11 August 2023
On Today Show
> Simon Siah, Lawyer/Human Rights Activist – False Accusations and Legal Drama: Save Rivers Prepares for High Court
> Dennis Along, PKR Baram Communications Director – Stealing Our Future: Sarawak's Carbon Business and the Ongoing Plight of Indigenous People
> Iswardy Morni, lawyer activist from Sarawak – PH/BN has a chance to seize Kelantan
> GEORGE from Baram – Sarawakian Energizes PH Campaign in Selangor, Stresses Positive Atmosphere
> Mark Bujang, Executive Director at Borneo Resources Institute – Empowered Unity: Dayak NGOs Forge Alliance Free from Government Influence
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Special Randau
> SAVE Rivers and 4 directors are summoned to IPD Miri today. They will provide statements following a police report by Samling's CEO. He alleges that SAVE Rivers' petition resulted in 5700 emails urging Samling to drop the suit against SR.
> PAS announced that it is offering a change in leadership in Kelantan for the menteri besar and deputy menteri besar positions, while Terengganu and Kedah will maintain their incumbent leaders if the party continues to receive the mandate after the state polls tomorrow.
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Simon Siah, Lawyer/Human Rights Activist
*False Accusations and Legal Drama: Save Rivers Prepares for High Court*
Today the 4 directors of Save Rivers (SR) were called to the Miri police station to give evidence and be investigated under act 504 of the penal code and act 233- the communication and multimedia act 1998. This investigation follows a police report made by the CEO of Samling Playwood - Laurence Chia who alleges that SR launched a campaign/petition urging Samling to drop the 5 million defamation suit case by Samling Playwood against SR. As a result, CEO Samling's email was flooded with 5700 objections/requests to drop the suit. According to Simon Siah, SR did not launch any related campaign or petition. If there is, it is done by other parties and has nothing to do with SR. Samling's CEO also claimed that SR caused a commotion during the mention of the case in the Miri high court a few months ago. Once again Simon Siah explained that it was an untrue accusation. Because as long as I was in the Court at that time, the situation was calm and peaceful. Simon concluded that what Samling did was an act of desperation and tried to tarnish SR's image. The 5 million ringgit defamation case by Samling against SR will be heard in the Miri high court on 18 to 20 September 2023. In the suit involved, Samling accused SR of issuing defamatory statements in their publication regarding the MTCC process which was supposedly carried out completely and perfectly in their timber concession area. Whereas in reality the residents involved in the Samling back concession area were not informed at all as required by the MTCC. Simon will represent SR in the trial on 18 to 20 sept 2023.
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Dennis Along, PKR Baram Communications Director
*Stealing Our Future: Sarawak's Carbon Business and the Ongoing Plight of Indigenous People*
Sarawak Premier Abang Joe continues to promote the carbon business in the media. But Brother Joe has never met the native people (forest owners) how this business will benefit the native people. Therefore I believe through this carbon business. It is a new way for the GPS Sarawak government and the logging and plantation companies in Sarawak to seize and continue to control the NCR land of us Sarawakians. This carbon business also involves replanting wood. This seems to describe the logging companies that are destroying our forests -care and love the environment. But in fact they are the ones who destroy the forest and the environment. According to Dennis, in the past these companies only controlled the forest, land and river. But now they also dominate the airspace in our area - said Dennis Along. The GPS government and YBYB GPS in the Sarawak state assembly failed to protect the interests of the people of Sarawak - especially the natives. All laws related to carbon business were passed easily in the Sarawak State Assembly. We the people of Sarawak have the right to know and if the carbon business is not profitable for us. We will object.
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Iswardy Morni, lawyer activist from Sarawak
*PH/BN has a chance to seize Kelantan*
A few hours left before the end of the election campaign in 6 states. The PAS party suddenly announced that the party will change the Menteri Besar and Deputy Menteri Besar if it still wins in Kelantan. While in Terengganu and Kedah will retain the existing Chief Minister, if PAS still wins and governs. Iswardy explained that for almost 2 weeks of campaigning, the PAS Party found that there was a rejection of the current Menteri Besar (Kelantan). So in order to bring back the support of PAS supporters to the party, the announcement was made in haste. However- according to iswardy- looking at the tendency of voters. There is a possibility that PH/BN can seize Kelantan from PAS. The voting process in 6 states will take place tomorrow - 12 August 2023.
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GEORGE from Baram
*Sarawakian Energizes PH Campaign in Selangor, Stresses Positive Atmosphere*
George is currently in Selangor to support the PRN campaign for PH. He is very excited about the support for PH and believes that Selangor remains under PH's control. There was no excessive provocation during the campaign in Selangor.
Regarding the issue of agriculture and farming, which can be expanded using technology as stated by Sarawak's Commodity Minister Dr. Stephen Rundi, George mentioned that the Minister only speaks without fully examining the current situation. Because what does technology mean? Especially since the problem of rising agricultural costs that burden the people remains unresolved. How can technology be used for ordinary people besides big companies like factories.
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Mark Bujang, Executive Director at Borneo Resources Institute
*Empowered Unity: Dayak NGOs Forge Alliance Free from Government Influence*
Basically he agrees on Datuk Dr. Penguang Mangil challenges that if all Iban NGOs are unite under one umbrella will be platform to be strong and voice of the Iban will be heard.
Ideally that is what we all bern looking for. Not only Iban but all Dayak NGOs should unite, but each of the organisations has its own ideology, agenda and target. Thats why what we see now cant be united. What we can do to unite is that we must keep independant NGO so that they can deliver their work freely, and not under control by government.
He suggests that all the Dayak NGOs to set up one federation so the all the Dayak NGOs can work under one umbrella. He also put forward to Datuk Dr.Penguang Mangil that he Challenge all the Dayak Politicians must also unite.