UCHING: A Sarawakian blogger has slammed the federal government’s plan to shift the Parliament house at the cost of RM800 million and its proposed purchase of 256 military tanks and three navy ships for RM10.2billion.
Blogger and activist John Brian Anthony has questioned the necessity for such extravagance in view of the rampant incidences of poverty in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Are these purchases and construction really necessary when incidences of poverty in Sarawak and Sabah are still very high?
“There are people with no clean drinking water, electricity, MyKad, land titles, roads and even food here in Sarawak. Does anyone care?,” he asked in his posting on the Dayakbaru blog.
He also drew attention to the federal government’s prompt response to international disaster and its generous donations.
“It is interesting to note how quickly the government responds to international disasters, giving away millions of ringgit while here in Malaysia starvation, no proper medical care, high infant mortality rate are a daily affair.
“It’s all happening here in Sabah and Sarawak but that is easily forgotten,” he said.
Anthony also slammed the Sarawak government for treating the rural Dayaks like slaves, saying that laws and policies by the administration did not recognize native rights.
“The government’s land development policies only benefit the investors and enslaves the Dayaks, forcing them to earn a daily wage of RM8 to RM12 per day.
“Why are the laws and policies so restrictive of Dayaks? It does not help them to build a better life?” he asked.
Look at the Penans
He said despite the various developments in Sarawak, the lives of Dayak living in rural areas had not changed.
“Rural dayaks depend on natural resources. But the government in its bid for development does not take into consideration the impact of their decision to extract natural resources to the rural Dayaks,” he said.
Citing the Penan community as an example, Anthony said when the government began developing land, the Penans, who are hunter–gatherers, ended up starving and without food.
“How could that be when the Penans live a very basic life of jungle gathering, hunting and limited farming?
“When the government took away their natural heritage: forest logs, clean rivers, meat, building materials, farm land and traditional herbal medicines, they were left with nothing.
“For all it has taken, the government has given very little to give back to the Dayaks,” he said..
FMT
14/06/10
Blogger and activist John Brian Anthony has questioned the necessity for such extravagance in view of the rampant incidences of poverty in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Are these purchases and construction really necessary when incidences of poverty in Sarawak and Sabah are still very high?
“There are people with no clean drinking water, electricity, MyKad, land titles, roads and even food here in Sarawak. Does anyone care?,” he asked in his posting on the Dayakbaru blog.
He also drew attention to the federal government’s prompt response to international disaster and its generous donations.
“It is interesting to note how quickly the government responds to international disasters, giving away millions of ringgit while here in Malaysia starvation, no proper medical care, high infant mortality rate are a daily affair.
“It’s all happening here in Sabah and Sarawak but that is easily forgotten,” he said.
Anthony also slammed the Sarawak government for treating the rural Dayaks like slaves, saying that laws and policies by the administration did not recognize native rights.
“The government’s land development policies only benefit the investors and enslaves the Dayaks, forcing them to earn a daily wage of RM8 to RM12 per day.
“Why are the laws and policies so restrictive of Dayaks? It does not help them to build a better life?” he asked.
Look at the Penans
He said despite the various developments in Sarawak, the lives of Dayak living in rural areas had not changed.
“Rural dayaks depend on natural resources. But the government in its bid for development does not take into consideration the impact of their decision to extract natural resources to the rural Dayaks,” he said.
Citing the Penan community as an example, Anthony said when the government began developing land, the Penans, who are hunter–gatherers, ended up starving and without food.
“How could that be when the Penans live a very basic life of jungle gathering, hunting and limited farming?
“When the government took away their natural heritage: forest logs, clean rivers, meat, building materials, farm land and traditional herbal medicines, they were left with nothing.
“For all it has taken, the government has given very little to give back to the Dayaks,” he said..
FMT
14/06/10
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