Tuesday, July 7

Can Ibans play smart politics?

For the past 46 years of our so-called independence, the story is the same in all the 19 Iban majority state constituencies: complaints of no basic amenities like clean water, electricity, road and clinic not to mention major projects that can generate incomes and thereby uplifting their living standards. Instead their NCR lands are forcibly taken away from them and leased to big plantation companies.

And yet in every election, the Iban voters continue to vote for the “dacing” symbol after the BN has promised them all these, knowing that the same promises have been made over and over and again and again.

The famous quote by US President Abraham Lincoln that “you can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time” cannot apply to the Iban voters. It appears that “all the Ibans can be fooled all the time” by BN and worst still through Iban representatives.

After each election, the BN government has forgotten them. No doubt one or two of our elected YBs did ask for funds for projects in their respect constituencies, but they are not forceful enough. Many a time their requests are ignored. In other words, the government does not really respect them because they are weak, fragmented and found in every political party. If Abdul Taib Mahmud or even Awang Tengah were to be an elected representative in the Iban constituency, that constituency would have certainly undergone tremendous development and progress.

For now, even if you are shouting at the top of your lungs, nothing will come out; nobody will listen. State assemblyman for Meluan Wong Judat’s speech during the recent Council Negeri meeting clearly shows the disrespect the BN has on the people.

He said: “The Rakyat in my constituency are thinking that the government only knows how to make promises come election time to fish for votes.” And what made him say such statement like an Opposition elected representative was the delay in the construction of the long-awaited Nanga Entabai-Rantau Limau ulu road and the 29km Pakan-Engkamop road had not been tar-sealed for a long time.

It was not just the roads, but also the construction of suspension bridges across Kanowit river (from Julau town to a Chinese settlement and another suspension bridge to SK Nanga Luan).These had not been implemented although the cost had been determined at RM1.8 million.

He said he had raised the issue with the relevant authorities numerous times and each time he asked the ministry concerned, the reply was that funding from the federal government was insufficient.

“We the people of Meluan have waited a very long time, our patience is running low. The projects have been proposed since the seventh five-year Malaysia Plan and it was brought forward to the eighth Malaysia Plan and then to the ninth Malaysia Plan. Now the ministry could bring it again to the tenth Malaysia Plan.

“I want to know in which Malaysia Plan can the government have enough allocation to finance these projects considering they have been proposed a long time ago (more than 15 years). I do not want my people think that the government is only making promises during election,” he said.

Wong who is Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party supreme council member also spoke of the people’s dilemma in 30 longhouses, individual houses, three primary schools and Nanga Entabai clinic which are in dire need of clean water and electricity supply.

Likewise, the Kapit MP Alexander Nanta Linggi has bemoaned the absence of funds for the construction of Kapit-Sibu trunk road. Nanta’s grandfather, Tun Temenggong Jugah made the call more than 40 years ago, and the call was echoed by his father, the two-term MP for Kapit and it was repeated by the former MP for Kapit James Jimbun. Now Nanta is the fourth generation of MP for Kapit and hs been making numerous requests for funds for the Kapit-Sibu trunk road. Until now the requests have fallen on deaf ears.

So what are the solutions in order that our YBs can be an effective voice of the people? Could form a new political party specifically catering for Iban interests of any help? Or better still if SPDP, PRS, SNAP and Pesaka can form a merger called Iban National Front?

Never mind about the comments against it, but just imagine the impact if our elected 19 state representatives can come together – segulai-sejalai-sepenemu - under one political banner from Balai Ringin, to Bukit Begunan, Engkilili, Batang Ai, Layar, Bukit Saban, Krian, Pakan, Meluan, Machan, Ngemah, Ketibas, Baleh, Pelagus, Tamin, Kakus, Sebauh, Marudi, and Batu Danau and 11 Iban MPs.

This is not a racialist move, but rather that we take care and put our own house in order first before thinking of others. Let charity begin at home.

We do not aim to put our man as chief minister; neither do we want to frighten other communities. Whoever is the chief minister be he Malay, Chinese or Bidayuh or Orang Ulu as long as long as he respects our rights of existence, respect our NCR land, be fair in terms of distributing development, business opportunities, in education, and so on, we will support him.

Certainly with the 19 elected representatives and 11 MPs our voice is not only strong, but they (the government be it BN or PR) cannot simply ignore us. In other words, we will play the role of “king maker”. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

JT, things are easier saidthan done. Sapa YB x takut/sayau ka Periuk Asi, seagi aki Uban nya dia semua YB kitai Dayak/Iban takut ngaika nda diasuh bediri baru.

Enti Parti Penyakal nda kuat nadai BN beduli ka kitai Iban. peda Lubok Antu nyau Najib datai kin ngasuh hati bala Iban din chelap lalu bejanji ka meri beratus juta duit projek (wait and see).

My prediction state election will be early next year or the latest, by May 2010. Bala YB BN selalu bejalai diatu, cda information pun busy ga.

My predication DAP will win 15 seats PKR- 4 0r 5 seats PAS - 0 agi nda kuat tang nya baru BN irau ati.

Anonymous said...

nadai beguna bejako ka gerempong iban, sama-sama la kitai pandai ngidup ke diri.
BAka ni kitai iban ka besebut ka gerempong pangan diri. Sida ke ba politiknya balat agi nyual bangsa diri. Nadai ngawa, sapa ke nadai pemandai enggau pemintar ngidup ka diri, mati meh. Sapa ke bisi pemadai enggau pemintar, nama enda ulih tan ka agi pemedia ati, minta nyadi rakyat negara bukai, nya aja nadai runding bukai.
kitai kerah-kerah bejako ka penusah enggau penangul kitai iban, sida ke politik "taking every advantage on the stupidity and ignorant of the iban".
Lak ka. Why not, nothing is left without being explained to the iban, but the politicans twistturned them for their own agenda. You think YOU Iban politicians alone in years to come able to safeguard your own interest and pengaya when you dont have any support form your own race? You think the malays or the melanaus or the bidayuh going to protect and safegard you?
Hell.

DR. APAI MIGGOL said...

Yes, Iban can play a very smart politics if all the Iban YBs or Ministers at Federal and state levels joined together to form one alliance front...But how to do it will be another dilemma?? Because the Malays in UMNO and Pak Uban will monitor the developments closely and with great interests because their political future lies very much on the full support from the Dayaks communities...
We must be realistic in life, before all the Ibans or dayaks etnics formed one alliance front party in politics, they may for sure intervene in many ways to break-up the future alliance so that once the Iban divided as today, it is very easy for them to apply the rule of so called " DIVIDE AND RULE concept" to all the Ibans including other dayaks communities.

Historical example; you have noticed and learned on how the Malayan Malays manipulated the Ibans through dismissing our Iban Leader and first Chief minister; Stephen Kalong Ningkan and replaced him with illiterate Iban leader so called Temenggong Jugah before.They agreed to pick-up Temenggong Jugah simply because the latter is easy to manage and govern as he is uneducated and illeterate Iban leader...definitely he would always saY; yes BOSS, YES SIR,YA TUAN,OK BOSS, OK TUAN..NO PROBLEM BOSS, NO PROBLEM TUAN..and popular known as " Mr. YES MAN....."

So, the tradition of picking the so called "MR YES IBAN MAN OR LEADER " continues as what we can see today...we cannot accuse that they are STUPID...OR PLAIN STUPID LEADER OR COWARD LEADER..!!!! if we screen through their academics backgrounds and qualifications we notiticed that majority of them are educated having graduated at least at Diploma level. Some have attained a PHD Level..!!! the questions now...WHY ARE THEY REALLY CANNOT forge their brain and heads together and confront the powers of Pak Uban who is known for divide and rule to all the Iban and dayaks communities in a very discriminative ways of administration..in the state administration.?????? Only VERY VERY very handful few Iban LEADERS enjoyed the privilleges from Pak Uban as the token of full loyalty and supports towards him for the past 26 years Pak Uban in powers. You know who are they. not need for us to mention here...but the roots problems of the Ibans becoming deteriorated each year though the Iban had always given full support to BN YB Representatives for these years....
FOR THE LAST 45 YEARS SINCE WE FORMED MALAYSIA....!!!

Think through...we are really facing two groups of Ibans...now..one group belong to Pak Uban and other groups are the people in general who voiced out their grievances through experiences and real-life hardship...but for me, before this thing to make materialise that all the Ibans to be united in Politics AND IN ONE POLITICAL UMBRELLA,once and for all we must be courage enough to confront the Ibans groups who are loyal and closed to Pak Uban...otherwise our efforts to unite the Ibans will remain a DAY DREAM..NEVER COME TRUE........!!!!!

Anonymous said...

that's all fine and well, but how would all the Ibans take to a Leader from Saribas? Or a leader from Rajang? Or a Leader from Simunjan? Or even a Leader from Ulu Medamit?

Until then it's all castles in the air. The last Saribas leader was deposed, and the repercussions is felt till today. The last leader from Rajang was given an empty portfolio, because they didn't want an illiterate as Governor.

Taib for all intents and purposes, and despite all the criticism levelled against him is Chief Minister of all the Iban. He literally united all the Iban factions. Did this leader from Saribas and Rajang ever accomplish that?

Speculator

Watt said...

Can our YBs be an effective voice of the people?... Yes, we should be taking care & put our own house in order first before thinking of others...How then our YBs can be effective?

Our YBs can be an effective voice of the our people provided that they genuinely & unconditionally love bansa Iban(ukai semina diri sebilik).

YBs, you can be an effective voice of our people if you practice the basic human values & communicate it through the example of justice, fairness, social equality & tranparency(to violate even one of these values is an act of un-love towards your own people).

YBs, you can be an effective voice of our people if you are not caught up in the political web, so to say! YBs must fully understand & realize that your actions will affect the Iban community as a whole..

YBs, you can be an effective voice of our people if you accept your position with humility & detachment..The moment you use your position in a selfish manner,i.e. to build up yourself, you begin to feed your ego & pride. YBs should lead by example & not merely on words. Words are important & neccesary. But unless words are backed by a credible witness of life, words will be hollow.

YBs must not use their positions for their own aggrandizement but must employ their position for the Ibans whom had elected you to represent them..

YBs, your service to the Iban people becomes a service only if it is done with no expectation of rewards whatsoever....

Our YBs may do anything & everything else under the sun, but if they cannot be, by their lives, an example of the basic human values, no significant effects will ever, ever take place..

Brangking Kilau said...

Birds of same feathers flock together, that is an English idiomatic expression use to describe the way of life of Iban under one roof in the longhouse, a symbol of unity and harmony of this thriving community. They respected each other especially to the elders and their headmen who were elected of their own choice. Anything or problem in tending to community affairs and interests were jointly discussed in good atmosphere for the benefits of the community. The headmen promoted strong ties with his men by way of mutual respect and above all self respect. That was the life of Iban during the colonial era.

Nowadays, things are different because the Iban community is developing at an ever increasing rate and vast changes in their attitude and way of life are taking place. The economic, political, and social conditions of the nation are changing and are leading to a higher standard of living and an increasingly affluent society. The longhouse dwellers, educated and professional Ibans go on with their own ways by forming factions and cliques in different platforms in politics and started blaming and hurling at each other, instead of uniting themselves in one single political party. The headmen who are appointed by the government of the day are in one side of factions supporting the government, thus do not on warm and friendly terms with the group members supporting the opposition parties, indicating that the Iban is splitting nowadays.

It is a good idea anyway to form an alliance front to unite the relatively small Iban population of about 700,000 so that we can speak and act with one voice. When speaking of Iban unity, we do not mean it as a strength against anybody. We don`t carry our own weight, others are paddling for us. Not that we want them to but we don`t have the economic strength.

As we are splitting in many political parties, it seems that we have no a capable and competence Iban leader who really can bind us today. May be through one single political party can unite us, one day GOD THE ALMIGHTY, will open our hearts and point to us a potential Iban leader who is an `action oriented leadership`, democratic in his relationship with his own community and has a sense of friendship and racial harmony toward all races in Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

you don't blame the YBs. If they are not effective & efficient , don't vote for them. The power is in the voters. Is our voters smart? The reason why we have "stupid" YBs is because we have stupid voters. so educate the voters first. Give them good education, eduction is almost free, so may be in the next 10 to 20 years time we can see the smart voters.There is no magic answer to the current problem. Ibans are economically backward and have small percentage of qualified people.This is the problem that need immidiate attention.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Brangking Kilau,

Excuse me, if I am not mistaken you are one of the promoters of MDC which its registration for a political party was rejected by ROS. From your comment, I know that you are in tune with BN`s struggle; perhaps you have changed I presume.

May be you will agree with me for those Ibans who are still partyless and supporting the oppositions to join the National Front Alliance (BN) to show our strength and concern to demand for the post of the Chief Minister of Sarawak since the Ibans are the largest ethnic group in the state even though the number of Iban ADUNs is less than half of the 71 state constituencies. Taking cue from the previous Pakatan Rakyat`s government in Perak where Mohd. Nizar from PAS which has 6 out of 59 numbers of ADUNs in that state, was appointed a Menteri Besar, there is no reason why we can`t do it in Sarawak, in line with 1Malaysia and 1Sarawak concept - the Prime Minister of all Malaysians and the Chief Minister of all ethnic groups in Sarawak.

Anonymous said...

I am talking about Iban economy and education. Iban need strong economy and qaulity education for it to be in power. Look in the past on why the party leadership fail. Its just because of unsustainable financial support or strenght of the Iban. Knowledge is the most valuable asset anybody can have and nobody can steal it from you.Emulate the Foochows, and change our attitude, all the Ibans in the rural areas must be reminded. This need people like you to tell them.Change also your thinking don't just look at politics, be open minded so that you can analyse the problem wisely and smartly. There is no point to be brave when you don't have all the amunition, be smart get yourself ready and well equiped. I am not incline to any party be it BN or Opposition because I am in what I am now because of my own ability. So I can comment on you people. Its up to you if you want to listen.

Anonymous said...

what to do..our ybs are incapable to help our community since they want to safeguard their periuknasi ermmm kerakasi


cm n kingmaker...what a powerful force...but semua ka nyadi kepala