PENAMPANG DISTRICT BAMBOO RAFT FESTIVAL 2016 AT MAHANDOI PART 1

Hi to everyone, these are some photos I managed to take on 25th September between Kg Kuai and Kg Mahandoi.  I will have to break my blogs into two parts because it is difficult to upload all the pics at once.

Before that let me quote the most important advice from our Tourism Minister in his opening speech for this First District Level Decorated Bamboo Raft Festival, which was started by CLEAR 5 years ago.

Masidi said,  "We should not be ashamed of being poor, but we should be ashamed if we do nothing to get out of poverty"

Classic !

 

Datuk Masidi Manjun blessing Kg Kuai jetty before boarding raft

Masidi and District Officer Luvita Koisun framed by window of decorated raft



Kokodongon Diaki-aki, the winning raft boarded by Tourism Minister Masidi and District Officer

 

Winning raft with Minister on board

Winning raft with Minister at front window

 

The French Team

 

Spectators at cleaned up river bank

Spectators welcoming at Kg Mahandoi Jetty

Minister Masidi and DO shares French food

Masidi plants Tondundungu tree seedling

 

Luvita and CLEAR collecting fruits of an existing Tondundungu tree



PESTA RAKIT OR RAFTING FESTIVAL AT KG KUAI KANDAZON ON 27 SEPT 2015

VERY enjoyable riverside event for me, first time I saw raft tug-of-war and decorated raft in my life, and I went on one of the raft together with the District Officer of Penampang, beautiful lady Luvita Koisun.

Of course as a child I had been crossing rivers with bamboo rafts but they were just ordinary raft that can carry up to 5 passengers before they started sinking.

These decorated raft actually had plastic pipe flotation devices below them for added stability and safety and fitted with a real boat motors.

Creativity of the locals and organiser.

Organisers:  Local community leaders chaired by Jacky Lettong

Supported by NGO : CLEAR = Community Led Environmental Awareness for Rivers :  Leader Winnie Jimis
Supported by PACOS local executive Anne Lasimbang

Supported by government departments including Fisheries and Bomba and guarded by SRS or Skim Rondaan Sukarela = Voluntary Patrolling Scheme.

Here are some photos for you to copy if you like:

 Site of venue: background is downstream showing location of Monsopiad Cultural Centre

The River bank cleaned up by the local residents with fishing spot and concrete staircase jetty and a strong canopy shelters

District Officer planting a fruit tree seedlings with here bare hands

 



 One for the album after the official work was completed. Flanking the DO was at left Winnie Jimis of CLEAR and right, Anne Lasimbang of PACOS

 Children doing their artwork on save the river theme.

 Arrival of the Decorated Raft. This must be the winner judged based on stability, safety, decoration and creativity.

 Another colourful raft with rubber tyre tubes at the back

 District Officer taking a ride on one of the decorated raft

 Smaller raft used for the tug-of- war.  The river flow was slow so there was not much drift downstream when the paddling was done. Sadly the water quality of river is rather shameful

 Tug of war in action,  paddle paddle come guys put more muscles into it.

 The only two competitor from Australia. They were part of PACOS team studying the effects of earthquakes to the community around Kinabalu.

Lastly the District Officer check out the commercial rubbished being dumped at the bank of the river.

PUBLIC FORUM ON KAIDUAN DAM HELD AT LIKAS SQUARE ON 16 SEPTEMBER 2015

Third Floor, Peregrine Room, 8:30 am to 12:30 am.

KOTA KINABALU. The organising chairperson of a public forum on Kaiduan Dam, Mary Giun from Kg. Terian had one blunt answer to an accusation her group is manipulated by outsiders. “We are not stupid !”. She was told that the Water Department had shown videos of her speaking fluently about the loss of bio-diversity, tourism potentials and their source of living amongst others to the District Officer, during a visit to their villages a few months earlier.

 

On 6th August 2015, the Water Department held a public briefing on a group chosen by Whatsapp at 2:30pm at their office Gaya Park Jln Penampang Kota Kinabalu, and showed the video as part of the briefing.

 

One Water Dept officer said she must have been coached by some NGO to oppose the dam project. It was the same government albeit through different departments that had trained us to take care of our rivers, she said citing an example in the news when the District Officer of Penampang released fish fries at a river at Kg Putaton, opposite Moyog. As a former member of JKKK, we were told of the importance of bio-diversity, she said.

 

After all these efforts now they are telling us our river and villages are going to be flooded, she added.

 

Giun was clearly unhappy that despite their repeated contacts of invitation, no one from the Water Department turned up to present the second paper on the proposed dam during the forum held at Likas Square, on Wednesday. Even if they are busy preparing for the Malaysia Day event in the afternoon, only one representative amongst their many officers would suffice, she added.

They have missed another opportunity to listen to the villagers themselves, she said. Two special chairs were also prepared for the Director of the department and Huguan Siou as Minister of Infrastructure remained unused.

 

Three speakers who presented their papers were Dr Felix Tongkul on water catchment and source of water for Kota Kinabalu, Nousi Joseph chairman of NGO TAKaD and Gabriel Wynn speaking on alternative water supply.

 

Several questions from the floor were left unanswered but the organisers promised to record them and forwarded to the water department.

 

A lady from an affected village in Papar said the villagers had built a “tugu” or monument for Huguan Siou Pairin Kitingan when he won and wish to ask why he now wants to flood them including his tugu.

 

A resident from Pitas asked why the government cannot solve the lack of water supply at his district while there is plenty of water in Kota Kinabalu. He requested that some of the 2.8 billion intended for the dam instead be spent in other part of the state with poor water supply.

 

The conclusion of the forum saw Jannie Lasimbang, former Suhakam member proposing a six point memorandum to be submitted to the Chief Minister and also the Minister of Infrastructure, amongst which another study be made in order to cancel the dam project and to utilised an internationally accepted concept called “Prior informed consent” with all affected parties before big projects are implemented. The proposed memorandum was passed without any objection.

 

MP for Penampang Darell Leiking and Moyog Assemblyman Terence Siambun also attended the forum  without speaking to hear the voice of the 700 participants.

 

After the event, a majority of those present conducted a ten minutes flash mob protest near the main road and then dispersed without any untoward incidents.

 

Dr Felix with Mary Giun

 Flash Mob picture one

Flash mob picture 2

 

700 people attended

 



 

Jannie Lasimbang and Mary

 



 

Left side, empty chair supposed to be filled by Water Department Representative

 

 

Member of Public from Papar asking why the Huguan Siou wants to flood their village after helping him win.

MY VIEWS OF BERSIH4 OF SABAH AT LIKAS BAY KOTA KINABALU

Kota Kinabalu. Sabah Bersih movement have proven in the past to have shown no record of rioting or causing public nuisance in town. A random interview with the participants felt that the total closing of the coastal Likas Bay road was unjustified, perhaps just to put the blame on them for the traffic jam elsewhere, when the organisers insisted on using the jogging tracks for their walk, even the word "march" was forbidden.

The overnight event on the first day was more like a camping event complete with sunset viewing and sumazau event. Some participant even said the presence of the police van on the road near the camp provided a secure feeling, who knows the Abu Sayaff kidnappers just might come from the sea.

One anonymous constable engaged in a friendly chat said he is amazed with Sabahans who came from all corners of the state to one location and makes new friends amongst themselves. They can be heard talking about issues and problems faced today. There was definitely no signs of rioting or anger.

With the beautiful sunset, more than a dozen tried to clean up the beach but found it difficult with the ugly plastic waste imbedded in the sand. Some said it was brought by the waves from the slum houses of Pulau Gaya.

Early on Sunday morning, only about 300 was left for the walk to the town and they asked why does it need a helicopter above to monitor them when there are more police on the grounds. They said the cost of the operating the helicopter is around RM8000 per hour. This may be offset by the amount collected from the parking fines, said a lady in the first photo.

 

 

 Unlucky participants car getting a parking ticket record by a lady with a handphone

 

 Just a weekend walk on the beach for this group

  The police demarcation tape is to prevent people from falling into the drain

 Sunset camping by the beach with patriotic flags

 Trying to clean the beach from rubbish

 Totally empty road on Sunday BECAUSE the cops have blocked the roads at all entrance.

 Lone police helicopter flying above watching over nothing

 The Bersih walk into the town

Just admiring the historical first Sabah flag

 

PENAMPANG POLYCLINIC AND LPPKN LAUNCH HEALTH EDUCATION AND CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS

9 AUGUST 2015

 Dr Rosila with doctors and nurses at the launching

Public attendance with majority senior citizens of Penampang

PENAMPANG. Only one-third of women have undergone pap smear test for cervical cancer while the rest are too busy, shy or too many hindrance for them to go to the clinics. Dr Rosila Binti Yahaya, the district Health Officer said this when launching a health education project for cervical cancer awareness at multipurpose hall, Donggongon Library. When the children and the husband are sick, the women are there to look after them and sometimes they forget to look after their own health, she added. She therefore urged all the womenfolk to look after their health first, only then they will be able to take care of their families. Pap smear test should ideally be carried out every three years, she said.

 

The Saturday morning event also included health talk by a specialist doctor on breast cancer and breast self-exam and other health screening test such as glucose and cholesterol level, body mass index and blood pressure were provided free. The public response was good as the small hall was almost full while a team of senior citizen came to support with a bamboo gong band.

 

The event was jointly organised by the Penampang Polyclinic and the National Population & Family Development Board while staff from  QE Hospital accepted blood donations.

 

Also giving their performance was a choir from the Penampang Community College students with their group photo outside the library.

 

Names please guys.

 

 

and their videos are here:

 

 

KG KITUAU WON 1 MALAYSIA PROSPEROUS VILLAGE AWARD FOR PENAMPANG DISTRICT IN 2015

1st August 2015

Merdeka Launch for Penampang: From Left:
Lindiana Chia ( KEMAS), Moira David (JKKK member Kg Kituau), District Officer Luvita Koisun and Felicia Lojinga (JKKK Chair Kg Kituau)

Cheque Presentation: From Left:
KEMAS, Kg Kibunut, Kg Kituau, Kg Babagon, District Officer and JKKK member Kg Kituau.


Original text as sent to MSM.

PENAMPANG. Kg Kituau has won the 1Malaysia Prosperous Village Award (ADS1M) which will represent Penampang District at the state level award presentation. Village chairperson of the Security and Development Committee (JKKK) Felicia Lojinga informed that her committee consist of four ladies and two males where women power and commitment maybe the secrets of their success. They meet regularly at an average of once a month or more when needed and formed sub-committees with a total of 27 active members. She believed her village scored points under the aspects of education/training and patriotism/independence. We also conduct tuitions for the students and our administration is carried out complete with a village profile, she added.

 

The presentation of the award coinciding with the launching of the Merdeka festivities for the district was officiated by the District Officer Luvita Koisun at the community hall of nearby Kg Limbanak because Kg Kituau does not have their own hall yet.

In her speech, Koisun advised the village to submit their request for the hall and other needs for next year budget planning. She reminded all JKKKs to submit their village profile to her office which is necessary for development planning for the district but not all villages have learnt to prepare the profile. She also spoke in Kadazan reminding the villagers to continue using the native language in their homes and not relegating the language into the history books.

 

Kg Kituau earned cash prize of RM5000 as the champion for the Penampang ADS1M while runner ups Kg Babagon and Kg Kibunut won RM4000 and RM3000 respectively.

 

Attending the function included Native Chief Woritus Paulus and village chiefs from adjacent villages while opposition MP Darrel Leiking briefly attended to give moral support for the function.

Two radio star singers from Kg Kituau, Cathy Woritus and Diana Clevon Monjuil entertained the crowd with their top ten popular songs.

Cathy and Diana

PENAMPANG COUNCIL OF COMMUNITY LEADERS TIGHTENED UP WEDDING ENGAGEMENT FORM

On July 24th 2015, the leaders of this council invited me to cover their meeting because they wanted to make a press release of their new resolution.

Due to so many problematic engagement some couples have signed in the presence of the village chief, such as not getting married within two years, such relationship sours and they will bring their disputes to the native court.

There was even a case where the couple never married after 7 years and then they brought their fight to the court which simply clog the court system with cases created by the weak agreement in their engagement form.

The details of news is published today after the editor held it for a few days because I got the scoop of the news anyway.

I will reproduce the Bahasa Version of the press release by the Council of Community Leaders who are also members of the Native Courts.

Another thing to note:  One Buffalo if monetized in value officially is now RM2500.00
Enforcement of existing rules.  Village Chief must be present during the engagement ceremony to sign on the form. If he is unable to attend for any reasons, then he can only delegate the duty to another village chief from the NEAREST village.  JKKK Chairman and any other are not allowed to certify this form.

Here is the Bahasa Text.

SYARAT-SYARAT DALAM SURAT PERJANJIAN PERTUNANGAN MENGIKUT ADAT ISTIADAT MAHKAMAH ANAK NEGERI PENAMPANG SABAH.  JULAI 2015

1.  Perjanjian Pertunangan yang disahkan akan berkuatkuasa mula pada tarikh hari pertunangan dalam tempoh setahun sahaja.

2.  Dimana sekiranya perkahwinan gagal dilangsungkan dalam tempoh setahun yang ditetapkan itu, maka satu perbincangan boleh diadakan diantara kedua-dua pihak untuk menentukan tarikh baru perkahwinan mereka.

3.  Bagaimanapun penetapan "Kali Kedua" tarikh perkahwinan ini hanya dalam tempoh setahun sahaja dalam tahun kedua.

4.  Sekiranya perkahwinan masih GAGAL lagi dilangsungkan dalam tempoh lanjutan setahun itu maka dengan tersendirinya TERBATAL perjanjian pertunangan ini.

5.  Walaubagaimana pun, sekiranya kedua-dua pihak masih berhasrat untuk berkahwin, maka satu PERJANJIAN PERTUNANGAN kali kedua dan TERAKHIR boleh diadakan untuk menetapkan tarikh perkahwinan dalam tempoh yang terdekat sahaja.

The 22 leaders who attended the meeting is as per the official photo below.

Standing from Left:
KK Elizabeth George Mojuntin, KK Rita John Goninu, KK Michael Segawal, KK James Mindong (Limbanak), WKAN Clarence Matalus, KK Kolugou Mositun (Terian), KK John Sabitang (Buayan), KK John Molingun (Babagon), KK Stephen Mojimin (Kimoligan), KK Luis Jalin (Kituau), KK Sipodo Ephraim Lojingon ( Madsiang), KK Charles Johnioh (Terawi), KK  Markus Limjoon (Hungab), KK Philip Toyu (Bukitas), KK John Gintos (Moyog).

Seated are from Left:

WKAN Pius Kunsung, KAN Andrew S Lidaun, KK Michael Bejuet, KK Michael Kubot (Putaton) OKK Bryan Matasing Lojingon, KK Wildy Moujing, KAN Markus Johnioh.

KK - Ketua Kampung or village chief
WKAN - Wakil Ketua Anak Negeri or Asst. Native Chief
KAN - Native Chief
OKK - Orang Kaya Kaya or District Chief