MY FRIDAY GUEST BLOGGER ON SATURDAY: WHAT A LULU

I have known LULU HERE, since I started blogging in early 2007, which is not very long ago. In those early days she usually stays a comfortable distance away from me because she can't stand smoke. We are OK now as I think she likes the flavor of tobacco smoke to cigarette smoke. She has been on my blogroll from the start. Yes, Lulu is a lady blogger. Like all ladies, she is comely, guarded; she might give you a friendly nudge; she, like most ladies, can pinch; but if you get on her wrong side (any side) she can deliver a kick between there......in her writings of course. You will know when she is not pleased, like now:

If The Army Could Run Program Berbentuk Kemasyarakatan In Permatang Pasir, Lulu Hopes They Can Do The Same For Starving Penans in Sarawak

The military doctors very kindly helped do medical screening and aid at permatang pasir, coinciding [oh what luck!] with the permatang pasir by-elections.

The Orang Asals in the interior of Sarawak are now are facing acute food shortage. Whilst most of us are deciding between noodles and rice, McD or KFC, original or hot & spicy, the Penans had faced food shortage in the last four months after their farms were destroyed by insects and monkeys, resulting in poor harvest.

Some individuals have raised money to send food to our fellow anak bangsa Malaysia who are in hunger.
Unfortunately, the food cannot reach them due to logistic problems.

Friday August 28, 2009
No bridge, so no food for Penans

MIRI: The food shortage problem in central Sarawak has been worsened after a timber company dismantled an iron bridge that links up to 3,000 people living inside the remote areas.

Efforts to send food aid to the Penans have now been seriously hampered.

Yesterday, more than 1,600 packets of rice weighing 16,000kg were despatched by donors through the Catholic Church.

However, the food supply is stuck at the Sungai Asap settlement, about 50km from the Bakun Dam, as timber lorries used to deliver the food cannot cross the Sungai Linau after the dismantling of the bridge.

The timber concession area was earmarked for flooding this October to create a reservoir for the dam.

Reverend Father Sylvester Ding, aid collection co-ordinator, said it would take a long time to carry food aid across the river by boat.

“We are in a dilemma as to how to send the food to Lusong Laku settlement and SRK Lusong Laku where the food shortage is most acute.

“We have no choice but to seek help from the locals to transport the food across the river.

“We will also try to reach five other settlements near the Indonesian border by other routes. We hope the weather will be favourable, as it has been a few weeks since supply reached those in need,” he said.

This is so sad.
Lulu hopes the army can step in to help with the food delivery.
Maybe even the big companies who have their own helicopters - off Lulu's mind - people like Genting could assist in food aid as part of their community project cum clear our conscience programme.

If you are a Lulu reader, and are filthy rich or know of people who are filthy rich, could you ask them to help.

In the mean time, the Penans live in hunger.

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During the Permatang Pasir by-election I commented on the military presence HERE

Below are pics of the military involvement during the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide disaster. The did a splendid job, rescuing residents, deploying food for the affected residents, and built a bridge to facilitate operations.

CAN THEY DO THE SAME FOR THE PENANS.....THEY ARE OUR PEOPLE TOO!

The Police does not have sufficient funds to send an Investigating Officer to look into the rape of Penan girls. Maybe the Minister of Defence can send an army medical corp into the interior to give these poor girls a chance. PLEASE. And please sir, send our boys to build them a bridge so that food can reach the starving Penans.