1869 and still growing

Oh really! Are you sure?

Pay attention to Bernama’s article highlighted in “Bold” and “Red”.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) today expressed its undivided support for Abdul Taib Mahmud to remain as the party president, saying this was necessary to maintain political stability and continuous development in Sarawak. PBB deputy president Alfred Jabu said the support was expressed by all the PBB supreme council members and all the leaders of the various segments of the 71 branches of the party.

The support was expressed via a pledge of loyalty and a resolution at the meeting of the PBB supreme council chaired by Taib himself, he said.

“We (PBB members) unanimously support the leadership of Pehin Sri (Tan Sri) Abdul Taib Mahmud and will continue to support his leadership and that of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak,” Jabu, who is a Sarawak deputy chief minister, told reporters this evening.

Taib, who is Sarawak chief minister, left 10 minutes earlier and declined to speak to reporters who had been waiting since morning. He left it to Jabu to attend to the newsmen. — Bernama

Read also:

Taib Must Go! Taib Must Go! Taib Must Go! @ Ahmad Nazib blog.

Taib, “You better go and not wait to be told” @ Cobbold John.

We’ll win, with or without Taib by Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. ]]> http://www.zulhaidah.com/?feed=rss2&p=5578 0 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5574 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5574#comments Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:05:37 +0000 admin http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5574

This page is created by caring citizen of Sarawak, Malaysia as a response to Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud statement on Utusan Borneo (Aug 25, 2010). The state daily closely linked to Taib said:

“Taib had wanted to step down in 2006, but the people ‘rakyat’ of Sarawak want him to stay, so he had no choice but to stay.

Perhaps that is Taib’s perceptions, which obviously not reflecting the growing sentiment of all Sarawakians including those in his own party PBB – that he must go….

Taib Must Go. Tak Nak Taib.

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/taibmustgo ]]> http://www.zulhaidah.com/?feed=rss2&p=5574 0 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5564 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5564#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:24:53 +0000 admin http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5564

The spate of calls in the Main Stream Media is not reflective of Taib’s popularity and this has been mentioned in YB Dominique Ng’s blog. It is nothing more than reflecting the hypocrisy coming out from leaders of component parties in Sarawak Barisan Nasional. The most vocal among them is from PBB, mainly their youths and wanita and the few who were there because Taib put them there.

As it is, we are of the view majority of Sarawakian’s want Taib Mahmud to go and we certainly agree with the views of the follwing article at Free Malaysia Today

“If the people don’t need me, then I will step down.” And with that, Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud has set into motion the oldest political trick in the book. Scan the local newspapers and you will catch the outpouring of support for Taib to remain as the chief minister and leader of the state Barisan Nasional (BN). A fervour of support seems to have erupted from the masses for Taib. They all want to keep Taib at the helm.

It seems without Taib, Sarawak will go the way of the Titanic; without Taib, Sarawak is doomed.

Or so we are made to believe.

Read between the lines and you will see a pattern. The ones who are dancing round the totem of Keep-Taib-In-Power are those directly involved with the many political parties in the state BN.

The leaders are making the statements, and passing these statements off as a blanket opinion that the state’s voters are of the same mind too.

The state leaders cannot voice the true sentiment of the people. To do so would mark the demise of their own political reign. And rightly so, since it was Taib who put them there in the first place. As said by Mahathir Mohamad, “What we give, we can also take back.”

BN candidates are nominated by the various political parties and endorsed by Taib. The candidates then are voted in by the people and hence are now indebted to Taib for their very existence. There is something wrong with this and it is a fundamental flaw.

The people’s vote should be the most powerful element in any democratic government. The whole government is indebted to the mandate given by the people. It is the people who have full ownership of the government. What the people give, they can rightfully it take back. The elected candidates owe the people (not Taib) their allegiance.

So when Taib said, “If the people don’t need me, then I will step down,” it should be the people who have the right of say on whether they want him or not. The BN component leaders and their various Youth wings should just keep their mouths shut and allow the people to have their say.

Have a referendum and put the vote to the people. Let the people choose the government they want. Let the people decide in an out-right vote if they still want Taib to remain as chief minister.

Time for change
Tall order indeed, especially in Sarawak. The current administration will never allow the people to blatantly speak out their views. Instead, we are treated to cowardly party members making the assumption that ALL the peoples of Sarawak still want Taib in power.

And all this in light of revelation after revelation of Taib’s covert activities — amassing riches for himself and his associates; stripping natives of their customary land rights and Taib’s total monopoly of every business deal in Sarawak. It is an open joke in Sarawak that the Taib establishment has its tentacles in every industry conceivable except the funeral industry.

It is high time that the people of Sarawak made it clear that it is time for change. It is time for Taib to leave the scene and for his underlings to accept it. Nothing last forever and this also includes Taib.

It is interesting to note that Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has yet to issue a statement (as of the writing of this article) in support of keeping Taib in power and rightfully so.

As seen in Sibu, the Chinese have had enough. Would this translate into a bigger picture when the state election comes round? It would surely be a death note for SUPP to endorse Taib for another term because clearly the thoughts of the Chinese are different from that of their leaders.

But if BN thinks that by winning the Chinese over it has a clear shot at winning the coming election, then it is in for a surprise. The kingmakers for the next election, the ones that can topple Taib, do not belong to any exclusive ethnic group.

The kingmakers are the youths of Sarawak — educated, young Sarawakians who are capable of judging for themselves what is right and wrong and are not afraid of voicing their opinions.

And it is clear that Malaysian politicians do not have any inkling of the impact of this “hidden nation”. It is a nation of citizens sophisticated in social networking systems, readers of alternative media and who communicates via SMS and chats.

It is one that is fuelled by information, a nation that longs for the ideals of democracy after witnessing the mockery that Malaysian politics has become.

Suffice to say, the growing voice for reform will come from this hidden nation. It will be loud and clear.

Yes, the people do not want Taib. Yes, it is time he stepped down. And to think otherwise, to think that retaining Taib for another term would be beneficial to Sarawak would be pure mockery of the entire democratic process.

Free Malaysia Today ]]> http://www.zulhaidah.com/?feed=rss2&p=5564 0 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5555 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5555#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:26:06 +0000 admin http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5555

“Deemed Dirty”?. Just wondering what Krismuddin means.

Only in Malaysia an issue like this can be politicised by UMNO-Barisan Nasional.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said today he was shocked that Serdang member of Parliament Teo Nie Ching had the support of PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat over her visit to a surau (Muslim prayer hall) as it confused Muslims.

“Teo had no business to be inside Surau Al-Huda as she was deemed dirty but Nik Aziz said its alright, we are modern now. What disaster can we expect next?

He said it was clear that DAP was adopting an extreme approach by questioning the rights and privileges defended by Malay leaders and the rulers.

He was commenting a Selangordaily report that Selayang member of Parliament William Leong had entered the At-Taqwa Mosque in Selayang Baru yesterday to hand over donations.

On Aug 22, Teo Nie Ching spoke from the prayer area of Surau Al-Huda in Kajang Sentral (above).

She repeated the act yesterday when she was invited to the Al-Muhajirin Surau at Bukit Mahkota where she handed RM500 to People Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel.

Hishamuddin, who is an Umno vice-president, said Muslims should know the context of visits to mosques and surau so that houses of worship were not used for political mileage.

He claimed the incident in Selangor recently showed that DAP gave aid to buy support of Muslims.

“The Malays will not be hurt if it was in the surau compound and not the prayer area.

“The surau committee could have received the aid without going against the sultan,” he said in a statement today. – Bernama

Click here to read what Netizens have to say at Malaysiakini. ]]> http://www.zulhaidah.com/?feed=rss2&p=5555 0 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5538 http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5538#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:19:13 +0000 admin http://www.zulhaidah.com/?p=5538

This news will never appear in the Main Stream Media. As in most controversial issues surrounding NCR Land, Borneopost will never dare to report it!.

However there are exceptions to the rule. When news do appear in the Main Stream media, it is usually the chirppy bird showcasing their NCR Land Developments and how considerate they have been, and to us this are usually lies.

Lies Truth will never appear in the Main Stream Media and in most cases when they do appear, it is usually someone omitted to request the journalist to black out certain elements of the press conference and media briefing.

We were not wrong when we reported on Sime Darby’s Julau Oil Palm Plantation. We were not wrong when we queried why Nature Ambience with no experience in Oil Palm Cultivation were alienated more than 22,611 ha of NCR Land which they subsequently sold the piece of paper to Sime Darby for RM16.80 million.

Newly minted Chairman, Datuk Mohamad Bakke Salleh were perlexed that in Sime Darby’s Forensic Audit of the scandals that have surfaced in Sime Darby, they have discovered that there were some unsavory practices and there has been a trend of political considerations intruding into decision and political contributions! Is the Julau Oil Palm project one of them?

In The Malaysian Insider’s article which was quickly buried in other articles, perceived cronyism in Nature Ambience’s windfall of RM16.80 million was highlighted.

Screen shot of article at Malaysian Insider. Click to access article at The Malaysian Insider.

With the on going dispute with the NCR Land owners and since the land is found unsuitable for Oil Palm Cultivation as highlighted in the article, there remains many unanswered questions.

As Hantu Net (defined by Deputy Thief Minister, Alfred Jabu), we have just two simple questions to ask for now:

1. Is Sime Darby going to rescind the agreement entered into, between Nature Ambience and Pelita (some NCR Land owners are not a party to the agreement)?

2. If the agreement is rescinded, will Sime Darby be able to recover the RM16.80 million already paid (the money belongs to Sime Darby, a GLC. As such it is tax payers money and ultimate ownership of the RM16.80 million belongs to Malaysians)?

Chirppy Bird James Masing, Deputy Thief Minister Alfred Jabu have to answer this to the voters in Julau as well as all NCR Land owners in Sarawak.

We once again urge PM Najib to order the Sarawak State Government to cease all NCR Land Development until the rights are established via “Survey of NCR Land”.

Not only suspend and cease, MACC, PDRM should also investigate whether there is any inpropriety in Nature Ambience’s windfall of RM16.80 million and all NCR Land Dispute already decided in favour of NCR Land owners.

If Sime Darby do not want the RM16.80 million back, well at least they should consider what the RM16.80 million can do for the Dayak Community within the controversial 22,611 ha NCR Land and which are all within Barisan Nasional controlled “Kawasan”.

This may look like a proxy fight between James Masing and William Mawan! At least attempts have been made by some quarters in SPDP to sabotage the transaction and have William Mawan acting as the proxy and go between between Pelita, Sime Darby and NCR Land owners resisting Sime Darby’s forays into Julau! William Mawan knows what we mean here and who he has met to discuss the issues happening at Julau.

It is of no consequence whether MACC launch an investigation into Abdul Taib Mahmud’s allege corruption and abuse of power. Public’s perception and opinion on what is being alleged admist deafening silence from MACC, the Media and UMNO-Barisan Nasional is already a major victory for civil society groups, the rakyat and opposition politicians.

What next? The ball is in PM Najib’s feet. Even Rosmah will find it hard to convince Wanita Wing of Sarawak Barisan Nasional. Amnogst them are those who oppose Abdul Taib Mahmud and you know what, there may even be Trojan Horses!

Why the MACC will not touch Taib Mahmud
The perennial question in Sarawak, as elsewhere in Malaysia, is why the Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency (MACC) has not asked Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud so far to account for living beyond his means i.e. his known sources of income. The Inland Revenue Board (IRB), among others, can go after Taib as well but clearly nothing is happening from that direction.

Just two examples will suffice i.e. the Rolls Royce cars in his garage, one personal and the other owned by the state government. This is a reflection on accounting standards as well in Sarawak.

The question that arises here is how the Chief Minister of Sarawak can afford a personal Rolls Royce on his monthly salary of RM 20,000 even if he saves all of this as he literally starves to death at his residence in the proverbial rags.

In the case of the state government-owned Rolls Royce for the Chief Minister, this reeks of abuse of power and an exercise in absolute power. ***If the Chief Minister rides in a Rolls Royce, what about the Governor? Should he ride in a twice extended Rolls Royce? And all this when the people of Sarawak are wallowing in the depths of extreme poverty as the second most backward state in Malaysia after Sabah?*** This is a blot on Sarawak, the second poorest state in the country, and an even great blot on Malaysia.

The state government-owned Rolls Royce merits a class action suit against the Chief Minister but no lawyer in Sarawak will take such a case. Lawyers from outside the state will be barred by the Immigration Department from entering Sarawak or if they are allowed to enter, they will not be admitted even temporarily to the local bar or be given a work permit. The Sarawak Advocates Association, with an eye on state government and GLC jobs, will object.

So far, the MACC has only gone after the small fry in Sarawak and elsewhere in the country. The number under investigation for this year alone is impressive. However, the total sum in corruption money involved is a measly RM 6 million-odd. The administrative costs entailed in taking action against these small fry will be much more than the RM 6 million-odd involved.

Malaysian Mirror

The only way to economically justify the MACC action against the small fry is to go after the big fish as well. There’s no chance of this happening at all unless they are from the opposition or from among the smaller BN leaders who have fallen out of favour with Putrajaya.

To be fair, the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) did raid Taib’s office once and that of his brothers and close relatives and cronies. Taib’s response was to call then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and demand an explanation. It’s not known how Mahathir responded. But it’s widely whispered in the corridors of power in Kuching that Taib wanted Mahathir to answer this question: “Who is more corrupt? Mahathir or Taib?” Apparently, that was the end of the ACA designs on Sarawak.

It is not known why Mahathir sent the ACA after Taib. But what is known is that Mahathir detests Taib no end for some reason. It may be the latter’s membership in the Freemasonry movement, which Mahathir faults for the jailing of former Umno strongman Harun Idris, or it may be something else. He even had Taib demoted to Federal Territory Minister under the Hussein Onn administration. This was an insult that Taib never forgot and relations between the two men, Mahathir and Taib, have never been easy since then.

When Mahathir decided to go after Joseph Pairin Kitingan in Sabah hammer-and-tongs, and all because he wanted to rule his own state as a member of the majority community, he was forced to eat humble pie in private and patch up with Taib. The Sarawak strongman has never been impressed however with Mahathir when it came to handling money. He would probably agree with Barry Wain, who wrote “Malaysian Maverick”, on Mahathir’s inability to handle money prudently.

The ACA episode in Sarawak shows who gives the orders to MACC. No action can be taken against a senior Barisan Nasional (BN) leader without the express approval of the Prime Minister. Even then the investigation file has to be sent to the PM himself to approve any prosecution or persecution as the case may be.

This also shows that the MACC is powerless to act against the Prime Minister himself. ***That’s why nothing will come out repeated allegations involving the payment of some RM 500 million in unjustified payments to Abdul Razak Baginda and wife in the matter of two submarines purchased by Malaysia. Everyone knows who the Bagindas represent. ***

To be fair to Taib, it’s not the widespread disclosure that he has a billion dollar property and Investment Empire overseas that incriminates him although politically embarrassing for the son of a fisherman. The day-to-day dealings can be easily explained and the sources of income justified. Once you have the first million, by hook or crook, you are on the way to making the other millions provided you don’t indulge in conspicuous consumption. Taib, unlike other Bumiputera, has been careful and prudent on that score. He’s Mr Scrooge himself.

The real issue in the Taib case is the legitimacy of the financial origins of his overseas business empire and whether he’s involved, as alleged, money laundering. Patently, he has put his ill-gotten gains to work overseas to make even more money for him and his dynasty’s politicking back home. This means studying conflict of interest issues, criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and exercises in absolute power in Sarawak.

If we go there, the entire raison de etre of BN rule in Malaysia will come under public and international scrutiny.

At the heart of the matter, is that politics in Malaysia is not about issues but the need for the ruling elite to accumulate capital for two reasons.

Firstly, to ensure they can spawn a Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community to keep company with the Chinese; and, secondly, to fuel their politics and ensure political control of the country as long as possible, if not in perpetuity. The latter reason means twisting and turning every issue into a racial issue – think Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali and Mahathir — in order to play to the gallery and ensure that the Malays in particular circle the wagons in unison against the other communities.

Mahathir himself admitted has much recently when he pointed out that “politics means that you need a lot of money”, virtually justifying the corruption of the ruling elite. This was on the sidelines of why he isn’t suing Barry Wain over the Malaysian Maverick.

Is there any better or faster way to accumulate capital than to raid the people’s sweat from the Public Treasury under the guise of development and white-wash the ill-gotten gains through money laundering?

Other people have other ways of accumulating quick and lots of capital like organised crime, trafficking in drugs, human trafficking, people smuggling, loan-sharking, wars, and in the old days, colonialism and slavery.

Given the fact that the MACC can’t or won’t act in the case of Taib, it’s for civil society to commence class action suits against Taib’s assets abroad.

It’s best to allow the courts to act and get the support of the governments involved to freeze and bring back his assets to Sarawak as government revenue and/or distribution to the people, especially the victims of his administration.

Speech by Tunku Abdul Rahman at the Proclamation of Independance for Malaya at Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur on 31st August, 1957!

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies, People of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.

I am indeed proud that on this, the greatest day in Malaya’s history it falls to my lot to proclaim the formal independence of this country. Today as new page is turned, and Malaya steps forward to take her rightful place as a free and independent partner in the great community of Nations-a new nation is born and though we fully realise that difficulties and problems lie ahead, we are confident that, with the blessing of God, these difficulties will be overcome and that today’s events, down the avenues of history, will be our inspiration and our guide. It is therefore with a feeling of particular solemnity that we have listened to the eloquent words of His Royal Highnessl and in particular to the moving message he has conveyed from Her Majesty the Queen2. We are indeed honoored that Her Majesty should have deputed her own uncle, His Royal Highness to be with us on this occasion particularly when we remember that he is no stranger to this land: we recall too with pleasure his previous visit to Malaya and happy recollections of his stay have remained with us.

His Royal Highness has spoken in moving words of the past associations of our two countries. We in Malaya have a long history, but we do not lightly forget old relationships. For many years past our fortunes have been linked with those of Great Britain and we recall in particular the comradeship of two world wars. We remember too the products of our association; justice before the law, the legacy of an efficient public service and the highest standard of living in Asia.

We shall therefore always remember with gratitude the assistance which we have received from Great Britain down our long path to nationhood; an assistance which culminated today with the proclamation of Malaya’s Independence. But the long standing friendship between our countries does not cease with independence: rather it takes on a new form. As you have heard in the gracious message from Her Majesty the Queen, Malaya will henceforward take her place in the great Commonwealth of Independent Nations whose members are found in all parts of the world, and as an equal partner in that great association. We in this country will do all in our power to promote its well-being in the interests of mankind in general and in the particular service of world peace.

Thus today a new chapter opens in our relationship with Britain; our colonial status has given place to full equality but we are confident that, fortified by old associations, and linked by old memories, our ties with Britain will grow ever stronger and more durable. British will ever find in us her best friend, and it is a soure of much gratification to my Government that British Civil Servants will continues to serve in this country to assist us in the solution of the many problems which independence will present.

But while we think of the past, we look forward in faith and hope to the future; from henceforth we are masters of our destiny, and the welfare of this beloved land is our own responsibility: Let no one think we have reached the end of the road: Independence is indeed a milestone, but it is only the threshold to high endeavour-the creation of a new and sovereign State. At this solemn moment therefore I call upon you all to dedicate yourselves to the service of the new Malaya: to work and strive with hand and brain to create a new nation, inspired by the ideals of justice and liberty-a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world.

High confidence has been reposed in us; let us unitedly face the challenge of the years. And so with remembrance for the past, and with confidence in the future, under the providence of God, we shall succeed.

Merdeka as Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaim Malaya's independance in 1957

Proclamation Of Independence

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe and may the blessing and peace of God upon his Messengers.

WHEREAS the time has now arrived when the people of the Persekutuan Tanah Melayu will assume the status of a free independent and sovereign nation among the nations of the World.

AND WHEREAS by an agreement styled the Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1957, between Her Majesty the Queen and Their Highness the Rulers of the Malay States it was agreed that the Malay States of lohore, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Trengganu and Perak and the former Settlements of Malacca and Penang should as from the 31st day of August, 1957, be formed into a new Federation of States by the name of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.

AND WHEREAS it was further agreed between the parties to the said agreement that the Settlements of Malacca and Penang aforesaid should as from the said date cease to form part of Her Majesty’s dominions and that Her Majesty should cease to exercise any sovereignty over them.

AND WHEREAS it was further agreed by the parties aforesaid that the Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1948, and all other agreements subsisting between Her Majesty the Queen and Their Highness the Rulers or anyone of them immediately before the said date should be revoked as from that date and that all powers and jurisdiction of Her Majesty or of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in or in respects of the Settlements aforesaid or the Malay States or the Federation as a whole should come to an end.

AND WHEREAS effect has been given in the Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1957, by Her Majesty the Queen, Their Highnesses the Rulers, the Parliament of the United Kingdom and Legislatures of the Federation and of the Malay States.

AND WHEREAS a constitution for the Government of the Persekutuan Tanah Melayu has been established as the supreme law thereof.

AND WHEREAS by the Federal Constitution aforesaid provision is made to safeguard the rights and prerogatives of Their Highness the Rulers and the fundamental rights and liberties of the people and to provide for the peaceful and orderly advancement of the Persekutuan Tanah Melayu as a constitutional monarchy based on Parliamentary democracy.

AND WHEREAS the Federal Constitution aforesaid having been approved by an Ordinance of the Federal Legislatures, by the Enactments of the Malay States and by resolutions of the Legislatures of Malacca and Penang has come into force on the 31 st day of August, 1957, aforesaid.

Now in the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful, I, TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN PUTRA IBNI AL-MARHUM SULTAN ABDUL HAMID HALIMSHAH, PRIME MINISTER OF THE PERSEKUTUAN TANAH MELAYU, with the concurrence and approval of Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Malay States do hereby proclaim and declare on behalf of the people of the Persekutuan Tanah Melayu that as from the thirty first day of August, nineteen hundred and fifty seven, the Persekutuan Tanah Melayu comprising the States of lohore, Pahang, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Trengganu, Perak, Malacca and Penang is and with God’s blessing shall be for ever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations.

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What about Sarawak State Government Civil Servants. Is Sarawak State Government considering anything for Sarawak Civil Servants. Are they going to outdo, PM Najib and Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim? What about RM1,000 for Sarawak State Civil Servants?

Duit Raya. It is the thought that counts. They come in handy in times when a lot of subsidy have been withdrawn!

Pakatan Rakyat government lead by Sdr Lim Guan Eng has announced RM400 Aidilfitri bonus for Penang civil servants.
The Penang government has announced a special Hari Raya bonus of RM400 for its 3,577 staff, which would be disbursed on Sept 3, one week before the festival.

This is the first time that such a special payment has been paid for state civil servants. The move will cost the state RM1.5 million.

“The special payment of RM400 in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri shows that the state government appreciates the state civil servants.

“The state cabinet hopes that the state civil servants will strive even harder to improve the delivery system and provide better services,” said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in a statement.

The move is believed to be aimed at countering claims that the DAP-led government was anti-Malay.

Umno and its allies have been claiming that Lim’s administration had been marginalising the Malay-community in the state since Pakatan Rakyat coalition took over in 2008.

Not to be outdone, PM Najib and Federal government has announced RM500 ‘duit raya’ for civil servants
The government today announced an Aidilfitri special payment of RM500 each for the more than 1.24 million civil servants and 590,000 government pensioners.

The payment will be made before the festival, which is likely to fall on Sept 10.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said in a statement the payment was for civil servants in Grades 1 to 54 as well as the government pensioners.

“The decision (to make the payment) was made after taking into account the welfare of civil servants and government pensioners, especially with a view to easing the cost of making preparations to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri,” said Najib, who is also the finance minister.

According to Bernama, the payment would incur a total cost of RM934.6 million, that is RM639.6 million for the payment to the civil servants and RM295 million for the pensioners, he said.

A similar payment of RM500 by the federal government was made last year, but it was split into two payments – in September before the first day of Aidifitri and in December.

Not only the Civil Servants (Federal Civil Servants?), Felda Settlers in Malaya also enjoy RM350.00 for duit raya
A total of 101,391 Felda settlers will receive RM350 each in special payment in conjunction with the coming Aidilfitri, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced today.

A total of 11,244 other settlers within the Felda settlements, who carried out replanting but not through Felda, will received RM150 each.

Najib said in a statement that the payment, involving a total of RM37.14 million, would be made before Aidilfitri.

“I hope that the ‘duit raya’ payment will help ease the burden of settlers in their preparation for Aidilfitri.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to urge settlers who are no longer with Felda to return to the agency and help develop the settlements,” he said.

The latest to announce duit raya comes from Pakatan Rakyat Government in Selangor!

RM500 ‘duit raya’ cheer for S’gor government staff
The Selangor government today announced a RM500 cash aid for state government employees to help them meet expenses during the coming Hari Raya festive season.

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the amount would be paid out before Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all state government employees except those of Jusa Grade and above.

A total of 9,089 state civil servants are expected to enjoy the bonus which will cost the Selangor government RM4.5 million, said Khalid in a statement.

Apart from this, the state government has allocated a special payment of RM250 to each of the 5,297 religious affairs and Fadhu Ain (Kafa) teachers in Selangor. The allocation amounts to a total of RM1.3 million.

Khalid said he he would the financial assistance would help lessen the burden of the state government employees ahead of the coming festive season particularly those who had large families.

He advised the state government employees as well as the Kafa teachers to practice moderation in all matters and to spend wisely according to both need and affordability.

The Chief Minister of Malacca has also just announced duit raya for state government employees. So that means, PM Najib’s announcement is only for Federal Government Civil Servants.

This is corruption and a kickback from the Samling Group! Money from logging and exploitation of the Dayak NCR Land. Samling group have been embroiled in controverys in their activities not only in Sarawak, but in nearby Papua New Guinea. Their controversy not only attracted attention in Sarawak, Malaysia, but internationally, resulting in the Norwegian government selling down their investments. Some of their logging activities are facing resistance in the local Courts if not facing blockades by the Dayaks.

Wonder whether Abdul Taib Mahmud is richer than Quek Leng Chan, Vincent Tan, Ananda Khrisnan, Robert Kuok, Wee Chow Yaw, Yeoh Tiong Lay of the Maluri Group controlled by Tun Daim’s Family!

1117 Boylston Avenue, Seattle, USA

Sarawak Report would like to enquire of Abdul Taib Mahmud how much he paid for the mansion that Samling passed on to his family in Seattle, USA ?

The residence forms an enormous property, standing in its own grounds in one of the most prestigious area of Seattle on Boylston Avenue. It was passed from a Samling-owned company to a company now owned by Abdul Taib Mahmud and his family, for just one US dollar in 1991.

Click for King County Assessment Office details.

Details of a very nice property

City Garden!

Described as a Top Grade Mansion in ‘very good’ condition by Washington State’s King County Department of Assessments, the property was valued at over US$ 6.8 million in 2008.

It has 6 bedrooms and 5 main bathrooms and an enormous total living space of 9,020 square feet, plus a basement of 2,120 square feet. The house is surrounded by a large open porch and there is a big basement garage for the car-loving Taib family, plus a second, attached garage. The mansion is surrounded by gracious gardens, kept in manicured condition and the grounds total 26,172 square feet.

Mysterious acquisition

Lord and Lady of the Manor

The property, registered under the company W. A. Boylston Inc (California), has been in the possession of the Taib family since the early to mid-1990s. Family portraits of the Chief Minister, his deceased wife and four sons and daughters as small children, adorn the elaborate rooms.

They have all spent time in the mansion, which is not occupied by anyone else. The property forms part of the family’s Sakti International Corporation, incorporated in California and currently managed by Hisham (Sean) Murray, the Chief Minister’s son in law, out of his offices at 333 Preston Street, Ontario, Canada.

However, there is confusion in the Seattle public records as to how the property passed to the Taibs. Sarawak Report has been unable to obtain any clear record of the transfer from one owner to another or, importantly, the register of any payment that would normally be eligible for taxation. We therefore request a statement from the Taibs to explain the situation.

The Samling connection

Gracious living

However, Sarawak Report has managed to clearly establish that before passing to the Taibs the house was owned by another California corporation called CSY Investments, set up in 1988. CSY acquired the property in 1991 and then registered it under subsidiary company called W. A. Boylston Inc.

Grandure

CSY are the initials of Chee S Yaw, who signs himself as the company’s President in documents which are publicly available at the King County Land Registry. Significantly, Mr Yaw is one of the younger sons of Yaw Teck Seng, founder of the massive logging conglomerate Samling Global. Yaw Teck Seng is regularly featured in Forbes Asia’s Rich List of Malaysia’s top 40 richest individuals, as does his eldest son, Yaw Chee Ming, establishing them one of the richest families in Asia.

‘Unethical’

Chee Siew Yaw - Son of Samling Boss

Our revelation comes with poor timing for the Chief Minister of Sarawak. Earlier this week Samling made international headlines when the Norwegian Government Pension Fund withdrew all investments in Samling after condemning the company as ’unethical’, owing to illegal logging and environmental devastation in Sarawak. [Click for Norwegian official announcement]

Abdul Taib Mahumd in his joint capacities as Chief Minister, Finance Minister and State Planning and Resources Minister, has controlled the issuing of Sarawak’s timber licenses for the past 30 years, leaving clear questions over his incentives for favouring such an ‘unethical’ company.

It is no secret that Samling has based its business success on achieving numerous logging concessions in Sarawak. Over the period of the Chief Minister’s rule, companies operating under his licenses have razed virtually all Sarawak’s valuable virgin forest, much of it taken without compensation from the indigenous peoples who had been granted these territories under Native Customary Land Rights.

Samling is one of the main companies involved in this destruction and it has used its base in Sarawak to launch similar logging operations in the Congo, Amazon, Russia and elsewhere, many of which have been heavily criticised by concerned NGO’s across the world.

The US $1 Sale

President of CSY (Son of Samling Boss) signs ownership of Boylston Mansion in 1991. When and how did it pass to the Taibs?

Therefore, we repeat the question, how and why did the Chief Minister come by a mansion formally owned by Samling? The only official record available of a transfer of the property in the King County Land Registry from CSY is the granting of a so-called Quit Claim Deed for just one dollar! This transaction on 19th September 1991 placed the property into the subsidiary company W. A. Boylston Inc. W. A. Boylston had been incorporated in California a few days earlier on September 5th by CSY and its registered address was given as 2260 Douglas Boulevard, Roseville, which was the Headquarters of CSY.

CSY and Boylston then immediately filed a joint letter to the King County Real Estate and Excise Tax Department declaring ‘under penalty of perjury’ that W. A. Boylston was a wholly owned subsidiary of CSY Investments, thereby making the Quit Claim transaction exempt from excise tax.

However, our investigations have shown that there is no subsequent record in the Land Registry of the later transfer of ownership of W. A. Boylston from CSY (Samling) to the Taibs. According to rules published by King County such a transfer would normally require the payment of thousands of dollars of excise tax.

Proof of Taib ownership

Portraits of the Taib family adorn the house. The family were in residence from at least the mid-90s

Despite the lack of open records, Sarawak Report is able to confirm that there is definitive proof that the Taibs did take over the property from Samling’s CSY. In fact they took up residence as the effective owners not long after the property was placed in the hands of the CSY subsidiary W. A. Boylston. Rahman Taib had an insurance assessment drawn up in 1996 (see above).

Furthermore, a significant alteration was made to the company’s official address and official representative in 2000. In that year W. A. Boylston’s annual Statement by a Domestic Stock Corporation to the State of California noted a change of address to that of the headquarters of Sakti International (the property company, which Sarawak Report has recently proved to be majority owned by the Chief Minister). Likewise, the company representative was altered from a CSY official to Rahman Taib, the Chief Minister’s younger son.

How much did it cost?

Sarawak Report therefore wishes to ask once more,whether Mr Taib paid the going rate of over $3 million for the house at that time to Samling for the purchase of the house? If so, how did the Chief Minister (salary approx MR 50,000 per month) find the money?

If, on the other hand he acquired it for free, then readers of Sarawak Report will be entitled to conclude that the mansion was a kickback from Samling, as a favour in return for all the logging concessions granted to them by the Chief Minister. They would also be entitled to ask whether the United States tax authorities have received all the money they are due.

By the way there is a second Seattle Mansion!

Mansion No 2 – 2222 Everett Avenue, Seattle

If the Boylston mansion was indeed a ‘gift’ from Samling to the Chief Minister, then one cannot expect such a thing to be done by halves. Indeed, a second, equally gracious and prestigious mansion has also found its way from the Yaws to the Taibs in Seattle, by what would appear to be exactly the same route.

W. A. Everett Inc

Choice view - Seattle Sky Line

2222 Everett Avenue East, worth $2,854,000 at its peak value in 2008, was also originally purchased by the Yaws. It was then registered under another California corporation, W. A. Everett Inc, set up on the same day as W. A. Boylston (5th September 1991). W. A. Everett Inc is likewise listed as a subsidiary of CSY in the King County Land Registry. This mansion also ended up in the hands of the Taibs.

The property is smaller with four bedrooms and bathrooms, but has famously sought after views over the City.

Sarawak Report understands that the Taibs have mainly rented it out over the past two decades, but as with Boylston, the only information about a transfer of ownership of the company from Samling to the Taibs comes with an identical change of address and officers in 2000, from the CSY address in Roseville to Rahman Taib, at Sakti International’s Headquarters in San Francisco. This leaves very many questions about how the Taibs have acquired their wealth. It is time for transparency.

MERDEKA MALAYSIA!
THE great day we have long awaited has come at last — the birth of Malaysia. In a warm spirit or joy and hope 10 million people of many races in all the States of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah now join hands in freedom and unity.

Brotherhood
We do so because we know that we have come together through our own free will and desire in the true spirit of brotherhood and love of freedom.

We have made our decision after much care and thought, finally arriving at mutual consent by debate and discussion, inquiries and elections held over 2½ years.

We can feel proud indeed of the way we have created Malaysia through friendly argument and compromise. The spirit of co-operation and concord is living proof of the desire we share for a common destiny.
What better basis for Malaysia can there be, what finer augury for the future?

The road to nationhood has not been an easy journey. Surprises and disappointments, tension and crisis, have marred the way.

Tribulations
The peoples of Malaysia, however, have endured all trials and tribulations with confidence and patience, calmness and forbearance, with faith in our final goal — Malaysia.

In the first eighteen months of political and constitutional discussions, beginning from May 1961, things went ahead favourably, because the ideal of Malaysia caught the imagination of all the peoples concerned.
We can all recall the remarkable enthusiasm and interest aroused then in the evolution of Malaysia.

Step by step the concept came to life. The activities of the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee, the merger talks between the Federation of Malaya and Singapore, the broad agreement reached in London to establish Malaysia, the appointment of the Cobbold Commission and its exhaustive inquiries in the Borneo
Territories, and the subsequent establishment of the Inter-Governmental Committee — all these steps were taken in internal harmony and in full public view.

Suddenly towards the end of 1962 the situation changed. Communist China committed unjustifiable aggression against India. I stood up for democracy and condemned China’s attack.

Communist
One immediate reaction was that Communists throughout South-east Asia retaliated by an indirect assault upon me by opposing my idea of Malaysia, and they set about creating every possible difficulty to baulk Malaysia.

Other external complications occurred — the Philippines’ claim to North Borneo, the sudden and abortive revolt in Brunei, and the startling adoption by Indonesia of a policy of confrontation against Malaya.

All these events projected an international crisis in South-east Asia this year, the climax coming in June. The successful meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Malaya, Indonesia and the Philippines, followed by my own conference with President Soekarno in Tokyo eased tension considerably and brought new hopes for harmony and peace.

Prospects for a Summit Conference were good, confrontation from Indonesia subsided, so we went ahead with arrangements for the final talks in London on Malaysia.

Confrontation
The Malaysia Agreement was duly signed in early July. Unexpectedly Indonesia reacted most strongly, renewing its policy of confrontation with the result that the Summit conference of leaders of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines at the end of July began in an atmosphere of doubt.

The Summit conference ended in an agreement by the three countries to form an Association of States of Malay origin to be known as Maphilindo.

It was agreed that in order that the partners in Maphilindo could welcome Malaysia the United Nations Secretary-General should be asked to ascertain anew the wishes of the peoples of Sarawak and Sabah. That request has not been implemented.

Now finally the peoples of Malaysia are celebrating the establishment of Malaysia. This is the time to think earnestly and hopefully on the future of Malaysia as the whole country resounds with joy.

So I pray that God may bless the nation of Malaysia with eternal peace and happiness for our people.

Into History
The Federation of Malaya now passes into history. Let us always remember that the Malayan Nation was formed after many difficulties during a long period of national Emergency, yet its multi-racial society emerged, endured and survived as a successful and progressive nation, a true democracy and an example to the world of harmony and tolerance.

As it was with Malaya, so it can be with Malaysia. With trust in Almighty God, unity of purpose and faith in ourselves, we can make Malaysia a land of prosperity and peace.

In doing so let every Malaysian in all the States of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah ensure that our Malaysia is truly worthy of the aims and hopes we have shared, the trials and stress, we have endured, in working together to achieve our common destiny.

MERDEKA MALAYSIA!

Source – National Archives, Singapore ]]> http://www.zulhaidah.com/?feed=rss2&p=5480 0