Green Card...for thousands of stateless in Tawau??

Guong

Tawau has thousands of "stateless" people? What? How did these people ends up being stateless in the first place? Lack of awareness by the 'local' on registering their child after birth? They live deep in the jungle that need 2 to 3 days to reach causing them unable to register their children?

I've live in Tawau before and I've even been to their most deep 'kampung' such as Kalabakan. And you know what, those deep, far kampung actually has a proper road to link them with Tawau town. In those kampung they even have Astro subscribers. Yet they are STATELESS? What are these "stateless" people excuses for being stateless in the first place?

Why did NRD even choose Tawau to open this green card registration in the first place? Why not Kinabatangan, Sook, Pensiangan, Keningau, Tenom, Long Pasia, Pitas, Kota Marudu.. These are the places where land communication is a problem thus causing most of the villagers there can't register their child after birth. These are the places where genuine "stateless" people live. But instead they choose Tawau. A place which is well known for its illegal immigrants from the Philippine and Indonesia.

The NRD claim that they will not issue green card to foreigner or illegal immigrants. Yeah sure, like the misissued red I.C cases. Damn it!!

Wind of change for Sarawak?

Guong

It's official, another members of Sarawak state representative joined PKR. Along with 12,000 more Sarawakian. It cause quit a buzz in Sarawak and for our current ruling government even though no official comment have been made by 'them'. Maybe it's because the federal government doesn't have any 'channel' to voice their 'concern'. Why? well Sarawak has full autonomy over their own administration unlike Sabah which is controlled by UMNO led government.

This event remind me of a chat I had with one of my Sarawakian friend three years ago.

Me : Man, I'm sick of my current state leader.

L : Why?

Me : Because Sabah is controlled by outsider. All of our wealth and resource are rob away just like that. Our oil, timber, even palm oil. Sabah leaders only follow whatever the federal government say. Like a 'yes men'. Like a buffalo being drag by its nose.

L : Really? That is bad.

Me : Yeah, you know, I really envy your state. Your people have full control over your own state. Unlike us, we have to bow to UMNO, but in your state, they have to bow to you. You know how they look at us Borneo? just as their income source. Just look at us Sabahan, we are so left behind, Sarawak is actually even better than Sabah in term of all aspects, be it education, infrastructure, immigration, politic etc.. I'm so jealous man..

L : Ha ha..Is that how Sabah look at Sarawak? Well, it's true Sarawak has more control over our own state, but, we Sarawakian also face problems because of our 'more' control situation. There are discrimination and monopoly of certain ethnic happening in Sarawak for a very long time now. Do you know that my ethnic, Dayak, form the largest ethnic group in Sarawak yet we are sidelined by the current leader? All of the projects, benefits are monopolized by cronies.

Me : Really, whoa..I didn't know that.

L : And you know what, all this time we see Sabah as better than Sarawak because you get to change you Chief Minister. It prevent cronies to stay since you rotate your leader between ethnic. So everyone gets a fair share.

Me : Ha ha..yeah but they are actually more like a puppet for the federal government. I guess, weather we have full autonomy or not on our state, we would still face problems.

L : Yeah, it all depends to the leader. Either good or not.


Well, our chat was something like that. Not exactly like that but the main point are the same. That was three years ago...now, any difference? Yes, the difference is, after 3 years, it's getting worst..

Sabah State Budget 2009.....(2008??)

Guong

The complete speech of Sabah state budget for 2009 is published here.
It 'sounds' nice, except for the deficit amounting RM 208 million. 2009 budget is the biggest (RM2,778.81 billion) yet and it really worries me.

Why? Every Sabahan know why. Corruption. Yes, a plague that have taken roots so deep that it somehow seems legal and practiced 'openly'. But, that's another topic.

But before that, what happen to the 2008 budget? Was it a success or 'suck'cess? The main agenda for 2008 budget was Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) and it's still in the 'management' phase, yet to reach the 'implementation' stage. Let's not forget about Sabah power shortage and the incident that cause almost the whole state to 'blackout'. And I didn't find anything in this 2009 budget that is related on improving Sabah power grid managment. Or was it not included as it is less important? Or is it 100% on SESB alone to improve it?

All I can say is 2008 budget was a failure if SDC is to be the benchmark. For 2009? it's still to early to make a conclusion but base on Sabah track records, it's more likely to be a 'beautiful budget' yet again. With a lot more to spend by the rakyat? I hope so even though its more to 'hopeless'....sigh..

Kimanis-Bintulu....one way??

Guong

Pak Lah did it again. His flip-flop policy seems remain unchanged even though his days as PM almost over. In the recent 23rd PBS Annual Congress, he stunned everyone that the scrapped Kimanis-Bintulu Gas Pipeline project as demanded by Sabah is now ON again! He didn't even explain why it was on again.

UPKO leader Bernard G. Dompok was the most vocal on this matter. Or maybe the ONLY Sabahan leader that being vocal on this matter. What about the other Sabahan leader? Yet to hear any 'noise'.

Why must the gas be piped to Bintulu? Why must the government spend a huge sum of money just to build the pipeline to Bintulu when building Sabah's own gas refinery would be more practical and beneficial to Sabah. It's Sabah own resource we're talking about. It's not that we don't want to share but why not make Sabah as the main hub instead of Sarawak? I've got nothing against Sarawak but this is just so unfair.

With this resource, Sabah state can actually solve its 'blackout' problem. It can also create new job opportunity for the local. Most importantly, it can boost Sabah's economy development. It will provide a much more diverse opportunity to develop Sabah as a whole.

RM3 billion worth of 500km gas pipeline, why not just make one refinery in Sabah? Save more cost.

On May 31, Pak Lah assured Sabah leader in Kota Kinabalu that this project will be scrapped. So much for the assurance. But the worst part is, why are the other Sabah leaders seems to ignore this? Have they no 'balls' to say anything? Damn..