UNBEARABLE TRAFFIC JAMS LEADING TO FOUR SCHOOLS: RETIRED NATIVE COURT JUDGE

 

LONG snaking traffic leading to 4 schools

PENAMPANG, SABAH.   Retired Native Chief Andrew S Lidaun called upon the relevant authorities to tackle the serious traffic jam leading to four schools at Bukit Padang (pic) which had become worse in the last years.

The schools are SK St Francis, SMK St Francis, Sabah International School and SK Bukit Padang.

He said the unbearable jam occurs during peak period of morning, afternoon and evening sessions when the parents deliver and collects their children and last between 40 to 60 minutes. He opined the main reason is that there is only one way inlet and one way outlet to and from these schools.

He proposed there should be more alternative roads, provide traffic police or warden to control the vehicles and get the relevant Parent Teachers Association involve to find a solution.

These traffic crawl cannot be ignored forever because of the negative consequences such as being late for work, exhaustion and stress and many are wondering why nothing had been done for so long, he concluded

 

Andrew S Lidaun

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FORMER NATIVE COURT JUDGE REMINDS THE STATE GOVERNMENT ON COURT UPGRADE

 

Retired KAN Andrew S Lidaun

DE news clip 22 Nov 2019

PENAMPANG.  A former magistrate of the Native Court here has called on the state government of Sabah to honour the pledge made 3 years ago.

"By setting up a Native Court Department, this Court will be on par  both with civil courts and syariah court", he said.

After three years, there is no news how far this thing has become a reality. Can anybody suggest and comment what is the outcome or the progress of this matter. We are the native of Sabah and we have this court, the Native Court which help the native people settle their problems that relate to "adat istiadat" (customary laws) such as inheritance of properties, marriage and others.  Now this is under the ministry of housing and local government under Datuk Masidi Manjun. 

This Department should enjoy the autonomy free from intervention by other bodies. I urge all those responsible to get this thing enabled, said Andrew in a statement to the press.

Andrew has also contacted former Assistant Minister of Law and Native Affair Janie Lasimbang to bring this matter to the State Legislative Assembly. After the 2020 snap state election, the new GRS government have cancelled the Law and Native Affair ministry and send back the Native Courts to be under the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Meanwhile , YB Janie was re-elected as assemblywoman for Kepayan under the opposition DAP.

Andrew S Lidaun has a long, ten (10) years stint in the native court system starting as a village chief of Kobusak Nosoob while working for the private sector. Under the native court system, a village chief can also hear minor cases amongst his villagers settling any dispute in a peace making concept that ends up with a "sogit" or appeasement penalty to cool down any anger between the disputing parties.

"Sogit" is a Kadazan word with the first meaning of cool temperature.

Andrew was eventully elevated to Ketua Anak Negeri or Native Chief which is equavalent to Magistrate of Native Courts in Sarawak State.

While sitting on the bench of three judges including the District Chief or OKK,  Andrew had heard and prepared verdicts for many high profile cases amongst the list of public interest includes:-

1.  Seven Heaven Case (fiance-fiancee dispute with a third party involved)

2.  Land scam where the value of the land was RM1.6 million

3.  A long list of other disputes involving houses and lands

4.  A long list of sexual escapades that may be just gossips to the west but serious offences against the native Adat in the country.

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PAN BORNEO HIGHWAY PROJECT CAUSES FLOODS: SENATOR JOHN AMBROSE (News from Sabah)

Senator Datuk John Ambrose present food bags to families affected by Covid19 Lockdown or MCO,  while District Officer Henry Idol of Penampang assisted.

 PENAMPANG- 18 JULY 2021

Senator Datuk John Ambrose claimed since the Pan Borneo project was launched, many houses are affected by floods due the drains being too small, for example Kg Maang to Siga roundabout. He said this after presenting food bags due Covid19 Movement Control Order, at Dewan Gawir Madsiang here.

He will discuss with the Drainage and Irrigation Department JPT, to enlarge all the Parit Juta including one near the Police Station which is yet to be completed, and will also meet with the new lady JKR District Engineer for Penampang.

Meanwhile Pan Borneo project still have plenty of land compensation yet to be paid and this may have caused the delay because they cannot go through houses that are not given compensations yet, he said. " I would also look into enlarging the Moyog River via deepening, widening and straightening", he said.

Regarding the Kibabaig road which is always flooded during rain, John said he is not sure why the drainage project was not completed and 75% of the allocation had been released. He will get help from Datuk Bung, the Minister of Works to help release the rest fo the funds.

John also said he is against Kaiduan Dam and will make an appointment to meet Datuk Bung who had promised to build more reservoir in all districts. "He has to listen to the voice of the people as we have 10 thousand who voted for us here. Just because we did not win any seat does not mean we dont listen to the voice of Penampang", he said.

He said just because he disagree with the dam does not mean he is against the GRS government.

"There should be a complete study first, solve the non-revenue water NRW, build more small reservoirs and look into the advice of Dr Felix Tongkul who is very good in environment" he said.

The minister in charge of JKR must look into all aspect, not just ask engineers who don't know anything about environment, he said.

"We must look for people who has knowledge on how to preserve the environment and natural resources. Once a dam is built, the natural beauty of the river will be destroyed. I have been to Kaiduan twice and the beauty of the river can be tapped for tourism", he said adding there are many ways to get and save water.

Regarding the stalled Donggongon Roof Project,  John said it was approved during the previous Warisan government using the Council's fund. He cannot say much as he did not approved it apart from knowing it cost about 2 million.

"In my opinion, It should be continued as it is good for the people. I heard the sub-contractor is going to continue the job, otherwise it will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, adding more woes during this Covid period" he said.

A total of 16,716 recipients of the food bag aids were identified who are badly affected by the MCO including those in quarantine and they will be distributed through all available government channels until 26 February. "Only a representative of 20 people were handed their bags this morning" John concluded.

Present in the event were District Officer Henry Idol and newly appointed Community Development Leader Joe Suleiman.

 

 

RELEVANT VIDEO: THIS is from my own youtube channel which is owned by google

 

 

EX- VILLAGE CHIEF QUESTIONS DELAYS IN VILLAGE APPOINTMENTS

 WED 13 Jan 2021

PENAMPANG.  A former village chief of Kg Terawi here questioned the new government delays in getting work done. Rollis Mitol said even grass at road shoulders leading to his village are so tall it blocks motorist view as they join the main road. "Are the authority concerned waiting for a fatal accident here before acting?" he queried. This could be due to the village administrative committee or JKKK and village chief are yet to be appointed since the new government took over three months ago, he said.

It does not matter who gets appointed but services to the communities must be the prime consideration, he stressed.

 

One former JKKK member shown pointing on tall grass wanted to volunteer cut the grass himself with own grass cutter,  however the others discouraged him since this good deed will never be appreciated by any government leaders, and moreover the JKR contractor appointed to do this work will claim his free work as their own and get paid for it.

Rollis who was village chief for more than two years does not expect to be reappointed after getting his termination letter but not happy when a replacement is not appointed immediately.  Some of my villagers are still approaching me for certification but in other villages of Putatan new village chiefs are already serving the people so why here in Penampang, everything is slow, he added.

He opined that a village chief should command the respect of his villagers, knows what are happening there as well as customs and traditions of the natives. He should recognise all his villagers especially in graveyard issue where outsiders might be buried in the village, he said. Hence it is time that village chiefs are elected by the residents and not otherwise, he added.

Village chiefs are also members of the Native Court or Mahkamah Anak Negeri (MAN) and should be given 5 year term and not based on political cronies, and should only be removed when unable to perform his duties.

My 2 years experience at the MAN, we found the services were really upgraded with nearly a week training to all new village chiefs and members of the MAN inclusive of computerisation.  Are the new recruits able to continue the service smoothly or are they starting with a new round of trainings?  Everytime there is a change of politics, is the MAN going to be overhauled again and again without end, so when will this court be uplifted same as the other courts? Rollis concluded.

Pix:  the human height grass on the road

Inset:  Rollis Mitol

 

 

 

 

FIRST EVER YELLOW BRIDGE IN SABAH, IMPRESSIVE BUT STILL OPEN TO IMPROVEMENTS

 First drafted on Sun 20 Dec 2020.

PENAMPANG.  The first yellow suspension bridge in the district if not in the state, built at Kasigui here appears very impressive with the walkway looking like a steel plate instead of the usual  wooden planks on wire mesh. On closer inspection, it is made of fibreglass with yellow surface colours.

A lady flower stall owner at the foot of the bridge said the bridge was repaired twice this year but the yellow one was installed in first week of December and was completed in a few days after being missing for a few months. She heard from the contractors that the bridge was meant to last around ten years as opposed to weak wooden planks.

However a medical consultant opined that going up and down the bridge is unsafe for senior citizens and elderly where the sharp ridges can lead to trips and fall since there is no handles to hold on.  Meanwhile the frequently flooding river moyog give rise to waterborne diseases which need urgent attention from those in government.

Meanwhile videos and photos of the latest attraction are going around social media spawing spoofs and parodies of the Beatle's old hit, "Yellow Submarine"  all for fun,  and could promote tourism in the district if not for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pix shows the bridge from Kg Nampasan side with a signboard from National Healthy Community encouraging walking as exercise with calories burnt for every thousand steps.