SCORE must log in more and more into National economy

by Mulu View

The development of SCORE will link the State with the national economy much more in future than in the past as part of the migration from medium income to high income economy and towards the attainment of the status of a developed nation by the year 2020.  

Hence, forum on investment or economic development must change in character to blend in SCORE not only as a mean of intensifying the structure of new industries but also to be logged in more and more into the national economy.  

Sarawak's SCORE

It can be anticipated that many industries will supply products to their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia. For example, some industries producing solar cell have already made plans for the purpose.  There is already more than one firm that is interested to do so. 

Presumably, with the eventual integration of the national economy some problems relating to transportation costs of cargo between Sarawak and Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia can be resolved. Obviously, there is an urgent need to make the freight charges between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak to be more moderate than they are now. It is the only way to build up cargo from Sarawak and Sabah to Peninsular Malaysia. Otherwise, the return trips of cargo ships from both states to Peninsular Malaysia will remain quite empty. 

Understandably, Sarawak has been quite narrow in the approach towards industrial development. It missed opportunities to be involved in import substitution industry for the simple reason it has a small market and the logistic in the State in the old days  was poor.  

Palm oil plantation

Hence, the State had to concentrate on the timber industry to produce products for oversea market.  However, since the mid 90s, it has been opening large tracts of land, now with a total acreage of nearly 1 million hectares, for palm oil estates. The estate development, from scratch, can provide the basis for another industrial exercise towards the year 2020 and beyond. 

Generally, the long-term economic development of Sarawak will be based on heavy industries, bio-tech industries and at later stage eco-tourism in a big way that will bring about a new structure of the economy that can be called high income economy. However, the change that requires very different preparations will be sudden.

Understandably, the State’s major preparation for the implementation of SCORE is to create new breed of people with bigger portion of technical workers. According to the manpower survey being carried out by two firms, engaged by the State government, at least 52% of jobs to be created by SCORE will require skilled workers upward. 

It is projected that the development of SCORE will create a total of 1.6 million jobs for skilled workers upward by the year 2030. Therefore, the training of people to become skilled technical workers poses as the biggest challenge to the State. The problem is compounded by the fact that everywhere in the world namely Singapore, Australia, China and India, there is shortage of technical people; the  State has to compete with them. 

Besides, Sarawak will not be able to compete with them just by getting foreign workers to fill the gap. Instead, the State must plan ahead to ensure by the year 2015, it will have sufficient technical workers for the right segments of industries. By then industries should be able to source their recruitments from the local people. That alone will make education as an industry by itself in Sarawak.  

However, the State has almost a tailor made situation with regard to technical education. The industries, with the intention to come in, will tell the State government what kind of workers that they want.  The people will be trained for them. The match between the requirements of industries and the training programs will in fact enable the State to act expeditiously to meet their requirements.  

In this connection, local industrialists should get more involved in the training of their personnel as part of the overall manpower development in the State. Otherwise, they will have endless problems of one firm pinching workers from the other and vice versa. That will not solve the problem but will instead affect the structure of pay in the middle rung.

Tanjung Manis Airport

It can be anticipated that the initial development SCORE within the next three or four years should be able to benefits the service sector, the construction industry in particular. Hence, those involved in real property development should think of making alliances or expanding their businesses to undertake the development of industrial and housing estates surrounding the hydro dams.  

Understandably, most people involved in heavy industries want to see the cluster of industries in one place. This, of course, means that the State must undertake the mammoth task to develop the infrastructure to supply water and electricity, public utilities and amenities. It will take at least four to five years to do so. But it is something worthwhile to look into as it may be the pattern of heavy industries that will come up in future.  

Obviously, the third segment on SCORE apart from heavy industries and biotech industries in Tanjung Manis, is eco-tourism. This will come in quite prominently in areas where the hydro dams are being built.  These areas, which normally have low population, can be kept alive by having some volume of activities relating to eco-tourism.

It is believed in three or four years from now there will be lot of opportunities for people involved in small and medium industries to explore. Those involved in such industries should try to take advantage of the opportunities that will come up.  

The State has already accepted a total of RM26.4 billion worth of foreign investments to set up heavy industries in SCORE development area. It is something that the State can be happy about, it is more than what has been expected.   They consist of 13 industries, 20% of them are local industries, 30% are joint venture industries and 37% foreign industries.  They will have lots of spin-off effects for local industries. However, the development of heavy industries will take time for them to have spin-off effects on downstream industries. 

Nevertheless, the development of infrastructure as required by industrialists will require injection of huge capital that can benefit service industries, the construction industry in particular.   Hundreds and hundreds of million of ringgits have already been spent for the purpose.  Generally, the investors are quite happy with the progress. 

Generally, works on the development of SCORE are on schedule. For example, Bakun dam is being filled with water ahead of schedule.  The dam is only waiting for all the turbines to be installed before it starts to operate.  Works on Murum hydro dam are on schedule.  The planning for the construction of hydro projects, each at Ulu Baram and Pelagus is being finalized. The two projects, once implemented, will enable the state to achieve target of having 6,000 to 7,000 megawatt of power by the year 2020.  Works to install the transmission lines are on time to the satisfaction of industrialists.  

Bakun Dam

Though works are progressing well to produce food based on biotech processing at Tanjung Manis there a lot more to be done to systematize and market Tanjung Manis as the Halal hub probably using Malaysian brand name.  It is within this context that the State and Federal governments must work together towards achieving the desired objectives.  Undoubtedly, the success of Tanjung Manis will create a lot of opportunities for the small people to get involved in the marketing of the products. 

Understandably, the State Government is happy with efforts of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in organizing the investment forum quite regularly in the State. The forum has become an effective way to make small and medium entrepreneurs to become more active in the industrial development of the country. It has also been able to make local entrepreneurs and businessmen to be aware of opportunities that are coming up in their midst, in SCORE development area in particular. 

 

*Photos Source: google.com.my 

 

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Kesesakan Lalu-lintas di Pujut 7-Permyjaya: Kegagalan Kerajaan BN

Posted by pas-miri in Wednesday, August 3, 2011

PAS Kawasan Miri merasakan keadaan lalu-lintas di sekitar bulatan Pujut 7, Miri semakin kritikal dengan kesesakan yang amat teruk pada waktu pagi dan waktu petang.Kesesakan teruk ini berlaku ketika penduduk-penduduk di sekitar Senadin, Permyjaya, Tudan dan Lutong pergi dan balik dari pejabat masing-masing. Kesesakan luar biasa ini adalah akibat daripada sistem jalan yang kurang sempurna.

Perkara ini dapat dielakkan lebih sepuluh tahun yang lalu sekiranya pihak kerajaan meneliti pelan pembangunan di sekitar kawasan Permyjaya dan Senadin. PAS Kawasan Miri merasa hairan kenapa berlaku pembesaran dan penaikan taraf jalan menghubungkan Lutong dan Kuala Baram melalui Batu Satu sedangkan sekarang jalan itu tidak lagi menjadi jalan utama ke Kuala Baram atau ke Brunei. Kenapa tidak perancangan pembesaran jalan tersebut dipindahkan ke jalan menghubungkan Pujut 7 dan Permyjaya? Ini menunjukkan kerajaan yang ada pada ketika itu tidak memiliki keupayaan untuk merancang dan menguruskan pembangunan infrastruktur dengan baik.

Oleh yang demikian, kami merasakan perlu ada penjelasan daripada pihak yang kerajaan dan Majlis Bandaraya Miri berkenaan kegagalan perancangan ini. Dalam masa yang sama, kami ingin mencadangkan dalam tempoh pembinaan dan pembesaran jalan menghubugnkan Pujut 7 dan Permyjaya ini, pihak PDRM khususnya bahagian trafik perlu mengambil tindakan serius untuk menempatkan anggota bagi mengawal lalu-lintas. Kita tidak mahu pihak PDRM hanya bertindak efektif dalam menguruskan demonstrasi awam yang aman tetapi lembab dalam menguruskan tugasan harian mereka.

Mohammad Arifiriazul,
Ketua Penerangan PAS Kawasan Miri,
www.pas-miri.blogspot.com, arifiriazul@pas.org.my

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PAS tampil ke hadapan rakyat untuk menuju ke arah Negara berkebajikan

Dr Hatta bersama rombongan PAS Miri melawat salah sebuah pondok yang masih dalam proses pembinaan

Miri - Lawatan Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli Pengarah Pilihan Raya PAS Pusat bersama rombogan PAS Miri baru-baru ini ke Kampung Tukau Usaha Jaya untuk bertemu dengan salah seorang penghuni yang mana pondok barunya yang masih dalam pembinaan perlu sedikit bantuan dari orang ramai. Dengan keadaan pondoknya yang serba kekurangan beliau terpaksa berusaha sedaya upaya untuk membina sebuah pondok baru untuk memberi keselesaan dari kena hujan dan panas. Beliau terpaksa bekerja sendiri dan kadang-kadang memohon bantuan rakannya untuk menyiapkan pondok baru tersebut. Beliau pernah memohon bantuan dari badan kebajikan dan juga baitulmal tetapi sehingga ke hari ini belum lagi ada sebarang bantuan dari pihak tersebut.

Walaupun keadaan jalan masih lagi teruk dan tiada kemudahan asas seperti bekalan elektrik dan air bersih dengan sokongan orang ramai dan juga PAS Miri dapatlah beliau membina pondok baru beliau dalam keadaan yang serba kekurangan. Menjelang ramadhan dan bulan syawal yang akan tiba beliau sangat berharap agar ada pihak-pihak yang berwajib dapat memberi bantuan bulanan agar dapat mengurang bebanan yang beliau tanggung selama ini. Beliau hanya bekerja kampong seperti bercucuk tanam dan memotong rumput dalam kawasan kampong tersebut.

Dr Hatta bersama YDP PAS Miri dengan penghuni rumah yang serba daif tanpa ada bekalan air bersih dan elektrik (masih menggunakan generator)
Sebuah lagi keluarga yang rombongan PAS Miri kunjungi sudah pun tinggal di situ belasan tahun tetapi masih lagi hidup dalam keadaan kemiskinan disebabkan tanah yang mereka diami sekarang kemungkinan akan di ambil oleh sebuah syarikat kroni yang memerintah. Walaupun menurut penduduk tersebut tanah yang mereka diami sekarang adalah tanah NCR tetapi dengan adanya sambungan bekalan elektri ke kawasan perumahan mereka bukan bermakna pihak kerajaan sudah memberi kemudahan asas kepada penduduk dalam kampong tersebut tetapi lebih bersifat sementara. Bila-bila masa saja tanah tersebut akan dirampas oleh syarikat yang mempunyai kepentingan dalam kawasan tersebut untuk membina projek perumahan atau projek kelapa sawit. Sekiranya perkara ini terjadi di kemudian hari sudah pasti keluarga yang tinggal di dalam kampong tersebut akan hidup lebih menderita lagi sebab sekarang hampir semua tanah-tanah di Sarawak dimiliki oleh syarikat-syarikta yang mempunyai kepentingan dengan pihak pemerintah. Orang kampong yang sudah tinggal bertahun-tahun di kawasan tersebut memohon tanah yang bergeran susah untuk mendapatkannya sedangkan syarikat yang mempunyai kepentingan dengan mudah memiliki tanah orang kampong yang sudah lama meneroka tanah tersebut dari datuk nenek mereka dahulu. Inilah yang terpaksa ditanggung oleh rakyat Sarawak sekarang. PAS sungguh simpati dengan keadaan yang menimpa nasib penduduk yang tersebut di atas.

Di mana slogan “Rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian di utamakan?” PAS dengan konsep menuju ke arah Negara berkebajikan sedang berusaha sedaya upaya untuk membantu golongan yang tertindas ini. Walaupun PAS masih belum memerintah sepenuhnya tetapi usaha ke arah Negara bekebajikan tetap diberi ke utamaan kepada semua masyarakat tanpa mengira golongan bangsa dan agama.

Englsh version

PAS come out to people before heading toward the State Welfare
Miri - Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli the PAS Centre Elections Director with PAS Miri entourage recently visit to Kampung Usaha Jaya Tukau to meet one of the residents that need some assistance from the public to built the new shelter. With a poor shelter he had to strive to build a new shelter which was still under construction. With a poor hut he had to strive to build a new cottage to be more comfortable from the rain and hot weather. He had worked by himself and sometimes seeks assistance from his friend for the completion of his new cottage. He said he have been seeking help from the charities and the treasury (Baitulmal), but to this day, yet no help from the relevant parties concern arrives.

Although the road are still in bad condition and there is no basic facilities such as electricity and clean water at that areas, with the support of the public and PAS Miri he could be able to build a new shelter but still need more fund to support him buying the building materials. He was hoping that the obligation of the relevant parties to provide monthly assistance in order to reduce the burden of his responsibility for the family for this arriving of the month of Syawal and ramadhan. He only works as village farming and cutting grass in the village area.

Another family visited by Dr Hatta and Miri PAS that had already lived there in his teens and still live in poverty because the land they are living now likely to be taken by a crony of the ruling party. Although according to the resident of the land they live now is NCR land, but with a continued supply to their electricity at the areas that not mean the government already provides basic facilities for people in the village, but more tentative. Any time the land will only be confiscated by the companies that have interests in the area to build a housing project or oil palm project. If this occurs later the families living in these villages will no longer live there and will suffer because now almost all land is owned by Sarawak companies with the interest of the ruling parties. The villagers who had lived many years in the area seeking for land title but it is so difficult to obtain while the company has an interest in owning the land of the village is exploring the land. All this while is to be borne by the people of Sarawak. PAS really sympathize with the fate that befell to the inhabitants of the above.

Where the slogan "People first, the achievement of priority?" PAS with the concept of moving towards the welfare state are doing good enough to help those who are oppressed. Although PAS has not ruled, but the move towards National welfare will be given priority to all people regardless of ethnic and religious groups.

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Problem of gap of information can impede realization of 1Malaysia

by Mulu View


The people in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak and Sabah, sometimes referred to as Borneo states, must nurture strong interests to know places outside their own in the country in the true spirit of 1Malaysia to uphold Malaysia as a truly united and integrated nation towards the year 2020 and beyond.

The country cannot afford to have people with the gap of information among them. For example, some young people in Peninsular Malaysia still ask their new friends or colleagues or university mates from Sarawak, much to their disgust, whether they still live on trees? 

Chinese New Year 2011 at Miri Fan Square

Obviously, this is typical example of the gap of information as those concerned do not have interests to know about Sarawak as a modern State, with every potential to become the fastest growing state in the country. They do not have interests to know that even 200 years ago, it was difficult to find somebody living on trees in Sarawak. Now young children, those in urban areas in particular, yearn to have play houses on trees.

Admittedly, with 4% of poverty remaining, some people may yet to afford houses and squat on State land but still they do not live on trees.  Obviously, the problems of having no interests in knowing about places outside ones’ own must be corrected.  

Generally, the people must consider themselves first and foremost as Malaysians.  For us in Sarawak, we are Malaysians of Anak Sarawak or Anak Sarawak Rakyat Malaysia.  This is called emotional loyalty, ready-made emotional loyalty. 

This is attributable in part to the education system that has brought the people from longhouses, traditional villages first to Batu Lintang and later to Kanowit secondary School schools and Tanjung Lobang Secondary school.  The elite schools were St Joseph’s and St. Thomas’s secondary schools. The other like Dragon secondary and Simanggang secondary schools came in the early 60s. The schools brought together the Bidayuh, Iban, Melanau, Orang Ulu, Chinese children to meet and interact among them. 

Mukah Kaul Celebration

Some of them could be less than 10 years old and had to stay in schools; something that did not happen anywhere else in Malaysia.  At one time Sarawak got one of the biggest populations of school boarders because the Government must make education available to the rural people; education was not a problem to urban population.  There were and still are Bumiputras in Chinese schools too. 

Therefore, the local people comprising of various ethnic groups, religious beliefs and different background, could know each other in schools, through inter-marriages; for example, there are more inter-marriages between orang Ulus and Bidayuhs now; the Bidayuhs used to be confined to Kuching in the South and the Orang Ulu in the North.  But somehow they meet and get married.  This is what is happening in Sarawak, it is good; this is typical example of Anak Sarawak. The concept of Anak Sarawak is very important. And when the local people go to Peninsular Malaysia, they tend to group together because they are more familiar with each other and have a strong feeling of comradeship among them.

Obviously, because Sarawak is separated far apart by South China Sea from Peninsular Malaysia, the people in both regions do not have a similar background of interacting with each other.  They begin to interact quite late at secondary school, college and university levels only. Sarawak has been sending children to study in secondary schools in Peninsular in the mid-70s. The process may be slow but it provides the basis for the people to consider themselves first as Anak Sarawak, citizens of Malaysia.  

The concept of Rakyat Malaysia cannot be taken lightly. Sometimes we don’t appreciate how lucky we are as Malaysians. For example, everybody, unlike in some countries, has the right to go to school. The grading of a school is being made depending on performances of students. More importantly children can come up all the way to the university. Internationally, Malaysians, whether they come from Sarawak or Sabah feel more Malaysians than as Sarawakians or Sabahans. For example, Pehin Sri Abdul Taib recalls when he saw another Malaysian, even in the early days as Minister in New York, he took immediately steps to cross the road to introduce himself as a Malaysian.

National Level Gawai Dayak Celebration 2011

Generally, Malaysians should consider themselves fortunate to have been able to inherit the uninterrupted national development that was started during the time of the late YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak until now. The development in Sarawak started by Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Dato Tawi Sli and Tun Abdul Rahman and being pursued vigorously by Pehin Sri Abdul Taib until now. 

Nearly a third of Malaysia is Sarawak, which has a population scattered over a wide area in over 6,000 settlements comprising of traditional villages and longhouses. About 60% of the villages and longhouses, each has less than 50 families. The demographic pattern posed a huge problem to the early development of Sarawak namely how to get the economy moving. Then the persistent question was how to build roads to connect nearly 6,000 settlements throughout the State? It would take about 200 years to do so. Then the State was poor and it did not have money for the purpose.

More importantly, the State Government had to think of how to spread education to the people, those in remote and isolated areas in particular.  Generally, it had to work hard to uplift the standard of health and socio-economic well beings of the people with the scattered nature of the population. No other states in the country face that kind of situation; even the smallest village in Peninsular Malaysia is only one or two miles away from a centre of big population. 

Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, often admits that the high incidence of poverty of more than 40%, when he first took the helm of the State Government on March 26,1981 preoccupied his mind. He was concerned whether he could conquer poverty or not. Since then the incidence of poverty has dropped to about 4%.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House

He says in view of the scattered nature of the population, the state has to introduce the Flying Doctor Service to provide medical and health services to the people in remote areas. It will take 100 years to build health clinics to cover areas in the State. Besides, the government has to introduce services of mobile clinics by boats to reach areas with big population in remote areas along the banks of numerous rivers. 

Obviously, Sarawak, with the introduction of Flying Doctor Service has found a solution to give health services to people in remote areas.  Australia has been doing the same thing.  The service is not necessary in Peninsular Malaysia where a place can be within reach in one hour by land.  

It is the same with the management of schools. For example, the State used to have schools in the early days that were built by the people. For example, a Penghulu (community headman) might get the people in a longhouse to build a school out of branches and trunk of trees in order to meet the demand for primary schools in traditional villages and longhouses. That was how Sarawak managed to build enough primary schools for the people in rural areas; no place was deprived of primary education. 

Then education had the school mother system, where a woman could be employed to cook and take care of young children in a boarding school. That was again a peculiar feature of education in Sarawak. A few longhouses might share a school that required young children to go by boats or walk on land to school. It was a difficult life for them and their parents. That was the greatest challenge of Sarawak; no other states had got that kind of experience.

Some school children still face financial problems like paying for travelling expenses by land, river or air from their home towns to enter colleges or universities in towns or cities; some will require expenses to attend interviews either for courses or jobs.  Such expenses, which cause a lot of difficulties to school children, are not covered by any loans or scholarships in Sarawak. 

Pehin Sri Abdul Taib, who is also the State Assemblyman for Balingian, says he has created education welfare fund for Mukah to give financial assistance to school children for travelling expenses to attend interviews or enroll themselves at polytechnics, colleges or universities while waiting for loans or scholarships.  

He says each state assemblyman or a Member of Parliament, who are being made members of the Board of Directors of the Welfare Education Fund in the Division, can donate RM10,000 or RM20,000 every year  towards the Fund,  which is being operated by the District officer.  

Pehin Sri Abdul Taib says the fund involves a very simple operation. The teachers can report problems being faced by their students to the Fund, which is also linked to Yayasan Sarawak to deal with loans of scholarships.  The setting up of the fund should be able alleviate some of the problems being faced by students in rural areas of Sarawak.  

Christmas Parade in Miri

He is happy that more and more people are being taught to use Internet, which has been introduced in the State quite recently.  Prior to that the rate was only 2% but now Mukah Division alone has nearly 50% of Internet penetration while Miri has over 70%. The Internet service, if properly used, can bring better communication to the people even in rural areas. However, the people are yet to appreciate the need to use Internet properly. For example, they have the tendency to use the Internet to play game rather than to surf for information from relevant government departments.  

Generally, the State has sufficient on-line communication facilities. For example, Yayasan Sarawak, which administers scholarship and loan schemes for education, has already introduced on-line service at district and divisional levels, while individual department or agency is also being provided with the facilities.  But it takes time to train more people to use the facilities properly. Besides, the people, who have acquired sufficient technical skills or academic qualification, must also learn the soft skills, which among other things emphasizes on proper etiquette in dealing with each other.

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