Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I take my hat off to Global Witness for pulling off this amazing feat!

Inside Malaysia's Shadow State






Corruption is destroying the fabric of Sarawak’s society and squandering the state’s natural resources. The region’s indigenous people have born the brunt of this. Ancestral land to which they have claims has been routinely licensed for logging and plantations, badly damaging their livelihoods and violating their rights under Sarawak and Malaysian law. This has trapped many communities in a cycle of poverty and dependency.

Moreover, corruption affects the future well-being of all Malaysian citizens. This investigation demonstrates how money that should be driving development is being lost to corruption and hidden in secrecy jurisdictions overseas. Malaysia is thought to be the world’s third largest source of such illicit financial flows, losing the country an estimated US$285 billion (RM863 billion), or over US$43,000 (RM130,000) perhousehold between 2001 and 2010. This is money that could have been spent on improving key services and quality of life for ordinary Malaysians.


The timber rush which occurred during Taib’s three decades in office has spawned some of the world’s largest logging companies. These companies have had a catastrophic effect on forests and indigenous communities in almost every major tropical forested region in the world, and are regularly implicated in major illegal logging scandals.

Global Witness’ analysis shows that Sarawak’s logging companies are currently logging or converting forests to plantations in at least 12 countries. Their operations cover an area of 18 million hectares worldwide, an area roughly three times the landmass of Norway.


Anonymous said...

Now Taib's family is moving into Tasamania putting efforts at plundering Tasamania's forest to feed their associate's paper and pulpmill.

Donplaypuks® said...

Brilliant! The noose is tightening!

Roti Sunshine said...

we are all just a breath away from meeting our Creator. don't these people have any apprehension? In our youth,we yearned for lots of money as a form of financial security.at 50 money begins to lose its lustre. at 70 it's almost time to kick the bucket. tell me, what's the point of having billions of dollars at this stage of your life? having pocketed ill-gotten money, don't you feel the guilt, shallowness and emptiness of having so much but yet feel rotten right into your soul? repent and return all you taken wrongfully from the land and you will feel mightily good.

masterymistery said...

A tragic story, but at least some light is being shone into some of the dark corners, thanks to Global Witness. Totally agree with Roti Sunshine's comment.

Anonymous said...

Taib is not from the ulu. He knows that there is no god. So nothing to worry about.

He will just carry on because people in power always prefer someone they have a hold on. UMNO has a definite hold on him.

If the Fatwa Council does not like what I say, then show me their fatwa against bribery and corruption. Better still show it to Taib.