Don’t buy ‘ikan sulit’ and ‘ikan anjang anjang’

KOTA KINABALU: It is not easy to catch fish bombers red-handed, Sabah Fisheries Department’s legal and enforcement unit chief, Mohd Yusoff Anthony, said.

Mohd Yusoff told the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah, that this is because they are opportunists who will carry out illegal activities whenever they have the chance.

He said this when replying to a question from Commissioner Datuk Henry Chin Poy Wu yesterday.

Chin had asked Mohd Yusoff how many of those charged in court for fish bombing activities had been arrested red-handed at sea carrying out the illegal style of fishing.

“All those charged were arrested on shore with possession of bombed fish. We have no cases of any arrests made during the actual bombing activity,” he said.

Mohd Yusof said, these people are usually charged under Section 26 (C) of the Fisheries Act 1985 which is for having knowledge that the fish they possess were caught using explosives.

“The burden of proof is on the fisheries department’s enforcement personnel because if the suspect insists that they do not know they are in possession of bombed fish, the enforcement personnel would have to prove that they are lying,” he stressed.

There is also a need for heavier penalties to be imposed on those found in possession of bombed fish so that people will be deterred from carrying out destructive method of fishing, Mohd Yusoff said, adding that the state fisheries department has recommended for the law to be amended.

To a question from Chairman Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong on what types of fish were caught with the explosive method, Mohd Yusoff replied that the most common species are the ikan sulit, ikan anjang anjang, garoupa and trevally.

“Don’t buy ikan sulit and ikan anjang ajang as 95 per cent of those sold in the markets are bombed,” he advised.

To Shim’s next question on how to identify a bombed fish, he replied that the fish’s body would be soft to the touch and when opened, internal bleeding can be seen in the fish’s stomach.

Fish bombing, if not curbed, could contribute to the end of fish stock supply in Sabah due to the loss of habitat and breeding grounds of most fish and marine life, he stressed.

“Homemade explosives are thrown into coral beds where fish are abundant and the explosion will destroy the corals which are where the fish as well as other marine life breed and take refuge in.

“Fish bombing is also bad for tourism as it affects scuba drivers,” he said, adding that from reports the fisheries department received, fish bombing activities are prevalent in the islands of Mengalum, Mantanani, the upper part of Banggi and islands around Semporna including dive havens, Mabul and Sipadan island.

The cases in Mabul and Sipadan island are isolated cases as only about five have been reported, he said.

According to Mohd Yusoff, up to now, 209 Filipinos, 18 Indonesians and 148 Malaysians have been charged in court under Section 26 (C) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and they were fined between RM300 and RM10,000 and/or imprisoned between three to 18 months.

When Shim asked if he personally was happy with the punishment provided under the law, Mohd Yusoff said that the state fisheries department had proposed for heavier penalties.

He also revealed that based on the cases that the department had investigated, fish bombing activities are carried out by immigrants who are residing in Sabah, some whom are in possession of the IMM13 document.

There are also cases of foreign fishermen encroaching into Malaysian waters but these are minimal, he said.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/07/02/dont-buy-ikan-sulit-and-ikan-anjang-ajang-says-officer/#ixzz2XqsMx3W1

‘It’ll be a highway by 2015’

KUCHING: The 400-km dual-lane Pan-Borneo trunk road 

from Sibu to Miri will be upgraded to a highway latest by 

2015, assured Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusuf 

yesterday

He said this stretch was receiving priority attention because 

the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) was 

expected to prosper areas stretching from Sibu to Bintulu and 

Miri.

“Certain portions of the upgrading works for areas such as 

Bintulu and Miri have been completed. Hopefully, the 

upgrading works could be completed in two to three years 

time,” he said after officiating at the Malaysian Malay 

Contractors’ Association (PKMM) Sarawak branch annual 

general meeting here.

Next on the agenda, he added, would be to upgrade the 186-

km stretch between Serian and Betong, and to create more 

overtaking lanes along the trunk road.

“Of course, based on the (BN 13th general election) 

manifesto, we will do it in five years. We will implement it (the 

upgrading works) in stages.

”Fadillah said the Sarawak government had already s

ubmitted the costs for continuation of the highway project 

next year to the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime 

Minister’s Department for approval.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will announce the 

allocation when he tables the 2014 Budget on Oct 25, he 

said.

“The amount approved could be less or more than what the 

state government is requesting. We are not sure yet at this 

stage.

”

On another matter, Fadillah warned that he would not 

hesitate to cancel contracts and remove contractors from the 

registered contractors’ list if they failed to deliver projects as 

stipulated.

He said the percentage of contractors who failed to deliver 

stood at about 10 per cent at present.

Fadillah added that he had identified a few `trouble projects’ 

in the state, and would take a first-hand look at them soon.

“I also have to visit the ones in other states as well. We will 

find ways to reduce and find solutions to trouble projects.”

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/07/01/itll-be-a-highway-by-2015/#ixzz2XnD3B5LS

Lajim to replace Thamrin as state PKR chief?

KOTA KINABALU: A leadership crisis is allegedly brewing in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah, a report said yesterday

The Borneo Insider claimed that there is a strong possibility that the present state PKR liaison chief, Ahmad Thamrin Jaini, could be on the way out and said that the likely candidate to replace him is Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin.

Lajim, who had joined PKR before the 13th general election, contested and won in the Klias state assembly seat. He is currently president of Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS), an NGO.

The Borneo Insider report quoted its source as a ‘senior Sabah PKR leader’ who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The source claimed that if Thamrin were to be ousted, the move might take place sometime next week when more divisions give their endorsement to such a move. It was said that as of to date 19 out of the 25 divisions in the state have given their endorsement.

The portal’s article claimed that the main reason which prompted the imminent ‘mutiny’ was mainly due to Thamrin’s lame leadership and poor performance since his appointment in October 2009.

“We just don’t see any hope for PKR Sabah to progress further under his leadership. But we are confident that Lajim would be a more capable leader. In fact, this has been confirmed by virtue of his appointment as the Sabah opposition leader in the State Legislative Assembly, recently,” said the senior Sabah PKR leader who himself is a Sabah PKR divisional chief.

He pointed out further that Thamrin’s defeat for the Gum-Gum state seat that he contested in the last general election had in effect rendered him as having lost his mandate to lead Sabah PKR. Polling 3,191 votes, Thamrin lost to Datuk Zakaria B.Mohd Edris of Barisan Nasional (BN) who polled 5,548 votes.

“It’s still not too late for him (Thamrin) to save the embarrassment of being ousted, if he steps down gracefully now,” he added.

Besides this, the senior Sabah PKR leader also faulted PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the fielding wrong candidates in the last general elections, claiming that otherwise the party could have won more seats in Sabah.

He cited among the bad choices of candidates included Tan Sri Ibrahim Menudin who lost both the Labuan parliamentary and Bongawan state seats which he contested; Datuk Mohammad Yahya Lampong, who lost his Papar parliamentary seat, and an unknown figure, Fred B. Gabriel in the Pantai Manis state constituency.

“The fielding of some new faces from the PPPS and APS (Angkatan Perubahan Sabah) to replace those senior Sabah PKR leaders like Hj Ansari (former PKR Tuaran Chief) who had been working hard on the ground all these while, was another key contributing factor for the poor election results,” he added.

Lajim, when contacted to confirm the report, declined to comment and said issues like that must be left to the party’s leadership to decide.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/06/28/lajim-to-replace-thamrin-as-state-pkr-chief/#ixzz2XYBIW7Fv

Up river in North Kalimantan

by Prodita Sabarini@Jakarta Post.com. 

Our speedboat glides so fast it bounces off the water on the Makassar Strait. The clouds roll above us and drops of light rain touch our skin, The Jakarta Post report news.

We are on our way to Sekatak, a remote area in the newly anointed capital of North Kalimantan. For curious travelers, the key to a thrilling trip is to go where not many people (i.e., tourists) have gone before. I was sure that traveling to remote areas of Kalimantan, the second-largest island in the world, would undoubtedly bring on the thrills. But, I got more than what I asked for when my travel partner disclosed her secret expertise of driving a speedboat.

Not to worry for those whose friends are less than a secret speedboat driver. The new province of North Kalimantan has more than its share of excitement. It holds natural beauty untouched by mass tourism. Its large and meandering rivers evokes the charm of the Mekong Delta of Indochina when river trips there were not too much like a theme park. And unlike as in North Kalimantan’s southern counterpart, its forests have yet to be transformed into swaths of palm oil plantations, its hills have yet been run down and the land is yet to be covered by pits made by mining companies.

My travel partner and I found our little speedboat in Tarakan, an island-city in North Kalimantan, the stepping-off point from Balikpapan in East Kalimantan. We fly out of the mainland Kalimantan to Tarakan to reenter through its water ways. Airlines Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air are some of the carriers operating the Balikpapan-Tarakan route. Another route would be to take the small twin-otter planes operated by Susy Air, straight to Tanjung Selor in North Kalimantan from Balikpapan.

Tarakan holds a historical part in the World War II. In 1941, Japanese troops first entered what became Indonesia through Tarakan. Some relics such as cannons and bunkers have become a testament to the war.

We passed the war sights, however, and headed straight for Sekatak. From asking around, we found that chartered speedboats to Sekatak were moored at a pier in Beringin, a dense area where the houses are built on stilts and stand above the water. Under the houses, trash floats on the water, disgusting and strangely serene at the same time. There is another port in Tarakan, which is the official one and bigger than Beringin.

Boats head to Tanjung Selor, the capital of Bulungan regency and North Kalimantan’s center of administration, depart from Tengkayu port. This port also serves Bunyu Island, Nunukan regency, Malinau and other northern territories.

We chose Beringin as the chartered boats there can go straight to Sekatak via Sekatak river. It costs us Rp 100,000 (US$10) per person to take the two-hour ride to Sekatak. It’s a bit of a gamble with the speedboat’s reliability. Ours broke down in the middle of the Makassar Strait. We were lucky that another speedboat departed Beringin with us. So, after some unsuccessful meddling with the motor, we transferred to the other boat.

Kalimantan is home to hundreds of indigenous groups. In Sekatak, some seven indigenous groups – Punan, Kenyah, Tidung, Belusu and Bulungan live in that district, after they were relocated closer to the river by the Soeharto government in the 1970s to make way for timber company Intraca.

Traveling to the isloated communities, one can see the tension between business and local communities for control of resources.

We stayed in a lodging house by the river in Sekatak Buji as the only guests. The houses overlooking the river are made of wood planks. School children jump into the deep water from an iron bridge. You can rent a long boat and glide along the meandering Sekatak River. Interesting sights pop up, such as a little toy boat adorned with decorations. Our boat driver said that the boat was filled with offerings intended for a white crocodile. He said that there must be a family around the area who holds the traditional belief that they are descendants of the creature.

From Sekatak to Tanjung Selor, we took overland route using an unofficial taxi. We sat for four hours for the bumpy ride. A lack of infrastructure made the 120-kilometer journey bumpy. But the sight of the forest, with the tall Mengaris tree made the journey worth it.

We left at noon and arrived before sunset in Tanjung Selor. The town that is intended to be North Kalimantan’s capital is a hilly laid-back town with low-rise buildings and large parks. A statue of the Lemlai Suri Princess or more popularly known as the broken egg princess stands in the intersection of Sengkawit and Jelarai Selor.

The story of the broken egg princess tells the legend of the Bulungan sultanate that reigned between the 18th and 20th centuries. A childless Kayan tribal leader found an egg and a bamboo and brought home the two. The egg and bamboo turned into a baby girl and a baby boy, who would start the Bulungan Kingdom, the legend goes.

The Kayan River passes through the town, adding a relaxing vibe to Tanjung Selor. As with many rivers in Kalimantan, the Kayan River is a wide river with strong current, which makes it good for white water rafting. For those interested in rafting in North Kalimantan, a number of trekking companies provide white-water rafting trips along the Kayan River.

If you don’t have the chance to raft, the river is as enjoyable to see as to ride on. As the sun sets in Tanjung Selor, we sat on the concrete nook along the Kayan River. The dusk-time ray illuminates the trees on the other side of the river, while the water glimmer with a golden hue. My travel partner and I agreed, in a land of mighty rivers, devouring the last light by the river is most appropriate to end the day.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/06/26/up-river-in-north-kalimantan/#ixzz2XSZzcmZy

Cop was supplying info to the Sulu militants: Witness

Kota Kinabalu: The High Court trial of Hassan Hj Ali Basari, a police corporal charged with intentionally withholding information related to terrorist acts heard, Tuesday, that police began tapping his conversations for possible complicity when a group of Sulu militants intruded at Kg Tanduo in Lahad Datu, early this year.

The prosecution's protected witness Number Two, who was testifying under protection from an undisclosed location within the courthouse building, told Justice Ravinthran Paramaguru that he/she listened to the communication upon being instructed by the superior.

The witness, an administrative assistant at Special Branch in Bukit Aman police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, told the court that his/her duty was to process the information and do a translation, if needed, as he/she was fluent in Suluk, Bajau and Malay.

Asked by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Dato' Nordin Hassan during examination-in-chief, the witness said three interceptions were made on Feb. 25, March 2 and March 3, 2003.

Referring to a document dated Feb 25, the witness said the conversation was between Datu Amir Bahar and Raja Datu Agbimuddin in Suluk at 10.31pm whereby Amir, who made the call, informed Raja he had been tipped off by Hassan that the Malaysian government would be coming at 12.30am, to which Raja replied they would be ready.

Datu Amir also said that Hassan and Husin were brothers and like their own family. The witness said by monitoring daily, he/she could identify their voices.

The witness testified further that he/she heard a conversation between a "Lelaki Sabah" (Sabahan man or LS) and Hassan at 7.37pm on March 2, whereby LS asked "How" to which Hassan replied "standby".

The former then asked whether its already war, to which the latter replied "yes, yesterday".

The witness also heard that Hassan asked LS whether he had contacted Philippines and LS said "Yes, more than 400 people will be coming to Sabah from Bongao to assist". To a question by Hassan on whether they comprised MNLF soldiers, LS said "already mixed with Sultan".

The witness further testified that the third interception was at 9.28am on March 2013 made by LS to Hassan where LS told Hassan that from the information he obtained from the internet, the number of the intruders, who will be coming, is hitting thousand and needed more financial support.

Hassan agreed saying USA was among them with support also from Nur Misuari (ex-MNLF leader).

Other conversations between them were that Ismail Kiram wanted to claim their right over Sabah and that if the Malaysia Government did not obey their wishes, they will create chaos in Sabah.

Hassan told LS it was said that Ismail was going to send people to enter Sabah and use guerilla tactics as stated by Misuari earlier.

On trial is Detective Corporal Hassan Hj Ali Basari , 58, who is accused of intentionally omitting to give any information relating to terrorist acts, between January this year and March 3 in the office of the Special Branch chief at the Lahad Datu Police Headquarters.

The charge, under Section 130M of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to seven years or fine or both on conviction.

The prosecution's third witness, Mohd Ali Asmali, 39, an auxiliary police at Felda Sabahat 20, Kg Embara Budi Lahad Datu, told the court he and another friend went fishing in a boat at Tanduo waters at 7pm on Feb. 11, 2013.

While fishing at about 2am on Feb. 12, they heard a boat and could tell from the engine sound that the boat was big. The boat was heading to Tanduo beach.

"After that we heard, the boat speeding to the high sea.

We finished fishing at about 6.40am and returned to the beach.

On our way, I saw 100 people gathered at the surau area.

Our distance from the surau was about 100 metres.

"We saw people clad in camouflage fatigues with some wearing red bands on their heads and arms. Some also wore white songkok," said Mohd Ali, adding the men were not the Malaysian army.

"I was amazed and scared. We decided not to land at the place where the people gathered but headed to the rivermouth about 30-40 meters away," said Mohd Ali, adding they then went to Cendrawasih police station to report the matter the same day.

When cross-examined by one of Hassan's counsel Ram Singh, Mohd Ali said they went to the police station at 8.20am and reported the matter to the station superior, Nazri.

Heowever, he only managed to lodge the report at 4.13pm as he had to wait for the Lahad Datu OCPD, who wanted to hear the information personally.

Nordin appeared together with DPPs Nazrul Nizam Mohd Zameri, Cheng Heng Kher and Anati Kisahi while Hassan is represented by counsel Kamarudin Mohamad Chinki and assisted by Ram Singh and YS Lo.

Daily Express