Rakyat. Suara Keadilan telah dikenakan tindakan atas rencana muka depannya yang bertajuk "FELDA AKAN BANGKRAP". Yang menghairankan kenapa Utusan Malaysia (iaitu akhbar milik UMNO) sampai sekarang tidak pernah dikenakan sebarang tindakan atas  penyiaran berita-berita atau rencana-rencana yang bersikap perkauman? 

Nampaknya kerajaan Barisan Nasional semakin berani untuk menyalahgunakan kuasa. Sebagai seorang warga negara yang mencitai negara ini, dengan ini saya ingin menyeru  kepada  masyarakat antarabangsa agar meminggirkan Kerajaan Malaysia baik dari segi Diplomatik ataupun dari segi ekonomi.

Sekiranya masyarakat antarabangsa gagal untuk meminggirkan Malaysia;. Saya merasa khuatir bahawa negara ini akan menjadi negara yang akan diperintah secara kuku besi oleh Najib Tun Razak dan konco-konconya sekiranya masayarakat antarabangsa gagal bertindak.

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Suara Keadilan Suspended By UMNO Government

KUCHING
FRIDAY, 2ND JULY 2010

Suara Keadilan Suspension was due to the  Revelation  that its made On FELDA but why UTUSAN MALAYSIA was not suspended when it published the RACIST remarks. And Why Katak Ali still a free man even-thought he had made several Racist Remarks??? 

The Home Ministry has suspended the printing permit of PKR organ Suara Keadilan.

The decision came three days after the ministry slapped the publication with a seven-day deadline to explain a controversial article.

Hitler Came to Power through election same goes to UMNO Prime Minister. The Only different Between NAZI and UMNO is that, NAZI lost their  power because they lost  in the WW2 but UMNO because they are going to Lose in the 13th General   Election!

“After discussing the matter yesterday, the ministry came to the conclusion that it is not satisfied with the answer given by Suara Keadilan,” said the ministry's al-Quran and text control department secretary Zaitun Samad in a statement.

According to Zaitun, the decision was made after reviewing the newspaper's reply to the ministry's show-cause letter on Tuesday regarding the “Felda Bankrupt” article in its June 22-29 edition.

She said the ministry received the reply on June 30 and held a meeting the next day to discuss the matter with regard to the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

“We have sent a letter to Suara Keadilan's printers instructing them to discontinue publication until a decision is made regarding the paper's request for a permit renewal,” she added.

Lawyer: We're not surprised

Suara Keadilan's lawyer Shamsul Iskandar told FMT that he was not surprised by the ministry's decision.

He also claimed that Suara Keadilan never received the three show-cause letters supposedly sent by the ministry.

When Suara Keadilan met with ministry officials on Monday, they were told that it was not the ministry's responsibility to provide them with copies of the letters.

The paper was then told through Zaitun that it would be furnished with these letters for its benefit.

“It didn't matter, because they went ahead and suspended our permit,” Shamsul said. “We have fully cooperated with the ministry and asked for a bit of time to come out with the response to these letters.”

Shamsul also said that Suara Keadilan was not informed of the ministry's decision and had to learn about it through the media.

FMT also learnt that Suara Keadilan's editors would be attending a special meeting tonight regarding the matter.

Asked if the paper had the right to appeal against the decision, Shamsul said that it was possible but it was up to the ministry to consider it.

'Political interference'

In an immediate response, PKR leader Tan Kee Kwong condemned the government's decision to suspend Suara Keadilan's permit.

"Nobody knows what the hell is going on. But when people want to tell the truth, you ban them," he said.

The former land and cooperatives deputy minister was the first to break the news on Felda's alleged cash reserve loss in early June.

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar described the ministry's decision as “a clear-cut example of political interference”.

“The Felda suit has yet to be heard in court, and the ministry has already taken action,” she said, referring to Felda's announcement yesterday that it would sue the PKR organ for RM200 million.

Nurul Izzah also criticised the government over its lack of seriousness in allowing media freedom in the country.

Asked if PKR expected the suspension, she said: “We were expecting the worst, but we did not think it would be as swift as this.”

Meanwhile, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) believes the home ministry's action was to send a message to the other publications.

“The ministry has control over all publications in the country. It is a consolidation of political power,” said Chuah Siew Eng, the CIJ publicity officer.

"The action against Suara Keadilan is a reminder to the other media (in the country) not to cross the line," he added.

Mupok Aku


AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

UMNO and PERKASA Sponsor FELDA Protest

Kuching
Friday, 2nd July 2010

Do they look like FELDA Settlers? Everyone Knows that they are either UMNO or PERKASA members! Even if they are FELDA Settlers what wrong with KEADILAN Revealetion?

SHAH ALAM: PKR vice-president Azmin Ali claimed today Umno and Perkasa may be the instigators behind the protest by Felda settlers at the party's office in PJ two days ago.

The influential PKR leader said that it was absurd for Felda settlers, who he claimed are marginalised and exploited by the BN federal government, to hold such protest.

"I don't believe Felda settlers would hold such demonstration as they know for a fact that they have been marginalised for years by Umno and BN," said Azmin.

"It dosen't make sense for that Felda (settlers) to partake in the demonstration. I strongly suspect that Umno Youth or Perkasa are behind this," he added.

About 200 Felda settlers demonstrated in front of the PKR headquarters following an article published in its organ Suara Keadilan that the world's largest plantation operator is bankrupt.

The protest was a follow-up to an open letter on the Internet written by former deputy minister of land and cooperatives Tan Kee Kwong.

Tan, now a PKR member, alleged that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was responsible for Felda’s massive loss of cash reserves.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister Department Ahmad Maslan, however, denied the accusation.

Maslan maintained that while Felda's cash reserve had decreased to RM1.35 billion in 2009 from RM4.08 billion in 2004, its net asset value was growing.

The spat between Pakatan Rakyat and BN on the issue led to the suspension of Suara Keadilan's publishing permit today and Felda has slapped PKR with a RM200 million suit.

Well Done YB Expose Them All...As Long As You Don't Plan to Topple Tan Sri Khalid ..We are Always Behind You!

But Azmin claimed that what the party had done was merely acknowledging contributions made by Felda settlers to the country's economy while fighting for their plight.

"It's harassment from Umno.We will defend our case in court," said Azmin, who added that the suspension of the permit was an infringement on democracy.

Teachers in Pantu Slam YB Snowdan Lawan Over his allegation that teachers have been skipping classes

Pantu Sri Aman
Friday, 2nd June 2010

Congratulations YB for Being Braved Enough to Expose the Snaking Teachers in N25 Balai Ringin

Several hundred teachers from both the primary and secondary schools here are furious at Balai Ringin state assemblyman Snowdan Lawan for alleging that teachers in his constituency have been skipping classes.

“We are angry and unhappy over the sweeping statement. No doubt there are bad apples among us, but the number is few,” said a primary school headmaster, who refused to be named.

“Many of us are committed and dedicated teachers,” he said, slamming Snowdan for seeking cheap publicity.

Snowdan had last Saturday told Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that teachers in his Balai Ringin constituency have been skipping classes.

“They teach three days only and the rest of the week they absent themselves,” he had said.


Muhyiddin, also Education Minister, was at Sapa longhouse, Pantu, where he launched the longhouse pre-school.

SRK Pantu where the teachers were alleged Snaking...Work three days and then Missing

Based on Snowdan’s complaint, Muhyiddin has directed the State Education Department to investigate and warned teachers that action would be taken against those who played truant.

Describing it as a “serious matter”, he said this was very embarrassing to the Education Ministry.

Contacted today by FMT, an education officer, who refused to be identified, confirmed that investigations have begun.

But he believed the number of teachers involved in truancy was small.

“I don’t believe the number is big. I know most of the teachers are dedicated,” he said.

The chairman of Sarawak Teachers Union William Gani Bina was not available for comment.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat Is Not Ready For the Battle In Sarawak

Kuching
Thursday, 1st July 2010

Are We Ready to Oust them from Petra Jaya ?

Should Taib Mahmud Call For An Election Now , I am sure that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) will  be "Kilal". Kilal is an Iban term for not getting any thing or if we talk about politic it should mean losing all the seats it contesting.

What Happened In Selangor May Have Adversed Impact to Sarawak

After the deregisteration of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and the failed registeration of Malaysia Dayak Congress (MDC),  most of the partyless young Iban from the urban areas had turned to PKR  to fight for their struggles. Since then effort had been made to spread  the party to the rural areas.
After being controlled by Barisan Nasional for more that 47 years, to convince them to join PKR a Peninsular based party is not an easy task. All this while the party has been using Selangor as a role model to to recruit the Iban from the long houses to join the party. But the recent Organisational Crisis in Selangor (the only state controlled by PKR) may have an adversed effect to the recruitment drive in Sarawak.
As a result of prolonged marginalisation by Taib Mahmud, dayak has became very fragile and easy to be manipulated. For what happened in Selangor can cause PKR to lose the Iban support. If this happened, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the rest of PR leaders aim to WREST PUTRAJAYA from BN will reamained as a dream not come true.

What Preparation Has Been Made in P202-Sri Aman and N25-Balai Ringin ?

Tonight posting, I want to touch a bit on the preparation of PKR 202-Sri Aman in Balai Ringin (N25).There are two reasons why I chosed Balai Ringin as a subject of my posting today; First because N25 Balai Ringin is one of the many Iban majority area in sarawak, and secondly because Bukittunggal is from N25.

On 24th April 2010, Cubbold John Lusoi, the Chairman of the protem committee of P202-Sri Aman had called for an AGM . Earlier than this, the ex-YB Jimmy and the group aligned to him had called for an another AGM meeting. But according to Datuk Daniel Tajem (PKR Adviser for Sarawak) the meeting  by ex-YB Jimmy Donald and his team , and the committee members selected  during the meeting was invalid.
After being given the assurance by Datuk Daniel that the meeting can proceed, the committee consists of the office bearers as prescribed HERE had been selected. But since then the commiittee had never been active.

And so far I am very disappointed with the performance of this committee. Being one of the committee members selected on that day, I am urging the Chairman to start mobilise his members now before it is too late. Since it formation, no follow-up meeting has been call-up by the chairman.

To be a successful Cabang, P202-Sri Aman must be managed like the business organisation. It must set it  own Management By Objectice (MBO). We have been waiting for the direction from the Chairman and Deputy Chairman on our next move, but so far it seem that both of them  did not start any move. If we look at most of the successful organisation, in most of the situation, the Deputy Chairman always assist the chairman to run the organisation. If the chairman is not active but the deputy do, the organisation can be very successul. But if both are not active, there is no way that the organisation can survive.
In the STAR newspapaer  sarawak edition yesterday, it was reported that the BN parties  were ready to face PR in the election, but what about PR. ARE WE READY?

To the PR, if you are serious about ousting BN from Petra Jaya..Let's start working now!

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

MACC Advises to Investigate Manyin Over His Warning To The Community Leaders During the Presentation of Their Appointment Letters

Kuching
Tuesday, 29th June 2010

These dayak leaders who had been bought over by Taib Mahmud is willing to do anything to satisfy their boss even to the extend of making fools of their own people.... 

I was stunned when I read  a report by BERNAMA about  Manyin warning to all the appointed community leaders in Samarahan Division yesterday.

In his speech, Manyin warned all the appointed tribal leaders to throw  their full support to the Barisan Nasional or risk their services being terminated. I am urging the MACC to investigate Manyin immediately for abuse of power.

And  as for the PKR, I am urging the party to lodge the report with MACC if the commission fail to  react accordingly.

Please see the full report from BERNAMA below:-

Any tribal leader who supports the opposition in the next Sarawak state election will face immediate termination of service as the action is a very serious misconduct, said Sarawak Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Michael Manyin.

"Tribal leaders are the government's agents in developing local communities and are not supposed to go against the government," he said at a ceremony to present appointment letters to Bidayuh and Melayu Temenggong (paramount leader) of Samarahan, here today.

In Sarawak, the post of Temenggong is the highest ranked community leader in the local administration system, followed by pemanca, penghulu and tribal leader.

Manyin said as the state election would be held soon, tribal leaders should enhance their efforts to assist the government by disseminating information about the success of the state government in bringing development to the people in the remote areas.

"To improve the government's delivery system, the state government wants tribal leaders to be open-minded in accepting criticism and suggestions," he said.

Manyin said the post of tribal leader was not a permanent post as it had been limited to four years.

"No voting or election is needed in appointing a new tribal leader as he will be appointed according to the approval given by the district officer, division resident and state secretary," he said.

Former teacher, Robert Sulis Ridu, 75, was appointed as the Bidayuh Temenggong of Samarahan representing the Bidayuhs, while former religious teacher, Chek Bujang, 59, was appointed as Melayu Temenggong of Samarahan to represent the Malays.

Bidayuh Temenggong will lead 152 Bidayuh community and tribal leaders while Melayu Temenggong will lead 111 Malay community and tribal leaders in Samarahan.

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN