SARAWAK: Illegal land transfers probed

malaysiatoday - THE Land Development Ministry, with the help of the state attorney-general, is investigating the illegal transfers of four lots of native land from Iban farmers to non-natives in Meradong Land Scheme B in Sarikei Division, its Minister Datuk Seri Dr James Masing said.
The titles to the four lots were issued to Ugon Rimau, Simba Dinggon, Ajai Baka and Imah @ Jembat Inggam, who are participants in the rubber planting scheme of the Sara-wak Land Development Board (SLDB).

The lots were illegally transferred to Chiew Yi Hin, Hong Nyuk Yip, Chew Sui Wui and Chan Poh Fung respectively.

Masing said: "The transfers of the land titles were discovered by the SLDB management to be fraudulent.

"A police report was lodged by the management against a former officer who had authorised the transfers.

"Unfortunately, the officer died on Dec 29, 2001."

Masing said the scheme was meant to resettle Ibans from the borders and landless Ibans.

He said the Ibans' eligibility to the land had not been revoked or challenged.

"From the names, it is obvious that the new owners are not natives >> selanjutnya

ANOTHER JOKE FROM SARAWAK

Sarawaks steps up war against illegal loggers
thestar - Sarawak has beefed up its enforcement efforts against illegal loggers, said newly appointed state Forest Department director Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

He said this was done by consolidating the resources of Sarawak Forestry Corporation and Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC).

“Illegal logging is still a concern. We’re trying to miminise it,” he told reporters after opening a seminar on STIDC Industry Updates at Wisma Sumber Alam here on Thursday.

Sarawak police have said that local criminal gangs were involved in illegal logging activities.

Len Talif, who declined to say where most unlawful log extractions have taken place, said the state authorities had set specific targets to reduce illegal logging. more...

Rumour of Sarawak MP's defection fuels BN's woes

Veteran MP may join PKR after failing to get federal position

By Leslie Lopez, THE STRAITS TIMES

MALAYSIA'S political uncertainty deepened yesterday following unconfirmed reports that a Barisan Nasional parliamentarian in Sarawak had resigned from the ruling coalition.

The closely followed news website Malaysiakini reported that Mr Richard Riot, a five-term MP from Serian, had resigned from the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), raising the spectre of more defections from the BN in coming days.

The report, quoting an unnamed spokesman for Mr Riot, stated that the MP may defect to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Malaysia's main opposition party which is headed by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

Mr Riot, who is a representative of the Bidayuh tribe of Sarawak, could not be contacted for comment.

But SUPP last night denied the rumour, saying the party had not received any resignation letter.

'The party secretary-general and I have not received anything yet. I don't think the rumour is true. I have tried to contact him but to no avail,' party president George Chan told Bernama.

But two politicians in Sarawak told The Straits Times that they are not dismissing the report just yet, because the politician had confided to close colleagues in recent months his displeasure that Bidayuh tribesmen in the Chinese-dominated SUPP were being sidelined.

His exclusion from the latest Cabinet line-up was also cited as a reason for his reported resignation, the politicians said.

The SUPP chief admitted that Mr Riot was a bit 'upset' after he was not appointed to the federal Cabinet.

Dr Chan said he had recommended four party members for federal Cabinet positions, but only three were allocated posts.

'When I submitted the names, I had hoped that every one of them would get in, including Richard, whom I recommended for a parliamentary secretary's post. However, since the Prime Minister decided to do away with the post, Richard was not in the list,' he said.

'At the moment, I just hope that he stays cool and lets us work it out.'

Analysts worry that the news of Mr Riot's walkout from the BN could precipitate more defections to the PKR-led opposition coalition.

On Wednesday, Datuk Seri Anwar claimed that the BN was cracking apart and that his opposition coalition was beginning to attract newly elected MPs, particularly those from smaller parties based in the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has dismissed Datuk Seri Anwar's claims, saying: 'He claims so many things... The Government is very strong.'

But independent political analysts are not so sanguine, as Malaysia's political landscape has not been more uncertain.

The BN now holds a 29-seat majority in the 222-member Lower House, which many analysts consider to be wafer-thin by Malaysian standards.

The Sabah and Sarawak parties hold a huge sway over the national power equation.

The East Malaysian parties delivered 42 parliamentary seats to the BN, but they did not receive the expected recognition in Datuk Seri Abdullah's new Cabinet line-up.

Political analysts are not convinced that Datuk Seri Anwar will be able to swing a complete defection of the East Malaysian parties away from the BN.

But walkouts like Mr Riot's could prompt other parliamentarians in Peninsular Malaysia, where Datuk Seri Anwar still enjoys widespread appeal and support, to consider leaving the BN in coming weeks, analysts say.

Ke mana Ahli-Ahli Parlimen BN Sarawak menghilang?

Tiga Ahli Parlimen BN dihalang ke rumah Anwar di pertengahan jalan?

klpos.com
Ada sesiapa lapang? Boleh tolong semak jadual penerbangan MAS ke Australia dua hari terakhir ini? Dengar kata hampir separuh Ahli Parlimen Sarawak di bawa ke negeri Kanggaru untuk 'berehat' selepas pilihanraya.

Sumber KLpos.com memberitahu, kehilangan mengejut Ahli-ahli Parlimen dari Sarawak itu ada kaitan dengan berita bahawa mereka sedang bersiap sedia melakukan 'penyeberangan' dari Barisan Nasional ke Barisan Rakyat.

"Sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga Taib Mahmud (Ketua Menteri Sarawak) mengarahkan semua MP dikumpulkan setempat dan dibawa ke Australia," kata sumber terbabit.

Menurut beliau, tiga Ahli Parlimen BN yang dalam perjalanan ke rumah Ketua Umum KeADILan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dihalang sebelum tiba ke destinasi.

"Taib Mahmud (Ketua Menteri Sarawak) mengarahkan semua MP dikumpulkan setempat dan dibawa ke Australia," kata sumber

"Mereka boleh halang sekarang ini, namun kita ada perancangan lain, saya percaya Perdana Menteri baru akan diumumkan sebelum akhir tahun ini," kata sumber terbabit.

Ditanya apakah mereka dibayar untuk menyertai KeADILan, kata sumber terbabit. "Hendak bayar dengan apa? Mana kita ada duit, dan kalau ada bukti tunjukkan,"

Katanya, KeADILan tegas dengan keputusan tidak ada membayar untuk rundingan dengan MP BN, tetapi akan mempertimbangkan jawatan tertentu atas keberanian mereka.

Sementara itu, Utusan melaporkan pemimpin pembangkang menafikan dakwaan bahawa mereka cuba membeli wakil rakyat Barisan Nasional (BN) dengan harga berjuta ringgit dan menyifatkannya sebagai satu khabar angin.

Mereka menjelaskan, parti pembangkang sendiri tidak mempunyai sumber kewangan yang kukuh untuk berbuat demikian berbanding BN.

"Saya berharap, mereka yang menyertai KeADILan perlu menghayati dan menerima prinsip perjuangan parti dengan hati terbuka," kata Azmin

Setiausaha Agung Pas, Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar berkata, beliau sendiri terkejut apabila diberitahu mengenai perkara itu.

Menurut beliau, cubaan membeli wakil rakyat BN oleh parti pembangkang tidak perlu kerana ia merupakan perbuatan yang tidak baik.

"Kalau betul wakil rakyat BN nak masuk parti pembangkang, biarlah ikhlas dan tidak perlu dijual beli. Itu bukan prinsip parti pembangkang kerana kami menghormati pemimpin-pemimpin yang berjaya.

"Seingat saya, sewaktu pilihan raya umum baru-baru ini, hanya calon BN sahaja yang cuba membeli calon pembangkang," katanya.

Naib Presiden Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KeADILan), Azmin Ali pula dengan tegasnya menafikan dakwaan berkenaan dan menyifatkannya sebagai satu pembohongan.

Beliau berkata, pihaknya tidak mempunyai niat membeli manamana wakil rakyat BN sebaliknya mengalu-alukan mereka menyertai parti pembangkang terutamanya, KeADILan.

Tambahnya, sehingga sekarang, beliau mendapati ramai ahli BN sendiri yang mahu menyertai KeADILan, malah, ia langsung tidak mempunyai unsur paksaan atau jual beli.

"Di Ibu Pejabat KeADILan sendiri, borang KeADILan sudah kehabisan dan kami merancang untuk mencetaknya semula. Turut menjadi kejutan ramai ahli BN yang mula menyertai KeADILan selepas pilihan raya umum lalu.

"Saya berharap, mereka yang menyertai KeADILan perlu menghayati dan menerima prinsip perjuangan parti dengan hati terbuka," ujarnya. - mr