Published by The Malaysian Insider on 22 May 2013.
Salaries of Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, his Cabinet and lawmakers were tripled today despite the Sarawak chief minister being linked to corruption by environmental pressure group Global Witness earlier this year.
The Sarawak state assembly approved the pay rise today, but backdated to January 1, 2012. This will involve some RM17 million, state news agency Bernama reported today.
The Members of the Administration and Members of Dewan Undangan Negeri (Remuneration, Pensions and Gratuities) Bill 2013 also provides for increased remuneration for the state assembly speaker, deputy speaker and political secretaries.
The remuneration of the chief minister (picture) will rise from RM13,000 to RM39,000; deputy chief minister, RM11,500 to RM35,000; senior minister and state assembly speaker, RM9,000 to RM30,000; ministers, RM9,000 to RM27,000; assistant ministers and assembly deputy speaker, RM7,000 to RM21,000; state assemblymen, RM4,500 to RM15,000 and political secretaries, RM3,000 to RM9,000.
The last pay adjustment for the state leadership was in 1992.
Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said a review of the remuneration was done in view of the increasing expectations of the people.
“Sarawak is as big as Semenanjung (the peninsula) and a lot of Members of the Dewan Undangan Negeri (state assemblymen) have to cover a large territory, particularly those who serve the rural areas,” he said.
Wong said the new bill would take effect by next week.
Last month, Taib challenged Global Witness to debate him on the issue of illegal land deals in Sarawak, and accused the international environmental activist group of having a hidden agenda by visiting Malaysia’s biggest state in a “sneaky way”.
The chief minister was cast into the international spotlight last month after Global Witness released a video documentary alleging the state Barisan Nasional chief to have received millions of ringgit in kickbacks over land deals that have denuded the Borneo state.
He refuted accusations that only five per cent of forests is left in the state, saying that the true picture can be found by looking at the state using Google’s satellite images.
Google maps the Earth using periodic shots taken using satellite imagery and aerial photography in its applications Google Earth and Google Maps.
Taib had also said that he will not co-operate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding his graft allegations as he believes the government body to be “naughty” and “dishonest” in its investigations.
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By Joseph Tawie. Published by Free Malaysia Today on 22 May 2013.
Thirty six non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have jointly condemned the International Hydropower Association (IHA) for organising its congress in Sarawak where human rights and environmental crimes are allegedly being perpetuated.
In a statement to FMT, the groups said they were “appalled” by HA’s insistence on holding the congress in Sarawak despite being aware of global pressure on Chief Minster Taib Mahmud and the state government. “The 4th IHA Congress prides itself with the theme Advancing Sustainable Hydropower, with a dedicated session discussing sustainability, which is not only making a mockery of the importance of sustainable development but also trying to pull wool over our eyes.
“IHA cannot pretend that it is not aware of the displaced and disenfranchised indigenous communities affected by Batang Ai, Bakun and the soon-to-be completed Murum dams in Sarawak. “Delegates and supporters of the Congress cannot ignore the well- documented social disruptions and dismissed the ecological destruction these dams had caused to one of the world’s biodiversity centres by justifying hydropower as renewable energy,” the statement said.
It said that the mega dams with its destructive social and environmental impacts were not a desirable sustainable energy source or option and this had been adequately argued by the authoritative report of the World Commission on Dam way back in the year 2000.
“The sustainability claim is a sham with the state government’s declared intention to construct a dozen of new dams by 2020 as part of its industrialisation programme via the regional development plan called Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) by enticing foreign investments with cheap electricity supplies.
“This admission called to question the outdated development model favoured by the state government particularly when a large part of rural communities/population in Sarawak has no access to electricity. “Furthermore, this scandalous plan threatens to flood a further 2,300 sq km of the Sarawak rainforests and directly and indirectly affects 30,000 to 50,000 natives from 235 settlements,” it pointed out.
The statement further added that beneficiaries of this ‘damn’ plan are the business fraternity especially entities that are connected to Taib and his family. “Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) – the main sponsor of the Congress and the state power monopolist – had awarded contracts worth RM680mil to three companies closely linked to the family of the Chief Minister namely Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd, Sarawak Cable Bhd and Naim Holdings.
“We would like to call your attention to the latest report by the Bruno Manser Fund on these links which are substantiated with indisputable official documents. SEB itself is controlled by Taib’s cousin Hamid Sepawi. “CMS Bhd, an infrastructure development company which holds the monopoly of cement supply in Sarawak stands to gain from the dam scheme besides benefitting from the cheap electricity through its shareholding in a ferro alloy smelting plant in the SCORE.
“SEB granted CMS subsidiary company PPES Works, a contract worth RM23mil for the construction of the resettlement site for the victims of Murum Dam. “Sarawak Cable Bhd and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Universal Cable, secured three contracts for transmission line from SEB worth RM237mil. “Similarly, two subsidiaries of Naim Holdings Bhd – Naim Land and Naim Engineering – were granted contracts related to the dams by SEB, totalling RM406mil,” it said.
Both CMS Bhd and Sarawak Cables’ biggest shareholder is Taib’s son, Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib.
“So significant is the political link of these companies that a stock rally of CMS Bhd was reported in the two weeks after GE13 where its share price rose substantially (46%) as BN Sarawak led by Taib won convincingly in Sarawak,” the statement said.
The goup further called on IHA to stop its “green-washing attempt” on behalf of the Taib’s regime that is aided by industry players closely linked to him. “We also call upon the newly-minted ministers of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE); and Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) to address this public concern that had so far been ignored by the Federal Government.“These environmentally-destructive dams are a threat to the country’s biodiversity and our commitment to fight climate change.
“Rotting biomass and organic matters that continue to be washed from upstream into the reservoir is a big source of emission of the global warming greenhouse gas,” it said. The statement also wanted Maximus Ongkili, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water to explain to Malaysians, particularly Sarawakians, how the mega dams’ scheme fits into the country’s sustainable energy policy.
It also called on the World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia (WWF-M), the foremost environmental organisation in Malaysia, along with several other global conservation groups such as the Nature Conservatory to clarify the nature of their support of the IHA congress. These groups have been listed as partners at the IHA congress. Said the statement: “It is incumbent upon these organisations to ensure that their involvement is not manipulated and hijacked by IHA and the Sarawak state government.
“Finally, we reiterate our demand to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the many corrupt practices of Taib Mahmud that had been amply documented. Inaction is not an option,” it said.
The statement was endorsed by Amnesty International Malaysia, Angkatan Nasional India Malaysia (AGNI),Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (WargaAMAN), Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC),Community Action Network (CAN), Damn the Dams Action Group, Education and Research Association for Consumers (ERA Consumer), Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (PRIMA), Himpunan Hijau, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM), Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT), Jawatankuasa Bertindak Wilayah dan Tanah Adat Tasik Chini, Jihad for Justice, Malaysia Youth and Democratic Movement (DEMA), Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS), Malaysian Indians Transformation Action Team (MITRA),Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET), Malaysians for Beng Hock, National Indian Rights Action Team (NIAT), People’s Welfare and Rights Coalition (POWER), Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS), Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Persatuan Shing An KL & Selangor Women Section, Pertubuhan Pembangunan Wanita Malaysia PJ New Town Branch, Pusat Komas, Rakan Pakatan Rakyat (RAPAT), Respect all Race and Religion of Malaysia (RARE), Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia, Social-Economic Committee of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, SPNS, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Tamilar Action Force (TAF), Tenaganita, Transparency International Malaysia, Water and Energy Consumers’ Association and Women Section of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Link:
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/05/22/groups-slam-iha-for-%E2%80%98backing%E2%80%99-taib/
Longhouse folk without electricity.
