Saturday, October 11

Can Najib help Dayaks?

Come March 2009, Najib Tun Razak is poised to become the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia, fulfilling the RAHMAN theory (R-Rahman, A-Abdul, H-Hussein, M-Mahathir, A-Abdullah, N-Najib).

But what does the fulfillment of the theory mean? Is it going to be a new era or a new government other than the BN government? What happens after Najib? Can the next government begin with another “A”? These are some of the questions being asked by people who are familiar of the existence of the theory.

Adding further to the theory is the fact that there are several allegations against Najib, which are ready to be exploited by his political foes and certainly all these are sure to have some effects on his premiership, his reputation as an UMNO president as well as chairman of the Barisan Nasional.

No doubt Najib is ready for all these allegations. But the question is whether or not he is able to convince the Rakyat of his innocence, because in the final analysis the Rakyat are the judges. Any miscalculation on his part may bring Anwar Ibrahim closer to Putrajaya, the seat of the federal government.

But for those who really believe in supernatural, the end of the BN is insight especially with some of the signs that have already manifested themselves after the March election during which the BN had performed dismally.

The failure of BN in the Permatang Pauh by-election in August; the internal bickering in BN component parties, the leadership struggle in UMNO which is also bogged down by accusations of cronyism, nepotism and money politics; the constant raising of issues concerning orang pendatang (immigrants), issues of races and religions; the failure of NEP to help the poor; the many broken promises; the demands for reforms; the rising of Anwar Ibrahim, etc. All these are heavy burdens that Najib is going to carry with him into the next government.

Meanwhile the educated Dayaks are watching with great interest the transfer of power from Abdullah to Najib. Normally they do not really care whether Abdullah or Najib is helming the government. After all they are all the same executing BN policy.

Since the time of Tunku Abdul Rahman (in 1966 when the Iban chief minister was dismissed) and until today, the Dayaks have been marginalized, have been accused of anti-development and anti-government, have been regarded with scepticism and suspicions, have their parties deregistered due to trivial issues (SNAP in 2002 and PBDS in 2004) and are prevented from forming a party to represent the Dayaks.

Although Najib is yet to be tested as a Prime Minister, his relationship with Abdul Taib Mahmud whose brother married Tun Abdul Rahman’s daughter is certain to be strengthened, and this makes the Dayaks dreadfully worried especially with regard to their NCR lands. For now, hundreds of thousands of hectares of NCR land have been leased to companies for oil palm plantations. No compensation is being made as the government says that the NCR land is State land. Nor can the landowners complain to the Federal Government. They just don’t listen. And under Najib, the taking away of NCR land can be worse.

But hope is still not lost, as I said that Najib is yet to occupy the highest seat of the government and we are yet to see the composition of his own new Cabinet. And if he is really serious in trying to help the Dayaks who are far left behind in every field of endeavour, then he should appoint at least two more Dayaks as ministers out of 14 Dayak MPs, and they should be given important ministries.

At least such appointments will not only make Dayaks feel wanted, recognized and appreciated, but will also help solve some of the problems that have beset the Dayak community.

13 comments:

chapchai said...

Don't be too hopeful. If they really cared about the Dayaks they would have done something a long time ago. Even your own leaders are useless. You'll just have to start all over again and elect new leaders among yourselves, leaders whose buzz word is integrity!

Anonymous said...

If PR takes over and Anwar becomes the PM, then Rahman Theory becomes a reality for UMNO Presidents and not PM of Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

My friend, let me ask you one question?
Can you tell me what importance are the minister's post to the Dayak MPs when they cannot put forward the issues concerning their own people? I say put forward, let alone to solve it! Let us change our mindset so as not to outdate ourselves by suggesting a minister's post to all useless dayak representatives. I rather let a representative of other racial origin who speaks for the Dayaks to take a minister's post rather than those rotten Dayak leaders!

Anonymous said...

....a sentimental sort of revolution here! The natives of Borneo together with the ethnic non-natives...thsy gonna rock Malaya!

King Cup,
Gunung Kinabalu.

chapchai said...

The PM-in-waiting, Najib, didn't even bother to attend Parliament today and you think he can be bothered with the plight of the Dayaks? The PM himself wasn't there but managed to tell the Press outside Parliament that the economy is in a very healthy state. He should have been doing this inside, not outside. I think he and Najib were afraid of having their rosy picture torn to shreds by Anwar and the Opposition, plus the matter of a no-confidence vote.

Anonymous said...

If Anwar becomes PM in Dec, thus, Rahman theory is not for PM of Malaysia as believed but only for Presidents of UMNO.

Anonymous said...

changes are taking place in the peninsula for a better future. we can see the opposition doing their best for the people of all colours. let there be changes in sabah and sarawak too! don't hope much from the rotten bn goons! dear brothers and sisters together we stand to bring the much needed change!

mingxhin said...

We in Peninsular Malaysia have done our part to sound the death knell of Barisan Nasional. The real question is if the Dayaks/Chinese of Sarawak and Kadazan/Murut of Sabah will deliver the final knockout blow to BN when the appointed hour comes.

Make no mistake about it, East Malaysians have a date with destiny to decide the future of Malaysia. Ask yourselves whether you want to continue living under the same stale lies and shit as the past 40 years or do you want to usher in change and a new dawn.

2 years from now, Sarawakians have the power to vote in the state elections. Use it wisely, for there will never be a second chance.

Anonymous said...

Mohd Sopiee once admitted that he came up with the Rahman Theory as a joke.

There's no such thing as the Rahman Theory. People should not be superstitious.

Najib will never make it as PM and even if he becomes PM, he won't be there for long.

Anonymous said...

The next Premier, be it Najib or other mortals, must be really sincere in helping Dayaks. Don't make lofty promises, just deliver.

2. To progress, three essential elements are needed; education, knowledge and opportunity. Assuming that Dayak are not that bad in educational attainment as well as are equipped with the necessary knowledge, are we given the opportunity, equal opportunity to prove our self worth, OR are we Dayak only needed in times of desperation, like the case of MAS? In the case of MAS, it only prove one thing - that given the opportunity, Dayak can perform far better than the "choosen" ethnic group. Given the opportunity, there are so many Idris Jalas among us Dayak, I count my self as one of them.

3. Appoint more Dayak Ministers? A big NO. What is the point of having more Dayak Mnisters when such Ministers have no Dayak mindset. Doing so would only serve individual cause, not Dayak cause. Why not we Dayak set up an institution like Biro Tata Negara (BTN)? If we Dayak have one the like of BTN, we make sure that this is the school that Dayak leaders must go to. This is the place we will brainwash all our Wakil Rakyat to be pro Dayak in whatever that they do. We make sure that ALL Dayak leaders go through the syllabus run by this school and pass the exam. Those who refuse to attend, or those who attend but fail the exam must be REJECTED as Dayak leaders by the Dayak themselves.

4. If situation as in paragrapgh two persists (opportunity not given), and if we Dayak fail to initiate drastic measure as briefly referred to in paragraph three, then surely what Dayak Baru posted in his blog (ethnic composition of the state civil service) can be expected to worsen in years to come. Who to blame? It is a fact that we have many Dayak Wakil Rakyat, (pls forgive me, i don't refer to them as YB), we have Dayak Ministers and Asst. Ministers. We have a Deputy CM, we have THREE Party Presidents. Are they not powerful enough? LIke me, you may be wondering; what are they doing..........????????????

DJ

Anonymous said...

To answer the question of helping Dayaks and Bornoeans in general >>

Najib : Dayak? what's that? A new night club in Ulan Bataar?

Anonymous said...

RAHMAN Theory broken if Najib become a PM. Najib is Mohammed Najib.

Anonymous said...

Actually N in R-A-H-M-A-N theory could be the following:

i) Nurul Izzah (PKR) -if BR able to takeover the government in near future

ii) Nik Aziz (PAS) - another potential but lesser.

iii) Datuk Ngieh (DAP)

iv) In BN, who got his/her name start with N and has the potential to become our PM? Najib- of course not (Mohd. Najib), Nazri Aziz (Mohd Nazri), Raja Nazrin (YES-but he is a potential to be a Perak Sultan), Noh Omar (BN)-incapable leader, who else...???