Sibu4Change
Both Sarawak and Malaysia are at the crossroads. We deserve and need better state and federal governments. Sibu has the unique and historic opportunity to set the tone for the future and be the beacon of hope for Sarawak and Malaysia.
Sarawak, with the largest land mass in Malaysia and an abundance of natural resources such as oil and gas, is languishing in the bottom half of all the states in Malaysia when it comes to poverty levels.
In 2009, the total estimated revenue of the state was RM3.726 billion. We have timber, palm oil, gold and many other natural resources.
Yet, more than 70% of longhouses do not have access to electricity and many do not even have treated piped water. Until today, there are no roads to many Sarawak villages. The people of Sarawak are among the poorest in Malaysia because of low pay, poor employment opportunities and a business environment which is monopolized by selected individuals.
The only conclusion is that 47 years of BN’s “politics of development” has been a total failure, not only in economic terms, but more importantly, in political terms. Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia where one family practically has complete power over the state’s entire economic and political activities.
For our children, For Sarawak, For Malaysia
Wouldn’t it be great if our children can remain in Sibu and Sarawak to work, live and play? Today, most of our children have left for greener pastures. Some
return only once every few years. Most have not looked back since in their search for greater opportunities out there.
There are more than 300,000 young Sarawakians working in West Malaysia and Singapore because there are no jobs for them in their homeland. A better government creates opportunities at home and keeps families together.
Sarawakians must protect their constitutional rights to freedom of religion and must halt the slippery slope to religious extremism. The rights of Sarawakians to practise their religion in their language of choice is now challenged by the BN federal government’s ban of the use of term “Allah” in BM language Bibles.
Many Sarawakians have become squatters in our own land. Many landowners in Sarawak are facing severe problems in renewing their land leases as the state government can reject any application without reason. If the state refuses to renew the lease, no compensation will be paid to the landowners. But if the lease is renewed, landowners have to pay a hefty premium.
For the Sarawak bumiputera community, their land defines their identities. Under BN’s “politics of development”, their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land is treated as an economic asset to be sold or leased out to timber and plantation companies and other commercial entities. NCR landowners are not even given employment opportunities in these “development projects” as these companies prefer to use cheap foreign labour.
Good Governance = No More Taib
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib bin Mahmud has been in office for more than 29 years. It’s time that we take the mandate back from them and herald a new era of reform and rejuvenation.
DAP and Pakatan Rakyat stand for good governance. Taib Mahmud’s BN has a track record of bad governance. Taib’s family through Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) controls the most lucrative contracts and businesses, impoverishing the rakyat while making life difficult for small businesses.
Sarawak is a very rich state. By implementing open tender systems for all government procurements and contracts and demanding a higher percentage of royalty fees from Petronas, all Sarawakians will be richer by half, at least.
SIBU’s AGENDA FOR CHANGE
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Sibu’s Future
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes government at the federal and state level, we promise to solve the flood problems in Sibu in two years, as well as invest in human capital and infrastructure to make Sibu the next world centre of shipping industries, marine engineering and tourism.
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Senior Citizens’ Bonus
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes the government of Sarawak, all Sarawakians above 60 years old will receive a minimum of RM100 per annum as a gift for their contribution to the Sarawak economy.
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Minimum Wage
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes government at the federal level, it will set a minimum wage of RM750/month for all workers in Peninsula Malaysia and RM830 for Sarawak.
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Education
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes the government at the federal level, all schools will be given allocations according to needs as practised in Penang, Selangor and Kelantan so that our children can have a bright future.
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Oil royalty
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes government at the federal level, Sarawak will receive 20% in oil royalties from Petronas, instead of the current 5%.
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Land reform
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes government in Sarawak, all NCR land will be surveyed and titled issued while all expiring leases will be unconditionally renewed thereby unleashing the great economic potential of Sarawak.
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CAT Governance and Democracy
When DAP and Pakatan Rakyat becomes government at the state and federal levels, we will practise Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT),
and implement open tender systems, allow freedom of speech and reinstate local government elections.
Can Najib please do a favour to Sibu people and Sarawakians by promising to change the chief minister of Sarawak after the b’U’y election?
http://veryfatlady.blogspot.com/
Sarawak = East Timur,
except that now the East Timurians are independent
About the Allah issue, I was terribly disappointed that Robert Lau Hoi Chew did not raise any voice when he was still alive in the federal cabinet. Only a few of the bumi ministers from Sabah mentioned about it. Remember that Robert Lau was a Catholic, and I am not sure how many Catholic ministers are there in the cabinet. This is not an attack against Robert Lau, but rather the SUPP culture. They can only agree with the BN big brothers.
SUPP position in BN is weaker than MCA. Because of that Sarawakian Chinese are really under-represented. We all have to think who will voice out for the Sarawakian Chinese. Indeed, Pakatan Rakyat can do it.
DAP must go into the longhouse more often to get the support. They can’t just rely on the Chinese votes. And actually we can’t blame the longhouse people who vote BN, they are indeed inadequate of many facilities like roads, piped water supply and electrical supply. KESIAN! So, I hope DAP can wins this by-election and bring a better life to the Sibu people
How about free water or electricity as currently practiced by Pakatan government in selangor ?
major overhaul of the stupid & old looking infrastructure in both Sarawak & Sabah.
Minimum wage should be set @ RM1000 net after deduction of EPF & SOCSO.
price control of essential items for East Malaysia & standardization of prices throughout Malaysia.
EG: star newspaper in West Malaysia its sold RM1.20 on weekday RM1.50 on weekend , but in East Malaysia RM1.80 on weekday , RM2 on weekend. why so much difference ? 50% & 33.33% difference respectively?
thoroughly investigation into Musa Aman & Taib & Companies , seize their ill gotten gains if they are found guilty & channel these wealth back for the benefit of East Malaysians.
Post earlier but with some changes:
To the people of Sibu,
For once do the right thing. Yes, bread and butter are important and that is why when come to by elections, lots of promises and allocations are heaped on you. But do we really know why so many of us have to struggle in a rich and well endowed country like ours? If policies are right and executed properly and honestly, our life would not be such a struggle. Bread and butter would have come easy when jobs are plenty with income and opportunities distributed more fairly and equitably. What we see today are concentration of wealth and opportunities within a few families which include the non Malays families. This is the third world politics at its best with state coffers being used to pop up incumbent government and its cronies and decedents of cronies. This country has been pilfered and plundered by one whole generation of ruthless and corrupted leaders. Now, as I see, the pilferage and plundering are like to go on to the next generation where their children will continue the shameless legacies. You check this out, from Sarawak to Sabah to Peninsula, the pattern is the same.
continue…..
What have we really achieved since Merdeka? The system of education have gone to the dogs; towns and cities have become filthy dump sites; rivers, streams and lakes all polluted beyond redemption; forests raped and have become irreparable; general hygiene level has continued to drop with all vector carrying diseases continue to escalate; bumpy and pot-hole roads, congestion, and frequent floods are everywhere; white elephant projects and wasteful programmes continue to mound; a market economy saddled with monopolies, profiteering and manipulation; ever growing group of ruling elites not just benefiting themselves but also their children and their children’s children; and an increasingly corrupt and incompetent public sector that includes not just the civil service, but also the statutory bodies and the GLCs that run our expressways, utilities, ports, airlines, airports, banking and telecommunication. Yes, we do have our expressways, but we have to pay through our posterior for this facility. As towns and cities expand and population grows, it is the duty of the government to build roads and highways. They have already collected enough vehicle related taxes; they have no right to ask us to pay each time they build a highway. No toll within the city, that should be one of our ultimate objective.
Get the fundamental right. A businessman with vested interests and business tentacles everywhere cannot help you to build a better government and a better society, no matter how good that person is as an individual. In the coming days, all vested interest groups will come to you for votes because it is their vital interests to maintain the status quo. But you have to ask yourself: is your quality of life better, is the society fairer.
Get a group of honest and capable people free of vested agenda to formulate the right policies and run this country honestly. If the pre-requisites are right, development, bread and butter will come naturally. Sarawak should have an extensive and proper road system and Sibu should have a university of its own 20 years ago. It is not for them to talk now when the by election is being held. Don’t ever be hoodwinked by their promises and sweet talks. Past behaviour is a good predictor of future behaviour. You have almost 50 years of records to depend on, what else do you need.
Look, the people of Sibu, you fellows better wake up fast. Some of you may still have your timber concession or freedom to live a lifestyle of your choice. I don’t know how long this will last. But looking at the Malay-nisation of state and federal services in Sarawak, I don’t think you will have much time left. Sabah is already gone.
Sibu has the biggest concentration of millionares outside KL . They have 1 usd billionare and 7 multimillionares still living in Sibu. not to mention 2 biggest timber companies owned by Sibuan . Dap politics no place in Sibu . you vote for Dap, you vote for father and son party , the rest no chance , vote for BN , you can believe in Najib leadership..
Jib’s promise to sibu:
“i kasi 3million each if you vote umno (remember all bn component parties now under jib’s and therefore umno’s direct control). come to my office the next day to collect the money. If you vote umno then no need to come.”
Sarawakian voters have proven their capability to overthrow the ruling party … no sweet talk and no need to buy them. They are REAL smart and hard-working. They are matured enough and fearless. You just have to respect their resolve when it comes to protecting their rice-bowl. They control BN and not the other way round, and they will make chicken soup out of SUPP.
1 MR = 3,000 rupiah
After umno victory, you go to Putrajaya to see Jibby old boy and he will give you 3,000 rupiah each