Stop bullying NGOs, Sabah govt told

By Luke Rintod of FMT

A well known activists wants the Sabah state
government to stop harassing non-governmental
organisations in the state.

KOTA KINABALU: A long-serving Sabah human rights and social activist here has called on the Sabah government to be more accommodating to civil society groups in the state and not to apply unnecessary “pressure” on non-governmental organisations.

Patrick Sindu, said any “subtle pressure” from the government on these groups could be interpreted by the public and the international community, either rightly or wrongly, as interfering, manipulating, victimising or exploiting these NGOs in an effort to align them with the state government.

Frantic Najib in Sabah, again?

By Luke Rintod of FMT

The prime minister is expected to be in Sabah
tomorrow to shore up support for the Barisan
Nasional among the Christian community ahead
of the Christmas celebrations.

KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to visit Sabah twice this month, in what many here consider as an increasingly desperate effort to retain his coalition government’s grip on what is looking like a battle-ground state.

Najib is expected to arrive in Sandakan tomorrow (Dec 15) to open the annual congress of Sabah Barisan Nasional minor partner, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the following day.

On Dec 28, Najib is expected to visit rural Pensiangan where another tiny BN component, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), is holding its own annual general meeting.

Co-organiser of Human Rights event disappointed with UMS VC’s actions

KOTA KINABALU: Co-organiser of SUHAKAM Human Rights Relay Run and Concert - Yellow Dots expressed their extreme disappointment regarding the actions taken by UMS about the last minute cancellation, and also the statement given by Universiti Malaysia Sabah Vice Chancellor Datuk Dr. Mohd Harun Abdullah

The participants and volunteers of the event that was recently held on the 8th of December 2012 to celebrate the basic rights accorded to all people, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender and abilities, came from all over Sabah, some coming from as far as Paitan, Tawau and Tenom.

Star slams Bumburing : You are a traitor !

By Daniel John Jambun

Mr Daniel John Jambun is a Deputy Chairman of State Reform
Party (Star) for Sabah Chapter, and also President of
UK-based Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPi MaFo)

KOTA KINABALU :  The statement by Upko defector Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing in the local media on Tuesday that the Orang Asal, especially the Kadazandusun and Murut, should not pin their hopes on State Reform Party (Star) is patently mischievous, misconceived and misleading.

It should be condemned in no uncertain terms by all right-thinking Sabahans, deplored and exposed as "the mother of all lies" by a political has-been who shamelessly continues to be a stooge of the local proxies of the Malayan masters.

Green Cow and PSM wins significant injunction in Cameron Highland

It was a day dedicated to the Environment of Cameron Highland. The Star carried a surprising three page article including its front page on the environmental disaster in Cameron Highland. On the ground, another more significant decision was made in the High Court of Kuantan.

The Green Cow residents aided by PSM successfully obtained an injunction to stop the developer LTT from carrying out soil movement works near their homes. High Court Judge Mariana Yahya also set aside the plaintiff  LTT Development's ex parte and inter parte injunctions to stop the residents from encroaching or dwelling on the land located in Ulu Telom, Cameron Highlands.

Sabah consumer body treads fine line

State Reform Party member James Bagah says
he felt forced to give up his political
belief for the sake of his NGO.

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: The Consumers Affairs and Protection Society of Sabah (Caps) has come under pressure from the state Barisan Nasional government to remain independent on the political front.

Its president James Bagah felt the government’s displeasure after he threw in his lot with the opposition but soldiered on until this weekend.

The State Reform Party (Star) member said he felt forced to give up his political belief for the sake of the NGO.

Bagah announced his resignation from Star that is led by Jeffrey Kitingan and showed a letter to the party at the end of Caps’ coordinators meeting at Hongkod Koisaan building on Friday.

Govt silence on palm oil price drop causing jitters

The government is accused of just waiting
for things to happen rather than plotting
new strategies to benefit smallholders.

By Luke Rintod of FMT

RANAU: The plummeting price of Sabah’s main commodity – palm oil – has made government leaders vulnerable to criticism from the opposition for failing to address the issue

Jalibin Paidi, a state committee member of State Reform Party (Star) is the latest to take to task both the federal and state governments for not taking any concrete step to alleviate the situation that threatened to push thousands of smallholders back into the poverty bracket.

Days ago, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Yong Teck Lee, highlighted the issue during a visit to the east coast of the state.

Close to 45,000 children don’t go to school

KUALA LUMPUR: Close to 45,000 children in Malaysia are denied access to education due to poverty, with most coming from the Orang Asli community, said a report by an NGO, the Child Rights Coalition Malaysia.

The report, published after a two-year research on the status of children in the country, also stated that birth registration remains among the major problems, especially for the “marginalised” groups like the urban and rural poor.

The research found that these children were denied access to education because of non-recognition of their citizenship.

Sabah, Sarawak: Overdrawn at the vote bank

"The country was in peril; he was jeopardising his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them." - Joseph Heller (Catch-22)

The reality is that Umno failed Sarawak and Sabah a long time ago. Even in those early days, there was an undercurrent of resentment towards West Malaysians; as if the indigenous peoples understood the future in that precious 18 (or should that be 20) point agreement was nothing but a pipe dream.

Fantastic Article by IPOH Gal..... Must read

Letter to MM:

We know you want us to stay stupid, but it's time to let others clean up your mess.

Sorry to disappoint you guys, MM is not Marilyn Monroe, America’s legendary sex symbol, the beautiful blonde that drove all men wild and crazy.  Here, MM is the country’s fourth Prime Minister, the man we all loathed and wished he just fade away.

MM said Malaysians are not mature enough for debates. He said debates would only make the situation worse as Malaysians were too sentimental and emotional to appreciate arguments that were presented rationally.