A lot of questions are being asked on the legal status of the so-called Bruno Manser Fund based in Switzerland that has been hogging news mainly in the Internet and social media. It carries the name of a person, who vanished many years ago in the dense rainforests in the interior of Sarawak namely the region of Batu Lawi in Ulu Baram.
Obviously, Bruno Manser Fund was set up merely to capitalize on his notoriety to damage the reputation of Sarawak and undermine the political stability and harmony of the state. Hence, its activities deserve a strong condemnation by the State Legislative Assembly
Regardless of its legal status, Bruno Manser Fund has sinister motives and agenda against Sarawak. It has been making relentless efforts in spreading falsehood, baseless allegations against the State Government with the primary objective to undermine the prevailing economic and politic stability in the State. In short, BMF has been interfering in the internal affairs of the State.
The irony was Bruno Manser had been telling the world that the rainforests in Sarawak were in the process of being destroyed. He reportedly entered the dense, natural forests near Batu Lawi to evade Police arrests for overstaying and instigating the local people to hold blockages in timber areas, and never re-emerge from the area. Presumably, the rainforests, which he had claimed to be on the verge of being destroyed, destroyed him instead. Or he could totally be transformed into an Orang Utan.
Bruno Manser was a product of the "hippy age" of drugs and free sex. Limited literature available about him details the fact that he was disillusioned with the rapid changes in his own homeland of Switzerland. He spent much of his youth in the Swiss Mountains where he turned to "Yoga" as a means to escape from the realities of life and in an endeavor to find "Nirvana".
Bruno Manser entered Sarawak on the pretext of carrying out research as an anthropologist. Obviously, he took full advantage of the simplicity and good nature of the Penans. Stories were abounding that he often took some young Penan girls to stay with him in the local resorts. There were also stories of him fathering illegitimate children through trial marriages being practiced by the community. He overstayed in Sarawak in breach of his visit pass.
Bruno Manser did not tell the world that he had been staying illegally in Ulu Baram and Ulu Limbang. Instead, he tried to project himself as the champion of the neglected Penan community. He made himself globally known by creating stories about the negative effects of the so-called excessive loggings on the traditional way of life of the Penans.
Obviously, he was exaggerating the so-called effects of logging on the Penans in his propaganda campaigns against loggings in Ulu Baram and Limbang in order to get international attention and support. He did not tell the world that Sarawak has been practicing selective loggings in strict adherence to Sustainable Forests Management policy as recommended by International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
The State Assemblyman for Batu Danau, Paulus Palu Gumbang, in his speech during the debate on the opening speech of the Yang diPertua Negeri, says Bruno Manser during his stay with the Penans did nothing to assist them in their socio- economic progress as well as their integration with society. He overstayed in Sarawak in breach of his visit pass. He did not tell the world that he had been over staying illegally in Ulu Baram and Ulu Limbang. Instead, he tried to project himself as the Champion of the neglected Penan community.
He made himself globally known by creating stories about the negative effects of the so-called excessive logging on the traditional way of life of the Penans. Obviously, he exaggerated his stories on the effects of loggings on the Penans in his propaganda campaigns against the activities in Ulu Baram and Ulu Limbang in order to get international attention and support.
The Assemblyman, who was a former director of Information, called on the Government to take necessary steps to monitor and curb the unhealthy activities of unscrupulous people by using the Internet to spread lies and falsehood against individuals, mainly politicians to bring them down.
He says their activities can be considered as a menace to the society as they are using the bogs and social network, which are particularly popular among young people, to spread lies and baseless allegations against the government, the leaders in particular.
The Member for Lambir, Ripin bin Lamat says there is no reason for local NGOs to consider holding illegal demonstrations to press for their demands just like the behaviors of the Red and Blue shirt groups in Thailand. Such activities are alien to the local customs and traditions with the characteristics of being peaceful and friendly. Instead, the groups must respect the decisions of the people, who have given a mandate of more than a 2/3 majority in the just-concluded 10th State elections, to the State Barisan Nasional being by the Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud to lead and govern the State towards realizing the objectives of vision 2020 and Sarawak Maju 2030
He accuses DAP, with its slogan “Let Change” of being blind to the reality of tremendous changes taking place in the State since September 16, 1963, more so since the mid 80s. Obviously, DAP cannot accept the success of the previous leaders of Barisan Nasional and the current Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has been making conscientious efforts to bring about development and positive changes to Sarawak with his development philosophy of the Politics of Development.
Ripin bin Lamat reminds the unfriendly NGOs that freedom in the democratic system of government has its limit. It should not exceed the limit to touch on sensitive issues that relate to race or religion or make unfounded allegations that can disrupt the harmony, unity and stability of the country.
He concludes with the following pantun:
MOCS is like a dog barking at a hill
Bruno Manser Fund missing in action;
The opposition must accept and respect,
A mandate of more than 2/3 majority given by the Rakyat to Barisan Nasional
benuasains
*Photos Source:
google.com.my
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