Thriving business at Tawau’s unofficial port Goverment subsidised rice, sugar and oil are sold in Kalimantan for a good profit and locals believe the authorities are supporting the racket.

Goverment subsidised rice, sugar and oil are sold
in Kalimantan for a good profit and locals believe
the authorities are supporting the racket.

By Luke Rintod of FMT
TAWAU: Alongside Tawau’s official port, there thrives an ‘unofficial’ sub-unit through which daily provisions are smuggled out to a nearby island shared by Indonesia.

According to a local businessman, the authorities are aware of the bags of ‘Beras Nasional’ rice, sugar and oil that are ‘exported’ to Pulau Sebatik – an island shared by Malaysia and Indonesia – but generally turn a blind eye.

Scorpene scandal: ‘Truth to surface soon’

GEORGE TOWN: The French investigative judge who will hear the case into the Scorpene submarine scandal will be picked in September and the truth will be exposed, said prominent human rights lawyer William Bourdon.

The Frenchman said he would then have smooth access to scrutinise all documents and interview major witnesses pertaining to the submarine deal between Malaysia and France.

Wikileaks: US envoy says Umno abused security laws, institutions

The leaked cable said that “in good times Umno can
aintain control by distributing power and money to
get what it wants (but) in bad times, it uses the stick.”

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The United States ambassador here told Washington in 2008 that Malaysia was facing a “political crisis” caused by Umno’s control and abuse of security institutions and national security laws to remain in power.

US ambassador James R. Keith said in a leaked cable, released by whistleblower site WikiLeaks through the Malaysia Today news portal that “in good times Umno can maintain control by distributing power and money to get what it wants (but) in bad times, it uses the stick, and for now that means intimidation.”

Bourdon's detention 'puts Malaysia back in limelight'

The arrest and imminent deportation of French rights lawyer William Bourdon today drew strong reaction from PAS's Kuala Selangor member of parliament Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who said the news put the country back into international limelight following the coverage of Bersih's massive rally on July 9.

Dzulkefly (above) said had Bourdon been allowed to attend the events planned for him, there would not be much media publicity.

Indonesia's Dramatic Shift In Forest Policy

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Category: IP/IP Rights                                                                          Date: July 20, 2011

Indonesian Government Announces Dramatic Shift In Forest Policy; Commitment To Rights Of IPs, Communities

 13 July 2011 

Indonesian Government announces dramatic shift in forest policy; signals commitment to expand rights of communities, indigenous peoples

As major forestry conference opens in Indonesia, high-level government leaders commit to implement traditionalrights lost since colonial era

During a riveting keynote speech given at a global forestry conference in Lombok today, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, head of the Indonesian President's Special Delivery Unit, announced the government's intention to prioritize the needs of its forest communities and to "recognize, respect and protect Adat rights," implementing legislation that has been on the books for ten years, but rarely implemented.