People wait impatiently for the change of the federal government

These 2 days have been the most chaotic for the PM as well as all for the BN men, many of them are waking up to the shock reality that they could lose control of the central government for the first time since the BN's formation decades ago.

When Yong Teck Lee dropped the bomb shell on the 18th June 2008 that his party's MP would either call or support the none-confidence vote against the PM when Parliament resumes on the 30th June 2008. The BN scrambled to cover its bases and held the BN's supreme council meeting the next day in Kuala Lumpur with all eyes on the East Malaysian leaders. Of course, all of them condemned Yong for his "betrayal" and pledged their loyalty and support behind the PM.

Whether Yong's move could trigger the domino effect from the other BN parties is yet to be seen, but the effect of his move has triggered the the imagination of most Malaysian who waited impatiently for the BN's downfall after the latest fuel prices hike and the ricing cost of all goods and services triggered by the high pump prices.

I have on two occasion went to the press calling for the SUPP, another BN component party with 6 MPs, to withdraw itself from the BN and let the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)takes over. The SUPP grassroots and supporters have been very receptive of the call as they were all taken by Anwar promises that the PR would give 20% oil royalty to Sarawak and Sabah and also the PR will reverse the pump prices immediately once it took over the administration of the country.

Many BN supporters called us up to enquire when would "D Day" comes. At least the ground(BN support base) is shaking and the following days and weeks would be much crucial as Yong hinted that there are more from Sabah that would follow his lead. At least Anwar is optimistic that he shall form the PR governmnet before 16 Septmeber, the Malaysia Day, and that would bring history in an interesting and meaningful pespective, wouldn't it?

David Wong
DAP Sarawak Publicity Sec.,
20-06-2008

The fuel price-hike is killing the people

Is RM 3000.00 sufficient for a family of 4?
1) Assuming that an average family of 4 earns RM 3000.00 per month, would that income substance under the current high-inflation and slow economic conditions?
2) How many percent of the household have a monthly income of RM3000.00? Maybe only the top 25-30% salary men have such an income?
3) How can such a family change the lifestyle as every item in the list is basic and nothing extravagance at all.
4) By the following analysis, many Malaysian families would not be able to substance under the current high fuel price and high-inflation economy under the BN.
5) The conclusion that can be drawn is “Malaysian have no way out except for either a reversal of the pump prices to RM1.92 per liter and RM1.578 per liter of petrol and diesel respectively or the down fall of the BN.”

Under the following analysis, even the RM3000.00 family runs into budget deficit or RM 350.00 and its only option is to sell the car/house or let the bank repossess the vehicle or sell the house by auction.

The kids have to forgo the tuition and college is out of the question. No more KFC or Pizza Hut or McDonald or weekend’s eating out. No more Astro and no more holidays’ trip for the family.

No beauty parlor for the lady and no cosmetic of course. Don’t even think of being lay-off by the employer and hope that there is no mechanical break-down or maintenance works required for the vehicle or house.

The average Malaysian family would suffer in the time ahead and worst still, the government is simply not listening apart trying to hang on to the power.

Average monthly expenditure of the 4-members household:

Item RM
House rental/ housing loan 500
Car installment (RM30,000 loan for 5 years @ 4% interest) 600
Petrol plus school bus 250
Insurances 200
Utility bills. Sesco, Water and others 150
Food Breakfast RM7-breakfast, RM 15 -lunch & dinner(RM37/day) 1100
Tuition for kids @RM100 each 200
Medical bills 50
Telephone bills RM50 each for adult 100
Entertainments such as coffee shop break @ RM 100 each for adult 200

Total 3350

Abdullah says "Thank You" and we say "No thanks to U"

In conjunction with the national level Gawai Dayak celebration, the prime minister flew in to the Land of the Hornbill on the 14th June 2008. During the speech addressed to the people, he thanks the Sarawakian for giving their total support to the BN in the 308 general election. The overwhelming support of the Sarawakian made Sarawak BN the biggest winner and contributed 30 out of the 31 parliamentary seats to the BN.


The PM obviously lost sight of the fact that most of the Sarawakian have regretted for having given the BN such support for in less than 90 days, the BN government announced the biggest fuel prices hike on the 4th of June 2008. The pump price for petrol and diesel was raised by 78 sen per litre and RM 1.00 per litre respectively.


The fuel prices hike was most unexpected by the Sarawakian as even the minister of Domestic Trade had announced just on the 2nd of June that the price of fuels would be adjusted in August. Furthermore, Sarawakian are of the opinion that we should not be made to suffer when we produce 1/3 of the nation oils and gas which had benefited the state oil, Petronas, and the federal government. In simple calculation, Sarawak contributed around RM 30 billions last year and we were paid the oil royalty of only 5 % since the early 70's. Even a primary school student knows that every Sarawakain would get around RM 12,000 per annum if the total amount (RM 30 billion) is to be evenly distributed to all the Sarawakian.

Furthermore, the inflation spiral caused by the fuel prices hike would increase the number of Malaysian living in poverty , failing businesses, unemployment, crimes and family and social problems. All these could not be negated by a simple "thank you" from the PM who had made the decision hastily without sparing a thought to the people that would be affected.


If the PM asks any Sarawakian, he/she would say "No thanks, we do not accept it and lets hold another election now if you want to know how we feel". We will do whatever we feel is appropriate until the BN government reverse its decision. So to the PM, I would say "Please stand down and reverse the fuel price hike decision immediately"



David Wong
DAP Sarawak publicity sec.,
16-06-2008

DAP Sarawak plans public demo in Sibu (Mandarin text)

News cutting from Sin Chew Zit Poh
抗議百物上漲火箭擬和平請願
（詩巫10日訊）行動黨砂聯委會宣傳秘書黃培根透露，行動黨將在全砂舉行和平請願，抗議油價、米價及百物上漲，并邀請全民參與，表達心聲。他說，行動黨目前正在全砂各地包括古晉、詩巫及民都魯籌備著和平請願運動。該和平請願將會是非暴力，具有組織性的。“當人民上街和平請願時，警方無須動用大批警力對付人民。反之有關當局應以開明的態度看待公平請願運動，讓人民有管道抒發心中的感想。”他指出，詩巫的和平請願運動將於7月12日之前舉行，至於地點的選擇包括詩巫城市廣場及詩巫之窗。“請願地點未決定，但是一定會選擇最多人潮的地方。至於和平請願的形式，我們仍未決定是采用游行或集會方式，不過肯定的是屆時我們將會拉布條及向人民發言。”他說，配合該和平請願，行動黨將會設計約1千件的T恤，以不賺取盈利的方式出售給人民。T恤上有3種顏色，即白色（白底）、紅色（字體）及藍色。“我們將在和平請願之前就率先出售T恤，我們希望人民踴躍購買T恤，不過至於沒有購買T恤者當然也可以出席和平請願。”他透露，該和平請願并非屬於行動黨，而是屬全人民的。所以在T恤設計上并不會出現行動黨的黨徽及字眼。“和平請願運動只是人民表達意見的一種方式，而且保證不會涉及暴力，所以我們認為不需要向警方申請準證。況且警方已透露絕對不會發出準證，所以我們就索性不提出申請。”在詢及在沒有申請準證的情況下，行動黨一行人會否擔心被警方逮捕時，黃培根說行動黨絕對不會害怕坐牢。“我們的目的是表達人民的心聲，若警方放著罪犯不捉，而要來對付我們，那就悉聽尊便吧！”

Damage control, the BN's ways?

Now that the people have spoken loud and clear against the horrifies fuel price hike announced by the PM on the 4Th June 2008, the governments are busy putting out bush fires(rallies and protests) across the country, from Kuala Lumpur to Sabah and Sarawak.

Days ago, the PM said he can't commit himself that he would not raise the fuel prices in the near future as the international cruel oil price is too volatile. But yesterday, he announced that the fuel prices would not increase this year. So which statement is to be taken by the people as "truthful"? Malaysian in general have lost the confidence in the BN government and this could be the most serious setback of the PM, serious enough for the people to call for his replacement, people such as Tun Dr. M and many UMNO leaders are all very vocal in this matter.

When the heat is unbearable, where and whom did the PM turn to? Sabah and Sarawak of course as these two states have more than enough MPs to topple the BN government. Anwar, the de facto leader of the PKR had on many occasions stated that he has enough number of MPs to form the next government and Sabah was mentioned as the key to the BN's defection if indeed what he said was true.

So the PM had to visit Sabah and brought them 6 presents including a RM 1.0 billion special PM's development fund. Then came Sarawak, whose CM said Sarawak should get the same or more from the federal government as sabah. The PM came to Kuching on the 10th June and announced among others the RM1.0 billion fund for the state also.

Now that the MPs from Sabah and Sarawak are been "bought" by the promise, and i do mean promise, the PM can at least have a few restful nights until the heat of the UMNO general assembly catches up with him again. But with the latest hike of fuel prices, political analysts feel that the road to UMNO's presidency is long and winding for Abdullah as many of the UMNO grassroots are angry over the fuel price hike which was the steepest in history.

No damage control is sufficient to cover the damages done by the BN's fuel price hike. The ordinary folks just wonder "how are we going to survive?" and the answer certainly lies deep in the chests of all Malaysian regardless of religious and cultural background. Malaysian have never been more united before and that the PM must take note and take care.

David Wong
13-06-2008

10% entertainment allowance for RM500,000, what a deal! It is like winning a lottery.

The PM announced the austerity drive aimed at saving some RM2.0 billion. The measures were mooted by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who said that the government feels the pain of the people and wants to lead by example by pulling back several privileges enjoyed by ministers and their deputies.The cutback on perks includes a 10 percent reduction on entertainment expenditure for ministers and their deputies.If the PM had RM18,865 in entertainment allowance before, he can claim RM16,978.50 now.

After soem 2 hours of closed door meeting, the participants all came out smiling as if they struck lotteries. Then, the PM announced yesterday in Kuching that all the MPs in Sarawak would get additional RM500,000 grant each for their constituencies' development on top of the present RM 500,000 that they already have. On top of that all the BN State Assembly Members would get additional RM250,000 each as well. That means the MPS and the Aduns in Sarawak would get the windfall as if they strike lotteries when the people in the state suffer in vain. Now we all know what they did in the meeting, don't we?

So, the moral behind this is "complain and you wish would be granted" but this only apply to BN's YBs and not the ordinary folks. Maybe, just maybe the BN YBs would thank DAP Sarawak for our vocal opposition to the fuel price hike recently as well as the price hike of the rice in Sibu and they used these as the leverage and now all the MPs and Aduns are instant millionaire.

David Wong
11-06-2008

Time for the SUPP to withdraw from the BN

It is time for the SUPP to withdraw itself from the BN
The people of Sarawak generally agree that the SUPP must make the decision to withdraw itself from the BN after the latest developments that affect the lives of all the Sarawakian.

As a political party, the SUPP should put the interests of the people first before its leaders’ interest or its own political interests in the BN. When the people face difficulties, the SUPP should put its stand down in favor of the people. But we did not see any respond at all from the SUPP’s leadership with the latest price hike of rice and fuels as if these are of no important to them at all.

Abdullah announced on Wednesday that the pump price for petrol would increase by 78 sen - from RM1.92 per litre to RM2.70. The price of diesel increased by a whopping 63.3 percent - from RM1.58 per litre to RM2.58. (Attached herewith is a table of oil prices of other oil producingcountries for comparison)

The fuel prices increase came almost immediately after rice price hikes. The people just can't accept the reason given by the government that the latest increase in the fuel price was to subsidise food and other items. Furthermore the BN government has not shown where the 56 billions subsidies it provided has been gone as Petronas has never shown any transparency about its accounts apart from the audited balance sheet and P&L account. Malaysian have the right to know why the state oil giant needs to be compensated by the government when Malaysia is a net oil exporter and when Petronas makes billions with the high international cruel oil prices hitting record high at USD 136 per barrel.

The latest move to increase the fuel price and rice has completely contradicted BN's proclamation of providing "security, peace and prosperity" as contained in its last election manifesto.

Malaysiakini reported that “Sapp president Yong Teck Lee warned the PM of serious political fallout for the BN and the party's Youth wing went called for the resignation of the prime minister and his cabinet.”

The SUPP and other East Malaysian BN component parties should withdraw now from the BN and let the Pakatan Rakyat take over in order to save this country from being ruined. After all, Abdullah and Najib and the BN should be brought down for failing to manage the nation's wealth and resources prudently.

The latest price hike of the petrol had shown how Sarawak has been sold out by the state BN when we produce 1/3 of the oil and gas in Malaysia. The second finance minister has told us that with every 1 USD increment in the international cruel oil market, Malaysia will enjoy a windfall or RM 250, 000, 000! That proves that the present cruel oil price of some USD 136 will give Malaysia additional RM 17, 500, 000, 000.00 compared to the year 2006. The fact that the federal government only pays the state 5% royalty on oil and gas since the 70s is hard for us to swallow when the state is considered one of the poorest states in the country.

The people of Sarawak would not have imagined that this is what they would be getting for supporting the BN in the last election. The BN won 30 out of 31 of the parliamentary seats in the March 8th general election and more importantly, that magic number of 30 is sufficient to topple the BN government. The Sarawak BN component parties must show to the people that they are worthy of their support by withdrawing themselves from the BN and they can do so without having to join the Pakatan Rakyat.

It is time for the SUPP to decide where its loyalty lies, “to the people of Sarawak or to its BN master?” “All your supporters and your grassroots and Sarawakian are watching and time is running out”.

David Wong
DAP Sarawak publicity secretary
07-06-2008

It is like "a cyclone has hit Malaysia"!

The government has announced that petrol price will go up by 78 sen at midnight - a 40.6 percent jump from RM1.92 per litre to RM2.70.

"Effective from tomorrow, June 5, 2008, the price of petrol will be raised by 78 sen and the price of diesel will be raised by RM1," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told a press conference.

The price of diesel will increase by a whopping 63.3 percent - from RM1.58 per litre to RM2.58.Since 2004, petrol has gone up by 97.1 percent, while diesel increased by a whopping 231 percent.

My comment:
The BN government is trying to squeeze the people dry during this time of slow economy and high inflation. It is like killing the goose for the eggs, if you may, because the 40-63% increase of fuel prices would squeeze any liquity left out of the market and the confidence of the general public.

The drastic increase only show that the country state coffer is dried out and the central government has no money left after decades of corruption and mismanagemnet. The BN government has never shown the people where the oil money has been spent and has never accounted fot billions of oil money spent.

The second finance minister has told us that with every 1 USD increament in the international cruel oil market, Malaysia will enjoy a winfall or RM 250, 000, 000!
That proves that the present cruel oil price of some USD 125 will give Malaysia additional RM 15, 000, 000, 000! compared to the year 2006.

Yes, Malaysia doesn't have any natural disaster, but the man-made or government managed disaster surely is as severe as the Cyclone in term of damages and suffering by the poor and low income group.

If Malaysia becomes bankcrupt, it will not be caused by the fuel susidies but from corruptions and mismangement of the country economy by none other than the BN!

That is the concrete evidence that we face shortages of rice

市场价猛涨三倍·州政府要求联邦，引进白米顶价措施

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　　（古晋30日讯）为应付市场白米价格不断攀升，州政府已经向联邦政府做出请求，将目前西马所实施的白米价格管制措施伸展到砂拉越。

　　联邦政府已议决为西马设定白米顶价，举凡拥有5巴仙和15巴仙两类碎米的国产白米，售价不能超过政府所规定的价格。但这项措施并没有在东马实施，导致本州的白米价格偏高。

　　有鉴于此，第一副首席部长兼农业现代合部长拿督巴丁宜丹斯里陈康南披露，州政府希望这项措施能尽快伸展到本州，进而统一东西马的米价，确保消费者能以合理的价格购买到白米。

　　不能任米价自由浮动

　　他说，国际白米价格上涨，且飙涨超过三倍，如果任由白米价格在市场自由浮动，人民肯定难以负担。

　　他指出，本州米价过去是由国家稻米公司所控制，但随着价格的大幅度上涨，在这种压力下，国家稻米公司也没有能力有效的控制，因此政府必须介入。

　　他今日在其办公室召开记者会上指出，联邦政府在今年已经答应拨出5400万令吉予本州，以通过机械化来提高稻米产量，协助砂州稻米种植业发展。

　　为了提高稻米产量，他表示，砂州政府将会向联邦政府申请更多拨款。

　　他续说，州政府已经拟定各项方案来提高本州的稻米量，以积极鼓励农民通过集合的园丘扩大成为大型的稻米区，以让农民通过机械化来加速稻米产量。

　　很多时候，农民都是以人力进行收割，导致需要花费几个星期，让稻太熟导致稻米掉落；如果是以机械化进行，同等面积将更快完成收割工作。

　　此外，陈康南也提醒人民勿将白米走私到其他国家，因为政府已经加强严密取缔行动。　

People still care afterall!

The last two days, DAP Sarawak has gone all out to collect relief funds for the victims of the natural disaster in China and Myanmar. In Sibu, DAP leaders and party members went out on the streets on Saturday and Sunday to solicit fund for the victims for our onward transmission to DAP National tomorrow.

We found the respond overwhelming as only a small percentage of the public did not folk out. It shows that although we are facing our own economy downturn, we still have the hearts in us to donate to the victims of other countries.

Yes, we did face some weird person, only a hand full out of the hundreds that we approached, who have lost the most precious value as a human being, a caring heart and the lost of humanity. One in particular said that there are more than a billion Chinese, what is the big deal of losing some 50,000. Another said that it is OK to donate to the Chinese but not to the Burmese!

But our teams were not turn down by such characters as they are afterall less than human and we have to focus on the positive response from the crowd. Caring without racial or ethnic boundaries whereby donors from all walks of live and from all religious and cultural spectrum all donated generously to the relief fund. Many told us how they cry when they saw the photos of kids and school children being exposed and found dead on TV and in the papers.

In total, DAP Sarawak has managed to collect some RM 72,740.10 during the weekend and we in Sibu have managed to collect some RM 30,000 for the victims in china and Mymmar. We have to thank the people in Sarawak who have shown to the world that we care and we have not lost our most precious value, love and a caring heart that transcend racial and geographic boundaries. Thanks again and there is hope in the world as long as there is still love left in us!

David Wong
26-05-2008

The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Kawalselia Padi & Beras must look into the rice shortage immediately (News cutting, in mandarin)

巫白米批发商公会国家稻米说词有出入，黄培根要求贸消农业部调查

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　　（诗巫20日讯）诗巫白米批发商公会及国家稻米公司针对诗巫白米供应的说词有很大的出入，民主行动党砂州宣传秘书黄培根要求国内贸易与消费人事务部和联邦农业部介入调查，查明谁是谁非！

　　今天下午在新闻会上，黄培根表示，针对米粮短缺问题，民主行动党在最近两个星期来收集了许多的统计资料，在本月16日，诗巫米批发商公会通过媒体说，米商无法获得国家稻米公司配给白米，但是国家稻米公司在第二天却说，在本月1日至16日总共卖出1970公吨白米予米商，因此双方说词有所出入。

　　黄培根指出，他向米商征询时，米批发商要求国家稻米公司公布1970公吨白米的配额名单。他说，根据1994年国家米粮法令第7（1）（a）条文，任何国家授权的官员有权利要求米商提供一份详细的囤积米量、原价及售价资料；同时，在相同法令第9（3）条文下，米商也要每天记录销售数额及存货数量的资料。

　　“由于米缺货，造成白米价格在一天之内暴涨，10公斤庄白米涨幅5令吉，令中下阶层人民大感吃不消，根据米商的说法，白米供应量不足，需起价来弥补开销成本。”

　　黄培根补充，如果国家稻米局真的有供应1970公吨的白米，但是米商却没有获得供应，令人置疑这些米的去向，难道被走私出国，造成本地人陷入没有米，要吃贵米的困境里。他强调，本地的米商也郑重声明，绝对没有囤积白米，因为在每张执照下，白米存货量是受到管制，如果超出规定，多余的白米将被充公。

　　黄培根要求国家稻米公司的管理及白米配额要透明化，公布1970公吨的白米的配发名单。他说，国内贸易及消费人事务部部长说大马的白米至足以应付两到三星期，同时政府欲向泰国购进50公吨白米，证明了国家米粮不足，而且3个星期的存货也不够应付灾难来临时的需求。

　　“此外，如果白米供应充足，为什么从今年3月8日国会选举至今，白米价格飙升60到70巴仙？马来西亚政府有责任确保中下层人民能够消费到平价米，但是在国家稻米公司继续缺货下，人民被迫购买贵米，经济负担雪上加霜。”他补充。

　　针对在国会选举期间，火箭领袖提出“米荒”问题时被指是在玩把戏，捞取选票，黄培根今天也要求人联党的拿督刘会洲和拿督斯里黄顺舸站出来向人民解释米粮不足、白米起价的问题，并作出一个交待。





2千公噸米賣給誰?
培根促貿消農業部徹查

updated:2008-05-21 16:25:31 MYT


（詩巫20日訊）針對詩巫米存量是否充足的問題，詩巫米商和詩巫國家稻米有限公司各執一詞，行動黨砂聯委會宣傳秘書黃培根籲請貿消部和聯邦農業部屬下的 KAWALSELIA稻米局，即時展開調查。

黃培根說，行動黨在近兩個星期收到許多有關米存量的資料。該黨發現米商和詩巫國家稻米有限公司的話有出入，比如米商表示在5月12至15日，米商向該公司申請購買的白米皆不獲準，但是，該公司卻表示從5月1至16日，共批出1千970.6公頓的白米。

“兩邊講的不一樣，誰在說騙話？米商們要求詩巫的國家稻米有限公司透明化地公佈上述接近兩千公吨的白米售予誰？”

他補充說，依據994年米糧控制法令7（1）（a）條文，任何國家授權的官員有權力要求米商公佈所擁有的米存量。在同一法令的9（3）條文，每個米批發商需保留一份進貨、售貨、存貨的資料。

他說，米商們所擁有的執照，清楚列明可以存多少的米糧。如果他們囤米，他們的執照會被吊銷。

他稱，目前，市場上10公斤包裝的白米，價格起5令吉，這令中下層人民無所適從，大家都在吃貴米。

他表示，行動黨的立場很簡單，大馬和許多亞洲國家一樣，面對米糧不足的危機，國內貿易及消費部部長拿督沙里爾公佈，大馬的米存糧只夠二至三個星期。最近大馬向泰國買50萬公吨的，印證國內米糧不足的問題。

黃根說，若發生災難，3個星期的米存量無法應急，這會導致暴亂。

他質問，如果米存糧足夠的話，為何國內的米價在國選之后起了60至70%？據他瞭解，之前售價24令吉50仙（10公斤包裝）的白米價漲至39令吉50仙，18令吉的漲至25令吉。

他表示，除了確保米糧的充足，大馬政府亦有責任瞭解中下層人民的消費能力，現時的米價，中下層的人民無法負擔。

另外，黃培根在今午的新聞發佈會上稱，拿督劉會洲在國選時，勸行動黨不要玩弄

白米不足的言論，因為白米是統制品，政府若不允許，米價不可以提高。

“我們要求劉會洲和拿督斯里黃順舸解釋為何米價在國選之后被調高？到底詩巫的米存糧是多少？”

他補充說，行動黨收到許多人對白米、百貨價格上漲有意見，但是，本地州、國議員未在州議會、國會里為人民講話，把問題提出來，這令他感到失望。

“政府公佈通貨膨脹率為2.9%，不知這是如何計算的？因為現實的情況告訴我們，百貨價格飆漲，糧食的價格漲30%至50%。”







國稻限量配貨
米商費解

updated:2008-05-17 07:48:06 MYT


（詩巫16日訊）詩巫米批發商公會主席楊慶德披露，國家稻米公司昨日已批出米貨予部份批發商，不過數量不多。

“雖然是限量配貨，不過至少能讓市場的白米流動，解燃眉之急，民眾可暫且安心。”

楊慶德受詢時表示，從本周一開始至周四，本地米商向稻米局訂購的白米皆不獲准，不免令人憂心忡忡。

“在米量少、買者眾的情況下，市場上唯有較多米源週轉下，才能讓米商安心。”

楊慶德說，該會將與國家稻米局進一步協商、要求批准發出更多米量予批發商，藉以確保市場有充裕的米供。

“既然有足夠的米貨，國家稻米公司何以不發放？甚至還得限量配給批發商？讓人不解。”

該會前午召開一項緊急理事會議后向記者表示，目前大部分米商的白米存貨已不足，並迫切呼籲古晉稻米公司盡速批準供應白米給詩巫米批發商，避免市場上白米出現短缺而引起混亂。

Shahrir: Prepare for another general election

In the wake of the shocking news that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had quit Umno, a senior party leader said that the country could face another general elections.

Shahrir Samad, the minister for domestic trade and consumer affairs, said Mahathir's surprise move could trigger a flurry of resignations from the party that could force Abdullah to hold fresh general elections.

Abdullah is facing the tougest decision as to whether to call for a fresh mandate just 7 weeks after the March 8 GE. He would have to consider the chance of securing a majority or he could just wait to see the effect of Tun Mahatir's show-hand in the days ahead. No matter what the decision is, it seems that Abdullah's days as the President of UMNO and the PM is numbered. Mahatir can't even wait until the UMNO's general assembly to be held in December to toppled his hand-pick succesor surprised many.

Abdullah doesn't have much time left, either he goes for broke or be thrown out by Mahatir. Either course is dificult for Abdullah as he is facing the man who formed the New Umno and the man that ruled Malaysia for 22 years and the man who handpicked him as the succesor.With the March 8 election disaster, Abdullah lost all his credibility and political leverage against an opponent such as Mahatir.

Anwar would have the leverage now but the pressure must be on him as his earlier announcement that the PR would become the next government on or before 16th September this year had thrown the UMNO offguard. Now the ball is in his court as well as the old saying goes "when the old tree tumbles, the monkeys would jump". Now the old tree is almost rootless and where would the monkeys jump? The new tree in the name of Pakatan Rakyat or the new tree in the name of Mahatir?

The political earth quake in the scale of 8 had hit Abdullah and the BN, it tests both Abdullah and Anwar political skewness as who would secure the throne in weeks ahead.

David Wong
19-05-2008

Back to the 60s?

The following news reposted from Sin Chew revealed the acute rice shortage faced by the country. If the basic staple food of the country is in short supply and the fact reveals that we are indeed in short supply, then the inflation spiral would bring the country back to the 60s where the people can't even afford to put rice on the table just like the era of the Japanese occupation.

The world is facing a food shortage crisis and many underdeveloped nation are facing unrest and riots because of the price hike of rice and food grains. Our PM agreed that the food/rice shortage could topple the government but that is as far as it goes. The PM should explain to the people why the county of only 23 million are facing rice shortage when our neighbour, Thailand, is one of the biggest exporters of rice. The BN government privatisation of the rice supply in the 70s whereby the LPN passed the rice distribution rights to the Bernas was questioned by certain quarters for the recent rice shoratge. Furthermore, the Malaysian government has ordered some 500,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand and that revealed the seriousness of the rice shortages in Malaysia and proven that we do not have a food security mechanism at the moment. If Malaysia is hit by the natural disaster like the one in Mymmar or China, then what would be the consequences on the people.

Many Malaysian have been mislead by the authorities that there is ample supply of rice when the country's stock can last 2-3 weeks only. A few days back, i heard a conversation between some woman shoppers and one of them said " the newspapers photos show that there are sufficent stock in the supermarket, so there is no truth in the rumour that there is rice shortage". What a sad news, the ignorant of the people is a far more serious crisis than the shortage itself!

David Wong
18-05-2008



米價漲無法負擔‧逾百人抗議通膨壓力
北馬 2008-05-19 10:53

農民穿米袋，手拿木薯，抗議米價、草藥和肥料高漲。（圖：星洲日報）
（吉打‧居林）約百名商家、農民和民眾抗議通貨膨脹，尤其是米價高漲。他們申訴漲幅已讓貧窮百姓無法負擔。

週日（18日）下午3時左右，來自巴東色海的這批人在魯乃路展開抗議行動。

他們分別穿上米袋，用馬來西亞文和華文書寫大字報，表達他們的生活在物價高漲下深受影響，促請政府當局關注。

農民不滿農藥肥料高高漲

農民在抗議活動上不滿農藥和肥料漲幅過高，加重耕種成本。

抗議活動召集人之一莫念瑪丁說，如今物價高漲，讓窮人的生活雪上加霜，人民不滿物價高漲，希望促請政府控制物價。

他希望國會議員嚴正看待此事，他們受人民委託，應該替人民反映心聲，而不是在國會上吵架。

他說，如果米價再不受控，窮人都要沒有米飯可吃，只能以木薯填肚了。

What is the difference?

The government has no plans to give the soon-to-be established independent MCPX Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) any prosecution powers, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

"The prosecution power is (the discretion) with the Attorney-General (Abdul Gani Patail)," Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz told Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Serdang) during the 90-minute question session this morning.

He added that there was a clear separation of duties involving several government agencies when it came to probing and prosecuting offenders.


My comment: What's the difference?

The move by the BN to formthe MCAC is simply a political gimmick to show the people that the PM is serious about fighting corruption as it was one of Abdullah's election pledges. But if it has no procecution power, then it is another toothless tiger at the command of the PM. Corruption has been one of the main reasons that the BN was rejected in the March 8 election as it is the mother of all evil in the failed BN administration.

So, what is the difference between ACA and PCAC? What is the difference between the Abdullah administration before and after the March 8 election? As far as most Malasyian are concern, they remain the same.

David Wong
13-05-2008

The forgotten ones? Happy Mother's Day

My mum cutting the cake on her bed (left)

Happy Mother’s Day

People the world over celebrate Mother’s Day and tonight the restaurants all over the world would be packed with children and grown-ups celebrating what we would call the “commercial-driven” special occasion for the mothers.

I am of no exception as me and my wife bought two cakes to celebrate the occasion, one for my in-law and one for her in-law, if you know what I mean. As my mum is almost bed-ridden after suffering a stroke, we are getting used to celebrate at home. She doesn't take the cake though as it is too sweet for her, so i just hope that she can draw a bit of pleasure from cutting the cake. My in-laws will be going out tonight as her son would celebrate the special day in a restaurant somewhere in town, mind you, I was told that you have to book days earlier for a table.

Of course, the mothers are the luckiest person tonight as they were pampered and showered with cakes, gifts and attention at least for tonight. Most of the time, may be 364 days a year, they have to work like slaves for their families. Their contributions to their families and the society have almost gone unnoticed and took for granted. I read somewhere just yesterday that the full-time homemaker yearly “salary” should be in the region of some USD90, 000.00. But never mind the hard work and never ending struggle,the mothers, at least most of them, do not expect any return from their kids and husbands at all.

For the men and sons and daughters out there, at least spare a thought for them for tonight, at least bring them out for a quick bite and if possible, a gift of a token amount would do. A rose would bring tear to their aging eyes and may be that is the first time they ever receive a rose from their husbands and kids.

Today let's thank the good mothers, remember the struggling mothers, and offer a measure of compassion for the poor mothers who in any way tortured and deserted their kids.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

David Wong
11-05-2008

Thailand says Malaysia rice stockpile to last 15 days

The rice shortage in Malaysia is getting worst as the news broadcasted by national
TV which showed the shortage of rice in the "rice bowl state" of Kedah and Kelantan. The farmers complaint that the millers pay them only 65 sen per kilo for the padi while thety have to pay RM3.80per kilo for the rice grains from the supermarket.

I have spoken out that we are facing an acute shortage of stockpile of "core rice" in the run up to the March 8 general election. "core rice" means the 15% broken rice that is a control item that is meant to protect the poorer sector of the society. But the situation worsened off as the food grains shortage became a global crisis and where many exporting nations put a ban on exporting the food grains.

The crisis could catch Malaysian by surprise as the government sent out the misleading signals that we have sufficient rice in the country. But now Thailand says Malaysia rice stockpile could last only 15 days, is that not a crisis? A healthy stockpile of 3 months is necessary in the interest of national security. It is as important as keeping sufficient medicines and may be more. the BN government would be held responsible for its mismanagement if the rice shortage turns into a noational crisis.

David Wong
09-05-2008

Below is reposted from Malaysiakini for your reading pleasure and reference.

Thailand says Malaysia rice stockpile to last 15 days
May 8, 08 4:55pm
Thailand said today it would provide 500,000 tonnes of rice to Malaysia in an emergency purchase as the latter's national stockpile had enough supplies to last only 15 days.

Government spokesman Wichainchot Sukchotrat said Malaysian agriculture minister Mustapa Mohamed met with Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej today to discuss the deal.

"Malaysia seeks an emergency purchase as a precaution to avert a rice shortage," Wichainchot told reporters. "Thailand will help by sending at least 100,000 tonnes or up to half the requested amount by today."

The rest will be sent within the next three days, he said, adding that Thailand would sell the rice at market price.

Rice crisis to push inflation up to 8% in Philippines

"In the Philippines, the CPI (Consumer Price Index) rice component is more closely related to available daily price data for Manila--which suggests CPI inflation rates close to 8 percent in coming months," UBS said, adding that the headline inflation for the Philippines is likely to exceed 6 percent on average for the year 2008.

In the Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the highest food share in its consumption basket, pegged at 50.03 out of 100 price index basket weights, the report says.

UPS said the CPI inflation is expected to take a steep rise as the government cannot dictate the commercial retail rice price.

As one of the world's top rice importers, the Philippines expected to buy not less than 2.2 million metric tons of foreign rice in 2008. It has purchased about 1.2 million metric tons so far but failed to secure another 500,000 metric tons for April-June delivery on a Thursday's bidding.

Only 325,750 metric tons of rice were offered at prices ranging from 872.5 U.S. dollars to 1,220 U.S. dollars per metric ton, more than double the price at this January's bidding.

To ensure rice remains affordable to almost 3 million poverty-stricken Filipinos, the government has invested a swelling amount to keep the subsidized rice be sold at an unchanged price of 18.25pesos per kilogram (0.45 U.S. dollars). Commercial rice sold at free market have seen prices rising up to around 40 pesos (0.97 U.S. dollars per kilogram.

UBS said the cost for the Philippine government to buy higher prices of foreign rice and insist selling it at lower prices domestically would potentially cost not less than 43 billion pesos(1.05 billion U.S. dollars), or 0.6 percent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Products) for this year.


The effects on trade


So many countries of the developing world import a large percentage of the foodstuffs necessary to feed their populations. Rising prices means problems grow quickly. Even for food exporters, rising prices has touched a nerve. In Korea, one of the world’s most prolific rice producers, a Netizen argues that rice should be withheld from free trade talks, allowing the country to do as it seems fit with its strategic commodity.


Sometimes protectionism won’t be enough, however. As the price of rice has increased throughout Southeast Asia’s rice growing nations, governments were forced to plea for calm and pray that domestic prices would soon begin to fall. The situation is doubly bad for rice importers like the Philippines, where the poor have felt the brunt of the price increase. Indonesia, another importer, has canceled its imports due to high prices. Cambodia and Vietnam have abandoned exports. Bloggers in Malaysia report rumors of rice shortages. The Government of Brunei could move to subsidize food staples like cooking oil, flour, milk, eggs and chicken.


For decades food prices in Japan have been in stasis, which is strange for a country that imports almost every staple other than rice. Not any longer. Price increased for the first time in more than two decades. The same goes for milk products, which consumers been paying for at the same rate for three decades. Beer, cooking oil, and soy sauce also experienced increases.


A silent killer


In Bangladesh, where people spend as much as 80% of their salaries on food, high prices for rice have hit the middle class. It’s much worse for the poor, as media reports confirm several hunger deaths. The country’s military chief raised the ire of many when he suggested people replace rice by eating potatoes.


In Tajikistan, where people already faced a winter-long energy shortage, it looks like more than 260,000 people are in need of immediate food assistance. Worries persist that this number could grow to 2 million by winter.


Talk about globalization. In Yemen, the prices of staples have risenwhile the cost of certain electronic goods have dropped. Kuwait has also seen price increases, no thanks to the falling U.S. dollar.


In Burkina Faso, where people felt the government sat on its hands as prices in some sectors increased more than 40% since the beginning of the year, riots sparked in several cities throughout the country in late February, resulting in plenty of property damage and more than 300 arrests.


At about the same time in Cameroon, anger over rising prices and falling wages sparked three days of violent confrontation with the military. Anger was also fed by President Paul Biya's attempt to change the constitution so he could sit for a third term.

The wawasan team is simply not listening

Although the majority of the people in Sibu agreed that the Rajang river must be dredged to solve the frequent flooding of Sibu, the local SUPP leaders and the authorities concerned are not convinced or simply ignore the plight of the people and announced that dredging is the solution to the problem.

The DAP, the United Chinese Association, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and many other associations are all urging the government to dredge the Rajang river instead of building bunds to shield the town from flood.

The State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director, Wong Siu Heng, announced that a flood mitigation proposal for Sibu would soon be posted on its website: www.did.sarawak.gov.my.

He said the purpose was to get it reviewed by experts worldwide.

“If you have any questions or doubts regarding the proposal, you are welcome to post your questions and we will try to answer them,” Wong was quoted as having said.

“We also maintain that dredging of the river is not a holistic solution to the problem.”

Wong’s remarks sparked off criticisms from the local branch of Democratic Action Party (DAP).

During a press conference at its office here on Wednesday, its publicity chief, David Wong, was quoted as having said: “Dredging the riverbed will reduce the occurrence of floods here. Water in the river always overflows because the riverbed is shallow after years of silting.”

On Wednesday, Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was reported to be frustrated by the refusal of the DID director to accept river dredging as a way to mitigate the floods here.

“The siltation has become so serious that it has badly affected the river transport business. If this situation continues to deteriorate, the stretch of the river from Jalan Lanang area to Kapit would burst its banks frequently, flooding the surrounding areas. Why does he look at the RM400 million levee-building project all the time?” Tiong reportedly asked.

Tiong concluded that at the moment there is no need to build levees here because unlike Holland, Sibu is not below sea level.



黃順舸：挖河岸建議呈首長
全面探討5治水方案

updated:2008-05-03 05:19:24 MYT


（詩巫2日訊）砂第二財長拿督斯里黃順舸表示，國陣發展宏願隊伍已收集，且瞭解民眾對治水的意見。宏願隊伍將實行適當的治水方案，其中或將考慮多元化方案，以及將向首席部長反映挖沙疏浚河道的建議。

“近日來，公會、社團及民眾皆發表許多有關治水課題的意見，國陣宏願發展隊伍已收集所有言論，也瞭解人民的意願。人民代議士一定要聽取民意，所謂得民心者得天下。”

黃順舸在交流會上重新解釋治水方案，顧問、專家們討論所得，共有五個治水方案，第一是在上游建水壩，以提防大量水往下遊沖。

“第二是開鑿運河，古晉目前也在探討此方案以解決水患，但在詩巫此方案不可行，因為在哥樂多開鑿一條運河，單是徵收地段的收費就高達2千萬令吉。此外，部分河道將會面臨干涸的窘境。”

也是砂州城市發展及旅遊部長黃順舸是今早在國陣宏願隊伍與詩巫省華人社團聯合會針對治水課題進行對話會時，做出上述表示。

第三個治水方案是上個月提出的建設堤壩。黃順舸表示，在初聞專家們的意見時，他與民眾的反應是一樣的，因此自掏腰包邀請中國南京與上海的水利專家前來鑒定此治水方案的可行性，最終他們的答案是一致的。此方案是當務之急，可以保護詩巫高達80%的民眾。

他續稱，第四項方案是疏浚河道。他說，此方案必須以立方米計算江中所挖掘的積泥體積，而且疏通工程耗資巨大，並且還要考量上游所沖下的水中含沙量。

“除非上游一切伐木活動停止，否則就無法根治淤泥堆積的問題，挖深河床后，淤泥會繼續沉澱。如果一切經濟活動停止，人民生計將受到影響，包括航運業者等，最后將得不償失。”

但黃順舸表示，局部疏浚河道也是一個解決方案，或許在光華、哥樂多及新珠安河一帶淤泥堆積嚴重的地方給予疏通，這也是人民的聲音，不妨一試。他應允華團將向砂首席部長丹斯里泰益瑪目反映，將光華一帶局部挖沙的工作交給華團負責，由華團向有關當局申請，同時決定應該如何進行有效的疏通工作。

他坦言，河床挖出來的淤泥80至90%是無用的爛泥，該丟棄在哪里也應該考量。另外，可能不到3個月時間，上游大水一來，便前功盡棄。

接著他提出第五項方案，就是解決當前的問題，填高詩巫現有的主幹道路。從實打胞到南蘭路，以及所有水患黑區的主要道路提升，以免陸路交通在水患發生時被中斷。

“1963年至2008年期間，詩巫共泛濫23次，因全球氣候改變，近年來詩巫3至4年發生一次水患，甚至有時在一年中會發生兩次以上的水患。詩巫發生的並非是水災，而是水患，只是帶給人民數天的不方便。”

黃順舸說，在收集民意及各造意見后，國陣宏願發展隊伍將與治水顧問專家進行另一輪的探討，以尋求最終的解決方案。

May 1st visit to the Methodist Children Home in Sibu

Photos from top down
1)The caretaker shows us the handicraft made by the kids at the Home,
2)A group photo with some of the kids toagether with the caretaker (1st left on the front row and
3,4,5 and 6) Mixing in with the kids at the dinning hall

DAP had organised a good will visit to the Methodist Children Home in conjuntion with the Labour Day's holiday. It was organised by the young members( some of them joined the DAP after the Merch 8 general election)who wanted to show the kids at the home that they are not the forgotten ones in the society. We had organised other good will visit to the Old Forks Home earlier on this year as well and we shall continue to play our part as a caring political party and citizens in making the society a "caring" society.

Our previous trip there was years back when the kids at the Home were infected with die-hard skin diseases and we went there together with Dr. Tan Seng Giew(MP for Kepong). We were glad that the good doctor's prescription cured the Home of the virus that caused the skin disease.

Our group today made out of some old timers and new party members and some new co-opted state committee members such as Wong Leong Kuok(Sibu brach secretary) and Law Hui Ung(Sibu branch vice-chairman). Our state Chairman, YB Wong Ho Leng was engaged and thus not able to make it today and he called me at 12:10pm and was told that we just left.

We were welcome by the caretaker of the home and her assistant at around 11:00 am and were given a briefing at the assembly hall of the home and was told of the history of the Home. The founder, Mr. philley Jones formed the home 50 years ago to cater for the needs of the kids of broken homes in Sibu. We were told that the Methodist Home had altogether taken care of some 600 plus children since then and some of these kids are now in their sixties and spread all around the globe and in particularly the U.S.

We were glad that the majority of those who were raised in the home are in contact with the home after they left. One of them had just completed his study and had made the appointment to see the caretakers this very afternoon!

Anyway, we were taken a tour of the Home and saw some of the handicrafts made by the kids there and were impressed by the fact that the kids do their own daily chorus such as laundry and maintenance works such as house cleaning and compound clearing etc.

By the end of the tour, our members brought out the gift packages, the lunch packs bought from the KFC and puzzle game packs and distributed to all the children.They thanked us by a special hand-clapping ceremony and say "Thank you and we love U all". It was very sweet and heart warming to see these kids living together with love and care from the caretakers and the society at large.

It was a worthwhile and meaningful trip and i guess we all learnt something in return from the good will visit to the Home. My wife, Margaret joined us and was impressed by the kids, the caretakers, the church and the many volunteers and donors who make this Home "a home of Hope and Love for the kids and for the society".

David Wong
DAP Sarawak publicity Sec.,
1st May 2008

Please address the actual issues of the country and not the Umno issues

Malay leaders urged to sit down and talk

Malay leaders in the country have been urged to sit down together and discuss the future of the Malays in the country.

Bandar Tun Razak Umno division acting head Rahim Baba said Malay leaders from the ruling and opposition coalitions should sit together and listen to “the pleas and cries of the young Malays.”

“We hope to convey to our Malay leaders - from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Deputy Premier Najib Razak, and Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin, Ku Li, Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang, Nik Aziz and others to come together and understand the pleas and cries of the young Malays”, he said at the division’s EGM today.



It is most saddening that we have Malays leaders still talking about the interests of the Malays only and forgot that Malaysia is a multicultural and multi-ethnic country. The welfare of the country is the only priority that should be considered, we are in the same boat and either we sink or we float together.

Malays, Chinese, Indians, Dayaks, Kedazaan-Dusun and all other ethnic groups should work towards making the country a better place for all to live and prosper. Politics is the key to the country reform and only a clean and efficient government can guaranteed the future of the country.

The BN has ruled since Merdeka with an iron grip and Malaysia's rot are the end results of its failed policies of divide and rule and its ethnic-based policies such as the NEP and race-base quota systems. How can a country progress with such policies whereby corruption, nepotism and cronism are the norm instead of the exception in the BN's adminstration?

The March 8 general election should have taught the BN a lession, a lession that it has never been taught before. But the UMNO leaders are still trying to play "treat or trick" instead of sitting down to discuss the state of the country such as judicial rot, the rampant and blantant corruption of the BN, the high inflation and the high oil prices, the unfair treatment of many ethnic groups including the poor Malays and the crimes that seize the people.

The Pakatan Rakyat should be very careful of the tricks of the UMNO in addressing the none-issue such the Malay rights as that was the by products of the BN administration. Only the "changing of the guard" could possible solve the issues of unfair distribution of wealth accross all ethnic groups.

David Wong
1-5-2008

Info minister rethinking live Dewan telecast

By TEH ENG HOCK and MANJIT KAUR
KUALA LUMPUR: Information Minister Datuk Shabery Cheek is thinking of scrapping the live telecast of the proceedings in Dewan Rakyat after the circus-like atmosphere in the first sitting of Parliament.
“That is the problem with live TV. People tend to play to the gallery. I will have to seriously reconsider whether to continue, or to stop it,” he said at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday.
Shabery said he would not allow the proceedings to be telecast live in full until the Opposition MPs start behaving like “first class MPs”.
“They act like third class MPs, which was proven today, and I feel that to broadcast it in full would be a waste of taxpayers' money. Maybe some people like to see the circus, but Parliament is not a circus,” he said.
Shabery said he was disappointed with Wednesday’s proceedings.
“What was supposed to be more substantial about Parliament - democracy and the people - has been sidelined.
“If I extend the live broadcast, then it would be like this (chaotic) all the time,” he said.


Doesn't the rakyat have the right to know how their elected reps. are doing in the house? If it is a circus, then let them know what kind of jokers that they elected to the House. To stop the live telecast would not change the quality of these jokers in the House while the live telecast would show these jokers how well they look on live TV.
The BN government has not learnt anything from the march 8 general election and thought that it controls everything including the state-run media. However, if it refuses to let the live telecast of parliament session, then it will have to deal with another political revolt from the rakyat. The Abdullah administration is shaky as it is now and god knows what will happen in the near future.

David Wong
30-04-2008

A pleasant evening with a pastor!

A friend of mine arranged a tea session for me with a most approachable pastor this evening at around 7:30pm. We were there on time but the pastor was even earlier than us and was doing some reading under the din light of the eatery when we walked in.
As we sat down casually in front of him, he rose and greeted me with a firm handshake and a smile. I introduced myself and was told that he knew me but not the friend who arranged the appointment and i was impressed that he accepted the invitation from a total stranger. He further told me that he just came back from outstation and had to rush to make the appointment.

We talked about politics, social-economic and religious matters and everything under the sky very casually. We shared our working experience and most importantly we have the same core-value of life, that we all have a purpose in life and we must live to achieve that purpose.

I told him that sometime i felt guilty for neglecting my spouse and family and felt like i spent more time for the others than my own family which he also share. He told me that his spouse actually wrote to him once although they were living under the same roof and told him that "our kids are asking where there father was when they need him?"

It was a wonderful evening as we discussed life and the meaning of life. Although we are from quite a different background we feel that we truely understand each other and respect each other's commitment towards achieving a more open and harmonious society and making the society a more caring and loving one for everyone.

At the end of the session, or tea rather, he presented me with a book by Rick Warren entitled "The Purpose-Driven Life" and told me that i am to consume a chapter a day as the book was meant to be read over 40 days. As i glanced through now, the preface of the book actually specified that it is meant to be a guide for us to travel down the spiritual journey of life in 40 days. I can hardly resist the temptation to read the book right now.

David Wong
28-04-2008

Food crisis might to lead to instability in many countries, some even warned of war!

In a garbage dump in Port-au-Prince, people recently scavenged for food (photo left).

‘Scandalous Storm’
“This is a perfect storm,” President Elías Antonio Saca of El Salvador said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Cancún, Mexico. “How long can we withstand the situation? We have to feed our people, and commodities are becoming scarce. This scandalous storm might become a hurricane that could upset not only our economies but also the stability of our countries.”
In Asia, if Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia steps down, which is looking increasingly likely amid postelection turmoil within his party, he may be that region’s first high- profile political casualty of fuel and food price inflation.
In Indonesia, fearing protests, the government recently revised its 2008 budget, increasing the amount it will spend on food subsidies by about $280 million.
“The biggest concern is food riots,” said H.S. Dillon, a former adviser to Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture. Referring to small but widespread protests touched off by a rise in soybean prices in January, he said, “It has happened in the past and can happen again.”
Last month in Senegal, one of Africa’s oldest and most stable democracies, police in riot gear beat and used tear gas against people protesting high food prices and later raided a television station that broadcast images of the event. Many Senegalese have expressed anger at President Abdoulaye Wade for spending lavishly on roads and five-star hotels for an Islamic summit meeting last month while many people are unable to afford rice or fish.
“Why are these riots happening?” asked Arif Husain, senior food security analyst at the World Food Program, which has issued urgent appeals for donations. “The human instinct is to survive, and people are going to do no matter what to survive. And if you’re hungry you get angry quicker.”
Worst crisis in 30 years-UN special adviser

“It’s the worst crisis of its kind in more than 30 years,” said Jeffrey D. Sachs, the economist and special adviser to the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon. “It’s a big deal and it’s obviously threatening a lot of governments. There are a number of governments on the ropes, and I think there’s more political fallout to come.”

Many rich nations are less affected while the under-developed and developing nations are suffering the worst crisis ever and the rising prices and shortages would see millions die form hunger and malnutirtion.

How serious is the rice grain shortage in Malaysia?

Rice shortage threatens Asia
By HARI SUDColumn
Published: April 22, 2008
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada, Three billion people in Asia are the rice guzzlers of the world and they are facing a supply shortage. Production at about 420 million tons a year has been static for the past four years. In this period about 100 million additional mouths have been added, which are putting a dent in the supply-demand chain.
Prices of rice have shot up 100 percent in the two years from 2005 to 2007. These have reached a level, like wheat prices -- which are 130 percent up -- that have made governments nervous. India has banned the export of most varieties of rice, except the high-end basmati rice, to conserve as much rice at home as possible. Other rice surplus countries have followed suit. They are scared of shortages at home and the unrest that follows shortages.

In Malaysia, the news of the shortage of "CORE RICE" has been under cover-up although the rice vendors all complaint about the shortage of supply by Bernas, the only authorised importer of rice and padi in Malaysia.

In Sibu, Bernas has been very secretic about the amount of stock of the commodity but the wholesalers of rice in town all complaint about the shortage of supply in town. Many said that the situation will worsen in the coming month although the authority said otherwise.

It is the responsibility of the governemnt to keep sufficient core rice, not the expensive rice, so that the poor can afford to put food on the table for their family. We will follow up the issue closely and reveal the truth to the people.

The Malaysian governmnet has recently announced that we need to import some 30% of the rice and yet in the state of Sarawak alone, hundred of thousands of hectare of land were left idle. Many had questioned how the RM40.00 billion allocated ,as announced by the PM,to the state would be utilised.

The government should make sure that the fund should be filtered down to the ordinary peoples instead of to the few selected cronies of the government. We had read news that the farmers are not benefitted even if the price of rice goes up as the middlemen were the ones benefitted. Like the palm oil, Sarawakian are not benefitted by the record CPO prices as only the gaint plantation groups benefitted. It is reported that the plantation gaints controlled more than 80% of the Sarawak's production. The ordinary people can't even afford to cultivate 10 acres of oil palm due to the lcack of land and fund while the gaints can always go to the banks for working capitals and government's assistance to get state lands in Sarawak.

David Wong

28-04-2008

David Wong wishes to sue Dato Sri Wong for defamation (mandarin text)

存糧課題被斥撒謊黃培根要告拿督黄顺舸诽谤
（詩巫15日訊）針對人聯黨詩巫支部主席拿督斯里黃順舸於2月29日在報章上，針對米倉存糧一事指“黃培根撒謊”。行動黨砂聯委會宣傳秘書黃培根決定告黃順舸誹謗。

黃培根指出，在競選期間，行動黨曾在人民集會上告知人民，於南蘭路的國家稻米局詩巫分局的米糧不足。行動黨手頭上有錄影為證，也播給民眾觀看。


“我所說的是事實，但是黃順舸卻在沒有證据的情況之下在報章上斥我撒謊！我要他為所說的話負責任。”他於今早召開新聞發佈會時，如此表示。黃培根說，米糧存貨不足是全世界的趨勢，這證明其在競選期間所言屬實。


“許多人為政治考量而攻擊我，要我在國選中落敗。除了黃順舸，還有其他領袖亦對米糧課題做出攻擊。我也會考慮控告這些領袖誹謗。”他指出，為何稻米局詩巫分局不早點儲存足夠3個月的米糧？這是稻米局的責任。据瞭解目前稻米局米倉剩下的，多是糯米。“我曾邀請順舸去米倉瞭解真實情況，但他卻不願意。”他說，黃順舸必須向人民交代，到底米倉的米糧有多少。

Sarawak, where is the road ahead?

Sarawak, where is the road ahead?
In the run-up to recently concluded general election, the question has been addressed by our speakers repeatedly since day one of the meet-the-people session in Sibu. The crowd at our ceramahs responded overwhelmingly to the campaign theme of the national DAP "Just Change It" and my persoanl campaign theme "Change you can Believe In". The results on the 8th March told us that the people could not decide where the road ahead is as Sarawak DAP only won the Bandar Kuching seat and lost the other 6 seats that we contested.

Do we blame them? Or rather can we blame them? Both answers lie in the negative as the voters are the boss and they decide where they want to go and who to put their trust on. We can talk about money politics and all the dirty tactics that the BN poured on the people and the threats that were threw at the people, but it was still the decision of the voters or absenteeism (many did not turn-up) on polling day that matters.

The day after polling and when the results finally came through with the oppositions taking control of 5 states (Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan) and the Federal Territory, angry opposition supporters in Sarawak, in particularly in the central region of Sarawak, began cursing their fellow Sarawakian for voting against the wishes of most other fellow Malaysian in the west. The BN actually lost the popular vote in the west with only 49.65% of the total votes while the opposition secured 50.23% of the votes. The reality set in as the oppositions broke the BN’s 2/3 majority in the Parliament which made history and even more importantly they have secured the support of all the races in Malaysia, from the Malays to the Indians and even more particularly the Chinese.

Malaysian were taken aback by the news and it took them severally days to digest that they were not dreaming at all especially with the swearing-in of the Chief Minister of Penang that were broadcasted on RTM. Many cried when they saw the DAP’s secretary-general on TV, they were looking at history and they finally realized that 42 years after the formation of the DAP and after decades of unwavering support, they were able to see the fruits of the political struggle for a Malaysian-First Malaysia based on equality and fairness for all.

Chinese in particularly now see the wind of change and finally realized that their future in this country has never been so secured. They were not only angry at the BN’s Chinese based parties for their failure to stand up for what is fair and just and were particularly felt threatened by the extremists in UMNO for their verbal and physical aggression against the non-bumi in Malaysia in the last 10 years.

Sarawakian now are been thrown the ultimatum, where do we go from here? The future is in our own hands and the road ahead has been charted by the March 8th election. It is for us to grasp the opportunity of “change” and for us to walk down the path of “change” in the coming state election.

Malaysia also needs a vibrant civil society and an independent media. Without these two pillars of democracy, reform would not be possible. But we first need a strong opposition to start with, which we have achieved in the March 8th general election. Everything seems to be on the right track for the country at the moment and Sarawakian only need to jump on the bandwagon of “change” at the right time, i.e. the next state election.

David Wong

DAP Sarawak publicity sec.,

23-03-2008

The BN lost its popular vote in Penisular Malaysia

The 12th General Election held on the 8th March 2008 showed that the BN had lost the support of the people in Penisular Malaysia where it obtained 49.65% of the popular vote. The opposition made history with the control of 5 states as well as the Federal Territory and secured 50.23% of the popular vote.

After 50 years in control, the BN finally lost its control as the people finally stood up to its authoritarian rules of the country. What is most significant is the emergence of a two parties/fronts system in Malaysia. With this comes the challenges and trials of the oppositions as the people are watching them closely and their performance and cooperation will determine whether the 12th GE is only a mirage. All the opposotion parties will have to cooperate along a "Malaysian First" concept where no race or ethnic group will be left behind.

The ball is now in the oppostions' court and they have to prove to the people that they are indeed the better alternative and the hope of all Malaysian to bring this country forward after 50 years of Merdeka. The rakyat have to give them room and space and of course time to prove themselves. I have to congragulate the people in the Penisular Malaysia for their braveries to stand up for thier rights against the BN's authoritative regime who have used all sorts of dirty tactics and Acts to "control" the people.

The opposition should start first by applying pressure on the BN to do away the Printing Press and Publication Act in the parliament so that the first essential ingredient of a democratic society is being assured, i.e the freedom of expression. What else is more important than a free press to scrutinise the policies of the governments and their administrations.

David Wong
DAP sarawak publicity sec.,
19-03-2008

國陣在第十二屆全國大選獲得國50.38%，比反對黨的46.63%高，不過，在半島國陣的得票率卻比反對黨的50.23%低，即49.65%。
反對黨在半島共獲得346萬8482張票，而國陣獲得的票數為342萬8428張。
巫統在半島競選103個國席，共獲得31.96%（220萬7169張票），是國陣得票率最高的成員黨，馬華緊跟其後，在競選的40個國席中獲得12.17%（84萬489張票）。
民政和國大黨在半島的得票率分別為2.67%（18萬4548張票）及2.60%（17萬9422張票）。
反對黨方面，公正黨及回教黨個別競選64個國席，而公正黨中選31席，得票率為19.28%（133萬1264張票），是反對黨中得票率最高的政黨。
行動黨的得票率則比主要對手馬華高，即14.21%（98萬1445張票），回教黨則獲得16.46%（113萬6647張票）。
此外，反對黨在半島奪得5個州政權，假如吉隆坡也算一個州，反對黨和國陣的勢力均等，6比6。

DAP Sarawak aims for the big one

行动党放眼执政砂州准备
　　（诗巫18日讯）砂州民主行动党宣传秘书黄培根说，反对党拿下西马5个州的政权后，砂州行动党也放眼执政砂州的准备，今后的政治任务将注重于教育乡区的人民接受改变。
　　黄培根在选后的首个列常记者会上说，行动党选后也将严格监督人联党在大选期间所许下3个主要竞选承诺：
　　1.4亿的治水计划落实的时间表；
　　2.民丹莪拉曼学院完工的时间表；
　　3.行动党选前揭发米库无米现象，是为选后调高米价的预兆，今天米价每公斤已经调高50仙，选前辩驳米价不会调整的刘会洲和黄顺舸必须对人民作出交代。
　　在教育乡区人民接受改变的课题上，黄培根说，砂州乡区的资讯工艺比较落后，因此，行动党将寻求和其他反对党如国民党和申请注册中的马来西亚达雅国民议会配合，深入草根阶层。一旦反对党之间取得合作，将在来届州选举中全线攻打砂州的71个州议席。
　　为了扩大民主行动党砂州委员会的阵容，该党本月15日在古晋召开的砂州委员会会议中，委任黄华西、林素均、黄庆伟、黄良国及刘会文为砂州委员。
　　刘会文和黄良国分别是诗巫与南兰国会选区的竞选行动正副主任，在选战中也站台演说。

Sarawak will become the key batle ground (Mandarin text)

黄培根：来届州选举，砂将成两阵线战场
　　（诗巫18日讯）两度在南兰区挑战拿督张泰卿失败的民主行动党砂州委员会宣传秘书黄培根今天说，来届砂州选举，砂州将成为两个阵线的战场，新阵线不但准备执政砂州，也放眼2013年的国会大选，由于砂州在本届国会大选中贡献了30个席位，因此，谁能执政砂州就能拿下全国的政权。
　　黄培根在行动党每周二召开的记者会上说，马来西亚建国50年来首次出现今天的两线制雏形，这是西马人民所创造的历史，而不是砂州人民，但是砂州人民好福气，也有机会搭上顺风车。
　　“行动党不会满足于只当人民的喉舌，随着西马的政局大改变后，砂州行动党也跟着调整目标，希望在来届砂州选举能够取得执政权。”
　　黄培根在本届国会大选的竞选宣言是“相信就能改变”。他说，人联党选前还讥讽行动党竞选的议席少，没有能力改变什么，但是3月8日的选举成绩已经明显的告诉人民，相信就能改变，人民自己要改变就能改变，不要等待国阵来改变我们的命运。
　　黄培根说，西马人民勇敢求变的精神，让全马人民看到了希望，大家不分种族的出来投票，创造了50年来未曾出现的局势。遗憾的是，巫统和马华还企图继续走种族路线，却不知道种族政治已经为人民所唾弃。

Flood hit Sibu again, the 2nd big one within 40 days!

Flood hit Sibu again, the 2nd big one within 40 days!

The dreadful flood hit Sibu again and this time just after the general election. It was “good” timing for the BN as it has already won both the Sibu and Lanang parliamentary seats.However, would the BN cares about it now that the election is over and done with? The reality set in and the curses by the people would fallen on deaf ears of the politicians who only cares about the votes.

I was in Kuching today for our DAP state committee meeting and was at the Kuching airport at around 2:30 pm for my return flight scheduled at 3:55pm when several individuals approached me and told me “Sibu is flooded again!” I was not remorse to the sad news but I really did not know how to react appropriately at the instances. I also received numerous calls from the public that the flood is as bad as the on on the 12th December 2007. Should I respond angrily to the bad news or should I respect the decision of the people in Sibu in putting their faith with the BN in the eradication of flood in Sibu? I remember the BN’s election pamphlets telling the people that the BN is eradicating the flood while the DAP is only interested in fooling around in flood water.

Didn’t DAP lost badly (43 votes) even at the worst hit flood-prone area such as at the St. Rita polling station and the first 3 strings and first 4 strings of Uk Daik and Tiong Hua respectively to the BN’s candidate after both parties presented their views and opinions about how to eradicate the flood in Sibu? Didn’t the people in Sibu decided to trust the BN to eradicate flood in Sibu even after they had suffered for the past decade and had chosen to give the mandate to the BN?

But on the other hands, DAP still won in Bukit Assek although with a slim majority of only 311votes. It showed that the people in Bukit Assek still put their faith and hope with the DAP. These are generally the ordinary blue collar sector that had suffered in vain under the BN administration and are worst hit by the frequent flood in Sibu. Each flood brings properties damages to the people as their cars and houses are frequently submerged in water and cost them a small fortune in repair fees.

Now, what is the root cause of the frequent flood in Sibu?
It is the heavy silt built-up in the Rejang River bed which had never been dredge all these years. Heavy deforestation in the upper Rejang River by the logging industry in the past 40 years brought erosion and destroyed catchments areas along the Rejang river banks. In the 60s and 70s the mighty Rejang River used to be crystal clear and measures some 30 feet in depth but the human destruction of the natural environment had made it “sick” and it is now only 6 and 1/2 feet in depth. Now, where would the water flow when there is heavy downpour in the upper Rejang basin? Of course, it overflows the river banks and into the inland such as the Lanang areas and Jalan Kapor, Jalan Hua kiew, Jalan Tiong Hua, Jalan Bukit Assek, Jalan Amoi, Berlian Lane and all the residential areas in Bukit Assek.

The solution is to dredge the Rejang River bed of course!
That has been universally accepted by the majority of the people in sibu except the Sibu BN Wawasan Team. For reasons best known to them, they refused to accept the DAP’s proposal to dredge the Rejang River bed and proposed instead to built the xxxx from City Vine to the Kingwood hotel and to the Sungai Merah township. That proposal of the BN would cost RM 400 millions. That BN’s proposal is not workable as it does not solve the causation part of the equation. The DAP’s proposal cost the government nothing by simply issue out more licenses to excavate the sand from the Rejang River bed. Since it costs the government nothing to issues sand excavation licenses, then what is stopping the BN GOVERNMENT? The Sibu BN Wawasan Team has a lot of explanation to do to the people if it is a caring and responsible team.

How could the BN eradicate flood when it avoids facing the root cause of the flood? We in the DAP are monitoring the election promises and pledge of the both Datuk Tiong Thai King and Datuk Robert Lau to bring in the RM 400 million flood eradicating funds within this year. The people in Sibu are watching both the MPs in Sibu closely and make sure that they are serious in eradicating flood in Sibu. Time is ticking and the people are suffering in vain, so both Yang Berhormat, please put the action where your mouths are, solve the flood problems.

David Wong
DAP Sarawak publicity Sec.
15-03-2008

"Change you can believe in"-David Wong

Greeting to all,
It seems that I have been away for ages, from the 13th of February till now, a total of 29 days.
I was the candidate of DAP for the parliamentary seat P. 211 Lanang in the just concluded 12th general election. I started off my campaign immediately after the Parliament was dissolved with the visiting of the interior rural area as 22 % of the voters live there, they are predominantly Dayaks communities.

After the nomination day which fell on the 24th February 2008, our campaign moved to the urban area. With ceramah or meet the people session every night in Sibu. The crowd was getting bigger and bigger as the polling day draws nearer. The crowd in Sibu was in the thousands although we experienced heavy rainfall during the whole 12 days meet-the-people session. The crowd for the final night was in the proximity of 6000 although it rained heavily that night, the 7th 0f March 2008. The climax was reached as we lighted thousands of candle and sang “A better tomorrow” in the rain.

The DAP campaign theme “Just change it” was well presented by all our speakers with the support of the theme song. We urged the people in Sibu to embrace change as the wind of change was spreading in the peninsular with the Indian, Malay and Chinese all crying for change. The 4 years rule under Abdullah’s Umno was a total failure with rising crimes, high inflation, judicial rot, corruption and mismanagements, rising racial tension, unfair distribution of wealth, unjust treatments of education allocation and of course worsened economy. We were sure that the messages reached the people who were at our ceramahs, but the major print media did not cover the “essence” of our speeches. Unfortunately, internet campaign was not even used although those more technology-savvy did visited You-tube for a view of the campaign events

Initially, we were aiming at 1+1 in Sibu area, which are we can take Lanang while having a chance to close-in on P. 212 Sibu. Our state chairman, Richard Wong Ho Leng was optimistic that DAP Sarawak can deliver 3+1 in Sarawak and told our Secretary-General about our commitment to break the BN’s 2/3 majority in the Parliament.

The 12th general election was truthfully the dirtiest election so far with money changing hands openly and blatant disregard for laws and orders. There were rumors that the SPR official and local authorities’ employees were involved in vote-buying during office hour and the words from the rural district all confirmed that “agents” of certain political party distributing money in the long houses with promises that if certain candidate was elected, every “pintu” would be given additional RM 300 after the election. There were even rumors that all the hawkers in Sibu (thousands of them) were entitled to certain “allowance” for them to turn up on polling day. Many complaint that theirs were claimed by others and thus were unhappy that they were being “ripped-off”.

I was told by one DAP member that one pastor went on the stage of the church in Sibu and openly called for the sons and daughters of the GOD to vote for one BN’s candidate as he donated generously to the church fund! What a shame that was not only to the Christian faith and to the people of Sibu, I am sure that that was not the message from the God but rather the pastor have been consumed by the devil. I have no idea how the believers reacted to the call by that pastor but it seems that those who were there did not openly condemned that most “devious” call from the servant of the God.

Postal votes in the thousand were distributed and the results showed that I only secured 14 out of the 1104 votes while my opponent secured 960 votes. There were some righteous ones who rather spoiled the votes (59) while 101 would rather not be involved by exercising their right not to cast the “dirty” ballot papers.

On top of all these, my opponent Datuk Tiong Thai King is a multi-millionaire whose family controls the Rimbunan Hijau, the world largest timber logging company. They also control the Chinese press with Sin Chew, Nanyang, Ming Pau etc under their belts. The connection of the RH group of companies and the many thousands under their pay-roll made them one of the most formidable political families in the central region of Sarawak. I have friends and relatives working for them and knew how they “reward” their employees to vote for Datuk Tiong. Many told me that they have to vote for him because they are afraid of the consequence of not voting for their “boss”.

Sibu roads in flood prone areas were upgraded and lamp posts installed in areas that were neglected before the election. Workers worked round the hours to make sure that roads were sealed within a-day; many were trapped during the peak hours such as after school and after office hours. Fortunately for the BN, there was no flood during the campaign period but unfortunately for the peoples the clogged drains were left unattended.

Where were the SPR/EC peoples? Where were the ACA peoples? It seems that the SPR workers (government employees) chose not to carry out their duties by not knowing what were going on and a fair and Bersih election was certainly not in their minds. The ACA was the sleeping beauty who slept during the whole duration of the campaign period.

The outcomes on the 8th March 2008 were history now. I lost the Lanang parliamentary by 4866 votes. The 1st string represents the most senior voters while the last string represents the youngest voters. You would note that the elders chose the BN while the youth support the DAP from the results. Also note that the Chinese urban voted in favor of the DAP while the majority of rural voted for the BN.

I might have lost the battle in Lanang in 2008, but I am sure the people have realized that my personal campaign theme “Change you can believe in” have touched the hearts of thousands especially the youth. With the tsunami of change hitting the peninsular Malaysia and the oppositions now governing 5 states (Penang,Selangor, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan) and in control of more than 1/3 representative in the Dewan Rakyats, my vision and call of “change” will hit Sibu and Sarawak soon, most probably in the next state election.

God bless Malaysia and God bless Sarawakian. Hidup rakyat and Hidup DAP!

David Wong
DAP Sarawak publicity sec.
12-03-2008