http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/26/sundaymetro/7084132&sec=sundaymetro
Sunday September 26, 2010
Best of Bario in Miri city
Story and pictures by DIANA ROSE
drose@thestar.com.my
The taste of the Bario Highlands is available on the lowlands now – but just in the city of Miri.
The Summit Cafe
Centrepoint Commercial Phase 1
Miri City Centre
Sarawak
Open: 7am to 3pm
Days off Sunday and Christmas
IF one has a penchant for authentic Sarawak highland dishes, and just happen to be in Miri, then head for The Summit Cafe at Centrepoint Phase 1 Commercial Centre.
Owner and cook Sally Bungan Bat, a Kenyah from Long Banga, Ulu Baram, operates the cafe, the only place in Miri, if not in Malaysia, that serves authentic Kelabit dishes outside of the tribal heartlands.
Locals and tourists alike flock to her shop to sample the dishes and many are coming back for more.
If one is familiar with the multi-cultural setting of Sarawak, one will perhaps wonder why a Kenyah is operating a restaurant that offers Kelabit dishes.
Well, Sally is married to Senior Police Officer Wagner Lisa Libat, 50, a Kelabit from Bario – and that explains it all! Perhaps serving Kelabit fare at the cafe is her way of proving her undying love to her husband.
Sally’s signature Kelabit dishes include Daun Ubi (dry-fried pounded tapioca shoots mixed with the mineral-rich Bario salt); Nuba Laya (steamed mashed rice wrapped in Isip leaves); Ayam Pansuh (chicken marinated with jungle herbs and Bario salt, put in a bamboo tube and cooked over slow fire): Labo Senutuk (pounded pork, preferably wild boar meat, mixed with minced onion and marinated with soy sauce then fried with very little cooking oil); and Luang Sena’ag (pounded fish flesh and dry fried with very little cooking oil.)
Tribal goodness: Sally Bungan Bat, a Kenyah from Long Banga, Ulu Baram, is the cook and owner of The Summit Cafe.
Other vegetable dishes are dried bitter leafy vegetable (known locally as sayur sabi) cooked with mashed cucumber; Dure, a seasonal vegetable found in the wild in the Bario Highland; and Lanau (also popularly known among locals as Bario asparagus, but it has no relation with the asparagus family).
Sally also incorporates the concept of organic cooking into her dishes by using only Bario salt, home-grown rice from the highland, wild vegetables, and even seasoning. For the last, she uses what she calls the “Bario ajinomoto”, which is made from special leaves normally used by the Kelabit as food enhancers.
But her seasoning, says Sally, cannot be used on all dishes. “It is only suitable with locally-found wild vegetables and wild boar meat.”
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
People of Bario strongly behind the BN government
http://tribune.my/prime/3001-people-of-bario-strongly-behind-the-bn-government.html
People of Bario strongly behind the BN government
Saturday, 25 September 2010 11:15
MIRI: The people of the Kelabit highlands in Bario have declared their continued undivided support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to ensure that all government development projects will be implemented for their community’s benefit.
The community offers its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the BN government for the tremendous development achieved.
Due to its strong support for the BN government, the community has received a lot of development including improved rural basic infrastructure and the raising of the living standard of low-income household, said the head of the community, Penghulu Philip Lakai Tuan, here, yesterday.
He said that the tremendous provision of basic infrastructure such as road, water supply, rural electricity and healthcare facilities will greatly increase the community’s standard of living.
Result are beginning to be felt by us and the other community under the government transformation plan and the Sarawak Bumiputera Development Lab which focus on Social development, Native Customary Right, Price Equalization as well as Infrastructure, Education, Economic Development, he said.
People of Bario strongly behind the BN government
Saturday, 25 September 2010 11:15
MIRI: The people of the Kelabit highlands in Bario have declared their continued undivided support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to ensure that all government development projects will be implemented for their community’s benefit.
The community offers its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the BN government for the tremendous development achieved.
Due to its strong support for the BN government, the community has received a lot of development including improved rural basic infrastructure and the raising of the living standard of low-income household, said the head of the community, Penghulu Philip Lakai Tuan, here, yesterday.
He said that the tremendous provision of basic infrastructure such as road, water supply, rural electricity and healthcare facilities will greatly increase the community’s standard of living.
Result are beginning to be felt by us and the other community under the government transformation plan and the Sarawak Bumiputera Development Lab which focus on Social development, Native Customary Right, Price Equalization as well as Infrastructure, Education, Economic Development, he said.
Managing the Penans
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/25/sarawak/7099507&sec=sarawak
Saturday September 25, 2010
Managing the Penans
By KERNI PUAH
sarawakstar@thestar.com.my
THE Penan community is very co-operative and their affairs can easily be managed if the right strategies are applied.
Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Datuk Sri William Mawan Ikom said this had been proven many times even by outsiders like Bruno Manser and also through his own experience.
“If a foreigner like Bruno Manser can influenced them to follow his way, I see no reason why the local officers are unable to do the same,” he said.
He also shared his experience meeting the Penan community in Long Lelang in Miri division and how he came to assist them through a community project there.
Mawan: Bestowed the ‘Balang Mawan’ title by the Kelabit community.
Mawan, who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president, said he visited the Penans in Long Lelang about 14 years ago to see for himself their lifestyle and also to understand their problems.
“After the visit, the Penans seemed to like me and kept asking about me, so I made another visit to their place last year,” said Mawan when asked about the Penan community.
He said during his visit to Long Lelang last year, the Penans and Kelabit informed him that they needed a rest house near Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK) Long Lelang for the pupils and their parents who accompanied them to the school to stay.
He said a Kelabit there was kind enough to donate his piece of land for the construction of the rest house.
“SPDP members helped to raise the money. We also held a golf tournament (the annual Datuk Sri William Mawan Challenge Trophy) and managed to raise RM17,000 while the ministry contributed a matching grant,” he said.
Mawan said the Kelabit community of Long Lelang also contributed by organising a fund-raising dinner in Miri last year.
According to Mawan, with the completion of the rest house, the number of Penan pupils studying in SRK Long Lelang has increased to 80% from 20% previously. Another 20% of the pupils are Kelabit. The Kelabit enrolment in the primary school declined because most had migrated to Miri town.
Mawan said the rest house is being managed by a committee set-up for the purpose, a mix of Kelabit and Penan members.
The facilities at the rest house include a kitchen, mattresses, pillows and blankets.
“Before the rest house was constructed, parents who accompany their children to school had no place to stay.”
During a fund raising dinner in Miri last year, Mawan was bestowed the “Balang Mawan” title by the Kelabit community for his contributions to them and the Penans.
Saturday September 25, 2010
Managing the Penans
By KERNI PUAH
sarawakstar@thestar.com.my
THE Penan community is very co-operative and their affairs can easily be managed if the right strategies are applied.
Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Datuk Sri William Mawan Ikom said this had been proven many times even by outsiders like Bruno Manser and also through his own experience.
“If a foreigner like Bruno Manser can influenced them to follow his way, I see no reason why the local officers are unable to do the same,” he said.
He also shared his experience meeting the Penan community in Long Lelang in Miri division and how he came to assist them through a community project there.
Mawan: Bestowed the ‘Balang Mawan’ title by the Kelabit community.
Mawan, who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president, said he visited the Penans in Long Lelang about 14 years ago to see for himself their lifestyle and also to understand their problems.
“After the visit, the Penans seemed to like me and kept asking about me, so I made another visit to their place last year,” said Mawan when asked about the Penan community.
He said during his visit to Long Lelang last year, the Penans and Kelabit informed him that they needed a rest house near Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK) Long Lelang for the pupils and their parents who accompanied them to the school to stay.
He said a Kelabit there was kind enough to donate his piece of land for the construction of the rest house.
“SPDP members helped to raise the money. We also held a golf tournament (the annual Datuk Sri William Mawan Challenge Trophy) and managed to raise RM17,000 while the ministry contributed a matching grant,” he said.
Mawan said the Kelabit community of Long Lelang also contributed by organising a fund-raising dinner in Miri last year.
According to Mawan, with the completion of the rest house, the number of Penan pupils studying in SRK Long Lelang has increased to 80% from 20% previously. Another 20% of the pupils are Kelabit. The Kelabit enrolment in the primary school declined because most had migrated to Miri town.
Mawan said the rest house is being managed by a committee set-up for the purpose, a mix of Kelabit and Penan members.
The facilities at the rest house include a kitchen, mattresses, pillows and blankets.
“Before the rest house was constructed, parents who accompany their children to school had no place to stay.”
During a fund raising dinner in Miri last year, Mawan was bestowed the “Balang Mawan” title by the Kelabit community for his contributions to them and the Penans.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Locals shying away from international conference in Miri
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/9/23/sarawak/7083536&sec=sarawak
Thursday September 23, 2010
Locals shying away from international conference in Miri
By DIANA ROSE
drose@thestar.com.my
Foreigners are showing more interest in the upcoming two-day Borneo International Beads Conference 2010 in Miri than locals.
Its organising director Heidi Munan said so far more than 60 people had registered for the conference on Oct 9 and 10 but most of them were foreign participants including from Australia, United States, England, India, Indonesia, Sabah and Brunei.
Heidi said this was the first time the conference is being organised in Malaysia.
“So far it has attracted many international participants but not the locals. Perhaps they (the locals) will show up at the last minute,” she told StarMetro yesterday.
Heidi, who was in Miri to finalise preparation for the event, said the organiser was expecting about 100 participants.
She appealed to ethnic-based associations representing the respective local communities, particularly the Orang Ulu, Melanau, Bidayuh and Iban to send representatives to the conference.
“Indeed it will be quite a show,’’ promised Heidi whose passion for beads started when she first set foot in Sarawak in 1965 and is credited with authoring a book entitled ‘Beads of Borneo’ which was published in 2005.
Heidi said the objectives of the conference were to preserve the Sarawak bead tradition, facilitate creative interaction between local artisans, designers and their international counterparts, and improve the earning power of home-based cottage workers, particularly involving bead-making in the state.
The conference is also to provide an avenue for beads enthusiasts to exchange information and acquire knowledge on these tiny jewels.
Ten beads specialists have been invited to share their knowledge and expertise at the conference.
Among them is American Jamey Allen, a researcher, lecturer and specialist on antique beads, especially multi-layered Rosetta beads who will present a paper entitled ‘The Heirloom Beads of Island South-East Asia’.
Others are Australian National University’s Dr Cheah Hwei Fen, an expert on Nyonya beadworks, who will present a paper entitled ‘Beadworks (Penang, Singapore, Malacca); highly-respected antique and modern bead jewellery designer from Indonesia Yekti Kusmortono; Sarawak Museum director Ipoi Datan; Curtin University of Technology Sarawak Campus Eileen Paya Foong; Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Poline Bala, Orang Asli specialist Reita Rahim and Standards Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia’s Nor Azmah Abdul Kadir.
Dr Cheah will share visuals on Nyonya beadwork and draw comparisons with dress, costumes, jewellery and interior decorations to explore Peranakan Chinese ideas about fashion, identity, change and women’s lives in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Kusmortono will touch on beads as an Indonesian heritage and present a paper on ‘From Shards to Art Antique Beads, Recycled Glass’.
Participation fee is RM480 per person and RM380 per person for block-booking.
Thursday September 23, 2010
Locals shying away from international conference in Miri
By DIANA ROSE
drose@thestar.com.my
Foreigners are showing more interest in the upcoming two-day Borneo International Beads Conference 2010 in Miri than locals.
Its organising director Heidi Munan said so far more than 60 people had registered for the conference on Oct 9 and 10 but most of them were foreign participants including from Australia, United States, England, India, Indonesia, Sabah and Brunei.
Heidi said this was the first time the conference is being organised in Malaysia.
“So far it has attracted many international participants but not the locals. Perhaps they (the locals) will show up at the last minute,” she told StarMetro yesterday.
Heidi, who was in Miri to finalise preparation for the event, said the organiser was expecting about 100 participants.
She appealed to ethnic-based associations representing the respective local communities, particularly the Orang Ulu, Melanau, Bidayuh and Iban to send representatives to the conference.
“Indeed it will be quite a show,’’ promised Heidi whose passion for beads started when she first set foot in Sarawak in 1965 and is credited with authoring a book entitled ‘Beads of Borneo’ which was published in 2005.
Heidi said the objectives of the conference were to preserve the Sarawak bead tradition, facilitate creative interaction between local artisans, designers and their international counterparts, and improve the earning power of home-based cottage workers, particularly involving bead-making in the state.
The conference is also to provide an avenue for beads enthusiasts to exchange information and acquire knowledge on these tiny jewels.
Ten beads specialists have been invited to share their knowledge and expertise at the conference.
Among them is American Jamey Allen, a researcher, lecturer and specialist on antique beads, especially multi-layered Rosetta beads who will present a paper entitled ‘The Heirloom Beads of Island South-East Asia’.
Others are Australian National University’s Dr Cheah Hwei Fen, an expert on Nyonya beadworks, who will present a paper entitled ‘Beadworks (Penang, Singapore, Malacca); highly-respected antique and modern bead jewellery designer from Indonesia Yekti Kusmortono; Sarawak Museum director Ipoi Datan; Curtin University of Technology Sarawak Campus Eileen Paya Foong; Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Poline Bala, Orang Asli specialist Reita Rahim and Standards Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia’s Nor Azmah Abdul Kadir.
Dr Cheah will share visuals on Nyonya beadwork and draw comparisons with dress, costumes, jewellery and interior decorations to explore Peranakan Chinese ideas about fashion, identity, change and women’s lives in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Kusmortono will touch on beads as an Indonesian heritage and present a paper on ‘From Shards to Art Antique Beads, Recycled Glass’.
Participation fee is RM480 per person and RM380 per person for block-booking.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
A Malaysia Day reflection
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/opinion/comment/10438-a-malaysia-day-reflection
A Malaysia Day reflection
Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00
By Hilary Chiew
COMMENT Malaysia Day last Thursday saw considerable outpouring of sentiments of ‘oneness’ on the pages of newspapers and online portals and even on the streets.
Some were the predictable reiteration and re-examination of the 20- and 18-point agreements that applied to Sabah and Sarawak when the two states in Borneo together with the Federation of Malaya and Singapore formed Malaysia in 1963.
There were also the propagandists ‘feel-good’ stories of West Malaysians singing praises of the ‘development’ they saw happening in the two states across the South China Sea.
These stories are to be taken with a generous helping of salt. Actually, they are more like rubbing salt to the wounds. The discontent of East Malaysians is centred on being left behind in the grand scheme of national development but some of those positive stories are arguing along the line that they should be grateful for whatever they have got so far.
One army veteran shared his observation of the improvement in the road and the Kuching General Hospital’s cardiac unit. For the road, he was comparing it with the gravel ones in the 1960s when he was first posted there and later became a civilian and now residing in Kuching.
Maybe he has never travel to the interior on bumpy and dangerous timber roads and not visited the health service centres that are understaffed and poorly equipped. Many are manned by junior medical attendants where the needs for quality medical attention are most needed.
Not only that all these essential social services are rare, economic development projects promoted by the state governments (which in turn are endorsed by the federal government) are threatening the self-subsistence lifestyle of the rural populations.
Maybe like many urbanites on both sides of the sea, he chose to turn a deaf ear and be blind to this backwardness. After all, ignorance is bliss.
Poor roads have been lifelong complain of at least two generations of Sabahans and Sarawakians. For the slightly better off folks, they are unhappy that they can’t travel in a huge part of their states with a sedan car like most West Malaysians instead of a four-wheel-drive. And these 4WDs last lesser than in the peninsula, no thanks to the potholed-ridden unsealed surfaces.
Their frustrations are further compounded by their realization that they are endowed with rich resources that had been exploited all these 47 years which enriched the national coffer yet they remained the poorest states in the federation.
In his speech to mark the first Malaysia Day celebration in Kota Kinabalu, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak promised a greater push towards ending the social and economic disparities between peninsula and the Borneo states, tacitly admitting the neglect.
The government is fully aware of the disparity and the state of inequality that are leading to further marginalisation of Sabahans and Sarawakians. In its more recent Malaysian Plans, notably the 8th and 9th plans, the problem was acknowledged with promises of rectification. But plans after plans, there are hardly any evaluation of the failures in implementation and the situation remains.
Throwing money irresponsibly
All these talks about road construction reminded me of the recent announcement of development allocation by Najib when he visited Sarawak on the heels of yet another report on sexual violations against Penan womenfolks.
But instead of addressing the issue head-on (I wonder if members of the press did and dare ask him to comment on the problem), the helicopter visit turned into a project-pledging trip.
(The trip was preceded by Women’s Affair Minister Shahrizat whirlwind visit to Batu Bungan, supposedly to get a first hand knowledge of the recurring rape issues.)
Hence, it was largely seen by many political observers as a pre-state election exercise to bolster the battered image of the state that was reeling from one expose after another of Taib’s overseas wealth accumulation which by the way, until this day, Najib’s administration has never commented.
Anyway, he pledged RM101mil to upgrade the infamous Beluru-Lapok road; a 42km largely gravel road connecting the major thoroughfare into the interior of timber-rich Baram with the coastal cities of Miri and Bintulu.
The locals have interesting names for the road – Jumping Road, Bone-breaking Road, Jalan Lobang etc. There are also stories which are the stuff of urban legend – the roughness of the road is also said to be birth-inducing; babies had been delivered prematurely in vehicles.
Locals will tell you that the handful of sealed stretches of the road were election goodies. Past pledges from the federal government to seal the entire road had mysteriously evaporated elections after elections.
As with most government allocations that are awarded to private contractors without going through open tendering, the final products are predictably substandard.
Another pledge - the RM6million allocation for a mini hydro-electric project in Long Banga, upper Baram is also questionable.
The flopped rural electrification project in the Sarawak Kelabit Highland comes to mind. In 1997, the Ministry of Rural Development awarded a RM17million contract for a hybrid micro-hydro electrification for the Bario Asal longhouse community in Bario.
In the absence of project transparency, the contractor purportedly installed a 100kW turbine which was way beyond the capacity of the Merario River. After a big launch fanfare, the electricity supply lasted a mere 15 minutes, claimed some locals.
In any case, it eventually incurred a cost of RM900 per month diesel cost for three-hour indoor lighting. This was due to wrong judgment of the hydro capacity to turn the ill-fitted big turbine. The system has since been abandoned and was partly destroyed by flash floods in 2003.
Subsequently, an indigenous peoples’ organization from Sabah – Pacos Trust (Partners in Community Organisations) provided technical assistance to the community to revive the project with less than RM500,000. The 40kW mini-hydro project is now providing 24-hour electricity for the 47 households of Bario Asal in January 2009.
Thus far, Pacos has successfully implemented community-based mini-hydro in Long Lawen, Belaga and tow other remote villages in Sabah – Kg Terian in Penampang and Kg Bantul in Pensiangan.
Hardly the solution
Micro-hydro projects that involved communities from the beginning are a proven solution to rural electrification; a sound alternative to mega dams, coal-fired power plants and even nuclear power plants that are not only costly, environmentally destructive but involved transmission across hundreds or thousands of kilometers resulting in energy losses, rendering them highly inefficient.
So, throwing huge sum of taxpayers money nilly-willy can hardly be the solution.
Furthermore, it risks being perceived as yet another way to enrich the politically-connected companies that stand to wrest the contracts.
And when it comes to mega projects like the Bakun dam, displaced communities became dispossesed in the grand scheme of development. It certainly doesn’t bode well for nation-building if these Sarawakians are deprived of electricity when they had already sacrificed so much only to have the energy earmarked for energy-wasteful peninsula. At least that was the initial plan which has since been shelved.
When people are dispossessed, can you blame them for their discontent?
Malaysia Day celebration will be meaningful only when we stopped serving the East Malaysians the crumbs from our dining tables and embrace all Malaysians as one regardless of race and religion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hilary Chiew is a socio-environmental researcher and freelance writer based in Kuala Lumpur.
A Malaysia Day reflection
Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00
By Hilary Chiew
COMMENT Malaysia Day last Thursday saw considerable outpouring of sentiments of ‘oneness’ on the pages of newspapers and online portals and even on the streets.
Some were the predictable reiteration and re-examination of the 20- and 18-point agreements that applied to Sabah and Sarawak when the two states in Borneo together with the Federation of Malaya and Singapore formed Malaysia in 1963.
There were also the propagandists ‘feel-good’ stories of West Malaysians singing praises of the ‘development’ they saw happening in the two states across the South China Sea.
These stories are to be taken with a generous helping of salt. Actually, they are more like rubbing salt to the wounds. The discontent of East Malaysians is centred on being left behind in the grand scheme of national development but some of those positive stories are arguing along the line that they should be grateful for whatever they have got so far.
One army veteran shared his observation of the improvement in the road and the Kuching General Hospital’s cardiac unit. For the road, he was comparing it with the gravel ones in the 1960s when he was first posted there and later became a civilian and now residing in Kuching.
Maybe he has never travel to the interior on bumpy and dangerous timber roads and not visited the health service centres that are understaffed and poorly equipped. Many are manned by junior medical attendants where the needs for quality medical attention are most needed.
Not only that all these essential social services are rare, economic development projects promoted by the state governments (which in turn are endorsed by the federal government) are threatening the self-subsistence lifestyle of the rural populations.
Maybe like many urbanites on both sides of the sea, he chose to turn a deaf ear and be blind to this backwardness. After all, ignorance is bliss.
Poor roads have been lifelong complain of at least two generations of Sabahans and Sarawakians. For the slightly better off folks, they are unhappy that they can’t travel in a huge part of their states with a sedan car like most West Malaysians instead of a four-wheel-drive. And these 4WDs last lesser than in the peninsula, no thanks to the potholed-ridden unsealed surfaces.
Their frustrations are further compounded by their realization that they are endowed with rich resources that had been exploited all these 47 years which enriched the national coffer yet they remained the poorest states in the federation.
In his speech to mark the first Malaysia Day celebration in Kota Kinabalu, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak promised a greater push towards ending the social and economic disparities between peninsula and the Borneo states, tacitly admitting the neglect.
The government is fully aware of the disparity and the state of inequality that are leading to further marginalisation of Sabahans and Sarawakians. In its more recent Malaysian Plans, notably the 8th and 9th plans, the problem was acknowledged with promises of rectification. But plans after plans, there are hardly any evaluation of the failures in implementation and the situation remains.
Throwing money irresponsibly
All these talks about road construction reminded me of the recent announcement of development allocation by Najib when he visited Sarawak on the heels of yet another report on sexual violations against Penan womenfolks.
But instead of addressing the issue head-on (I wonder if members of the press did and dare ask him to comment on the problem), the helicopter visit turned into a project-pledging trip.
(The trip was preceded by Women’s Affair Minister Shahrizat whirlwind visit to Batu Bungan, supposedly to get a first hand knowledge of the recurring rape issues.)
Hence, it was largely seen by many political observers as a pre-state election exercise to bolster the battered image of the state that was reeling from one expose after another of Taib’s overseas wealth accumulation which by the way, until this day, Najib’s administration has never commented.
Anyway, he pledged RM101mil to upgrade the infamous Beluru-Lapok road; a 42km largely gravel road connecting the major thoroughfare into the interior of timber-rich Baram with the coastal cities of Miri and Bintulu.
The locals have interesting names for the road – Jumping Road, Bone-breaking Road, Jalan Lobang etc. There are also stories which are the stuff of urban legend – the roughness of the road is also said to be birth-inducing; babies had been delivered prematurely in vehicles.
Locals will tell you that the handful of sealed stretches of the road were election goodies. Past pledges from the federal government to seal the entire road had mysteriously evaporated elections after elections.
As with most government allocations that are awarded to private contractors without going through open tendering, the final products are predictably substandard.
Another pledge - the RM6million allocation for a mini hydro-electric project in Long Banga, upper Baram is also questionable.
The flopped rural electrification project in the Sarawak Kelabit Highland comes to mind. In 1997, the Ministry of Rural Development awarded a RM17million contract for a hybrid micro-hydro electrification for the Bario Asal longhouse community in Bario.
In the absence of project transparency, the contractor purportedly installed a 100kW turbine which was way beyond the capacity of the Merario River. After a big launch fanfare, the electricity supply lasted a mere 15 minutes, claimed some locals.
In any case, it eventually incurred a cost of RM900 per month diesel cost for three-hour indoor lighting. This was due to wrong judgment of the hydro capacity to turn the ill-fitted big turbine. The system has since been abandoned and was partly destroyed by flash floods in 2003.
Subsequently, an indigenous peoples’ organization from Sabah – Pacos Trust (Partners in Community Organisations) provided technical assistance to the community to revive the project with less than RM500,000. The 40kW mini-hydro project is now providing 24-hour electricity for the 47 households of Bario Asal in January 2009.
Thus far, Pacos has successfully implemented community-based mini-hydro in Long Lawen, Belaga and tow other remote villages in Sabah – Kg Terian in Penampang and Kg Bantul in Pensiangan.
Hardly the solution
Micro-hydro projects that involved communities from the beginning are a proven solution to rural electrification; a sound alternative to mega dams, coal-fired power plants and even nuclear power plants that are not only costly, environmentally destructive but involved transmission across hundreds or thousands of kilometers resulting in energy losses, rendering them highly inefficient.
So, throwing huge sum of taxpayers money nilly-willy can hardly be the solution.
Furthermore, it risks being perceived as yet another way to enrich the politically-connected companies that stand to wrest the contracts.
And when it comes to mega projects like the Bakun dam, displaced communities became dispossesed in the grand scheme of development. It certainly doesn’t bode well for nation-building if these Sarawakians are deprived of electricity when they had already sacrificed so much only to have the energy earmarked for energy-wasteful peninsula. At least that was the initial plan which has since been shelved.
When people are dispossessed, can you blame them for their discontent?
Malaysia Day celebration will be meaningful only when we stopped serving the East Malaysians the crumbs from our dining tables and embrace all Malaysians as one regardless of race and religion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hilary Chiew is a socio-environmental researcher and freelance writer based in Kuala Lumpur.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
S’wak all for sustainable Permanent Forest Estates
http://tribune.my/prime/2511-swak-all-for-sustainable-permanent-forest-estates.html
S’wak all for sustainable Permanent Forest Estates
Thursday, 09 September 2010 12:51
KUCHING: The Sarawak Government is committed towards ensuring that the State’s Permanent Forest Estates are sustainably managed.
In the case of illegal logging, it is very much under controlled.
The State Government does not condone any illegal harvesting and irresponsible forest management. However, it must also face the reality that there are no countries in this world that can absolutely ensure that illegal felling of timber did not happen. Even the countries in Europe are no exception.
Giving this assurance was Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management and Minister of Public Utilities, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, through a statement received here yesterday.
“We take pride in our forests, which are systematically managed according to principles established by the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
Our goal is to manage our forests in a manner that is environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable.
“The Forest Department is entrusted with forest management, forest protection, and the efficient and effective utilisation of forest resources.
It is responsible for protecting the state’s forest assets and the preservation and conservation of the state’s flora and fauna,” he added.
He added: “Samling was in the news lately due to the media statement issued by the Norwegian Government Pension Fund announcing its divestment of their shares in the company. Samling is a long term player and has been in operation in Sarawak for well over four decades. The state government wishes to allay fear about the company’s alleged irresponsible activities.
Samling is one of the most responsible companies in the state and has adhered to the stringent conditions of concession agreements and licences. Over the years, the company has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable forest practices.
“Samling is also a caring organisation and its corporate social responsibility is second to none. Much efforts and assistance has been done by the company towards the communities living within the area of operation. Samling has built roads and bridges to improve transportation and accessibility between villages and towns for forest communities.
“One project involved the construction of two major roads and bridges: one linking Pa Dallih with Pa Mada to the north, and another linking Bario settlements, and benefiting 14 remote Kelabit villages. The infrastructure projects were undertaken at the request of local communities, and had been given the approval by the state government.
“Allegation of Samling’s encroachment into the sovereign territory of Indonesia is a figment of the Council of Ethics’ imagination. It i s publ i c knowledge i n Sarawak for indigenous communities to regularly cros s the Indones ia- Sarawak borders without valid documents to visit family members on either side. The satellite image in the Council of Ethics Draft Recommendation captures these border crossings. It shows a settlement on the Indonesian border with dirt trails leading to Sarawak to facilitate inter-border communication, and barter trade between communities on both sides of the border.
“Also, upon further investigation, the Council’s satellite imagery which shows “evidence of past logging in the buffer zone” appears to be a cloud cover and not “disturbed areas covered by new vegetation” as claimed by the Council.
“The state government also vouches for Samling’s EIA performance – it has met all EIA requirements and approvals set out by the Sarawak Forest Department.
“The state government views the public defamation of Samling as disturbing especially when it is based on biased, uncollaborated and incomplete information.
“These allegations will have serious repercussion towards the well-being of the state and the timber industry at large. It also undermines the Sarawak Forest Department’s role in promoting responsible tropical forestry, and the continuous improvements it has made in its journey to achieve best practices in sustainable forest management,” the statement ended.
S’wak all for sustainable Permanent Forest Estates
Thursday, 09 September 2010 12:51
KUCHING: The Sarawak Government is committed towards ensuring that the State’s Permanent Forest Estates are sustainably managed.
In the case of illegal logging, it is very much under controlled.
The State Government does not condone any illegal harvesting and irresponsible forest management. However, it must also face the reality that there are no countries in this world that can absolutely ensure that illegal felling of timber did not happen. Even the countries in Europe are no exception.
Giving this assurance was Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management and Minister of Public Utilities, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, through a statement received here yesterday.
“We take pride in our forests, which are systematically managed according to principles established by the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
Our goal is to manage our forests in a manner that is environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable.
“The Forest Department is entrusted with forest management, forest protection, and the efficient and effective utilisation of forest resources.
It is responsible for protecting the state’s forest assets and the preservation and conservation of the state’s flora and fauna,” he added.
He added: “Samling was in the news lately due to the media statement issued by the Norwegian Government Pension Fund announcing its divestment of their shares in the company. Samling is a long term player and has been in operation in Sarawak for well over four decades. The state government wishes to allay fear about the company’s alleged irresponsible activities.
Samling is one of the most responsible companies in the state and has adhered to the stringent conditions of concession agreements and licences. Over the years, the company has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable forest practices.
“Samling is also a caring organisation and its corporate social responsibility is second to none. Much efforts and assistance has been done by the company towards the communities living within the area of operation. Samling has built roads and bridges to improve transportation and accessibility between villages and towns for forest communities.
“One project involved the construction of two major roads and bridges: one linking Pa Dallih with Pa Mada to the north, and another linking Bario settlements, and benefiting 14 remote Kelabit villages. The infrastructure projects were undertaken at the request of local communities, and had been given the approval by the state government.
“Allegation of Samling’s encroachment into the sovereign territory of Indonesia is a figment of the Council of Ethics’ imagination. It i s publ i c knowledge i n Sarawak for indigenous communities to regularly cros s the Indones ia- Sarawak borders without valid documents to visit family members on either side. The satellite image in the Council of Ethics Draft Recommendation captures these border crossings. It shows a settlement on the Indonesian border with dirt trails leading to Sarawak to facilitate inter-border communication, and barter trade between communities on both sides of the border.
“Also, upon further investigation, the Council’s satellite imagery which shows “evidence of past logging in the buffer zone” appears to be a cloud cover and not “disturbed areas covered by new vegetation” as claimed by the Council.
“The state government also vouches for Samling’s EIA performance – it has met all EIA requirements and approvals set out by the Sarawak Forest Department.
“The state government views the public defamation of Samling as disturbing especially when it is based on biased, uncollaborated and incomplete information.
“These allegations will have serious repercussion towards the well-being of the state and the timber industry at large. It also undermines the Sarawak Forest Department’s role in promoting responsible tropical forestry, and the continuous improvements it has made in its journey to achieve best practices in sustainable forest management,” the statement ended.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Bario Radio on air soon
http://tribune.my/prime/2246-bario-radio-on-air-soon.html
Bario Radio on air soon
Thursday, 02 September 2010 11:58
KUCHING: eBario Sdn Bhd, a social enterprise established to operate the remote and isolated eBario telecentre located in the Kelabit Highlands, became the recipient of Malaysia’s first license for a community radio station issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on Aug 31.
MCMC described community radio as “a small scale, low cost, not for profit radio broadcasting system designed to deliver content that has specific interest to the community it serves.” Acknowledging the recent interest in the provision of such services, most notably by eBario Sdn Bhd, MCMC pointed out that the concept is relatively new to Malaysia.
Accordingly, the regulatory body has recently issued new guidelines for applying for a community radio license.
Community radio stations have blossomed in much of Africa and Latin America and have sprung up in neighbouring countries in Asia.
Within their limited reach of 15-30 kilometres, and the relatively low cost of setting up and ease of use, they are used by communities to broadcast information of local interest.
Broadcasts are usually prepared by the residents themselves and are often conducted in local languages or dialects that national media do not cater to.
The Bario community radio station is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), under its Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF).
According to John Tarawe, CEO of eBario Sdn Bhd and a research fellow and consultant at the Centre of Excellence for Rural Informatics (CoERI) at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, the proposal to set up the station was one of forty successful submissions to the IPAF out of more than 800 from around the world.
He added that the proposal was an initiative which took two years of lobbying by the community with support from Rurum Kelabit Sarawak Tarawe, who is also a Kelabit resident of Bario and district councillor, stated that the station is intended to serve the people within the Forum of the Indigenous People of the Highlands of Borneo, known by its acronym Formadat (Forum Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi).
“The eBario telecentre currently provides information services to the Bario community via shared public access to the internet.
“Having won multiple awards for its innovative approach to the use of Information and Communications Technologies for the social and economic development of the people living in the remote Bario area, the radio station is seen as a natural extension by delivering information right into the homes of the residents,” said Tarawe.
The station will be managed and operated by the community themselves, broadcasting much of its material in the local Kelabit language.
With their internet connection, it also planned to broadcast programmes on the internet to provide information services to the wider Kelabit diaspora living throughout Malaysia and beyond.
Members of the Bario community have been involved in every step of the proposal and they are enthusiastic about the prospect of operating their own radio station.
Expressing concern that the Kelabit language is dying as the younger generation moves away from the area, Tarawe said, “It is expected that the radio station will contribute towards the revival of the language.” The station will also broadcast local news collected by the residents themselves as well as facilitate debate on issues of local concern.
It will also provide a channel for public service announcements in the local Kelabit language, including the relaying of national news, providing information to promote better agriculture, encouraging commercial enterprises, preserving the local culture, extending education and improve public health.
The initiators of Bario Radio expect it to herald more such proposals for community radio stations to improve information flow to Malaysia’s isolated rural and indigenous communities.
For more information on eBario, call John Tarawe on 019-4381777 or email him at jtarawe@ bario.net
Bario Radio on air soon
Thursday, 02 September 2010 11:58
KUCHING: eBario Sdn Bhd, a social enterprise established to operate the remote and isolated eBario telecentre located in the Kelabit Highlands, became the recipient of Malaysia’s first license for a community radio station issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on Aug 31.
MCMC described community radio as “a small scale, low cost, not for profit radio broadcasting system designed to deliver content that has specific interest to the community it serves.” Acknowledging the recent interest in the provision of such services, most notably by eBario Sdn Bhd, MCMC pointed out that the concept is relatively new to Malaysia.
Accordingly, the regulatory body has recently issued new guidelines for applying for a community radio license.
Community radio stations have blossomed in much of Africa and Latin America and have sprung up in neighbouring countries in Asia.
Within their limited reach of 15-30 kilometres, and the relatively low cost of setting up and ease of use, they are used by communities to broadcast information of local interest.
Broadcasts are usually prepared by the residents themselves and are often conducted in local languages or dialects that national media do not cater to.
The Bario community radio station is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), under its Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF).
According to John Tarawe, CEO of eBario Sdn Bhd and a research fellow and consultant at the Centre of Excellence for Rural Informatics (CoERI) at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, the proposal to set up the station was one of forty successful submissions to the IPAF out of more than 800 from around the world.
He added that the proposal was an initiative which took two years of lobbying by the community with support from Rurum Kelabit Sarawak Tarawe, who is also a Kelabit resident of Bario and district councillor, stated that the station is intended to serve the people within the Forum of the Indigenous People of the Highlands of Borneo, known by its acronym Formadat (Forum Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi).
“The eBario telecentre currently provides information services to the Bario community via shared public access to the internet.
“Having won multiple awards for its innovative approach to the use of Information and Communications Technologies for the social and economic development of the people living in the remote Bario area, the radio station is seen as a natural extension by delivering information right into the homes of the residents,” said Tarawe.
The station will be managed and operated by the community themselves, broadcasting much of its material in the local Kelabit language.
With their internet connection, it also planned to broadcast programmes on the internet to provide information services to the wider Kelabit diaspora living throughout Malaysia and beyond.
Members of the Bario community have been involved in every step of the proposal and they are enthusiastic about the prospect of operating their own radio station.
Expressing concern that the Kelabit language is dying as the younger generation moves away from the area, Tarawe said, “It is expected that the radio station will contribute towards the revival of the language.” The station will also broadcast local news collected by the residents themselves as well as facilitate debate on issues of local concern.
It will also provide a channel for public service announcements in the local Kelabit language, including the relaying of national news, providing information to promote better agriculture, encouraging commercial enterprises, preserving the local culture, extending education and improve public health.
The initiators of Bario Radio expect it to herald more such proposals for community radio stations to improve information flow to Malaysia’s isolated rural and indigenous communities.
For more information on eBario, call John Tarawe on 019-4381777 or email him at jtarawe@ bario.net
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
eBario Sdn Bhd miliki stesen radio komuniti pertama di Malaysia
http://sarawakupdate.com/home/berita/zon-utara/ebario-sdn-bhd-miliki-stesen-radio-komuniti-pertama-di-malaysia/
eBario Sdn Bhd miliki stesen radio komuniti pertama di Malaysia
KUCHING, 1 Sept (Bernama)
Sebuah perusahaan sosial, eBario Sdn Bhd, yang diwujudkan untuk mengendalikan telepusat eBario yang jauh dan terpencil di Tanah Tinggi Kelabit di Sarawak, muncul penerima pertama lesen bagi sebuah stesen radio komuniti di negara ini.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, John Tarawe berkata lesen untuk mengendalikan stesen Radio Komuniti Bario itu dikeluarkan oleh Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia (SKMK) semalam.
Tarawe, seorang fellow penyelidik dan perunding di pusat kecemerlangan informatik luar bandar, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), berkata:
“Cadangan untuk mewujudkan stesen itu adalah antara 40 permohonan terpilih daripada 800 dari seluruh dunia, kepada kemudahan Bantuan Masyarakat Adat (IPAF), dan merupakan inisiatif yang mengambil masa dua tahun untuk komuniti itu melobi dengan mendapat sokongan Rurum Kelabit Sarawak,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.
Tarawe, daripada suku Kelabit yang tinggal di Bario dan seorang ahli majlis daerah, berkata stesen itu, yang berhasrat memberi perkhidmatan kepada penduduk dalam lingkungan Forum Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi (Formadat) — dibiayai oleh Dana Antarabangsa bagi Pembangunan Pertanian, di bawah IPAF.
Ekoran kejayaan meraih pelbagai anugerah kerana pendekatan berinovasi dalam penggunaan teknologi komunikasi maklumat bagi pembangunan sosio-ekonomi penduduk di kawasan pedalaman Bario, beliau berkata stesen radio itu dilihat sebagai sambungan semula jadi telepusat eBario dengan menyalurkan maklumat terus ke rumah mereka.
Pada masa ini, telepusat itu menyediakan khidmat maklumat kepada penduduk Bario menerusi perkongsian akses awam ke internet.
“Stesen itu akan diuruskan dan dikendalikan oleh komuniti itu sendiri, dengan penyiaran sebahagian besar daripada bahannya dilakukan dalam bahasa Kelabit tempatan,” kata Tarawe.
Dengan perancangan untuk menyiarkan program di internet untuk menyediakan khidmat maklumat kepada sejumlah besar perantau Kelabit yang tinggal di seluruh Malaysia dan sekitarnya, beliau berkata stesen radio itu juga dijangka memberi sumbangan ke arah menghidupkan semula bahasa.
Selain menyiarkan berita tempatan yang dikumpul oleh penduduk sendiri, stesen itu akan menyediakan saluran untuk pengumuman khidmat awam dalam bahasa Kelabit, termasuk menyampaikan berita nasional, selain menyediakan maklumat bagi menggalakkan pertanian yang lebih baik, menggalakkan perusahaan komersial, memelihara budaya setempat, memperluas pendidikan dan menambah baik kesihatan awam.
Sementara itu, SKMK menggambarkan radio komuniti itu sebagai “berskala kecil, kos rendah, sistem penyiaran radio yang bukan bermatlamatkan keuntungan direka untuk menyampaikan kandungan yang mempunyai kepentingan khusus kepada komuniti yang diliputinya.” — BERNAMA
eBario Sdn Bhd miliki stesen radio komuniti pertama di Malaysia
KUCHING, 1 Sept (Bernama)
Sebuah perusahaan sosial, eBario Sdn Bhd, yang diwujudkan untuk mengendalikan telepusat eBario yang jauh dan terpencil di Tanah Tinggi Kelabit di Sarawak, muncul penerima pertama lesen bagi sebuah stesen radio komuniti di negara ini.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, John Tarawe berkata lesen untuk mengendalikan stesen Radio Komuniti Bario itu dikeluarkan oleh Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia (SKMK) semalam.
Tarawe, seorang fellow penyelidik dan perunding di pusat kecemerlangan informatik luar bandar, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), berkata:
“Cadangan untuk mewujudkan stesen itu adalah antara 40 permohonan terpilih daripada 800 dari seluruh dunia, kepada kemudahan Bantuan Masyarakat Adat (IPAF), dan merupakan inisiatif yang mengambil masa dua tahun untuk komuniti itu melobi dengan mendapat sokongan Rurum Kelabit Sarawak,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.
Tarawe, daripada suku Kelabit yang tinggal di Bario dan seorang ahli majlis daerah, berkata stesen itu, yang berhasrat memberi perkhidmatan kepada penduduk dalam lingkungan Forum Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi (Formadat) — dibiayai oleh Dana Antarabangsa bagi Pembangunan Pertanian, di bawah IPAF.
Ekoran kejayaan meraih pelbagai anugerah kerana pendekatan berinovasi dalam penggunaan teknologi komunikasi maklumat bagi pembangunan sosio-ekonomi penduduk di kawasan pedalaman Bario, beliau berkata stesen radio itu dilihat sebagai sambungan semula jadi telepusat eBario dengan menyalurkan maklumat terus ke rumah mereka.
Pada masa ini, telepusat itu menyediakan khidmat maklumat kepada penduduk Bario menerusi perkongsian akses awam ke internet.
“Stesen itu akan diuruskan dan dikendalikan oleh komuniti itu sendiri, dengan penyiaran sebahagian besar daripada bahannya dilakukan dalam bahasa Kelabit tempatan,” kata Tarawe.
Dengan perancangan untuk menyiarkan program di internet untuk menyediakan khidmat maklumat kepada sejumlah besar perantau Kelabit yang tinggal di seluruh Malaysia dan sekitarnya, beliau berkata stesen radio itu juga dijangka memberi sumbangan ke arah menghidupkan semula bahasa.
Selain menyiarkan berita tempatan yang dikumpul oleh penduduk sendiri, stesen itu akan menyediakan saluran untuk pengumuman khidmat awam dalam bahasa Kelabit, termasuk menyampaikan berita nasional, selain menyediakan maklumat bagi menggalakkan pertanian yang lebih baik, menggalakkan perusahaan komersial, memelihara budaya setempat, memperluas pendidikan dan menambah baik kesihatan awam.
Sementara itu, SKMK menggambarkan radio komuniti itu sebagai “berskala kecil, kos rendah, sistem penyiaran radio yang bukan bermatlamatkan keuntungan direka untuk menyampaikan kandungan yang mempunyai kepentingan khusus kepada komuniti yang diliputinya.” — BERNAMA
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