What is Plan B for Sabah Budget 2015?

Kota Kinabalu:     “As dust is settling down on the collapse of oil prices globally, the picture becomes clearer for Malaysia and Sabah’s 2015 Budget projected revenues.   The question on everyone’s mind is what is Plan B for the National and Sabah Budget 2015?” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, reflecting on the 60% plunge in oil prices from USD110 to USD47 - USD49 per barrel and creating a huge dent in projected revenues from oil.

When PM Najib unveiled the national Budget on 10 October 2014, the world oil price was about USD90 per barrel and when CM Musa announced the Sabah Budget on 07 November 2014, it was about USD80.   However, the budget projections were based on assumption of oil prices at USD100 per barrel.   They now seem half a world away from the current USD48 per barrel, up from a low of USD45.

Do Away With “Lain-lain” and “Bumiputra” in Sabah

Kota Kinabalu:     “The move by the Chief Minister of Sarawak to do away with the categorization of Sarawakians as “Others” or “Lain-lain” in government administration and replacing them with Sarawak ethnic races is most welcome and long overdue.   Sabah leaders should take the cue and follow suit to replace “Sabahan” for “Lain-lain” in Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the move by the CM of Sarawak.

In fact, the Sabah government should not stop at the re-categorization and should implement policies for the upliftment of the indigenous people of Sabah as provided in Article 41 of the Constitution of Sabah.   Article 41 provides:-

No more ‘lain-lain’ in forms

Federal government cancels controversial column that classifies Sarawak Bumiputera as ‘others’ in race section of official forms

KAPIT: There will be no more ‘lain-lain’ column in the race section of government forms to indicate the race of Bumiputera in Sarawak.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said yesterday the federal government had acceded to a request by the state government to eliminate the words ‘lain-lain’ in the race column in official forms.

“In government forms, there will be Bumiputera Iban, Bumiputera Bidayuh and Bumiputera Orang Ulu.

Sarawak’s Taib tries to stop BBC broadcast on timber corruption

© Provided by The Malaysian Insider Sarawak governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud has on multiple occasions been asked to explain his allegedly vast wealth. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 16, 2015.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Sarawak governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud are attempting to stop a BBC interview from being broadcast, said a Swiss-based rainforest advocacy group.

The Bruno Manser Fund said a London law firm had been commissioned by the controversial Taib to stop a BBC interview on Lukas Straumann's book, “Money Logging: On the Trail of the Asian Timber Mafia”, which exposes the former chief minister's vast wealth allegedly derived from illegal logging.

The Meaning of Mutual Respect

By Baru Bian , Ba Kelalan assemblyman

The lecture by Shaykh Afeefuddin Al-Jailani that is being organised by the Islamic Information Centre and supported by UNIMAS’ Pusat Islam has created much unhappiness among Sarawakian Christians who, over the past few years, have had to put up with various forms of illogical and unreasonable interference by the authorities in the practice of their faith. They have unfailingly exercised tremendous restraint and shown remarkable forbearance in the face of unwarranted disrespect and curtailment of their rights. This latest episode is truly a blow to the Christians, who had hoped that they would be left alone to carry on the practice of their religion in peace in the spirit of mutual respect that seemed to still exist in Sarawak. I have received many calls from Christians and Christian leaders on this proposed lecture.