Foul play: Who actually at fault?

THE issue of foul play in the May 16 Sibu by-election is hotly debated by DAP and SUPP leaders as well as other BN’s component parties including the president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Dato Sr Dr James Masing Jemut.

The latest was when DAP State Assemblyman for Kota Sentosa Chong Chieng Jen advised Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to stop telling lies and giving unbelievable excuses for SUPP’s loss in Sibu by-election.

Chong has asked Soon Koh to accept the fact that BN has failed the people after 47 years.

In a press statement, Chong said it has become blatantly obvious that SUPP is still clueless why BN lost the Sibu by-election, for they have clearly lost touch with the needs and interests of the voters.

In his winding up speech in the Sarawak State Assembly, Sooon Koh the Second Finance Minister made a litany of baseless and unbelievable accusations against the DAP.

But Chong said Soon Koh made no attempt to understand the fact that the people of Sibu has had enough of the decades of abuse, cronyism and corruption by the Barisan Nasional state government.

Chong further said that Soon Koh made the laughable claim that the DAP is now extremely rich for flying over hundreds of campaigners to Sibu to assist in the recent Sibu by-election.

“We would like to inform him (Soon Koh) that almost all DAP campaigners, be they Members of Parliament, State Assemblymen or ordinary members, took care of their own expenses without burdening the party,” he pointed out.

In addition, to save expenses, most of them stayed either with party members in Sibu or in low-budget hotels, he added.

“Unlike Barisan Nasional leaders, we do not fly first class, nor stay at 5-star hotels which are paid for by the federal or state government, under the pretext of carrying out their government duties, despite obviously campaigning for the SUPP candidate,” he stated.

Chong further highlighted that despite having nearly full control over the 3Ms, money, media and machinery, Wong Soon Koh has the cheek to accuse DAP of employing “dirty tactics” to win the Sibu by-election.

Despite Soon Koh claims, Chong said the SUPP leader has provided absolutely no evidence of foul play to date. On the other hand, according Chong it was BN which has handed out cash liberally to voters in order to entice votes.

“The DAP has consistently based our campaign on the fact that the State BN leaders have overstayed their welcome, that cronyism, corruption and nepotism are rampant in BN and that SUPP has failed to defend the key tenet of Sarawak’s 18-point agreement to join Malaysia, the guarantee of freedom of religion. Are these dirty tactics or are these the ugly truth that BN leader refuse to admit?” he asked.

Pointing out that it was ridiculous Soon Koh had also accused DAP of intimidation tactics to scare voters from voting resulting in the very low turnout of 59.8%.

“Soon Koh must be joking for DAP has neither the ability or the power to intimidate, but are instead victims of intimidation and injustice as BN has full control over the Election Commission and the police force.

“What is worse is that Wong Soon Koh is basing his claim on a wrong piece of information provided by the EC that the turnout is only 59.8% when in actual fact, the EC has already corrected this figure to 70% voter turnout, which is higher than the last general elections in 2008,” he said.

He said Soon Koh should admit that the BN’s defeat in Sibu is caused by the ineffectiveness of SUPP in BN, the oppressive policies of BN and the rampant corruption, nepotism and cronyism of BN.

“The denial syndrome that BN has failed the people of Sibu and Sarawak will only result in a bigger loss for BN come the next state elections in Sarawak,” he concluded.

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Gadis dari Mukah yang ditahan pihak berkuasa Indonesia selamat pulang

KUCHING: Seorang gadis bawah umur, Steffanie Liana anak Langka, 15, dari Mukah

selamat pulang ke Sarawak pagi ini selepas menempuh pelbagai pengalaman pahit

ketika ditahan oleh pihak berkuasa Indonesia kerana memasuki negara tersebut

secara tidak sah.

Steffanie atau nama Islamnya Liana Abdullah berasal dari Rumah Nangkai Nanga

Maga Mukah dikatakan mengikut "suaminya" Tohri Jadi Jaya, 22, ke Lombok Timur 26

Mac lalu selepas mereka dikahwinkan secara Islam oleh seorang rakan Tohri di

rumah panjang tempat Liana tinggal 10 Oktober tahun lalu.

Selepas hidup bersama Steffanie bersetuju dengan pelawaan Tohri untuk ke Lombok atas sebab untuk memperkenalkannya dengan keluarga Tohri di sana.

Bagaimanapun, apabila sampai di sana dia berhadapan dengan pelbagai

kesukaran hidup.

Steffanie tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) pada 1 pagi

dan tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuching (KIA) jam 9 pagi dengan ditemani

oleh Pengerusi Biro Aduan Komuniti Pemuda UMNO Datuk Muhd Khairun Aseh sebelum

meneruskan penerbangan ke Sibu petang ini.

Katanya, dia berkahwin dengan Tohri, pemandu jengkaut di sebuah ladang di

Mukah hanya selepas tiga hari berkenalan dan perkahwinan tersebut mendapat restu

daripada neneknya.

Steffanie yang kini mengandung lima bulan bagaimanapun berkata dia masih lagi

sayangkan suaminya namun buat masa sekarang dia hanya mahu tinggal bersama

keluarga di kampung dan terpulang kepada suaminya untuk datang ke Sarawak

selepas ini.

Sementara itu, Muhd Khairun berkata. Liana yang tidak mempunyai dokumen

peribadi yang lengkap berjaya dibawa balik ke Malaysia dengan kerjasama Jabatan

Imigresen Indonesia dan Kedutaan Malaysia yang mengeluarkan Pas Perakuan Cemas.

Katanya, pada 27 Mac lalu ibu Liana, Dimah anak Ingai telah membuat laporan

polis di Sibu mengatakan anaknya dilarikan ke Indonesia.

Berikutan itu pihaknya dengan kerjasama Pemuda Parti Rakyat Sarawak telah

berhubung dengan Interpol dan Polis Republik Indonesia (POLRI) untuk mengesan

Liana.

"Dengan kerjasama Interpol dan POLRI kami berjaya mengesan Liana sebelum

membawanya ke Jakarta untuk dibawa balik ke Malaysia," katanya.

Menurut Muhd Khairun, mengikut Akta Imigresen Indonesia, Liana boleh

dipenjara enam bulan dan denda kerana memasuki negara tersebut secara haram.

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Wan Junaidi mahu tindakan tegas untuk bela nasib dua beradik

KUCHING: Timbalan Speaker Dewan Rakyat Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar mahu pihak berkuasa mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap pihak yang bertanggungjawab menjadikan dua adik beradik pekerja paksaan tanpa dibayar walaupun sesen gajinya.

"Masyarakt antarabangsa akan mengeji kita jika kita tidak membendung masalah ini daripada berleluasa di negara ini," kata beliau yang diminta mengulas dakwaan dua adik beradik yang mendakwa mereka dipaksa bekerja di sebuah kilang membuat roti di Puchong, Selangor selama 15 tahun tanpa dibayar upah.

Dua adik-beradik terbabit, Simon Bangan, 31, dan Radin Bangan, 30, dari kampung Antayan Kropok, Serian sebelum ini bekerja di kilang roti berkenaan selepas dijanjikan pendapatan lumayan sebanyak RM2,000 seorang oleh seorang ejen pekerjaan.

Simon dan Radin memberitahu bahawa mereka telah dijanjikan upah bulanan sebanyak RM2,000 oleh seorang ejen yang bertanggungjawab membawa mereka ke bekerja di kilang yang terletak di Puchong, Selangor tanpa kebenaran ibu bapa mereka.

Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar yang meluahkan rasa simpati beliau terhadap mangsa yang diperlakukan sebegitu rupa berkata: "Kejadian seperti ini amat memalukan kerana perbuatan yang tidak bertamadun seperti ini boleh menjejaskan imej negara kita di mata dunia.

Sehubungan itu, beliau mahu pihak berkuasa bertindak membawa mereka yang bertanggungjawab memperlakukan dua adik beradik itu sedemikian rupa dihadapkan ke muka pengadilan.

Sambil menyifatkan perbuatan itu tidak berperikemanusiaan, beliau mahu mereka yang bertanggungjawab itu dikenakan hukuman setimpal dengan perbuatan yang dilakukan.

Wan Junaidi berkata, perkara seperti itu seharusnya diberi perhatian sepenuhnya bagi mengelakkan penganiayaan terhadap kedua adik-beradik itu berulang di masa depan.

"Bayangkan sepanjang tempoh 15 tahun tidak pernah keluar untuk melihat perubahan dunia dan bertapa seksanya mereka di tempat itu dan diperhambakan untuk bekerja setiap hari tanpa cuti.

Katanya, amat menyedihkan kerana masih ada segelintir masyarakat di negara ini mengamalkan bersikap tidak bertamadun sambil berkata mangsa berhak menerima pampasan yang sewajarnya dengan tempoh perkhidmatan mereka di kilang terbabit.

Mereka mendakwa dipaksa bekerja dari jam 8 pagi sehingga 5 petang, dan berhenti rehat untuk makan malam dan kemudiannya meneruskan kerja sehingga jam 10 malam.

Katanya, mereka juga dipaksa bekerja semasa cuti umum dan selama tempoh 15 tahun kami tidak pernah bercuti walaupun sehari.

Dua beradik itu kembali ke Kuching pada 12 Februari lepas, iaitu sebelum sambutan Tahun Baru Cina.

Tambang kapal terbang mereka telah dibayar oleh majikan dan apabila mereka meminta gaji, mereka hanya diberi 'ang pau' bernilai RM500.

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Two brothers force to work like slaves

KUCHING: Two brothers - Iban from Kampung Antayan Kropok, Serian claimed that they we forced to work like slaves in a dumpling factory in Puchong Selangor for 15 years without receiving their pay.

Radin Bagan, 31, and his younger sibling Simon, 30, are now back in Kuching to be reunited with their family in their village.

Yesterday afternoon accompanied by State Assemblyman for Padungan Dominque Ng, their father and an uncle lodged a police report at the Central Police Station here.

Radin and Simon claimed that they accepted the job at the alleged factory after being promised lucrative RM2,000 monthly salary each by an agent in Kuching.

They claimed both never being paid their salaries since working in the alleged factory for 15 years.

They were never allowed to go out from their hostel located within the factory premises for shopping and sightseeing although they were provided with proper meal.

Their working hours at the factory is from 8 am to 5pm, and will take their meal break before continuing their works until 10 pm.

They also worked during public holidays, claiming that they never take any leave during the 15 years.

However the two never attempted to run away unlike their other workers.

According to Radin, there are seven workers working in the factory – three Chinese, two Bidayuh plus he and his brother.

Their father Bangan Jelian, 60, went to look his two children in 2007 but didn’t have the opportunity to see them.

Radin and Simon were sent home in February this year with only RM500 ‘ang pau’ each. Their employer booked the air tickets for them.

They had also reported the case to the Labour Department but the hearing was due today in Selangor.

Ng said he would be assisting the two and asked the Labour Department there to postpone the case and bring the case to be heard in Sarawak as the abduction took place in Serian.

Ng called on the police to carry out a proper investigation and charged the agent who took them away and the owner of the factory for criminal charges.

He had also approached Selangor PR government to assist them after contacting YB Elizabeth Wong and YB Dr. Xavier Jayakumar.

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