'Stephens opposed M'sia but British wanted it'

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's first Chief Minister Donald Stephens (died Tun Fuad Stephens) was initially against the idea of Malaysia until he was elected to the chair of the Malaysia Consultative Committee at a parliamentary conference in Singapore leading to the subsequent formation of the Federation of Malaysia.

A member of the audience Tan Sri Majid Khan said this during the Second Session of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Public Diplomacy with the Foreign Minister event, revealing that he was privy to a lot of first-hand information being in the inner circle of Stephens deeply involved in the processes with other leaders leading to the formation of Malaysia.

He narrated that Stephens seeing that the British preferred to see a Federation of Malaysia formed, told Sabah leaders like Tan Sri Ghani Gilong and others to make the best out of the situation then.

Majid told the attendees that came about because the British had decided to withdraw from East of the Suez in conformity to the UN decolonisation process, keeping only Hong Kong as a trading post.

Stephens and other leaders had considered the viable independence of North Borneo which they concluded as likely unworkable due to its size and other concerns, leading to the idea of a Federation of the (British) Borneo Territories with Sarawak and Brunei which was shared with Sarawakian leaders like Ong Kee Hui, Temenggong Jugah Anak Barieng and others.

Stephens met with Brunei leader Sheikh Azahari in Labuan who brought the idea to the Sultan of Brunei and the monarch was receptive to it and gave his blessing. At that time, Brunei had a more democratic system of government in Borneo with its first election held, prior to the Brunei Rebellion, put down with the help of the British.

Sheikh Azahari personally favoured Brunei's independence and merging with British North Borneo and Sarawak to form the federation with the Sultan of Brunei as the constitutional monarch.

However, the Brunei's People's Party was in favour of joining Malaysia on the condition it was as the unified three territories of northern Borneo with their own Sultan, and hence was strong enough to resist domination by Malaya, Singapore and the Malayan administrators.

However by that time, Tunku Abdul Rahman put forward the Malaysia idea at a press club meeting in Singapore and the British made it clear that they preferred the Malaysia concept to comprise Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Brunei North Borneo and Sarawak.

Majid claimed that Malaysia proponent Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore told Stephens to list down in writing what all his concerns were on various issues raised, and that subsequently led to the 20-Points formulated and finalised with other Sabah leaders of various parties, besides the 18-Points of Sarawak, and concerns of Brunei (which finally did not join in the Federation of Malaysia on points of disagreement).

The Federation of Malaysia finally became a reality on September 16, 1963. The audience was told that many following details were stated in a book – 'The White Headhunter in Sabah'.

Meanwhile, Frank Yapp, a member of the audience asked why only now leaders like Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Datuk Yong Teck Lee are vocal about such issues, whilst they were quiet when in power in a position to do something.

Yap likened the enthusiasm of the leaders to be only 'Hangat-hangat tahi ayam' (a Malay proverb meaning that their enthusiasm will last as long as the heat endures from a pile of freshly defecated excreta of a chicken) until the next show time.

Jeffrey burnished his ISA detention record as proof of his vocalism, and Yong repeated Jeffrey's record of ISA detention as to the limitation on the freedom of expression in the past and he was appreciative of the current freer atmosphere of expression under Premier Najib.

Yong said that it was fortuitous that UMS supported and provided the venue for such public discourse considered sensitive by some quarters in the past and outside of the university, it would even be difficult to rent a balai raya (village community hall) for such agenda, what more other premises for such events.


Sumber - Daily Express Newspaper Online

Housing applicants given choice of living in high-rise apartments

Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

PUBLIC housing applicants will be given the choice of living in high-rise apartments or continue to wait for single and detached houses, the Minister of Development said.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman said every applicant in the waiting list can choose one of the two options, as the first apartment blocks at Lambak Kanan/Salambigar are expected to be completed by May next year.

“Those who still prefer single houses may have to remain in the waiting list for a long time; indeed such houses are perceived as better but we are living in a situation where sites for (single houses) may already be limited,” he told reporters during his visit to the site of the first vertical public housing project.

“We need to consider not only the needs of the current population, but also the future generation.

“We have to get used to living in this condition. This is prevalent everywhere, unless if we are prepared to live further away from the capital city areas,” he added.

Muhammad Mansur Najib Dr Hj Mohammad Yussof, the Housing Development Department engineer overseeing the vertical housing project, about 75 per cent of survey respondents liked the design of the apartments.

However, he said the figure derived from public feedback at roadshows was still not enough to convince the government to replace the existing housing scheme with the new high-rise apartment designs.

A 2010 survey for the second BSB Development Master Plan found that 95 per cent of poll respondents supported vertical housing with amenities and walkable neighbourhoods.

There will be 10 apartment blocks complete with a multi-storey car park as well as recreational and sports facilities for the first phase of the vertical housing project, a press statement from the Ministry of Development (MoD) said.

Each apartment unit is equipped with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, a dining room with a kitchen and a laundry room as well as a storage room.

The apartment blocks will also be built with the “green building concept”, with features that allow tenants to save water and energy.

Costing about $55 million, the first vertical housing project in Lambak Kanan/Salambigar began last November.

YB Pehin Dato Hj Suyoi said prices of the apartments will still be subsidised by the goverment and will not be as expensive as single houses.

“We want to make sure people like the idea, and if it is well-received, we may build more of these units in the future,” he said.

“We have also identified a few areas that are suitable to build these apartment blocks and all of them are here in the capital, while single houses would be built in areas far from the city,” he added.

The minister said if tenants wish to move out from the apartments to larger houses, there may be ways for them to do so.

“This may include selling their unit or change to another housing unit, and this is already part of what we have planned in the long term,” he continued.

However, he also said the ministry would still need to get public feedback on vertical housing before they can decide to continue.

“We hope people will accept it because this is the future style of Bruneian homes with limited land, InsyaAllah,” said the minister.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Rohingya crisis highlights toothless nature of ASEAN

By MALCOLM FOSTER

BANGKOK (AP) — The Southeast Asian grouping known as ASEAN has made a point of not pressuring member nations over internal issues such as rights abuses, and in the case of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority, the policy has come back to haunt it.

Three other ASEAN nations — Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand — now must contend with a humanitarian crisis involving thousands of Rohingya and Bangladeshis stranded off their shores. After years of ignoring the issue, their chances of using diplomacy to achieve any change in Myanmar's behavior appear bleak.

The crisis is among the 10-nation group's biggest tests since the Vietnam War, both in whether it can protect migrants' lives and to what extent the group can confront one of its members — in this case Myanmar. The stakes for ASEAN are high, given the global attention the crisis is getting and the possibility that many migrants could die if no country takes them in.

"This is a test for ASEAN, for ASEAN's sustainability. Its legitimacy will depend on this, and how it is resolved," said Charles Santiago, a Malaysian parliamentarian who is chairman of a regional lawmakers' group pressing for human rights and has spoken out about the need to rescue the refugees and migrants floating in Malacca Strait waters.

Some cracks in the group's bedrock principle of non-interference have appeared.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said over the weekend that Myanmar should take responsibility for resolving ethnic tensions with the Rohingya to prevent other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from being burdened, according to the national news agency Bernama.

Rohingya in Myanmar have been persecuted for years, and only more so since 2011, when a long-ruling junta gave way to a nominally elected government. More than 120,000 Rohingya have fled the country since 2012, as Buddhist mobs killed up to 280 of them and drove tens of thousands from their homes. Those displaced are forced to live in camps where they can't work, get an adequate education or receive medical care.

In Thailand, leaders have said the migrant crisis isn't their problem but needs to be addressed by the "origin country" — without being more specific. Myanmar refuses to even use the word "Rohingya," saying the group illegally migrated from Bangladesh, though Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations.

Myanmar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement released Tuesday night that it is "equally concerned about the migrant crisis" and will patrol its waters with planes and ships to "save those in trouble."

However, Myanmar denies it is the source of the crisis and appears unwilling to join in regional talks to address it. Its government has cast doubt on whether it will attend a conference to be hosted by Thailand on May 29 that is to include 15 Asian nations affected by the emergency.

Foreign ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand — countries where about 3,000 migrants washed ashore in crowded boats in recent weeks but that have turned away other vessels — are scheduled to hold a separate meeting Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur.

But experts are doubtful the ministers will be too critical of Myanmar, which could serve to only underline ASEAN's toothless reputation. Most likely, the immediate focus will be on managing the crisis and not getting to the root causes.

"This is going to put on display ASEAN's impotence," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist and director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "This is another reflection of ASEAN's ineffectual cohesion."

Founded in 1967 as an anti-communist bloc in the Cold War era, ASEAN has taken few steps to address human rights concerns in the vast region of 600 million people. In a charter adopted in 2007, ASEAN countries committed to uphold international law and human rights but insisted they would not interfere in each other's internal affairs — a loophole that critics say helps member states commit abuses without consequence. In 2009, the group unveiled a commission that was tasked to promote human rights but deprived of power to investigate violations or go after abusers.

At times, ASEAN members have been critical of Myanmar, particularly during the years it was ruled by a military junta.

Though Rohingya asylum-seekers generally go to other ASEAN countries — particularly Malaysia — Myanmar's neighbors have long tolerated the exodus. Ironically, a crackdown by Thai authorities on human smugglers contributed to the crisis, prompting many boat captains and traffickers to abandon their vessels and leave migrants crammed on board with little food, water or fuel, drifting along in the ocean currents.

UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, estimated Tuesday that nearly 4,000 people remain stranded at sea with dwindling supplies.

Thailand and Malaysia have stressed that while they recognize the plight of the refugees, they cannot absorb thousands of them for fear that they would encourage more to flood in.

Malaysia, the current chair of ASEAN, has been criticized for turning away two boats packed with hungry people. The nation of about 30 million already has 150,000 asylum-seekers and refugees, including 45,000 Rohingya, most of whom barely scrape by because they have no legal status and cannot legally work. Many have filed for refugee status with the U.N. refugee agency and hope to be resettled in a third country such as the U.S. — a dream that few actually realize.

"What do you expect us to do? We have been very nice to the people who broke into our border," Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jafaar said last Friday. "We have treated them humanely, but they cannot be flooding our shores like this.... They are not welcome here."

While there is a strong emotional argument that the people on the boats need to be saved, any country that does so will have to deal with difficult issues such as their legal standing and dependence on government support. Thitinan said setting up a coordinated regional framework to cope with the problem will take time, and predicted that it would succeed only with international financial support.

Myanmar is particularly unlikely to respond to any ASEAN pressure at the moment because it is focused on November elections, said Bridget Welsh, a senior research associate at the Center for East Asia Democratic Studies of National Taiwan University.

"Right now, the politics of Myanmar are domestic, not international," she said. "They're in a holding pattern until elections happen."

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, the group chaired by Santiago, the Malaysian lawmaker, has demanded that ASEAN abandon its non-interference policy, and last week released a statement saying Myanmar's government must be held accountable for the persecution of the Rohingya.

Santiago believes that Myanmar would be more responsive to pressure from China, the U.S. and other major investors in the country regarding its policies toward the Rohingya.

"It appears that so far, ASEAN is unable to respond to a humanitarian crisis involving its own people," he said. "But to be fair, let's see what happens over the next two or three days. My only fear is that before a decision can be made, more people will die."


Sumber - Yahoo News

Students living in housing schemes have the worst attendance rate

Aaron Wong
BELAIT

STUDENTS living in the national housing schemes have one of the worst attendance rates in the country, according to Ministry of Education (MoE) data collected from January to March this year.

Acting Director-General of Education Hj Abd Rahim Hj Derus said the findings – made known by records collected by the new Integrated National Education Information System (iNEIS) – would be researched by MoE to allow for remedial action to be taken.

“We cannot say for sure what the reason (for absenteeism in resettlement housing) is at this moment, as we have yet to do research,” said the acting director-general yesterday on the sidelines of a meeting with the District Office and Belait grassroots leaders.

“The findings are based on data collected from the first school term of 2015 from students living in resettlement housing and schools located near these housing areas. The same trend is noted in all districts.”

According to statistics listed during the briefing, only 41 per cent of government primary schools have an attendance rate of 95 per cent and above.

Based on visits by officers from the Department of Schools’ Student Welfare Unit to resettlement housing areas, Hj Abd Rahim said a “mindset” problem was the likely cause for poor attendance, over practical reasons such as a lack of transport or poor health.

“The majority (of absenteeism) is because of mentality. Some genuinely do not have transport, but there are cases where the distance from home to school is only one kilometre, and yet they are still not going to school,” he said.

Hj Abd Rahim also revealed separately in his briefing that during these visits by officers, students were often found sleeping during school hours.

“In some visits, both parents and older siblings were at home, while the children were still sleeping late in the morning. In this aspect, parents should not spoil their children so much and make sure that they go to bed on time so they can be ready for school in the morning,” he said.

Minister of Education Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong earlier this year said effective February 10, a 95 per cent attendance rate will be measured as a key performance indicator for schools.

The total number of students absent in government schools has also increased from January to March.

About four per cent out of the total number of students at government schools were absent in January, followed by 5.1 per cent of students in February, rising further to 5.8 per cent in March.

According to the director-general, the primary reason behind the increasing absence is students and parents seeking to add to the period of days off from public holidays and school term breaks.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Bilangan pengangguran terus meningkat

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 Mei – Bilangan rakyat dan penduduk tetap berumur antara 18 hingga 59 tahun yang menganggur bagi bulan Mac 2015, telah meningkat dari 14,814 orang pada bulan Februari 2015 kepada 15,081 orang pada bulan Mac 2015.

Menurut perangkaan yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Perancangan dan Kemajuan Ekonomi (JPKE), Jabatan Perdana Menteri, daripada jumlah tersebut seramai 10,418 orang atau 70 peratus tinggal di Daerah Brunei Muara; 8,336 orang (55 peratus) terdiri daripada perempuan; 8,004 orang (53 peratus) berumur di antara 20 hingga 29 tahun; dan 9,616 orang (64 peratus) mempunyai taraf pendidikan tertinggi di peringkat menengah.

Perangkaan pencari kerja tempatan itu disediakan secara bulanan oleh JPKE bertujuan untuk memberikan anggaran terkini bilangan berserta profil mengenai rakyat Brunei dan penduduk tetap yang berumur di antara 18 hingga 59 tahun yang tidak mempunyai pekerjaan dan sedang aktif mencari pekerjaan, atau yang tidak menuntut di mana-mana institusi pendidikan dan sedang aktif mencari pekerjaan, atau diistilahkan sebagai penganggur.

Anggaran perangkaan pencari kerja ini diperolehi daripada jumlah penganggur hasil Banci Penduduk dan Perumahan 2011 yang dikemaskinikan dengan mengambil kira pengurangan dan penambahan setiap bulan.

Pengurangan adalah disebabkan oleh mereka yang telah mendapat pekerjaan, yang menyambung pengajian masing-masing, atau tidak lagi berminat untuk mencari kerja. Sementara itu, penambahan adalah berasaskan pendaftaran baru pencari kerja tempatan melalui Ketua-ketua Kampung seluruh negara dan juga di Agensi Pekerjaan Tempatan dan Pembangunan Tenaga Kerja (APTK).

Sebarang pertanyaan mengenai Perangkaan Pencari Kerja Tempatan ini bolehlah dirujuk ke JPKE dengan menghubungi talian telefon 2230250 atau 2233344 (waktu pejabat) atau melayari laman web www.depd.gov.bn.


Sumber - Media Permata

Pelbagai reaksi diberikan

Oleh Mohamad Asyramisyanie

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 15 Mei – Para peniaga dan orang ramai memberikan pelbagai reaksi terhadap peraturan baru Jabatan Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan, yang melarang premis-premis perniagaan seperti kedai-kedai runcit dan kedai makan beroperasi selepas jam 12 tengah malam.

Beberapa orang peniaga dan orang ramai yang ditemui hari ini, menyahut baik arahan baru berkenaan, bagaimanapun, sebahagian yang lain menyeru supaya mempertimbangkan langkah lagi membolehkan mereka berniaga selepas 12 tengah malam.

Pengurus Perusahaan NASA, Awang Mohd Rafi Mohd Tahir berkata, tiga buah cawangan pasar mini NASA kini beroperasi sehingga 11 malam dan tidak terjejas ekoran arahan yang baru ini.

“Jika dilihat di kawasan Jalan Mulaut ini keadaan akan bertambah lengang selepas jam 10 malam dan itu membuatkan pengurusan kami bersetuju untuk tutup lebih awal namun saya percaya banyak tempat lain akan terjejas kerana kepadatan penduduk dan waktu pekerjaan yang berbeza bagi mereka yang mempunyai syif kerja malam,” ujarnya.

Meskipun bersetuju dengan arahan ini, beliau percaya pasti ada cara untuk membantu pengusaha yang sememangnya berniaga sehingga lewat malam kerana mata pencarian segelintir pengusaha akan tiba lewat malam seperti di kawasan ibu negara.

Perkara itu disetujui Penyelia restoran TK Tea House Cawangan Gadong, Dayang Norhasanah Muslim yang menekankan bahawa kedai makan mereka hanya akan mulai ramai selepas pukul 10 malam terutama apabila adanya siaran langsung bola sepak atau sukan tertentu ditayangkan.

“Bukan setiap hari kami dipenuhi pelanggan dan ada kalanya tidak ada langsung dan perkara ini merunsingkan kami kerana kami mempunyai komitmen untuk membayar sewa dan gaji pekerja,” ujarnya.

Katanya, beliau menyahut baik usaha positif arahan baru itu, namun begitu beliau mencadangkan supaya ada cara lain untuk peniaga terus berniaga selepas jam 12 tengah malam kerana bagi mereka pelanggan terdiri daripada pekerja yang bertugas pada waktu malam dan pengunjung tetap.

”Jika perlu, kami memohon kepada pihak bandaran untuk meneliti semula apakah usaha yang wajar dan cuba melihat apa alternatif supaya peniaga akan terus berniaga seperti sebelum ini meskipun terpaksa membayar waktu perniagaan kepada pihak berkenaan bagi memastikan pelanggan diberikan keutamaan,” ujarnya.

Jabatan Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan dalam Surat Pemberitahuan bertarikh 14 Mei 2015 yang keluarkan kepada premis-premis perniagaan menyatakan, dengan peraturan baru itu maka kebenaran berniaga selepas jam 12 malam yang diberikan kepada beberapa buah kedai termasuk kedai makan sebelum ini adalah dibatalkan.

Surat Pemberitahuan tersebut yang disiarkan melalui laman sesawang sosial Jabatan berkenaan, kelmarin turut menegaskan, jika didapati kedai-kedai dan kedai makan yang masih beroperasi melebihi jam 12 malam, tindakan-tindakan tertentu akan diambil seperti mengeluarkan notis/surat penggantungan mahupun pembatalan Lesen Perniagaan.

Pengerusi Lembaga Bandaran Bandar Seri Begawan, Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Rahman bin Pengiran Setia Indera Pengiran Haji Ismail dipetik oleh sebuah akhbar tempatan sebagai berkata, larangan tersebut turut termasuk gerai-gerak Nasi Katok dan akan diperluaskan ke seluruh negara tidak lama lagi.

Seorang pengusaha tempatan yang hanya dikenali sebagai Haji Zainal ketika ditemui turut menyahut baik arahan ini.

Namun, katanya, beliau mendengar banyak keluhan dan rintihan daripada pengusaha yang terlibat dengan operasi perniagaan selepas 12 tengah malam.

Beliau enggan mengulas banyak mengenai perkara ini kerana baginya perniagaan perlu diteruskan meskipun terpaksa akur dengan arahan, namun beliau juga menyatakan supaya langkah yang perlu harus dibuat pihak berkuasa untuk memastikan kebajikan peniaga terjamin.

Haji Zainal menekankan bahawa, setiap jam tambahan dalam perniagaan merupakan sumber rezeki dan pasti akan memberikan kelebihan kepada peniaga dan perniagaan, dan jika disingkatkan ia secara tidak langsung akan mengehadkan pendapatan mereka yang terikat dengan komitmen kos.

“Secara dasarnya, ia adalah satu langkah yang positif namun perlu dilihat kepada kawasan tertentu kerana kita mempunyai warga kerja kerajaan dan swasta yang bertugas di sebelah malam dan mereka ini perlu ada tempat makan dan membeli keperluan pada waktu malam sehingga ke awal pagi,” ujarnya lagi dengan tegas.


Sumber - Media Permata