Antara Janji Pilihan Raya dan Realiti Kedudukan Kewangan Negara

 Bajet 2011

Jumlah bajet - RM212 bilion, 2.8 preratus lebih tinggi daripada Bajet 2010
Perbelanjaan kos operasi – RM162.8 bilion
Perbelanjaan kos pembangunan – RM49.2 bilion

• Rizab negara RM310.8b = 8.5 bulan import tertangguh

• Negara telah pulih dari kemelesetan ekonomi dunia dgn pertumbuhan KDNK 9.5% separuh pertama 2010

• Defisit dijangka rendah pada 5.4 peratus pada 2011

• Jumlah dagangan Malaysia dijangka meningkat 18.7 peratus kepada RM1.173 trilion tahun ini berbanding RM988.2 bilion tahun lalu

• Jumlah dagangan Malaysia dijangka meningkat 18.7 peratus kepada RM1.173 trilion tahun ini berbanding RM988.2 bilion tahun lalu

• Sektor perkhidmatan diunjur berkembang 5.3 peratus tahun hadapan dengan pelaksanaan program dan inisiatif di bawah tujuh Bidang Ekonomi Utama Negara (NKEA) berkaitan perkhidmatan.

• Warisan Merdeka – Permodalan Nasional Bhd akan membangunkan projek bersepadu berharga RM5 bilion, yang membabitkan menara 100 tingkat, yang dijadual siap pada 2020

• Pembinaan projek pembangunan bercampur termasuk kediaman mampu milik bernilai RM10 bilion di Sungai Buloh.

• Pembangunan Zon Akuakultur Bersepadu di Pitas, Sungai Telaga dan Sungai Padas di Sabah serta di Batang Ai dan Tanjung Manis di Sarawak dengan peruntukan RM252 juta.

• Peruntukan RM135 juta bagi persediaan prasarana asas menggalakkan petani menceburi bidang bernilai tinggi seperti industri sarang burung walit.

• Melanjutkan galakan potongan cukai pendapatan bagi pelabur dan pengecualian cukai pendapatan bagi syarikat dalam aktiviti pengeluaran bahan makanan sehingga 2015.

• Syarikat pelaburan berkaitan kerajaan (GLIC) seperti Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP), kini boleh melabur sehingga 20 peratus daripada jumlah aset yang diurus berbanding tujuh peratus sebelum ini.

• Suruhanjaya sekuriti (SC) akan menawarkan tiga lesen broker saham baharu kepada syarikat tempatan, asing dan usaha sama yang layak untuk meningkatkan penyertaan pasaran runcit.

• Duti import kira-kira 300 barangan kegemaran pelancong dan rakyat tempatan di antara 3 dan 5 peratus dimansuhkan bagi menjadikan Malaysia syurga beli belah

• Dana Pencen Swasta (PPF) tahun depan untuk memberi manfaat kepada pekerja sektor swasta dan mereka yang bekerja sendiri

• Program Adunan Biobahan Api dengan Petroleum Diesel (Program B5) secara mandatori bermula di Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan dan Melaka

• Pengecualian cukai jualan ke atas semua jenis telefon bimbit.

• RM850 juta bagi menyediakan infrastruktur sokongan untuk mempercepatkan pembangunan koridor dan wilayah.

• RM411 juta untuk melonjak ekonomi ke arah sebuah negara berpendapatan tinggi, aktiviti penyelidikan, pembangunan dan pengkomersilan sebagai landasan peningkatkan aktiviti nilai ditambah dalam setiap bidang ekonomi.

• Penubuhan Unit Inovasi Khas (UNIK) di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri dengan peruntukan RM71 juta bagi tahun depan untuk mengkomersilkan hasil penemuan R&D oleh universiti dan institusi penyelidikan.
• RM200 juta untuk perolehan hasil kreatif seperti filem, drama dan dokumentari keluaran tempatan yang berkualiti tinggi.

• Gaji pokok minimum pengawal keselamatan dinaikkan kepada RM500 hingga RM700 sebulan mengikut kawasan mulai Januari 2011

• Penjawat awam wanita diberi pilihan tentukan sendiri tempoh cuti bersalin bergaji penuh tidak melebihi 90 hari.

• Skim Rumah Pertamaku bantu golongan muda yang baru bekerja dengan pendapatan kurang daripada RM3,000 sebulan untuk memiliki rumah

• Kerajaan akan menaikkan kadar cukai perkhidmatan daripada 5 peratus kepada 6 peratus. Tarikh berkuatkuasa pelaksanaan cadangan ini ialah pada 1 Januari 2011. Ia terkandung dalam cadangan Bajet 2011 yang dibentangkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, di Dewan Rakyat hari ini. Kadar ini tidak diaplikasikan ke atas kad kredit di mana cukai perkhidmatan dicajkan pada kadar khusus RM50 setahun ke atas kad utama dan RM25 untuk kad kedua.

• Elaun pemimpin masyarakat dinaikkan kepada RM800 sebulan. Elaun bulanan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) dan Persekutuan (JKKP), Tok Batin, Pengerusi JKKK Orang Asli dan Pengerusi Kampung Baru akan dinaikkan kepada RM800 sebulan berbanding RM450 pada masa ini, bagi menghargai peranan mereka sebagai pemimpin masyarakat.

• RM6.9 bilion pula diperuntuk untuk bina infrastruktur seperti membina jalan luar bandar dan untuk membina jalan luar bandar

• RM2.1 bilion diperuntuk untuk bina dan menaik taraf jalan luar bandar di Sabah dan Sarawak, selain RM696 juta bagi tujuan sama di Semenanjung Malaysia.

• Sistem Penilaian Takap Kecekapan (PTK) dimansuh dan diganti dengan sistem penilaian lebih sesuai dan diterima baik penjawat awam. Satu sistem penilaian yang lebih sesuai dan diterima baik oleh penjawat awam akan menggantikan sistem PTK yang akan dimansuhkan menjelang Jun tahun depan

• Kakitangan Gred 54 ke bawah, pesara terima bantuan khas RM500. Sebagai menghargai sumbangan 1.2 juta penjawat awam seluruh negara yang memberi komitmen penuh dalam menjayakan inisiatif kerajaan, serta dengan harapan dan pesanan supaya penjawat awam terus berusaha, kerajaan setuju memberi Bantuan Kewangan Khas RM500 kepada kakitangan awam Gred 54 ke bawah, termasuk petugas kontrak dan pesara yang dibayar Disember ini, kata Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. (Bersyukur juga. Walaupun tiada bonus, bantuan kewangan ini pun sudah memadai).

Secara umum bagaimana pandangan anda. Adakah Bajet 2011 ini benar-benar menepati konsep Bajet Rakyat atau berdasarkan pandangan daripada rakyat? Intipati lengkap Bajet 2011/ucapan pembentangan boleh dirujuk di sini.

Sumber: BERNAMA, Malaysiakini, Berita Harian.

Rancangan Malaysia Ke-10 (RMK10): Intipati Pembentangan 

INTIPATI PEMBENTANGAN RANCANGAN MALAYSIA KE-10 (RMK10)

Rancangan yang bertemakan “Rancangan Kemakmuran Ekonomi dan Keadilan Sosial” itu memperuntukkan RM230 bilion bagi perbelanjaan pembangunan bagi tempoh lima tahun berkenaan. Daripada jumlah itu, 55 peratus diagihkan kepada sektor ekonomi, 30 peratus kepada sektor sosial, 10 peratus kepada sektor keselamatan dan lima peratus untuk pentadbiran am. RMK10 yang akan dilaksanakan berasaskan hala tuju strategik, program dan peruntukan adalah bagi merealisasikan Wawasan 2020 dan membawa negara ke arah mencapai status negara berpendapatan tinggi dan maju menjelang 2020.

Perdana Menteri berkata rancangan itu amat kritikal bagi meneruskan kesinambungan prakarsa nasional ke arah merealisasikan Wawasan 2020 menjadi sebuah negara maju dan berpendapatan tinggi. Ia merupakan satu daripada empat tiang utama pentadbiran beliau ke arah menjadikan Malaysia negara berstatus pendapatan tinggi menjelang 2020. Tiga lagi tiang tonggak itu ialah Gagasan 1Malaysia: Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan; Program Transformasi Kerajaan (GTP) dan Model Baru Ekonomi (MBE).

RMK10 amat kritikal bagi meneruskan kesinambungan prakarsa nasional ke arah merealisasikan Wawasan 2020 menjadi sebuah negara maju dan berpendapatan tinggi. Rancangan ini menyasarkan Pendapatan Negara Kasar Perkapita meningkat kepada RM38,850 pada 2015, berbanding RM26,420 tahun 2010. Ini bermakna, kadar pertumbuhan ekonomi negara yang disasarkan adalah 6 peratus setahun berbanding 4.2 peratus setahun pada RMK9 (2006-2010).

Pertumbuhan diterajui sektor perkhidmatan dan pembuatan, menggiatkan semula sektor pertanian yang bernilai tambah tinggi dan penyerapan kaedah ICT, bioteknologi serta pelantar teknologi yang berkaitan. Bagaimanapun cabaran besar bagi negara adalah untuk memangkin pelaburan swasta berkembang 12.8 peratus atau RM115 bilion setahun. Di samping itu, kerajaan juga komited untuk mengurangkan defisit fiskal daripada 5.3 peratus KDNK dalam tahun 2010 kepada kurang daripada 3 peratus pada tahun 2015.

10 Premis Utama RMK10

1. Memacu ekonomi domestik dengan kepekaan persekitaran luar negara;
2. Memanfaatkan dan menuas faktor kepelbagaian etnik sebagai satu elemen kejayaan di arena antarabangsa;
3. Mentransformasi negara ke arah pendapatan tinggi menerusi pengkhususan;
4. Menjayakan pertumbuhan diterajui oleh produktiviti dan inovasi;
5. Memupuk, menarik dan mengekalkan modal insan unggul;
6. Memastikan peluang yang saksama dan melindungi golongan mudah terjejas.
7. Pertumbuhan bertumpu, pembangunan inklusif.
8. Menyokong perkongsian pintar yang efektif.
9. Menghargai khazanah alam sekitar.
10. Kerajaan umpama syarikat yang berdaya saing.

5 Teras Strategik
Datuk Seri Najib Razak hari ini menggariskan lima teras strategik di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke-10 (RMKe-10), ke arah mencapai status negara berpendapatan tinggi dan maju menjelang 2020. Bagi menuju ke arah itu, Perdana Menteri berkata Malaysia perlu merangka pendekatan baru yang mengutamakan modal insan berkualiti, inovasi dan kreativiti serta kerajaan bertindak umpama sebuah syarikat yang berdaya saing. 5 teras tersebut ialah:

1. Menggubah falsafah dan pendekatan kerajaan ke arah mentransformasikan Malaysia dengan metodologi Bidang Keberhasilan Utama Negara (NKRA) dan Prestasi Petunjuk Utama (KPI).
2. Mewujudkan persekitaran kondusif bagi menggerakkan pertumbuhan ekonomi.
3. Menuju ke arah pembangunan sosioekonomi secara inklusif.
4. Membangun dan mengekalkan modal insan bertaraf dunia.
5. Mewujudkan persekitaran kondusif ke arah mempertingkatkan kualiti hidup.

Tumpuan Pembangunan

Peruntukan RMK10 bagi infrastruktur bukan fizikal meningkat kepada 40 peratus, berbanding 21.8 peratus dalam RMK9. Beberapa tumpuan utama dalam RMK10 termasuklah:

1. Tumpuan diberikan kepada program pembangunan kemahiran, aktiviti R&D dan modal teroka;
2. Selaras dengan langkah untuk untuk meningkatkan kompetensi penjawat awam, sebuah institusi perkhidmatan awam bertaraf dunia akan diwujudkan;
3. Satu unit khas, iaitu Unit Transformasi Ekonomi, akan ditubuhkan untuk merancang, menyelaras pelaksanaan dan pembangunan NKEA.
4. Suruhanjaya Persaingan dan Tribunal Rayuan akan ditubuhkan untuk memastikan pelaksanaan undang-undang lebih teratur dan berkesan.
5. Kerajaan terus berusaha untuk meletakkan Malaysia di lima tangga terbaik negara paling kompetitif di dunia.

Selain itu, kerajaan turut memberi tumpuan  kepada 12 bidang ekonomi utama negara (NKEA) akan diumumkan Oktober nanti, iaitu:

1. Minyak dan gas
2. Minyak sawit dan produk berkaitan
3. Perkhidmatan kewangan
4. Pemborongan dan peruncitan
5. Pelancongan
6. Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi (ICT)
7. Perkhidmatan Pendidikan
8. Elektrik dan elektronik
9. Perkhidmatan perniagaan
10. Penjagaan kesihatan swasta
11. Pertanian
12. Greater Kuala Lumpur

52 projek berimpak tinggi bernilai RM63 bilion diwujudkan

Kerajaan akan mewujudkan 52 projek berimpak tinggi bernilai RM63 bilion, antaranya 7 lebuh raya (RM15 billion), janakuasa arang batu (RM10 billion) dalam Rancangan Malaysia Ke-10 (RMKe-10).

Undang-undang kebankrapan dipermudah
Undang-undang kebankrapan akan dipermudah untuk menyokong budaya mengambil risiko terhitung, menghapuskan stigma kegagalan dan membenarkan usahawan berkaliber lagi wibawa yang gagal untuk kembali aktif.

Sekolah Amanah akan diperkenalkan

KUALA LUMPUR: Sekolah Amanah atau Trust Schools akan diperkenalkan untuk memudah cara perkongsian awam swasta dalam pengurusan sekolah kerajaan yang terpilih. Sekolah terbabit akan diberi autonomi oleh kerajaan dan dengan itu dipertanggungjawabkan bagi meningkatkan prestasi pelajar. Autonomi yang akan diberikan termasuk keanjalan untuk mengubah suai kurikulum pembelajaran, menggunakan peruntukan mengikut keperluan, memberi insentif kepada guru mengikut tahap prestasi serta memilih guru dan staf sokongan.

Dana Mudahcara (Facilitation Fund)

Dana berjumlah RM20 bilion akan disediakan melalui Dana Mudahcara atau “Facilitation Fund“ bagi memudahkan sektor swasta membiayai projek perkongsian awam-swasta. Melalui Dana Mudahcara, kerajaan anggar menarik pelaburan swasta sekurang-kurangnya RM200 bilion; Antara projek yang dipertimbangkan ialah penambakan tanah di Westport, Pelabuhan Klang, Pembangunan Malaysia Truly Asia Centre di Kuala Lumpur dan Taman Teknologi Tinggi Senai di Iskandar Malaysia, Johor.

Pembangunan Inovasi

Sebuah unit khas ditubuhkan di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri bagi memandu dan mengarah keberkesanan sistem inovasi negara serta program pembangunan inovasi sedia ada. Dana Inovasi Mudharabah (MIF) dengan peruntukan sebanyak RM500 juta akan diperkenal bagi menyediakan modal berisiko kepada syarikat modal teroka kerajaan.

Dana Perkembangan Perniagaan dengan peruntukan permulaan sebanyak RM150 juta akan ditubuhkan bagi merapatkan jurang pembiayaan antara pengkomersilan peringkat awal dan pembiayaan modal teroka bagi produk berteknologi tinggi.

Pemilikan Ekuiti Bumiputera

Sasaran RMK10 adalah untuk mencapai sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus pemilikan ekuiti korporat Bumiputera dan ekonomi di peringkat makro kekal. Lima inisiatif strategik memperkasakan agenda pembangunan Bumiputera telah digariskan yang meliputi usaha:

1. Meningkatkan pemilikan ekuiti Bumiputera melalui penginstitusian;
2. Mempertingkatkan pemilikan hartanah Bumiputera;
3. Menambah baik program pembangunan kemahiran dan keusahawanan serta pembiayaan melalui pelbagai agensi pembangunan Bumiputera;
4. Membangunkan guna tenaga profesional Bumiputera secara lebih tuntas;
5. Menubuhkan satu majlis peringkat tertinggi untuk merancang, menyelaras dan memantau pelaksanaan agenda pembangunan Bumiputera.

Meningkatkan Pendapatan Isi Rumah

Fokus kepada meningkatkan pendapatan dan kualiti hidup bagi kumpulan isi rumah berpendapatan 40 peratus terendah di mana Bumiputera merupakan bilangan terbesar, iaitu 73 peratus daripada 2.4 juta isi rumah dalam kumpulan ini. Pelaksanaan pelbagai program ekonomi dan penyediaan kemudahan asas kepada golongan terpinggir yang tinggal di kawasan pedalaman, terutamanya yang mendiami rumah panjang di Sabah dan Sarawak, serta Orang Asli dan pekerja di estet di Semenanjung Malaysia.

Kemudahan pinjaman AIM dan TEKUN akan disediakan dalam usaha menangani kemiskinan bandar dan akan dipakej bersama dengan latihan keusahawanan.

Dana RM100 juta untuk pinjaman mudah bagi 280,000 isirumah kampung baru Cina membayar premium tanah bagi perlanjutan tempoh pajakan melalui Bank Simpanan Nasional.

Pemberian Subsidi

Sebagai langkah meningkatkan daya saing dan kecekapan pasaran serta memastikan penggunaan sumber yang lebih optimal, kawalan harga dan subsidi perlu dirasionalkan secara berperingkat untuk menghapuskan penyelewengan pasaran dan penyelewengan. Bagaimanapun, keputusan pengurangan subsidi akan dilaksanakan setelah mengambil kira maklum balas dan merundingi rakyat. Kerajaan memberi jaminan dalam usaha mengurangkan subsidi, golongan berpendapatan rendah dan mereka yang paling memerlukan akan terus diberi bantuan untuk meringankan impak pengurangan subsidi ke atas kos sara hidup masing-masing.

Projek Jalur Lebar

Projek Jalur Lebar Berkelajuan Tinggi akan meliputi bandar-bandar besar, kawasan pertumbuhan ekonomi utama dan kawasan industri, liputan jalur lebar ke kawasan pinggiran bandar dan luar bandar dan prasarana tanpa wayar dengan pakej mampu langgan bagi penduduk di luar bandar.

Lebuhraya dan Pengangkutan

Lebuhraya Pantai Timur dari Kuantan ke Kuala Terengganu akan disiapkan dalam tempoh RMKe-10 kos RM3.7 bilion dan akan dihubungkan ke Pelabuhan Kuantan yang akan dinaik taraf. Selain itu, pembinaan sepanjang 6,300 kilometer jalan berturap di Semenanjung Malaysia, 2,500 kilometer di Sabah dan 2,800 kilometer di Sarawak yang akan memberi faedah kepada 3.3 juta penduduk juga akan dilaksanakan.

Projek membina landasan elektrik berkembar dari Gemas ke Johor Bahru, dengan kos anggaran RM8 bilion akan dilaksanakan sebagai pelengkap kepada sistem landasan elektrik berkembar dari Padang Besar di utara ke Johor Baharu di selatan.

Bekalan Air dan Loji Rawatan

Peruntukan RM109 juta untuk sambungan bekalan air ke 182 estet yang mempunyai keluasan 1,000 ekar (400 hektar) atau kurang dan terletak tidak melebihi lima kilometer dari paip utama. Liputan bekalan air luar bandar yang lebih berkualiti dengan sasaran liputan sebanyak 99 peratus di Semenanjung Malaysia, 98 peratus di Sabah dan 95 peratus di Sarawak. Loji rawatan kumbahan yang menggunakan teknologi hijau di Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, akan diperluaskan ke seluruh negara.

Bekalan Tenaga

Bekalan tenaga akan terus diperkukuh ke arah mewujudkan pasaran yang lebih kompetitif dan mengurangkan tanggungan subsidi tenaga secara berperingkat. Kemudahan elektrik di kawasan luar bandar juga akan diperluaskan untuk meliputi penyambungan bekalannya ke 6,000 buah rumah di Semenanjung Malaysia, 59,000 di Sabah dan 76,000 di Sarawak.

Perluasan Pelaburan dan Bantuan Modal

1. Beberapa bandar raya akan dijadikan destinasi tarikan baru kepada pelabur dalam industri berteknologi tinggi serta tenaga kerja berbakat dan berpengetahuan.
2. Kerajaan akan tambah RM3 bilion lagi menjadikan jumlah Skim Jaminan Modal Kerja kepada RM10 bilion bagi enterpris kecil dan sederhana (SME) mendapat akses kemudahan pembiayaan.
3. Kerajaan sedang mengkaji untuk mempertingkatkan lagi sumber kewangan SME dan Agro Bank.

Rumusan

Bagi melaksanakan program pembangunan RMKe-10, kerajaan akan menyediakan siling peruntukan sebanyak RM230 bilion bagi perbelanjaan pembangunan. Untuk tujuan ini, sebanyak 55 peratus akan diagihkan kepada sektor ekonomi, 30 peratus kepada sektor sosial, 10 peratus kepada sektor keselamatan dan 5 peratus kepada sektor pentadbiran am.

Apa yang menariknya, Perdana Menteri turut mengaitkan pembentangan RMK10 kali ni dengan semangat Piala Dunia yang akan bermula esok. Perdana Menteri berkata rakyat negara ini bolehlah mengiaskan kejayaan untuk merealisasikan sebuah negara Malaysia yang maju dengan rakyat berpendapatan tinggi kepada analogi sebuah pasukan bola yang berjaya.

Bagi sebuah pasukan bola, untuk berjaya, kesemua pemain daripada pasukan tersebut tanpa mengira posisi, perlu bekerjasama serta bermain sebagai satu pasukan. Jika tidak, mereka bukan sahaja tidak mungkin menang malahan boleh kalah teruk. Setiap pemain bermula daripada penjaga gol, pemain pertahanan, pemain tengah dan penyerang adalah sama pentingnya. Bagaimana hebat pun pemain secara individu namun mereka hanya akan menggondol kemenangan sebenar secara berpasukan. Oleh itu, setiap aset pasukan adalah berharga dan perlu dioptimumkan potensina bagi mencapai kejayaan.

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Berdasarkan 2 rancangan kewangan utama negara ini, apakah asas kepada rakyat untuk percaya kepada segala janji yang di tabur oleh BN melalui PM Najib pada Pilihanraya Sarawak Ke 10 yang lalu? Bagaimana untuk mengatakan bahawa semua janji tersebut akan @ Bakal di tunaikan kerana bajet negara dan RMK10 telah di bentangkan sebelum PRUN Sarawak yang lalu. Adakah rakyat Sarawak terlalu bodoh dengan janji BN yang hampir pasti sukar untuk di tunaikan? Semua adalah janji semata mata untuk memancing undi. Harus di ingat, kerajaan bertanggungjawab untuk membangunkan negara dan pembangunan bukannya untuk memancing undi. Kebodohan BN dan Rakyat Sarawak dan Malaysia juga di perbodohkan BN akibat kebodohan BN.

Why Pakatan failed to deny 2/3rd majority

Source: Malaysiakini - Ong Kian Ming (View expressed here is solely the opinion of the source)
ANALYSIS I did not have time to write a prediction piece for the recently concluded Sarawak state election because I was heavily involved in the campaign this time, rather than analysing it as an outside observer.

But I did tweet and put on Facebook (and placed a few friendly wagers) that the BN would lose its two-thirds majority by failing to win at least 47 seats. I was, not for the first time and certainly not for the last time, wrong.

In this first of my two-part analysis of this election, I will quickly lay out the basis for my initial optimism and then proceed to explain, using the election results, why my prediction did not materialise.

I will pay particular attention to the very complicated voting patterns exhibited by the various non-Muslim bumiputera groups because these voters were, and will likely be, the swing voters come the next general election.

Why I thought it was possible

My initial sense of optimism that the BN could possibly lose its two-thirds majority in the state assembly arose way before jitters started manifesting itself among those in the ruling coalition during the course of the 10-day campaign.

I had identified a list of 35 potentially vulnerable seats, not including the eight seats in non-BN hands when the state legislature was dissolved. These seats fell into four categories.

The first category comprises of 15 seats which the BN won with less than 60% of the popular vote in the 2006 state elections.

These include four Chinese-majority seats - N39 Repok, N46 Dudong, N49 Pelawan and N64 Pujut - but also include a number of Malay/Melanau seats - N20 Sadong Jaya, N24 Beting Maro and N30 Saribas - as well as Dayak and Orang Ulu seats - N19 Kedup, N25 Balai Ringin, N26 Bukit Begunan, N29 Batang Ai, N57 Belaga, N60 Kemena and N70 Ba'kelalan.

I also included the Iban-majority seat of Engkilili in this category, since the BN lost this seat in 2006 but subsequently 'regained' it back when the Snap candidate, Johnny Rayong, switched parties and joined SUPP.

The second category comprises of seats which the BN won with more than 60% of the vote in 2006 but had favourable demographics for the opposition, they being Chinese majority. The three seats in this category are N13 Batu Kawah, N47 Bawang Assan and N63 Piasau.

The third category comprises of seats which experienced a more than 10% decrease in the level of BN support from the 2006 state election to the 2008 general election.

This includes the Iban-majority seat of N27 Simanggang, which experienced a 31.2% decrease in the level of BN support from 83.3% to 52.1%, and N56 Baleh, an Iban-majority seat where voters have been affected by the Bakun dam construction, where the level of BN support plunged by 26.2%, from 89.5% to 62.3%. There are 11 seats which fall under the third category.

The fourth and last category features seats which the BN won by more than 60% in 2006 but which have been affected by new campaign issues.

Unhappiness over the treatment of the local population as a result of dam-building activities in Bengoh and Baram could have potentially affected voters in six seats - N1 Opar, N16 Bengoh, N17 Tarat, N18 Tebedu (Bengoh) and N66 Marudi and N67 Telang Usan (Baram).

For the opposition to deny the BN the two-thirds majority, it needed to retain all eight of its seats and win another 16 out of the 35 potentially vulnerable seats. Tripling the number of opposition seats was a tall order, but the ingredients for a potential tsunami were present.

A chief minister in Abdul Taib Mahmud, who had been in power in the state for over 30 years; the growing body of evidence of the wealth that he and his family had amassed, both in Sarawak and abroad, through website Sarawak Report and the dissemination of this information through Radio Free Sarawak and through word of mouth; the growing disputes over NCR (native customary land) as a result of aggressive expansion by Peninsular-based oil palm companies into Sarawak; the evictions and displacement of many local communities as a result of dam-building activities; the stamping of the Al Kitab and the ban on the use of 'Allah' by the local Christian community; all these were reasons to think that the growing urban discontent against Taib and the BN which was already evident among the voters in the Sibu by-election, could penetrate into many of the rural and semi-rural areas, including in some of these potentially vulnerable seats.

But this was not to be. The opposition managed to retain seven out of the eight seats it held, and won another nine seats, two of which - Krian (won by PKR) and Pelagus (won by an independent) - were not on my list of 35 potentially vulnerable seats.

What went wrong then for the opposition? Or to put it in another way, what didn't go right for the opposition?

I will leave the issue of party organisation, seat negotiations and multi-cornered contests and how they affected the election results to Part 2 of my analysis. Here, I will only undertake a numerical analysis of the election results.

Analysis of voting trends

The first reason as to why the BN was able to keep its two-thirds majority is that the anticipated swing among the non-Muslim bumiputera (NMB) voters was not big enough for the opposition to win many of the NMB majority seats.

Table 2 below shows the overall BN support and the estimated BN support by ethnic group for the 2006 and 2011 state elections.

To simplify my analysis, I grouped all the major NMB ethnic groups - the Bidayuhs, the Ibans and the various groups which are lumped together as Orang Ulu - into a single category.

A more accurate way of estimating the level of BN support would be to use voting results and ethnic composition figures at the polling stream level, but because I do not have such data for all of the seats, I have settled on the next best option, which is to estimate the BN support by ethnic group using state seat level data.

The results in Table 2 (right) confirms that the reality 'on the ground', so to speak. The decrease in the level of BN support among the Chinese community was the largest, from 45.1% in 2006 to 25.5% in 2011, representing a drop of 19.6%.

This makes sense since it would not have been possible for the opposition to increase their majority in many of their existing seats by such large margins and to win additional seats, which the SUPP had won with more than 70% of the popular vote in 2006, without a significant swing in the level of BN support among the Chinese.

The NMB support for the BN fell by slightly more than 7% from 63.9% in 2006 to 56.7% in 2011. But unlike the fall in the Chinese support for the BN, the overall fall in the NMB support for the BN did not exhibit a consistent pattern across all the NMB-majority seats.

While one can safely conclude that the Chinese support for the BN fell in most, if not all, of the Chinese-majority seats, the picture for the NMB-majority seats is much more complicated.

Among the 30 seats where the NMB voters comprise more than 50%, there were 22 seats where the level of support for the BN fell and the average fall was 12.8% for these seats. But there were also eight seats in which the level of BN support actually increased, by an average of 12.1%.

Tables 3 and 4 list out the seats in which the level of BN support fell (22 seats) and where it increased (eight seats).

Among the seats listed in Table 3 (right) are many of the potentially vulnerable seats listed in Table 1 above, including N1 Opar, N2 Tasik Biru, N16 Bengoh, N17 Tarat, N19 Kedup, N27 Simanggang and N67 Telung Usan - all of which were won by the BN with less than 60% of the popular vote.

With another 5% swing in the Iban vote, eight of the seats in Table 3 would have gone to the opposition.

At the same time, there were also a number of potentially vulnerable NMB-majority seats that, surprisingly, went into the safe column for the BN (Table 4 below).

These included N25 Balai Ringin and N26 Bukit Begunan as well as N57 Belaga, a seat which the BN won with only 42% of the vote in a multi-cornered fight. The BN made an impressive gain of 24.9% in Engkilili, a seat which the same candidate had won under the Snap banner in 2006 with only 46% of the popular vote.

The BN Batang Ai incumbent also consolidated the gains made during the 2009 by-election by winning 71% of the vote - an increase of 6% from the 65% he obtained two years ago.

It was somewhat surprising that BN made gains in two out of the three state seats in the Sri Aman constituency (N25 Balai Ringin and N26 Bukit Begunan) given numerous reports of land grabs in this area and the presence of two relatively well-known PKR candidates, one of whom had contested in the Balai Ringin under the Snap banner in 2006 (Ibi Uding) and the other, a former MP for Sri Aman who contested in the Bukit Begunan seat (Jimmy Donald).

The voting trend among the NMB voters is further complicated by variations in the semi-urban seats with a high percentage of NMB voters.

While it would not have been possible for the opposition to achieve its sizeable gains in seats such as N13 Batu Kawah (21% NMB), N40 Meradong (40% NMB) and N59 Kidurong (35% NMB) without at least some decrease in the BN support among the NMB voters, a quick comparison of the NMB-majority voting districts in N46 Dudong (37% NMB) and N47 Bawang Assan (33% NMB) showed that the NMB support for the BN actually increased in these areas.

No statewide swing among non-Muslim bumis

What conclusions can we then draw in regard to the NMB voting patterns in 2011?

Firstly, there was not the same kind of statewide swing against the BN that was seen among the Chinese voters. The NMB voters comprise of different ethnic groups and are not as cohesive as the Chinese, and most importantly, are not moved to vote in a uniform manner to the common issues of NCR land rights, land grabs and relocation and displacement due to dam building.

In other words, the salience of land grabs affecting Iban voters in one area will not move Iban voters in other, perhaps even neighbouring areas, from voting against the BN. Only if these issues seriously affect the majority of voters in one area, will they vote against the BN in significant numbers and only in that affected area.

The second conclusion which can be drawn is that the candidate factor makes much more of a difference in the NMB-majority seats compared to the urban seats. This is not to say that personality issues are not important in the urban areas.

One of the reasons why DAP's Chong Chieng Jen managed to win the Kota Sentosa seat despite the presence of 3,000 postal votes is his popularity among his constituents. But the magnitude of difference is much greater in the non-urban non-Chinese majority seats.

A candidate who serviced his constituents well, including possibly resolving some of the land issues, would be able to stem the tide of a swing against the BN. This would explain some of the results in the seats in Table 4, where the support for the BN actually increased.

At the same time, one cannot assume that a former state assemblyperson or MP, who is now competing as an opposition candidate, would be a better candidate. More often than not, voters would remember the failure to deliver constituency services rather than past services rendered, which is probably why some of these candidates were dropped by BN in the first place.

On the other hand, well-financed and new opposition candidates who have not contested before but nonetheless have worked the ground consistently in the period leading up to the state elections may produce electoral shocks as was the case with Ali Biju (PKR) in Krian and George Lagong (right) (Independent) in Pelagus.

The third conclusion I would draw is that one cannot assume that the NMB areas which are located near town centres such as Sibu, Miri and Kuching would automatically be more inclined to vote for an opposition candidate.

Many of the polling stations in the state seats of Dudong and Bawang Assan, although located about an hour from Sibu town (by boat or by car), still do not have running water or electricity.

If given a choice between a Chinese DAP candidate who cannot speak their language and who cannot provide them with monetary incentives or development projects and a BN Chinese candidate who can give them both, at least two out of three Iban voters would choose the latter.

The situation here is somewhat reversed from Peninsular Malaysia where one would expect voters in the urban areas who are from one race to be more likely to vote for an opposition candidate of another race compared to those in the less urbanised areas.

Finally, I briefly discuss voting patterns among the Malay/Melanaus (MM). Table 2 shows that the BN support among the MM actually increased slightly from 78.3% to 79.6%, an increase of about 1.3%. This should not be that surprising given the strength of the PBB in these areas and also the continued popularity of the chief minister among the Malay/Melanaus.

But even here, there are some differences in the changes of support for the BN in the MM-majority seats. In the 21 MM-majority seats, 13 experienced a fall in the level of BN support, by an average of 7.0%, while eight experienced an increase by an average of 8.1%.

Even though the BN support among the Malay/Melanaus increased slightly, there were more MM majority seats in which the level of BN support fell because of the presence of Chinese and NMB voters in these seats.

Tables 5 and 6 below lists out the seats in which the level of BN support fell (13 seats) and where it increased (eight seats).

Among the MM-majority seats where level of BN support fell was N24 Beting Maro, a seat which PAS stood a chance of winning. However, this was the only MM-majority seat in Table 5 where the BN's popular vote stood at less than 60% in the 2011 state election.

The BN made impressive gains in many of the MM-majority seats listed in Table 5 (above), registering double-digit gains in four out of the eight state seats.

Among the seats in Table 5 are N20 Sadong Jaya and N30 Saribas, two MM-majority seats which the BN won by less than 60% of the popular vote in 2006 but are now firmly in the safe column after gains of 13.4% and 13.5% by the BN, respectively.

Unless there is a serious split within the PBB as a result of a leadership tussle after Taib leaves, it is hard to imagine the opposition winning any of the MM-majority seats in the next state election.

More in-depth study required

This long article has barely scratched the surface of the complexity of Sarawakian politics.

Only a much more in-depth academic study can uncover the reasons as to why BN performed better or worse in many of these constituencies, especially those outside the urban centres including the service record of BN incumbents, possible sabotage by dropped candidates, the salience of local issues such as land grabs and dam building, the financing and on the ground presence of opposition candidates, just to mention a few.

The purpose of this article is to provide some facts and figures that will hopefully help improve the overall understanding of Sarawak politics and elections.

This article broadly agrees with an earlier Malaysiakini article by Bridget Welsh in that the swing against the BN in Sarawak was not just confined to the Chinese voters but it included a large percentage of NMB voters as well as MM voters in selected constituencies.

Where there are differences is in the magnitude of the swing against the BN among the different ethnic groups. This article maintains that the Chinese vote swing against the BN was the largest, followed by the NMB voters.

Even though the overall figures show a decrease in the level of BN support among the NMB voters and a slight increase among the MM voters, there is significant variation in the level of BN support within the NMB and MM-majority seats.

The next part of this analysis will discuss the impact of the state polls and the challenges faced by both the BN and the opposition parties ahead of the 13th general election.

Dr. M Spoke Against Corruption

Summary of 2011 Sarawak State Election

All About George Chan And SUPP

  Taken From Sarawak Report Comment

GAS says:

April 24, 2011 at 12:53 pm

I am happy that George Chan has been crushed in the election. Please read below the comment from Insider about George Chan:

Insider story of SUPP
By insider

I am writing this from outside Sarawak as I emigrated with my family to Australia last year.
I spent most of my working life in Miri and Kuching and as a businessmen, was forced to socialise with SUPP and other political leaders. I got to be quite close to them, and became one of their “supporters” who was “required to help” during elections.

I would like to appeal to all the voters, especially the Chinese voters, to vote for the opposition and not the SUPP. Let give just relate some of the home truths about SUPP:

1. SUPP under George Chan is not working for the Chinese but Taib Mahmud. Forget the words but look at the action. Taib Mahmud took away the Kuching Mayor’s post and gave it to a civil servant (died) without consulting SUPP. Before the announcement I was at a dinner with George Chan, Lee Kim Shim and Alan Sim and George Chan hinted that Alan Sim would make an excellent mayor for Kuching. Alan Sim was smiling so hard that you would have guessed that he was 100% sure that he would be the mayor. But Taib Mahmud simply gave it to someone else and George Chan could not do anything about it.

2. When the 2006 state elections came about, I was asked to “donate” to SUPP’s campaign in Kuching. My Miri branch manager told me that the SUPP Miri people (Andy Chia, Datuk Wee and gang) “asked” for my company vehicles to be “loaned” to them for the campaign. When the issue of land lease came up, George Chan told us in a dinner function that he will “speak” to Chief Minister and Chief Minister would make an announcement at a unity dinner in Kuching. I was forced to buy 3 tables at this dinner at Crowne Plaza. I was sitting a metre table away from the VIP table and I saw George Chan begging the Chief Minister to announce that he would renew the lease. Chief Minister just told George Chan, in front of everyone, I will announce in my own time. Can you imagine the SUPP president’s shame? In front of the Chinese community, he could not even get the Chief Minister to make a “hint” about the land lease.

After the elections, I was having dinner with George Chan’s supporters in Miri and he told in a serious tone that Chief Minister refused to make the announcement because he wanted to “punish” the Chinese/SUPP for making “too much noise”. This meant that Taib Mahmud had already destroyed Iban unity by splitting PRS/PBDS into two factions and he wanted the Chinese to be the same while he prepared his children to come in and take over. This man even hinted that Taib Mahmud only dared to do this because George Chan was the SUPP president. George Chan cannot stand up to Taib Mahmud on any issue. He just gives in on every crucial issue. Why? – I will tell you later.

3. During the 2006 state elections, one of SUPP’s biggest financial contributors, Ting Chek Si, a tycoon from Sibu, was not selected to defend his Meradong seat. His crime? Ting Chek Si was in a business dispute with Taib Mahmud’s brother over the Sanyan group of companies. Ting Chek Si has sued Taib Mahmud’s brother for “oppression” and revealed that he gave Taib Mahmud’s brother 51% of the shares in the company in return for Taib Mahmud’s timber concessions. Taib Mahmud told George Chan to dump Ting Chek Si and George Chan, like a good running dog, did as he was told. This is despite the fact that Meradong people wanted Ting Chek Si because he was using his own money to provide help to Meradong. The SUPP Central working committee even endorsed Ting Chek Si’s name as candidate. What kind of party leader is George if he dumped his own men and listened to PBB’s leader? Is SUPP a sub-branch of PBB?

What is worse – when Ting Chek Si protested to George Chan, George Chan lied to his face straight and told him to keep quiet and Ting Chek Si will be given another chance as senator. Of course George Chan did not keep his promise, he gave the senatorship to Sim Kheng Hui.

4. This is not the first time George Chan lied openly to his colleagues. In 2004 General Elections, he promised Law Heing Ding that he will be nominated as the Minister but for the last term. George even put this in writing. After the elections, George nominated Datuk Peter Chin. Is it any wonder that Law Heing Ding called George Chan a liar in the Chinese press and George Chan did not dare to sue him? If George Chan is a man of honour as he says he is, why does he not sue Law Heing Ding for defamation? Law Heing Ding even went to the extent of writing a complaint letter to all the SUPP CWC members and gave a copy to the PM and Taib Mahmud. He has documents to prove that George Chan is lying and backstabbed him.

5. You do not need to look at George Chan’s political games to know he is a fake. Just look at the way he behaves towards his first wife, Judy. He cheated on her for so many years that she ran away. He had an open affair with Christina Foo of Priority One and gave the company a lot of state government consultancies.
During the search and rescue mission for Dr Judson in the Kelabit highlands, he visited the place often to “direct” the search. The real reason was that he was chasing a Kelabit girl and took her to KL to be his mistress. Just ask anyone in the highlands and they will confirm this story. This girl is now driving a BMW and living in a semi-D in KL.

What kind of man would use a moment of anguish over a helicopter crash to think about sex and chasing girls. Is this a “leader” of the Sarawak Chinese community?

Even worse, he allowed his daughter Elisa Chan and now named Anisa (the most beautiful one with white skin) to marry Taib Mahmud’s son. When Sulaiman turned out to be playboy and started to hit the daughter, George Chan actually told the daughter to “bear it” as Sulaiman could ensure that she has a luxurious life. When Sulaiman heard this, he hit the poor daughter even harder and sent her off to live in the States leaving him free to chase all sorts of girls in KL and Manila. As a father, how could George Chan do all these things?
The question is why? Why does GC do all these underhanded things?

The answer is simple. The love of power and wealth. He can only get power and wealth by being a running dog to Taib Mahmud and this is exactly what he has done. He has made SUPP weak because Taib Mahmud wants SUPP to be weak while the Melanau dynasty rules forever.
George Chan wants to enjoy the good things in life like fine wine (he has one of the finest wine collections in Malaysia) and women. He can only do this as deputy Chief Minister.
With a leader like George Chan, who lies to his own senior party members, and reports to PBB and Taib Mahmud – can we elect SUPP? If SUPP were to come out and say that it is a sub-branch of PBB, at least I will consider it as they will be telling the truth for the first time.

After all these nonsense I decided that I had better migrate. I do not want my children to deal with this sort of “leaders” and live in a country where the Chinese leaders are forever kowtowing to someone else.
I am not writing this out of spite. I encourage readers in Sarawak and elsewhere to investigate if what I say here is true. Even if 50% is true, don’t you think SUPP deserves to be punished?

The only way to get rid of George Chan and his group of PBB/SUPP members is to vote out SUPP until George Chan loses power. There is no other way. I took the easy way out by migrating but that does not mean I do not love Sarawak or care for the future of Sarawak. It simply means I am too old. I am telling this story so that the younger generation will know the truth.

Pengalaman menganalisis perlakuan pengundi

Dr Jeniri Amir

Dalam ruangan ini sejak beberapa bulan lalu, saya menegaskan bahawa keputusan pilihan raya ke-10 tidak mungkin lebih baik daripada keputusan 2006 bagi Barisan Nasional.

Saya juga mengatakan, seperti peramal lain, BN akan dapat menguasai dua pertiga kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak, tetapi pasti dengan jumlah kerusi yang berkurangan. Undi popularnya akan merosot dan peratusan pengundian akan sedikit meningkat.

Memang itulah yang berlaku apabila undi popular diraih BN merosot sebanyak 8 peratus, daripada 63 peratus pada 2006 kepada 55 peratus dalam pilihan raya ini. Jika kemersosotan terus berlaku, masa depan BN kelihatan terancam.

Sinar di hujung terowong
Ya, masih adakah sinar di hujung terowong untuk BN? Dan, peratusan pengundian ternyata meningkat kepada 70 peratus daripada hanya 67 peratus dalam pilihan raya kesembilan.
Jangkaan saya itu tidaklah meleset. BN menang 55 daripada 71 kerusi dipertandingkan, manakala DAP 13 kerusi, PKR tiga dan calon Bebas satu. Seperti yang saya jangkakan lebih daripada 70 peratus daripada 41 calon Bebas turut hilang wang pertaruhan. Pada 2006, 12 daripada 20 calon Bebas mengalami nasib yang serupa.

Meramalkan apa yang berlaku dalam pilihan raya bukanlah sesuatu yang mudah. Perkiraannya bukan seperti melakukan darab dan tolak dalam matematik.

Dalam politik kita tidak bermain dengan logik, melainkan sentimen. Sentimen sebahagian pengundi boleh berubah-ubah. Untuk menyelam ke dasar minda dan hati 980,000 pengundi bukanlah kerja mudah.
Sejak dua bulan lalu saya telah turun ke akar umbi cuba menyelami keluh kesah, denyut nadi dan gerak rasa pengundi dari Tanjung Datu hingga ke Lawas. Semua itu bukan sahaja banyak mengorbankan masa dan tenaga, tetapi wang ringgit.

Komitmen dan kecintaan
Tanpa komitmen dan rasa kecintaan yang mendalam, tentu sukar melakukannya. Selepas dua bulan, berjaga malam, dengan hampir tiap-tiap malam tidur jam 12.00 tengah malam atau jam 1.00 pagi, menyebabkan kadangkala saya keletihan.

Saya perlu mencerakinkan data, selain meneliti setiap laporan akhbar dan media alternatif di alam maya. Bolehlah dikatakan saya berfikir politik, makan politik dan bermimpi politik selama dua bulan.
Tetapi saya seronok apabila dapat bertemu dengan pelbagai peringkat masyarakat, daripada semua kaum, tidak kira di bandar, separuh bandar, luar bandar atau pedalaman. Ya, daripada semua kelas, profesion dan kaum.

Saya menjadi buruan media, daripada portal berita, media arus perdana dan media alternatif di dalam dan di luar negara. TV3 mengemukakan wawancara dalam program Soal Jawab dengan saya tiga malam sebelum hari pengundian, TV1 menampilkan saya sebagai seorang daripada ahli panel dalam Program Bicara Rakyat, malam sebelum hari mengundi. Pada malam undi dihitung, saya turut tampil di Astro-Awani dan TV1. Sekurang-kurangnya saya tampil 15 kali melalui Astro-Awani dalam tempoh dua bulan lalu. Dan hari ini, 24 April menjadi sejarah apabila Mingguan Malaysia menampilkan wawancara dengan saya dalam halaman pentingnya.

Semuanya adalah serba mencabar, lebih-lebih lagi ketika tampil dalam siaran langsung. Bukan sahaja maklumat tepat perlu berada di hujung hari, tetapi perlu pantas berfikir dan mampu mengemukakan hujah dengan jelas dan meyakinkan.

Namun, semua itu dimungkinkan berkat kegigihan melakukan penyelidikan sebelum hari pengundian. Saya bukan sahaja menggunakan lebih 5,000 borang soal selidik untuk mengetahui perlakuan pengundian dan sikap pengundi, tetapi turut dapat mengagak kemungkinan pada 16 April. Dapatan daripada borang soal selidik tidak mungkin menipu.

Menyusuri sungai dan meredah denai
Pada satu peringkat saya menggunakan khidmat lebih 50 pembanci untuk menemui pengundi yang terpaksa menjelajah penduduk kampung di pesisiran dan penghuni rumah panjang di pedalaman. Mereka menyusuri sungai dan meredah denai untuk menemui pengundi.

Mata saya semakin terbuka apabila melihat sendiri keadaan hidup mereka, kedaifan dan kemiskinan yang masih membelenggu di sesetengah kawasan. Selepas hampir 50 tahun merdeka dan dengan kekayaan yang bukan sedikit, saya kadangkala terkedu.

Apakah yang sudah berlaku kepada negeriku ini? Ke manakah mengalir sebahagian kekayaan dan sumber asli negeri? Mengapakah masih ada masyarakatku terpinggir? Tetapi saya kagum, mereka tetap penyokong setia BN.

Saya dari awal sudah meramalkan calon SUPP pasti kecundang di Batu Kawah, Kota Sentosa, Pending, Padungan, dan lain-lain. Ketika sebahagian orang meramalkan bahawa Profesor Sim Kui Hian akan menang di Pending, dapatan soal selidik saya mengatakan tidak mungkin beliau memenangi kerusi itu. Bayangkan lebih daripada 90 peratus responden menyokong DAP! Sesungguhnya, bukan isu calon yang menjadi persolan.

Pakar tersohor
Profesor Sim merupakan calon yang paling berkelayakan, seorang pakar sakit jantung yang tersohor. Tetapi terdapat isu lebih besar berlegar di dalam kepala masyarakat Cina. Mereka mahu menyaksikan peubahan dari segi kepemimpinan dan tadbir urus negeri. Mereka mahu SUPP yang lebih segar, berani dan lantang bersuara. Mereka mahu keadaan negeri yang lebih baik.

Dari segi strategi kempen dan komunikasi politik, dengan slogan “Real Heart, Real Action, Real Change”, beliau menampilkan strategi yang segar, inovatif dan meyakinkan. Beliau cuba melibatkan langsung pengundinya dengan mendapatkan maklum balas segera daripada pengundi dan penduduk di kawasannya.
Beliau mempunyai semacam Bidang Kerberhasilan Utama Kawasan (NKRA) dengan sasaran yang jelas dan spesifik dalam seratus hari sesudah dipilih sebagai wakil rakyat. Tetapi kini, semuanya tinggal impian kerana pengundi Cina menolak beliau dan memilih untuk menampilkan DAP yang lebih garang dan lantang di DUN Sarawak.

Dalam pertandingan satu lawan satu Profesor Sim kalah di tangan Violet Yong (DAP) dengan majoriti yang semakin mengukuh, iaitu 7,595 undi.

Bagi memastikan siapa yang bakal dipilih di Padungan, calon DAP atau Dominic Ng, calon Bebas, saya tidak teragak-agak untuk membuat tinjauan pantas sehari sebelum pilihan raya dengan menggunakan soal selidik dan mendapatkan pandangan seratus responden.

Jelas mereka memihak kepada calon DAP kerana pengundi Cina di situ mahu DAP yang lebih bertenaga di DUN Sarawak. Dan, itulah yang sebenarnya berlaku apabila Wong King Wei meraih 11,957 undi berbanding Sim Kiang Chiok sebanyak 4,074 undi dan Dominic Ng hanya 439 undi.

Berdasarkan dapatan soal selidik juga, pertentangan sengit dijangka berlaku di Kota Sentosa, tetapi ternyata kerana keghairahan dan begitu menggelegaknya sentimen pengundi Cina dan juga bumiputera di situ untuk melakukan perubahan, maka akhirnya pemimpin muda DAP, Chong Chieng Jen meraih majroti besar, iaitu 4,824 berbanding hanya 531 undi pada 2006.

Sesungguhnya, pilihan raya ini bagi saya memperluas pengalaman dan kemahiran dalam menganalisis perlakuan pengundian dan memahami isu. Saya juga faham, apa yang dilakukan pada saat-saat akhir dapat mempengaruhi sikap pengundi sama ada menyokong pembangkang atau BN.

Sebahagian pengundi menjunjung tinggi politik idealisme, dan selebihnya mengutamakan perpaduan dan politik pembangunan. Itulah yang berlaku apabila pengundi Cina menolak BN dan pengundi bumiputera pada amnya menjadi penyokong BN.

*Penulis ialah penganalisis politik di Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Sarawak Update

Taib ‘slaps’ Najib’s Umno with PBB’s performance

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | April 22, 2011 

 

Taib Mahmud, who retained his seat in Balingian in last week's polls, has 'outlived so many PMs'. Does Najib think he can shake him off easily?

COMMENT

Chief Minister Taib Mahmud isn’t going to quit yet and that means the same treatment of Sarawak remains as Taib’s ‘fixed-deposit.’

No, Sarawak is not Barisan Nasional’s FD. It is Taib’s FD, so you will witness the same rapacious greed.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will find it difficult in days ahead to dislodge Taib Mahmud.

Even as he knows what Taib is doing in Sarawak.
He knows what is happening to Sarawak’s forests, knows the labyrinth of Taib’s and his cabal’s business interests and he knows what Awang Tengah Ali Hassan (Minister of Planning and Resouce Management and Public Utilities) and Rosie (Taib’s sister Raziah Mahmud) is doing.

And probably Taib has well placed his strategic operatives within Najib’s inner circle.
So I am not going to comfort myself by saying – its OK, Najib has over 30 years of political schooling and is equipped enough to deal with Taib.

Taib has more than 30 years. He has outlived so many PMs.
Najib’s equipment will not be big enough to handle Taib, who now has exotic second wife Ragat by his side.

The fact is the majority obtained by Taib’s Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu was better than in 2006.
They increased their majority in 23 out of the 35 constituencies PBB contested.

Taib has delivered a 100% success rate for PBB.
His coalition partners Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing too did well. PRS delivered eight out of nine seats it contested and Sarawak
Progressive Democratic Party gave BN six wins out of eight seats contested.

Only George Chan’s Sarawak United Peoples party (SUPP) fared badly but that was a foregone conclusion and Taib was well prepared for this.

Off mark information

As such I am not sure about the unbounded optimism inferring that Najib will know how to handle Taib.
Most probably he doesn’t. The information his intelligence people gave him were off the mark.

If they were precise or reflect the true picture, he would not publicly declare that Taib will retire soon.
Even Special Branch (SB) sheepishly admitted that at one point the information was cooked.

The silverback of a politician had flatly said that he will leave when he is ready to go and not when Najib wants him to.

Would Najib be happy if Taib tells the public that Najib will leave in a few years?
SUPP without George Chan will be a cinch for Taib to deal with.
Today one towkay announced that he will be forming a new Chinese based party.
Perhaps to supplant SUPP which lost badly? Among Taib’s Sarawak BN – Sarawak’s MCA cousin, the SUPP performed worse.
Its president, Chan, lost. So, maybe Taib will nurture the new party to replace SUPP.
Umno has no standing

Allow it to speak in bellicose posturing perhaps. Perhaps he’ll even create a BN-friendly DAP and steal the thunder from Sarawak DAP?

Then Taib will teach Najib how to handle things.

How will Najib handle Taib? How will Umno deal with this? Umno can’t control the outcome in Sarawak in future so how can it do so now?

Umno hasn’t got the standing to tell PBB what to do.
PBB delivered 100%. Umno? It couldnt even get half of the Malay support in the 2008 elections.
It can’t get a 100% success rate. But PBB did.

While the votes for PBB Naik (increased), the Malay votes for Umno Turun (dropped)!
Out of the 5.7 million Malays who voted in 2008, Umno candidates got only around 2 million votes. So does Umno have a standing?

PBB will say to Umno: “Hold on, We don’t need your unsolicited advice on how to carry out our work. You take care of your own backyard.”

Because Taib’s hold on Sarawak is so entrenched, Najib will not dare move against him.
Taib has many on his side who are against Najib’s side.

The Taib factors

One, the rise of Chinese rejection of Barisan Nasional and its politics. No matter what the reasons are – DAP bringing Chinese chauvinism over to Sarawak or whatever.

You can’t persuade the Chinese to vote for you and that will remain so for many years.
Even (former Prime Minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement on DAP’s ‘racist’ flavour will not move Sarawakian Chinese.
By the way – did anyone mention on that particular Friday in Mukah that a function allegedly arranged for Mahathir got cancelled for the lack of an audience?
Mahathir apparently remained at his hotel and later joined Sawarakian Muslims for Friday prayers.

Sungguh biadap anak buah Taib Mahmud ini.
Two, you have the independent persona of Taib. He doesn’t depend on the charity of the federal government.

The federal government has a hold on Sarawak’s oil, yes.

But Sarawak has full autonomy and authority over its gas. Curiously the agreement over energy with Sarawak apparently doesn’t cover gas which is plentiful in Sarawak.

Taib, it is said has pre-sold Sarawak’s gas ensuring steady income to the state.
In other words, Taib is less beholden to Najib in so many ways.

Taib is also not an Umno member and so is immune from cajoling and threats from fellow Umno major domos and other hatchet men.

So how will Najib handle Taib? Wait for the my next installment.
The writer is a former Umno state rep and an FMT columnist.

NGO desak kenaikkan harga barangan dikekang

Sebanyak 25 kumpulan yang terdiri daripada parti politik, NGO dan persatuan mahasiswa menuntut kerajaan menghentikan segala bentuk sandiwara dalam pelaksanaan akta gaji minimum.

Sempena deklarasi Hari Pekerja Sedunia itu, kumpulan tersebut juga menuntut supaya BN mengawal kenaikan harga barangan yang berterusan meningkat sehingga membebankan rakyat ekoran kenaikan kos hidup yang semakin tinggi.

"Kenaikan harga barang seperti minyak dan gula memberi impak yang tinggi kepada rakyat dan kaum pekerja khususnya yang berpendapatan rendah.

"Alasan yang diberikan oleh kerajaan – 'penyelarasan subsidi' iaitu mengalihkan beban subsidi dan defisit yang ditanggung oleh kerajaan kepada rakyat untuk mengelakkan kerajaan menjadi muflis.

“Ini merupakan satu hujah yang tidak rasional kerana pada masa yang sama kerajaan dengan bangganya mengumumkan pelbagai projek mega seperti bangunan 100 tingkat yang tidak memberi manfaat kepada rakyat.

Menurut deklarasi 1 Mei sempena hari pekerja itu lagi pembaziran seumpama itu tidak seharusnya dilakukan dalam keadaan rakyat terbelenggu dengan pelbagai tekanan ekonomi akibat sistem kapitalis ini.

“Walaupun kerajaan kerap mengisytiharkan kejayaannya menguruskan ekonomi namun ia tidak mampu mengubah kehidupan rakyat.

“Rakyat masih terbelenggu dengan pelbagai beban yang dialihkan oleh pihak kerajaan kepada mereka.," kata mereka dalam satu kenyataan.

Kumpulan itu juga membidas amalan nepotisme, kronisme, ketidaktelusan dalam menguruskan wang rakyat, penyalahgunaan kuasa dan rasuah masih berlaku di peringkat atasan sehingga menyebabkan pengagihan sumber kekayaan yang tidak adil.

"Yang miskin terus miskin, yang kaya terus mengawal dan menikmati sumber kekayaan negara.

"Malaysia mempunyai jurang perbezaan pendapatan antara kaya dan miskin paling tinggi di Asia Tenggara.

"Kira-kira 40 peratus penduduk hanya memiliki 14.3 peratus pendapatan negara sedangkan golongan atas 20 peratus memiliki 50 peratus pendapatan negara."

Memetik sumber daripada kenyataan Menteri Sumber Manusia Datuk Dr S Subramaniam, kumpulan itu berkata 34 peratus daripada pekerja di negara ini menerima pendapatan di bawah garis kemiskinan iaitu RM720 sebulan.

"Dasar ekonomi yang menjurus ke arah pertumbuhan ekonomi dan sistem pasaran terbuka semata-mata terus dipersoalkan kerana ia tidak menjamin agihan ekonomi yang adil.

"Tumpuan terhadap arah pertumbuhan ekonomi semata-mata hanya akan merangsang persaingan di kalangan kaum pemodal tanpa kawalan seterusnya menggalakkan penindasan ke atas pekerja," kata mereka.

Sehubungan itu menjelang sambutan Hari Pekerja 1 Mei ini, mereka menuntut 18 perkara daripada kerajaan:

• Hentikan rundingan Perjanjian Perdagagan Bebas (FTA) dengan EU dengan melibatkan rakyat dalam proses membuat keputusan.

• Hentikan cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) yang membebankan rakyat

• Gubal rang uUndang-undang anti gangguan seksual untuk mengelakkan diskriminasi terhadap kaum wanita, pastikan tempat kerja selamat serta diberi perlindungan dari gangguan seksual.

• Tingkatkan penglibatan tenaga kerja wanita yang terbantut selama 30 tahun pada tahap 46.7 peratus. Sediakan tempat asuhan kanak-kanak yang dibiayai oleh kerajaan untuk membolehkan wanita melibatkan diri dalam pembangunan negara.

• Hentikan penswastaan khususnya terhadap perkhidmatan awam seperti hospital dan air dan hentikan Skim Pembayaran Penuh Pesakit (Full Paying Patient) di hospital kerajaan dengan segera.

• Laksanakan pendidikan percuma untuk semua dengan memansuhkan segala jenis yuran dari prasekolah hingga universiti.

• Isytihar kesatuan sekerja secara automatik dengan mansuhan undang-undang yang mendiskriminasi pekerja dan sebarang peraturan yang memangsakan ahli kesatuan sekerja.

• Iktiraf hak tanah adat orang Asli/Asal di Malaysia dan berikan hak milik kekal serta kukuhkan status tanah rizab orang Asli di Malaysia. Rancangan pembangunan tanah orang Asli hendaklah berasaskan kehendak, keperluan dan aspirasi orang Asli.

• Hak perumahan hak rakyat dengan sediakan perumahan yang mampu dimilik, yang selesa, cukup ruang, dengan kemudahan yang perlu untuk pembangunan sosial keluarga dan komuniti.

• Mansuhkan segala undang-undang yang menindas dan mendiskriminasi rakyat dan pekerja, antaranya ISA, OSA, EO, DDA, Akta Universiti & Kolej Universiti (AUKU), Akta Pertubuhan, Akta Penerbitan dan Mesin Cetak.

• Wujudkan tabung pemberhentian kerja dengan segera dan bantuan terus kepada pekerja yang kehilangan kerja. Kerajaan harus memperuntukkan RM0.5 billion untuk mulakan tabung ini dan gunakannya untuk membantu mereka yang dibuang sehingga dapat kerja.

• Wujudkan polisi dan perundangan domestik bagi melindungi pekerja tidak rasmi.

• Tandatangan beberapa Konvensyen lain seperti Konvensyen 1951 berkaitan Status Pelarian dan Protokol 1967 dan Konvensyen Pekerja Asing bagi membolehkan hak migran, pelarian dan pencari suaka bekerja secara sah dan bebas daripada eksploitasi dan penindasan.

• Laksanakan polisi ekonomi berlandaskan keperluan tanpa mengira kaum dan jantina. Menuntut suatu model pembangunan yang saksama, yang memberi kepentingan kepada rakyat setempat di mana segala rancangan pembangunan mestilah dibincang dan dipersetujui oleh semua

• Menuntut sistem pentadbiran kerajaan yang adil serta pelaksanaan dan agihan ekonomi yang benar-benar telus, bersih dan bebas dari segala bentuk rasuah, kronisme dan penyelewengan.

• Selamatkan bumi kita, hentikan pembinaan reaktor nuklear di Malaysia, hentikan penghapusan hutan tanpa kawalan untuk tujuan pembalakan dan penanaman kelapa sawit.

Mereka yang menandatangani deklarasi 18 tuntutan itu adalah seperti berikut:

• AWAM - All Women's Action Society

• CAN - Community Action Network

• CDC- Community Development Centre

• CIJ – Centre for Independent Journalism

• DEMA – Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement

• EMPOWER - Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor

• JAG - Joint Action Group for Gender Equality

• JERIT - Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas

• KOMAS - Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat

• ODHA - Orang yang Hidup Dengan HIV dan AIDS

• Pemuda Sosialis

• PERMAS - Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan

• PRM - Parti Rakyat Malaysia

• PSM - Parti Sosialis Malaysia

• PSWS - Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor

• PWW - Perak Women for Women

• SABM - Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia

• SAWO - Sabah Women's Action-Resource Group

• SIS - Sisters in Islam

• SMM - Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia

• SUARAM - Suara Rakyat Malaysia

• WAO - Women's Aid Organization

• WCC- Women's Centre for Change

• KAMI - Kumpulan Aktivis Muda Independen

• Lajnah Pekerja dan Peneroka Bandar, PAS

MkiniDotCom

BN gave us RM10,000, claims 'tuai rumah'

This is why PR fail to overshadow BN in Majority Dayak Area. Money politic by BN have tampered PR effort to deny 2/3 majority won by BN. Of course its not solely reason but remember, BN win because of Non Chinese voters.

I observe in three area which is N23, N27 and N28 the same effort was use by BN. SPR should be know this thing happen because people talk about is in everywhere. I am sure that SPR man knows about it. But what they done? Maybe SPR is to subjective.. WHERE IS SPECIAL BRANCH? You always hunt the opposition but these corruption practise is a criminal. Sarawak BN is corruption said our friend from Semenanjung. They know and i bet BN will suffer in this next Parlimentary Election particulary in Malaya!
_____________________________________________________________________________

BN Promises – Nothing But Bounced Cheques!

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 GMT

This post is also available in: Malay

Kuching Anak Moyan (left), the headman who admits he took a RM10,000 bribe to make his community vote BN from Member of State Parliament Joseph Mauh

BN’s Joseph Mauh has been caught red-handed on a double election cheat.  He not only promised a poor Headman RM 10,000 to gain his vote, but then the cheque bounced!

In this way Mauh cheated his constituents twice.  Firstly he cheated them of their right to a free vote by bribing the Headman, which is an exceedingly serious crime.

 Secondly, he didn’t even carry out his promised payment to a poor community.
You could say that a person who takes a bribe in exchange for their most precious freedom, the freedom to choose their rulers and lawmakers, deserve what they get.  But, of course such communities agrees to these bribes because the treacherous BN government has kept them so poor and desperate.

The police must act to arrest election criminals
Sarawak Report assumes that now this incontrovertible evidence has been placed before them, the police will move immediately to detain and question Joseph Muah.  Likewise, the Election Commission should suspend the result of the election.

If the evidence is proved (and it should be done quickly) then there should be a re-election.  In the light of this abuse, other similar claims across the length and breadth of Sarawak should also be investigated.  We are not talking about ‘opposition troublemakers’ we are talking about a respected and appointed Headman, who voted for BN!

Joseph Muah, if found guilty faces the most serious criminal charge of election fraud.  This is the testimony of the Headman against him:
“My name is Kuching ak Moyan and i am one of the headmen in Tamin constituency. In the just concluded State election, i was given three cheques, one for RM2,000, another for RM3,000 and the third for RM5,000 by the Barisan Nasional candidate, Joseph Mauh.  I have cashed out the first two cheques, both for a total RM5,000 but the last one, for RM5,000, was bounced. So i sent it back to him and he promised that he will bank in the amount instead into my account. Up till today, i have not received the RM5,000. The three cheques were given to me on the 13th of April so that we will give our support to the Barisan Nasional. In the year 2006 State election, each voter here was given only RM20 but in this election, the amount was increased to RM50 per voter. There are 15 voters in this longhouse and all of them were given RM50 each. I think all of us have voted for Barisan Nasional. Ofcourse I know that the money the Barisan Nasional give to us would amount to nothing if the government grabbed our land. But what to do, we still have to vote for the government as the government has given us the money. Yes, i know we can just accept the Barisan Nasional money and vote for the opposition but since everybody else voted for Barisan Nasional this time, i decided to follow suit.”

Time to stop Sham Elections in Sarawak
This is just the beginning of the evidence about this election.  No wonder BN in KL was so worried about the election and so relieved at the outcome.  But likewise, no wonder Taib rushed in the middle of the night in the middle of the weekend to the Governor to get sworn back in before anyone could shout “Stop Thief!”

But if he hopes this is the end of the matter then the Chief Minister is older and stupider than even we realised.  The cheated voters of Sarawak are not going to take this sitting down.  Because the victory of the last election was that despite the bullying, bribes and cheating the opposition still managed to gather 45% of the vote!

Imagine what percentage would have gone to the opposition without the rigging and cheating and bribes?  The swings across the country were HUGE and they were away from BN in town and rural areas alike.
Imagine what the percentages would have been if all those half million native voters who Taib refuses to give voter registration to had been able to vote too?  This is why BN is worried.  They are an illegitimate government who stole the election and they deserve to be investigated and prosecuted and then punished with the full force of the law.

Sarawak Report is currently in Geneva, where this NGO is joining others who have been invited to speak at the UN about the problems over human rights and democracy in Sarawak.  We will present the case of this Headman and also the many others who have been cheated in this election.
Sarawak Report

Message from N42 PKR Candidate to his Voters

Thank you N. 42 Meluan voters

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony 

I am sorry

I would like to apologize to N42 Meluan voters for having failed to win the Meluan seat for you. I asked for forgiveness and we must look towards the future and work hard for “Berubahlah”.

Election is over and we are back to writing political analysis and the meaning of political event. DayakBaru has done well to share information with the voters and many went to the ground to give support. Even those in the civil service did their part to communicate the message for change. Thank you for a job well done.

My only regret is the Government decision to block DayakBaru blog during the campaigning period. this is not democratic and it goes to show that BN Government is not fair to the people in Malaysia. This government action is not acceptable and their controlling of free flow of information is against democratic rights of the Malaysian people.

Thank you Meluan Voters

First of all I would like to thank all the 7900 voters who cast their vote in Meluan. BN gathered 4615 votes and PKR got 2973 giving a majority of 1642. In 2006 PKR got 440 votes and today the 2973 votes is a large improvement of 500%. That is achieved through 3 months on intensive work.

The BN majority was reduced from 3007 in 2006 to 1642 in 2011. That by itself is a big achievement. For those voters who voted for PKR my special thank to you.

Polling Station Result

PKR won handsomely in Bekatan and Balut and lost in Julau, Rayah, Meluan and Engkamup and Entabai.

I would like to say that the result is a fair representation of what the voters want. The voters has made their choice based on their particular objective and agenda.

The reasons for defeat

I cannot say that money is the only factor that influence voters as I did not pay a single cent to any voters but yet I won in Bekatan and Balut. My failure is PKR organizational weaknesses, the election team  and  much more, I am the main contributor to the lost due to my own weakness and fault.

I failed to get most of the message across and even failed to convince the voters of how important the issues of land ownership, good governance, poverty, religious freedom and welfare for all aging people are. These issues were too general and I lack the specific issues pertinent to each particular polling district.

I also failed to organize the election team properly due to a variety of factors. We lack depth and experience in managing the campaign strategy and implementation and our net work with the voters were thin. Meaning, as an Opposition party we have much to do. And that mean we have hope when the matter could be addressed in future.

Thank you and well done PKR N42, Meluan election team

With such loyal hard work from supporters, the result could have been worst. Despite the odd, PKR prevailed as a serious alternative in Meluan. We will build that upward from today. After all ROME was not built in a day.

Conclusion

Our message was not understood by Meluan voters. The CDs and Radio Free Sarawak was helpful but the bread and butter issue was paramount.Most of all, the Dayak wanted to be with BN for social security reason. The time for “berubah” is coming slowly but surely.

For those from N42 Meluan I seriously urged you to look for a suitable candidate for 2016 election. A Form 5 qualification for your Wakil Rakyat is way too low to be effective at all level of YBs work. You can do much better then that.

To YB Wong ak Judat, Syabas and Congratulation to you. Work hard for the people of Meluan as they do have high expectation.

PKR Sarawak Should Consider and A GOOD IDEA.

 Via Dayakbaru.com

Lien Ho on April 20th, 2011 12:21 pm
From my point of view only the Dayaks support PKR, look at Malay/Melanau areas not even single seat won by them. So, Baru Bian, Ali Biju and See Chee How, better think of joining DAP the muslim bumiputras not supporting PKR what for you guys stay there? think rationally. PKR Dayak candidates 95% good and well qualified look at Kadazan Dusun in Sabah they abandonded PKR.

FREE 1Malaysia Email? Why not FREE HIGHSPEED INTERNET ACCESS IN MALAYSIA?

Najib's free email plan riles up cyberspace, project given to troubled firm

Written by  Malaysia Chronicle

The announcement that every Malaysian citizen aged 18 years and above would get a "1Malaysia" email address has riled up cyberspace.

"Big Brother"-ish, "stupid", "rip-off" - these are just some of the words popping up on microblogging site Twitter, reacting to news of the prime ministerial announcement earlier today.

Najib Razak said the government would provide email account to all Malaysians aged 18 and above to facilitate direct and secure communication with government agencies, adding that the plan was part of a new one-stop web portal for government services tasked to Tricubes Berhad.

Najib’s announcement had created an immediate buzz on Twitter, with many Malaysians took the opportunity to poke fun on what they described as ‘silly’ to begin with.

“Free email accounts from government? Dear Najib Razak, why spend taxpayers' money to replicate what Google, MSN. Yahoo etc already give for free? Looting!” said one on Twitter in an immediate response.

“1Malaysia email announcement is another case of 1WhatTheHeckWereYouThinking? Let the jokes begin,” came another reaction.
"Big Bro watchin, eeks," reads a twit from Lembah Pantai member of parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar, referring to the ever-watchful 'Big Brother' character in George Orwell's political fiction, Nineteen Eighty Four.
Subang Jaya state assemblywoman Hannah Yeoh said if the government could implement the programme, then it should also be able to automatically register every 18-year old and above Malaysians as a voter.

“If Federal Govt can give all Malaysians a 1Malaysia account, I don't understand why automatic voters registration cannot be done,” she remarked.
1Malaysia Tupperware, now email

Some compared the plan to the recent rush for thousands of free Tupperware plastic containers bearing the 1Malaysia logo, distributed by Barisan Nasional at its campaign rallies in Sarawak last week.

“Sarawak got free 1Malaysia Tupperware. So now whole Malaysia got free 1Malaysia email. Want to give Tupperware will have logistic problems,” a Twit chipped in, cheekily.

But some Malaysians are thinking ahead, sarcastically ‘booking’ email usernames.

“For legal free screening on porn clip (best in KL some said Bangkok), please email DatukT@1Malaysia.com.myThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,” joked one, referring to the trio led by former Melaka chief minister Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, who released a pornographic clip targetted at Anwar Ibrahim.

“For inquiries on foreign brides (especially from Lebanon) also email pekmo@1malaysia.com.myThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,” chided another, hinting at none other than the newly married Lebanese wife of Pekmo, the nickname for Sarawak chief minister Taib Mahmud.

Jokes aside, others expressed serious misgivings over the plan, telling the government to first consider giving free Internet, including wireless, connection.

“It’s more beneficial if Najib provides free Internet for all,” said one. “Let’s start with free WiFi first,” added another.

But there are also those who questioned the whole obsession with Internet and email address, such as this:

"What about those people who don't even have electricity, let alone internet access? Give them email account to generate electricity ah?" asked one Twitter user, Pelf Nyok.
Tricubes's finances questioned

Tricubes, the company tasked with the latest project, has also not been spared.

“Ex-policeman Zaman Khan is a director of Tricubes Bhd. Just to make sure your email account is 'secure'...” was the reminder from former newscaster and popular deejay-turned blogger, Patrick Teoh.
Checks on Bursa Malaysia reveal that Tricubes is listed as a GN3 company on March 9, 2011. See here: http://www.bursamalaysia.com/website/bm/listed_companies/list_of_companies/gn3_companies.html
According to Bursa Malaysia’s Guidance Note 3, GN3 is a company designated as an Affected Listed Company due to poor or adverse financial condition. See here: http://www.bursamalaysia.com/website/bm/regulation/rules/listing_requirements/downloads/bm_ace_gn3.pdf


Related Story:  Najib unveils 7 new projects including official e-mail for all and a Sabah casino?

- Harakahdaily