SARAWAK LIVE

'Maaf, tak boleh bersama jatuhkan BN di Sabah, S'wak'

Naib Presiden PKR dan MP Batu Tian Chua hari ini memohon maaf kepada rakyat Sabah dan Sarawak.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, ia bukan disebabkan dakwaan menjadi dalang kepada pertemuan Nurul Izzah dan anak perempuan kesultanan Sulu, Jacel Kiram.

Sebaliknya, katanya, permohonan maaf itu dibuat kerana tidak dapat bersama-sama rakyat negeri itu menentang Umno dan BN pada pilihan raya umum akan datang ekoran dihalang untuk memasuki negeri itu.

"Sejak dinafikan hak masuk Sarawak, sekarang Sabah pula. Saya telah diminta oleh penguasa BN untuk meminta maaf pada orang Sabah.

"Jadi saya ingin meminta maaf kepada orang Sabah kerana tidak dapat bersama-sama dengan anda semua untuk menjatuhkan Umno-BN," katanya.

Permohonan maaf itu dibuat sewaktu beliau menyampaikan ucapan penggulungan diu Kongres Nasional PKR Ke-11 di Shah Alam hari ini.

DUN Sabah sebelum ini telah meluluskan usul khas melarang Ahli Parlimen Batu, Tian Chua dan juga Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai dari memasuki Sabah.

Tian Chua juga berkata kongres itu adalah tempat pemimpin PKR memberi pandangan sekaligus mengotakan janji mereka kepada pengundi.

"Kongres ini masa untuk kita mengusulkan cadangan dan tunaikan janji kita kepada pengundi di luar," katanya.-Malaysiakini

Dr Mahathir anggap Umno kini ‘parti Najib’

Umno kini seolah-olah menjadi "parti Najib" apabila mereka yang mengkritik Datuk Seri Najib Razak dipecat, kata bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Menurut Dr Mahathir, fenomena itu terserlah apabila Timbalan Presiden Umno Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin diputuskan tidak akan berucap merasmikan persidangan sayap Pemuda, Wanita dan Puteri bulan depan.

"Ini bila ada sesiapa tegur Umno atau presiden parti, buang. Jadi seolah-olah ini bukan parti Umno, tetapi parti Datuk Seri Najib," katanya pada sidang media selepas acara KL Summit 2015 di Kuala Lumpur hari ini.

Menurut Dr Mahathir, sewaktu menjadi presiden Umno, mereka yang tidak bersetuju dengannya mempunyai ruang seluas-luasnya dalam parti sehingga boleh mencabar jawatan presiden.

Beliau berkata demikian sewaktu ditanya wartawan jika terdapat sebarang persamaan di antara situasi di dalam Umno sekarang dengan pemilihan Umno 1986.

"Kalau betul ada krisis dalam Umno pada masa itu, tiada siapa dilarang daripada bercakap.

"Ada orang yang hendak bertanding dengan saya pun boleh dan tiada siapa dilarang berkempen.

"Ini saya tak boleh berjumpa ahli Umno, tak boleh bercakap dengan menteri Umno, tak boleh bercakap dengan orang Umno," katanya.

Mengulas tindakan beberapa ketua cawangan yang sejak akhir-akhir ini mula bersuara mendesak Najib meletak jawatan, Dr Mahathir berkata perkara itu berlaku kerana ketua-ketua bahagian tidak lagi bersuara mewakili akar umbi.

"Kita dapati ketua-ketua bahagian dah jadi bisu, bila yang bisu tak boleh bercakap, orang yang boleh bercakap, bercakaplah.

"Ini ahli tak boleh bercakap, orang itu tak boleh bercakap, orang ini tak boleh bercakap, ini demokrasi apa?" katanya. –The Malaysian Insider

Will Adenan Satem drop out or pass with flying colours?

COMMENT: Not since 1974, when the Education Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, drove his ideas through Cabinet, have Malaysians witnessed such a tangled mess concerning our children's education and future.

Malaysian parents, with children of school-going age, have difficult choices to make. Public versus private schools. Malaysian or international schools. Vernacular or sekolah kebangsaan. Religious schools, boarding schools, private tuition or home schooling.

Recently, Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem made a leap of faith to introduce English as an official language in Sarawak, because he said, "I am just being realistic, as English is a language used in commerce, science and technology among the international community. If you don't speak English, you will be left behind."

Adenan is echoing the recent call by the Sultan of Johor and various NGOs, for English to be re-introduced as the medium of instruction in schools. Adenan is aware that the effects of those changes, will not be seen for several years.

Perhaps, the other debilitating problem Adenan must deal with, is the state of repair, of many of the schools in Sarawak.

The Auditor-General's Report 2014, stated that around 88% of schools that were inspected, in Sarawak, were not fit for purpose and unsafe. Some of the school buildings were rotting or infested with termites. In others, the grounds were soaked with slurry from septic tanks.

The school inspection revealed that, despite the school buildings being in an unsafe condition, some blocks were still being used for teaching.

Other problem schools had old wiring which needed urgent upgrading or replacement, because this was a potential fire-risk, and students could receive electric shocks from exposed wires.

Fires had occurred in some schools, although the causes of these fires had not been ascertained.

In one school, damage caused by inclement weather in 2014, had destroyed the roof and walls, and severed the wiring. The audit revealed that no repair had been carried out.

Will Putrajaya listen to Adenan's demands to improve the infrastructure of Sarawak schools?

In May 2010, the then Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin held a dialogue with 1,000 teachers in Sibu, and listened to their complaints about poor conditions in rural and urban schools.

A shocked Muhyiddin expressed horror that the conditions were "worse than those in Felda schemes" and heard from one teacher, that in her school, a hole in the ground was used as a "common toilet."

He said, "I feel sad. There is a need to come up with a more comprehensive plan to tackle these problems in Sarawak. We will need billions of ringgit to solve these problems. Even to build one school in rural Sarawak, we need to spend at least RM50 mil.”

Muhyiddin directed the state Education Department to produce a report on the problems affecting teachers and schools, in Sarawak, so he could resolve them.

So, was a report compiled? Were the repairs, conducted, and the teachers' issues, resolved?

Four years later, in February 2014, Muhyiddin promised an additional budget of RM1 billion for repair work, in East Malaysian schools.

In November 2015, the Sarawak Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister, Fatima Abdullah, claimed that only RM95 million, of the RM422 million Sarawak needed, had been approved.

It appears that Putrajaya is neither serious nor sincere, about providing a conducive learning environment for Sarawak's schoolchildren.

Will Adenan demand the additional funds for Sarawak schools? Or will Putrajaya withthold funding, and use it as a bargaining chip against Adenan, who wants to make English an official language.-The Ant Daily

Konvensyen DAP Pulau Pinang dicemari demonstrasi bantah Guan Eng

Konvensyen Biasa DAP Pulau Pinang 2015 hari ini dicemari sekumpulan 20 lelaki yang membuat demonstrasi di hadapan sebuah hotel di Bukit Jambul, George Town. tempat konvensyen itu sedang berlangsung.

Kumpulan itu yang memberi sokongan kepada Pengerusi DAP negeri Chow Kon Yeow supaya menggantikan jawatan ketua menteri yang disandang setiausaha agung parti Lim Guan Eng, berkumpul seawal 9 pagi.

Difaham, mereka hanya berkumpul kurang daripada 5 minit dengan memegang sepanduk yang menyokong Chow antaranya bertulis "Chow Kon Yeow Chief Minister of Penang, We Want You", "Anak Negeri Pulau Pinang Sokong Chow Kon Yeow Sebagai Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang" dan "Lim Guan Eng Balik Melaka".

Kumpulan yang sama dipercayai berkumpul di Kompleks Tun Razak petang semalam untuk memberi sokongan kepada Chow dan membantah kepimpinan Lim.

Bagaimanapun, Chow dalam ucapan konvensyen hari ini menyatakan sokongan parti DAP kepada Lim sebagai ketua menteri yang memimpin Pulau Pinang sejak 2008. – Bernama

A true multiracial party will rule one day, just not now

KUCHING: “I believe a real multiracial party can represent the people of Sarawak – just that it will not happen in my time. I think youngsters today would see it become a reality during their time in the future.” – Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem

That future will be a long, long time away – until there is genuine trust among Sarawakians of different races and religions, until inequalities in the socio-economic and political life of the people are fairly addressed, until there is little grounds for suspicions, and until everyone sees himself as an active player and partner equal in the prosperity game.

That’s going to take a lot of effort, and seeing how the big boys of Malaysian politics – Umno drawing its strength from the Malays, MIC Indians, MCA Chinese – the little boys, meaning the rest, including members of the ruling coalition in Sarawak, can only hope to get a slice of the cake if they play the game the masters play.

But looking at how the power-sharing concept has worked pretty well for Sarawak, the days of race-based political parties may come sooner in the Land of the Hornbills than it can happen in Malaya.

In Malaya, race-based politics is too well-entrenched in Umno, MIC and MCA, there is no way that these big three would want to play a game completely opposed to the one they are playing now.

The Sarawak case is different in that the four parties making up the state BN, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United people’s Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are not single race-based parties as is the case with Umno, MIC and MCA.

From the beginning, starting with Sarawak’s first ruling party, Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Sarawakians have the tendency to favour multiracial politics.

It is no wonder, therefore, that the creators of PBB did not think of setting up a party only for the Malays or the Dayaks, but chose instead to bring the two major racial groups together under the Bumiputra category; while SUPP, though Chinese-based but with a substantial Dayak backing, had even tried to woo the Malays into its fold.

Sarawak is no fertile ground for single race-based parties, the demise of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) after a near 20-year hiatus is ample proof of this.

Clearly, Sarawakians are more comfortable with the multiracial approach, and for a truly multiracial party to come to power, is not impossible.

Like Adenan said, “…not in my time” but “in the future”.-The Ant Daily

Masalah bekalan air Long Lama perlu tindakan segera

MIRI: Masalah terputus bekalan air bersih bukan perkara baharu di Long Lama bahkan kejadian sama berlaku di Sekolah Menengan Kerajaan (SMK) Long Lama Miri baru-baru ini.

Paling menyedihkan, masalah itu berlaku ketika 250 pelajar menduduki peperiksaan awam Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) dan Sijil Tinggil Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM).

Sumber memberitahu, masalah itu berlaku sejak 20 November lalu dan ia menimbulkan kesan amat mendalam kepada pelajar dan guru di sekolah berkenaan.

“Ramai pelajar tidak dapat fokus dengan peperiksaan gara-gara ketiadaan air di tandas sekolah. Perkara itu dipanjangkan kepada Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) namun jawapan diterima amat mendukacitakan,” katanya.

Katanya, masalah itu seakan-akan rutin di Long Lama kerana ia kerap berlaku.

Ahli Parlimen Baram, Anyi Ngau ketika dihubungi Utusan Borneo memberitahu pihak berkaitan harus peka masalah ini dan menyelesai secepat mungkin.

“Saya mahu masalah ini segera diberi perhatian. Kita tidak mahu terputus bekalan air bersih ke Long Lama menjejaskan rutin harian penduduk termasuk masalah kesihatan,” katanya.

Menurutnya, tindakan menghantar tangki air di Long Lama hanya jalan penyelesaian singkat sebaliknya pihak berkaitan harus mencari jalan jangka panjang memastikan bekalan air bersih ini sentiasa ada.

Manakala Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Telang Usan, Dennis Ngau terkejut dengan masalah itu seterusnya menghubungi pejabat Daerah Long Lama untuk mengadakan mesyuarat dalam masa terdekat.

“Saya diberitahu masalah ini berlaku disebabkan kerosakan dua pam air tidak diselenggarakan sejak Jumaat.

“Dan peralatan alat ganti untuk kerosakan berkenaan telah ditempah. Saya mahu masalah ini selesai segera,” katanya.

Meskipun tangki air dihantar ke Long Lama, namun kata Dennis, satu jalan penyelesaian jangka panjang perlu dilaksanakan bagi mengelakkan kejadian sama terus berulang dan membebankan penduduk.-Utusan Borneo

Claims of drugs sold openly not a perception, says Tiong

KUCHING: Bintulu MP Dato Seri Tiong King Sing has slammed State Narcotics chief Supt Lukas Aket for saying the claim he brought up in Parliament last Tuesday of drugs being sold openly in the streets of Bintulu as ‘only a perception’.

Lukas made the statement to The Star Online Friday in refuting the MP’s claim saying that the police had stepped up efforts to curb sale of drugs by conducting operations daily.

“How can he say it was a ‘perception’ and drugs sale in the street does not exist when I receive so many complaints

from people in Bintulu about pushers moving about freely in the town?” he said in a statement yesterday.

Tiong added that it was the residents’ worry over the easy availability of drugs in the town that led him to highlight the issue in parliament.

“I did not bring it up just for the sake of debate in parliament and certainly the people who approached me about the problem did not do so because they ‘perceive’ that drugs were sold openly.”

Tiong said the police must not bury their heads in the sand and deny that the drug menace in Bintulu had reached a critical level.

“The statistics disclosed by Supt Lukas in his statement proved my claim is not wrong – 97 people arrested for drugs related offences in the first 10 months of the year is proof of the seriousness of drugs addiction in Bintulu.

“I commend the police for their arrests and seizures of drugs but they must not underestimate the seriousness of the situation.”

Tiong also questioned the explanation by Lukas on the case of the packet of suspected drugs seized as evidence turning into flour leading to the release of a suspected drugs pusher.

“Was the suspect caught with the ‘flour’ or was the flour found by the roadside by the suspect?

“Why would anyone throw a packet of flour meant for making cakes before Gawai by the roadside?”

He urged that further investigation be made into the ‘flour case’.

The MP also disclosed drugs addiction among the youth in Bintulu cuts across the racial boundaries and some parents were so desperate that they begged him to send their children to rehabilitation centres as they could no longer control them.

“What is very worrying is that drugs addiction is no longer confined to the urban centres as pushers have been moving to the rural areas to expand their market.”

Tiong appealed for the cooperation between the police and the people to fight this growing social scourge.-Borneo Post

Golongan talam dua muka ancam keselamatan negara

Demokrasi tidak beri hak kepada individu cetus huru-hara

LIMBANG: Masih terdapat segelintir golongan yang menjadi talam dua muka menyatakan setia pada negara tetapi masa sama cuba mencetus huru-hara atas nama kebebasan dan kepentingan peribadi.

Menteri Perancangan Sumber dan Alam Sekitar Kedua Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan berkata, golongan tidak bertanggungjawab ini boleh menyebabkan keamanan negara akan terancam.

Beliau berkata kerajaan sedia ada tidak pernah menyekat mana-mana golongan menyuarakan pendapat mereka.

“Bagaimanapun demokrasi tidak memberi hak kepada mana-mana individu menimbulkan huru-hara dan memecah-belah semangat perpaduan negara ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada perasmian Karnival Jiranku Keluargaku di Dewan Kampung Pahlawan semalam.

Teks ucapan beliau dibacakan oleh Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Batu Danau Paulus Palu Gumbang.

Turut sama ialah wakil Residen Limbang Awangku Sahrizan Awangku Morsidi, Wali Kota Majlis Daerah Limbang MDL) Kaunselor Sufian Mohat, Pegawai Perpaduan Bahagian Mohd Fakri Asmad, Ketua Kampung Pahlawan Bungsu Tambah, pengerusi Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT) sepanjang Jalan Pandaruan dan jemputan lain.

Awang Tengah berkata, keadaan huru -hara amat merugikan negara dan menyebabkan ekonomi negara merundum jatuh dan kebebasan serta pergerakan orang menjadi terbatas.

Oleh itu jelasnya semangat perpaduan di negara ini merupakan prasyarat utama untuk menuju status negara maju menjelang 2020.

“Tanpa perpaduan adalah sukar bagi kita untuk memupuk persekitaran politik sihat, ekonomi berterusaan meningkat maju dan menjamin kedudukan sosial rakyat,”jelasnya.

Jelasnya KRT sebagai badan sukarela di peringkat akar umbi bersama kerajaan memainkan peranan penting dan diperlukan untuk menyemai nilai dan sikap saling menghormati, bertoleransi dan saling bantu membantu.

Pada masa sama katanya ia memupuk semangat kekitaan dan perkongsian di antara kaum, membina generasi yang mampu mengekalkan perpaduan dalam pembangunan ekonomi, politik dan sosial.

“Kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia harus melipatgandakan usaha dan perlu bekerjasama serta berganding bahu tanpa mengira agama, bangsa dan kaum bagi meneruskan kesinambungan kejayaan dan kemakmuran yang dikecapi,”katanya lagi.

Terdahulu Paulus mahu budaya Jiranku Keluargaku akan disemai dan disuburkan kembali bagi memastikan nilai murni seperti gotong-royong, sikap ambil peduli tidak terhakis dari arus pembangunan.

“Kita tidak mahu dalam dunia semakin membangun nilai kerjasama, sikap prihatin dan gotong-royong terhakis khususnya dalam kalangan generasi muda hari ini,”ujarnya lagi.

Program anjuran Jabatan Perpaduan dan Integrasi Nasional (JPNIN) disertai sekitar KRT sepanjang Jalan Pandaruan.-Utusan Borneo

Govt asked to set up fire station in Belaga

KAPIT: The government has been called on to set up a fire station in Belaga.

Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong said this is necessary because of the growing population in the district.

“The presence of Bomba (Fire and Rescue Department) is very important in the event of a fire outbreak to save property and human lives,” he said during a visit to Uma Kahei in Long Mekero, which lost seven of its 103 doors to a fire on Friday.

He praised Bomba for setting up a volunteer firefighting squad in the village, which helped to stop the fire from spreading further.

Ugak said the government should work to set up similar units at every longhouse.

“All the longhouses and kampungs in Hulu Rajang constituency are far in the remote interior. In the event of fire, there’s no way to enlist Bomba’s service. But if there are properly-trained volunteer firefighting squads armed with basic firefighting equipment, at least they could prevent the fire from spreading,” he said.

He visited the 28 fire victims to assess their needs together with Assistant Minister of Culture and Heritage Liwan Lagang, who is Belaga assemblyman.

“The government through the Welfare Department has sent in immediate aid in the form of food and cooking utensils followed by FINANCIAL aid to help them reconstruct their bilik. All this aid comes from the BN (Barisan Nasional) government,” added Ugak.

“There is no sign of the opposition. They are only good at lip service but do nothing to help the people in times of need. Just before the election, they will appear like mushrooms to criticise and belittle the government. ”-Borneo Post

Dakwaan Islamkan kanak-kanak tadika Baram tidak benar

Baram: Komuniti di pedalaman Baram diingatkan agar tidak mudah terperdaya khabar angin menyatakan penubuhan tadika Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS) di kawasan mereka ‘ada udang di sebalik batu’ seperti menukar agama kanak-kanak di situ.

Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Telang Usan, Dennis Ngau berkata, beliau kesal dengan khabar angin dianggapnya berbahaya itu.

“Saya tidak tahu bagaimana dan siapa menyebarkan perkara tidak berasas menuduh KEMAS menyebar agama Islam dalam kalangan komuniti pedalaman melalui tadika.

“Terdapat kumpulan dan individu tidak bertanggungjawab membuat tuduhan bahawa murid mengikuti kelas tadika di situ diajar mengucap dan cara bersolat.

“Kita tidak tahu sejauh mana kebenaran kerana setakat ini tiada menerima aduan atau laporan,” katanya.

Dennis berkata demikian semasa berucap merasmikan majlis penyampaian Sijil Kelas Pendidikan Literasi Fungsian Versi 2.0 di Long Laput, Baram kelmarin.

Seramai 18 dan empat suri rumah dari Long Laput dan Long jekitan menerima sijil kelas pendidikan tersebut

Dennis menambah, sebelum ini pengarah KEMAS negeri turut mencadangkan agar kelas di sini turut mengundang pastor dan katekis melakukan sembahyang bersama murid-murid.

“Sehubungan itu saya berharap ibu bapa tidak takut menghantar anak-anak mereka ke tadika KEMAS sebagai persediaan untuk anak melangkah alam persekolahan sebenar.

“Dalam hal ini, ibu bapa harus mengutamakan pendidikan anak-anak sebaliknya menegetepikan khabar angin yang tidak berasas,” katanya.

Hadir sama penyelia KEMAS Parlimen Baram Julitta Laja dan Timbalan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) Robert Luhat.-Utusan Borneo

UMNO berada paling nazak dalam sejarah

Pimpinan di bawah Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak juga turut menyebabkan BN berada dalam keadaan yang sama

PETALING JAYA: Bekas Ahli Majlis Tertinggi (MT) UMNO, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah menyifatkan kemelut dalaman parti orang Melayu itu berada dalam keadaan paling teruk.

Katanya, pengalaman itu tidak pernah dilalui parti itu sejak ia diwujudkan puluhan tahun lalu.

Jelasnya, pimpinan di bawah Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak menjadikannya nazak bukan setakat pada UMNO tetapi juga kepada Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Hari ini UMNO dan BN pimpinan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sedang nazak.

“UMNO dan BN tidak pernah senazak ini,”katanya dalam pidato rakyat semasa Kongres Nasional Tahunan ke-11, di Shah Alam.

Beliau yang juga bekas Bekas Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, melihat situasi yang berlaku menjadi faktor yang memihak kepada PKR dan Pakatan Harapan (PH) untuk menang pada Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) akan datang.

Namun, beliau mengingatkan ia tidak akan tercapai sekiranya pembangkang bercakaran sesama sendiri.-Free Malaysia Today

Don’t look down on rural S’wakians, many speak English

COMMENTS by Theantdaily readers

Evelyn Yee: Jimmy Adit, well written article with facts. My visits to Miri the past few years tell me Sarawakians apparently prefer to speak in English because not knowing which language to use with the common folks there, I started by speaking in BM. They would instead respond in English to my pleasant surprise!

Choon Ted Thian: Please don't look down on rural Sarawakians. Most of them can speak better English than urban people. Most Dayaks can speak good English because most of them are Christians and Christianity and English has better connection. Proud to be Sarawakian.

Richard Blind: On my trip to Kapit which the locals proudly call UK (Ulu Kapit) three years ago, I found myself among good company because English was widely used. In one coffee shop, the old Chinese towkay was able to converse in English. We were later joined by a Dayak in his 60’s who also spoke in English. Even the boatman at the Kapit wharf was able to hold a conversation in English. So well done, Sarawakians.

Gee Jakee: Go to any rural Dayak longhouse, all you find are old folks and young kids attending school. Others had already left in search of better opportunities. Those that are blessed with bilingual abilities have the advantage of moving ahead in life.

MDon Cheang: Sarawak was once British colony. And English was then the official state language, until joining Malaysia. Over the last two decades, they fell behind in the language. Give them sufficient time and slowly but surely, Sarawakians will be back on track again.

Connie T Lipau: Correction please! Sarawak never joined Malaysia but together formed Malaysia. We are supposed to be equal partners but somewhere down the road, someone with bad intentions robbed us of our rights.

Benson Ong: English as one of the official languages is not good enough. We need English medium schools for the benefit of our future generations.

Kin Lee: Bravo. You will be ahead of Peninsular Malaysia. We have ministers who cling on to power and they send their children overseas to study at a very young age.

Manohar Chand: English is the way forward. It has a wide vocabulary. Local languages still have many TERMS which are difficult to express and tend to be misunderstood.

Stephen CH Loh: We should consider sending our children to study in Sarawak.

Doner Emmiur: Malaya will be Malaya. Let them rot with their Melayuuuuuuuuuu…

James Warman: Sarawak, if you can be independent, please bring Sabah too.

W Kiong Ang: Johore next, followed by Penang and Selangor.

Cosmas Mojulat: A big salute to Tan Sri Adenan Satem's bold decision in making English as an official language in Sarawak. Sabah should also take similar step. People should not be worried about the MALAY language being threatened because that would never happen. Even our old folks who never attend school could speak Malay very fluently. We just would like to see our children and our community as a whole to be able to master the language. I suppose this would slowly do away with the inferiority complex pertaining to the mastery of English.

Sang Kancil: It's a start. Hopefully Sarawak will lead the way.

Roger 5201: Condescending, to say the least! Sarawak has been doing quite nicely since the days of the White Rajahs, and now they are chastised for wanting to revert to English which has worked well for them. If Perkasa is so adamant on using Bahasa Melayu in Malaya, let them.

Mikey: You are right when you say Perkasa, MTEM and DPMM never help or contribute anything to Sarawak’s progress except to create animosity among Sarawakians. It is good that you can see their agendas. Sarawakians must get rid of the thorns in your flesh. Please tell Malaya/BN/Umno to mind their own business.

Ahgan Lew: Sarawak knows the importance of English and recognises it is the way forward. But West Malaysia still maintains the 'way backward'.

Muhammad Faris: Let them be what they want. It doesn’t mean you gonna fail everything just because you don’t learn English. Look at Japan. They don’t even learn English but they are very advanced.

Rahman Yii: Japan has a culture of excellence, Malaysia has a culture of entitlement. So if BM can bring us to that kind of level of excellence in science and technology, I'm sure we are all for BM. But sadly BM still have to cetak rompak words from English heavily.

Poh Sang Yee: Those who are wise enough would say English is also very important to communicate in this modern world of IT. I am unable to handle it and regret because of my poor English.

Albert Phan: Wish Putrajaya would follow Sarawak. But I think they are afraid to do so.

Teik Lee: The ultra-Malays are upset because they assume that Sarawak belongs to them. They have conveniently forgotten that they are only a part of Malaysia. Anyway these guys will never go far with their inferiority complex. Feel so sorry for them.

Prashant Ram Naidu: Everyone should master English as it plays an important role nowadays. At the same time, it’s a disgrace if you can’t master the National Language and things get even worse when Bangla speaks better Bahasa Melayu.

Pc Kok: Sarawak may have to blacklist Perkasa members since there may be high risk if they vandalise English-language signboards.

Jihep Atoi: English is good for business and with the conclusion of the TPPA with the US and other countries, a decision like this is the way to go.

Lawrence Li: People are not born to be English or computer literate. Adenan did say that this is a trial or a head start only. Sarawak won't fully use English until its people are ready. Those with no English background are given the chance to learn. Thus for those to say that Adenean shouldn't do this, you are asking us, Sarawakians, to stay "backward".

Michel Wright: One up for being open minded and thinking globally.

Fizzi Then: If one cannot speak English, then learn. Why stop others to advance further?

Manonmani Anandan: Good luck Sarawakians. Follow your hearts.

Mike Low Hoy Boon: Let them make noise. Empty vessels make the most noise. Let us move forward.

Muhammad Faris: Let them have their way. We have ours.

Lim Kooi: Do what you have to do, not what others want you to do.

Harry Ooi: Go ahead Sarawakians. Do what is best for your people. Here they are stopping their people from progressing.

Ho Swee Poh: English is a universal language and not a katak dibawah tempurung language!

Helen Powers: Go for it.

Andy Anderson: Proud to be Sarawakian

These comments are in response to the article Sarawak has decided English is the way forward published on Nov 24.

-The Ant Daily

Kalau saya tidak pergi, saya kena tangkap- Tian Chua

Tian Chua menyatakan dia akan bekerjasama dengan polis bagi membantu siasatan berhubung pertemuan Izzah dengan Jacel.

SHAH ALAM : Ahli Parlimen Baru Tian Chua menyatakan kesediannya untuk bekerjasama dengan polis bagi membantu siasatan berhubung pertemuan Naib Presiden Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Nurul Izzah Anwar dengan waris Kesultanan Sulu, Jacel H Kiram.

Menurutnya, dia tidak mempunyai pilihan lain kerana sekiranya tidak bekerjasama dengan polis, dia akan ditangkap.

“Panggillah, saya tunggu. Saya tunggu panggilan dia.

“Saya tidak mempunyai pilihan. Kalau saya tidak pergi, dia (polis) akan tangkap,” katanya kepada pemberita pada Kongres Nasional Tahunan Ke-11 PKR pada Sabtu.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar bahawa pihak polis akan memanggilnya bagi membantu siasatan berhubung pertemuan Izzah dengan Jacel.

Dalam pada itu, Tian Chua turut diminta mengulas berhubung dakwaan Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi bahawa beliau merupakan pihak yang bertanggungjawab mengatur pertemuan antara Izzah dengan Jacel.

“Saya telah menafikan sebelum ini dan menyatakan bahawa Zahid mesti tarik balik kenyataannya,” jelasnya.-Free Malaysia Today

Pakatan should stop depending on BN to take down BN

CONFUSION IN PAKATAN: There has been a lot of talk about how Barisan Nasional is weak but a weaker Opposition meant that this weakness could not be taken advantage of.

The question is - Is BN really weak?

BN representatives – despite all kinds of rumours – have remained steadfast with their chosen leader Najib Razak.

Indeed, when the prime minister was confronted by all the other BN component parties over the red shirt rally with all other component parties voting to stop that rally, Najib could still walk out of that meeting and announce to the world that they agreed to disagree with not a single coalition partner leader uttering a squeak after that.

When Dr Mahathir Mohamed and Muhyiddin Yassin attempted to break ranks, they were systematically shut down and shunned by BN. All in their camp were completely decimated and ostracised politically thereafter.

Meanwhile, the Opposition came in different packaging with confusing labels on what they actually stand for.

Pakatan Harapan exists in Penang but not in Selangor or Kelantan. Pakatan Rakyat supposedly still exists in Selangor while there is only PAS in Kelantan. In the states of Johor and Sarawak, the local chapters of PKR, DAP and PAS have been reported to be squabbling among themselves.

Pakatan Harapan was launched without a constitution or even an anointed leader. Even Pakatan Rakyat did not have a constitution, only a common policy framework, and we all know how well that worked out in the end.

It gets even more confusing when you try to spell out the varying relationships among the so-called partners:

According to DAP, PAS is a traitor but they can still work with PKR, except that there appears to be elements of treachery when Penang PKR reps abstained from voting in support of the Penang government.

According to PAS, DAP is a traitor but they can still work with PKR.

According to PKR, they can work with PAS and DAP even if the other two cannot work with each other.

This confusing relationship has made it impossible for them to be a cohesive voting bloc and their differences often lead to confrontations and accusations against each other.

In TERMS of political strategies, all the major plans for change by Pakatan backfire because they stupidly injected into their plans a fatal flaw – the need for BN dissidents to support those plans.

We had the so-called September 16 crossover from BN in 2008 that never materialised as a lesson. We had the crossover of an Umno assemblyperson in Perak that led to the collapse of the Perak government as a lesson. And now we have a vote of no confidence against Najib that failed which can be added to the list of lessons Pakatan needs to learn.

Pakatan should stop depending on BN to take down BN. When you need someone and they do not need you in return, you are just asking to be used and abused.-The Ant Daily

Saifuddin dipilih selesaikan perebutan kerusi PKR-DAP untuk pilihan raya Sarawak

Ahli baharu PKR Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah ditugaskan untuk menyelesaikan perebutan kerusi di antara parti pembangkang bagi pilihan raya Sarawak, kata Nurul Izzah Anwar.

Naib presiden PKR itu berkata, langkah ini bagi memastikan ‎satu lawan satu di antara pembangkang dan Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak dalam pilihan raya yang dijangkakan tahun depan.

Pengumuman itu dilakukan selepas terdapat laporan pergeseran di antara PKR dan DAP di Sarawak tentang siapa yang harus bertanding di 82 kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) negeri itu.

Nurul Izzah berkata, Saifuddin merupakan individu terbaik untuk menjadi "orang tengah"di antara semua parti yang bakal bertanding dalam pilihan raya negeri Sarawak.

"Terdapat konsensus umum orang terbaik untuk memulakan rundingan ialah Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah kerana beliau dipilih DAP, PKR dan Amanah (Parti Amanah Negara).

"Beliau juga merupakan orang terbaik untuk memastikan semua tuntutan parti dipenuhi," kata Nurul Izzah kepada pemberita di Shah Alam hari ini.

Dilaporkan apabila Saifuddin menyertai PKR selepas keluar Umno pada Oktober, beliau akan mengetuai sekretariat untuk mengkoordinasi Pakatan Harapan yang melibatkan PKR, DAP dan Amanah.

Ini kerana beliau dihormati semua parti pembangkang berhubung peranannya ketika mengetuai Gerakan Kesederhanaan Global (GMM). –The Malaysian Insider

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