Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s son expected to grab 80 per cent of state’s rural electrification scheme (RES) contracts
 
KUCHING, Malaysia, June 14, 2013 –/WORLD-WIRE/– Sarawak Cable, a company linked to Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib (“Bekir”), the son of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, is expected to receive state contracts worth over 1 billion Malaysian Ringgit (USD 320 million) by the end of this year.
 
According to Malaysian investment research firm AmResearch, Sarawak Cable is highly likely to receive 80 per cent of the contracts for the Malaysian state’s rural electrification scheme (RES).

The expected contracts will be granted by the state-owned power supplier, Sarawak Energy, and include a lucrative 500kV power transmission line. Last week, Sarawak Cable secured a MYR 32.9 million contract from Sarawak Energy for the proposed Tudan-Miri Airport 132 kV transmission line.
 
Sarawak Cable is chaired by the Chief Minister’s son, Bekir, who is also the company’s largest shareholder (20.7%). Another 18.8% of shares are controlled by the State Financial Secretary of Sarawak.
 
Between 2009 and 2012, Sarawak Energy granted contracts worth over USD 220 million to companies linked to the Sarawak Chief Minister’s family.

When confronted with these abuses, Sarawak Energy’s Norwegian CEO, Torstein Dale Sjøtveit, said, “I have never been corrupt or involved in corrupt practices; not before I came to Sarawak, not while I have been in Sarawak, and I will not be in the future.”
 
With an estimated net value of USD 20 billion, the Taib family is one of Asia’s richest and most corrupt political clans. The family’s assets include stakes in over 400 companies worldwide and properties in Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
 
Sources used for this release:
 
http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/06/01/sarawak-cable-expected-to-clinch-rm1-billion-power-line/

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/6/12/business/20130612184339&sec=business

http://www.stop-corruption-dams.org/resources/BMF_report_complicit_in_corruption.pdf

http://www.stop-timber-corruption.org/resources/BMF_Taib_family_report_2012_09_20.pdf

Sarawak Cable Bhd. Annual Report 2012.
 
Please contact us for further information:
 
Bruno Manser Fund
Socinstrasse 37, 4051 Basel/Switzerland
Tel. +41 61 261 94 74
www.bmf.ch www.stop-corruption-dams.org
 

LIMÓN, Costa Rica, June 5, 2013 –/WORLD-WIRE/– Conservation groups today announced a $10,000 reward for information on the brutal killing of Jairo Mora Sandoval, a sea turtle activist working to protect nesting sea turtles on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast near Limón. According to media reports, the 26-year-old conservationist was kidnapped by armed men on Thursday; his body was found a day later.

Environmental organizations around the world are calling for justice and today announced the Jairo Mora Sandoval Reward Fund for information leading to arrest and conviction of those responsible.  

“Jairo’s murderers must be brought to justice so that sea turtle activists around Costa Rica and the world know that this will never be tolerated,” said Todd Steiner, a wildlife biologist and executive director of SeaTurtles.org. “The whole world is watching to make sure the Costa Rican government brings these thugs to justice and makes sea turtle nesting beaches safe for conservationists to do their work.”

“Jairo worked bravely and tirelessly to protect countless precious lives,” said Jaclyn Lopez, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. “We can’t let cowardly criminals take down dedicated, selfless people like Jairo who’ve spent their lives defending the defenseless. Jairo’s assassins must be swiftly apprehended and tried.”

“Our emotional connection to each other, the sea turtles and their environment is what drives this work and makes Jairo’s death so heartbreaking, yet empowering,” said Wallace “J” Nichols, research associate at the California Academy of Sciences. “We all hope his death will somehow lead to more life.”

Mora was on sea turtle patrol with four foreign volunteers when he was ambushed by at least five masked men. The four women were also abducted in the attack, but survived. Mora was bound, badly beaten, and shot in the head.  

Mora worked as a beach monitor for the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, WIDECAST, which has seen an increase in sea turtle poaching. In fact, the night of the abduction, there was an intensified police and Coast Guard presence in response to the rise in poaching.

As a result of Mora’s murder, WIDECAST has closed its sea turtle monitoring program.

Poaching, the illegal killing of sea turtles and taking their eggs, is a leading factor driving sea turtles toward extinction. As a result, sea turtles, including the leatherback sea turtles that nest on the beach Mora monitored, are protected by several laws, including Costa Rica’s Marine Turtle Population Law of 2002 and the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Sea turtle monitoring gives these ancient creatures a fighting chance at survival.
 
Contact PorJairoMoraSandoval@gmail.com with information on the crime.

The Jairo Mora Sandoval Reward Fund is growing and is currently being supported by the following organizations:

Turtle Island Restoration Network: www.SeaTurtles.org
Center for Biological Diversity: www.biologicaldiversity.org
Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Network: www.widecast.org
See Turtles: www.seeturtles.org
LivBlue: www.livBlu.org
Ocean Revolution: www.oceanrevolution.org
PRETOMA: www.Pretoma.org
Sea Turtle Conservancy: www.conserveturtles.org
Humane Society of the United States: www.hsus.org
The Leatherback Trust: www.leatherback.org

Groups wishing to contribute to the fund, contact Todd Steiner at tsteiner@tirn.net or (415) 663 8590 x 103. Individuals wishing to contribute to the fund, click here www.seaturtles.org/donateforjustice. People can also sign a petition demanding justice at www.seaturtles.org/turtlejustice.

Additional Information:
http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Turtle-conservationist-Jairo-Mora-Sandoval-found-murdered-on-Playa-Moin-in-Costa-Rica_Friday-May-31-2013

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/costa-rican-turtle-defender-found-slain-on-the-beach-he-patrolled/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/costa-rican-environmentalist-who-fought-to-protect-turtles-found-dead-on-beach/2013/05/31/6e2c863e-ca65-11e2-9cd9-3b9a22a4000a_story.html

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/05/31/2930814/costa-rican-environmentalist-found.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jairo_Mora

Contact:     
(Costa Rica) Didier Chacon, 00506-2236-0947, dchacon@widecast.org
(U.S.) Todd Steiner, (415) 488-7652, TSteiner@TIRN.net
(U.S.) Jaclyn Lopez, (727) 490-9190, jlopez@biologicaldiversity.org
Por favor email a jlopez@biologicaldiversity.org para recibir el aviso en español.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada, May 29, 2013 –/WORLD-WIRE/– The Wilderness Committee, Friends of Clayoquot Sound, and Clayoquot Action joined members of the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations and other concerned citizens in Vancouver today to peacefully protest planned mining projects in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Vancouver-based Imperial Metals Corporation – the company exploring options for the Catface (copper) and Fandora (gold) mines – is holding their Annual General Meeting at the Terminal City Club this afternoon.

The proposed Catface and Fandora mine sites are in Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht territories (respectively), and could have devastating impacts on water quality, ecology, and human health in the region.

“We are here to send Imperial Metals a clear message that mining is unacceptable in Clayoquot Sound, and that environmental values and First Nations’ rights and concerns must be respected,” said Torrance Coste, Vancouver Island Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.

Clayoquot Action, a newly-formed group, has identified mining as one of the most serious threats to Clayoquot’s biocultural diversity. Opposing Imperial Metals’ proposal is at the heart of their efforts to protect the region.

“These mines would damage the landscape and present a toxic risk to the salmon that feed the old-growth forests – a toxic legacy that would endure for centuries,” said Dan Lewis of Clayoquot Action.

The proposed mines are also contentious among local First Nations, and members of the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations were at the rally to share their messages.

“Imperial’s proposed Fandora mine would have negative impacts on our Nuu-chah-nulth ways and our efforts to ensure the well-being of our Tla-o-qui-aht people and our environment,” said Tla-o-qui-aht Councillor Terry Dorward.

The Friends of Clayoquot Sound (FOCS), originally formed in the late 1970s to fight destructive logging in the region, organized a bus from Tofino to bring local citizens to the rally.

“We will take any necessary actions to keep this destructive and unsustainable practice out of Clayoquot Sound. We’ve been holding the line since 1979, and we will continue to do so,” said FOCS campaigner Emery Hartley.

For more information, please contact:

Torrance Coste, Wilderness Committee – (250) 516-9900

Emery Hartley, Friends of Clayoquot Sound – (250) 726-5100

Dan Lewis, Clayoquot Action – (250) 726-8136

Terry Dorward, Tla-o-qui-aht Councillor – (250) 726-3736

Malaysian power supplier’s Norwegian CEO asked to resign over corruption allegations
 
KUCHING, Sarawak, Malaysia, May 20, 2013 –/WORLD-WIRE/– Torstein Dale Sjøtveit, the Norwegian CEO of state-owned Malaysian power supplier, Sarawak Energy, is in the middle of a new controversy about corruption in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. According to a report released today by Swiss NGO, Bruno Manser Fund, Sarawak Energy awarded contracts worth 680 million Malaysian Ringgit (US$ 226 million) to three companies closely linked to the family of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud (“Taib”).
 
All the contracts were granted during Mr. Sjøtveit’s tenure as CEO of Sarawak Energy, a company that is wholly owned by the state of Sarawak. The beneficiaries of the contracts are Sarawak Cable, Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) and Naim Holdings.
 
Sarawak Cable, a cable and wire manufacturer, is chaired by Taib’s son Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, who is also the company’s largest shareholder. It received three contracts for power transmission lines linked to Sarawak Energy’s hydropower projects, worth 237 million Ringgit (US$ 79 million). In 2010, Sarawak Energy sold its profitable subsidiary, Sarwaja Timur, to Sarawak Cable, securing the Chief Minister’s son another 13 million Ringgit (US$ 4.3 million) in public contracts.
 
Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) is the flagship of the Taib family business empire. 42.7 % of CMS’s shares are held by Taib’s late wife and his four children, and another 8.4% of shares are controlled by Taib through the state-owned Sarawak Economic Development Corporation. In 2012, CMS received a contract worth 23 million Ringgit (US$ 7.7 million) from Sarawak Energy for the construction of a resettlement site for indigenous Penan communities displaced by the Murum dam project.
 
Naim Holdings (“Naim”) is chaired by Hamed Sepawi, the Chief Minister’s cousin, who is also the chairman of Sarawak Energy and, as such, Mr. Sjøtveit’s direct superior. Hamed Sepawi is also one of Naim’s largest shareholders. In 2009, Naim was granted a contract worth 209 million Ringgit (US$ 70 million) for a power transmission line linked to the building of the Bakun dam. In March 2012, Sarawak Energy commissioned Naim to construct the resettlement site for indigenous Penan communities displaced by the Murum dam for a total of 197-million-Ringgit (US$ 65.9 million).
 
“The extent of conflict of interest in Sarawak’s energy sector is shocking”, said Bruno Manser Fund director, Lukas Straumann. “It is particularly disturbing that the Taib family is directly benefiting from the displacement of indigenous communities.”
 
“Mr. Sjøtveit should step down immediately for unduly favouring the Taib family and also his superior, the Chief Minister’s cousin. We are calling on the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, MACC, and on Norway’s Økokrim to investigate these contracts and expect prosecutors to implement the relevant anti-corruption legislation.”

Taib Mahmud has been Chief Minister of Sarawak, Malaysia’s largest state, since 1981. For over three decades, he has systematically abused his public office to enrich his family, whose global assets are estimated at US$ 20 billion. In June 2011, Malaysia’s Anti Corruption Commission opened an investigation into Taib over allegations of corruption and abuse of office. The investigation is still ongoing.
 
Torstein Dale Sjøtveit has been CEO of Sarawak Energy since November 2009 when he succeeded the Chief Minister’s brother-in-law at the helm of the Malaysian power provider. Last week, 600 Penan natives of Sarawak appealed to the Norwegian King to call Mr. Sjøtveit home to Norway.
 
Mr. Sjøtveit is a board member of the International Hydropower Association whose World Congress is being held in Kuching, Malaysia, from 21 to 24 May 2013.
 
The Bruno Manser Fund’s report “Complicit in Corruption. Taib Mahmud’s Norwegian Power Man” is available for download under: http://www.stop-corruption-dams.org/resources/BMF_report_complicit_in_corruption.pdf
 
 
For more information, please contact us:

Bruno Manser Fund, Socinstrasse 37
CH-4051 Basel / Switzerland
www.bmf.ch, www.stop-corruption-dams.org
Tel. +41 61 261 94 74
 

Washdrops is proven to use less water than regular car-washing.

SOLON, Ohio, May 14, 2013 –/WORLD-WIRE/– Summer is right around the corner and so is car-washing season. With Washdrops, an award-winning green car wash solution from automotive aftermarket leader Cequent Consumer Products, consumers can wash their cars without wasting water or harming the environment.

The non-toxic solution will not harm plants or the environment as Washdrops is biodegradable, non-foaming, solvent-free, butyl free, phosphate free and ammonia free. It also helps maintain compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water Act.

In 2012, Washdrops was named “Green Product of the Year” by Bob Long and his AutoWorld Show for being effective and eco-friendly.

The average consumer can use more than 80 gallons of water when washing their vehicle, with runoff flowing into storm drains and polluting nearby lakes, rivers or reservoirs with contaminants. Washdrops requires just one bucket of water to wash any average size vehicle, and at approximately 70 cents per wash, costs much less than a commercial car wash.

Washdrops requires no hose or rinsing at all; the proprietary scientific formula lifts dirt and grime without scratching vehicles or washing away surface wax. While the science is complex, cleaning a car with Washdrops is easy: simply use a wet sponge to wash away dirt and debris and then wipe dry for a streak free shine. Afterwards, you may pour the remaining water on flower beds, grass, or down the drain.

Washdrops is available for sale on Amazon.com, where it is highly-rated by users who report using it on everything from vehicles to outdoor furniture, boats, airplanes, windows and even aluminum siding. Visit Washdrops.com for more product information, and “like” Washdrops on Facebook by May 17, 2013 for a chance to win a prize pack worth more than $50. To enter, share your “green resolution” on the sweepstakes application page.

Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/washdrops/app_599788450050788 .

See the Washdrops video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d2T87vHR9s&feature=youtu.be

About Washdrops:
Made in the USA, Washdrops® is convenient, economical and easy to use! For an average size car, just add 1 ounce (3 capfuls) of Washdrops® to 1 gallon of water. Now you can wash a vehicle anywhere in minutes without running up water bills or driving to an expensive car wash. Washdrops® really is “the smart car-wash solution” plus Washdrops® is biodegradable, non-foaming, solvent-free, and the remaining water can be poured on a lawn or bed of flowers when done.

Washdrops® is available in 16-ounce (16 washes), 32-ounce (32 washes) or 1 gallon (up to 128 washes) sizes and is available on Amazon.com.

About Cequent Consumer Products:
Cequent Consumer Products, Inc. is the industry’s leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative consumer goods and automotive aftermarket products. For more than 85 years, Cequent Consumer Products has produced some of the most dependable products in the market today including superior-quality towing and hitch systems, trailer components and accessories, wiring, lighting and brake systems, cargo securing, cargo carrying, rack systems, as well as household and industrial brooms and brushes. For more information on our brands, please visit Cequent Consumer Products website.

Contact:  
Colleen Giannone, Element Associates
Phone:  484.320.7115
Email: pr@elementassociates.com