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‘Tambatuon dam is unnecessary’

By Stephanie Sta Maria | June 14, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: An academic from the Faculty of Agriculture in Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM) cast doubt on the necessity for the proposed Tambatuon dam in Kota Belud.

According to Christopher Teh, the dam is not the sole means to increasing Malaysia’s rice productivity as there was still plenty of room to increase the yields of existing paddy fields.

“Each field has a maximum potential yield of 10 tonnes per hectare but the current national average only stands at 4 tonnes per hectare per year,” he said.

“I’m not against increasing land acreage but between that and increasing the yields, the latter is a better choice. Let’s use what we already have instead of opening up new paddy fields and incurring higher costs.”
Continue reading “‘Tambatuon dam is unnecessary’”

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“Yield Considerations” – Iskandar replies to Kota Belud MP Rahman on Tambatuon Dam controversy

By Iskandar Basha Abdul Kadir

Yb Rahman,

I had opined that our existing acerage in Malaysia can be used to fully meet our rice security consideration (i.e to overcome the 35% shortage) provided our Yield (Mt/hectare) can be increased to 5.0. The 5.0 yield factor is backed by research materials that you had referenced in your report.

In your rebuttal to my June 4, 2011 feedback, you have clearly acknowledged this point albeit you put it as “I wish it was that simple. Here is the reason”.

You said the current yield average of 3.3mt per hectare is for the whole country and production yield differs based on location. In summary, you had alluded to point out that production locations in Peninsular Malaysia(PM) are already yielding at 5.0 or higher and has little room for additional yield. The national average, however, drops to 3.3 due to the low yeilds in East Malaysia(EM) and Kota Belud being one. I quote “However, our national paddy production yield average has been dragged down by low yield areas namely in Sabah and Sarawak!”
Continue reading ““Yield Considerations” – Iskandar replies to Kota Belud MP Rahman on Tambatuon Dam controversy”

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Twitter Power – Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (5)

Twitter sequel Part 5
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

dredwinbosi Jun 07, 12:33am
@mpkotabelud @limkitsiang Food security should not be an issue if we don’t have a surge in pop of legalised illegal immigrants.

dredwinbosi Jun 07, 9:00am
@mpkotabelud @limkitsiang@junzwong Tambatuon is already a natural tourism attraction, no need a man-made lake.
Continue reading “Twitter Power – Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (5)”

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RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (4)

Twitter sequel Part 4

Part 1 , Part 2 & Part 3>

Iskandarbak Jun 04, 8:42pm
@mpkotabelud u back from Spore? hoping to get ur response on my feedback to ur post in ur blog re: dam in Kg T

Iskandarbak Jun 04, 8:46pm
@mpkotabelud I just checkd ur blog. U have updated it with d translation. But, i dont see my feedback comments there. I had also emailed u.

mpkotabelud Jun 04, 8:47pm
I got ur reply. On the move now. Tak dak masa utk think. Soon will reply. RT @Iskandarbak:
Continue reading “RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (4)”

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Consideration for the Construction of Dam in Kota Belud

By Iskandar Basha Abdul Kadir
4 June 2011

Dear Yb Rahman,

Thank you for writing about the Jelapang Padi Initiative in your blog.

The key objective and the Complimentary/Spin-Off objectives that you have stated in your blog are as follows:

Key Objective

To become self sufficient in rice production for national security. This includes price control and distribution within Malaysia.

Complimentary/Spin-off Objectives

Flood control n mitigation, hydro power, clean water for consumption, tourism, multiplier effects, jobs, etc Continue reading “Consideration for the Construction of Dam in Kota Belud”

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RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (3)

Twitter sequel Part 3
Part 1 & Part 2

limkitsiang Jun 02, 6:07pm
YB where is yr blog 2champion RM450m Tambatuon dam? >24 hrs oredi. Cld not even convince yrself after reading it in cold print? @mpkotabelud

mpkotabelud Jun 02, 8:27pm
My rebuttal of @limkitsiang >>> http://mpkotabelud.blogspot.com/2011/06/to-dam-or-to-be-damned-question-to-lim.html

mpkotabelud Jun 02, 8:31pm
Read http://bit.ly/k1akKq RT @limkitsiang: where is yr blog 2champion RM450m Tambatuon dam?
Continue reading “RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (3)”

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A guide to West Malaysians for Sabahans

by Erna Mahyuni
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 01, 2011

JUNE 1 — Since I have written a guide for West Malaysians about Sarawak, perhaps it is only fair I write about Sabah. But writing “Sabah 101” seemed boring so I flipped it around and now here’s a handy reference for Sabahans dealing with the influx of West Malaysians thanks to AirAsia.

1. Most West Malaysians really don’t remember September 16, 1963, and when asked, will only remember that “Malaysia gained its independence in 1957.” Don’t blame them; blame our badly-written history textbooks. Incidentally, they were written by West Malaysians.

2. West Malaysian Muslims are a lot more uptight than the ones in Sabah. If you take them to a soto stall that is situated outside a Chinese coffee shop, don’t be offended if they refuse to eat in fear of the food not being halal (kosher). If they are Malay and Muslim, make sure the eatery has a halal signboard.

3. Expect them to be very nosy about what race or religion you are. If you happen to look Chinese but greet them with the Muslim salam or you look Malay and are eating pork in front of them, prepare for either looks of shock or ones of taking offence. West Malaysians seem to get offended easily, for some reason. (Proof can be found in the comments of my columns, funnily enough written by people in West Malaysia) Continue reading “A guide to West Malaysians for Sabahans”

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Through my aging eyes: Kaamatan – A Blend of Politics and Culture

By Dr Edwin Bosi
DAP Sabah State Secretary
Borneo Post
1.6.11

If my recollection is right the planting season used to be from February to May of each year. I remember the meticulous preparation from clearing a plot of land for the nursery to transplanting and harvesting. Each family had a fenced-up plot where every bit of herbage was removed, and using a sharpened pole my mom would plunge it into the ground, making sure the small holes thus created were in a neat roll. Then the best quality padi grains were placed into the tiny holes and buried by racking the soil at the surface. Up on the trees, little “pipit” or brownish sparrows were waiting to salvage whatever grains were found scattered on the plot. The size of the plot depends on the acreage of ones padi field.

The seedlings upon reaching about a foot tall were ready for transplanting onto the field. While the seeds grew the padi land was prepared by ploughing with the assistance of an obedient and trained buffaloes. The bunds were repaired and made strong enough to hold the water. The soil was then broken or harrowed before the seedlings were transplanted. Usually there were few people involved in the planting in unison using a short small sharpened wood to make the holes in the soil and then sticking the seedlings into them. The job was executed by stepping backward to ensure a straight line was achieved. If I can recall the planting distant between two seedlings was about 18 inches. Continue reading “Through my aging eyes: Kaamatan – A Blend of Politics and Culture”

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Intel report sees strife in BN, Pakatan

Malaysiakini
Jun 1, 11

Specialist publisher Economist Intelligence Unit has warned that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak may face political revolt within Umno and from coalition parties in Sabah and Sarawak, should he fail to secure a clear victory in the next general election.

Divisions among the three Pakatan Rakyat component parties are also likely to widen if PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is jailed for sodomy, the publisher said in the June report for Malaysia.

It predicted that Malaysia’s political stability will come under moderate threat in the next five years due to internal strife within the two main political alliances. Continue reading “Intel report sees strife in BN, Pakatan”

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RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (2)

This is twitter sequel to “RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong?”:

29th May – 1 June 2011

mpkotabelud Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Baru landing di KK. Buka phone, timeline dan DM saya flooded wt tweets abt @limkitsiang’s visit to my beloved Kota Belud. Ish..
29 May

mpkotabelud Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Saya dah bermesyuarat &trima memo JK Bertindak Empangan Tambatuon dua bulan lalu. Kluar dlm paper. @limkitsiang playing spin doctor lagi ke?
29 May

mpkotabelud Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Tak payah main politik dgn I. U all pun sama. RT @kaikiok: Continue reading “RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong? (2)”

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Tambatuon Saga: A Village fights for its life

By Dr Edwin Bosi

Rombituon in the local Dusun dialect means stars. When the early settlers came down into this valley they saw thousands of twinkling stars as darkness set. Then they realize there were so many people settling down the plain as many as the stars that appeared before them. The people were enchanted with its beauty, decided to call it home and called it Tambatuon. The origin of Tambatuon went way back few hundred years ago, the people originating from Nunuk Ragang and Bundu Tuhan in the Ranau highlands. They believe Tambatuon has seen 17 generations of which only eight can be traced for now. The Dusuns predominates although other races such as the Chinese, Murut Lundayeh, Iban and Dusun-Timorese have made this village more plural.

The water in the river was pleasantly cooling, clean, crystal clear and refreshing. Fish was abundance. The river is lined with beautiful pebbles and boulders, the sound of rapids so pleasant never failing to draw the freshness and cooling breeze accompanied by nature’s forest aroma. As the eyes follow the meandering river one can see a commanding hill called Saduk Saduk (Nungkok) and well beyond it is the majestic Mount Kinabalu, the second highest mountain in South East Asia. For a moment one then realizes that the water before them has started up on the peak of Mt Kinabalu. Continue reading “Tambatuon Saga: A Village fights for its life”

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RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong?

Tweets @limkitsiang:-
29th May 2011

Told YB has never stepped into KgTambatuon single time whether b4 or after election despite dam controversy. True? @Iskandarbak @mpkotabelud

Had media conference @KK MPHiew’s office on my visits 2Menggatal Kiulu KotaBelud KgTambatuon w leaders yesterdy. Touched on medley of issues

Most imp issue: Virtual unanimous opposition of KgTambatuon 2agricultural dam which was introduced in secretive insidious clandestine manner

4two yrs @mpkotabelud nvr stepped in2 KgTbtn 2dialogue w affected ppl n secure their support. Y if RM450mil dam meant 4good of Tbtn ppl?

Will @mpkotabelud agree unless KgTambatuon ppl sppt, d RM450 mil Tambatuon dam project shld be scrapped? Is YB rep of Umno cronies Continue reading “RM450m Tambatuon dam controversy – Why MP Kota Belud never visited kampong?”

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Sabah KDM BN parties must be firm on gerrymandering

By Daniel John Jambun (loyarburok.com) | May 27, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 27 — It had recently been announced that the Election Commission is planning to change yet again the boundaries of the state and parliamentary constituencies throughout the country. And so far, strangely, nobody has made any statement about the matter although we are all very much aware of the serious ramifications of such an exercise.

As a Kadazandusun voter and leader, I see this new redelineation as another opportunity for the Election Commission to indulge in another gerrymandering exercise — the manipulative shifting of electoral boundaries. For all we know, this exercise will be an all-important one in which BN will do its utmost to secure maximum political advantage through various ways.
Continue reading “Sabah KDM BN parties must be firm on gerrymandering”

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Native festival lacks spirit

By Luke Rintod | May 18, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

KOTA BELUD: Sabah’s main local native festival, Tadau Kaamatan or Harvest Festival, was a shadow of its old self this year.

Decorated stalls that are normally put up by government agencies and private companies to exhibit and sell products were absent and uncollected garbage from the previous day was strewn around.

The district-level celebration in Kota Belud used to be attended by thousands of locals and tourists, but this year a mere 300 turned out for the drab affair.

If this is any indication, the once renowned festival that is marked for for its jolly drinking sessions, camaraderie and friendly competitions following the padi-harvesting season, is set for the state’s cultural dustbin!
Continue reading “Native festival lacks spirit”

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Sabah health services limping along

By Michael Kaung
May 15, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah DAP said that it has received scores of complaints regarding the services rendered by the Federal Health Ministry to Sabahans in terms of quality of treatment, medical supplies and equipment.

Junz Wong, state DAP assistant secretary, said that both the patients and doctors are unhappy and frustrated with the state of affairs in the medical and health services.

The party believes that Sabahans are among the most ill-cared for citizens in Malaysia due to lack of drugs and healthcare equipment.

Wong justifies his claim by pointing out that Sabah only one radiotherapy machine for the whole state.

In the past, before the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) was bought over by government, the hospital rented the radiotherapy machine.

Now after taking over the SMC hospital, the government is still renting it. Continue reading “Sabah health services limping along”

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Gloom, anger mars Kaamatan celebrations

Casey Lee
Free Malaysia Today
May 14, 2011

KOTA BELUD: At the foothills of the majestic Mount Kinabalu, quiet gloom sits on scenic Kampung Tambatuon.

Despite being well into the festive month of Kaamatan or harvest festival in Sabah, there is little cheer here and much of it has to do with the state government’s insidious plan to build a dam nearby.

When we decided to visit Kampung Tambatous for a festive story, we were not prepared for the air of forebrooding that assailed us entering the village from the Kota Belud-Ranau bypass.

Fresh signs and banners shouting ‘No’ and ‘Amaran!’ (Warning) littered the winding 4km drive along a narrow gravel road into the village.

It belies a suspicion rarely found in any kampong in Sabah, where one usually senses welcome and amused curiousity.

Its mid-morning in Kampung Tambatuon and as we drove into the village a middle-aged woman stared suspiciously at our vehicle while others looked at us from doorways and windows .

This is the site of the state government’s proposed Tambatuon dam.

The villagers have been up in arms against the project for two years now.

These days all strangers are suspects and we are in their crosshairs. Continue reading “Gloom, anger mars Kaamatan celebrations”

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Call for a RCI headed by Simon Sipaun to inquire into expectations, hopes and dreams of Sabahans and Sarawakians half a century after formation of Malaysia

I was in Sabah last week and I was surprised that the former Suhakam Vice Chairman and former Sabah State Secretary Tan Sri Simon Sipaun had been the target of attacks by Sabah for his recent statement that “life in Sabah before in Malaysia was very pleasant and good”.

This is what Sipaun had said recently:

“Life in Sabah, in those days called North Borneo, as I remember it, before Malaysia, was very pleasant and good, to say the least. Admittedly there was no development that we see today, but even Malaya at that time was no better. There was no racial problem, mixed marriages were very common, and that is why we have so many peranakan in Sabah. If Sabahans are now conscious of racial and religious divide, it has been imported from semananjung. There was no illegal immigrant, there were no cases of Sabahans losing citizenship status while foreigners get it without much difficulty. There were no repressive and draconian laws, such as Official Secrets Act; … the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Seditious Act, the Police Act, and the four Proclamations of Emergency; we are still under emergency as of today even though the conditions for having emergency proclamation is no longer there. There was no quarrelling over dead bodies, the composition, and I spent three years of my career in the civil service before Malaysia, the composition in those days of the civil service was reflective of the racial makeup of society. It was multi-racial, meritocracy was practised. Corruption and ketuanan Melyau, we never heard of it. And the thing continues. How not to miss Sabah before Malaysia.”

Continue reading “Call for a RCI headed by Simon Sipaun to inquire into expectations, hopes and dreams of Sabahans and Sarawakians half a century after formation of Malaysia”