30 October 2023
Topik Pada Hari Ini
> Willie Kajan, Ketua Puak Tering - Empangan Tutoh di Baram: Siapa Yang Mahu, BUKAN Masyarakat Baram!
> Baru Bian, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Bakelalan - MA63 dan Hak Bahasa
> Thomas Jalong, Aktivis Hak Tanah dari Baram - Perlawanan Komuniti Terhadap Empangan Sungai Tutoh
> YB Chiew Choon Mun, Ahli Parlimen PKR Miri - Dari Kemiskinan ke Keusahawanan: Inisiatif Prihatin YB Chiew untuk Komuniti
On Today Show
> Willie Kajan, Leader of Tering Tribe – Tutoh Dam in Baram: Who Really Wants It, NOT the Communities!
> Baru Bian, Bakelalan assemblyman – MA63 and Language Rights
> Thomas Jalong, land rights activist from Baram – Community Resistance to the Tutoh River Dam
> YB Chiew Choon Mun, PKR MP of Miri – From Poverty to Entrepreneurship: YB Chiew's Compassionate Initiative for the Community
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*Special Randau*
1. Baru Bian - English is the official language of Sabah and Sarawak, as stipulated in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement. The Prime Minister's directive is legally invalid.
2. Solidarity with Palestine Week - 15 PKR members of parliament disagree. UMNO Youth wants the 15 PKR MPs to be sent to GAZA to witness the suffering of the Palestinian people.
3. Labuan Member of Parliament supports PMX Anwar Ibrahim.
4. Those who support the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Baram. The Primier Abang Johari must clarify who, from which ethnic group, and from which village supports this. It's possible that the supporters are only a small group of GPS backers seeking contracts.
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Willie Kajan, Leader of Tering Tribe
*Tutoh Dam in Baram: Who Really Wants It, NOT the Communities!*
A social activist from Baram, Willie Kajan has refuted recent claims by Sarawak's Premier, Abang Johari Openg, regarding the construction of a hydro-dam in the Baram district of northern Sarawak. According to Willie Kajan, who is also an elder of the Tering ethnic community and a tour leader, the desire for such a project does not stem from the native residents of Baram but is rather championed by state government politicians, particularly members of the GPS party.
Kajan challenged Abang Johari to disclose the names of those within the Baram region who, as the Premier asserts, are eager for the dam project to proceed. He emphasized that neither he nor his community members have been consulted regarding this development.
Furthermore, Kajan emphasized the environmental significance of the Tutoh River, which is intricately linked to the Mulu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He pointed out that any significant changes to the river's flow could have adverse consequences for the national park, calling into question whether Abang Johari fully comprehends these potential repercussions.
The Premier had announced the intention to construct a cascading hydroelectric dam in the remote reaches of the Baram district, citing the purported local demand for such a project. Abang Johari claimed to have received requests from Baram residents who, in the past, had been opposed to the construction of hydro-dams but now supported the idea. He stated that the dam's construction would not only provide electricity for locals but also for export to neighboring countries.
The conflicting claims surrounding the Tutoh Dam project have brought to the forefront questions about transparency, local consultation, and the potential environmental impact of such large-scale infrastructure developments in Sarawak.
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Baru Bian, Bakelalan assemblyman
*MA63 and Language Rights*
Anwar cannot force Sarawak/Sabah to only use the Malay language. We can use Malay and English. English is the official language of Sarawak.
On 25 Oct 2023- PMX Anwar Ibrahim- in the opening speech of the National Language Decade Carnival and National Reading Decade in Cyberjaya-KL, asked all government departments not to reply/treat letters that do not use Malay/National Language in correspondence. Quick response from the Sarawak state government secretary- Abu Bakar Marzuki, Sarawak will continue to use English in official affairs of the Sarawak government. Despite agreeing with Abu Bakar Marzuki, but according to Baru Bian, Abu Bakar's statement is not supported by legal facts.
According to Baru Bian, before the formation of Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak have submitted through MA63 that English is the official language of Sabah and Sarawak. It was not until 10 years after the formation of Malaysia that it was reviewed. In addition, the National Language Act 1963/67 states that the Official Language of Malaysia is Malay, but not for Sabah and Sarawak until the state legislatures of Sabah and Sarawak respectively approve it. The federal constitution article 161 also states similar things. However, until now the State Assembly of Sabah and Sarawak have not passed any bill stating that Malay is the official language. Therefore PMX Anwar Ibrahim cannot force the people of Sabah and Sarawak to only use Malay as the official language in government affairs. According to Baru Bian- Language is the identity of the nation. So all languages in Malaysia should be encouraged to be used and preserved. In order to remain the identity of all tribes and races in Malaysia. In terms of competitiveness - English and Mandarin still surpass many other languages in the world. So its use should be encouraged in Malaysia.
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Thomas Jalong, land rights activist from Baram
*Community Resistance to the Tutoh River Dam*
Thomas had recently read a statement from the Premier of Sarawak regarding their plans to build a dam on the Tutoh River, a Baram tributary. He had also received letters from the local community expressing their interest in participating in the dam construction process. However, just yesterday, Thomas came across a statement from a Tutoh community member who voiced concerns about the dam project. The community expressed that they had no knowledge of any consultations with them. They requested the Premier to disclose the names or a list of communities that support the dam's construction. As far as Thomas knows, most people in the area are against building the dam due to the environmental destruction they have witnessed. The community also inquired about whether there has been comprehensive information dissemination regarding the project.
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YB Chiew Choon Mun, PKR MP of Miri
*From Poverty to Entrepreneurship: YB Chiew's Compassionate Initiative for the Community*
Kak Wati, a mother of seven with a mentally disabled husband, faces severe financial hardship, earning only RM20 a day, primarily used for paying a monthly rent of RM400. Recently, they ran out of rice. Unable to work due to her husband's illness and with children to support, Kak Wati visited local restaurants for chicken bones to make a basic soup. In the evenings, she scavenged for leftover food behind Imperial Mall. Her dire circumstances led her to contemplate ending her life.
Upon hearing Kak Wati's story, PKR MP of Miri YB Chiew Choon Mun, decided to follow the principle of empowerment. YB Chiew understood that traditional cash donations, while well-intentioned, often fail to offer a lasting solution. Instead, he decided to provide the tools for Kak Wati to build a sustainable livelihood. After learning of Kak Wati's cooking skills, he took her shopping, procuring a two-month supply of nasi lemak and all the necessary kitchen equipment for a total of nearly RM6,000. Additionally, YB Chiew offered an extra RM2,000 in cash support.
The next day, Kak Wati wasted no time. She began her nasi lemak business, quickly selling out her stock, earning RM250. This marked a significant change in her life and income.
YB Chiew sharing that, empowering individuals to become self-reliant is often the most impactful form of assistance. YB's commitment to teaching Kak Wati to "fish" instead of just giving her a "fish" exemplifies the transformative power of compassion and solidarity.
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