1 March 2024
On Today Show
— Nicholas Mujah, Environmental activist from Sri Aman, Sarawak – Carbon Trading Profits: A New Avenue for Giant Companies in Sarawak
— Muna Getor, farmer from Sebauh, Bintulu – Supporting Local Farmers: The Case for Floating Rice Prices
— Agnes Padan, Social activist from Lawas – Hopeful Signs in MyKad Applications, Yet Challenges Persist
Toppik Pada Hari Ini
- Nicholas Mujah, aktivis alam sekitar dari Sri Aman, Sarawak - Keuntungan Perdagangan Karbon: Satu Jalan Baru untuk Syarikat Raksasa di Sarawak
- Muna Getor, petani dari Sebauh, Bintulu - Menyokong Petani Tempatan: Argumen bagi Penetapan Harga Beras yang Mengapung
- Agnes Padan, aktivis sosial dari Lawas - Tanda-Tanda Positif dalam Permohonan MyKad, Namun Cabaran Masih Berterusan
-
*Special Randau*
1. Muhyiddin appealed to the Federal Court to be acquitted of 4 charges of misusing the authority of the Jana Wibawa program. Muhyiddin was charged under section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009 - using his position as prime minister and president of Bersatu at the time to bribe RM232.5 million from three companies and one individual, between March 1, 2020 and August 2021.
2. Tun Daim's lawyer Zainuddin-Rajesh Nagarajan questioned why PMX Anwar Ibrahim was so prejudiced against Tun Daim. According to the lawyer, Daim has never been found guilty in any court before and what is the need for Anwar to sneer at the opposition for remaining silent against the MACC. Does the opposition also get any reward from Daim. Or the opposition expects financial help from Daim in the upcoming election.?
3. Carbon Trading in Sarawak. Once again the Natives will be excluded and will not be given compensation or payment for their land involved. The Sarawak Forest Ordinance- forest carbon activity 2022 and the Sarawak Land Code Carbon storage 2022 do not clearly state the rights of indigenous peoples in relation to carbon trading.
------------------------
Nicholas Mujah, Environmental activist from Sri Aman, Sarawak
*Carbon Trading Profits: A New Avenue for Giant Companies in Sarawak*
In short, according to Mujah carbon trading is between one country and another. Countries that preserve forests / don't cut down forests (replace forests with polluting industries) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be paid by countries that have exceeded their permitted carbon emission limits.
Sarawak has passed the Sarawak Land Code (carbon storage) 2022 and the Sarawak Forest Ordinance (forest carbon activity) 2022. While in Sabah, the Sabah Biodiversity Enactment 2020 has been established.
All this is the preparation of the state government for carbon trading. But the question arises whether the people/indigenous people will be able to benefit from the forest they take care of?
According to Mujah, looking at the current situation, it is clear that the original forest owners will not benefit. In the law that has been approved, it does not state that the people will be paid with a certain amount of money.
In the case of Sarawak, the indigenous people cannot claim the forest or land in their village as theirs without a title deed. Therefore, the people of Sarawak should be aware that in order to benefit directly. It is at this time that they should put pressure on the GPS government so that in the law that is passed there should be a stipulation of the return of carbon trading revenue to the people in a certain percentage. The people of Sarawak should be aware and aware of every decision and law passed by the state government. If it is not in favor of the people, then the people should rise up and protest. What can be observed now, according to Mujah, The giant company that owns PL on thousands of hectares of land in Sarawak will once again profit from carbon trading. Once they made a lot of profit from logging and plantation. Is it fair that those who destroy the environment are the ones who are paid because they supposedly preserve the forest?
------------------------
Muna Getor, farmer from Sebauh, Bintulu
*Supporting Local Farmers: The Case for Floating Rice Prices*
Sim Tze Tzin, a Member of Parliament, has proposed that the government float the price of rice to address local rice supply shortages and combat cartels in the industry. He argues that artificially low prices harm farmers, consumers, and the government's subsidy efforts. He suggests letting the market determine the price of rice as a more sustainable solution.
Pn. Muna, a consistent paddy farmer, agrees with YB Sim's proposal to float the price of rice. She recently purchased a pack of local fragrant rice at the price of imported rice, which turned out to not be locally produced. She also encountered cases where the packaging was different from the original. Additionally, her own local rice production is insufficient to meet the demand within her community alone. Pn. Muna urges the government to assist local farmers like her by providing support for good quality rice and shorter ripening periods.
------------------------
Agnes Padan, Social activist from Lawas
*Hopeful Signs in MyKad Applications, Yet Challenges Persist*
After years of fighting for stateless individuals, there is finally a breakthrough. Recently, several MyKad applications for indigenous school children were successfully processed, giving them a new hope to continue their education without shame, as they have lacked identification documents for so long.
However, this struggle is not only for indigenous children but also for many elderly individuals who still do not have identification documents. One such case is an 82-year-old man named Purait Arun, who needs to undergo a biopsy and follow-up treatment at Miri Hospital but cannot leave Lawas because he is still classified as a non-citizen, despite being an indigenous Lun Bawang from Ba'Kelalan.
Agnes hopes that the government will expedite the MyKad application for elderly individuals like Purait Arun.
------------------------