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Adenan walks the talk on illegal logging

KUCHING: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has frozen 375 accounts totalling over RM560mil in its latest strike against illegal logging and timber corruption in Sarawak.

The MACC also seized more than 500 logs during a joint operation to clamp down on illegal timber activities.

Under Ops Gergaji, some 400 personnel from MACC, police, state Forestry Department and Inland Revenue Board raided 48 log ponds, sawmills and business premises across the state on Tuesday.

The raids were carried out simultaneously at 13 locations in Miri, 12 in Kuching and Sibu, six in Bintulu, three in Bakun and two in Kapit.

"We carried out the raids based on detailed investigations and intelligence obtained by MACC and the agencies involved," investigation division director Datuk Mohamad Jamidan Abdullah said in a statement.

He said further investigations would be carried out under Section 17(a) and 17(b) of the MACC Act as well as Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

"The joint operation shows the commitment of the Federal and state governments to combat corruption in the timber sector and curb illegal logging activities in Sarawak.

"Such activities are believed to have cost billions of Ringgit in losses to the Federal and state governments," he added.

Where Does Russia Go From Here

Bustari Yusuf and Pan Borneo Highway project in Sarawak Legislative Assembly

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: No, no. Otherwise I will not have move the motion.

Otherwise I will not have supported the motion of Ahli Yang Berhormat Semop when he

hijacked my motion. All right, let me come back to my debate. With the State having its

rights on Sales Tax on top of GST, now we Sarawakian will be paying double taxes on oil

palm products, on tyres and also 4-D tickets. The other incident of Yang Amat Berhormat

failing to protect Sarawakian interest is the award of the Pan Borneo Highway projects. The decision-making process is controlled by the Board of Director of Lebuhraya Borneo Utara

(LBU), where the west Malaysian are the majority in the Board of Directors.

Six, Yang Amat Berhormat talks about closing down the internet gambling centres,

but 3 months later, many internet gambling centres are back in business, now some even

with the local council’s entertainment licences operating legally. They changed the machine

kuda to machine ikan. But they are operating legally with entertainment license but in actual

fact it is gambling operation...(interruption)

Tuan Speaker: You should assist rather than glorifying.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Ya, I am assisting. I’m bringing this fact to assist the

government. Alright, number seven Yang Amat Berhormat talks about preserving the forests

and thus go hard on illegal loggings. Tuan Speaker, if you look at the figure that is provided

by the Minister in last week's debate, the actual culprit of deforestation in the State is not the

illegal loggers. We don’t condone illegal logging. Surely illegal logging must be stopped.

But the actual culprit of deforestation is not illegal loggers it is actually the policy of the

government. Why I say that Tuan Speaker? If we look at the figure annually our timber

production volume is about 10 million meter cubic ranging between 9 to 10 to 11. About 10

million meter cubic. Look at the illegal logs seized. Highest amount of volume log was in

2004. It was only 14,000 meter cubic it is hardly even 1% of the legally logging ...

(interruption)

Tuan Speaker: Yang Berhormat, you are in breach of Standing Order 32(3) because this

has been discussed ... (interruption)

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Okay, I will proceed of ... (interruption)

Tuan Speaker: You are repeating unless there is a substantive motion for the rescission ...

(interruption)

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Doesn’t matter. Alright, I’m just telling ... (interruption)

Tuan Speaker: You stop this ... (interruption)

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Okay I stop. I’ll go on to the next point ... (interruption)

Tuan Speaker: Alright, alright.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: With all the above seven matters, that I’ve mentioned, it is

abundantly clear that many announcements of his new policies have been neutralized or

rendered ineffective by the BN policies and the government agencies.

I have said before, to reform the system is not an easy task. Yang Amat Berhormat

will face many obstacles within the Barisan Nasional parties and the government

administration. What is required is a very strong political will.

We all want a better Sarawak for Sarawakian. Yang Amat Berhormat wants it. I

believe many of the Honorable Members from the other side wants it also, we also want it.

But we believe that a better Sarawak only can be achieved through transparency, good

governance, fair policies and a strong opposition to provide a check and balance in the

system.

As Yang Amat Berhormat has previously mentioned that, he is willing to listen to the

Opposition and also to work together with the Opposition. I, on behalf of the Opposition, wish to say that we are also of like mind. We can co-operate and work with the Government,

not in the sense of joining BN, let it be clear. Not in the sense of joining BN but by pointing

out the short-comings of the policies of BN. So that such policies can be changed for the

better.

Tuan Speaker, our words may be harsh, our criticism may be strong, but our

intention is good. I believe, together we can get rid of the dead woods and the rotten apples

in Barisan Nasional and the administration and strive a better Sarawak for Sarawakians. Not

a Sarawak for a few privilege Sarawakians and also not a Sarawak for a few selected

Sarawakians families. But a Sarawak for all Sarawakians.

Tuan Speaker, point number two on 20% oil royalty demand. Almost a year after

unanimous resolution in this august House on the 20% is oil and gas royalty, it is clear that

such demand is going no way. The Chief Minister is hitting brick walls on this matter and

has to openly seek help of the Prime Minister so that Petronas will accede to our claim.

Tuan Speaker, do not be so naïve about the so-called Prime Minister’s help.

Petronas is a company controlled by the Federal Government. If Prime Minister agrees to

accede to our demand for the 20% oil royalty, there is no way that Petronas cannot agree on

it. By now, if the Prime Minister agrees on this 20% of oil royalty demand, by now Petronas

would have agreed to it.

If one were to take into consideration of the oil royalty for the Federal Government,

the declared dividend and the tax revenue on the Petronas profit, the Federal Government in

total, is getting about 30% to 40% of the total revenue from the production of oil and gas in

Sarawak. We, instead are getting 5%.

Therefore the demand for 20 percent is only fair and necessary to put us Sarawak as

equal partners with the Federated State of Malaya. Now that the nice and cordial approach

as adopted by State Barisan Nasional is getting no way. We need a stronger and harsher

and more drastic measure to implement the resolution of this House.

Tuan Speaker: Such as?

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: I will give you two suggestions. The first one, the first

suggestion is to use our immigration power and cancel the work permit of all the West

Malaysian currently employed at the executive and managerial level in the office of Petronas,

MLNGs and the subsidiary companies in Sarawak. Cancel their work permit. They cannot

continue to work in Sarawak. This will put a halt, maybe, a stop to its operation production

until the matter is finally sorted out. It may cause some loss of revenue but it is better to put

a halt to the production than to allow the continuous extraction when we are only getting five

percent royalty. Afterall, if the operation were stopped, oil and gas will still remain in our soil.

We have, Tuan Speaker, prohibited religious bigots and extremists from entering

Sarawak. Add on to the list, prohibits the robbers who plunder and robe us from our natural

resources. And this Petronas in a sense can be regarded as robbers who robe us, robe

Sarawakians of our natural resources. That is suggestion number one. Not so drastic.

Suggestion number two, more drastic. Join the National Pakatan Rakyat to form the

government. The figure will tell. Tuan Speaker, Pakatan Rakyat nationally has 86 MPs,

PSM has one, listen, listen ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: No, no, no.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Sarawak BN has 25 ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: Order order. Your Pakatan Rakyat ... (Inaudible)

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Pardon? Federal, federal, federal level.

Tuan Speaker: Include ... (Inaudible) or not?

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Federal level ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: So ... (Inaudible)

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: You can ask from PKR. Ahli Yang Berhormat from Batu

Lintang. You will agree. Alright, Sarawak Barisan Nasional has 25 Members of Parliament,

Sabah has 22 Members of Parliament, just Sarawak Barisan Nasional joining force with

Pakatan Rakyat, we can get 112 MPs, just nice to form the federal government. It is in the

manifesto Pakatan Rakyat that 20 percent oil royalty be accorded to Sarawak. And with that

Tuan Speaker, once we step out this position, Sabah will follow soon. So all the 22 MPs of

Sabah will follow suit. The join force and we can get our twenty percent oil royalty.

Tuan Speaker: Ya, you have two minutes more.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: This is my suggestion Tuan Speaker. If they do not agree,

doesn’t matter. You have no right to say. At the end of the day you also have to listen to

your Chief Minister.

Tuan Speaker: Two minutes more.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Number three, not enough Tuan Speaker. Tuan Speaker,

the appointment of Lebuhraya ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: I have given injury time.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Ya, thank you. Five minutes.

Tuan Speaker: No. I have given. That is why two minutes more.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: No lah. As the main contractor for the RM27 billion Pan

Borneo Highway did not go through an open tender process. Though LBU is a registered

company, has a registered address in Sarawak but four out of seven of its Directors are

West Malaysians. Therefore it is literally controlled by West Malaysian. Alright, though it

claims that the work will be distributed amongst Sarawak contractors, but this Sarawak

contractors will only be sub-contractors while the main-con, LBU will get the lion’s share of

the profit, the so called Ali Baba commission. Even during the initial rounds of meetings, the

engineer from the Kementerian Kerja Raya Malaysia, headed by the West Malaysian officers,

have been very condescending towards our local engineers and consultants, demanding

that the local engineers design the highway with cheaper and lower-quality designs, so as to

reduce the costs of construction.

Tuan Speaker, there are also political implication and ramification of this project.

Basically, this LBU is controlled by the Bustari Yusuf group who has close links to the top

leaders of UMNO. They are also aligned to the Federal Minister Fadillah faction within the

PBB. The implementation of this project will be carried out for at least another eight years.

During this period, the sub-contractors and/or the sub-sub-contractors will be beholden to

this group. In other words, the UMNO top leaders will yield their controls over the payments to the sub-contractors. When one controls the money source, he controls a lot of other

things.

I urge the government to be more wary on this aspect and its political implication. Let

it not be an opening for direct UMNO influence to set foot in Sarawak.

To avoid such a scenario, I propose that the State Government put its foot down now,

at this initial stage to take over the shareholdings and directorship of LBU, after all it is only a

shelf company, incorporated for the special purpose of getting this project. Therefore, it is

viable, it is feasible for the State Government to step in now and demand that the

shareholders be the Sarawak Government. And that our Sarawak Government officer be

appointed as Director.

Tuan Speaker: You have to conclude.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Okay, one last point. Tuan Speaker, two quick ones. The

Wholesale and Distributors Association of Kuching, Samarahan Sarawak. They have

applied for a piece of land at 6 ½ mile, Jalan Penrissen, Lot 1798, Block 233, KNLD to

construct a whole seller market in Kuching here. We are a city, we have two mayors but we

do not have a whole seller market. I think it is time that the government approve this project

and they were told that this land will be given to Berry Tan’s Company again. So, I hope the

government will look into it and stop all these crony operation. The last one would be Best

House Development project at Taman Kota Sentosa. It is an abandoned project, and now I

have helped to appoint a liquidator and the liquidator come in trying to revive the project.

There are two impediments to these projects. One, is that one of the three parcel of land

that was amalgamated for the project has expired. Number two, is that condition for the

construction of low-cost houses.

Now Tuan Speaker, hundreds of purchasers have purchased the house and until

now there’s no OPs (occupation permit), right? Some of them have moved-in without OP,

some of them cannot move in because its 90%, 80% completed. So therefore, I urge the

government to step in. This is one of the largest abandoned projects, I’ve spoken about it

before and I urge the government to step in to waive the condition for the construction of the

low cost houses although it is in liquidation. Number two, to extend the leasehold of one of

the three parent title, parent lot, so that the developer, the contractor who are going to

continue with the abandoned project can legally and safely continue with this project. Can I

move on to another point?

Tuan Speaker: You have, you’ve to conclude, conclude.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Dudong’s time, Dudong’s time ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: You’ve to conclude.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Pardon?

Tuan Speaker: You’ve to conclude, conclude.

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: One last time, last time ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: You’ve to conclude, Honorable Member, otherwise ... (Interruption)

Y.B. Encik Chong Chieng Jen: Last time, land matter, land matter ... (Interruption)

Tuan Speaker: To conclude.