FIGHT! The Message From Norway’s Natives To Sarawak’s Natives |
| FIGHT! The Message From Norway’s Natives To Sarawak’s Natives Posted: 26 May 2014 03:21 AM PDT  This post is also available in: Iban, Malay  SAVE Rivers protest on top of the Alta Kraftverk Dam at the Alter River in Finmark, Northern Norway Sarawak Energy boss, Torstein Dale Sjotveit, has focused much of his rhetoric on lecturing the people of Sarawak that he is bringing the values and virtues of Norway's progress to their country. Read this news from Norway and learn that Sjotveit is merely a mouthpiece for Taib's greed and a disgrace to the progress and understanding made in his own country towards the rights of indigenous peoples. (BMF PRESS RELEASE FROM ALTA & KARASJOK / NORWAY) The Malaysian anti-dam coalition, SAVE Rivers, visited the controversial Alta Dam in the North of Norway late this week. The Alta Dam faced strong opposition in the late 1970s and 1980s by the indigenous people of the Sami. Tore Bongo, one of the leaders of the uprising, advised SAVE Rivers in solidarity with their current struggle against Sarawak's twelve planned dams:
The Malaysian delegation's visit in Northern Norway found significant media interest and was covered by Norway's state radio, NRK, and the Sami television station, Oddasat. Watch and listen to the reports under the following links: Sami Television and Norway's state radio, NRK, report on Malaysian delegation's visit to the controversial Alta Dam hydropower plant in Northern Norway http://radio.nrk.no/serie/her-og-naa-hovedsending/dmnh01010214/22-05-2014#t=48m47s
How the Norwegian government listened to the people Sami representative Tore Bongo said the struggle against the Alta Dam went down in history as a turning point in the Norwegian government's policy towards the Sami. First of all, the size of the dam was considerably reduced and no village was flooded. Second, after the uprising, the government started to respect the Sami's rights as indigenous people. Many new laws have been established since the Alta struggle, allowing the Sami to live and develop their culture and traditions. In 1989, the Sami established their own Parliament in Karasjok. Sami Parliament representative, Silje Karine Muotka, gave the Malaysian delegation a special reception and a tour through the parliament building. Maria Ajang from Sarawak expressed her admiration for the Sami's struggle: "I am impressed how strongly the Sami have fought for the protection of their culture, language and land. They have never hesitated, but fought for their future." The exchange between the natives from Sarawak and Norway was perceived as very fruitful on both sides. Indigenous peoples in both countries have faced similar threats to their land, tradition and culture. In Norway, however, things have changed to the better for the Sami, while the traditional livelihoods of Sarawak's indigenous peoples remain precarious and discriminated.
Peter Kallang, Chairman of SAVE Rivers, commented the situation of Norway's indigenous people positively:
Sarawak representative Lah Jok made his demand clear:
The visit to the Alta Dam and the meeting with the Sami marked the end of SAVE Rivers' two-week-tour through Europe which successfully highlighted the plight of Sarawak's indigenous people against twelve planned dams in Borneo. Sign up to receive regular updates from Sarawak Report |
| Posted: 23 May 2014 10:11 AM PDT  This post is also available in: Iban, Malay  Kuching transformed into Taib's Ali Baba pipe dream A nice stash of fat state construction contracts were awarded by Taib Mahmud to his own family companies during his last weeks as Chief Minister. His preferred option of 'negotiated contracts' over open tendering means that he effectively negotiated the terms with himself. As a result Kuching's waterfront is being altered from its once scenic, modest and traditional charm into a gaudy, golden Arabic confection of towers and swirly curves – all at the behest of Taib, the man who bought his piano off Liberace. And of course it is Taib who is financially most benefitting from the rash of construction projects now underway.  Liberace, darling of Las Vegas and style setter for Taib's new look Kuching? Land has been appropriated from its owners at rock bottom compensation and state funding has also been pumped in, through so-called 'joint ventures' with the SEDC (Sarawak Economic Development Corporation). Such joint projects ensure that while the cost is carried by the public, the profit will go to Taib's family owned contractors, like CMS, Naim Cendara and PPES. If only the greedy old despot had at least deferred to others on taste, shocked onlookers have been saying. But no, this is still the Kingdom of King Taib and it is for him and his companies only to choose the decoration of it. With projects such at the Golden Bridge (constructor PPES/ Naim Cendara) swooping over the river to form a new entrance to the Golden Goblet new state assembly building (constructor CMS) the capital of the White Rajahs has truly been turned into an Ali Baba pipe dream by the gold obsessed governor – in the style of Las Vegas!  RM35million contract to Taib family companies PPES and Naim Cendera to build the Las Vegas, Liberace style Golden Bridge pedestrian route across the river. 'Gateway' twin towers – more government buildings contracted to CMS  Taib arriving to launch the twin towers of Kuching Isthmus in fitting gold carriage But the really fat contracts of recent months are the two 'Gateway' towers, awarded on appropriated land on the Kuching Isthmus. They will house Taib's two key state agencies of the past few decades. One tower is for the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), the department he set up to grab huge swathes of Sarawak under his own control. The other tower is to house the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), the state investor which has so kindly funded so many of his family ventures, like the jungle resort of Mulu. The SEDC is also the 'joint venture partner' for CMS in building the gateway project to house its own office! Cost RM76million each! Each of these government office towers have been handed to CMS for a healthy RM76 million – a total bonanza of over RM150million for the Taib family company. Taib was there to inaugurate the taxpayer funded project last August with his side-kick CMS CEO, the British national Richard Curtis. The construction projects are just one of an endless stream of contracts the greedy old man has handed without competitive tender to his own outfits. To fund SCORE he as Finance Minister set aside around half the annual state budgets to finance loans to back billions of ringgit worth of mega-constructions, largely using his own companies. There is no sign he intends this 'economic development' plan to be altered now that he is Governor.  Taib's own lego kingdom? Kuching's latest tower block creations to be built by his company CMS Money borrowed on Sarawak's budget, which has cut back dramatically on spending on such basics as schools and hospitals, is now gushing into SCORE projects and mega constructions of white elephants, such as these government offices. No wonder the business media has been touting certain companies as the sure bet beneficiaries of SCORE – of seven key companies identified in the Borneo Post as 'Sarawak's Jewels' all are dominated by Taib's own family or key business cronies. Topping the list was CMS, chaired by Taib's own son. Next Naim Cendera, chaired by Taib's cousin and nominee Hamed Sepawi. The article quotes from 'influential local analysts' at Kenanga Investment Bank on Naim's prospects:
Kenanga Investment Bank should know, since they are half owned by CMS, which is owned by Taib! Also on the list of Sarawak's top 'jewels' is Ta Ann, again chaired by Sepawi; KKB Engineering, 20% owned by CMS. The Taib family are making billions out of Sarawak, while ordinary folk (like the Perahu tambang operators, who used to ferry pedestrians across the river) are wondering what benefit comes to them from these greed driven monopolies belonging to the family that still controls the state?  Developed by CMS – of course Update (from our comments section):
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