Saturday, March 21

Masing the leader of the ‘turncoats’?

In the 1980s, both James Masing (right) and Leo Moggie
were very critical of Abdul Taib's policies when they were still in PBDS.
Can we describe them as "turncoats" too?
President of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) James Masing has accused a group of people who once were with the government now are actively opposing it.

Describing them as ‘turncoats’ Masing said he was disappointed by these highly educated people who were former elected representatives and government retirees.

“The people are confused because when these same people were serving the BN government, they were saying many nice and good rosy things about BN and encouraging people to support BN.

“Today these turncoats are saying all the bad things about the government, dragging people here and there to follow their own personal political agenda,” Masing who is the Land Development minister said. (A turncoat, according to Reader’s Digest Oxford dictionary, is a person who changes sides in a conflict, dispute, etc.; renegade, traitor, betrayer, deserter, defector, backslider, snake in the grass, etc.)

I would have thought Masing himself was/is a turncoat. In 1983 he contested as a PBDS candidate and won the Baleh seat. PBDS joined the state BN government plus. In 1987 he and PBDS joined the Maju group to topple Abdul Taib Government. In 1991 when PBDS was severely defeated, Masing and PBDS applied to rejoin the State BN. Upon rejoining the State BN in 1995, Masing was initially appointed an assistant minister.

Like Masing, government retirees have their own reasons for being turncoats. When serving the government, they must be loyal to the government of the day, observe the general orders and other government regulations. They cannot have their personal agenda otherwise they must resign.

When they become retirees or pensioners, they are free to express their views either for or against the government. As a matter of fact almost 90% of them are critical of the government policies. Why?

Firstly, they could have been marginalised or sidelined in terms of promotion, because they did not know how to do the apple polishing of their bosses.

Secondly, they knew too well government policies that are detrimental to the survival of their people back in the longhouses. For example the policy on Native Customary Rights (NCR) land development when the authorities declared NCR land as state land and sell them to cronies of the powers-that-be and to big companies for oil palm plantations, they cannot stand idle. Their forefathers’ lands have being taken away from their families, their fruit trees and their crops destroyed.

So they better become “turncoats” and do something to defend the land. Some longhouse people will surely follow them because as government pensioners they know what is right and what is wrong. - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

enda melaba ka diri empu

jari nunjuk ngagai urang bukai tang enda ingat 3 iti jari ke agi nunjuk ngagai diri empu

so bolehland

Anonymous said...

Is that not a warning for PKR if Jawah is the PKR candidate? Jawah had been a 4 term MP for the said area.

saloi said...

well, that's politic...people who join political party have their own agenda- to fill their own pocket...no 1 is joining just for the sake of rakyat...

NEIL said...

Masing is only pretending he is not a turncoat.He will be one again if all his dreams are not fulfilled while in BN.
Watch his reaction when he was interview on 101.He look awkward and lost when ask if he is a ally of Taib!
Today there are still alot of 'turncoat' but they are still in the gov't.That's why alot of sensitive information are been sneaked out about the corrupt ways of the gov't.
Turncoat are infact called opportunist and most of these people are the dayaks.Been less educated they are more after the money so when they see a chance to make some money ,they will be blindly led .
The battle royal in Batang Ai have began and lets hope the Barisan Rakyak Bloggers will play a role in the fall of BN.Vote PKR! Yes we can.

stingray said...

Talk of turncoat,masin is the best example.He follow where money is and this leashed lapdog cannot be trusted at all.What he have done in PBDS shows he is just a opportunist who is only desperate for power.His days in PRS is numbered an PRS will be turn into a muti-ricial party led by Larry Soon.You can see that Larry is still been kept by Taib and will be use if masin don't toe the line.
The cards are been played by the top leaders and most of the grassroots supporters are restless becos PRS have done nothing at all to lessen the sufferings of the dayaks.

Anonymous said...

turncoats accused others as turncoats hahahaha
good try yb

Unknown said...

To understand about 'turncoat', we have to look at the present situation affecting the dayak, just to name one. Not forgetting those non-dayak like the malays, melanau and the chinese.
Those working in the government knows very well the scenarios of government administrations, promotion and projects. Do not forget about quota systems, too.
Even BN YBs tend to keep their mouths shut forever but in their hearts, they know what is going on the government which greatly affected the dayak as a whole.
The present government only benefitted one race in particular in term of promotion, projects and development. While the others has to wait in line.
The only opportunity for the government servants to vent their dissatisfaction is to be 'turncoat'.
Don't blame them...!

Anonymous said...

Why don't someone persuade the fella Masin to be a turncoat;turn on his master and do something really good and useful for the Dayak people like fight for their lost rights .. then they'll love this turncoat ...

Kuchkuch

Anonymous said...

If all Iban and other group of etnic united under one parti that represent Dayak in sarawak, The Iban people will be better in position now and we will see ketua menteri sarawak will be Iban.

but Iban are keen to against each other and the elected YB can easily buy using RM$$. same with the longhouse folks

Sad.

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with those ADUN's or YB's who had the conscience and the principle to go against what the BN did was wrong ?

They just cannot follow doggedly against their own beliefs and conscience and by doing so, they will do a disservice to their own family, community and nation.

This in itself is not a turncoat. However, turncoats are those that go against their own conscience and principles for a monetary gain/reward. Turncoats betray the trust of the voters who support them.

Just because someone is moving to the opposition does not qualify him to be a turncoat.

In fact, he should be commended to have the courage to face and fight the issues confronting his electoral kawasan and voters for the betterment of everyone.

These are the people the state and country should have in abundance.

The state and country can do without those that warm the state legislature seats and say "yia" to those bills and collect their monthly salaries. They are no better than robots.

Anonymous said...

YB James Masin cg semangka nya, dulu PBDS ba pemangkang ia ngumbai MRP ubat PANADOL dah ba BN ia ga meri projek baka nya nya alai orang bakatu nadai cg tau dikarap ka. Dulu ngumbai Jabu Menteri Buah Kepayang diatu sama ba Perau BN. DR James tu meh DR OPPORTUNIST.Nya-alai nuan bc pemandai tinggi pandai gi nipu rakyat

Anonymous said...

Just curious how Brokenshield & Miss Kepayang accurately predicted on Jawah candidacy. They must be very influencial group in PKR, even Dayak Baru didn’t quite get there or predicted wrongly. From now on better trust them for accurate & reliable political info.

I heard that now they are predicting that Jawah will win in Batang Ai by not less than 400 votes.