3 November 2023
Topik Pada Hari Ini
> Celine Lim, Pengarah Urusan Save River - Inisiatif Tenaga Hijau Sarawak: Keuntungan Siapa yang Dilayani?
> Nick Kelesau, Aktivis Penan - Ketidakseimbangan Infrastruktur Sarawak: Kritikan terhadap Projek Mega
> Barnie Lasimbang, Aktivis Sosial dari Sabah - SFI: Masalah Kewangan, Pertikaian Undang-Undang, dan Tantangan Kemanusiaan
On Today Show
> Celine Lim, Managing Director of Save River Network – Sarawak's Green Energy Initiatives: Whose Interests Are They Serving?
> Nick Kelesau, Penan Activist – Sarawak's Infrastructure Imbalance: A Critique of the Mega Cable Project
> Barnie Lasimbang, Social Activist from Sabah – Sabah Forest Industries: Financial Woes, Legal Battles, and a Humanitarian Challenge
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*Special Randau*
1. Two more PN members of parliament claim to have been offered inducements to support Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. They are both members of parliament for Kubang Pasu and Besut. They allege that they were offered positions in GLCs and a hotel construction project. Previously, two PN members of parliament openly declared their support for PMX.
2. The redrawing of electoral boundaries in Sarawak is set to take place at the end of 2023 or early 2024, according to the Minister of Law and Institutional Reforms. As for Sabah, it will occur in 2025, and for the Malay states, it will happen in 2026, as announced by the minister in today's parliamentary session.
3. The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Armizan Mohd Ali, has revealed that only 4.8% of Sarawak's bumiputra population is employed by the Federal Government. This figure of 48,645 people is significantly lower compared to the 1.1 million federal civil servants. Is this a case of discrimination, or is it because Sarawakians have inadequate education?
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Celine Lim, Managing Director of Save River Network
*Sarawak's Green Energy Initiatives: Whose Interests Are They Serving?*
Save Rivers expressed concern due to the aggressive and obsessive actions of the GPS Sarawak government announcing several green energy projects to be built in Sarawak. But whatever the government plans. Our main demand, respect the rights of the original people and improve the way development is done. In the case of the proposed construction of the Baram and Tutoh dams. The place has indigenous people who have lived there for hundreds of years. Why aren't we/they told in advance and their opinion respected. In the context of green energy and renewable energy. Save Rivers has long stated our position that the construction of mega dams including cascading dams is polluting and damaging the environment. We are against the construction of this kind of dam, even on the grounds of development and progress. I request the Premier of Sarawak to respect the rights of the Indigenous people and not create conflict and tension against the Indigenous community. The Sarawak government recently announced that it will build a hydro-electric dam in Tutoh, Baram and plans to build an ASEAN energy grid to sell energy to neighboring countries. Besides that, Sarawak also announced the green hydrogen project, carbon trading and Carbon capture and storage. For Celine all this will benefit the rich capitalists. But will affect the lives of native people and the environment.
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Nick Kelesau, Penan Activist
*Sarawak's Infrastructure Imbalance: A Critique of the Mega Cable Project*
questions the Premier's decision to proudly join the Mega Cable project to Singapore and Indonesia as part of the dam project. Nick points out that if Sarawak is indeed wealthy, why is there an imbalance in development between urban and rural areas? Why are roads to remote areas like Baram not being built? This is because for years, the people have been longing for paved roads, but only logging roads have been provided, as they rely on logging companies to maintain the roads.
The people in the remote areas require better amenities like roads, clean water, complete schools, and comprehensive health clinics. Unfortunately, it appears that the Sarawak government is not interested in advancing its own people.
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Barnie Lasimbang, Social Activist from Sabah
*The Complex Saga of Sabah Forest Industries: Financial Woes, Legal Battles, and a Humanitarian Challenge*
Sabah Forest Industries Sdn Bhd (SFI) found itself in a financial quagmire, primarily due to mismanagement, despite being a government-owned entity. In a bid to alleviate their financial woes, the company made the consequential decision to sell its shares to another entity. This move brought politics into the equation and set off a chain of events that had far-reaching consequences for the region.
Regrettably, the outcome of this decision was the closure of SFI, which sent shockwaves through the company's employees and their families in the region. Even though these individuals were no longer employed by SFI, the Sarawak government extended a lifeline by allowing them to remain in the area. However, a new challenge emerged as SFI accumulated substantial unpaid electricity bills, ultimately leading to a disconnection of their power supply.
The matter concerning the electricity supply is now entangled in a legal battle, with the government holding the authority to decide whether to restore it to the local community. From a humanitarian perspective, it is imperative for the Sabah government to address this pressing issue, given that the closure of SFI did not provide alternative accommodations for the affected communities.
Background: Pelangi Prestasi Sdn Bhd, controlled by the influential tycoon Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary, brought a lawsuit against SFI. The dispute centered on an alleged violation of a sales and purchase agreement (SPA) dating back to 2018. The SPA involved the acquisition of land and timber concession licenses from SFI following a scheme of arrangement.
The Court of Appeal weighed in on this legal tussle, ultimately striking out Pelangi Prestasi's lawsuit, citing an abuse of the court process. Consequently, Pelangi Prestasi was ordered to pay RM30,000 in costs to SFI.
In addition to this lawsuit, Pelangi Prestasi initiated another legal battle in October 2021 against SFI and three others. This lawsuit pertained to the termination of Pelangi Prestasi's sales and purchase agreement to acquire SFI. In this case, they sought the return of RM120 million, which they had deposited for the takeover, along with profits gained.
The RM120 million lawsuit remains an ongoing legal matter, adding another layer of complexity to the SFI saga.