Batang Ai: Why it do not go to PKR
posted by din merican–April 13, 2009
www.malaysiakini.com
PKR plans monitoring panel for Batang Ai
by Joseph Tawie
April 12, 2009
PKR has agreed to form a committee to monitor the implementation of projects promised during the recent Batang Ai by-election.
The defeated candidate, PKR’s Jawah Gerang, said that in the next few days they will sit down to find out what are the projects that have been promised. The committee comprising Dominique Ng, state assemblyman for Padungan, Jawah and Nicholas Bawin, chairman of the PKR Lubok Antu Division and some local people would be visiting the constituency soon to find out what were the projects that the Barisan Nasional had promised.
“I know that some of the projects like the Lemanak Road have been promised at least three times already and until today the projects are yet to be implemented,” said Jawah, adding that the projects were promised during his five terms as the Lubok Antu member of parliament.
During the campaign for the by-election, close to RM200 million worth of projects were promised for the people of Batang Ai.
These projects include:
* A multi-million ringgit hospital
* RM2 million for upgrading and repairing of longhouses
* RM6 million for electrification programme
* RM2.5 million for telecommunication tower and community broadband centre
* RM40.2 million for universal service provision (USP) projects
* RM62 million for tar-sealing the seven-kilometre Lemanak Road, the survey design of Lemanak-Engkari road and the tar-sealing of 10km ring roads in Batang Ai.
Government promises land titles
The BN government has also promised to settle unpaid claims as a result of the construction of the Batang Ai hydro-electric dam and to issue land titles to landowners. Jawah who secured 2,053 votes lost to the BN candidate Malcolm Mussen Lamoh by a majority of 1854 votes.
Yesterday, Ng together with Bawin and Jawah visited Batang Ai and held a meeting with the people, assuring them that PKR would not abandon them.
“We tell them, we will not abandon them. In fact we tell them to be ready for the next round of state election. We must prepare early,” said Ng said when contacted today.
He said that the group also went to Engkilili which forms the other state constituency of the Lubok Antu parliamentary constituency, where they met the local PKR members and advised them to be ready for the next state election.
Meanwhile, Ng said that PKR would not retract its claims that that 14 boxes had been tampered with in the recently-concluded Batang Ai by-election, adding that the party was now conducting investigations into the matter.
The findings would be submitted to PKR headquarters in Kuala Lumpur by April 15.
Money politics and ‘tampered’ ballot boxes
PKR did badly in these areas from where the 14 ballot boxes came and what puzzled them was that these areas were known to be the
opposition’s stronghold. The 14 ballot boxes were either flown or carried by boats from the polling centres to the tallying centre.
PKR had one week before polling written to the Election Commission to have the votes counted at the polling centres, but their request was rejected. Their request to accompany the boxes in the helicopters or in the boats was also rejected by the commission.
“After our findings have been submitted to the headquarters, then we will know what course of action is to be taken,” said Ng.
In Sibu, Sarawak DAP chairman Richard Wong alleged money politics was involved in the Batang Ai by-election and wanted the Election Commission to look into it.
He alleged that the BN government had spent up to RM70 million in upgrading the road projects and other infrastructures during the campaigning period and alleged that each family was given some cash in the name of development fund.
He said that in other countries a lot of what the BN government and politicians had done during the campaign would have been illegal under their election laws.
Sometimes we have to trust the divine plan and the unfolding of events. If BN had not cheated massively at every election, it would most probably have lost control of the country to the Opposition at GE12. The shock may have triggered a massive mengamuk, plunging the country into the sort of mayhem Thailand is going through. As things stand, being forced to relinquish power a few states at a time gives the criminal elements in BN time to slowly accept defeat without resorting to violence…
Anwar’s maan maan lai is indeed the mature & responsible way to rake ovcer the government.
Antares - April 13, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Thanks, Antares, for your comment and support. We will overcome and change our political economy in due time.–Din Merican
dinobeano - April 13, 2009 at 3:12 pm
“Sometimes we have to trust the divine plan …” Antares
It is never good to involve God in your plans. Look at what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. After six years God is still running amok!
In Malaysia, God will direct His wrath at PAS for their leaders’ incestuous relationship with the infidels.
Mr Bean - April 13, 2009 at 6:30 pm
http://politics101malaysia.blogsome.com/2007/04/26/election-offences-act-1954-act-5/
PKR-PR should file court proceedings under the Election Offences Act 1954. There must have been numerous offences committed by UMNO-BN.
In the past there was Justice Eusoff Chin and Zaki Tun Azmi working in tandem on the bench and off the bench to ensure that challenges mounted by the opposition did not take their toll on the number of seats held by UMNO-BN.
It may be more of the same though today.
Mr Bean - April 13, 2009 at 8:47 pm
But who knows? It might turn out to be a walk in the park.
Mr Bean - April 13, 2009 at 9:05 pm
NCR Foundation…we spoke together with Pak S. Husin.
piyatidoria - April 13, 2009 at 9:58 pm
They are criminals and no matter how “maan maan” the approach is they will still resort to violence.
What Pakatan needs is for Tok Cik to be in his soldiers attire and Bean to advocate hatred than maybe… i said maybe then we will get to see the wrath of God.
In the meantime lets hope no one gets ISA..ed , less we forget , the old man is still around
danildaud - April 14, 2009 at 1:56 am
danildaud,
Like I said before, put all the politicians together in one room – UMNO with their counterparts from PKR and PAS and the sole Malay in DAP Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim from Ibrahim School from Sg. Petani on one side (Din Merican’s colleague of Sime Darby days) – and the DAP, MCA and MIC on the other, and make them dance to the tune ‘Yellow River’ a song popular in the late 60s and everything will be A-OK.
“Got no time for explanation got no time to lose
Tomorrow night you’ll find me
Sleeping underneath the moon at yellow river”
The politicians are to be blamed for the mess we’re in today. No doubt about it. Batang Ai ka, batang Yu ka, what does it matter??
Mr Bean - April 14, 2009 at 4:38 am
If that doesn’t work, play another tune “Reflections of my Life” by the Marmalade (nothing to do with anyone’s mama being laid).
“I’m changing, I’m changing everything
Oh everything around me
The world is a bad place
A bad place, a terrible place to live”
Talk about ‘change’ maybe this will change them.
Mr Bean - April 14, 2009 at 4:48 am
“What Pakatan needs is for Tok Cik to be in his soldiers attire ..” danildaud
Leave Tok Cik alone – the retired Brig-Gen from Sarawak Rangers. He’s busy making up for lost time with his ‘anak mami’ to really care.
Mr Bean - April 14, 2009 at 5:32 am
when it comes to polictics,anything could happen.we thought by choosing our own people(ibans) we can get whatever we want.this is never true since there is no Sincere representative.ALL POLITICIANS only care about their own pocket.the ignorance(kitai ba rumah panjai) suffered.so rather than depeding to the POLITICIANS, the natives should rely to themselves.improve our academic achievements thus our economic standard would also increase.TO ALL POLITICIANS stop pretending that U Care about people!sarawak is over 50 years being independent under (MALAY)sia and what do we(the ibans) get???ask urself man…
MISC - April 27, 2009 at 12:02 pm