Friday, October 3

Quote of the Day

“Don’t play rough with me….because I am the government,” said Abdul Taib Mahmud, chief minister of Sarawak. He was commenting on protests by 10,000 Kedayan Muslims whose ancestral land was being taken away by a company for the planting of oil palm. Some 5,500 hectares of their land in Sibuti were involved.

“Because once you start playing rough, you cut all communications with me. In the end you still have to communicate with me, because I am the government,” he said. His remarks were published in The Borneo Post today.

Taib’s strong statement reminded me of our history during the days of the barbarians when kings in those days declared; “I am the king and I am the law”.

Anyone who dared to oppose the kings would have his head beheaded or his property including land seized.

Like the Kedayans, other Natives have also their ancestral lands, declared as State land, had been taken away and sold to big companies for the planting of oil palm. The natives had many times appealed to the government for discussions, but the government had turned deaf ears to their requests.

If they reported to the Police regarding the encroachment to their land, the Police would not take action. Fed up, they took the law into their hands and were prepared to be detained so that they could take legal action.

Therefore, it is nice to hear that Taib is prepared to meet the Kedayans to resolve the matter. Likewise, and hopefully, Taib should also be prepared to meet other natives on similar issues as there are hundreds of thousands of NCR land owned by the Ibans, Penans, Kayans, Kenyahs and Bidayuhs have been given to big companies without compensations. Open discussions with the people will not only bring benefits to the land owners, the companies and the government, but also peace, harmony and prosperity.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

All Sarawakian, particularly the Natives Bumiputra deserved what they get from the Government of King Taib. Every state election they return him to power regardless of what despicable deeds he had done to the natives. The Sarawakian natives enjoyed being bullied and evicted from their ancestral home. Hidup Taib. Next election don't forget to vote for his PBB/BN government.

chapchai said...

I am Sarawakian but because I live overseas I have never voted, but I ask this of my fellow Sarawakians: why on earth do you people vote for him election after election? Did your leaders tell you to do so? Don't you ever question your leaders, put pressure on them to work for you instead of against you? And if they don't listen to you why don't you vote them out of office?

Anonymous said...

Sarawak voters mostly live in coastal and rural areas. And most of them do not have access to the Internet and other source of information. Some of them don't even read newspapers.

Many of the kampung folks have been 'brain-washed' by their respective BN YBs with the support from them mainstream media that only BN can bring development and improve thier quality of life. They have misled that Oppositions are just a hindrance to the government development efforts.

Now, with recent spates of NCR land cases pending in court in Sarawak and the current political tsunami in Semenanjung Malaysia, can we see any changes in the Sarawak political landscape in the coming State Election?? Only time will tell..

Anonymous said...

Taib,presently ruling Sarawak for an almost embarrassingly lengthy tenure,can,at the stroke of the might of pen,approve timber concessions,land leases,development approvals,variations of title conditions approvals,mines,appointments, and the whole packages,thanks to we Sarawakians ascending him to this lofty and mighty position. We, the former PBDS, tried to unseat him in 1987 and again in 1991 BUT we were laughed at by almost all Sarawakians!!Especially our cousins!! Now they said we should get Taib out! My fellow Sarawakians, we at PBDS then tried, including Dr James Masing, Entulu,Dublin, Daniel Tajem, and whos' whos, but we all failed miserably!!Now is your turn,guys!

Anonymous said...

Wow..Judge Dredd wannabe huh?..he'll be voted out soon.

To Chapchai:

Why don't a S'wakian like you(as you claimed yourself) come back and help us rather than asking as if you find it's easy to vote him out of the office? Sometimes, our hypocritical attiudes don't work on poor Sarawakians who are helpless and have no better choices left to vote for. You're away in your comfort zone and yet you ask questions that somehow make the S'wakians who are staying on the Swak soil look as if they are dumbos. Why don't you start packing, come back out of your comfort zone, live with us and help us here? and start a big campaign to vote the Pak Uban out of the office? Easy, yeah? If you don't dare to do so,then stop asking stupid questions and thinking that the Sarawakians have already stopped thinking for their future. Otherwise, you're verily welcome to help your fellow Sarawakians NOW!!

Unknown said...

He is not a barbarian. He is a viking. More brutal and fearless.

Anonymous said...

pak uban is the most loving and revered leader sarawak ever had. he is very kind hearted and compassionate to those who are close to him. he is good to jabu. he is also cunning. he lures masing so as to divide the dayaks. he take lands for developments friends! everything about him is nice, nice wife, nice childrens and nice homesess. iam going to get one palace like his. ofcourse he is the one going to give me. Friends, to be like me, adore him lah, why so difficult. The Dayaks be smart lah. ha ha iam one of the smart dayak. LONG LIVE PAK UBAN!

Anonymous said...

Nampaknya semua yang sudah sedar diri mereka menghampiri kubur dan bertemu dengan ketentuan tuhan sudah mula hendak beramal dan bertaubat tetapi PAK UBAN bila pulak? Takut yang saya kasihi PAK UBAN tak sempat bertaubat nanti

Anonymous said...

most of native bumitputra are very naive. they barely reach school/formal education. its not them to blame. it's people who dare to use and manipulate other people weakness for their own advantages should be accused of.