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Timelapse At <b>Kuching</b> | Primelapse - Come Sarawak - Blogger


Timelapse At <b>Kuching</b> | Primelapse - Come Sarawak - Blogger

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:42 AM PST

How Taib Family Built Huge Housing Wealth In The Name Of Kuching's Poor

This post is also available in: Iban, Malay

1/2 million ringgit price tags on CMS built homes in Bandar Samariang

1/2 million ringgit price tags on CMS built homes in Bandar Samariang

The Taib family company CMS proudly boasts of its "vast land bank" in its annual reports and has started selling off chunks for tens of millions in Kuching.

Commercial centres and grand housing estates are also being developed in two key areas, Bandar Samariang, where CMS has 5,200 acres, valued around half a billion ringgit, and of course on the Kuching Isthmus, where land is even more expensive.

But, how did CMS acquire all this property and who has benefitted?

Sarawak Report has acquired shocking information about the way Taib and his family members have profited from this land, which was forcibly taken (official term is 'alienated') from local people and state ownership.

We did it to help the poor

The story that the Chief Minister told from the start was that this was land that difficult and expensive to develop, but that his family company was kindly determined to provide housing for poor people.

Back in 2001, he even made out that CMS was doing this supposed favour in Bandar Samariang entirely "for the people's benefit" for "not much profit", because other developers didn't want to get involved in such a loss-making venture!

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud denied yesterday that the development projects implemented in the state had benefited him personally as alleged by some quarters. Stressing that the projects were for the people's benefit, he urged them to think rationally all allegations of nepotism and cronyism which were levelled at him before making any conclusion….he cited as an example the low-cost housing project in Rampangi, Semariang of which he was accused of benefiting personally. Taib.. said the project did not bring much profit to the developer Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd due to the peat soil condition. Not many companies wanted to invest in the project because of the high cost involved to prepare the site for the project, he said. But in the interest of the people, the project had to be carried out to provide housing to the low income group, he said. "We do not want them to remain without houses and live far away from the city. That's why we continued with the project," he said.[Bernama Sunday, April 08, 2001]

Such a kind old fellow!

Chief Executive and key shareholder at the time, Taib brother Onn Mahmud

Chief Executive and key shareholder at the time, Taib brother Onn Mahmud

Interestingly no mention has ever been made again of these poor soil conditions by CMS.  This is probably, not least, because in every other country in the world, developing tropical peat soil has been banned, because of the severe environmental consequences.

To gain a sense of the value of this land handed to CMS in the guise of helping the poor, consider the recent news that the company has decided to sell on a parcel of 500 acres for over RM45million to Sentoria Group to build a theme park.

Suddenly, another developer has been found willing not only to take on the job of developing the land, but to pay big money for the plot.

However, this time of course the money has gone to CMS, not the government or the people from whom the area was 'alienated'.

At the time CMS got this land for free it was largely owned and run by Taib's brother Onn Mahmud, who shortly after passed on his shares to Taib's wife, with the remainder being largely in the hands of the Chief Minister's four children.

No nepotism at all then!

Sucking money out of pensions too

Robert Geneid, the Head of CMS Property Development and husband of Taib's sister Raziah Mahmud.

Robert Geneid, the Head of CMS Property Development and husband of Taib's sister Raziah Mahmud.

But, of course, the Taibs didn't really want to invest their own money in this mission to assist the poor with 'quality low cost housing'.

Far better to use their influence to encourage the government controlled Employee Provident Fund (EPF) to put in the money instead.

After all, this fat milk cow has been used to pour vast sums of money into endless pet projects to benefit BN politicians, meaning public employees can look forward to far lower pensions, despite being forced to pay a quarter of their salaries into the obligatory savings fund controlled by the government.

EPF therefore was dragged into a joint venture with CMS and the investment in the "low cost housing" in Bandar Samariang began.

But, in fact, low cost housing was only ever planned to form a small part of the project from the very start.  The original terms of agreement, as explained in CMS's own annual reports, made clear just 1/3 of the area was to be housing for the less well-off.

Housing for the poor?

Housing for the poor?

The rest of the huge site was to be developed as an ambitious commercial enterprise.

CMS's 1997 Annual Report was certainly not bashful about the profit-driven nature of CMS's latest housing project or the ambitions of its new Property Development Division, headed by the new husband of Taib's sister Raziah, the Lebanese Australian, Robert Geneid.

It also reveals that, thanks to Taib's ability to pull the strings, that the State Housing & Development Commission had already been tasked with buying whatever 'quality low cost housing' CMS Property produced on the site, ensuring a guaranteed profit.

1997 Annual Report

Property Development

"This is a new growth area for the Group, and CMS Properties Sdn Bhd has been set up to develop and manage the Group's vast land bank, with the long-term objective of becoming Sarawak's principal property developer and a major player throughout Malaysia and the ASEAN region. The Group's strategy is based on using the natural synergy between the infrastructure, finance and property divisions….

Bandar Baru Samariang is a joint venture with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and will be the largest low-cost housing project ever undertaken in Sarawak, and the first housing development project undertaken by the Group. 

The 13,500 low cost houses (approximately 36 percent of the project) will be sold to the Housing & Development Commission……The remaining 64 percent of the project will comprise medium-cost homes, commercial centres and ancillary buildings, providing a total of 42,200 housing units on the vast 5,200 acre site just 15 km from Kuching. Phase 1 of the township is currently being implemented, to provide over 4,000 units of low-cost housing, as well as hundreds of other residential and commercial properties."[Ann Rpt 1997]

So, in fact, a mere 4,000 units of the token low cost housing have been included in the first phase of the project, all promoted in the beginning in a blaze of positive publicity, before CMS moved speedily to the much more lucrative "medium cost" housing, where units are currently being sold for the very fancy prices of anything up to half a million ringgit!

Bandar Samariang Phase I Plan

Phase 1 - including 4,000 low cost housing units guaranteed to be purchased by the Housing Committee

Phase 1 – including 4,000 low cost housing units guaranteed to be purchased by the Housing Committee

Of course, the fact that the state has ploughed in major infrastructure, in terms of roads and amenities into the area, has made the development potential of this project ever more lucrative.  Yet, the Chief Minister is still justifying his handing of it all to his family in the name of charity for Kuching's poor!

Presiding over his family's vast profitable land venture.

Presiding over his family's vast profitable land venture.

However, this mother of all land grabs from the Sarawak people is just the start of the story of how the Taib family set about enriching themselves from this project.

In 'Phase 2′ of our investigation we will be looking at how individual members of the Taib inner family circle, set about using the massive housing project to develop profitable businesses for themselves, with disastrous consequences for the very poor people in whose name the Bandar Samariang land grab was executed.

"The new township boasts a myriad of vibrant features such as improved road connectivity between central and South Kuching" Borneo Post

"The new township boasts a myriad of vibrant features such as improved road connectivity between central and South Kuching" Borneo Post

Homestay <b>di kuching</b> - Come Sarawak - Come Sarawak

Posted: 24 Nov 2013 09:57 AM PST

Butuh akomodasi liburan di Bali Indonesia? Saya menyarankan anda untuk menginap di Miss You Homestay. Temukan ulasan hotel di Bali dan pilih hotel yang sesuai kriteria dengan anda.

Miss You Homestay Review

Miss You Homestay

Alamat : Miss You Homestay, Amed, Indonesia

Rating :



Miss You Homestay Offering free Wi-Fi access in all areas, Miss You Homestay is situated within 150 metres from Amed Beach. Snorkelling activities and soothing in-room massages can be arranged by staff at the 24-hour front desk.Miss You Homestay is 7 km from the Japanese Shipwreck diving spot and a 2-hour drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport. Airport shuttle service is provided at a fee.Fan-cooled rooms boast a private terrace with sea views. They are equipped with a desk, wardrobe and mosquito nets, while the en suite bathrooms come fitted with a shower.For easy exploration of the area, the homestay offers vehicle rental and shuttle services. Staff can assist with ticket reservations and laundry requests.Indonesian cuisine and breakfast buffet are served at Miss You Restaurant. Meals may also be delivered to guests' rooms.

Miss You Homestay ReviewMiss You Homestay ReviewMiss You Homestay Review


Click Image Above To View The Complete List of Images

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Homestay Kuching | Annah Rais Longhouse Homestay in Kuching Sarawak
Annah Rais Longhouse Homestay in Kuching, Sarawak | Unique Tribal Longhouse in Sarawak and we will ensure you won't miss them when you are with us!

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Posted by: Naiku Numata - Friday, 15 November 2013

1 mudah.com | rumah sewa <b>di kuching</b> - Come Sarawak - Blogger

Posted: 23 Nov 2013 11:02 PM PST

Beberapa hari lepas, Zam sibuk mencari hotel-hotel budget disekitar bandaraya Kuching atas permintaan pelanggan Zamtransportation. Ada diantara hotel yang menawarkan rate RM50 sehari tetapi Zam masih tidak berpuashati dari segi keselesaan dan keselamatan yang diberikan. Tak sampai hati pulak nak rekomen yang macam tu kat customer. Nak upload gambar dalam blog ni pun rasa Zam serba salah.
Kesimpulannya, rata-rata hotel yang selesa dibandaraya Kuching menawarkan rate sekitar RM100 keatas. 

Namun terdapat sebuah rumah kedai yang menyewakan bilik-bilik sewa serendah RM37 sehari dipusat bandaraya. Bilik Sewa Ezul  terletak di Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaizi Adruce berdekatan Satok bersebelahan dengan Palm Hotel.

Mula-mula sampai kat area tu memang tak nampak sebarang Papan Tanda bilik sewa, hanya terdapat poster-poster yang ditampal di tepi dinding bangunan dan di anak tangga naik ke rumah kedai.

Bilik-bilik tersebut boleh disewa secara harian, mingguan dan bulanan. Room Rate serendah RM27 sehari untuk kipas dan RM37 sehari untuk aircon ini hanya boleh muat 2 orang sahaja. Sesuailah sangat-sangat kepada mereka yang bercuti dengan kos budget. 

Terdapat 7 bilik aircon dan 3 bilik kipas yang boleh disewa. Dilengkapi TV bewarna dan bilik mandi masing-masing. 

Kepada sesiapa yang berminat, sila hubungi;

Mohd Faizul : 010-9712089

atau secara terus melalui saya Zamtransportation: 016-8620967

Terima kasih.

<b>Kuching</b> Hotel - Come Sarawak - Come Sarawak

Posted: 24 Nov 2013 11:29 PM PST

Perfect Livin <b>Kuching</b> (03-06 October 2013),<b>Kuching</b>,Malaysia

Posted:

Perfect Livin Kuching event is organised by i Star Ideas Factory Sdn Bhd. Home Decor Fabrics,Home Decorating Fabrics,Home Deodorizer,Home Fitness Equipment,Home Gym Equipment are some products that can be found in this event. Find information on Perfect Livin Kuching, the event profile, trade show highlights, exhibition venue, event ... 20-22 November 2013. Hilton Kuching Hotel, Kuching, Malaysia. Asia Pacific Tourism Hospitality and Technology ConferenceConference

Love <b><b>Kuching</b></b>: Carey, Kimmi, Edgar, Nova « Furry Photos <b>...</b>

Posted: 24 Nov 2013 01:04 AM PST

More adoptable kitties over at Love Kuching taken last week!

Two of Celine's kittens, Carey and Kimmi have yet to find homes.

Carey is the more talkative of the bunch.

 

Meanwhile Kimmi is the smallest one who most resembles his Dad. Personality wise, he is more reserved and not as adventurous as the rest. Still look at the face :D

It's amazing he has not melted anyone's heart yet.

A new cat up for adoption, is Edgar a rescue case from Eunos. (His back story is here) . If you see the before photos, its amazing what some TLC can do. This boy is still very reserved though and takes time to warm up to strangers. Still a very playful one though once he is comfortable enough.

 

 

We also have Nova who was rescued form a glue trap over at Novena (Story over here). Even though he is pending a home, it was hard to resist taking pictures of him especially with his lovely blue eyes!

 

Head-tilt + that face? How to resist?

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<b>Tempat Menarik di kuching</b> - Come Sarawak - Come Sarawak

Posted: 14 Nov 2013 07:04 PM PST

Hari ini aku letih..baru balik kerja..tapi aku nak update jugak blog sebab aku rasa nak update..hehe3.. Hari ni aku nak kongsikan salah satu tempat yang menarik di Kuching.. Menarik tu subjektif,cuma aku saja jer katakan tempat ni menarik sebab ramai orang selalu pergi kat situ terutama hujung minggu. Biasanya kalau dah hujung minggu tu memang banyak lah kereta kat situ..So kira menarik lah bunyi dia tu kan? kekeh3..

Tempat ni terletak masa nak on the way ke Santubong.. Selepas korang melalui Kampung Rempangi. Rasanya ada signboard kot kat simpang jalan besar tu.. Aku mula-mula dulu pun selalu terlepas simpang Pasir Pandak tu..Kalau jarak dari bandar Kuching tu aku tak tau. Tapi kalau korang driving, walaupun bawak perlahan macam ketam pun Insyaallah 45 minit boleh sampai.

Setahu aku nama tempat tu bukan Pasir Pandak asalnya..Kalau tak silap Pasir Puteh..Pasir Pandak tu nama kampung,then ada pantai kat kampung tu..Pantai dalam kampung tu baru namanya Pantai Pasir Pandak..Lantaklaa..Janji ada pantai buat lepak-lepak di petang hari..main gitar sambil ditemani angin..fuhh..layaaan walaupun aku tak pernah buat lagi..kekeh3..

Ni sedikit gambar yang aku sempat ambil..guna handphone jer..jangan sembang nikon canon dan conan dengan aku sebab aku tak reti dan sakai..pegang pun aku tak pandai..ok,aku memang noob disitu..

Pemandangan tong sampah dari bahagian tepi

Cantik kan view Gunung Santubong dari sini kan. Cuma view hp aku sangat noob dari yg sebenar.

Dulu sebelum rumah kedai ni wujud, serius pantai ni berlambak dengan sampah. Sekarang okeh dah.



Ada taman mainan mini untuk kanak-kanak. Kalau korang dah tua serabai nak main pun boleh.

Mini kolam untuk kanak-kanak. Kat hujung sekali sebelah kiri. Sekali lagi tua derabai pun boleh mandi. Takde masalah.


Ni aku saja jer nak ambik kasi korang tengok mandi guna air paip ni berbayar. Charge 50 sen. Tapi orang yang jaga takda. Baik tak payah charge. 

Bermadu cinta di tepian pantai.

Antara kedai-kedai yang ada. Mungkin dalam 10 buah rasanya. Kedai runcit, kedai layang2,makanan,dan bla bla bla..

Ini kaki aku. Selipar abang aku. Sekarang aku full time yang guna. Aku tak peduli, abg long kah,abg kawasankah,ayahanda nenda semua aku langgar.(KL Gengster)

Yang ni cantik kan gambar dia? Aku curi gambar ni dari blog lain.

Kalau datang tu bawaklah sekali family,kawan2,awek,jiran tetangga dan haiwan peliharaan anda okey. Jangan malu-malu. Cuma aku pesan kalau nak mandi tu hati-hati terutama yang bawak anak kecik. Bukan apa, di samping ombak yang kuat, air kat tepi pantai tu pun agak dalam. Aku pernah dengar kes orang mati lemas kat situ. So hati-hati ya. Nanti aku update lagi tempat yang korang wajib pergi di Kuching. Kalau berkesempatan aku nak update sekali tempat makanan yang super sedap lagi halal. Nyum2..