Christianisation: Sabah bristles with anger

Ng Suzhen

 | May 8, 2014

Conversion is a sore issue in Sabah which has seen its once majority native communities now marginalised as a result of a covert 1990s operation to keep Umno-BN in power.

KOTA KINABALU: Controversy shrouding a recent lecture in Universiti Technologi Mara (UiTM), which “bullied” Christians and warned Muslims about the threat of Christianisation, on the back of another incident in Sarawak involving a Majlis Amanah Rakyat’s (Mara) scholarship interview has got Sabah leaders bristling.

Conversion is a sore issue in Sabah which has seen its once majority native Christian communities – Kadazan Dusun Murut – nuetralised and marginalised by legalised illegal immigrants under the infamous 1990s Project IC to ensure Umno and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) stay in power.

Following reports of the incidence, Sabah BN partner, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun MurutOrganisation (Upko), has demanded that Putrajaya act against bigots and extremists.

“Enough with the warnings. It is very difficult to explain the injustice to people,” said Upko Information Chief Albert Bingkasan.

“The policies of the government have always been good and beneficial for Malaysians as a whole.

“But for some reason, when it’s passed down to the lower levels, there tend to be many ‘little Napoleons’ who misuse and misinterpret the policies.

“Everybody (Muslims and Non-Muslims) should be equal under the constitution.

“Now when a non-Muslim commits an offence action is swift but the same cannot be said for Muslim offenders,” said Bingkasan.

He said Putrajaya should deal  a swift and harsh hand on all those who committed offenses against the federal constitution.

Bingkasan was responding to a Mara scholarship interview involving top scorer Nigel Unchart Jeremiah and the latest report of 12 Christian students from Sabah allegedly being pressured into converting following a forum in UITM which also warned Muslims about Christianisation.

In the case of Nigel, he was plied with questions on Islam by the interviewer despite him declaring that he was a Christian. Nigel had applied for a scholarship to do mechanical engineering.

Muslimisation in Sabah 

Earlier this week during a seminar held in UiTM, a speaker claimed that Christians were using fundamental knowledge in both religions to convert Muslims.

President of Pertubuhan Muafakat Sejahtera Masyarakat Malaysia (MUAFAKAT) Abdul Karim Omar had ‘warned’ the 1,000 strong crowd comprising secondary and university students of the Christianisation of Muslims in Malaysia.

Karim cited a thesis, “Religious identity and life of Malay Christians of Malaysia” by John Cheong. In his 2012 thesis, submitted to the Trinity International College of Illinois, Cheong revealed the existence of ‘cloaked Christians’.

These individuals are Malays who perform the obligations of a Muslim such as fasting and going to the mosque, but they are in fact believers of the Christian religion,” said Karim.

Just before Karim, another speaker, a former Catholic priest from Indonesia named H. Insan LS Mokoginta, had used basic messages in both religions to convince Christian students that every follower of Jesus should convert to Islam otherwise it would be a betrayal to him.

Meanwhile Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan has dismissed claims of ‘Christianisation’ of Muslims.

If reports are any gauge it’s more the other way round in Sabah.

“Christians do not blatantly go around converting people. There is still the constitution guaranteeing the freedom of religion, and the rights extend to the Muslims,” he said.

Last December, it was reported that abject poor  Christian natives in Pitas were converted for Rm100 each. The natives claimed they were not aware that they had been converted.

According to a pastor, the situation is widespread in rural Sabah, which is the poorest state in Malaysia according to a World Bank Report.

In January, the Protestant Church in Sabah (PCS) president Rev Jensey Mojuin reportedly said the church was concerned over “unofficial” reports of what was happening in the parishes of Kudat, Kota Marudu, Kanibongan, Paitan and Pitas.

He said there were also unconfirmed reports of forced, coerced or induced conversion in north and east coast of Sabah.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2014/05/08/christianisation-sabah-bristles-with-anger/

Anwar croons ‘Sabah Hilang’ for Najib

Luke Rintod

 | March 25, 2013

The massive turnouts at Anwar's ceramahs in Sabah bode well for the opposition coalition in Sabah irrespective of the Umno 'incited' skirmishes.

KOTA KINABALU: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has tweaked the lyrics of an old Malay song – Tanya Sama Pokok – to stab at Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. These days Anwar sings his song – Sabah Hilang – everywhere he goes and this is how the lyrics go:

“Tanya sama Najib apa sebab goyang

Nanti jawab Najib Sabah nak hilang

Kalau Sabah hilang Umno melayang

Najib jadi ketua pembangkang”
Last night the exuberant PKR de facto leader sang this song again to a packed-hall of the Star City Convention Centre here where he delivered stinging attacks on the policies of the ruling Umno and its failure to protect Sabahans from foreign intrusion.

Close to 3,000 community leaders turned up to listen to Anwar’s speech, dwarfing the average crowds that other opposition leaders in Sabah could normally attract.

Anwar has also been described as “Raja Goyang” in several pro-Umno blogs before this.

Anwar reiterated his denial of any link to the Lahad Datu intrusion by Sulu terrorists on March 12, lambasting instead Umno for trying to make him the scapegoat of anything stemming from Umno’s weaknesses.

Anwar also accused the ruling BN of applying dual sets of laws on the citizens, one for the rich – ministers and chief ministers included – and another for the ordinary citizens.

He also alluded to a possibility that Umno might try to sue him over the song “Sabah Hilang”. “This would be the first anyone can ever be sued for singing a song…” he said.

The charismatic opposition leader also defended an old picture of him with former leader of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Nur Misuari, which was being used by his enemies to link him to the Lahad Datu Sulu intrusion last month.

“The picture was taken back when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the Prime Minister when Nur Misuari was invited for an official visit to Kuala Lumpur,” he explained.

Massive turnouts

Anwar later launched PKR roadshow bus here before moving on to deliver another electrifying speech at Kampung Lok Batik in Tuaran, some 100km from here, where more than 3,000 people waited to hear him.

Sabah PKR head, Ahmad Thamrin Jaini, when contacted said the massive turnouts at PKR functions bode well for the opposition coalition in Sabah.

He said a small disturbance caused by Umno thugs at the launching of PKR roadshow bus earlier in Kota Kinabalu would not deter the party to reach more people.

Also in attendance at the three functions were senior leaders of Sabah PKR, DAP and PAS as well as from the two NGOs Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) and Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPS).

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/03/25/raja-goyang-anwar-croons-sabah-hilang-for-najib/

SAPP ‘irrelevant’, Sabah contest between Pakatan-BN, say leaders

By Clara Chooi
Assistant News Editor

February 12, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is confident it does not need a pact with Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) to topple Barisan Nasional (BN) in Sabah, a state considered crucial for the federal opposition pact’s dream to wrest federal power in Election 2013.

Both PR and its allies in the two newly-formed Sabah-based political movements APS and PPPS told The Malaysian Insider that the fight in Sabah, like all other states in Malaysia, would be centred between BN and PR.

Bumburing said the coming polls contest in Sabah would be between BN and PR.

All other players in the battle would be considered too “irrelevant” to make a difference in the opposition vote, they said.

Sabah’s opposition front is a particularly crowded one, with PR’s three parties — the DAP, PKR and PAS — its new allies APS and PPPS, and two other opposition parties, the SAPP and the State Reform Party (STAR) under political veteran Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

All seven political movements had earlier wanted to stand united against BN but following the failure of seat distribution, the polls contest will likely be a three- or four-cornered fight with BN.

APS or Angkatan Perubahan Sabah chief Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing told The Malaysian Insider that the SAPP’s refusal to back down from its “greedy” demands to contest at least half of the 60-seat Sabah legislative assembly had led to the breakdown in seat negotiations with PR.

He called the SAPP chief “sour grapes” for starting the verbal warfare against himself and another new Sabah PR ally, Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS) chief Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, after realising that his party’s seat demands would be turned down.

Last week, SAPP chief Datuk Yong Teck Lee likened both men to buffaloes led around by their nose rings, saying the duo were forced to kowtow to PR’s leaders in the peninsula to lobby for seats in the coming general election.

“I am not in the least bit offended by his remarks. It is just sour grapes. Knowing that his chances with PR are almost nil, he decided to spew nonsense to discredit us,” Bumburing said in a phone call with The Malaysian Insider

The Tuaran MP added that Yong, a former Sabah chief minister whose party’s main agenda is to retain power over Sabah in the hands of Sabah-based parties, was never interested in the opposition’s struggle.

Yong’s SAPP wants to contest at least half of the 60-seat Sabah legislative assembly.

“He only wants to join the fight in this manner because he wants to be chief minister again... it is just his personal interest. So he is so desperate to have his way... this is his only chance to become chief minister again.

“But come on, even in Sabah’s political history, there have never been straight fights. But despite this, Sabahans have always voted for the two main parties in the battle,” Bumburing pointed out.

The known Kadazandusun leader insisted that from his observations in Sabah, even before he left his post as BN’s United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (UPKO) deputy president, the coming polls contest would be between BN and PR.

PR, a loose political pact formed after the DAP, PKR and PAS made significant wins in Election 2008, particularly in the peninsula, has been growing significantly in strength and in numbers and has even spread its wings across the South China Sea to east Malaysia to boost support.

“I know for sure that the people are now making up their minds, and for most, their minds have already been made up... so when the campaigning starts, the choice is between PR and BN. SAPP and the others would make little difference.

“SAPP and STAR are only just playing politics in between... they will remain lost in the middle,” Bumburing said.

PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang told The Malaysian Insider over the weekend that he agreed with Bumburing that the focus of the coming electoral contest was between BN and PR.

“That was the fight from the very beginning... our expectation was that we all commit to one agenda, and that is for the public to choose between BN and PR.

“We have always been interested in sharing seats with the SAPP but unfortunately, they could not accede to us. So now, we have no choice but to go ahead between PR, APS and PPPS,” he said.

Last week, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali said the SAPP has formally been excluded from seat talks with PR due to the Sabah-based party’s refusal to back down from demanding to contest at least half the state’s 60 seats.

Yong’s contention had been that for administrative power over Sabah to remain in the hands of Sabahans, only state-based parties should contest the lion’s share of the 60 seats.

Peninsula-based PR, he had said, could take on the majority of Sabah’s 25 MP seats, allowing it to represent the state in Parliament and its dream to wrest Putrajaya.

In Election 2008, BN swept 59 of the state’s 60 seats and 24 of the 25 MP seats. But later in 2008, SAPP pulled out from BN, taking its two MP and two state seats with it.

The coming polls contest will be a hard-fought one between BN and PR and all eyes will be centred on the polls outcome in Sabah, Sarawak and Johor, the three states where BN still has strong representation.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/sapp-irrelevant-sabah-contest-between-pakatan-bn-say-leaders/

Sabah and Sarawak will lead the change in Malaysian Federal Government come the 13th General Elections

Please also read The Prophecies on Malaysia by Rev. Cindy Jacobs:
http://allenstae.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-three-prophecies-on-malaysia-by-rev.html
----------------------------------------------------

Sabah voters will be the “kingmakers” in the 13GE to decide who will form the Federal Government in Putrajaya and who will be the Prime Minister of Malaysia

After my latest visit to Sabah and three-day “DAP UBAH tour” of Papar (Kg Tamui), Kota Belud ( Kg Nahaba), Inanam, Matunggung (Kg. Pinaurat) and Kudat, with Sabah DAP leaders, it is clear that the Pakatan Rakyat Sabah’s RM7.28 billion Alternative Budget 2013 announced last month has “hit the marks” and put intense pressure on the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman and the Barisan Nasional Sabah leaders.

For instance, Musa was reported in the Sabah newspapers on Friday of handing over funds totaling RM30.9 million to 140 non-Islamic religious bodies and 266 schools including Chinese independent and missions schools in the state – made up of RM18 million to religious bodies including churches, Chinese temples and other non-Muslim places of worship and RM12.9 million to the schools.

Although Musa said that “the large allocation for non-Islamic religious bodies was reflective of the Barisan Nasional government’s commitment in upholding religious freedom in the country”, it was clearly in response though weak and inadequate to the fourth of five thrusts of Pakatan Rakyat Sabah’s Alternative Budget 2003 on “Empowering Local Communities”.

However the Sabah BN government has fallen far short of what the PR Sabah Alternative Budget proposed.

The “Empowering Local Communities” thrust of the PR Sabah Alternative Budget proposed allocation of RM50 million for vernacular, religious, government-aided and independent schools but the Sabah BN government has responded only with a RM12.9 million allocation.

The PR Sabah alternative budget proposed RM50 million to non-Muslim religious organisations (and RM100 million for Muslim organisations including RM3 million for funding Haj pilgrimages by 300 people at RM10,000 per person) but the Sabah BN government has only come out with RM18 million for non-Islamic religious bodies.

The PR Sabah’s fourth thrust on “Empowering Local Communities” have 13 specific proposals which Sabah BN government have yet to respond, including:

• Under Skim Graduan Anak Sabah, RM2,000 will be given to each student pursuing tertiary studies for households earning less than RM2,000 a month. This initiative is expected to cost RM14.4 million and is expected to benefit approximate 7,200 students.

• RM50 million to provide scholarships for all those who seek tertiary education in the state. Priority will be given to train doctors and teachers.

• RM20 million fund to showcase cultural diversity through innovation and creativity.

• RM40 million for the purposes of cultural and heritage preservation.

• Start up grant of RM20 million to set up Sabah TV for the purposes of making programs to showcase the cultural heritage and diversity of our state.

The other four thrusts of the PR Sabah Alternative Budget contained another 30 specific proposals to ensure that Sabah’s wealth is more equitably distributed, its growth reinvigorated and the marginalised in Sabah lifted out of poverty.

Although Musa and the Sabah BN state government have yet to give proper and commensurate response to the specific proposals of the PR Sabah Alternative Budget 2013, the Sabah Chief Minister and the Sabah BN have started a war of words against the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat.

Musa for instance reacted in a very irrational and most uncharacteristic manner when I pointed out the great difference between the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat when faced with the supreme challenge of the 13th General Election, which could see either BN returned to power or replaced by the Pakatan Rakyat in Putrajaya.

I had said that when put to the test as to which political coalition is prepared to put national interest above all other interests, UMNO and BN have in their desperate bid to hold on to power resorted to the traditional but divisive “Divide and Rule” tactics polarizing the diverse races and religions in the country, while Pakatan Rakyat parties of DAP, PKR and PAS have maintained a common theme and unifying message of “Unite and Rule” to all races, religions and states, underlining the need for all Malaysians to rally together as one Malaysian people to build an united nation with a common vision.

Another Sabah BN leader who has eyes on the office of Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, has also got into the act responding to the Pakatan Rakyat Sabah Alternative budget, calling for the rejection of PR’s promise to increase Sabah’s oil royalty receipts from five to 20 per cent.

Shafie has given the most ridiculous reason claiming that the increase of Sabah’s oil royalty to 20 per cent would cause a split between Sabah and the rest of Malaysia.

Shafie’s reasoning is flawed, as PR is not just asking for the oil royalty for Sabah to be increased from five to 20%, but for all oil producing states including Sarawak, Terengganu, Kelantan and soon, Pahang. Furthermore, there is the remaining 80% of the oil royalty receipts which could be devoted to national development.

So far Shafie is the only Sabah BN leader to openly oppose the increase of Sabah’s oil royalty from five to 20 per cent. Let everyone of the Sabah BN leaders declare their stand on this issue so that the voters of Sabah can decide whether they deserve support or repudiation.

Yesterday’s Sabah press carried headlines of the call by UPKO President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok: “PR’s promises ‘only good outside Sabah’”.

Bernard had not intended, but he was in fact conceding, that UMNO and Barisan Nasional are facing an uphill if not a losing battle for the hearts and minds of the voters in Peninsular Malaysia and that it is now left to the voters of Sabah to save UMNO and Barisan Nasional in the impending general elections.

Bernard is absolutely right and this is why I have stressed in my speeches during my UBAH tour of Papar, Kota Belud, Inanam, Matunggong and Kudat during the past three days that the Sabah voters are the “kingmakers” in Malaysia as they will, together with the voters of Sarawak and Johore, decide who will be form the next Federal Government in Putrajaya and who is to be the next Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak visited Kudat during his last visit to Sabah, but he did not travel by road to experience for himself what the common Sabahan had to experience – what I had previously described as the “worst road in Malaysia” – the atrocious and hellish stretch at Ulu Kukut.

Instead, Najib flew by helicopter, by-passing Ulu Kukut altogether, like the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his previous visit to the area.

After my August visit where I tweeted about the seven-year atrocity of the Ulu Kukut road condition, the Barisan Nasional state government gave a public assurance that the three-kilometre road upgrading project at Ulu Kukut would be sealed and completed by the end of September.

However, when I travelled to Kg Pinaurat in Matunggong and Kudat on Sunday, time seemed to have stood still at the Ulu Kukut stretch in the past three months as there is no sign of any improvement in the atrocious road condition.

Even Najib dared not make any mention of the atrocious Ulu Kukut stretch during his visit to Kudat last month, and he chose instead to announce that a study is being carried out on a RM800 million coastal highway from Tuaran linking Kota Belud to Kota Marudu and to Kudat – bypassing Ulu Kukut completely.

Has the Prime Minister also given up on completing the upgrading of the Ulu Kukut road, which is believed to be a RM70 million project, and is Ulu Kukut going to be a living testimony of the failure of Sabah BN state government in the 13GE?

Source: http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2012/11/13/sabah-voters-will-be-the-kingmakers-in-the-13ge-to-decide-who-will-form-the-federal-government-in-putrajaya-and-who-will-be-the-prime-minister-of-malaysia/

民联推出“古晋宣言＂，7大重点维护砂沙2州民族权益

2012-09-17 07:57

• 
  左起为阿丹、哈迪阿旺、巴鲁比安、安华、林吉祥和黄和联站在巨型《古晋宣言》板前合照。（图：星洲日报）

（砂拉越‧古晋16日讯）民联3党今日推出以维护砂拉越和沙巴两州民族权益的“古晋宣言＂，强调砂沙两州在参与马来西亚后，必须要获得公平对待及平等发展的7大重点。

有关7大重点包括平等伙伴、公平代表权、公民权益、认可与恢復原住民习俗地权利、砂拉越与沙巴公民自治、石油正义及公平发展。

有关宣言获得3党领袖，即人民公正党实权领袖拿督斯里安华、行动党国会领袖林吉祥、伊斯兰党主席哈迪阿旺、人民公正党砂州联委会主席巴鲁比安、行动党砂州委员会主席黄和联及伊斯兰党砂州主席哈兹阿当联合签署，並於今日在民联举行的马来西亚日嘉年华会上推出。

“古晋宣言＂重申，一旦执政中央，民联將执行《橙皮书》內所列明的所有政策，以使马来西亚再一次崛起成为美好的国家，人民丰衣足食，永远国泰民安。

信守1963年马来西亚协议

宣言也承诺，民联將信守开国先贤制订的“1963年马来西亚协议＂的精神。

古晋宣言

第一条文：平等伙伴

我们將回归“马来西亚协议＂的精神，在“联邦宪法＂的框架下恢復砂拉越与沙巴的自治权益，重现砂沙在马来西亚国家体制內作为平等伙伴的地位。

第二条文：公平代表权

我们將在“马来西亚协议＂的精神全面指引下，通过公平的权力分享安排，增强砂拉越、沙巴与马来西亚半岛的国民统合。

第三条文：公民权益

我们將设立“皇家委员会＂，以求解决这项长久以来全国均有、不过以砂拉越与沙巴尤其严重的移民非法入境与获授予公民权的问题。

第四条文：认可与恢復原住民习俗地权利

我们將支持，以砂拉越与沙巴州法律下的权力设立“土地委员会＂，以调查、解决纷爭、纠正、研究，及全面认可及恢復原住民习俗地权利。

第五条文：砂拉越与沙巴公民自治

我们將支持，在州秘书权力下，由砂拉越与沙巴州公民出任本身州內政府部门的长官，以及优先考虑聘用砂沙公民出任在州內运作的联邦政府机构。

第六条文：石油正义

我们將把砂拉越与沙巴境內所生產的石油与天然气的特许权使用费（俗称石油开採税），从现有的5%提高到20%。

第七条文：公平发展

我们將提昇砂拉越与沙巴境內的基本建设，如同半岛的发展程度。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/261305?tid=1

UK Press Reports “Diplomatic Row” Over William & Kate’s Sabah Visit

11 Sep 2012

Malaysian demonstrators gathered outside St James’ Palace in London to protest at the visit to Musa Aman last week

Britain’s major newspaper, the Daily Mail, has described the planned visit by the royal couple, Prince William and Kate, to Sabah as “the first diplomatic row of their fledgeling royal careers” today.

The reason? Because the person waiting in Sabah to greet them on Friday is Chief Minister Musa Aman, now “implicated in a criminal investigation in to alleged laundering of profit from illegal logging”, says the paper.

The matter has already been picked up by Malaysia’s leading online news portalMalaysiakini and it marks the growing concern amongst onlookers over the decision to encourage the environmentally-friendly prince to endorse the dubious eco-credentials of the man who has presided over the destruction of Sabah’s forests over the last 20 years.

The Malaysian human rights organisation Suaram has written a letter directly to the Royal Palace and the Foreign Office expressing concerns about the visit and deploring the engagement with Musa. Environment NGOs have also added their concerns at the failure to confront ‘greenwash’ by a Sabah government that has licensed large areas of once protected forests for destruction.

Don’t be fooled by Musa William and Kate!

PR boost! 

But, for Musa the visit by the young couple has clearly been a godsend. Over past weeks he has been struggling to dampen down criticism during this sensitive pre-election period, and has  refused to step aside in the face of no less than three separate corruption investigations in different countries (Malaysia, Hong Kong and Switzerland).

A mound of evidence has also been published showing how millions of dollars in kickbacks have been processed through bank accounts managed by his nominees.

However, the British Foreign Office has been adamant in its refusal to step back from the visit, which is seen to offer great potential for trading opportunities, including arms sales, to the Malaysian Government.

Last week Malaysian anti-corruption campaigners waved placards outside St James’ Palace in London condemning the visit and calling for William and Kate not to be fooled by Musa’s ‘Greenwash’ and not to lend him a valuable PR boost by appearing to endorse him on the eve of a general election.

Pressure has increased in the face of the latest revelation, which is an official response by the Swiss Federal Government to questions asked by the MP Carlos Sommaruga about the Hong Kong investigation into Musa’s assets:

“Switzerland has provided legal assistance in the case of MUSA Bin Aman et al. to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China for criminal collusion in active and passive corruption” [Swiss response]

Musa is also named in connection with an official Swiss criminal investigation launched into the role of UBS in laundering the illegal timber money, announced last week and the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, has acknowledged that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation into the same transactions also involves Musa.

Backfiring – the Wills & Kate visit to Sabah has turned a blind eye to Musa’s timber corruption

‘Greenwash’ can’t hide the truth

Mannan (left) hob nobs with Prince Charles about Sabah’s supposed environment credentials at a WWF conference in St James’ Palace

The royal visit was clinched in the wake of a“mission” last year by Sabah Forestry Head Sam Mannan to St James’ Palace promoting Sabah as an ‘eco-friendly’ state.

Mannan has worked assiduously to promote an image of Sabah where deforestation is ‘slowing’ and precious areas are being rescued from logging.

Just before the visit he announced amidst great fanfare that another large area would now be put under ‘protection’.

However, yet again it is an area that has already been logged, just as areas that had been ear-marked for protection under the WWF ‘Heart of Borneo Treaty’ were also deliberately logged by Musa and Mannan before the agreement was signed.

Sabah timber insiders say that the driving force behind the destruction of the state forests over the past 20 years has been the corruption and greed of Musa, who has accepted kickbacks in return for issuing licences in areas that were once protected.

Forest Protection? – evidence from Sabah’s restricted Forest Department maps shows how Musa’s greed has destroyed last remaining reserves. Zone 23 was a Protected Area of virgin forest in the 2005 map (left), but by 2009 (right) it had been re-categorised and a timber licence had been issued to one of Musa’s key logging cronies

Musa and Mannan even stand accused of altering the contours of Sabah’s forest maps in order to give the impression that hillsides are less steep than before, so that they can be logged!

In 2009 STAR President Dr Jeffrey Kittingen pointed out how certain steep areas had suddenly been re-designated into areas of less than 25% gradient so that logging licences could be issued. He called for this areas of 8,000 hectares of virgin forest to be preserved, but Musa has had it logged! [source - Sabakini]

 

Now these concerns and accusations have been corroborated by the mass of information detailing the millions of dollars which have been paid by the timber companies into bank accounts controlled by Musa Aman through his nominees Michael Chia and Richard Barnes in return for issuing such destructive licences.

Swathes of evidence has linked these accounts to Musa Aman and to logging interests who paid millions of dollars as stated “deposits for logging concessions”!

“Deposit for Logging Concession” made into a British Virgin Island company account from which regular payments were also made to Musa’s sons – just some of the evidence now available to Swiss Prosecutors

Although Musa has denied any business associations with Chia, the statements from these accounts make plain that money was paid from them on a regular basis to two of Musa’s own sons in Australia and to their guardian at the time Imbaring bin Bujang.

One of many payments, which have also been testified to in court by UBS own affidavits in Singapore

It is this mass of evidence that has been handed to the Swiss Authorities which has now prompted their launch of the criminal investigation into Musa and UBS.

Tainted host. UK papers are starting to wonder why Wills & Kate are being flown over to greet Sabah’s tainted Chief Minister?

The information has also been made available on this website following the refusal by Malaysia’s Attorney General (Musa’s relative) to prosecute after the MACC produced its own report recommending that 40 charges should be laid against the Chief Minister.

The British Foreign Office has nevertheless adopted the position that Musa should not be treated as guilty before proven in a court of law.

Yet the attitude represents a departure from another convention, which is that people who come under formal suspicion while holding public office should at least step aside until their name is cleared!

The chance to present the young couple as brave jungle warriors for audiences back home has clearly been judged too good to miss.  But, as the true situation emerges this meeting with Musa has started to look increasingly ill-judged.

Musa’s corruption is threatening to taint Britain’s as yet unsullied young royal couple.

Web of bank accounts that link up to Musa’s personal UBS account in Zurich. Information from Hong Kong’s investigation after their arrest of Musa’s nominee, Michael Chia in 2008 carrying $16million in his bag.

Sabah’s naked hillsides – permission from Musa.

Source: http://www.sarawakreport.org/2012/09/uk-press-take-note-of-william-kate-protests/

Bian hits out at Dr Mahathir over ‘be patient’ remark

Joseph Tawie

 | September 9, 2012

The former premier had reportedly said that the people of Sabah and Sarawak be patient for the implementation of development in their states.

KUCHING: The blatant statement by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad asking the people of Sarawak and Sabah to be patient for the implementation of development perfectly demonstrates to the people in the Borneo states what the Barisan Nasional government thinks of us, said Baru Bian, chairman of Sarawak PKR.

“We are regarded as the ignorant and unquestioning fixed deposit states that are in this country to be milked dry to fund the excessive spending crazes in Peninsular Malaysia.

“We have been patient for 49 years.  How many more years does this old man think he can fool us to wait?” asked Bian, who is Ba’Kelalan state assemblyman.

Mahathir was reported to have told reporters that the people of Sabah and Sarawak must be patient to wait for natural resources to be extracted and foreign investments to materialise before experiencing the same tempo of development as those in the peninsula.

He said: “In truth, I think the development of Sabah and Sarawak has outstripped the peninsula. Sarawak has the highest foreign direct investment and Sabah has the largest reserves of petroleum in the country.

“Just be patient and wait for the resources to be extracted and soon your earnings (and development) will increase,” Mahathir said.

Bian asked: “What does he mean by saying ‘Just be patient and wait for the resources to be extracted and soon your earnings (and development) will increase’?

“Umno and BN have been making huge ‘withdrawals’ from our oil and gas resources for over 30 years now, while giving the rakyat of Sarawak and Sabah crumbs to keep us quiet.
“I wish to ask him in his capacity as Petronas advisor what Petronas has been doing in Sabah and Sarawak all these years if not extracting our precious resources,” he said.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/09/09/bian-hits-out-at-dr-m-over-be-patient-remark/

Be thankful to your leaders, Musa Aman tells Sabahans

By Martin Jalleh

Anwar: Expect more surprises from Sabah

Luke Rintod

 | July 29, 2012

Opposition supremo Anwar Ibrahim lauded Wilfred Bumburing and Lajim Ukin's courage to leave their "comfortable positions" in Barisan Nasional.

TUARAN: Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim today asked Sabahans to save Sabah and Malaysia by voting out the Umno-led Barisan Nasional at the coming general election.

“I know what I’m talking about. I have been a finance minister for eight years and during my tenure it was “pay, pay” unlike under the current one which is just “debt, debt”,” he said alleging the BN has it wrong everywhere in its governance.

Anwar, who now heads a strong Pakatan Rakyat, made these remarks at a special function hosted by Upko’s deputy president Wilfred Bumburing to announce officially his departure from BN to support Anwar and the Pakatan struggle to oust BN.

About 3,000 people turned up at the function which was held at the compound of Singgah Singgarung Restaurant which is owned by the Bumburing family near here.

In a high-spirited speech, despite the fasting month, Anwar accused Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of being unwise and having no political conscience in governance and this was reflected in BN policies on various fronts including the economy and education.

“BN just keep on accumulating debt for the country, reluctant to spend for people’s real needs like for university student’s fee. They claim the country will go bankrupt if we give free education.

“But a PR (Pakatan) government knows that it can be done, as we will spend RM5 billion for this annually. PR (Pakatan) will stop PTPTN (study loans) and give free education until university,” he said adding that this is possible because the government is collecting a huge RM80 billion yearly from the oil and gas sector.

Anwar then randomly pointed to someone in the crowd, one Madius, to calculate “how much RM80 billion minus RM5 billion is” to which the man answered RM75 billion.

“Datuk Wilfred we can make Madius our advisor as he is wiser than Najib. Najib said if we spend RM5 billion on study loan, the country will go bankrupt, but Madius has just given us the right answer that there still is RM75 billion left,” he said to the amusement and applause from the enthusiastic crowd.

‘RM20 bil wastage under BN’
The PKR advisor who is also MP for Permatang Pauh pointed out that there was no country in the world which went bankrupt because its king or leader is caring and helping his own people.

“No country in the kingdoms in China, Japan, Arab, Africa, and Europe that went bankrupt because its king is giving to the people. Have you heard of any?

“But certainly history shows countries have gone bankrupt because leaders were corrupt, stealing money form the people. We are talking about corruption by BN leaders, wastage and leakages…” he said.

Anwar pointed out that according to the Auditor-General Report, wastage by BN government amount to a huge RM20 billion per year, and a Pakatan government is committed to plugging the wastage and saving it to be spent for the people, including Sabahans and Sarawakians.

“Our PR (Pakatan) government in Selangor is giving free water to its citizens, and we even have money to give to families RM2,500 every time a member of a family dies. In Penang every newly born baby will get RM200 from the government. We can do this because we avoided wastage.

“The Kelantan Menteri Besar (Nik Aziz Nik Mat) has been in the post for 22 years and he didn’t even take a single “timber’. He is doing well in helping the people unlike Umno’s ministers who may have RM100 millions over a few years in post,” he said.

He commended Bumburing for having the courage to leave his comfortable positions in BN and said that his action has proven Najib wrong on Sabah.

“I said there are surprises coming from Sabah. This Bumburing and (later in Beaufort) Lajim is just a beginning. This Tuaran function is a turning point for Malaysia.

“The whole country and in fact Asean are watching closely this new turning point,” he claimed.

Free education, higher royalty with Pakatan
In the 40-minute speech, Anwar also reiterated Pakatan’s pledge to honour a 20% oil royalty to the four oil-producing states in Malaysia — Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Kelantan.

“What we pledge will be honoured. The day we form the federal government we will lower the price of oil and will give the 20% royalty. There is no issue on this as the federal will still take 80%,” he said in what appeared as simplifying Petronas shares in federal coffer.

He gave the assurance citing Pakatan’s commitment to plug on wastage and stop lavish spending and bring in good governance principles.

“Let me tell you Turkey has no oil and when Prime Minister Teyyep Erdogan, took over the helm, it took him two years before he could provide free education up to university, but when Pakatan take over the government, we already have RM80 billion oil money, and we can implement straight away all our pledges,” he added.

Also in Bumburing’s company today were several Upko’s supreme council members notably lawyer cum senator Maijol Mahap.

Anwar is expected to give speech at Lajim’s house later Sunday evening where even a bigger crowd is awaiting him in Beaufort.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/07/29/anwar-expect-more-surprises-from-sabah/