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2012年5月16日所发表御词之辩论演词
议长先生，
今年一月初，迎接华人新年後一星期，民都鲁清理垃圾的承包商Trieneken Sdn Bhd 在民都鲁的许多住宅区约两星期没有清理垃圾。
那两个星期没有人会感到高兴。到处是没清理和堆积如山的垃圾，垃圾四散在垃圾桶边。空气恶臭难闻。这不仅有碍观感和令人不快，更是极不卫生。
在接受报界访问时，在民都鲁办事处的负责官员说，Trieneken Sdn Bhd 正面对缺乏人力问题，也找不到卡车司机及垃圾车随车助理。虽然已登报招聘，但无人问津。
隔天，民都鲁罗里公会主席及理事也回应了严重缺乏罗里司机的问题。他们谈及司机缺乏和问题的重点，并吁请政府采取步骤解决这问题。
议长先生，事实是，今天在民都鲁各行各业都面对工人短缺，情形就像1980年代初期，民都鲁开始建造马来西亚液状天然气厂的情况一样。
不过，我们也别因此而认为这是永久性的而以为就业已不困难，事实上这是周期性的。当然，当士米拉爪工业园开始运作，无可否认的将会有更多的长久性职位。
过去在民都鲁找工作，许多求职者 跟着潮流走。当民都鲁马来西亚液状天然气厂开始时，到处都有工作，但工程结束後（虽然有一些留下来被该厂聘请了），这批劳动力就涌往伐木业，到木山营工作，但那过不久也沒有多少木可伐了。好多到其他更远国家的木山营去，如巴西、非洲、巴布新几内亚及其他等国家。还有为数多过十万的移居西马、希望能在那边过上好日子。
议长先生，
虽然，今天年轻一辈越来越多人受过大专教育，但许多毕业後即失业。例如2007年至2010年间，砂劳越既有21,251人从高等学院毕业，但仍有5,958人找不到工作，虽然从数字上看，仍有许多工作空缺，但即使那些侥幸能谋得一职者，希望能找得份高收入工作已是太遥远的梦想。
几十年後历史重演，这种情形再次发生是非常不幸的。因为就业问题从来就没有获得当权政府的认真看待。我是说我们的经济缺少可持续性，我们需要的是各个领域凝聚的一股力量，以之扭转这多年来形成的问题。
议长先生，
我们面对我们时代的严峻时刻，其中我们必须采取一条带领我们所有砂劳越人民通往比较能持久的经济及有更多成长机会的道路。若不如此，我们会重返腐蚀建立一个中产阶级的政策，把更多的收入倾入少数一些为所欲为的幸运儿。
本州得天独厚、物产丰富、有干净安全能源可提供我们相当的优處，來帮助我们建立起一个中产阶级。我们有强大的劳动力，我们年轻的一代人很多都有受教育，有生意头脑。因此我们的政策企划人应该以我们的优点划定一个增长的中产阶级，并且必须无视他们的背景给予青年更多的机会。
一个更大的中产阶级对我们国家是好的。事实上，对政治、经济及社会建构都有益。对工人和商业也好，对我们未来的展望及解决经济成长都有利。它使我们国家更强，人民无论是什么种族及宗教信仰背景，都能成为更团结的马来西亚人和砂劳越人。
议长先生，
砂劳越再生能源走廊已说得多了，它所制造的就业机会、所拥有的潜力、为本州带来的高收入经济等等。在制造液状天然气厂时也说过这些话，而我们也见识到其结果，留下一个周期性和构造性的就业问题给本州，以及让本州错失建立一个中产阶级。
即使在发展砂劳越再生能源走廊之初期，也未制造商业机会，对建立一个中产阶级的机会也未给于助力。例如建造成千单位各类工人的营舍，它们都由一个联营公司承建和营运，没有公开投标，没给外界人士对该生意有竞争的机会。这种做法减低了本地商界参与的机会，也阻挠了我们在经济成长中产生中产阶级。我们难道不能把它开放让更多人有钱赚。我们需要的是一套适度的混合经济政策，及平等的竞争以缩小贫富之间的鸿沟，这是我们重回康复之道。
商业和就业是建立中产阶级的核心。我们知道雇主聘用工人只在乎有利可图。薪酬是由多种因素决定，包括劳力的供求、工艺、教育及技能，以及影响谈判力量和士气的制度形态。
本州面对许多的挑战，我们的劳动力虽然强大，但仍然年青，许多都没有教育、技能及工作文化。有经验的已出外到别处找工作。我们都明白教育是摆脱贫穷之锁。越多学生继续学业，更多的求得文凭。学位和学业上的成就，即是建构中产阶级的要素。高等教育不能只是属于少数人的奢侈，而是明确通往更好的工作及一个更强的中产阶级。
可是今天大专教育昂贵，学额又有限，这限制了我们的青年学子进入学院或大学。即使我们拥有一等的教学设备，如在民都鲁的马来西亚农业大学分校，它的谮能，都可在过去的几十年训练出许多的毕业生。可是如今却未充分的利用它以提供砂劳越人求之若渴的教育，尤其是那些居住在民都鲁和周围的人。
其实它有能力提供许多科系，來协助砂劳越产生一个持久的经济。例如今天民都鲁是国内最大石化综合体的大本营之一，还有即将开始营运的士米拉爪工业园，马来西亚农业大学
是最适合提供机械、科学及工业学位和学习研发及相关领域的地方。这是大学与工业界合作开展互惠目标的机会，提升学术及在职训练，为下一代本地工人做准备。
我听商界巨子说过，他们要在民都鲁招聘工人，但无法找到他们所需的人才。工业界不断进展的科学与工艺存有许多就业机会，但我们却没有这类的工人。这是不可原谅的。这就是为什么需要为明天的工作而做出准备。我们全砂劳越须尽早投入技术和教育，而农业大学更需要尽其所长，扮演好它的角色。
建立中产阶级涉及积极的外界条件来提高劳动力的需求及创立新的工业及产品，同时为他们装备成功所需的必要工具。我们的商业需要成长，但当Trieneken、民都鲁罗里公会及许多其他人都不能找到罗里司机时，他们就没有生意可做。罗里司机获取驾照需花RM6000，更别说其他准证及额外载货执照（GDL-载货执照）。当他们要担任货车司机，有几个人有能力付RM6000和额外费用。他们已经贫穷，许多才念完中学，何处去找这RM6000来开工。不能找到钱，他们只好到别处去谋生，而我们又失去一个制造中产收入者的机会，罗里不动，所有的生意都不能做，机会也全失掉。
生意提供就业机会，而生产力制造成长。这就是所以我们必须集中我们的力量以协助他们成功。把局限成长的框框去掉，让他们获得迫切需要的贷款，提供奖掖及支持研究及革新的新工作和新工业。让我们的政府不要隋慢不动，做事要快，有效及更积极的响应我们商界和人民的需求。
有位女士，Ramis ak Tinggi, 她申请一张新地契，因为旧的已遗失。她前往民都鲁土地局，但被告知需等待6个月才能获得新地契。在这个网络时代竟然需要6个月去获取替代地契！
Ramis女士於2012年2月初呈交她的申请，接下来3个月她的申请被搁置在民都鲁土地局办公室内。可否告诉我，为什么这份申请被搁置3个月之久？经过数次询问，所得答案都是说已进行了，下星期就会寄去古晋。
但当Ramis女士的女儿在2012年4月16日电询古晋土地局时，才知道这份申请从来没到达古晋。从民都鲁寄一份文件到古晋，为何需要这么多时日。难怪需要6个月时间去更换一张遗失地契。
议长先生，
我手头上有几个个案需要政府更积极、有效率及更好的服务，來对待来求助的人民及达到迠立中产阶级的目的。首先是Daikein路和吉都隆路路口。每星期至少有一两宗车祸在此发生，这路口是越来越危险了。
Daikein 路和吉都隆路路口是民都鲁繁忙的要道，也是吉都隆路最复杂的路口，每天无数的大罗里、拖斗车、油罐车及轿车都在此出入，可是却没有装置交通灯以管制交通，只有一个停、行、转弯的标识。这是远远不足的，因此大大小小的车辆都冒着生命危险在此闯进闯出！只需一个错误的判断，就会被一辆迎面而来的16轮大卡车压扁！
不管是什么原因造成迟迟未在此竖立这迟来和迫切需要的交通灯，这是不该发生的。因为这情况存在已久，如果现在没有一个一劳永逸解决问题的办法，至少应该装置暂时性的交通灯, 或叫交警协助，以减轻在该处道路使用者的压力和危险。
议长先生，
还有就是，在敦胡先翁路5里处的比利华山住宅区入口处经常发生水災。该处的双线道常因此水深2尺，造成交通中断。这情形已存在多年，有关当局也承诺改善该问题，但问题仍未解决。即为泛婆大道中的一段主干线，我们可以想像其繁忙的车流量在浸水时的混乱和堵塞情况。
民美公路31里往格纳盟河前进数公里处，有一属于Speriyadi Bin Dris先生的油棕园。他在1994年就开始种了6000株油棕树，但从1997年就被西马的油棕种植公司取去4800株。今天他们都在采摘Speriyadi先生的油粽。据Speriyadi先生所言，他种植油棕树的地是甘榜Maskat人民的土著习俗地，却被西马油棕种植公司取去。
西马公司占据他的土地令Speriyadi先生非常生气，从他的油棕树采集收成，令他更是非常生气，因为西马公司夺取他的土地，这片土地是他和他甘榜人民共同开发和根据传统和砂劳越土著习俗而聚居其上。
Speriyadi入禀至Sebauh 副县，结果各造有关人等都被召往开会以解决问题。直至今天，事情仍无结果，而Speriyadi先生的油棕树继续结果也仍然由西马公司收成。Speriyadi先生因此事已在2012年2月12日写信给土地局，目前仍无回音。
议长先生，如果Speriyadi先生是这么有事业心和勤劳的砂劳越人，除了大种植公司之外，他和其他的人都应该给予机会，让他们拥有土地做种植业，以改善生活，及成为中产收入者。
议长先生，94位有志予当飞行员的学员，在民都鲁黄金海湾国际飞行学院（GGIFA）学习飞单引擎和双引擎飞机，结果被遗弃而不能在2010年底完成课程，因为该学院突然关闭了。
这些学员从此不能获得该航空学院承诺的飞行文凭。他们所还的钱也被没收。该课程的学费，每位学员是RM200,000。
许多家长用了他们的血汗钱、储蓄或贷款，期待他们的孩子成为飞机师时能还给银行，这是他们所有的钱，现在他们已没有钱再送孩子去其他飞行学院继续课程，学员们的前途也堪虑。
黄金海湾国际飞行学院（GGIFA）是非常不负责的。该学院或其他学院半途遗弃学员，而且并未作出任何尝试或做任何安排让学员能继续课程以获得飞行文凭。
该学院甚至挑战学员如果不满意可入禀法庭，但这并不仅是个法律问题，这也是道德问题，商业道德及对他人 的责任。现在，世界上其他地方会如何看待我们和我们的高等学府，因为它们任何时候都可能关闭好像GGIFA那样。
因此，我吁请政府干预此事，让学员成为飞行员的梦想能实现。
议长先生，最後我要说回Trieneken Sdn Bhd。因为没有司机而2周垃圾没有清理，这是不可原谅的。我相信这在政府的合同里一定没有这个条款。它应该把事情办得更好。另外，考虑到它们在住宅区每周仅清理两次垃圾，首先为何让它垄断清理垃圾的工作，每年又付给它们多少钱。是否我们应该籍此开放清理垃圾服务，让本地公司也能参与这项生意，说不定他们比所谓的国际公司能提供更低廉和更好的服务。
谢谢。
周政 新。
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
My Debate on his Excellency's Address (English Version)
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 16th of May, 2012 in the Sarawak State Legislative Council, Kuching, Sarawak.
Mr. Speaker,
Early January this year, just about a week after ushering in the chinese New Year, the contractor for rubbish collection in Bintulu, Trieneken Sdn Bhd., had failed to collect rubbish for about two weeks in many of the housing estates in Bintulu.
Nobody was happy during those two weeks, with rubbish every where uncollected, piling up and spilling over the rubbish bins. Foul smell was in the air. It was not only an eyesore and a nescience, but most certainly unhygienic also.
The officer in charge at the Bintulu office when interviewed by the press said that Trieneken Sdn Bhd was facing man power problem and could not find the truck drivers and the assistance for their rubbish dump trucks though they had advertised to recruit. No body applied, he said.
A day later Chairman and Committee members of the Bintulu Lorry Association echoed the seriousness of the problem of the lack of lorry drivers. They mentioned of the shortcomings and gist of the problem and urge the government to take steps in resolving the problem.
In fact Mr. Speaker there is a shortage of all kinds of workers in Bintulu these days, pretty much like the days when the construction of the first MLNG plant in Bintulu started. in the early 1980’s.
But let us not to be led to think that this is permanent and that employment is not a problem anymore, while in fact this is cyclical. But of course when the Samalaju Industrial Park is operating, more permanent jobs will be made available. That, no one can deny.
But employment in Bintulu in the past had pretty much followed where the wind blows. When the MLNG plants first started in Bintulu, there was job everywhere and when that was done with, ( though some stayed behind and were recruited by the MLNG plants) the work force flogged to join in the logging of the forest, working in timber camps after which there wasn’t much job left either, and many went to work in the timber camps of the world, in Brazil, Africa, PNG and others, while more than hundred of thousands migrated to live in Semananjuan Malaysia , hoping to find the greener pasture there.
Mr. Speaker,
Though more of the younger generation these days would be able to attain tertiary education and thus able to get jobs easier, yet many had graduated but cannot find jobs, like for example between 2007 and 2010 of the total number of Sarawakian graduated from Public Higher Institutions of Learning, out of a total of 21,251 graduates, 5958 were unemployed, though figures showed that job vacancies were still many. And even for those who were lucky to get a job, the dream of them joining the high income economy these days was just to far away.
It is really unfortunate that after all these decades the situation is coming back to us, and history is repeating itself. It is unfortunate because the problem of employment was never seriously addressed to by the government of the day. What I mean is our economy lack sustainability and what we need is a concerted effort by all sectors to reverse this problem which had been building for all these years.
Mr. Speaker,
We face a critical moment in our time in which we have to pursue a path that must lead to a more durable economy and growing opportunities for all Sarawakians . For otherwise, we would be returning to the policies that caused the erosion of building the middle class, and tilted an ever increasing share of income into the hands of a fortunate few, who were allowed to play by their own rules.
Our state is well endowed with our rich natural resources, clean and safe energy which should give us the considerable strengths that could help us to build the middle class. We have a strong work force, more and more or our younger generations are getting an education and many are becoming very enterprising. Therefore, it is imperative that our policy makers should build on our strengths to create an expanding middle class and provide more opportunity for more young people, regardless of their backgrounds.
A larger middle class is good for our country. In fact it is good for politics, our economy and our civic institutions. It is good for our workers and businesses. It is good for our future prospect and economic growth, it makes us a stronger country where our people will be better bonded as Malaysian and Sarawakians despite of all our different ethnic and religious back grounds. Building a large middle class is not about political idealogies, it's just common sense.
Mr. speaker
Much had been said of SCORE and the employment it will create and the potential it has, to bring our State into the high income economy. The same had been said of during the construction of the MLNG plants and we have seen the results, leaving behind both a cyclical and structural employment problem in the state and the missed chance in building the middle class.
Even at this very primary stage in the development of SCORE business opportunities are not being created so that building the middle class in our State can have a better shot. For example like the thousand of units of the all inclusive workers camps. They are being built and operated by a joint venture with no open tender for others to have a chance to bit for the business. This kind of practices reduced the local business community from participating and thus hampering again the chance in growing the middle class in our economy. Can’t we open this up so that more people can participate and earn the money.
In building the middle class, we need is a set of appropriate mix of economic policies and a level playing field that can reduce the big gap between the rich and the poor and bring us back to a healthy recovery path .
Businesses and employment are core to building the Middle Class . We know that employers hire workers when they think it is profitable to do so. And that wages are determined by a mix of factors, including labor supply and demand, technology , education and skill and institutional features that affect bargaining power and morale.
Our State is faced with many challenges, our work force though strong is still young and many has not acquire the education, skill or the work culture. For those who had the experience many have gone else where to find the job and are not in our State. We all know that education is the key to shed one off poverty and the more students who do not walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma or degree and educational attainment is a major contributor to the building of the middle class. Higher education cannot just be a luxury for a few, it is the clearest path to better jobs and a stronger middle class.
But today tertiary education for Sarawkians is still expansive, limited and made difficult for many of our young ones to go to college or university. Even if we have the first class facilities like the UPM Bintulu campus which has so much potential to churn out graduates for all the past decades, is just sitting there and not being put to greater use so as to give the much needed education to Sarawakian and especially those in and around the Bintulu area.
In fact, there are so many faculties that she could be offering to meet the need for growing a durable Sarawak economy. For example, to day Bintulu is the home to one of the largest petrol chemical complexs in the country and the coming up of the SamaLaju Industrial Park , UPM would be the most appropriate place for degrees in engineering, science and technology, for interns, for research and development in the related fields. This is the opportunity for partnerships between the university and the industry to promote the dual goal of academic skills and on the job preparedness for the next generation of our local workers.
I have heard from business leaders who had wanted to hire in Bintulu but cannot find the workers with the right skill. Growing industries in science and technology have more openings for jobs as we have workers who can do them, yet we do not have the people. This is inexcusable. And that is why to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start early for the whole of the State of Sarawak and UPM has to play her maximum role here.
Building the middle class involves leveraging positive externalities to raise labor demand and productivity, and create new industries and products, while equipping our worker with tools they need to succeed. We need to grow our businesses. But when things like, Trinekene, the Bintulu Lorry Associations and so many others cannot even find lorry drivers they are no businesses to be done. But, when one have to spend 6000 ringgit just to get a lorry driving license, not to mention this and that in applying for that license and an additional license for carrying goods (GDL- the Goods Driving License) how many can afford 6000 ringgit and the additional costs when most of them who would want to become lorry drivers were already poor in the first place or have just finished secondary school, and have no way of finding the 6000 ringgit plus, to start out. And when they cannot get the money they turned elsewhere and we miss yet another chance of creating a middle class income person, worst still, when lorries can’t move, no business can move, so much opportunities are lost.
Small businesses create jobs , while their productivity create growth. And this is where we need to work hard and concentrate on our effort to help them succeed. Tear down the regulations that prevent them grow, let them have the much needed financing, give incentives to them and support research and innovations to new jobs and new industries. And let our government be leaner, quicker and more responsive to meet the needs of our business and our folks.
Yet I have one Madam Ramis anak Tinggi who had applied for a new land title for Block 27, Lot 173, Kemena Land District , as the old one was lost. She went to the Bintulu Land and Survey office but was told that she would need to wait for 6 months to get the land title replaced ! Six months to replace a land title at this internet age and time ? !!
Madam Ramis had submitted her application at the beginning of February 2012, but her application sat at the Bintulu Land Office and did not get out off the Office for the next 3 months. And May I know what is the application doing sitting in the office for almost 3 months ? It was not after several enquires and to which the answer was always that it is on the way and would be sent to Kuching the next week.
But when Madam Ramis daughter called the Kuching Land and Survey office on 16th April, 2012, it was only then known that the application had never been sent there ! I mean what could take so long as just to send a document to Kuching for processing, no wonder it takes six months to replace a lost land title.
Mr. Speaker,
On hand I have several others issues which the government can be more responsive, efficient and can do better to meet the needs of the people and complement the making of the middle class. First of all, like the junction at Daiken and Kidurong road. Every week one or two accidents would occur and the junction is becoming more and more dangerous for road users there.
The Daiken and Kidurong road junction is one of the most complicated junction on the busy, major Kidurong road in Bintulu. So many big lorries, trailers ,tankers, and private cars too, go in and out of the junction every day, and yet there is no traffic lights for traffic control ! only the stop, go and turning sign boards, and this is not enough. As a result vehicles big or small everyday take chance and risk their lives just to get in or sneak out!! And for just one false move one could be smacked flat by an oncoming 16 wheelers !
Whatever the reason that caused the delay to install the much needed and way over due traffic lights, this should have never happened, as the situation there had been like that for a long time already. And even if a permanent solution is not at hand at this moment, at least put in the temporary traffic light or call in the traffic police to alleviate the burden and risk in driving there and save lives!
Mr. Speaker,
Then there is the frequent flash flood at mile 5, Tun Hussein Onn road, at the entrance of Beverly Hill Housing Estate. The dual carriage road there would be flooded up to two feet deep at times, making it almost in accessible when that occurs. The situation had been like that for many years already and promises by the authorities concerned to rectify the problem had been long standing and overdue. Being a major and part of the Pan Borneo Trunk road also, we can imagine the traffic volume and when it is flooded, the chaos and the jam it would create.
At Mile 31 of the Bintulu/Miri road, couple of kilometers towards the Kemena River, lies the palm oil farm of En. Speriyadi Bin Dris who had in the year 1994 started planting 6000 numbers palm oil trees but since 1997, 4800 number of the palm oil trees had been taken by a West Malaysian Palm oil plantation company and today they are harvesting the palm oil trees of En Speriyadi.
According to En.Speriyadi, the land which he had planted palm oil trees were the NCR land of the people of Kampong Maskat but was taken by a West Malaysian Palm oil company.
En. Speriyadi is very angry that the West Malaysian company had occupied his land and is harvesting his palm oil trees. He is angry because the West Malaysian Company had taken his land, a land area which he and his kampong folks has worked and lived on according to the traditions and adat of the natives of Sarawak .
En. Speriyadi had brought the matter up to the Sebauh Sub District and a meeting was called by all those concerned to solve the problem, but until this day, there was no solution was in sight, while En. Speriyadi palm oil trees continue to be harvested by the West Malaysian company. En. Speriyadi had written a letter dated 22.2.2012 to the Land & Survey with regards to the matter but there was no reply also.
Mr. Speaker, if En. Speriyadi is such an enterprising and hard working fellow Sarawakian, should not he and others also be given the chance, apart from big plantation company, to have land and do farming so as to move ourselves up the ladder of better living and become a middle class person.
Mr. Speaker,
94 aspiring airplane students, learning to fly the single and twin engine airplane, at the Gulf Golden International Flying Academy (GGIFA) International College of Aviation in Bintulu were dumped and could not finish their courses when the above mentioned International College of Aviation suddenly closed down its flying school, in the last quarter of 2010.
The students never got their flying certificates as promised by the Aviation College. All the money which the students had paid for school fees were forfeited and not returned to them. The schools fees for the course was around RM 200,000 per student.
For many parents those were their hard earned money, savings or loans which they have planned to pay back to the bank when their children could make it to become pilots. That was all the money they have. The parents now have no more money left for their children to go to another flying academy elsewhere, or what, to finish the course. The future of the students is at stack.
It is most irresponsible of GGIFA, the International College of Aviation or any college for that matter, to dump students half way through the course just like that, while not even making an attempt of some sort, to make arrangements so that the students could finish their courses and obtain their flying certificates.
The College even challenge the students to take up the matter in court if they don’t like it , but this is not just a question of law, it is also about morality , business morality and responsibility to others. Now, how is the world going to look at us and at our institution of higher learning as they may close down anytime like GGIFA.
I therefore urge that our government to intervene in this matter so that the dreams of these students of becoming pilots would come true .
And finally, Mr. Speaker,
Coming back to Trieneken, there is really no excuse that rubbish were left uncollected for two weeks because there were no drivers. I am sure there are no provisions like that in the contract agreement. She really have to do a better job. By the way why was she given the monopoly to rubbish collection in the first place and how much was paid to them yearly, considering they only collect two times a week for the housing area. Isn’t it about time that we should open up rubbish collection service for open tender so that local companies can also participate in this line of business, may be they could even provide better and cheaper services to our people than the so called International company.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker.
Chiew Chin Sing.
Motion of Appreciation on Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di-Pertua Negeri’s Address on 16th of May, 2012 in the Sarawak State Legislative Council, Kuching, Sarawak.
Mr. Speaker,
Early January this year, just about a week after ushering in the chinese New Year, the contractor for rubbish collection in Bintulu, Trieneken Sdn Bhd., had failed to collect rubbish for about two weeks in many of the housing estates in Bintulu.
Nobody was happy during those two weeks, with rubbish every where uncollected, piling up and spilling over the rubbish bins. Foul smell was in the air. It was not only an eyesore and a nescience, but most certainly unhygienic also.
The officer in charge at the Bintulu office when interviewed by the press said that Trieneken Sdn Bhd was facing man power problem and could not find the truck drivers and the assistance for their rubbish dump trucks though they had advertised to recruit. No body applied, he said.
A day later Chairman and Committee members of the Bintulu Lorry Association echoed the seriousness of the problem of the lack of lorry drivers. They mentioned of the shortcomings and gist of the problem and urge the government to take steps in resolving the problem.
In fact Mr. Speaker there is a shortage of all kinds of workers in Bintulu these days, pretty much like the days when the construction of the first MLNG plant in Bintulu started. in the early 1980’s.
But let us not to be led to think that this is permanent and that employment is not a problem anymore, while in fact this is cyclical. But of course when the Samalaju Industrial Park is operating, more permanent jobs will be made available. That, no one can deny.
But employment in Bintulu in the past had pretty much followed where the wind blows. When the MLNG plants first started in Bintulu, there was job everywhere and when that was done with, ( though some stayed behind and were recruited by the MLNG plants) the work force flogged to join in the logging of the forest, working in timber camps after which there wasn’t much job left either, and many went to work in the timber camps of the world, in Brazil, Africa, PNG and others, while more than hundred of thousands migrated to live in Semananjuan Malaysia , hoping to find the greener pasture there.
Mr. Speaker,
Though more of the younger generation these days would be able to attain tertiary education and thus able to get jobs easier, yet many had graduated but cannot find jobs, like for example between 2007 and 2010 of the total number of Sarawakian graduated from Public Higher Institutions of Learning, out of a total of 21,251 graduates, 5958 were unemployed, though figures showed that job vacancies were still many. And even for those who were lucky to get a job, the dream of them joining the high income economy these days was just to far away.
It is really unfortunate that after all these decades the situation is coming back to us, and history is repeating itself. It is unfortunate because the problem of employment was never seriously addressed to by the government of the day. What I mean is our economy lack sustainability and what we need is a concerted effort by all sectors to reverse this problem which had been building for all these years.
Mr. Speaker,
We face a critical moment in our time in which we have to pursue a path that must lead to a more durable economy and growing opportunities for all Sarawakians . For otherwise, we would be returning to the policies that caused the erosion of building the middle class, and tilted an ever increasing share of income into the hands of a fortunate few, who were allowed to play by their own rules.
Our state is well endowed with our rich natural resources, clean and safe energy which should give us the considerable strengths that could help us to build the middle class. We have a strong work force, more and more or our younger generations are getting an education and many are becoming very enterprising. Therefore, it is imperative that our policy makers should build on our strengths to create an expanding middle class and provide more opportunity for more young people, regardless of their backgrounds.
A larger middle class is good for our country. In fact it is good for politics, our economy and our civic institutions. It is good for our workers and businesses. It is good for our future prospect and economic growth, it makes us a stronger country where our people will be better bonded as Malaysian and Sarawakians despite of all our different ethnic and religious back grounds. Building a large middle class is not about political idealogies, it's just common sense.
Mr. speaker
Much had been said of SCORE and the employment it will create and the potential it has, to bring our State into the high income economy. The same had been said of during the construction of the MLNG plants and we have seen the results, leaving behind both a cyclical and structural employment problem in the state and the missed chance in building the middle class.
Even at this very primary stage in the development of SCORE business opportunities are not being created so that building the middle class in our State can have a better shot. For example like the thousand of units of the all inclusive workers camps. They are being built and operated by a joint venture with no open tender for others to have a chance to bit for the business. This kind of practices reduced the local business community from participating and thus hampering again the chance in growing the middle class in our economy. Can’t we open this up so that more people can participate and earn the money.
In building the middle class, we need is a set of appropriate mix of economic policies and a level playing field that can reduce the big gap between the rich and the poor and bring us back to a healthy recovery path .
Businesses and employment are core to building the Middle Class . We know that employers hire workers when they think it is profitable to do so. And that wages are determined by a mix of factors, including labor supply and demand, technology , education and skill and institutional features that affect bargaining power and morale.
Our State is faced with many challenges, our work force though strong is still young and many has not acquire the education, skill or the work culture. For those who had the experience many have gone else where to find the job and are not in our State. We all know that education is the key to shed one off poverty and the more students who do not walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma or degree and educational attainment is a major contributor to the building of the middle class. Higher education cannot just be a luxury for a few, it is the clearest path to better jobs and a stronger middle class.
But today tertiary education for Sarawkians is still expansive, limited and made difficult for many of our young ones to go to college or university. Even if we have the first class facilities like the UPM Bintulu campus which has so much potential to churn out graduates for all the past decades, is just sitting there and not being put to greater use so as to give the much needed education to Sarawakian and especially those in and around the Bintulu area.
In fact, there are so many faculties that she could be offering to meet the need for growing a durable Sarawak economy. For example, to day Bintulu is the home to one of the largest petrol chemical complexs in the country and the coming up of the SamaLaju Industrial Park , UPM would be the most appropriate place for degrees in engineering, science and technology, for interns, for research and development in the related fields. This is the opportunity for partnerships between the university and the industry to promote the dual goal of academic skills and on the job preparedness for the next generation of our local workers.
I have heard from business leaders who had wanted to hire in Bintulu but cannot find the workers with the right skill. Growing industries in science and technology have more openings for jobs as we have workers who can do them, yet we do not have the people. This is inexcusable. And that is why to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start early for the whole of the State of Sarawak and UPM has to play her maximum role here.
Building the middle class involves leveraging positive externalities to raise labor demand and productivity, and create new industries and products, while equipping our worker with tools they need to succeed. We need to grow our businesses. But when things like, Trinekene, the Bintulu Lorry Associations and so many others cannot even find lorry drivers they are no businesses to be done. But, when one have to spend 6000 ringgit just to get a lorry driving license, not to mention this and that in applying for that license and an additional license for carrying goods (GDL- the Goods Driving License) how many can afford 6000 ringgit and the additional costs when most of them who would want to become lorry drivers were already poor in the first place or have just finished secondary school, and have no way of finding the 6000 ringgit plus, to start out. And when they cannot get the money they turned elsewhere and we miss yet another chance of creating a middle class income person, worst still, when lorries can’t move, no business can move, so much opportunities are lost.
Small businesses create jobs , while their productivity create growth. And this is where we need to work hard and concentrate on our effort to help them succeed. Tear down the regulations that prevent them grow, let them have the much needed financing, give incentives to them and support research and innovations to new jobs and new industries. And let our government be leaner, quicker and more responsive to meet the needs of our business and our folks.
Yet I have one Madam Ramis anak Tinggi who had applied for a new land title for Block 27, Lot 173, Kemena Land District , as the old one was lost. She went to the Bintulu Land and Survey office but was told that she would need to wait for 6 months to get the land title replaced ! Six months to replace a land title at this internet age and time ? !!
Madam Ramis had submitted her application at the beginning of February 2012, but her application sat at the Bintulu Land Office and did not get out off the Office for the next 3 months. And May I know what is the application doing sitting in the office for almost 3 months ? It was not after several enquires and to which the answer was always that it is on the way and would be sent to Kuching the next week.
But when Madam Ramis daughter called the Kuching Land and Survey office on 16th April, 2012, it was only then known that the application had never been sent there ! I mean what could take so long as just to send a document to Kuching for processing, no wonder it takes six months to replace a lost land title.
Mr. Speaker,
On hand I have several others issues which the government can be more responsive, efficient and can do better to meet the needs of the people and complement the making of the middle class. First of all, like the junction at Daiken and Kidurong road. Every week one or two accidents would occur and the junction is becoming more and more dangerous for road users there.
The Daiken and Kidurong road junction is one of the most complicated junction on the busy, major Kidurong road in Bintulu. So many big lorries, trailers ,tankers, and private cars too, go in and out of the junction every day, and yet there is no traffic lights for traffic control ! only the stop, go and turning sign boards, and this is not enough. As a result vehicles big or small everyday take chance and risk their lives just to get in or sneak out!! And for just one false move one could be smacked flat by an oncoming 16 wheelers !
Whatever the reason that caused the delay to install the much needed and way over due traffic lights, this should have never happened, as the situation there had been like that for a long time already. And even if a permanent solution is not at hand at this moment, at least put in the temporary traffic light or call in the traffic police to alleviate the burden and risk in driving there and save lives!
Mr. Speaker,
Then there is the frequent flash flood at mile 5, Tun Hussein Onn road, at the entrance of Beverly Hill Housing Estate. The dual carriage road there would be flooded up to two feet deep at times, making it almost in accessible when that occurs. The situation had been like that for many years already and promises by the authorities concerned to rectify the problem had been long standing and overdue. Being a major and part of the Pan Borneo Trunk road also, we can imagine the traffic volume and when it is flooded, the chaos and the jam it would create.
At Mile 31 of the Bintulu/Miri road, couple of kilometers towards the Kemena River, lies the palm oil farm of En. Speriyadi Bin Dris who had in the year 1994 started planting 6000 numbers palm oil trees but since 1997, 4800 number of the palm oil trees had been taken by a West Malaysian Palm oil plantation company and today they are harvesting the palm oil trees of En Speriyadi.
According to En.Speriyadi, the land which he had planted palm oil trees were the NCR land of the people of Kampong Maskat but was taken by a West Malaysian Palm oil company.
En. Speriyadi is very angry that the West Malaysian company had occupied his land and is harvesting his palm oil trees. He is angry because the West Malaysian Company had taken his land, a land area which he and his kampong folks has worked and lived on according to the traditions and adat of the natives of Sarawak .
En. Speriyadi had brought the matter up to the Sebauh Sub District and a meeting was called by all those concerned to solve the problem, but until this day, there was no solution was in sight, while En. Speriyadi palm oil trees continue to be harvested by the West Malaysian company. En. Speriyadi had written a letter dated 22.2.2012 to the Land & Survey with regards to the matter but there was no reply also.
Mr. Speaker, if En. Speriyadi is such an enterprising and hard working fellow Sarawakian, should not he and others also be given the chance, apart from big plantation company, to have land and do farming so as to move ourselves up the ladder of better living and become a middle class person.
Mr. Speaker,
94 aspiring airplane students, learning to fly the single and twin engine airplane, at the Gulf Golden International Flying Academy (GGIFA) International College of Aviation in Bintulu were dumped and could not finish their courses when the above mentioned International College of Aviation suddenly closed down its flying school, in the last quarter of 2010.
The students never got their flying certificates as promised by the Aviation College. All the money which the students had paid for school fees were forfeited and not returned to them. The schools fees for the course was around RM 200,000 per student.
For many parents those were their hard earned money, savings or loans which they have planned to pay back to the bank when their children could make it to become pilots. That was all the money they have. The parents now have no more money left for their children to go to another flying academy elsewhere, or what, to finish the course. The future of the students is at stack.
It is most irresponsible of GGIFA, the International College of Aviation or any college for that matter, to dump students half way through the course just like that, while not even making an attempt of some sort, to make arrangements so that the students could finish their courses and obtain their flying certificates.
The College even challenge the students to take up the matter in court if they don’t like it , but this is not just a question of law, it is also about morality , business morality and responsibility to others. Now, how is the world going to look at us and at our institution of higher learning as they may close down anytime like GGIFA.
I therefore urge that our government to intervene in this matter so that the dreams of these students of becoming pilots would come true .
And finally, Mr. Speaker,
Coming back to Trieneken, there is really no excuse that rubbish were left uncollected for two weeks because there were no drivers. I am sure there are no provisions like that in the contract agreement. She really have to do a better job. By the way why was she given the monopoly to rubbish collection in the first place and how much was paid to them yearly, considering they only collect two times a week for the housing area. Isn’t it about time that we should open up rubbish collection service for open tender so that local companies can also participate in this line of business, may be they could even provide better and cheaper services to our people than the so called International company.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker.
Chiew Chin Sing.
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