CIRENDEU: Sebuah empangan lama pecah dalam hujan lebat awal pagi semalam, melepaskan air mencurah-curah ke arah penempatan penuh sesak di pinggir Jakarta dan menyebabkan sekurang-kurangnya 58 orang maut dan berpuluh yang lain hilang serta menenggelamkan beratus rumah.

Pasukan bantuan, sesetengahnya menggunakan bot getah untuk menyelamatkan mangsa, meramalkan angka kematian mungkin meningkat.

Ketua Pusat Krisis Kementerian Kesihatan Rustam Pakaya berkata empangan itu yang dibina berdekad lalu, apabila negara itu dijajah Belanda pecah sekitar jam 2 pagi, ketika kebanyakan penduduk sedang tidur. Di sesetengah tempat paras air setinggi bumbung.

Seorang budak perempuan sembilan tahun ditemui tidak sedarkan diri di atas bumbung salah sebuah rumah apabila air surut, namun mangsa kemudian maut dalam perjalanan ke hospital, kata penyelamat Toni Suhartono, sambil menambah ibu bapa dan kakak budak perempuan itu antara yang masih hilang.

Di merata tempat, mayat mangsa dilihat terapung di tengah kerusi, pakaian, selipar dan barangan lain. Tiang telefon tumbang dan kereta dihanyutkan, sesetengahnya yang diletakkan di tempat letak kereta ditemui di taman atau persimpangan beratus meter jauhnya.

“Satu banjir kilat tiba-tiba datang dan ia amat menakutkan,” kata Seto Mulyadi, sambil menambah air memecahkan semua tingkap dan pintu bahagian bawah rumahnya ketika beliau, isteri dan empat anaknya sedang tidur di bahagian atas. “Rumah saya berselerak teruk. Syukurlah keluarga saya selamat.”

Sesetengah penduduk yang tinggal berhampiran empangan itu berkata mereka mendengar bunyi siren sebelum bencana, diikuti curahan air selama empat jam berturut-turut. Yang lain terperangkap.

Pakaya berkata sekurang-kurangnya 58 orang terbunuh dan lebih 400 rumah ditenggelami air.

Empangan setinggi 10 meter yang menampung kira-kira dua juta meter padu air tasik dipenuhi sungai Pesanggrahan dibina kira-kira satu kurun lalu, menurut salah seorang pegawai bandar Dadang Arkuni.

Sesetengah pihak berkuasa berkata hujan lebat menyebabkan air di empangan melimpah dan kemudian disebabkan asasnya bukan daripada konkrit, ia pecah.

Fauziah Ibrahim (FI):
It’s been a lot controversy of the environmental fallout of the Bakun dam which currently it has not been finished yet and yet there are plans to build 12 more new dams. Are these extra dams necessary?

James Jemut Masing (JJM):
For Sarawak it is necessary. Sarawak will require clean and cheap electricity that is renewable and for Sarawak it will not be…it is only wise for us to utilise the rainfall that we have and the rivers that we have…dams need to be built to provide cheap and renewable energy.

FI – There are experts though say that Sarawak has enough energy and there is no need 12 new dams.

JJM – Sarawak has enough energy as it is today but we must look down toward 20 years down the road and by that time we may not have enough energy if no renewable fossil fuel.

FI – Are you expecting the same sort of environmental fallout that we say from the Bakun dam?

JJM – I don’t think there is such thing as environmental fallout. I don’t believe that is correct.

FI – Ten thousand people displaced.

JJM – That is not environmental fallout..that is..

FI – Virgin forest being cut down.

JJM – Virgin forest are half of the area, half of the area has been felled, shelved by shifted cultivators so basically what is in that dictated exactly are felled forest…secondary forest…

FI – And what about the indigenous people that lived there? They lost their livelihoods, they lost their homes…

JJM – Well, not quite lose their home…they are resettled and have them moved to new areas which has have trend toward modern development and that’s what we’re trying to do.

FI – Were they consulted though? Many of them are unhappy that they have been moved. They had no say about this move and they lost their traditional way of life.

JJM – That is not quite correct. I was one of the social scientist that did the survey prior to the Bakun dam and I spend a few years with consultants from oversea try to work out make sure that they’re resettled in areas which they have the say in it and they have consulted and the fact that the longhouses that we built in Bakun are in fact are joint venture effort between the government and the people who were resettled and that is why they are still staying in the longhouses with the difference.

FI – But what about the 12 new dams? What preparation has been made for these indigenous tribes?

JJM – The proposal of the 12 new dams is just a proposal for the next maybe 20, 25 years down the road. I think government…any responsible government must be responsible for what happen in the future. You cannot assume today we have enough therefore no need to prepare for the future. If you that, to me that is irresponsible government.

FI – That is understandable that the future that you’re talking about, the economic future of Sarawak. But what about the future of these indigenous tribe?

JJM – They have been allocated for their future and that is why we have the consultant with them all the time. To accuse us that we don’t consult them is wrong.

FI – How much is the construction of these new dams link to boosting the family business for the chief minister’s family?

JJM – I don’t think there is…(Smiling)

FI – Well the family business is Cahya Mata Sarawak, CMS and they will be providing the construction materials for the dams.

JJM – Not for the next 12 dams…

FI – Not for the next 12 dams? Where would be…is CMS in any way link to the dams?

JJM – (Pause)..Not that I’m not aware of…That dam structure are done to legal tenders and the lowest tender gets it. It doesn’t matter whether if CMS or somebody else. It must be done on tender basis.

FI – Right.

JJM – And that is very transparent tender and international community can have a look at that.

FI – Alright Ok, but these dams have nothing to do with the chief minister?

JJM – No, what happen is done is done on very transparent methods of tendering process and that can gives open book for people to have a look.

FI – And so you are saying CMS will not be providing with building materials for these dams?

JJM – If they are qualified and they found that they deemed to be qualified, why not? It is open tender process. The best will get it.

FI – They has been though in the history of Sarawak that in the thirty years of the chief minister’s history with Sarawak there have been cases where there has not been open tender and this is flouting state’s legislation.

JJM – I’m not aware of it…(Smiling)

FI – Well right, I tell you that there is no open tender for the aluminium smelting project Rio Tinto, that was given to CMS family-owned business by the chief minister.

JJM – (Looks guilty…)

FI – There is no open tender for 2006 contract to repair or build bridges and that was awarded to Titanium Management of which the chief minister’s son is the major shareholders. Now both these two case that we’ve been able to come out with…there are others that people have told us. Now both these cases flout state legislation.

JJM – What…(try to interject and smile)

FI – Is it fair to say those state contracts are given to CMS and the chief minister’s family business.

JJM – What we must understand that we do have rules and laws regarding people to decide. If the decision is made by people with vested interest there are laws that would not allow it.
(Adjusting his neck-tie!)
It is illegal, you know also very well, it is illegal for people have their authority to give the authority with vested interest. It is illegal…you cannot do it because there is no illegality in it. I won’t assume there is none but all these things are done through tender process which are transparent.

FI – But these cases has been not given on open tender…

JJM – There are…there are bidding for it…

FI – Rio Tinto case…Titanium Management…

JJM – There are few companies that has been ask to bid for it, I know, and the best company gets it…and fortunately…unfortunately…given to the company in which the authority has some interest but it is done legally.

FI – Are you saying that there is no capital cronyism in Sarawak?

JJM – I don’t think so…If there is, those who deal with that will be dealt by the law. Until today there is nothing, so one word must assume there is no cronyism as such.

FI – The chief minister is also state finance, he is also planning minister. His family business includes the cement manufacturing, construction, road maintenance, property development…these same business that we found have been involved in lucrative infrastructure projects. You can understand how improper it may seem and you saying there is no capital cronyism in Sarawak?

JJM – That is assumption…to me that is assumption…as I said it must be very important that there are laws in this land that prevent the happening of that nature. If laws that people find that there are people who breaking that law, then they must be put to task but until today there is none.

FI – Who will hold the chief minister and his family accountable?

JJM – The electorate. Every five years you go…to the electorate and they will decide whether you are guilty or not. And I believe that the voters in Sarawak are very intelligent voters and they will know if you done wrong. And if they cannot get through legal means, they can get through the political process. So far you can’t blame them.

FI – In some ways though you also been considered an ally of the chief minister. You yourself…

JJM – I am…(Oh yeah..!)

FI – You admit you are an ally…

JJM – I am an ally…

FI – Crony of the chief minister..?

JJM – I don’t think…crony means friends…I am a friend of…

FI – A friend of the chief minister…

JJM – Yes…(Eye blinking! Wink! Wink!)

FI – You are of indigenous decend…

JJM – I am…(wink! wink!)

FI – You are also the state land development minister…

JJM – Yes..I am…

FI – And this is at a time when there is a lot of anger of the displacement of thousands of indigenous people because of huge dam that are as experts say economically unfeasible and useless.

JJM – I…(Smile)

FI – Do you feel guilty that as an indigenous person that these people have been displaced for economic reasons..?

JJM – I feel that is the correct way of doing it. I don’t think because I think it is correct. I don’t have any guilt feeling and trying to defraud my people, no I don’t have.

FI – Minister, thank you for your time.

JJM – Thank you .

FI – We did invite the chief minister to appear on this programme but his office decline. And that’s all the time we have for 101 East, thank you very much for watching and see you again next week.

Money
They control the Sarawak wealth, we only got only fraction of it through employment excluding few successful individuals who accumulate their wealth through hard work without any link to government contracts.

Power
Of course they control everything; judiciary, police, NGO, government watch dogs like ACA, dirty hands of federal cohorts, banking, tender groups, senior government officers, community leaders etc

Human Resources
We have educated Dayaks but slowly they also bow to the might of (our own race) the most influencial groups like community leaders, senior government officers, YBs that have personal interest in supporting the government. As the time goes by, the splinter group of Dayaks/Ibans who still fight for our rights are just a spoonful of sugar grains to that of thousand tons in the factory if we compare the ratio.

If we look at the history not far back, when the government is corrupt only the people power (suara rakyat) can overthrow them like in Philippines (Marcos goverment) & Indonesia (Suharto governtment).

Without people power even we have 20 dayak leaders as elected YBs having the PhD qualification also helpless to change our plight. Sooner rather than later they also hook winch by Taib draconian leadership. Once get hooked they will busy polishing Taib’s balls than to think of the Dayaks’ welfare, bet me if they re not doing the same thing like what our Yang Berhormat Dato James does now.

Do we have people power in Sarawak?
We Dayaks are still very much divided in politics, and never can reach to complete solidity as long as we are not in the same political party- just one only.

Majority of the Muslims are happy with Taib government, do we expect them to kill the goose that lay golden eggs to them?

The chinese are just following the tide (baka apung balu), naturally, they get more benefits if they dont pedal against the tide! If the politics of development does not favour us dayaks, who if not the chinese gain from billions of projects somehow in one way or another must have Taib cronies become the share holders?

This by-election is TOTALLY Iban political affair because 90% of the voters are Ibans. If PKR fails to win the election, forget about changing the BN government in the next state election! Even with God’s help we dayaks alone couldnt do much as long as MONEY becomes the power factor.

Conclusion
Therefore, if we could not fight our enemy, join them, Tat Ke Aja, nemu iya gerai ila, anang aja makin pedis agi, ni ko urang, ngelaban alah ga kitai.
Enti mikir diri empu, I think most of us here never bother to write a single comment at this blog. Laban ketebal agi kitai bansa agi kurang datai pemisi nya ka bejaku ngicha ke ulih ngubah runding bansa kitai.

Bear in mind that madi, kaban, unggal, the bloggers like us can speak out our minds here as loud as we can but all battles have to be fought on the battle ground.

Whoever is the candidate is immaterial. Fow NOW, Taib Mahmud must be defeated and Masing must be humiliated. That’s all needed for NOW. Gerang or Bawin is not the issue. The issue is whether Dayaks can unite to achieve a certain goal at a certain time. Don’t forget what the struggle means. Don’t at any time. Be like PAS people. They fight over who should be the candidate, but once it is decided, however much unpopular he/she is, they FIGHT for the man/woman and try to defeat BN. Do the same. It is about dayak survival not petty issues here. Look at the bigger picture. Jawah may have enough resources and also may rely on his relatives and past supporters to win. So why not? The struggle is to defeat Taib and PBB and liberate Dayaks. PKR uses many BN poeple to achieve that. You can’t destroy BN unless you use the same people. It has been proven.

Hidup PKR….

I believe, Jawah, inside his heart he knows who
between Bawin and himself stands a better chance to beat the BN candidate.

I hope UNITY still remains as our TOP priority for now.PKR leaders, please make sure that the FINAL decision WINS the Batang Ai by-election.

For most of us DAYAKS, survival is our CENTRAL ISSUE.Do not forget that.

Fundamentalis amat penemu dek.Nama dek kala diau ba kelantan,penang?enti dek enda kala nginsit ari sarawak anang nyebut utai sengapa.Penang negeri no 3 maju dlm msia pengudah KL enggau Selangor.Dek nemu nama kebuah Pakatan Rakyat enda ulih menunaikan janji pemansang?laban perintah pusat ke dipegai BN stop projek ba penang.Pia mega ba Kelantan.Dek nyangka buta reti pemansang.Laban dek meda pemansang semina enti bisi rumah batu tinggi2,banglo,kereta mercedes.Tang dek nemu ka kelantan negeri kebajikan no 1 ba malaysia?banding ke dek pemansang ke disebut aku ba ke2 negeri kitai sarawak?…enti dek amat alert enggau pemansang.Enda ibuh aku nyebut nemu dek reti ko aku.

Nya alai enti dek ngasai cukup nama utai gaga perintah srwk banding enggau perintah ba negeri maju baka KL,selangor,Penang,Johor go on aja.Nadai org ulih ngubah enti kita empu enggai.

Tang dek ingat.Parti ulih bersilih ganti.Nya alai sayau parti enda tau lebih ari sayau agai bansa dek.

Menyadi,
Dek anang irau.Nadai BN agi meh dek dibayar gaji.BN nadai kuasa muai org keja.Baik ba sektor awam/perintah tauka swasta.Laban kuasa keja ba baruh kuasa suruhanjaya prkhidmatan awam ukai BN.BN ianya parti politik.SPA badan bebas ke berkuasa ba hal jwtn awam.Pia mega sektor swasta tertakluk enggau akta buruh.Enti amat munyi ko setengah org enda nyukung BN kitai buai org keja nama nadai ga aku meda org ba selangor ditu dibuai bala pakatan rayat keja.Nya semina propaganda politik.Dikemesai ke tuai BN kena ngambi undi rayat.But by da way…cara nya munuh character politik kitai iban empu.

Menyadi,
Ari kitai ke betalat ke pekara mit ba politik.Gempung ke urat runding kitai nama pro&kontra 12 iti dam tu.Persoalan ke patut solve kitai;
i)patut ke enda perintah neruska ke projek tu.Beri nama sebab.
ii)nama implikasi positif&negatif projek tu ngagai alam sekitar,bansa pesisir,eko,Tanah NCR, menua tua.
iii)Alternatif lain kena ngemansangka menua pesisir selain ari ngaga dam?

Bala YB BN
Aku ukai saintis dlm bidang dam.Tang bila YB pioner projek tu are them qualifield?pepatah melayu nyebut,’apabila kita gagal merancang,maka kita merancang untuk gagal’.Projek Bakun lapa tebengkalai.Last2 federal terpaksa bail out berbilion duit.Enti kitai sekadar menteri tanah,ketua menteri ka nyadi saintis dam u must be resign,tukar profesion,belajar baru gaga research pasal dam.Enti enda nuan sempama baka tikus membaiki labu.

YB James Jemut Masing(JJM)
Voted ba election enda semesti ia rayat nyukung semua projek perintah.YBJM masing madah rayat nyukung projek tu laban ulah sida ke nyukung BN maya bepilih menya nanda ke sida support projek.Tang ketemu aku nadai BN mai isu dam tu dlm manifesto parti.Ni bala rayat,bisi kita udah nyain petisyen tanda nyukung projek?enti bisi tunjuk bukti.

YBJJM,
Sebedau dek beria2 ka ngaga projek mega ketua menteri adu ke dulu rayat dek ba kapit din.Munyi ko jabu nganu yb jimmy donald,anang ka bejaku ngasuh rayat ngundi PKR ia empu enda tepasuk ke anak ia dlm PKR.kati ko dek enda teadu ke rayat dek ba kapit din udah nya tak luba2 engkecit kin kitu ka ngadu hal menua bukai enda sama nya?

Penanggul rayat kapit,
YBJJM,aku bejaku sebagai rayat dek ari kapit nyin.Tanya aku;
i)Asil menua;kini ke duit ari asil balak,batu arang menua kapit?
ii)Projek jalai alun wajib dlm perlembagaan Msia;nama kebuah perintah selalu nanguh ke projek jalai ari pasar kapit-gat,ari pasar kapit agai ng yong,ari pasar song-lanjak entimau?
iii)Un-employe&mslh buruh murah;Laban kayu makin pupus camp tutup rayat dibuai keja,pia mega nembiak rebak baru mayuh keja agai semenanjung bisi sekeda alu nyadi rayat menua nya.Nama kaedah jangka panjang yb kena mgatsi mslh tu?
iv)Rega barang mal;Udah ga rayat kurang penatai pemisi,barang ga mal ba kapit.Nama utai gaga yb?
v)Kebajikan rayat;Rayat baka ai beresi,electrik 24jam,nama kebuah bedau bisi?
vi)Tanah Natives.Tanah2 bala iban nadai geran.Bakani ngadu?

YBJJM,
Kinsil dulu projek 12 dam nya.Tembu ke dulu bakun.udah bakun tembu,Pulai dek agai kapit kin.Adu ke rayat dek.Anak ngelak ke sida nyabong berari,anang ngelak ke bini org betaban enggau laki org,anang ngasuh kitai iban betegiley mabuk sebelah pasar,anang ngasuh bala nembiak ngambis ke masa lepak ba snoker,malam ngepap,ujung minggu naban ke indu,kurang ke pub ba kapit,mayuh ke agi libary,institut,tadika dayak,tambah ke jumlah rayat nuan nuju gereja,gaga palan reaksi rayat enggai ke cina,melayu,iban majak bebukut,kurang ke ileggal loging ngambi ke ai batang rajang ciru,ikan idup,rayat enda teberuran nadai lauk,gaga jalai kampung ngambi ke rayat badu lelak besan ke moto,kaki enda latak niki ofice perintah.Enda alah beli kami minyak moto ai, isa bisi jalai enda meli moto/kereta irit peribit kami ga utai,gaga ke rayat nuan loji,ngambi ke kami badu sakit ngirup ai pelangkan lipan,bina ke kami api letrik ngambi ke bisi kena bala anak belajar,bepeda ke tv,jenuh ba rumah enda sesegau kebukai,beri kami geran tanah awak ke sida towkey badu nipu kami,gaga ke projek ladang sawit,koko,kayu,garu,tupi jelu babi,capi,ikan,manuk secara in-situ ngambi ke wujud pengkopratan ba kapit.sekurang2 ia rayat badu betebang ke virgin forest,betunu ke umai ti ngamah ke udara,ngerusak suhu,oksigen bumi.

Nya alai, ukai rayat ke enda mansang,enggai ke pemansang tang kita ke ngajar rayat bila ka makai beri umpan.Falsafah conficus ngajar’anang meri org mensena ikan,beri ia ginti awak ia belajar ngidup kediri.Enggi kita,meda rayat begeregar ke buluh beri tikai,rumah bocor beri atap.Kati ko rayat ka fikir panjai enti teleba disuap.Ni perintah ka bisi duit enti ambih beri agai utai simple baka tu?

Jepun nuju negara perindustrian nadai meri rayat ia sepana,batu,simen,pasir kena ngaga makmal.Tang meh in-situ mega projek.Ari nya ia mengembeleng tenaga rayat bela bekeja.last2 sida ulih nubuh siti syarikat.Pia mega dasar automotif negara.enti dr mahathir kelia ngempu penemu meri rayat kereta ari ke ngaga proton nadai waja,saga,satria kitai saritu.Enda pia ia?

Ari segi tinjau bisnes,kapit selain ari ngeluar ke balak enggau arang batu,berpotensi nyadi hab pengeluaran makananan enggau industri asas tani utama ba srwk.kws kapit nyengkaum belaga tebesai ba msia.uji gaga ladang capi,bedus,manuk,ikan,sayur baka ba upm serdang diak.Badu agi msia ngimport ari luar.rayat pan bisi keja.bisi duit kena idup.bila bisi duit keperluan asas ulih dipenuhi.Taraf idup niki,maybe modal insan pan niki.Nya alai nama nadai usaha bakanya?agi ga ka ngerumpang menua…wpun 50,100,200 tau ila mensia semakin mayuh.pemansang betambah.relevan ke 12 dam ke mengecilkan saiz kwsn srwk digaga diatu?dini orang ila ka diau?ba ulu,ili,kaki dam pia?uji dek pikir bakani ka ngerumpang dam?nama risiko?nya alai fikir panjai sebedau ngaga pengawa.walhal tembok besai cina pan maybe dirubuh ke orang 500taun ila bila mensia nadai endur diau.Berunding meh……

Govt can built many dams but not for all Sarawakians to benefit but to the select few like cronies goons or something.

Any parrot can only tell what has been instructed just to deny any scam, like What is crony? Don’t know don’t know but just a friend Koo Koo Koo Koo!

More often than NOT,the livelihood and the basic needs and the welfare of the those affected by the so called DEVELOPMENT were neglected. So for those groups,the DEVELOPMENT are meaningless, instead putting them back to the PRE-COLONIAL days.

Unfortunately these UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE are mostly
DAYAKS of various ethnicities.It is for this very
reason the DAYAKS BN LEADERS are held reponsible
for the DAYAK MISERIES in Sarawak.

Knowing very well in advance these leaders should be more PROACTIVE.Do not pretend that being SILENT is INNOCENT. We expect some forms of wise intervention.

Like other people the Dayaks also like to enjoy the fruits of being MALAYSIANS living in modern Sarawak and modern Malaysia.

Please do not help to suppress our own people. PLEASE.!!