Friday, March 27

News from Batang Ai (Part 3)

The daily update of news
from Batang Ai by-election
---------------------------------

1. Is this not corruption?

Reports have been received by PKR operations room in Lubok Antu that Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing visited Rumah Sandah, Sg. Ara on 21 March 2009 (Sat). During the visit he allegedly promised each of the 946 people a sum of RM500.

By now, some money has been paid. And what was the money meant for is not very clear. But giving money during election time is tantamount to enticing people to vote for the BN candidate, and it is wrong in the eyes of the law.

Any one of the receivers can come up and lodge a report with the Police, Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC), the Election Commission and Malaysians for Free and Fair Election (MAFREL) so that action can be taken.


2. What Bank account?

The residents of Batang Ai were never asked to give their bank account details to the Land and Survey department as claimed by Anwar Ibrahim, de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). They were only asked to give copies of their identity cards because the department wants to update its data and records, said Masing.

Masing described Anwar’s accusation as very serious and pointed out that it was the opposition’s tactic to stir emotions in the run-up to the Batang Ai by-election.

When contacted today, Dominique Ng, a PKR State leader said that it was a “day light lie” and described it as a “part of pack of tricks” to fish for votes. Masing should explain to the people why they asked for the people’s bank account numbers.

The Broken Shield received a faxed copy of the letter (pics below) from the Land and Survey department. It is clearly stated in the page two of the letter a column was meant for the Bank Account number of the land owner.


The questions here are: “Why is the Land and Survey Department so suddenly interested to update the data and records of land owners during the by election? Why not 25 years ago? Is there any “prawn underneath the stone”?


3. Masing promises to tar-seal Batang Ai roads

The people of Batang Ai are happy to hear that the Minister of Land Development James Masing is going to tar-seal their roads that have been neglected for more than 25 years. The value of the projects is RM50 million for the tar-sealing of 7km Lemanak Road and the survey and design of a 60km road from Lemanak to Ulu Engkari. These projects, he said, and the RM12 million tar-sealing of 10km ring road in Batang Ai would be implemented by JKR.

Upon completion of these roads, the many longhouses in Ulu Engkari would no longer be isolated; they would be linked to Lubok Antu and other major towns and cities in the state.

While the people of Batang Ai are happy to hear about the promised road projects, the people of Kapit especially from Masing’s own Baleh constituency are sad and have called on Masing to do something about their road linking Kapit with other towns like Kanowit, Sibu, Miri, Kuching etc.

Like Ulu Engkari, Kapit has also been waiting for the last 45 years for the road to be constructed. Should not charity begin at home?


4. No Police permits required in longhouses

Political gatherings which are held in enclosed areas or on private property such as longhouses do not require Police permits, says Sarawak deputy commissioner of police Datuk Hamza Taib. Police, he said, will take action against any party that organizes political gatherings in public places without a permit.

In view of the coming by-election in Batang Ai those found to have flouted the rule could face action under section 27 of the Police Act. Fair enough.


5. Johnny Chuat may not contest

Johnny Chuat, an Iban blogger and producer of Iban magazine called Pegari may not offer himself as an independent candidate, if information received by The Broken Shield is correct. It is understood that he has booked his ticket to go to an African country following his gas and oil company.

This makes the PKR camp happy as BN candidate was not doing well in last election in Engkari and the surrounding areas. Up-todate, eight nomination forms have been taken from the Election Commission.


6. Masing is questioning Jawah’s about turn

Masing today questioned Jawah’s about turn from BN to PKR and said that two years ago in which Jawah the MP for Lubok Antu had expressed his undivided support to BN at a longhouse gathering. But in the space of less than two years Jawah is now with the Opposition and has been picked as its candidate in the by-election.

At that time Jawah also praised the chief minister who had brought tremendous development to Sarawak. Jawah also praised Jabu, a Dayak leader who had done so much for the people especially the Dayaks in the fields of education, culture and economy.

Masing should not have raised this issue of Jawah joining PKR, because Masing himself was in a similar situation, although in a different scenario. In 1991, Masing was launching the “KM project 1992” of PBDS. The project, Ketua Menteri Sarawak ‘92, was the key plan in its campaigning strategy to topple Abdul Taib Mahmud’s government.

If PBDS won, Masing would have been the Chief Minister of Sarawak. Unfortunately the plan failed. And now Masing is praising the Chief Minister and even defended his policies that are the sources of Dayak problems during a TV interview.

On why Jawah was praising Jabu, Jawah’s close friends said that it was to please Jabu because Jabu and the late Unting had “detained” Jawah’s MP projects worth about RM1.6 million. Jawah was given MP projects because he was a BN MP through PBDS in 2004 parliamentary election. We were told after praising Jabu, the funds were released.


7. Mussen’s low key campaigns

Reports from Batang Ai described Malcolm Mussen’s campaigns were up to now in a low key. Just released from the Civil Service, he has still retained the civil servant attitude, the “yesman” type of attitude.

Furthermore, Mussen is being surrounded by some civil servants who act as his “body guards” or PR men who do not allow people to see him. These people who could be Mussen’s supporters are not only angry but have also joined Jawah’s camp. Assuming that Mussen is elected, can he become an effective YB?

More to come…stay tune to
www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

LATEST UPDATES FROM OTHER BARISAN RAKYAT BLOGGERS AS FOLLOWS:-

  1. http://lettersfrombatangai.com/?p=174

  2. http://dayakbaru.com/weblog08/2009/03/26/a-personal-letter-from-batang-ai/

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

.

if you think that is bad you havent seen what they can do in the west M ...

looks like Sarawak is catching up pretty fast.

.

Anonymous said...

One question for Masing. Who's going to get the multi-million contract for the tar sealing of the road to Batang Ai? Another win for Taib's CMS even before the by-election?

Salak said...

"Another win for Taib's CMS even before the by-election?

Will it trickle down to:

- the cronies;
- the Batang Ai people;
- on none at all?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous II. Not Masing. Not Jabu. Not Mussem. BUT Taib's company will get the tar sealing contract. Becoz Taib calls the shot.

Unknown said...

Talking about sudden development in N29 Batang Ai, what has the late Dublin Unting done to his own constituency? Say, if he is still alive today, I strongly believed that there will be NO developments, no fuel subsidies and no nothing.

Some quarters are blaming Jawah for not able to bring development in Lubok Antu when he was an MP.

As much as the late Dublin Unting couldnot developed Batang Ai during his reign, so was Jawah, as most of the development funds are not control by them. They have been allocated s small amount of fund only. Not much either the late Dublin or Jawah could do. In return what Lubok Antu could contributed?

Again, we should blamed the late Dublin and Nyallau for they are the present YBs. What has Nyallau contribute to his own constituency? Nothing...!

Is a tar road we could call a development? Or is it another 'Mee Segera' development? Why couldn't the late Dublin when he was still alive before or the present Nyallau tar all the road in Lubok Antu???? Who is to be blame after all?

Anonymous said...

Get as many as possible for those who have been paid RM500 and advice them to make an offical report to MACC. Then, we see what action is MACC going to take.

Anonymous said...

Desperate Masing and BN are trying to beat the election laws. They hand out cash now because it is not an offence to do so. The offence may have been committed if they hand the money between the nomination day and polling day. Technically, there is no byelection in Batang Ai now.
By handing over the cash so blatantly clear before the nomination day goes to show how desperate Masing and his koncos cane be.

zorro said...

Jetty, photo evidence of Masing handing out noodles will be very helpful to our cause. Get volunteers to go to the ground and take these photos. I hear some were taken to Hilton....any photos? These are very incriminating and but valuable to us.

Anonymous said...

Hello Joseph Tawie,

Re para 1 - Is this not corruption.

There would be no harm to report to MACC by those people who have been paid of RM500.00 or those who have been promised to be paid of the same amount.It is MACC legal obligation to receive the report and investigate.

If there is element of corruption, substantiate by strong evidence they will charge the culprits, but if there is no evidence MACC will close the case with the concurrence of the A-G.If deems necessary, MACC may refer the case to the panel members of the Corruption Consultation and Prevention Panel who is accountable not only to the Government but also to the public.

It is the public hope that MACC will carry out its duties in a professional manner, without fear or favour.

Is it clear.

David Lim said...

BN CANNOT EXPLAINS TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE PEOPLE OF SARAWAK AFTER 45 YEARS.

I MEAN 45 YEARS OF WHAT?

NOTHING IS DONE FOR THE LOCALS FOR 45 YEARS.

WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO MISLEAD THE LOCALS? ANOTHER 45 YEARS?

TOO LATE, BN. IT IS TIME FOR A GREAT CHANGE FOR SARAWAK !

Anonymous said...

Considering the "GIVINGS", are they not corruptions? YES & NO.

YES!! It is daylight coruptions by PKR.

NO!! It is not corruptions by BN. It is a token compensations for being receptive by not going to the field on the day of the visit.

The real issue is WHO DETERMINE THAT IT IS CORRUPTION? MACC ????
Have report been lodged on the matter yet? No report no investigation lah ??? Who is going to report?? Even if there is gong to be reoprt, will it warrant immediate investigation and detention or arrest for questionng?

Will we see MACC suddenly making an arrest just before and during OR after the election ???

WILL CANDIDATE BE HARASSED TO PULL OUT ???? or "SUPPORT-OXYGEN" BE PLUGGED-OFF ...??

Wait-&-See-LAH.

Anonymous said...

David Lim said...
BN CANNOT EXPLAINS TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE PEOPLE OF SARAWAK AFTER 45 YEARS.

David !!
Of course "BN CANNOT EXPLAINS TO THE PROBLEMS.." because problems are problems NOT People ...

Am-I-Confused

Anonymous said...

My dear friend Brangking Kilau,

Thank you for the brief explanation on tyhe issue of corruption as a former ASP.
You do know very well that in some cases, the hands of ACA (now MACC) and Police officers were tied .....

Having watched 101 East progamme in 513 Aljazeera last week, James Masing defended his boss very well to the point that there is no
elenemt of corruption pertaining to award of contracts to Taib's family businesses through CMS, Nain Cendra and Titanium to name a few companies.

Who is going to lodge Police report against Taib?
Can he be investigated, prosecuted and sentenced posthumously like some dead soldiers posthumously awarded PGB or SP ???

May yangdikasihi continues to live to 100 years and enjoy the fruits of his labour.

Jackson Mangan said...

I heard it from Brita Nasional RTM just now! It’s not yet confirmed whether it will be a three-corner fight! The contenders for N. 29 Batang Ai – as reported in the news – are: (1) Lamoh; (2) Gerang; and (3) Chuat.

Meaning that Chuat has cancelled his flight to Nigeria...

democracy4now said...

Halo Broken Shield,
Well done your daily reports! Keep it up! People deserve these good reports!

1 thing to watch out: the request for bank account numbers to landowners may be a way to quietly funnel money to them as a way to buy votes! So do contact those who supplied their bank account number and keep track if there is money paid into their account! Any such payments should be documented and report to SPRM/MACC. It does not matter if these compromised bodies don't take actions -it is more important that you/complainants inform watch dog groups/media like us (MAFREL) so we can keep active watch also. The longer there is no action the more noise we will make about them.

For any reports please forward to us at : democracy4now@gmail.com

Ong BK
Mafrel(Malaysians for free & fair elections)