Decision to kick out Sng a right one, says PRS chief
Meeting time: Masing (right) and Housing and Urban Development Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg arriving at the State Legislative Assembly building for the morning session Wednesday.

By Rintos Mail

KUCHING: PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing believes his party has been proven right in its decision to kick out former Pelagus assemblyman Larry Sng.

He said that though Sng claimed he was loyal to the Barisan Nasional, his recent public appearance in Kapit with newly-elected Pelagus assemblyman George Lagong (Independent) showed where Sng really stood.

He said that PRS knew what it was doing when it expelled Sng, a former Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, from the party for insubordination about three years ago.

“Bear in mind that Sng had declared himself as a Barisan man, yet two months after the state election, he associates with people who opposed Barisan.
 
“What does this mean? We must remember that politics is all by association,” he said.

“You may not agree with a person, but when you still asso-ciate with the person, the public may think you are in agreement.

“If you say you are against him but sit with him in a coffeeshop all the time, you may be perceived to be in association with him,” he said.

Masing, who is Land Development Minister, said he found Sng and Lagong to be close and friendly with each other.

It was up to the other Barisan component parties and leaders to decide on what to do with Sng for associating with Lagong, he added.

“As far I am concerned, I have stated my case,” he said.

In the election, Lagong defeated Stanley Nyitar from PRS to win the Pelagus seat with a majority of 2,837 votes.

Credit to: The Star
11:53 PM | Category: | 0 comments

Since 2008 parents are free to choose whether their child follow the paternal or maternal race
By Lim How Pin & Mariah Doksil

No way. They must follow the father’s race. For example, if the father is Indian and the mother Chinese, the child is an Indian. National Registration Department Sibu office  

KUCHING: Do you know Malaysian children of certain mixed parentage can choose to be registered under the race of one of their parents?

Previously Malaysian parents had to register their children with the National Registration Department (JPN) as per paternal race until 2008 when the scenario changed.

“Since 2008, the regulation has been amended to allow parents of different races to choose the race they prefer for their child instead of merely following the father’s.

“We are talking about non-Malays like Chinese and Indians and this new rule applies to all states in Malaysia except Sarawak and Sabah that come with their respective ordinance,” JPN Malaysia public relations officer Jainisah Mohd Noor said when contacted here yesterday. Jainisah said she was not certain about Sarawak Ordinance as far as registration of a child’s race is concerned.

She added that parents were not permitted to put ‘Chinese-Indian’ or ‘Indian-Chinese’ under the column for race.

“They can only pick one, either Indian or Chinese.

“But then there is this Bumiputera issue in Sarawak, and I cannot comment on this since there is an ordinance to go with it,” she quipped.

The Borneo Post also contacted JPN Sarawak here yesterday and an officer confirmed that parents were required to fill out a declaration form if they want to choose the preferred race for their child.

“Yes, they can pick the race for their newborn but they must make a joint declaration that they agree on it. JPN does not want to be accused of selecting the race for them.”

‘Parents registering their child at birth must strictly follow the paternal race’

JPN Sibu office, on the other hand, told The Borneo Post that parents registering their child at birth must strictly follow the paternal race.

“No way. They must follow the father’s race. For example, if the father is Indian and the mother Chinese, the child is an Indian.”

The Borneo Post Sabah office then called JPN Sabah and was informed that would-be parents are allowed to choose one of their races for their newborn.

Previously, newborns were registered according to the father’s race only. And the word ‘sino’ would be added if the father was Chinese.

Now, however, ‘sino’ is no longer listed as one of the races in Malaysia.

“For example in a mixed marriage between a Sino-Kadazan and Dusun, the parents can drop the word ‘sino’ and choose to register the child as a Kadazan or Dusun,” said an officer from the department.

“Parents who wish to change their children’s race can do so now, but they are only allowed to make the change once in a lifetime.”

The officer explained that if a child had already been registered under the father’s race, the mother is allowed to change its race to hers.

“But she must bring along supporting documents such as her original birth certificate and MyKad for the department to proceed with the application.

“Be reminded that this change can only be done once in a lifetime only,” stressed the officer.

As for a newborn, its parents will be issued a temporary birth certificate which will put the baby’s race as per the father’s, but they may change it to the mother’s race later, if they wish.

Recently Subang Jaya assemblywoman Hannah Yeoh, who married an Indian husband, attempted to register her daughter’s race as ‘Anak Malaysia’ but was told by JPN officers that the system does not allow it.

Reasoning that her daughter “is neither Chinese nor Indian”, Yeoh opted to leave the race column blank, but this was not allowed by the department.

According to Jainisah, no Malaysian parents are allowed to register their newborn as ‘Anak Malaysia’.

“You can put down either ‘Indian’ or ‘Chinese’ but not ‘Anak Malaysia’,” she said.

Left with no choice, Yeoh registered her daughter as Chinese but added: “I am going to write to the prime minister and the department’s director-general to appeal.”

“The system of registering citizens should be reflective of what the prime minister is preaching every day. I don’t want my child to look at her birth certificate one day and ask why we did not do what we preach,” she posted in a news portal. JPN Sibu office, on the other hand, told The Borneo Post that parents registering their child at birth must strictly follow the paternal race.

“No way. They must follow the father’s race. For example, if the father is Indian and the mother Chinese, the child is an Indian.”

The Borneo Post Sabah office then called JPN Sabah and was informed that would-be parents are allowed to choose one of their races for their newborn.

Previously, newborns were registered according to the father’s race only. And the word ‘sino’ would be added if the father was Chinese.

Now, however, ‘sino’ is no longer listed as one of the races in Malaysia.

“For example in a mixed marriage between a Sino-Kadazan and Dusun, the parents can drop the word ‘sino’ and choose to register the child as a Kadazan or Dusun,” said an officer from the department.

“Parents who wish to change their children’s race can do so now, but they are only allowed to make the change once in a lifetime.”

The officer explained that if a child had already been registered under the father’s race, the mother is allowed to change its race to hers.

“But she must bring along supporting documents such as her original birth certificate and MyKad for the department to proceed with the application.

“Be reminded that this change can only be done once in a lifetime only,” stressed the officer.

As for a newborn, its parents will be issued a temporary birth certificate which will put the baby’s race as per the father’s, but they may change it to the mother’s race later, if they wish.

Recently Subang Jaya assemblywoman Hannah Yeoh, who married an Indian husband, attempted to register her daughter’s race as ‘Anak Malaysia’ but was told by JPN officers that the system does not allow it.

Reasoning that her daughter “is neither Chinese nor Indian”, Yeoh opted to leave the race column blank, but this was not allowed by the department.

According to Jainisah, no Malaysian parents are allowed to register their newborn as ‘Anak Malaysia’.
“You can put down either ‘Indian’ or ‘Chinese’ but not ‘Anak Malaysia’,” she said.

Left with no choice, Yeoh registered her daughter as Chinese but added: “I am going to write to the prime minister and the department’s director-general to appeal.”

“The system of registering citizens should be reflective of what the prime minister is preaching every day. I don’t want my child to look at her birth certificate one day and ask why we did not do what we preach,” she posted in a news portal.

Credit to: The Borneo Post
6:37 AM | Category: | 0 comments

Masing, Mawan awarded ‘Tan Sri’ on King’s birthday
KUCHING: The conferment of Tan Sri titles on Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Datuk Seri William Mawan is a recognition of the Dayak community’s contribution to the nation.

Masing and Mawan were among 37 people who received the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) award in conjunction with the birthday of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin yesterday.

Contribution recognised: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin awarding the Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) that carries the title, Tan Sri, to Masing.
 
The award carries the title Tan Sri.

“I’m very honoured that the Federal Government recognises Dayak leaders. Out of the 37 recipients, only two are politicians and both of us are Ibans from Sarawak,” Masing, who is Land Development Minister, told The Star.

He said this was due recognition on the part of the Federal leadership for the support and contri-bution of the state’s Dayak com-munity.

“I would like to thank the Dayak people for giving us their support and enabling us to receive this honour.

“Even though the award is given to us, it’s on behalf of the Dayak community,” he added.

Mawan, who is the Social Development and Urbanisation Minister, could not be reached for comments yesterday.
 
Credit to: The Star
7:21 AM | Category: | 0 comments

‘Weak’ Mawan may face strong challenge from rebels
The five SPDP rebels may make a bid to topple their leader William Mawan after the party's poor showing in the April 16 polls.


Dato Sri William Mawan Ikom

KUCHING: Is trouble brewing within the nine-year-old Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP)?
SPDP, which is a breakaway of the Sarawak Nasional Party (SNAP), lost two seats in the recent state election and its president William Mawan is still under attack for the party’s poor performance.

SPDP members are asking why Mawan has been “deafeningly silent” since the April 16 polls, where the party lost its strongholds in Krian and Ba’ Kelalan to the opposition.

Rumours are that Mawan is still reeling in shock after his strongman, Peter Nyarok, failed to retain Krian and his handpicked Willie Liau lost to Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian in Ba’ Kelalan.

Mawan’s close aides have speculated that his “silence and often irritable moods” are also to do with his own waning popularity in his home constituency, Pakan.

In the state polls, Mawan retained his Pakan seat with a 1,197-vote majority. His win was allegedly made possible by hundreds of “phantom voters” who came in from Kuching to vote for him.

In the 2006 polls, Mawan won with a 1,763-vote majority and in the 2001 election, he secured a majority of 2,302 votes.

Pakan was the only place in which SNAP did not lose its deposit.

SNAP lost its deposit in all the other seats it contested in the April 16 state election which, for the first time, saw multi-cornered fights in a majority of the constituencies.

Barisan Nasional (BN) lost an unprecedented 17 seats in the polls – 16 to opposition DAP and PKR and one to an independent, George Lagos, whom SNAP has claimed to be its own.

Poor judgment
Knowing himself to be in deep “trouble”, he had pleaded for the BN top guns, including Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, to help out in the campaign, but none were available. In the end, he was left to battle alone.

Mawan’s waning popularity in Pakan has been attributed to several factors, one of which is the allegation that he only favoured his cronies in the distribution of projects including minor rural development projects.

The defeat of Nyarok to PKR newcomer, Ali Biju, in the Krian seat was a big blow to Mawan.

Nyarok has been his strongman since Mawan and eight others formed the party in November after the split from SNAP.

In run-up to the April 16 polls, Mawan had been forewarned to drop Nyarok, who has held the seat for four terms.

Many felt that he had become too “arrogant” and had failed to fulfil his election promises but he refused to listen.

Mawan’s second blunder was to drop Ba’ Kelalan incumbent and SPDP secretary-general Neldon Balang Rining at the eleventh hour in favour of Willie Liau.

Liau was not only ill-prepared for the contest, but was also surprised that he was nominated to contest against Bian, the PKR’s strongman and well-known native customary rights (NCR) land lawyer.

Mawan’s sudden turnaround angered and disappointed Rining and his supporters. Rining, who was then a two-term assemblyman, had allegedly refused to help Liau’s campaign.

Rining had already spent time and money to defend the seat, and had in fact prepared his posters and banners.

His angry supporters not only protested, but also campaigned for the opposition.

Leadership challenge
While all the BN parties and even the opposition have conducted their post-mortems and have redrawn their strategies for future elections, SPDP has not done so.

Mawan’s “deafening silence’ has raised concerns among party members who want to know where the party is heading to.

Among those who questioned Mawan’s silence was the well-known group, the “SPDP 5”, comprising elected state representatives Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru), Sylvester Enteri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau) and Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading MP).

The four state representatives who recently conducted their own post-mortem issued a statement expressing concern over the “deafening silence” of Mawan after the polls and wanted to know the future plans of the party.

“Six weeks have passed since the April 16 election. Every party has discussed its performance, its losses and victories and even its future direction, but not the SPDP.

“We are very concerned with the deafening silence,” they said.

Following their “secret” meeting last week, speculations have risen that they might be planning to “challenge” Mawan’s leadership.

According to a FMT source, the four were upset that Mawan had neglected them during the last election and made no efforts to assist them with funding.

In contrast, Mawan, Wong Judat (Merluan assemblyman), Nyarok and Liau received big amounts for their election expenses.

The source said that the five faced difficulty in raising the money for the election and it was assistance from State BN treasurer-general Awang Tengah Ali Hassan which had made their campaigning possible.

Citing an example, the source said Gumbang might not have been able to contest the Batu Danau seat if a Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) leader had not come forward with the money to pay for his deposit and other election expenses.

Ironically, despite these handicaps, the four “rebels” were re-elected with handsome and increased majorities.

‘PBB men’
Now, the “rebels” are toying with their next cause of action – to leave or stay with the party.
It is understood that if they remain in SPDP, then Mawan is in trouble.

Speculations are rife that the rebels are already thinking of Nansian to challenge Mawan in the next party election that could be held next year.

They see Mawan as a weak leader who cannot make any decision without referring it to party treasurer-general and Bintulu MP, Tiong King Sing.

The other option is to merge with PRS.

The source said the fact that Gumbang had received some financial assistance from a PRS leader was a clear indication that they might join PRS “very soon”.

Branded as the “SPDP 5”, the elected representatives had crossed paths with Mawan after the 2009 party election.

In January last year, the five, together with three other council members, staged a walkout during a supreme council meeting in protest against Mawan’s decision to replace Enteri with Rining as the secretary-general.
Before the party election, Mawan had promised to retain Enterie as the secretary-general.

However, after the election Mawan failed to keep his word and this sparked a bitter dispute between him and the “SPDP 5”.

Throughout 2010, the “SPDP 5” refrained from attending any of the party’s meetings and functions. During this time they had closely associated themselves with PRS.

Speculation are that they had already applied to join the party, but the PRS president James Masing turned down their application for fear of criticisms.

Upon the advice of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, the “rebels” were forced to make peace with Mawan just before the state election, because if they failed to do so, they might be dropped from defending their seats.

Now that the election is over, their relationships have remained uncomfortable till this day.

For Mawan and his supporters, who have always suspected the “rebels” to be Taib’s “Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu men”, the fact that they had allegedly received funds from Awang Tengah for their election campaign confirmed this suspicion.

Credit to: Joseph Tawie
6:05 PM | Category: | 0 comments

Masing to Perkasa chief: Mind your language
Dato Sri Dr James J Masing


KUCHING: PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing considers Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali’s call for Muslims to declare a “crusade against ungrateful Christians” as extreme and detrimental to the 1Malaysia concept.

“Ibrahim Ali’s view is an extremist view by Perkasa. It is very unhealthy as it is against the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia concept,” Masing told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

Masing said Ibrahim’s view should be rejected by all Malaysians “with the right frame of mind”.

Recently, Ibrahim made the call following an allegation that certain quarters were trying to usurp Islam as the official religion of the country and install a Christian prime minister.

Masing, who is also the minister of Land Development, said there was no place for extremism in a multi-racial country like Malaysia.

However, he said he believed the authorities did not take any action against Ibrahim as it wanted to show that there is freedom of speech in the country.

“But I must warn him that the Dayak community in Sarawak also has certain phrases such as ‘Pumpung pala’ (chopping the heads of the enemies) to use against someone they don’t like. This phrase is no longer used as it could be very offensive to others,” said Masing, who is an anthropologist by training.

On another issue, Masing clarified that the number of teachers in Sarawak was more than 41,000, comprising 33,546 Sarawakians and 6,847 from the peninsula.

He was quoted in newspaper reports on Tuesday that there were already 30,000 teachers from the peninsula serving in the state.

Masing hoped that the number of teachers from Sarawak serving in the state should not be surpassed by teachers from the peninsula so that they would have better chances to be promoted.

He highlighted a concern over an alleged move by the Ministry of Education to transfer 80,000 teachers from the peninsula to the state next year.

– The Borneo Post
1:44 PM | Category: | 0 comments

Masing questions alleged transfer of 80,000 teachers
ALTOGETHER NOW: Masing (left) hits the gong to open the function, assisted by Mong (centre) and assemblyman Snowdan Lawan (right).

SIBU: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is very concerned over the alleged move by the Ministry of Education to transfer 80,000 teachers from Peninsular Malaysia to the state next year.

PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing said at the moment, the state already had 30,000 Peninsular Malaysian teachers including ‘ustaz’ (religious teachers).

“But the ‘ustaz’ are not seen as ‘ustaz’ per se, they are called ‘counselling teachers’.

“Counsellors on what matter, I do not know. It is quite worrying in the sense that if they are really who they are, then the tendency of teaching is not there,” he commented.

He was met by reporters after he officiated at the PRS Bukit Assek Women Movement pre-Gawai Dayak dinner on Monday.

‘We have enough potential teachers to teach Sarawakians’

Among those present were his wife Datin Sri Corrine Masing, PRS Women chief Senator Doris Sophia Brodie, PRS youth chief Mong Dagang, MPs and assemblymen.

According to Masing, he was told that a group of 80,000 West Malaysian teachers would be coming next year.

“So hopefully, I am wrong. I will be so happy to be proven wrong,” he said.

He said he was okay with having a big group of West Malaysian teachers in Sarawak.

“But if it is done at the expense of Sarawak teachers, then it is wrong because we have enough potential teachers to teach Sarawakians.

“PRS will not be agreeable to that move. You cannot allow people from outside to take over people in Sarawak here to teach,” he said.

Masing said he was not worried about his opinion being misinterpreted by certain quarters.

“If they are so-called counsellors in a correct form, I do not mind. If they are masquerading something else then it is quite dangerous,” he said.

He said Sarawak had been very peaceful and liberal in all aspects including religious matters.

– The Borneo Post
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Jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak Wajib Di Berikan Kepada PRS Wakil Kaum Peribumi Dan Bukannya SUPP Kaum Cina


YB Dato Sri James Jemut Masing
Presiden PRS
Parti Rakyat Sarawak

Bukan lah niat nak menentukan siapa yang layak dan siapa yang tidak layak dalam pentadbiran Kabinet Negeri Sarawak. Malah Gomo orang Semenanjung juga tidak mempunyai apa apa kepentingan di dalam urusan pentadbiran Negeri Sarawak ini. Namun demi Negara Malaysia dan aspirasi rakyat Sarawak maka Gomo terpaksa masuk campur dalam memberikan pandangan dalam pentadbiran Negeri Sarawak.

Pehin Seri Taib akan sudah jelas kekal sebagai Ketua Menteri Sarawak dan yang menjadi teka teki kepada semua Rakyat Sarawak dan juga di sebelah semenanjung ini adalah Timbalan Ketua Menteri nya yang mungkin bakal di lantik dalam masa terdekat.

Sebelum PRN Sarawak Jawatan TKM di berikan kepada wakil kaum Cina dari parti SUPP namun apabila keputusan PRN Sarawak yang baru ini di lihat SUPP hanya mempunyai dua wakil sahaja dalam Kerajaan BN Sarawak yang mana dalam hal ini adalah tidak berpatutan sama sekali untuk di lantik wakil SUPP menjawat jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri.



Parti Rakyat Sarawak yang di ketuai Presiden nya James Jemut Masing bertanding di 9 kerusi Dun dan Menang 8 daripadanya yang mana satu kerusi yang kalah itupun adalah kerana Faktor Calon bebas yang di jadikan Kambing hitam oleh Larry Seng bekas Adun PRS terdahulu.


Sengketa Di Antara Larry dan James adalah
berpunca dari Larry Kaum Cina yang Cuba
Menguasai Parti rakyat Sarawak dengan ingin mengambil
Alih jawatan Presiden dan Menjadikan PRS sebagai
Parti yang di Kuasai Kaum Cina

Dari 9 kerusi 8 menang dan ini membuktikan bahawa PRS pasti yang berasaskan Kaum Iban majoritynya adalah Layak sama sekali dalam menjawat Jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak. Jame Jemut Masing selaku Presiden PRS layak memegang jawatan tersebut.

Harus kita ingat bahawa PRS bukanlah sebuah parti yang baru malah telah lama menyokong Kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Walaupun hanya di berikan 9 kerusi Dun dan 6 kerusi Parlimen buat mereka dalam negeri Sarawak namun Komitmen mereka terhadap Barisan Nasional amatlah tinggi sama sekali. Ini lah parti yang berjuang untuk Rakyat dan juga Tulang belakang buat PBB dalam komponen Barisan Nasional.

Kami di sememanjung mengikuti perjalanan Politik Sarawak dan selepas PRN Sarawak kami dapati Kaum Cina adalah tidak menyokong Barisan Nasional walaupun wakil mereka dari SUPP memegang jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri dan Menteri kanan. Jelas di sini bahawa Kaum Cina sememangnya tidak memerlukan wakil mereka dalam kabinet Kerajaan Sarawak apatah lagi untuk jawatan Timbalan ketua Menteri Sarawak.


Gomo nak nyatakan di sini agar Pehin Seri Taib membuat keputusan yang rasional dengan melantik Presiden PRS Datuk Seri James Masing menjawat jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri. Ingatlah bahawa kaum Iban memerlukan banyak sokongan dan dengan peluang yang ada dalam meletakkan Wakil kaum Iban dalam posisi Timbalan Ketua Menteri pasti banyak lagi kemajuan yang dapat di curahkan buat Masyarakat Iban di Sarawak.

Sepanjang Gomo di Sarawak Gomo dapati kaum Iban, Melayu, Melanau dan lain lain bangsa kecuali Cina menyokong penuh kerajaan Barisan Nasional sama ada dari PBB, PRS atau SPDP. Ini mengambarkan kepada kita semua bahawa Kerajaan BN Sarawak yang baru ini perlu memenuhi aspirasi rakyat yang jelas menunjukkan suara Kaum Iban di dalam pilihanraya Negeri yang lalu inginkan wakil mereka di dalam Kerajaan dan dapat menjaga mereka seadanya.

Usah lah Pehin Seri memberi muka kepada SUPP yang mewakili kaum Cina kerana tidak ada gunanya menjaga kaum Cina yang menolak Kerajaan walaupun pelbagai kemajuan di berikan kepada mereka. Lebih elok Pehin Seri menjaga Kaum kaum lain yang sudah terbukti menyokong kerajaan BN sehinggakan memberikan kuasa kepada Pehin Seri menjawat jawatan Ketua Menteri.

Pehin Seri Taib juga mesti kekal sebagai ketua Menteri kerana apa yang di bangunkan di Sarawak masih belum cukup dan Pehin Seri mesti meneruskan pembangunan yang sedia ada bagi kemajuan Negeri Sarawak.

Gomo dengan ini menyokong agar Datuk Seri James Jemut Masing di lantik ke jawatan Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak demi Aspirasi rakyat Sarawak!!!



Lebih Baik jaga Kaum Peribumi Dari
Kaum yang Tak Sedar Dek Untung

Kredit kepada: Papa Gomo
3:25 AM | Category: , | 1 comments

No point having defeated Cabinet reps
MCA leaders back their president, and say it makes no sense to appoint candidates who don't command the people's support in the Cabinet.


 KUALA LUMPUR: There is no meaning to the appointment of defeated candidates into the Cabinet since they do not command the support of the people, said senior MCA leaders today. 

“If the candidate has lost the popular support and trust of the people he or she represents, then his or her acceptance into the Cabinet will have lost its original meaning.

“After all, he or she is considered a representative and trustee of the rakyat,” said central committee member and Deputy Home Minister Lee Chee Leong in a statement.

In view of this, Lee said he backed his president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s stand to deliberate on accepting government positions if the party fared poorly in the next general election.

“As a member of the Barisan Nasional representing the Chinese community, the rights of the Chinese community will be maintained, regardless of whether MCA has its representatives in the state and federal levels,” he added.

With talk of the general election looming, Lee said, MCA must be well-prepared to go all out to achieve brilliant results.

“Once the general election begins, the people can then review and reflect on the past performances of their representatives at both the state and federal levels and make their own judgement,” he added.

Lee said that the priority now was to consolidate and unite MCA in order to regain the trust of the Chinese community.

Following Sunday’s Sarawak state election, Chua had urged SUPP not to accept any state government posts in view of the party’s dismal performance.

This led opposition DAP to question why MCA did not do the same in the wake of its 2008 general election debacle.

Chua responded by blaming his predecessor for the decision and stated that if MCA performed badly in the next polls, the party would deliberate on whether to accept similar appointments.

 
The 1969 example

In another statement, party vice-president and Deputy Finance Minister Donald Lim Siang Chai similarly backed Chua’s assessment that the party will reconsider its position in the Cabinet if it suffers the same results as 2008 general election.

He said the party had done the same after suffering a setback in the 1969 polls.

“If MCA fails to obtain recognition from the majority of Malaysian Chinese, this will affect MCA’s position as the front-runner within BN in negotiating to secure and defend Chinese interests.

“When our party’s position is weakened, we will not be in a conducive position to maintain the interests of the ethnic Chinese community,” he said.

Yesterday, another vice-president and Deputy Youth and Sport Minister, Senator Gan Ping Sieu, said MCA’s stand on the matter was plain and clear.

“If PM’s BN leadership and transformation plans that MCA is supporting are rejected by Chinese community in the coming general election, we will consider our position in the line-up of federal and state governments, as the case may be,” he said.

-- FMT

 
9:45 AM | Category: | 1 comments

Merger of Dayak parties on the cards
By Joseph Tawie

A joint Dayak representation in the BN will ensure a Dayak deputy chief minister, a post eyed by Masing.

Dr. James Masing

KUCHING: The merger between Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) parties – Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) – looks set to take shape in a move which could give the joint entity a deputy chief minister’s slot.

“We are serious about it. Once the election dust has settled, the PRS merger committee will be reactivated so that talks between PRS and SPDP can proceed,” PRS president James Masing said.

He was commenting on a news report quoting him as saying that the merger plan of the two parties has to be implemented if the two Dayak-dominant parties want a bigger representation in the state cabinet, including getting the post of deputy chief minister (DCM).

The two parties when merged would have 14 Dayak elected representatives, making the new entity the second biggest party after Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) which has 35 seats.

The merger talks began six years ago upon the suggestion of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud following the deregistration of Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) after the leadership crises.

SPDP and PRS are breakaway parties from the deregistration of SNAP and PBDS on Nov 5, 2002 and on Oct 21, 2004 respectively.

However, SNAP’s registration was restored by the Court of Appeal last year.

After being accused of having a hand in the deregistration of SNAP and PBDS, Taib wanted to be seen as trying to unite the Dayaks under the PRS-SPDP entity.

But the merger plan met a number of obstacles previously before taking a fresh step now.

Contacted by FMT, Masing said: “Whatever obstacles we have we need to negotiate and discuss them.

“We need to be a political realist at some point of time. The political landscape can change. We need to change to remain relevant,” he said.

The merger plan becomes vital now following the dismal performance of another Sarawak party, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), in the state polls.

The Chinese-based SUPP won only six out of 19 seats it contested, with losses including in Piasau where SUPP president and DCM Dr George Chan was defeated by a DAP greenhorn.

SUPP’s heavy defeat left a vacant DCM position which is now being eyed by the Dayak-based parties.

SNAP invited as well

Masing also called on SNAP to join the merger talks or return to the Barisan Nasional (BN) fold.

Dayak-based SNAP was another party which performed poorly in the state polls, losing in all 26 constituencies it contested.

Yesterday, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang also mooted the idea of a merger between his party and SNAP so that they can jointly embrace the support of the Iban-Dayak community in Sarawak to get rid of BN.

DAP performed very well in the state polls by winning 12 out of the 15 urban and Chinese-majority seats it contested.

Meanwhile, SPDP president William Mawan Ikom could not be reached for comment.

However, he had reportedly said “if that is what Masing has said, I will say the same thing”.

SPDP deputy secretary-general Paul Igai said that any merger would be between parties and not elected representatives.

He said any decision would have to be taken back to the members.

Several members of the Dayak community have expressed the hope that the two parties would seriously consider the merger.
7:04 AM | Category: | 0 comments

Masing wants state constitution to be left alone
SEEKING HIS VIEWS: Masing swarmed by reporters eager to find out what transpired during the swearing in ceremony for State Cabinet Ministers as well as the status of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) in which he is the president. Masing won the Baleh seat in the just concluded state polls.

KUCHING: PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing is against the idea of amending the state constitution to provide for the nomination of non-elected representatives to sit in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).

“I do not think there is any requirement to amend the law. We are appointed as members of the Cabinet because the rakyat elect us to be there.

“Everybody must go through the due process of the law and if you don’t get it… hard luck lah. We cannot amend it just to accommodate a few who cannot make it,” he reasoned.

He added that the law practised here had been in existence for years and there was “nothing wrong with it”.

Masing, who was sworn in as a full minister yesterday after retaining his Baleh seat in the 10th state election, said the wish of the rakyat was paramount in a democratic country.

“If the rakyat elect us, so be it. The process cannot change just to accommodate a few,” he said when asked to comment on the suggestion made by Senator Datuk Idris Buang on Sunday.

Idris had suggested that the state BN government nominate non-elected representatives from the Chinese community to sit in the State Legislative Assembly after the Chinese-based SUPP suffered heavy casualties in April 16 polls.

Idris pointed out that this could be done by making amendments to the state constitution to include a provision for such nominations.

Meanwhile, DUN Speaker Dato Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, when asked to comment on the same matter, said it was up to the state government to decide.

-- Borneo Post

11:49 PM | Category: , , , , | 0 comments

Masing blames money for defeat of Pelagus
By Joseph Tawie 

 

The seat was won by an independent after incumbent Larry Sng, formerly from Masing’s party, was dropped. The eventual winner is related to the incumbent.

KUCHING: President of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) James Masing is not only bitter, but felt very hurt by the loss of the Pelagus seat to independent candidate George Lagong.

Lagong defeated PRS candidate Stanley Nyitar by a very comfortable margin of 2,837 votes when he secured 5,740 votes as against 2,903 by Stanley.

The PKR candidate, Edward Sumbang Asun, managed to secure 1,171 votes.

The constituency has 15,323 voters comprising 11,979 Ibans, 2,359 Chinese and 901 Malay/Melanau and the rest others.

PRS contested in nine seats and won eight, making it the second biggest party after PBB which has 35 seats in the new state assembly.

Asked to comment on the defeat of Pelagus seat, Masing said: “Now it dawns on me this cruel fact of life.

“The pride of poor communities is as deep as their pockets. This is most evident in politics,” he said, referring to a large sum of money that had helped influence the voting pattern in the rural areas.

However, he refused to say whether his party was sabotaged or not.

“I am not aware of it yet. In Ngemah, I had the full support of all BN parties.

“In Pelagus we lacked the necessary resources during the fight. Otherwise we would have a clean sweep,” he said, pointing out that Larry Sng and his influential father Sng Chee Hua were of no help to BN in Pelagus.

The role of the Sngs

Larry Sng, the former incumbent, was sacked from the party and had remained partyless and was dropped from contesting in this state polls.

He had insisted of contesting as a BN man, but was strongly objected by PRS.

Masing must also remember that George Lagong has blood relations with the Sngs.

Meanwhile speculation is rife that Masing may be appointed as a deputy chief minister in the Taib cabinet following the defeat of SUPP president George Chan at Piasau.

SUPP which had 12 seats before going to the polls, now only has six seats – two Chinese and four Dayaks.

“It appears that the Chinese party is being represented by the Dayaks and they should ask more from SUPP in terms of position, and so on,” said a former leader.
12:07 AM | Category: | 0 comments

Gempar!!! Papa Gomo kena tahan Polis di Kapit
Semalam Anak Jengayan menerima panggilan daripada Orang Panggau bahawa Papa Gomo telah diminta untuk memberi keterangan berhubung dengan isu video seks lucah Anawar Ibrahm.
"Saya sedang menghantar Gomo ke Balai Polis ni. Gomo diminta Polis Bukit Aman untuk memberi keterangan." kata Orang Pangau.

Saya telah meminta Papa Gomo, GAP (Gerakan Anti PKR) dan Pisau.Net untuk membuat liputan kawasan yang ditandingi calon Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) iaitu Dun N.56 Baleh dan Dun N.56 Pelagus. Ketiga-tiga rakan blogger saya ini telah membuat artikle yang cukup menarik untuk bacaan semua. 

Kalau nak tahu lebih lanjut berkenaan artikel tulisan mereka. Sila layari blog; Papa Gomo, Gerakan Anti PKR dan Pisau.Net.

Berikut ialah kisah Papa Gomo dipanggil untuk memberi keterangan:

1:36 AM | Category: | 0 comments

Scientists settle centuries-old debate on perception


Kita lupakan politik seketika. Mari kita baca artikle tentang Sains. 

Researchers said Sunday they had solved a conundrum about human perception that has stumped philosophers and scientists alike since it was first articulated 323 years ago by an Irish politician in a letter to John Locke.

Imagine, William Molyneux wrote to the great British thinker, that a man blind from birth who has learned to identify objects -- a sphere and a cube, for example -- only through his sense of touch is suddenly able to see.
The puzzle, he continued, is "Whether he Could, by his Sight, and before he touch them, know which is the Globe and which the Cube?"

For philosophers of the time, answering "Molyneux's question," as it was known ever after, would resolve a fundamental uncertainty about the human mind.

Empiricists believed that we are born blank slates, and become the sum total of our accumulated experience.
So-called "nativists" countered that our minds are, from the outset, pre-stocked with ideas waiting to be activated by sight, sound and touch.

If a blind man who miraculously recovered his sight could instantly distinguish the cube from the globe it would mean the knowledge was somehow innate, they argued.

More recently, this "nurture vs. nature" debate has found its counterpart in modern neuroscience.
"The beauty of Molyneux's question is that it also relates to how representations are formed in the brain," said Pawan Sinha, a professor at MIT in Boston and the main architect of the study.

"Do the different modalities, or senses, build up a common representation, or are these independent representations that one cannot access even though the other modality has built it?" he asked in a phone interview.

Recent studies have suggested that the mental images we accumulate through sight and touch do, in fact, form a common pool of impressions that can be triggered and retrieved by one sense or the other.
But until now, no one has been able to design a definitive experiment.

The problem was finding subjects. They would have to have been blind at birth and then have had their sight restored, but not until they were old enough to reliably participate in tests.

Most forms of curable congenital blindness, however, are detected and cured in infancy, so such individuals are extremely rare.

More precisely, they are rare in rich countries. So in 2003, Sinha set up a program in India in cooperation with the Shroff Charity Eye Hospital in New Delhi.

Among the many patients he treated, he found five -- four boys and one girl, aged eight to 17 -- who met the criteria for surgery that would almost instantly take them from total blindness to fully seeing.

Once bandages were removed, researchers had to first be sure that the volunteers could see well.

Using objects that looked like Lego building blocks, they tested the ability to discriminate visually between similar shapes. The subjects scored nearly 100 percent.

They scored nearly as well when it came to telling the difference by touch alone, according to the study, published in Nature Neuroscience.

For the critical test, however, in which the children first felt an object and then tried to distinguish visually between that same object and a similar one, the results were barely better than if they had guessed.

"They couldn't form the connection," said Yuri Ostrovsky, also a researcher at MIT and a co-author of the study.

"The conclusion is that there does not seem to be any cross-modal" -- that is, from one sense to the other -- "representation available to perform the task," he said by phone.

The answer to Molyneux's question, then, appears to be "no": the data blind people gather tactically that allows them to identify a cup and a vase, and to tell them apart, is not accessible through vision.

At least not at first.

"From a neuro-scientific point of view, the most interesting finding is the rapidity with which this inability was compensated," said Richard Held, an emeritus professor at MIT and lead author of the study.

"Within about a week, it's done -- and that is very fast. We were surprised," he said by phone.

The overall results suggest that the human brain is more "plastic," or malleable, longer into childhood that previously thought, the researchers said.

"This challenges the dogma of 'critical periods,' the idea that if a child has been deprived of vision for the first three or four years of life, he or she will be unable to acquire any visual proficiency," Sinha said.

mh/gd

AFP
8:20 PM | Category: | 0 comments

Sambutan hangat semasa lawatan Shafie ke Pelagus
Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah merangkap naib presiden UMNO Dato Seri Mohd Shafie Aqdal telah membuat lawatan ke Rh Nudong, Nanga Ibau, Kapit untuk membantu calon Barisan Nasional (BN) N.54 Pelagus Stanley Nyitar @ Unja ak Malang untuk berkempen.


Dalam lawatan tersebut, Dato Seri Mohd Shafie telah mengumumkan peruntukkan sebanyak RM15.8 juta untuk projek bekalan elektrik Luar bandar di kawasan N.54 Pelagus dan jalan raya untuk menghubungkan Kapit ke Nanga Ibau.

Dato Seri Mohd Shafie turut menyelar calon bebas iaitu George ak Lagong yang bertanding sekadar untuk menunjukkan ketidakpuasan hati. Beliau turut memberitahu Dato Sng Chee Hua ialah kawan Anwar Ibrahim. Tambah beliau, adalah sia-sia memilih caloh bebas yang ditaja oleh orang yang mempunyai kepentingan peribadi semata-mata. Beliau menyeru kepada pengundi supaya bijak memilih wakil rakyat mereka. Wakil rakyat yang dipilih haruslah mempunyai pandangan masa depan dan berjiwa rakyat seperti Stanley Nyitar.


Turut hadir dalam lawatan tersebut ialah Ahli Parlimen Hulu Rajang, Datuk Billy Abit Joo, Ahli Parlimen Kapit, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, YB Senator Doris Sophia Brodie dan Walikota Kapit, En Philimon Nuing.



Anak Jengayan berkata: Nampak gayanya, menang besarlah bekas bos aku ini nanti. Hehe....
3:07 AM | Category: | 0 comments

Pemuda UMNO Berkempen Di Pelagus dan Baleh
Pada hari Ahad yang lepas Exco Pemuda UMNO Malaysia yang juga Ketua Biro Aduan Komunitinya; Dato' Mohd Khairun Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat telah menyertai calon Barisan Nasional (BN) kawasan DUN N.56 Baleh, Dato' Sri Dr James Jemut Masing dan DUN N. 54 Pelagus, Encik Stanley Nyitar @ Unja ak Malang untuk berkempen di Pelagus dan Baleh. 

Pemimpin Negeri dan Pemuda UMNO.

Beliau telah melawat Bilik Operasi BN Pelagus dan Baleh untuk meninjau persediaan jentera BN di sana. Turut menyertai beliau ialah beberapa Exco Pemuda PRS dan pemimpin Pergerakan Pemuda dan Wanita PRS tempatan. 

Dato' Khairun di Bilik Operasi BN Pelagus dan Baleh.

Lebih menarik lagi apabila Dato' Khairun telah diberi penghormatan untuk mengadakan upacara 'Miring' di kediaman Dato' Sri Dr James Masing di Sungai Kapit. 

Dato' Sri Dr James, Dato' Khairun dan Stanley Nyitar sedang mengadakan upacara 'miring'.

 Pengundi-pengundi di kawasan Pelagus dan Baleh berbangga kerana dapat dapat berjumpa sendiri dengan Dato' Khairun yang sering mereka lihat melalui media massa sahaja. 

Stanley sedang berbincang sesuatu dengan YB Senator Doris

Dato' Khairun memang dikenali kerana kebaikannya membantu orang-orang yang berada dalam kesusahan melalui Biro Aduan Komuniti. Sebelum ini, beliau telah berjaya membawa balik dua orang wanita Dayak yang telah dilarikan ke Lombok, Indonesia.

Dato' Khairun percaya PRS akan dapat mempertahankan kerusi Pelagus dan Baleh dalam pilhanraya negeri kali ini.

Anak Jengayan berkata: Dato', bila kita boleh jumpa? Hehe...
10:23 PM | Category: , , , , | 0 comments

Community leaders in Ngemah backing BN candidate
If yerterday’s luncheon (7/4/2011) in Kanowit Town in anything to go by, indiction is that all the community leaders are united in backing BN-PRS candidate, Alexander Vincent in Ngemah.

Community leaders having lunch with Alexander Vincent

Well, that’s is surely good news to the BN’s camp and certainly spells trouble for the incumbent, Gabriel Adit Demong. Prior to this words were rippling on the ground that it was a huge challenge for BN to recaapture Ngemah in view of the popularity of the incumbent. Popularly known as ‘Kunchit beragum’ Gabriel Adit knows Ngemah inside out and had always been close to the people there.

Alexander Vincent, the BN candidate has also been moving frequently in the area ever since his defeat in 2006. The people are moore familiar with him this time. Response from the grassroot towards him recenntly had been very encouraging. He is said to be an ‘approachable and popular’ figure in Ngemah.

The support he gets from the community leaders is vital as these leaders are influential in their respective area and can easily influence the people in many things. In yesterday’s luncheon arranged by Alexander Vincent, all of them peldged to suppoort him as the BN candidate and would assist in the campaign trail.

Cr Stephen Chendang

A local councilor Stephen Chendang, said that there was no point in having an opposition to represent them as they could only talk but no action. He added that Alexander Vincent is very hard working and should make a good ‘Yang Berhormat’.

Another ex-councilor En Medan Nunying readily concurred with Cr Stephen Chendang that it was time to return Ngemah to BN. He said, ‘We have been deprived of meaningful development and had suffered for the past 10 years!”
 
Ex Cr Medan Nunying
 
Ngemah.News.Net says good luck to BN!
 
Credit to: Ngemah.News.Net
7:18 PM | Category: | 0 comments

Sng Snr sponsors George Lagong to fight Barisan Nasional in Pelagus
By Pelagus Voter

What’s going on Larry?? You’ve said time and again that you are a BN loyalist. Let me remind you of what you had said before.

Larry Sng:” I am a BN man through and through. I have been a BN man from the start and I will stay a BN man till the end. I will throw my support to BN”

Remember those words Mr Larry Sng?

Yes, they came from your mouth but NOT your heart.

Now your father Dato Sng Chee Hua is alledgedly, ready to splash RM5 Million to topple BN in Pelagus through an Independant candidate, Mr George Lagong.

Can we possibly believe that you, Larry Sng do not have a hand in the above plot??

Definitely NOT and we even have people telling us that you were asking Pelagus voters not to vote for BN.

If you, Larry Sng is truely a BN loyalist as you had always claimed then you should have stop your FATHER and your UNCLE (George Lagong) to fight against BN in Pelagus. You should instead ask them to rally behind the BN candidate!!

We now challenge you, Larry Sng to publicly declare your support to BN-PRS candidate Stanley Nyitar and and advise voters in Pelagus to vote for BN.

If you Larry Sng dare not, you shouldn’t claim to be BN loyalist anymore. You are a TRAITOR to Barisan Nasional, the Chief Minister and YAB Najib Tun Razak the Prime Minister.
4:32 PM | Category: | 0 comments

Seeking Divine Intervention
Alexander being greeted upon his arrival

                  Prayer Over
Alexander Vincent BN-PRS candidate for N43 Ngemah held a prayer ceremony at his longhouse in Sg. Bawan, Kanowit on 5 April 2011, ahead of the Nomination Day for the 10th Sarawak State Election.

Alexander arriving at his longhouse



A total of 48 long house chiefs and several community leaders were present to show their support towards the BN candidate who would give a second attempt to unseat the incumbent, Gabriel Adit Demong.

Speaking at the function to a crowd of around 500 people, Alexander Vincent said he hoped to get the support of Ngemah folks in order to wrest back Ngemah from the opposition.

He further said that he had been moving around in the area since his defeat in the last State Election in 2006 and would continue to work hard to serve the people in the constituency if elected in.
"Ngemah needs a better representation in the DUN so that our voice will be heard better", said Alexander Vincent.

"Only through a BN representative can the much needed development in the are be implemented at a faster pace", he reiterated.

Meanwhile Penghulu Barnabas Angkis, urged all the people in Ngemah to rally behind Alexander Vincent so that he would win and bring more development to the area. He said, he (Alexander Vincent) has the  right attributes to be a good 'Wakil Rakyat'.

In the last State Election, Alexander Vincent (BN-PRS) lost by a small margin to an Independent candidate, Gabriel Adit popularly known as "Kuncit Beragum". Gabriel Adit subsequently jointed Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM).

Credit to: Ngemah.News.Net
4:25 PM | Category: | 0 comments