Wednesday 25 March 2015

Press Release

On a longhouse visit to Titikah, Batu Lintang Undup, the residents of Titikah asked the help of DAP Sri Aman Branch Chairman Sdr Leon Jimat Donald to highlight their difficulties in Titikah namely the incomplete bridge project linking their kampung with Sri Aman Town.

After a brief check with the residents, the contractor of the bridge has long abandoned the bridge site and there doesn't seem to be any progress for many months. The turnkey contractor is Titanium.

'Children & longhouse folks have to depend on the old timber log bridge that was built a long time ago by logging companies and it is indeed a great shame that the contractor would just abandon this project, making life difficult & dangerous for the folks of Titikah', said Leon, DAP Sarawak Vice Chairman. 

'It is indeed strange that the assemblyman for the area would blindly ignore the plight of the people of Titikah. I will write to the Resident Office to inquire about the status of the project. The longhouse folks have said that for 2 elections, the BN have promised to build the bridge, they hope they do not have to wait until 2 more elections for it to be completed ', added Leon.



Wednesday 11 March 2015

 Make more Sarawakians as Head of Departments in Sarawak.


DAP urges Adenan Satem to walk the talk in the protection of Sarawakian’s interest by starting with the appointment of Sarawakians to be the heads and deputy heads in all government agencies in Sarawak.

Based on the answer that I obtained from the Parliament last July, the statistical figures of Sarawakians heading the federal departments and agencies in Sarawak is appalling.  It indicates that the principle of Borneanisation, which is one of the fundamental principles in the Malaysia Agreement, has been undermined by the Federal Government.

The gist of the answer provided by Shahidan Bin Kassim, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department is as follows:

1.    There are in total 103 positions of heads of federal government departments and agencies in Sarawak:
Out of which, 64 are held by Sarawakians, 3 by Sabahans and 36 by West Malaysians;
Of the 36 West Malaysians, 35 are Malays and 1 Chinese;

2.    There are in total     111 positions of deputy heads of federal government departments or agencies in Sarawak:
Out of which, 76 are held by Sarawakians, 4 by Sabahans and 31 by West Malaysians;
Of the 31 West Malaysians, 30 are Malays and 1 lain-lain;

3.    In terms of racial breakdown:
out of the 103 heads of federal departments and agencies in Sarawak, 65 are Malays, 12 Ibans, 11 Chinese, 8 Bidayuhs, 3 Melanaus, 1 Kayan, 1 Kelabit, I Kadazan and 1 Dusun
out of the 111 deputy heads of federal departments and agencies in Sarawak, 68 are Malays, 13 Ibans, 13 Chinese, 7 Bidayuhs, 3 Melanaus, 1 Kadayan, 1 Bisayas, I Kadazan, 1 Suluk and 1 lain-lain.


From the answer, it is obvious that there are 2 issues at hand that need redress by the State Government, namely:

1.    35% of the heads and 28% of the deputy heads of federal government departments and agencies in Sarawak are held by West Malaysians.  This is too high a proportion of West Malaysians holding government high posts in Sarawak.

2.    The racial composition of the Sarawak’s population is Iban (29%), Malay/Melanau (28%), Chinese (23%) and Bidayuh (8%). 
    This is not reflected in the racial composition of the head and deputy head positions in the federal government departments and agencies in Sarawak, where Malays hold 66% of the head posts and 64% of the deputy head posts.


If Adenan is serious about protecting Sarawak’s interest, he should take immediate steps to reduce the number of West Malaysians holding such high positions in government departments and agencies in Sarawak.   

I am sure the number of Sarawakians holding such high positions in federal government departments and agencies in West Malaysia is so negligible that it is almost non-existence.

Since 2013, there was an increase of cabinet ministers given to Sarawak BN.  Such increase in number of ministers and assistant ministers for Sarawak is of no concern to the ordinary people of Sarawak because it only benefits the few privileged and selected ones. 

The head and deputy head positions of government department and agencies in Sarawak should be reserved for Sarawakians because it gives more career opportunities to the ordinary Sarawakians in our own land.

More importantly, the heads and deputy heads are the real implementers of government policies. Most West Malaysians are not familiar to our local conditions and thus would not be able to implement the government policies in the manner which most suit our local conditions.

Given the good relationship that Adenan claims to have with the federal government, surely he can see to it that the federal government respects the rights of Sarawak and appoint Sarawakians to head the federal departments and agencies in Sarawak.

Secondly, in all fairness, the racial composition of the heads and deputy heads of federal government departments and agencies in Sarawak must be reflective of the racial composition of the population of Sarawak.  It is most unfair that, the Dayaks, comprising more than 40% of the population of Sarawak, only holds 21% of the head and deputy head posts in government departments and agencies in Sarawak.  On the other hand, the Chinese, comprising 23% of the population of Sarawak holds only 11% of the head and deputy head posts in government departments and agencies in Sarawak.


Therefore, it is time that Adenan shows us Sarawakians that he is not only the Chief Minister for Sarawak but also the Chief Minister for all Sarawakians.  Let it start from a fairer appointment for all races in the government departments and agencies.


3-3-2015
Chong Chieng Jen
Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching
ADUN Kota Sentosa








(古晋3日讯)古晋市国会议员兼哥打圣淘沙张健仁敦促阿迪南以行动来捍卫砂州人民的权益,确保在砂拉越的联邦政府部门和机构,其第一和第二职位皆由砂拉越人来担任。

张健仁今日透露其在去年国会所得到的答案,有关在砂拉越的联邦政府部门和机构的第一和第二职位执掌人的资料:
1.    在砂拉越,总共有103个联邦部门和机构之首的职位。 其中,64个由砂拉越人担任,3个由沙巴人担任,而36个由西马人担任。 36 位西马人当中,35位是马来人。
2.    在砂拉越,总共有111个联邦部门和机构之副首的职位。 其中,76个由砂拉越人担任,4个由沙巴人担任,而31个由西马人担任。 31 位西马人当中,30位是马来人。
3.    从种族角度来分析:
103位在砂拉越的联邦部门和机构之首,当中,65位是马来人,12位伊班人,11位华人,8位比达由人,3位马兰诺人,剩余4位是砂拉越和沙巴的其他原住民。
111位在砂拉越的联邦部门和机构之副首,当中,68位是马来人,13位伊班人,13位华人,7位比达由人,3位马兰诺人,剩余5位是砂拉越和沙巴的其他原住民。


张健仁表示,这个答案的数据暴露了两个问题,即,35%在砂拉越的联邦部门和机构的最高职位,以及28%在砂拉越的联邦部门和机构的第二高职位,皆是由西马人担任。 这对砂州人不公平。 第二个问题就是,它显示,在砂拉越的联邦政府部门和机构,66%最高的职位以及64%第二高的职位,皆是由马来人担任。 这不符砂拉越人口的种族比例。

张氏质问,为什么有30多巴仙在砂拉越的联邦政府部门和机构的最高第一、二职是由西马人担任。 倒转过来,砂拉越人在西马政府部门和机构担任最高职的人数,却是廖无几人。 这对砂拉越人士极度不公平。

“如果阿迪南真的要捍卫砂州人的权利,他应该立刻采取行动,确保在砂州的联邦政府部门和机构的高职,是由砂州人来担任,给予本地子女更多的就业和升职机会。”

张氏表示,更重要的是,许多西马人并不了解砂州的特殊情况,因此,在执行政府政策时,将无法全面的将政府政策融入草根人民。

张健仁也表示,砂州人口的种族比例,达雅人占了超过40%。 但是,他们在砂拉越联邦政府部门和机构之首和副首的职位,却只是占了21%。 华人是砂州人口的23%,却只持有11%的联邦政府部门和机构之首和副首的职位。

张氏说,虽然这是联邦政府部门和机构的事项,但,阿迪南自称与联邦政府关系良好,相信他可促使联邦政府尊重砂拉越人的权力以及砂拉越公平对待各族的精神和原则。

“就在砂拉越联邦政府部门和机构高职委任的事项上,我们希望阿迪南以行动证明,他可以捍卫砂州子民的权益不被联邦政府剥削,我们也希望他能展示,他是一个各族的首席部长。”
By appointing Awang Tengah to be the chairman of the Special Committee to fight illegal logging, has Adenan compromised his combat against illegal logging in Sarawak?

04-03-2015


While many, including the opposition, applauded Adenan for his action against illegal logging activities in the past one year, the recent appointment of Awang Tengah to head the Special Committee to Fight Illegal Logging is seen as a set-back to the Government’s campaign to combat illegal logging.

I am not alleging that Awang Tengah has any connection to those illegal loggers.  However, it is his track record in handling the logging industry that casts doubt on his ability to combat illegal logging activities effectively.

For more than 10 years, Awang Tengah has been the Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, the minister in-charge of the logging industry.  It is his duty, as the Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, to stop illegal logging activities.
   
Therefore, the need to set up a Special Committee to Fight Illegal Logging, by itself, is a testimony of the failure on the part of the Ministry to curb illegal logging activities.  The biggest irony of appointing Awang Tengah to head this Special Committee is that, it is just duplicating a position for Awang Tengah to do the same job that he has failed miserably to do as the Minister concerned.

Illegal logging has been a long outstanding problem in Sarawak for the past decades.  The Opposition, the NGOs and even the Auditor-General have brought up the rampant illegal logging activities in Sarawak but Awang Tengah has denied that illegal logging problem is serious in Sarawak.  

In fact, as recent as in the year 2010, Awang Tengah claimed that losses suffered by the government due to illegal logging stood at 0.01 per cent of the RM731 million in revenue collected from timber taxes and royalties, ie. the loss of revenue to the Government due to illegal logging is as low as RM73,100.00.

Awang Tengah also claimed that the situation was under control and losses suffered by the Government very minimal.

After Adenan became the Chief Minister of Sarawak in year 2014 and his announcement to fight illegal logging, the MACC announced that the estimated loss of revenue to the State Government due to illegal logging is RM100 million. 

Why in the short span of 4 years (2010 to 2014), the loss of revenue to Government due to illegal logging can increase from RM73,100 to RM100 million, an exponential increase of 1360 times?

It is either the Minister in-charge was previously sleeping on his job or when Adenan became the Chief Minister, there is a sudden 1000-fold surge in illegal logging activity.  I am of the view that the former is the case.

Given the horrible track record of Awang Tengah, I am of the view that he should be the last person to be appointed to head the Special Committee.  Awang Tengah has failed in his capacity as the Minister in-charge to curb or to even detect the seriousness of illegal logging.  What can he as the head of the Special Committee do on fighting illegal logging that he as the Minister cannot do?

Why was Awang Tengah chosen by Adenan to head the Special Committee?  Why is Adenan not heading the Special Committee himself?  Is there resistance within the BN against Adenan’s campaign to combat illegal logging?  Is Adenan stepping aside from spearheading the charge against illegal logging? 

The ultimate question is:  Will all these clamour by Adenan against illegal logging become flash in the pan?



Chong Chieng Jen
MP for Banda Kuching
ADUN for Kota Sentosa
DAP Sarawak Chairman
Press Release

DAP Sri Aman today was visited by folks from Seduku, Lingga.

They approached Mr Leon Donald and complained about their land pitifully compensated by the Government. Their land is in Pulau Seduku, Lingga which is being changed into a National Park. 

Puan Johrah binti Abu Bakar and Mr Pon bin Bakar, the owners of the land who holds the land in trust for his siblings said his 5acre land has been passed on thru generations from their forefathers amd they were gracious enough to allow many settlers to make their houses on their land.

Now when the Government compensated them, the house owners(Squatters) got more than 50K each as compensation however the landowner Mr Pon was only given 7k.

This has led to the unhappiness of Mr Pon and his brothers because it is clearly unfair from their perspective that their land be compensated a mere 7K only thus forcing them to seek help from the DAP Sri Aman. They have made 2 police reports to seek the police's help in investigating the case.

'I will write to the Superintendent of Land & Survey Sri Aman to ask on the reason for the meagre compensation to Mr Pon's family. I will also seek to know on behalf of their family on how did the office arrive to such a measly sum for 5 acres of land', asserted Leon Donald DAP Sarawak Vice Chairman.



Mdm Johrah bt Abu Bakar and her siblings holding a copies of the police report. 




Press Release

Illegal loggers in Sri Aman putting shame to Adenan's enforcement plans

Illegal loggers have infuriated locals in Sri Aman causing them to seek DAP Sri Aman's help to highlight their problems to the authorities.

The Tuai Rumah leading the group, Mr Usop Kinyang has made 5 police reports & countless complaints to the Forest Department ever since the encroachment of their NCR land happened. 

The areas of Melaban, Kelingkang area which recently been gazzetted into a National Park were not spared by the illegal loggers. At Bukit Tabung, thousands of their ancestral Rubber trees were destroyed, and to date there has been no compensation paid to the landowners that owned the rubber trees.


'the loggers, according to their PL licenses were supposed to extract timber from the Simunjan area, which is many many kilometres away from Abok. How can they encroach our NCR land and freely extract timber when we cannot', said a very irate TR Usop.

To add insult to injury, it was alleged that the officers from the Forest Department did came once to check after numerous complaints but amazingly until today, no action has been taken.

'This action of stealing timber from Dayak NCR lands must stop. The water catchment area for the 5 villages in Abok where they get their water source from, is heavily polluted and the NCR lands ransacked of valuable rubber. 

This brazen action by illegal loggers, the amazing silence & inaction by the authorities involved is a huge slap in the face to the Chief Minister's effort to stop the rampant timber corruption.

I will be writing a letter to the Chief Minister about this matter as soon as possible so that swift action be taken against the perpetrators' said Leon Donald DAP Sarawak Vice Chairman.





At the logging camp (in the background) near Melaban, Abok. Sri Aman Division.


The illegal timber taken from NCR lands in Melaban, Abok



TR Usop Kinyang & his anak buah showing in the background Bukit Tabung, his ancestral NCR land planted with rubber trees all cut down by illegal loggers.


Leon talking to TR Usop (black shirt) about the situation at Bukit Tabung, Abok





Press Release


Sri Aman folks will be expecting a visit from the Prime Minister tomorrow morning. He is expected to officiate the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the New Sri Aman Hospital. 

However, his visit has gotten mixed feelings from the folks of Sri Aman town. Bennet Empi, retired headmaster said that he is embarassed that the BN leaders had to invite Najib to do groundbreaking. 'They should have invited the PM to officiate the completion of the Hospital instead instead of wasting his valuable time doing the groundbreaking.'

Leon Jimat Donald, DAP Sarawak Vice Chairman added 'the people of Sri Aman has been given witness to too many ground breaking ceremonies of the hospital and we are clearly not happy with these time wasting events, what we want to see is the actual construction of the hospital. And until today there has not been any answer from the Government on why the utilisation of the said construction is on only 14 acres out of 50 acres of land?'

'The Government has been quiet on this and the people of Sri Aman is asking why are we being shortchanged, we deserve a bigger hospital!' 
'By inviting the PM to officiate the groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital, we the citizens of Sri Aman hope that the BN Government is really serious in building the hospital & not merely fishing for votes due to the incoming election'

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