TYT Speech DUN June 2011 Sitting (English & Chinese)

Speech by Chiew Chiu Sing ADUN N59 Kidurong on the debate of Motion of Appreciation on Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di-Pertua Negeri’s Address on 24th of June, 2011 in the Sarawak State Legislative Council, Kuching, Sarawak.

Mr. Speaker,

I rise to take part on the debate of Motion of Appreciation on Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di-Pertua Negeri’s Address which was so graciously delivered by His Excellency the Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di-Pertua Negeri in this august House on Tuesday, the 21st of June, 2011

Mr. Speaker,

I stand here today, humbled by the greater support which I obtained during the 10th Sarawak General Election from people of all races in Kidurong. I am grateful for the trust that had been bestowed, and I am mindful of my role to serve the people not just in Kidurong but all the peoples of Sarawak, from this oldest parliamentary institution in the country.

Mr. Speaker,

So many had been elected to serve in this Sarawak Legislative Council in the past 144 years of the history of our Legislative Council. We have been able to carry on, not just because of those before us , but because of the people of Sarawak who have remained faithful to the ideals of our parliamentary democracy, in our strife for freedom, justice, equality and that, all deserve a chance to pursue our full measure of happiness.

As we continue on with our journey today at the start of the second decade of the 21st century, it has become more and more important to me that the government from this oldest parliamentary institution must do better in upholding our parliamentary democracy, to help our young men and women to find job at a decent wage so that they do not have to go so far away just to make a living, helping our businesses to survive and grow, helping us to get ownership that we can have and afford or a retirement that will be dignifying- etc etc because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Let us be reminded that the success of our economy is not just on the success of a few big companies or foreign investments, but on the depth of the reach of our prosperity, on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart- not out of charity, because that is the surest route to prosperity for all. A nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous.

Mr. Speaker,

I mentioned about helping our people to earn a living, extending opportunity to every willing heart. But unfortunately, there had been much neglect especially with our women from the rural, trying to start their own little business to find a decent living here in town.

All what many want to do is to sell some vegetables or food, so that they can earn some money at places where there are people around, in Bintulu they sell near Tamu, at the ABF housing beach, in front of the shops at MLNG Shop House near Fair Choice, Sg. Plan road side, outside the SK Kidurong , the open space in front of Sg Plan Shop Houses or even those at the Junction of the Bakun and Bintulu/Miri road and others.

These women sat for hours under the hot sun each days selling vegetables and sundries just to earn a few dollars. I cannot understand why the government cannot and had not been implementing more decent places, say, with a roof over their heads, or provide some fans for those at the Tamu, to let them do their businesses to make a living.

Life for them is already hard enough, yet they have to face the constant fear of the enforcement officers coming ,chasing and snatching away their goods with no mercy, Or not even giving a bill of goods so taken, how would you feel when the things you try to sell is being taken away like that.

There is a Chinese saying, Women holds up half of the sky. Today in so many parts of the world, evidence has mounted that helping women can be a successful poverty – fighting strategy. Women are indeed a linchpin of development strategy.

Women starting business or working, contribute to the gross national product and when they made the money they help the education of their children, a brother or a sister, or younger relatives and when they have money to spare, they save their money and boost national savings rate. In a nod to the female chromosomes, this is called, ‘The double X solution ‘ in fighting poverty.

In 2001 the World Bank produced an influential study, Engendering Development Through Gender Equality in Right, Resources, and Voice, arguing that promoting gender equality is crucial to combat global poverty. UNICEF issued a major report arguing that gender equality yields, a ‘double dividend’ by elevating not only women but also their children and communities.

Mr. Speaker,

Longhouse folks living at 38 km from the Mukah town, near the Aluminium Smelting plant, in Mukah Division are experiencing health, environment and social problems . Nothing of this sorts of things ever occur to them for all their 20 odd years of stay there.

The longhouse folks there told me that when they go into their farms to find food, it is becoming harder and harder these days, their vegetables are not growing well as compared to the past, and when they try to sell them, people do not want to buy, and so, what can they do, they eat them themselves. Their fruits trees like the coconut, mango, star fruit and others are not fruiting well also like before.

Women staying in these longhouses, complain of dizziness, uneasy breathing, frequent coughing, pain in the bones and just generally not feeling well. The rain water which they are using have a different odour to it, bathing with it makes one’s body itch and drinking it could cause diarrhea to children. At times in the morning, smelly air would come gushing into their rooms not telling what they are breathing in over the night and day as well.

Bathing and washings in the ponds also causes much itching and when scratched, red dots appear over the body. One said that when the plant first started, fish in his fish pond also died. Today, there is hardly any more fish in there.

Longhouse folks there had gone in and out of the hospital about their suffering and medical people had come visiting them also but their problems still persists, nothing happens.

Mr. Speaker,

How can this be ? I mean the people had been staying there happily for so long already, and nothing like the above mentioned, has ever happened, but, when the Aluminium smelting plant is built, all is changed. Farms produce are not growing well, folks are not feeling well, water for use is becoming a bigger problem.

Government have to do something to help these people before things get even worst and whether the problems so faced by the folks there, is actually a direct result of the gas and water emission from the smelting plant. And to what extend is fluoride being leaked into the air.

If the answer is in the positive, like I have talked many times before in this Dewan about the ill effects of the aluminium smelting plant, shouldn’t the plant then be closed down pending further investigation, because we are talking increased production in the near future, from the present 50kt of aluminium ingot per year, to eventually 115kt per year, 2 times of the capacity now. And the greater problems that it will bring to the human lives and lives of the community of people in Mukah, plus also the implications that it is going to have on the people in Nyalau and Bintulu for the proposed few other aluminium smelting plants to be built at the Samalaju Industrial Park, Similajau, Bintulu. I know the eventual capacity of one of the proposed aluminium smelter is 1.5 million tons a year. That is 30 times that of the present Mukah plant capacity. And what about the capacity of the other two ?

Mr. Speaker,

The sweet promise that the the aluminium smelting plant which started about two years ago in the Mukah Division will create good employment for the local and downstream industries there is not true. Most of the works there now are being done by people from other countries. There are no extrusion plants either.

Mr. Speaker,

Folks of Kuala Similajau who had been staying there since time immemorial, precious their way of life, the Similajau river and the sea. They precious their land , their culture and their civilization and they have wanted to stay on. Presently the river is giving them much fish and prawns and the bounty catches of fish and others from the sea. Kuala Similajua is giving them a living and had been giving them life.

They believe that development must benefit the people on the grounds also and we know that developments that harm the environment, land, water and life should not be implemented. There are so many developments projects which one can choose, let’s take the good ones. So the folks asked that the land near the bank of the Similajau river from the mouth of the river going in wards for about one thousand acres be earmarked to be Kampong Kuala Similajau.

Mr. Speaker,

In Sebatu, Suai and along the Bintulu/Miri road, many longhouses are still without pipe water supply. It is urged that, they be quickly connected with it. And I hope that this time there would be enough water trucks on standby to bring water quickly to these longhouse folks when they run low on water during the dry seasons, and this is not just for Bintulu only, but all divisions in Sarawak.

However there are some longhouses along the Bintulu/Miri road which have the pipe water supply, but the water cannot get up to their longhouses, like Rh Robert area, Rh Janting at Mile 15, 16 Bintulu/Miri road and other places also. I therefore urge that the government to look into this matter immediately to resolve the situation.

Grid electricity supply is another thing. Some Kampongs and longhouses in Sebatu and the Bintulu/Miri road areas are still not connected to it.

The Suai road, leading from the junction at coastal highway near Niah going towards the Suai Bridge at the old Bintulu/Miri road needs up grading and tarring. Let us be more caring for our rural folks also and give them a better road tar sealed and all. And let’s repair the holes on the roads, those that come off the main road, leading to the door steps of the long houses.

And what about the bridge over the Kerong stream for the Suai road, when is that going to be done. It is taking so long that even the access road at the side of the bridge is so damaged that smaller car can hardly passed at times.

Mr. Speaker,

During the May 2010 DUN meeting, I had raised concern on the extend to which beach development works at the Tg. Batu beach condominium is affecting the monsoon drain water flowing from the Assykirim area to the sea.

At the end of last year there was quite a heavy rain one time. The situation of the monsoon drain is then tested and it did not carry the water fast enough out to the sea, the water had been supposedly slowed down by the embankment at the condominium beach development. As a result serious flooding occurred at places that had never been flooded before, like the road between Farly and Sing Kong super markets, Kpg Assykirin Ph one and Fortune park housing areas.

And would the Ministry let us know what is the present status of the situation, as we would be approaching the monsoon rain again soon.

Mr. Speaker,

Big earth filling and other trucks, going through residential estates must slow down and make sure that they do not make a mess or damage the road badly. For example, folks at the MLNG Housing living along the inner 4 lane residential road, could actually feel the tremor in their houses, of the trucks passing by, not to mention of the dust and damage done to the road. The tremor had already caused hair line crack in the house at this early stage of the nearby sea filling works which could take many more years !

Similar problem is also true of the road from SMK Baru going down the hill to the Nyigu road.

The U turn after the traffic light near Sibiew Bridge, Bintulu/Tatau road, in the BBC Industrial estate, mile 5 B/M road is also damaged by the earth filling trucks, making it almost inaccessible for smaller cars. This side of the road there is often flooded, damaged and need urgent repair.

Talking about road, folks travelling between Sibu, Bintulu and Miri on the old trunk road had been very unhappy with the road situation for a long time already. Many parts of the road are not only bumpy, of patches of repair and repair, causing much damages to ones cars, especially the smaller cars. The condition of the road is also making driving unsafe on this road.

Being the only road linking the whole state and with so much money being taken by the Federal Government from our oil and gas. The people feel that it is high time that giving us back a proper road or making the road into a 4 lane highway must be given top priority by the Federal Government. They have done some many many good roads in West Malaysia already, why can’t they do one good one here.

Mr. Speaker,

Land Owners of an area of land of over 6000 sq. meter at Kampong Jalan Masjid, Bintulu are very concerned as their kampong land are going to be acquired by the Government for a Kampung Heritage Project.

They are worry because they have seen other private lands in Bintulu said to be acquired for public purposes though compensated, ended up for commercial buildings etc fetching in a lot more of the compensated price for the new owner.

It is therefore urge that whatever compensation to these land owners at Kampung Masjid, it must be reasonably and done with their interests in our heart also.

And with that Mr. Speaker. Thank you.


N. 59吉都隆区砂劳越州立法议员周政新於砂劳越古晋立法议会参与动议感谢州元首2011年6月24日所发表御词之辩论演词

议长先生，

我参与感谢州元首2011年6月21日御词的动议辩论。

议长先生，

今天，我立于此却因为第10届州大选，在吉都隆选区获得各族人民的热烈拥护而益感谦卑。我非常感激他们对我们的信任，我也时刻谨记在这个国家最古老的议会机构为人民服务的身份，不仅仅是为吉都隆人民，而是为全砂劳越的人民服务。

议长先生，

在我们的立法议会过去的144年里，有许多人曾被选中和服务于砂劳越州立法议会。我们能够继续，不仅是前人的高瞻远瞩，也因为砂劳越州的人民仍然相信我们的议会民主、有争取自由、公正、平等及其他追求幸福生活的应有机会。

在我们继续迈入21世纪的第二个十年之始，更显重要的，在这个最古老的议会机构的政府必须做得更好，帮助我们的年青男女寻找一份能赚取足以体面生活的薪酬，让他们不需离乡背井去谋生。帮助我们的生意能生存和成长，帮助我们在能力的范围内获得拥有权，和享有一个有尊严的退休。唯有如此，我们才能重建人民对政府的信任。

我们的经济繁荣不是靠几个大公司或外国投资, 而是在于繁荣的深度，在于我们能给予每一位愿意接受者的能力，而非施舍。因为这是我们最确切的成功之路。如果只优惠几个富人，一个国家不能长久繁荣。

议长先生，

我谈及帮助我们的人民谋生。给予所有愿意接受者机会，但很不幸的，却大大的忽略了尤其是乡区的妇女，她们想在市区过一个得体的生活，她们要自力更生做小生意。

她们的要求只是在民都鲁有人潮的地方卖点蔬菜或食物，如靠近市集的地方，ABF海滨住宅区，在MLNG店屋前靠近Fair Choice，Sg. Plan路傍，吉都隆小学校外，sg plan店屋外的空地，甚至是在巴贡和民美公路路口和其他地点。

这些妇女坐在烈日下数小时，售卖蔬菜和杂货，只为赚取几块钱。我不明白为何政府不能也不曾提供任何适当的地点供她们谋生，比如有片遮阳的屋顶，或者在市集地点装设风扇。

他们的生活已够艰苦，可是还要时刻担忧执法者到来驱赶他们，毫不怜悯地夺去他们的货品，且处之以罚单，即便所售物品不值几个钱。试问当所售之物被如此取去，你的感受会如何。

华语有句话说：女性可撑半边天。今天，在世界各地已证明，协助妇女是有效扑灭贫穷的策略。事实上，女性是发展政策的主轴。

女性做生意或工作，是对国家生产做出贡献。当她们有钱时，能资助子女、弟妹或年轻的亲戚受教育。犹有余钱，她们会储蓄起来。这更提升了国家的储蓄率。在向阴性染色体敬礼之际，这也称为“双X解决方案”。

2001年世界银行做了一个很有贡献的研究。“扶植发展通过性别权利、资源及发言权力平等”，议论说全球与贫穷抗争最重要的是提倡性别平等。

联合国儿童基金会发表一份重要的报告，强调性别平等产生一个“双份红利”，不仅女性获得提升，她们的子女及社群也一样。

议长先生，

在距离沐胶镇38公里处，靠近熔铝厂的长屋居民正面对健康、环境及社会问题。这些事情，在他们定居在该处20年来，从未发生。

该处长屋居民告诉我，当他们到农田里找食物时，近来已越来越困难。他们的蔬菜没有以前长的好，要卖也没人要，没法子只好自己吃。他们的果树，如椰子、芒果，杨桃等的收成也大不如前。

居住在这些长屋的妇女也投诉说，她们感到昏眩、呼吸困难、常咳嗽、骨骼疼痛，总感到不舒服。雨水有异味，用之洗浴後，身体发痒，饮用後，引起孩童腹泻。有时上午时分，带有臭味的空气直冲入屋，更不用说日夜呼吸着的空气。

在水塘洗浴或洗涤衣物会发痒，搔痒後身上现出红斑点。有个说，工厂刚运作时，水塘里的鱼也死了。今天水塘里已难见鱼踪。

长屋居民如今因其遭受，成了医院常客，医务人员也曾到长屋看个究竟，但问题仍是不获解决。

议长先生，

怎能如此？人民在那里长久以来安居乐业，也从未发生上述情形，但建立熔铝厂，一切都变了。农作物收成不好，居民感觉不好，食用水成了大问题。

在情形更恶化之前，政府必须帮助这些人, 无论问题是否与熔铝厂排放的气体或水直接有关。还有到底有多少的氯化物被排放到空气中。

如果答案是肯定的，如我过去多次在议会中提出熔铝厂的害処，是否要先关闭工厂等待调查。因为他们正准备增加产量，从现在每年的5万公吨铝块，到最终每年生产11.5公吨。双倍於现在的产量。它將带给沐胶人民更大的健康问题。这也与住在Nyalau及民都鲁人民有关，因为还有几个熔铝厂将在士米拉爪工业园设立。我知道其中有一间最终的计划是每年生产150万公吨。这是目前沐胶生产量的30倍。如果再增加两个那又会是怎样的呢？

议长先生，

两年多前在沐胶设立熔铝厂，将会给当地人制造好的就业机会及下游工业的甜美诺言是假的。今天大多数的工作都是外国人担任，本地人少之又少。

议长先生，


今天世代居住在士米拉爪河口的居民，因为珍惜他们的生活方式、士米拉爪河、海洋和他们的土地、文化及他们要继续生活下去的文明。当下，这条河流给予他们鱼虾及大海丰富的海产，士米拉爪河口赐给了他们生活和生命。

他们认为，发展必须让在当地生活的居民受益。破害环境、土地、水源和生命的发展不应该推行。有许多可供选择的发展，我们应该选好的。居民要求把从河口向内约一千公顷士米拉爪河岸的土地设立为士米拉爪河口甘榜。

议长先生，

在Sebatu, Suai及沿着民美公路，许多长屋仍然没有自来水供应。我吁请当局尽快接驳给他们。我希望这次有足够的运水车，随时准备运水救济长屋居民的燃眉之急。这不仅是在民都鲁而已，是全砂劳越州。

沿着民美公路，许多长屋有自来水供应，但水压不足不能输送到长屋内去。在15、16里民美公路的Robert地区的长屋， Janting长屋及其他地方。因此，我吁请政府关注此事，即刻解决此问题。

电流供应网是另一问题。有些在Sebatu和民美公路地区的甘榜和长屋还未接驳上电流。

从靠近尼亚海滨公路路口到旧民美公路的Suai桥，需要提升和重新舖过。我们应该更关心他们，给他们造一条舖上沥青的好路。把，並把那些延伸到长屋门口路上的坑坑洞洞填平。

Suai 路Kerong 河的桥何时才能竣工？已经太久了，就连桥边的过道也已破坏不堪，连小车子都难以通过。

在2010年5月底立法议会会议上，我曾提出在Sg. Batu海滩公寓大厦的海滩发展工程，影响Assykirim地区排水道向海里排放雨水的问题.

去年底，有一阵子雨量很大，这对此事是一个考验。结果该大沟不能迅速把雨水排送到海里去，因为海滩发展工程围墙阻缓了它。结果造成严重的泛滥，连从不淹水处，如华利和星光超市之间的道路，甘榜Assykirim第一期和幸福花园的住宅区都变成一片泽国。


有关部长是否能告知目前的情况，因为雨季就快来临？

议长先生，

大型填土车和其他卡车进入住宅区必须减缓速度慢下来，并确保不损坏道路和破坏环境。例如在MLNG住宅区内大路旁居民, 当车辆经过时在屋里能感受到震动，更别谈所引起的沙尘和对道路的破坏。震动已造成屋子出现裂缝，靠海附近的填土工程刚开始，还要许多年才能结束！

同样的问题也发生在从Baru中学到Nyigu路岭下的路。靠近民都鲁/达岛路Sibiew 桥交通灯之后的回转处，在民美公路5里BBC工业区，道路也被大卡车破坏了，小型车辆几乎不能通过。一边的道路已破环更时常淹水，急需速修补。


说及道路，使用诗巫，民都鲁及美里旧路的旅客，对路况多时以来就很不高兴。许多路段都崎岖不平，补丁一块块，对车辆造成破坏，尤其是小型车辆。路况对驾驶也十分危险。

即是唯一联系整个州的道路，而联邦政府又从石油和天然气取去这么多钱。人民认为是时候联邦政府应该优先给回一条真正的路，或者建造一条4道高速公路。在西马，他们已经建造了许许多多的道路，为什么不能在此建条好的路。

议长先生，

在民都鲁的甘榜教堂路拥有6千平方公尺大片土地的地主们非常担心，因为他们的土地将被政府征收做为甘榜传统计划之用。他们担心，因为有鉴于其他民都鲁私人土地，虽然说征收供做公共用途并获得赔偿，最后却成为商业建筑物及其他等，为新地主赚进更多的赔偿金。

在此我吁请无论给这些土地任何赔偿都必须合理，并为他们的利益着想。

即此我结束我的演讲，谢谢议长先生。