Saturday, December 8, 2012

My Debate on the 2013 Budget (Chinese & English version)

2013 财政预算案演词。

议长先生,

4个月前,715日夜里10时左右,约有200名工人冲入并包围了在民都鲁士米拉如的三马拉如工业园的第9座工人宿舍。他们不停的在宿舍外喊叫并开始拍打其窗户及敲破它,然后踢开宿舍门进入其内攻击在宿舍内准备就寝的工友。他们好一些人都被攻击者以灭火器击伤。其他的都急着窜门而出躲避攻击,但却正好落入到外面的骚乱人群中而被踢打及遭到攻击者抓起什么就打的处境。有人尝试躲在房里的天花板上,但也不能幸免的被攻击者发觉。

现场是很恐怖的,因为被攻击者不知最后是否能活着出去,攻击者是那么多。他们都恐惧,最终有15人受伤,其中6人重伤而陷入半昏迷甚至不省人事的状况。他们都被送入民都鲁中央医院治疗身上的骨折、割伤和瘀伤。

当他们一个个被用担架抬出时,身上伤口还淌着血而不断呻吟。攻击者胜利的欢呼声,喊出了他们压抑太久的愤怒、失望和憎恨令人不寒而栗。伤者中有5名虽伤势不重但仍需入院就医。那夜他们都去了医院,宿舍却遭攻击者翻箱倒箧洗劫一空。

他们失去一切物品。

一名当地的劳工也因伤而入院医治。

议长先生,

事发时,在民都鲁三马拉如工业园的工人营住着4250名工人,都属于三马拉如工业园内投资公司的工人。其中本地工人和印尼工人占了70%,其余者来自中国、泰国、新加坡、缅甸、印度、菲律宾及其他国家。他们住宿在各拥有18个床位的仓房。每名工人每月需付RM1030的住宿费,包括膳宿、洗衣及其他杂费。

我们为何要把所有在三马拉如工业园所有公司的劳工集中住宿在一个营寨里。是否这是外国公司的投资条件之一。这种作法是否健康,尤其4250名劳工分属多种国籍、种族、文化和宗教信仰?为何不将工作分配给其他人,让民都鲁甚至砂劳越人有机会参与。这不但可分享利润,也可分担工作及管理,同时也为工人提供更多元的服务。至少投资公司在雇用劳工方面有更多的选择。这整个作法确实让人对其逻辑感到困惑。

715日当夜发生的事件,今天已清楚显示出见着全拿的政策是会产生反效果的。发生的事故只能打击投资者的信心。我在报章上看到,后来我去搜查,得知在士米拉如提供工人暂时住宿的公司是三马拉如产业发展有限公司。它在2010621日前,其前身是位于古晋玛穆大厦6楼的Warisan  Makna 有限公司。三马拉如产业发展有限公司的股东是:1)民都鲁发展局拥有100,000股,2)三马拉如工业有限公司拥有510,000股,3Niam土地有限公司拥有剩下的390,000股。三马拉如工业有限公司的总注册股本是100,000,000股,而28,000,000股是分发给砂劳越日光公司,而士三马拉如工业有限公司握有三马拉如产业发展有限公司的控制权。

议长先生,

在三马拉如产业发展有限公司的公司资讯中显示,其业务是提供及管理暂时住宿及在三马拉如工业园发展新市镇。

我想没有人对它为劳工在当地提供暂时住宿有任何疑惑,但大小通吃的包括所有劳工们所有住宿、伙食、食堂、洗濯衣物等等就有意见了。那么除了成为他们营中的劳工外,还留下什么给民都鲁甚至砂劳越人什么生意做呢?任何人 想在那里做任何生意,在你采取任何行动前当局的法令和条例以把你绑死!但唯有他们的公司却可以。

这种的做法是剥削当地的生意人和社群的生意和发展,也是阻止产生中产阶级的阻力。我们需要的是平等的机会,以缩小贫富之间的差距以回归到健康的经济道路。

三马拉如产业发展有限公司的另一项业务是在三马拉如工业园发展一个新市镇。现在是三马拉如产业发展有限公司,如以前三林发展民都鲁,但它是否否还循着这种的路线,政府收购Nyalau居民的习俗地然后交给三马拉如产业有限公司,让他们发展成新市镇,人民要知道!若是如此,是否仍是采用不能为民都鲁习俗地拥有者产生财富的旧发展模式,现在再次在Nyalau使用。

今天,政府已在征用甘榜Nyalau居民302.9公顷的习俗地做为三马拉如工业园及新市镇。Nyalau的人民已开始喊冤,他们许多是对此反对的,也要求不把他们的土地包括在征收的行列内。他们要成为城市发展的一部分及享有发展的成果。

我也获知政府正测量在Nyalau的习俗地。不知是否属实,在确定土地面积和地主之后,每位地主将获得一块在Tg. Payong同等面积的土地做为赔偿,然后整个甘榜Nyalau将迁移至该处。留下在Nyalau的房屋、田地和庄园、他们的文化和传统、历史,在一个新的地方Tg. Payong另起炉灶,而等待的可能是又一个发展来到Tg. Payong,而再一次的跋涉、赔偿、迁移到另一个新的地方。这在民都鲁已经发生过许多次。甘榜居民移出他们的祖居地,为发展而让路,强迫新一代的甘榜人民开始在新地方展开新生活。政府是否在追求工业化发展的道路上迷失了道德方向?

议长先生,

人民要发展,也要成为发展的一部分,而非逃离发展。如果每次发展到来,他们被移走,他们如何有机会参与发展和从中获利,而何时他们才能脱离贫穷的恶性循环。历史将记载下,甘榜人民的贫困不是因为他们的文化或地理环境造成,而是因拥有权势之人的决策使然。

议长先生,

我们不能如此横蛮的管理国家。生意都被几家大公司独占,发展也由几个人独揽。政治也仅掌握在几个人手中。历史上充满因这种做法而国家衰亡的例子。纵观历史,经济成长及富裕是与包容经济及包容政治制度息息相关的。而采掘经济及采掘政治制度是形成停滞和贫穷的典型。

包容经济制度是允许及鼓励全民参与经济开发,并利用他们最佳的能力与智慧,让每个人有所选择。成为包容经济制度,必须享有安全的私有财产,一个不偏袒的法律制度及一个公平的公共服务,人民可以交换及立约,同时必须准许开创新事业和让人民自由择业。

与此相反的制度既是采掘经济制度 采掘是因为这制度是为了向社会的一个群体抽取收入和财富惠益社会的另一个群体。

政治制度是任何社会的主要决定因素。政治制度决定谁在社会中有权力,以及该权力将为何目的服务。如果权力的分配不均及不受约束,政治制度将形成专制,那些能挥舞这权力者将会设立这种经济制度以自肥及扩充自己的权力以胁迫社会,我们称这为采掘式的政治制度。

当穆加贝管治津巴布韦时,从1980年他就如中彩票,奖金是千千万万元津巴布韦币。穆加贝先生的名字是从千千万万合格顾客中抽中的,津巴布韦银行如是说。多幸运的家伙。幸运彩票只是显示津巴布韦的采掘制度。也可称为贪污,但这仅是津巴布韦的机制萎靡不振的现象。事实上,穆加贝若要可以是能中奖的。这也显示了他在津巴布韦权力之大,同时也让世界一窥这个国家采掘制度的泛滥。

与之相反的,广泛分发权力给社会,并受其约束是多元化的政治制度。政治权力不掌握在一个人或一个小组手上,此权力握在广泛的联盟或多个组织,我们称这为包容性的政治制度。

我们有采掘性及与之相对的包容性经济制度;采掘性和包容性的政治制度。在经济和政治制度之间有强大的协同力量。采掘政治制度集中权力在少数菁英手上,而且在使用权力方面少有约束。经济制度常被菁英们制订成从社会采掘资源。历史上也显示这种社会是注定失败的,而国家也必衰亡。如果我们的经济制度和政治制度仍然保持采掘性,2020年想要达到高收入经济是缪论。

议长先生,

一年前,在这个议会,我也一再的说了,在吉都隆路的交通情况。它每天的交通阻塞,尤其是在雨天为工作而往返。现在的情况是每况愈下。几天前发生一桩车祸,而大家都被堵住了。从民都鲁中央医院到交通灯约半公里路程就要一个半小时,人人都冒火和沮丧。如来往吉都隆和三马拉如工业园,这么重要的地区,政府连基本和适当的道路都没提供,那他是彻底失败了。由于这是通往石化综合区及丹戎吉都隆深水码头,也是现在通往三马拉如的唯一通路,任何小意外都可让交通堵上几个小时!万一是其中一个工厂发生意外,就连逃生之路都没有。这就是需要拓建另外通道并在吉都隆路两边增加车道不容坐待的原因。再来是路面非常不平,行走其上就如在深渊滚荡般辛苦。

另外,就如上此议会我所言,在Daiken路和吉都隆路交界处路口,急需安装交通灯或暂时性的交通管制措施,以管制该处交通,为减少该处交通事故。我们不需等到发生更多意外才开始亡羊补牢吧?

同样的在民都鲁/美里大道,从一里到六里,急需修建第三车道及连接连接住在区内环的道路。因为道路阻塞的情况是日甚一日。

议长先生,

我必须对政府为响应人民的需求,为美丹再也商业中心交通流向规划做出的积极反应表示谢意。目前情况已获得改善,尤其是华丽迷你市场及蚬标油站一带。人民都非常感激。我也看到政府已采取对第2期和第3Parkcity商业中心十字路口的改善步骤。人们希望,当一切都竣工,交通必将是对人民和经商都两相宜的。

议长先生,

在泛婆大道两旁有那么多的路边水沟,尤其是接近城市地区,这些水沟都不通了。这些多数是泥水沟,都长满草,不是塞住就是太浅或是不够宽。雨天水都满溢到路面,造成路面淹水和破坏路面,更别说留在路面的赃物,也弄脏大家。我要强调的是在8里到11里民美公路这一段的情况是越形严重,尤其是雨季时。我吁请当局协助改善情况。

再上去一些,接近士米拉如地区约有27座长屋,这里的屋长都没获得确认成为屋长。有些被告知因他们的长屋不够长,所以他们就把屋子延长,但 经过多年仍然未获确认,长屋人口却已经增加了两倍。就如Rh. Jun, Rh. Galau, Rh. Vicker, Rh. Unong, Rh. Radin, Rh. Tanjong, Rh. Manggong, Rh. Mandu, Rh. SSibat, Rh. Albert Sampang, Rh. Rinkai, Rh. Langga, Rh. Ehkiaw, Rh. Kutau, Rh. Rampai, Rh. Siga, Rh. Surong, Rh. Dundang, Rh. Sana, Rh. Christopher, Rh. Simuk, Rh. Johhny, Rh. Banggau, Rh. Silong, Rh. Kakong, Rh. Padang 及其他等等。

他们都再次的申请确认,也等了很长时间,但今天仍是没有获得确认。虽然如此,这些屋长仍然坚守保护他们的习俗及传统、忠贞职守履行对他们长屋居民应尽的任务。不仅如此,今天,长屋和屋长面对更多和更大的挑战,而新的挑战更是随着环境改变而增加。今天政府的制度需要屋长配合政府,协助政府成为政府和长屋之间的桥梁。但他们未获得注册而造成他们不能协助政府。所以我吁请政府尽速将他们注册。同时政府是否有意在美民路地区委任一位本古鲁。

议长先生,

民美公路28里的Nyalong屋长感激政府给他的长屋连接自来水管,但居住在离开他长屋另一不远他子民的长屋却没有连接水管。还有就是电供也没从他老长屋接到他的新长屋。新长屋就在老长屋的前面。今天,新屋仍然没有电供。另外就是连接到他长屋的路,他要求给铺上沥青。

LabangSaka Anak Juna长屋是民都鲁最长和最久的长屋之一,它就在Suai 桥靠民都鲁侧8里的民美公路路旁。但至今仍然没有水供和电供。这拥有60户的长屋,就在那里他们的习俗地上存在了快半个世纪,但没有获得政府的水供和电供。

一位长屋居民告诉我说,他最遗憾的是,他有生之年不能在自己长屋内目睹水龙头打开政府提供的水供,以及扭开政府提供的电流。他希望他的子孙不需要在等到下一代才见到政府的水和电供。

议长先生,

乡村居民都有许多痛苦和贫穷的故事。按理,成立马来西亚50年后,我们应该拥有所有的基本设施。但政府没能做到。她失败了。在Sungai Suai下游地区渴望获得水供和电供的需求,历经好几十年仍然遥遥无期。从Kuala Suai的马来甘榜到沿河到Pasir Puteh地区的长屋,到Iran甘榜及一路到沿河的许许多多长屋,包括天猛公和本曼查们的长屋都,没有水和电供,他们都太迫切需要这些基本设施但都没有。而从甘榜芝拔到瓜拉达岛沿海大路两旁的几十座长屋也一样。他们有电线和水管从长屋前拉过可是却没有接到他们的长屋去。即使是Suai 路,已承诺将筑至Suai桥,但也是同样遥遥无期。难怪越来越多的乡村居民对今天的政府失去信心。

最后,议长先生,何时Kuala Tatau/Balingian路会建成,这已经太久了。丹戎巴都幸运广场商业中心和许多商业中心的周边沟渠都沉陷,是否有什么修建计划。最后,在Kemunting BaruSibiew路水患的原因是什么,有纾缓的计划吗。政府是否在批准发展Sebub岛房屋计划时有进行中和环境抨击抨估报告,包括河流两岸的保护区。

谢谢。
 
 

Speech by Chiew Chin Sing, DAP Sarawak Deputy Chairman and Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Council for N59 Kidurong on the Debate of the Supply (2013) Bill 2012 and the Motion to refer the  Estimates of Development Expenditure, 2013, on 22nd November 2012 in the Sarawak State Legislative Council, Kuching, Sarawak.

 
Mr. Speaker,

 
Round about 10 oclock at night on July 15th, about 4 months ago, more than a hundred workers  rushed to and   surrounded  a Block 9, dormitory of the workers camp at Samalaju Industrial Park at Similajau, Bintulu.  They chanted and chanted  outside the dorm and then started beating on the window, breaking them,  they then  kicked open the dormitory door and  went in,  to  attack the  workers who were about to go to sleep inside the dorm.

 

Several of them , were  hit by a fire extinguisher used  to attack them . Others tried to rush out the door to try to escape  but went right into the mob outside and were punched, kicked and hit with whatever. Some tried  to hide in the ceiling of the room but was porched by the attackers from below.

 

The scene was most frightening as those being attacked did not know whether they were going to get out of this alive or not,   with so many coming at them. they were  horrified . In the end,  15 of them were hurt, out of whom 6 were seriously injured and were either unconscious or in semi conscious conditions. They were  sent to the Bintulu Hospital for treatment of broken bones,  cuts and  bruises.

 

And as they were carried out one by one in stretchers groaning and bleeding with  hot blood still flowing from their wounds, the cries of victories from the mobs, as each was carried out,  sent chills down ones spine, of the anger, frustration and grudges that had been bottled up for so long in them.  Together  with them were  5 more others who were also wounded, though not so severely but have to be hospitalized . All going to the hospital while leaving their room that night only to be ransacked and turned upside down by the attackers. They lost all their belongings.

 

A local worker was also sent to the hospital for treatment of injury.

 

Mr. speaker,

 
The Workers camp at Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu,  has 4250 workers as of the incident date, living in the  camp, all from  the

investing companies at Samalaju Industrial Park . Local workers and Indonesians form about 70% of the population there , while others are from China, Thailand, Singapore, Burma, India The Philippines and others. The workers camp charge an amount of   RM 1030  per person for a months stay in a cabin dormitory of 18 beds including food,laundry  and others.

 
Why do we have  to get all the workers of the investing companies at Samalaju Indurtrial Park  to live in one company's camp only. Is that part of the conditions for foreign firms investing in Samalaju. Is it really healthy to let  just let one company to do all especially when there are 4250 workers with so many nationalities, and so diversified in race, culture and religion ?  Why cant the jobs be split up and let others in Bintulu or other Sarawakians be given a chance  to participate,  not only to share the profits but also to share the burden of work and management skills and  also to provide more  diversified services to the workers. For at least, the investing companies be given an alternative  choice for their workers. It really baffles one to see the logic of the whole doing.

 
Today the incident on the night of July 15th had shown how see all and take all policies can backfire. It could have been worst, as such incidences could only hamper the confidence of  the  investors.

 

I read from the newspapers, and later made a search and found out that the company providing the temporary accommodations is Samalaju Property Development Sdn. Bhd which had taken over its previous name of  Warisan Makna Sdn Bhd of Level 6, Wisma Mahmud, Kuching on the 21st of June, 2010.  Shareholders of the Samalaju Property Development Sdn. Bhd., are 1.) Bintulu Development Authority holding 100,000 shares, 2.) the Samalaju Industries Sdn. Bhd. Holding 510,000 shares while number 3.) Naim Land Sdn.Bhd  holding the rest of the 390,000 share.

 

The total authorized share of Samalaju Industries Sdn. Bhd which has the controlling power in the Samalaju Property Development Sdn Bhd., is  100,000,000 shares of which 28,000,000 shares had been issued to Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd.

 

Tuan Speaker,

 

The nature of the Business of Samalaju  Property Development Sdn Bhd as stated in its corporate information is the provision and management of temporary accommodations and development of  new township at Samalaju Industrial Park.

 

I do not think any one of us will have any qualms about providing the temporary accommodations for the workers there, but not sapu semua taking in all the accommodations, food, canting,  laundry, etc etc , for all the workers there. So what is there left for the Bintulu and the Sarawak peoples to do businesses, apart from becoming workers in the camp itself ? Anyone trying to do any business there, the by laws and regulations of the Authorities  would have you tied down in no time before you can even move ! But  its all alright for the company.

 

This kind of practice deprives the local business community and peoples from participating and developing businesses and thus hampering again the chance of growing the middle class  economy. What we need is a level playing field so  that we can reduce the big gap between the rich and  the poor to bring us back to a  healthy economic path.

 

Next in the business of Samalaju Property Development Sdn.Bhd.  is the development   of  a new township at Samalaju Industrial Park. So instead of Samling as in the development of  Bintulu, and whether the Samalaju  Property Development Sdn Bhd  will take after the Samling path where the government will acquire the NCR land of the folks of Nyalau, hand it over to them  and then they develop it into a new township, the people want to know ! If this is so,  isnt it  the same old development model which has failed to create the  wealth for the kampong NCR  land owners in Bintulu but is now in place again in Nyalau.

 

Today, the government is yet   acquiring another 302.90 hectare of the NCR land of the people of kampong Nyalau for the Samalaju Industrial Park and Township. The people in Nyalau are crying foul,  many of them have objected to this and asked that they be excluded from their land being acquired. They want to be a part of the township development also  and share the benefits from  development.

 

It has also come to my knowledge that the government is surveying the NCR land at Nyalau and whether it is true that after the  area of land for each owner is determined that they will  all be compensated with a same size of land at Tg. Payong and then the whole Nyalau Kampong will be moved there, leaving behind  their Nyalau homes, farm lands and gardens, their culture and heritage and their precious history, to start the life a new at Tg. Payong, only waiting to be compensated and moved again to another place if and when one day another development project comes along to Tg. Payong, like as it had been  in so many cases in Bintulu. Kampong people moving out from  their ancestral land, to give way to  development forcing  a whole new generation of the kampong people to start their lives  anew all over again in a new  land . Is the government loosing its moral compass in her quest to Industrialization ?

 

Mr. Speaker,

 
The people want development and want to be a part of development and not lari from development. If each time when development comes along and there are moved out of it, when can they ever participate in the development  and benefits from the fruits of  it and rid themselves of the vicious circle of  poverty. It will then be remembered in history that the Kampong peoples  were poor not because of their culture or geography but because those who had power made choices that created poverty.

 
Mr. Speaker,

 
We cannot be so exclusive in running the country. Businesses exclusively for a few big companies, development exclusively in the hands of a few. Politics exclusively in the hands of a few. History are full of examples of the failure of nations because of such practices.

 
Throughout history, economic growth and prosperity are associated with inclusive economic and inclusive political institutions, while extractive economic and extractive political institutions typically lead to stagnation and poverty.

 
Inclusive economic institutions are those that allow and encourage participation by the great mass of people in economic activities and make best use of their talents and skill and that enable individual to make the choices they wish. To be inclusive, economic institutions must  feature secure private property, an unbiased system of law, and a provision of public services that provides a level  playing field in which people can exchange and contract, it also must permit the entry of new businesses and allow people to choose their careers.

 

And institutions which have opposite properties to these, are called extractive  economic institutions extractive because such institutions are designed to extract incomes and wealth from one subset of society to benefit a different subset.

 

Political institutions are the  key determinants of any  society .Political institutions determine who has power in a society and to

what ends that power can be used. If the distribution of power is narrow and unconstrained, then the political institutions are absolutist, those who can wield this power will be able to set up economic institutions to enrich themselves and augment their power at the expense of society and we call them the extractive political institutions.

 

When Robert Mugabe ruled  Zimbabwe,  since 1980 he had won the lottery, which was worth a hundred  thousand Zimbabwe dollars. Zimbank claimed that Mr. Mugabes name had been drawn from among thousands of eligible customers. What a lucky man. The lottery ticket was just one more indication of Zimbabwes extractive institutions. One could call this corruption, but it is just a symptom of the institutional malaise in Zimbabwe. But the fact that Mugabe could even win the lottery if he wanted,  showed how much control he had over matters in Zimbabwe and gave the world a glimpse of the extent of the countrys extractive institutions.

 

In contrast, political institutions that distribute power broadly in society, and subject it to constraints are pluralistic. Instead of being vested in a single individual or a narrow group, political power rests with a broad coalition or a plurality of groups, and we call

this inclusive political institutions.

 

So we have the Extractive verses the inclusive economic institutions and extractive verses the inclusive political institutions. There is a strong synergy between economic and political institutions. Extractive political institutions concentrate power in the hands of a narrow elite and place few constraints on the exercise of this power. Economic institutions are then often structured by this elite to extract resources from the rest of the society. And History has it that such society are deemed to fail and such nations will perish, what more to say to achieve a  high income economy by 2020 if our economic institutions and our political institutions  remain to be extractive.

 

Mr. Speaker,

 

A year ago in this Dewan and many times before, I have brought up the traffic situation at the Kidurong road, about its daily traffic jam especially when going and coming back from work and on rainy days. The situation is getting worst by the day. The other day there was an accident on the road and everybody was stuck. For example it took one and half hours for one to get from the Bintulu Hospital to the traffic light  which is about  half a Kilometer away ! Everybody was furious and upset and said the government of the day  had failed to provide even a very  basic and  proper road for such an important area like Tg. Kidurong and the Samalaju Industrial Park.

 

As  the road  is the only way to the Petrol-Chemical complexes and the Deep Sea   Port at Tg. Kidurong and now to Samalaju, any small accident could hold up the traffic for hours ! What about in the event of an accident in one of the plant complexes, there is not even an escape route . That is why the need for  building the alternative road and adding new lanes to each side of the Kidurong road   cannot wait anymore.  Furthermore the road surface now is so uneven that driving on it is like Rolling in the Deep! quite difficult really.

 

Also,  like I have said during the last sitting , the junction at Daiken and Kidurong road and the urgent need to install traffic lights or temporary measures for traffic control there,  so as  to bring down the  accidents,  has to be addressed quickly. We do not need any more accidents before we will act,  do we ?

 

And the same thing is with the Bintulu/ Miri road from Mile one to six,the urgent need for building a third lane and the connectivity of the inner inter connecting estate roads,   as  the jam on the road is getting more and more serious by the day.

 

Mr. Speaker,

 
I must thank the government for responding so  positively to the peoples need  in  re-designing  the traffic flow at the Medan Jaya

commercial centre, the situation has improved a lot especially at the Farley Mini Market and the Shell Gas Station.  The people are very thankful indeed.  I am glad also to see that steps have now been taken to deal with the situation at the junction between Phase 2 and 3 of ParkCity Commerce Square.  The people  trusted that when all is done, the traffic flow will be peoples and business  friendly.  And Syabas

again to you all.

 

Mr. Speaker,

 

There are so many road side drains,  on both sides of our Pan Borneo trunk road, especially those  nearer to the town areas, the drains are not functioning. These are  mostly earth drains  and they are either over grown with grass, blocked or just too shallow or not wide enough. As a result whenever it rains,  all the  water in the drain flows onto the road surface , creating  bad flooding on the road as well as damage to  the road , not to mention the constant dirt it leaves behind on the road and else where, dirtying everybody. More specifically I am referring to the stretch of  Bintulu /Miri road from Mile 8 to 11 where the situation is becoming so bad,  especially during the rainy season and I urge that the authority concerned to help rectify the situation there.

 

Further up the road, around the Similajau area there are about 27 longhouses where the Tuai Rumah have all not been issued with  Tuai Rumah certificates    to be Tuai Rumahs, though they have met all the criteria. Some were told that their longhouses were not long enough, so they extended them longer, after so many years some have almost double the number of families, yet they are still not certified . Like  Rh Jun, Rh Galau, Rh Vicker , Rh Unong, Rh Radin, Rh Tanjong, Rh Manggong,  Rh Mandau,Rh Sibat, Rh Albert Sampang, Rh Rinkai, Rh Langga,  Rh Enkiaw, Rh Kutau,  Rh Rampai, Rh Siga, Rh Surong, Rh Dundang, Rh Sana, Rh Christopher, Rh Simuk, Rh Johhny, Rh Banggau, Rh Silong, Rh Kakong, Rh Padang and others.

 

They have all applied  and applied to be   certified   and had waited for so long already but up this day they  still have not received the Tuai Rumah certificate  !  But even as such,  these Tuai Rumahs had stood steadfast to protect and uphold their Adat and Traditions and carried out their duties dutifully and diligently towards their ananbiaks.  But that is not just it, as   these days   longhouses and Tuai Rumahs  are faced  with more and more challenges,  greater challenges and new challenges in our ever changing environment. As the  government system these days requires the Tuai Rumah to work for the government,  to help the government, to become the bridge between his longhouse and the government. But when they are not certified then it stops them from helping the government.  So I urge that the government would accelerate to certify them.  And whether the government would consider appointing  a Pengulu along this Bintulu/Miri road area.

 

Mr. Speaker,

 

Tuai Rumah Nyalong of Mile 28, Bintulu/Miri road is grateful that the government had laid water pipes up to his long house but is concerned that the pipes are not laid up to  the rest of his anakbiaks who are staying in another block a little distance away from his longhouse. He is also concerned about the electricity which was connected to his old house, and that is right behind his new longhouse , is not moved over to the new house. Today the new longhouse is still without electricity !! Than again the road which is leading up to his longhouse, he asked that it to be tarred.

 

Rumah Saka Anak Juna, Labang, Bintulu one  of the  longest and oldest longhouses which is just about 8 miles from the Bintulu side of  the Suai Bridge, sits right at  the road side along the Bintulu/Miri road, but  is still without pipe water and grid electricity supply.

This 60 door longhouse must have been there for nearly half a century on their own NCR land yet they still do not have the government supplied water or electricity.

 

One longhouse folk  told me that the one thing that would be  most regretful to him when he dies  is that he had never have a chance to turn on  the  government  tap water or a switch to turn on the government electricity in his long house for all the days that he had lived in this world. He hopes that his children would not have to wait for another generation to see the light and government water .

 

Mr. Speaker,

 

There are so many painful poverty story  about our rural folks.  By right after nearly 50 years of Malaysia we should all have the basic amenities. But the government had not been able to do so. She has failed.  The Lower Sungai Suai areas woo for treated water and grid electricity supply is still not  fulfilled after decades and decades of asking and asking.   From the Malay Kampongs of Kuala Suai and up the river to the longhouses  at Pasir Puteh area, to Kampong Iran and all the way up to  the so many many longhouses along the river, including Temmonggong  and Pemancas Longhouses, they  need governments water supply and electricity very very badly. The same is true with the so many  longhouses along the coastal highway from Kpg Jepak to Kuala Tatau, the electricity lines and water pipe lines pass right by their longhouses but are not connected to their longhouses! The government had planned for 95% of electricity supply and 90% clean water supply to all  rural areas in Sarawak by 2012, that still has yet to be seen.  Even the Suai road which was promised to be built to reach  the Suai Bridge is  no where to be seen finished. It is no wander that more and more of the rural folks are loosing confidence in the government of today.

 

And lastly Mr. Speaker, when will the Kuala Tatau/ Balingian road be built. It has been too long already too. And how about the sunk perimeter drains for  shops at Fortune Park Commercial Centre , Tg. Batu and other commercial centers, what are the plans for repair. And lastly the reasons for the severe flooding at Kampong Kemunting , Jalan Sibiew affecting hundreds of kampong houses and its remedial plans. And  whether an EIA had been done for the  combined housing development there on the Pulau Sebab, including the 10 chains river reserve requirement. 

 

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

 

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