[RE: DAYAK COMMUNITY MUST WAKE UP, SAYS MINOS – BORNEO POST 31.05.12]

The lamentation by Peter Minos viz: (quote) “with so many parties and leaders, many of my KL friends are saying that the Dayak are asking for trouble and heading for self-destruction”  is a display of archaic mentality, one trying to portray nothing more and nothing less he is supporting UMNO.

To “his UMNO mates were of the opinion that the Dayaks would bemoan and complain about everything” Peter Minos and those thinking like him should better realize it that indeed the Dayaks are complaining, and rightly so.

Yes, complain we must. Given the fact that Malaysia, after almost 50 years of formation, has not brought about better changes to the people of Sarawak, and let alone to the Dayaks, there is nothing wrong in complaining and bemoaning.

The people want the promises of Malaysia which, for the majority of them, are yet unrealized, unfullfilled.

The rights under article 153, benefits to the bumiputras, which term should include Dayaks, in term of ranking appointments in civil service, GLCs, and other Government Agencies, Army and Police, in foreign service, and contracts, licences, quotas, timber concession, land, scholarships,  and many more have not been accorded us.  In the civil service, army and police the Dayaks are mostly of junior rank.

Peter Minos asking of the Dayak community to emulate the Melanau that “had fully utilized political unity” and “making a success in their social and economic development” is very pathetic while unrealistic.

The reality in its proper prospective is the fact that the State of Sarawak has been led, after Kalong Ningkan was toppled and after a short stint of Tawi Sli, by two (2) successive Chief Ministers, Tun Rahman Yakub followed by Pehin Sri Taib, for the better part of almost five (5) decades since Independence.

Both are Melanau although they would probably prefer to be called “Malay”.  From these facts the Melanau Community can be better appreciated in term of “their social and economic development”. The all-powerful office of the Chief Minister has been seeing to it how Sarawak is developed over the years.

The fact that (or if) Dayaks are in so many political parties is not necessary a bad thing. In fact Pehin Sri Taib referring to Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) he said “the more the merrier”. 

And when he was asked if he considered it an act of betrayal for Larry Sng, who is special advisor (Youth Matters) to lead an opposition party, he replied that was not the case because the country practiced democracy and “everyone has the right to form a party”. 

And when “Barisan Club” was formed by the defected former members of SPDP, Pehin Sri Taib was reported to have said that “they are still supporting Barisan by being in Barisan Club” and “that is what matters”. 

So who is Peter Minos who all the years has expressed full complete loyal support to Pehin Sri Taib as Chief Minister of Sarawak to question the “Group of 5” that started the Barisan Club.

Peter Minos’s call for the Dayak community to be under one party and under one leader is ‘utopian’.  It cannot be achieved. Rather more political parties will see Dayaks becoming their members will be on the card, moving forward. Nothing is wrong in that. 

Like Pehin Sri Taib was reported to have said in referring to SWP that “the people will make their choice”. And one thing is true the Dayaks will keep on asking for more. Sarawak has contributed a lot to the Federal Revenue.

Example: our oil and gas and our tax revenue. And returned each year to us is very small amount. And all of that goes to SCORE and to the other of Chief Minister’s pet projects.   And despite Dayaks are well represented in Barisan, the larger of the community is not served well. Our NCR lands remain untitled, unsurveyed, and unalienated, and otherwise state land.

When these lands are resumed by State Government “for public purposes” the compensated values are very small compared to that of a mixed zone land in a same locality which normally could fetch very high and current market prices.  Their participation in land development schemes through SALCRA and Pelita has brought very marginal returns.

Otherwise in truth our community has been fending for themselves.  Maybe as apparent in the state of things, due to the blind loyal support given to Barisan Nasional all these years what the Dayaks get are no more than in the form of minor rural projects, which mostly would come during the period preceding election times only.

Another thing is also true: that is despite the diversity of parties and the Dayaks are found in almost all of them, the Dayaks are still united. In particular in their quest for better representation in government, better share of the bite of the economic cake, and for the right to be heard of their quests as such.

Like they did not weep when Peter Minos was defeated when he tried to bring PBB to Bau and was defeated by Patau Rubis of SNAP in 1983 general election, the Dayak community including those in Bau and Lundu will survive the coming GE13.

STAR will offer itself likewise other parties and including maybe a member of the “Gang of 5”, and or maybe DAP and PKR as well.  Rest assured, like Pehin Sri Taib has said it “the people will make their choice”.

And Peter Minos is better advised to not to be in haste to praise everything of “UMNO”. And certainly it is not for him to call upon the Dayaks to support or emulate of those Malays in Malaya that support UMNO. This time is not opportune. UMNO has nothing to offer to the Dayaks because in Sarawak the Chief Minister is from PBB. And UMNO will not contest in Sarawak as well.

Patrick Anek Uren

Vice-President STAR

SPDP is the latest victim?

KUCHING: Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat comprising DAP, PKR and PAS is keenly watching the latest political developments in the state - the crises in Sarawak United Peoples Party and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party as 11 parliamentary seats are at stake.

“This is because the two parties are getting weaker due to internal conflicts,” said See Chee How, vice-president of Sarawak PKR.

“SUPP and SPDP are the latest victims to fall prey to PBB’s ploy to weaken state BN in order for them to remain weak and dependent on PBB,” he said when asked to comment on the current political developments in the state.

“Both Baram and Mas Gading seats allocated to SPDP as well as its Saratok and Bintulu seats are now tough seats for BN,” he said.

Similarly SUPP’s allocation of seven parliamentary seats of Serian, Stampin, Bandar Kuching, Sibu, Lanang, Sarikei and Miri are weakened by the internal conflicts in the party.

Bandar Kuching and Sibu are already in the hands of DAP.

In their current political situations, both SUPP and SPDP are vulnerable to ‘aggressive’ attacks by Pakatan Rakyat in the coming general election.

SUPP for instance, almost all the 43 SUPP branches that held their meetings in the last week or so have one problem or another as the line is clearly drawn between the supporters of Peter Chin, Organising Secretary and Wong Sook Koh, Deputy Secretary General.

Chin and Wong are fighting one another for the party’s presidency in the coming triennial delegates’ assembly (TGA) scheduled from December 8 to 10, 2011.

SUPP has a two-tier system of electing their leaders.

The branch will elect 600 delegates to the TGA, who will in turn elect 133 central committee members. The CC members will in turn elect the principal office-bearers.

As electing delegates are extremely important, branch leaders have resorted to under hand tactics against each other in their bids to ensure who would be elected as delegates.

In branches known to be supporters of Chin, they were overzealous to find “irregularities and faults” with those who are supporting Wong.

Similarly branches supporting Wong have also tried to find ‘problems' against Chin’s supporters.

In Sibu, Dudong branch revival committee tried to stop the Sibu branch under the chairmanship of Wong from holding the branch meeting by resorting to court injunction, but the Sibu branch successfully fought against the injunction.

In Kanowit, there was almost a fist fight between supporters of the two leaders. Troubles also occurred in branch elections in Sarikei, Kuching, Miri, and Lundu.

What Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat sees in SUPP is that it may not be able to recover from the internal bickering when the next general election is held no matter whoever wins the presidential race.

As for SPDP, the sacking of Entri from SPDP and the dropping of the three-term MP Tiki Lafe from contesting the Mas Gading seat, both of whom are members of RENTAP (formerly known as SPDP 5), are not only worsening the crisis in the party, but are certain also to have some bearing in the Mas Gading and Baram parliamentary seats.

Even its Saratok and Bintulu seats are shaky.

Whoever is going to be nominated in the Mas Gading seat is going to have a tough time trying to win over Tiki’s staunch supporters.

In the event of a straight fight between the candidates of BN-SPDP and Pakatan Rakyat, both sides have an equal opportunity to win.

Assuming there will be a three-cornered fight with Tiki representing RENTAP, a SPDP candidate and PR candidate, the BN leadership may adopt a formula first used to solve claims over constituencies between Sarawak National Party and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (both members of BN) in the 1983 state election.

The formula will allow SPDP and RENTAP to have a free for all in the four parliamentary constituencies. The BN leadership in the midst of the election may have to choose who has a better chance to win: SPDP or RENTAP.

In the case of the 1983 state election, Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud declared his full support for PBDS’ candidates and accused SNAP as the ‘enemy number one’.

SNAP was the biggest loser.

In the Baram parliamentary constituency, SPDP’s Jacob Sagan has been named to be the candidate to defend it. Judging by the hot issues concerning the construction of the proposed Baram dam, which the Kayan, Kenyah and Penan communities are strongly against it, Sagan may have some problems with the 13, 623 voters in the Telang Usan, a part of the Baram constituency.

Previously, he defended so much from 13,093 voters from the Marudi constituency to win big. About 90% of them are Iban voters.

But now the Marudi voters who are Entri’s strong supporters are against Sagan who is aligned to President William Mawan Ikom.

In last month’s function, Mawan and Sagan needed the help of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to be able to visit Ulu Teru in Marudi where the Iban voters were trying to stop them from ‘disturbing’ the longhouse residents.

At Rumah Ela in Selulit, Tinjar, Marudi, last Saturday, more than 2,000 people including 88 longhouse chiefs and councillors have expressed their strong support for Entri.

Also present were other RENTAP members – Peter Nansian, Tasik Biru assemblyman, Paulus Gumbang, Batu Danau assemblyman and Rosey Yunus, Bekenu assemblywoman. Tiki Lafe was unable to attend as he had a function Bau.

Condemning Mawan for sacking Entri, Councillor Kalang Kimie said: “Our Marudi assemblyman stood and won on a BN ticket, and his sacking is a show of total disrespect to the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and the mandate of the people.

“Sacking the party’s elected representative who had won with the biggest majority in the last election and acting against the others is tantamount to a hidden agenda. Every political party wants to have as many YBs as possible, now throwing them out would weaken the party,” he said.

SPDP’s two other allocated parliamentary seats, Saratok and Bintulu, are also tough seats if the crisis in the party persists.

The incumbents are Jelaing Mersat, (Saratok) and Tiong King Sing, (Bintulu) who are in Mawan’s camp and they too have been named to defend their seats.

“If the results of the last state election are of any indication, Saratok and Bintulu are in deep trouble,” said a political observer.

The Krian seat which is the other half of the Saratok parliamentary seat has been won by Ali Biju of PKR with a big majority. The other half is Kalaka seat.

In Bintulu, Tiong’s position is also precarious. The combination of the majorities (6,477)) obtained by BN in Jepak and Kemena are far less than the majority of 6,930 votes obtained by DAP in Kidurong.

As See, the Batu Lintang assemblyman said: “The Pakatan Rakyat is keenly watching what is happening in SUPP and SPDP.

“We expect to gain by their conflicts,” he said.

Scorned ex-wives could ruin ‘Randy’ Rayong’s political career

(This story has appeared in Free Malaysia Today on Jan 24, 2011 and is reproduced for the readers of The Broken Shield)

KUCHING: Are conversions and polygamy the new political ball game in Sarawak? It appears that a rising number of political aspirants and have-beens are rumoured to be converting from Christianity to Islam to better their chances of currying favours with Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who allegedly discriminates against non-Muslims.

Whether this new game plan will work for them in the coming state polls is left to be seen. But political observers are betting that a number of Barisan Nasional candidates “will fall” in the polls for these very reasons.

Meanwhile, the “hottest” gossip to hit Kuching streets is Engkilili state assemblyman Johnical Rayong’s recent conversion. Most of his constituents were in shocked disbelief at his conversion that is until his angry wife, Patricia Dexter Sudok, a Christian staff nurse in Kuching, spewed her angst.

She reportedly leant of her husband’s infidelity, marriage and conversion from an SMS message he sent her.

According to the reports, Rayong was caught for “khalwat” and was forced to marry one Kamasiah Abdul Jalil, a divorcee in her 30s with two children, who works in the chief minister’s office.

Rayong had apparently converted on Jan 29, 2010. (was it coincidence then that partyless Rayong who had waited four long years outside Taib’s door was suddenly accepted into the fold in 2010, courtesy of Sarawak United people’s Party whose decision to take him in has cost them dearly?)


Deceiving the Dayaks

The story gets better, Patricia also said that Rayong had been harassing her to return and campaign alongside him as a “Christian couple” in order to mislead his Dayak voters.

Rayong and apparently quite a few other “new converts” such as Mambong MP James Dawos Mamit and Marudi assemblyman Sylvester Enterie are seeking to conceal their new status from their Dayak constituents.

Dawos, incidentally, is Deputy Tourism Minister and Enterie is an Assistant Minister in the Sarawak cabinet.

All this is more fodder for the opposition, it appears. In the case of Rayong, who seems to have a cup-board-full of “skeletons”, he may have lost it all even before the race. According to a SUPP leader, the party is uncomfortable with Rayong’s “history” and is re-assessing his candidacy.

“The voters in Engkilili are not against him converting to Islam. Far from it. In fact, Christians and Muslims in Engkilili sit side by side in coffee shops or restaurants. They also visit each other during Hari Raya and Christmas celebrations. They always live in harmony.

“But they do not like him because he failed to inform them (of his new status) as well as his failure to look after his two Iban wives,” said the leader who refused to be named.

Rayong, he claimed, has neglected his two families. His two wives were said to have complained to Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang. They alleged Rayong had failed to come “home” for the past three months or so. His first wife, Patricia, is related to Jabu.

So angry and disappointed are his wives that they are prepared to campaign against Rayong if he does defend his Engkilili seat.

Besides his scorned wives, Rayong will also have to contend with issues over the authenticity of his degree “as a medical doctor” and his political track record.

His opponents have claimed that Rayong is only a doctor of homeopathy, but had presented himself as a medical doctor and opened up a clinic where he dispensed medicines and treated patients.

They alleged that when the authorities demanded for his certificates, Rayong closed shop. It has also raised questions about his integrity.

In the 2006 state election, Rayong won the Engkilili seat on a Sarawak National Party (SNAP) ticket. During his campaign, he attacked BN coalition partner SUPP and its candidate Jonathan Krai Pilo.

But less than a month after his win, Rayong declared that he was independent and a BN-friendly representative. His angry supporters called him a “political frog” who is only interested in his own personal affairs.

He subsequently applied to join an off-shoot of SNAP, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) led by William, Mawan Ikom. His application was initially accepted in 2007, but faced with strong opposition from SUPP and Taib’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), he was forced to resign.

There was also a time when he wanted to join Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) if the Engkilili seat was to be given to PRS under a swapping arrangement with SUPP. But that arrangement failed to materialise and as a result, he lost interest In PRS.


SUPP reassessing Rayong

In the meantime, Rayong had applied to become a SUPP member and for two years he was left waiting. Then suddenly in September 2010, SUPP approved his application, much against the wishes of majority of its members.

The SUPP’s decision resulted in the resignation of the Engkilili branch chairman and the former five-term elected representative, Toh Heng San, from the party.

But by joining SUPP, Rayong has left behind at least 60% of his supporters who were either members of SNAP or the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and supporters of the stillborn Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) of which he was the protem deputy president.

In fact, his supporters are still angry with him for switching parties as they had voted him in on a SNAP ticket. Many SUPP members in Engkilili, too, may not vote for him as they consider him a “frog” that has upset their branch leaders including Toh and Krai.

After more than 20 years as elected representative, Toh has a strong following not only among the Chinese, but also among the Ibans in Engkilili. Toh and Krai’s supporters will certainly not vote for Rayong for his criticisms against SUPP and for neglecting the welfare and interest of the Dayak community during the last election.

Today, Rayong joins the party that he had severely condemned. In September, when accepting Rayong into SUPP’s fold, the party president George Chan described him as the most “suitable”candidate to represent the party as he was not only close to the people, but also popular with the rakyat.

Now, in the wake of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s brazen command to give him “only winnable candidates”, Chan is being forced to acknowledge Rayong’s weaknesses and eat his own words of the latter’s “suitability” as Engkilili 2011 candidate.

Election: Watch out for Taib’s beard

By Joseph Tawie

(This story was first published by Free Malaysia Today and is updated, rewritten and published for the readers of The Broken Shield).

KUCHING – As election is approaching, Sarawakians start talking – talking not about the date of election, but about Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s beard. As usual the date of Sarawak election is being determined by the length of Taib’s beard after he has started sporting it. Once it reaches a certain length, he will then be looking for “ilham” or inspiration.

Even though the election is about 13 months away, Sarawakians are watching the growth of his beard whenever he passes by or whenever his pictures appear in the Press.

All parties in the State Barisan Nasional or in the Pakatan Rakyat are making their election preparations because they do not know how fast is his beard is growing or when Taib will have the inspiration; nor do they want to be caught with their pants down.

Party leaders from both sides of the divide have started to criss-cross the length and breadth of the State, busily organising various functions. For the Barisan, its State representatives have started to announce funds for various development projects and to distribute funds for the village and longhouse development and security committees’ ‘gotong royong’ projects.

As if not to be left behind, the election commission has also identified election personnel and has started to train them to carry out election duties.

While watching the growth of Taib’s beard, and with all these intensified activities, many are predicting the election is to be held some time towards the end of the year; some even suggest it is going to be September or October. There are others who say the election will be held in March or April next year.

According to hotel sources: “Many of the star hotels in Kuching have been fully booked around October apparently for officials of the election commission and for federal ministers who will be coming in droves to assist in the campaigns.”

A political secretary to the Chief Minister, who refused to be identified said that the government’s five-year 10 MP (10 Malaysia Plan) starts in July this year during which time massive development funds will be dished out throughout the nation with special attention to Sarawak’s Corridor of Renewal Energy (SCORE).

Tenders for mega projects such as the Bakun Road to the proposed Murum Dam, the Bintulu/Tunoh/Baleh/Kotai road and Kapit/Song/Sibu road will be out soon. The three trunk roads are expected to cost close to RM2 billion.

There are also several major projects which are to be implemented under 10MP in other parts of Sarawak, for which funds amounting to RM3.4 billion had been announced by the Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal.

Every BN Member of Parliament is being given an extra RM500,000 this year making a total of RM1.5 million and this sum will be distributed to the state constituencies which are under the parliamentary constituency.

The State Barisan Headquarters has reminded the four component parties – Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) - to get their machinery ready.

“These are not only the tell-tale signs that the election is indeed around the corner, but also an overall effort of the State Barisan to ensure the voters do not run away from them” said a veteran politician who is very close to the Chief Minister.

Little doubt BN is expected to win the state election. “But we cannot be complacent. We need to work harder to ensure we will win the election in a big way,” said Shafie Apdal when he visited Sarawak recently.

His fears are understandable after he had heard briefing on the state of affairs regarding the persistent problems affecting political parties in the State and they have been told to make their houses in order and stop infighting.

While PBB and PRS are almost free from any internal problem, SPDP and SUPP have some “inside” problems that may undermine their performances in the coming election.

The problem in SPDP is more about clash of personality, policy implementation and broken promises. Grumbles and grouses have been heard as early as March last year when certain leaders wanted to extend SPDP’s wings to West Malaysia, but stringently opposed by another group which wanted to ensure that the party’s grip on the local scene be strengthened.

“Why should we go to West Malaysia when we are weak in the State?” asked Sylvester Enteri who was then the secretary general.

Another important factor that led to the squabbles in the party was the rumoured intention of the party’s deputy president Peter Nyarok who wanted to relinquish his post to pave the way for Tiong King Sing, treasurer general to take over at the party’s triennial general assembly in December last year.

At least half of the party’s supreme council members did not wish Tiong to be the deputy president, so they came up with another list to challenge President William Mawan and those in the president’s list.

However in order to avoid being challenged, Mawan called for status quo. They all agreed and Enteri was to remain as secretary general. But after the party election was over, Enteri was sacked as secretary general. This triggered the walk-out by four State assemblymen including Enteri and one MP from the party’s supreme council meeting.

Until now they refuse any reconciliation; in fact they do not want to come back as long as Mawan, Nyarok and Tiong are still with the party. That is a very tall order. Now they want to be merged with another BN party, PRS.

Whatever and however you look into the SPDP problems, they are bound to have some multiple effects on the coming election.

For SUPP, it has been bogged down by a power struggle and jealousy within the party. The “Dudong branch” issue for example has been a thorn in its flesh for the past three years without any sign of it being solved. In fact it has gotten from bad to worse.

While one section of the party wanted to form the branch, another group opposed it. When SUPP president George Chan failed to solve it, some 28 branches of the party have asked for extra ordinary meeting to help solve the problem, but their request has been turned down, setting a major clash between supporters of Wong Soon Koh, State Assemblyman for Bawang Assan and Soon Choon Teck, State Assemblyman for Dudong.

Both of them have been in the centre of the crisis with neither one is prepared to give way, resulting in the problem being dragged on and on affecting not only SUPP branches and members in Sibu, but also State wide. As a result of the infighting, SUPP lost the Sibu parliamentary constituency in the May 16 by-election.

The effect of this divide may result in State seats in the midst and lower Rajang basin in jeopardy. Seats like Repok, Dudong, Pelawan and Bawang Assan are sure to face an uphill battle in the coming election if the previous election results have any indication. SUPP has already lost Meradong and Bukit Assek to DAP in the last election.

Elsewhere, SUPP also lost Kidurong, Batu Lintang, Kota Santosa, Padungan, Pending and Engkilili.

These are the problems that Taib has been pondering while waiting for his beard to grow or while waiting for an inspiration to come. Nevertheless, election must be held in June 2011 whether the beard has grown or whether an inspiration will come or not.

Balan Seling helps change Dayaks’ political landscape

Image source: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=16889

KUCHING - Joseph Balan Seling, who had a very colourful background as a politician in Sarawak, was buried on Tuesday 16 March 2010, leaving behind a “love-hate” legacy. He passed away early Sunday morning at the age of 74.

Many still remember him as a man who had contributed in part to the course of Dayak political history and landscape that the community is experiencing now.

Coming from an aristocratic Kenyah family in Baram, young Balan was thrown into the political limelight together with Liap Kudu, Nelson Kundai Ngaring, Michael Ben, Dunstan Endawie and Edward Jeli at the time when the tide of “Dayakism” was at its height following the dismissal of Stephen Kalong Ningkan as Chief Minister of Sarawak in 1966.

Trained as a preacher for the SIB church in Australia, Balan returned to Kuching in the mid 1960s and his qualities as a leader were discovered by the leadership of Sarawak National Party (SNAP). His first taste of politics was in 1970 when Sarawak held its first direct election. He was selected for the Telang Usan constituency, one of the two Orang Ulu seats. At that time, SNAP was in the opposition after it was kicked out of the Sarawak Alliance in 1966.

In 1974 SNAP picked him again to contest the same seat, but this time more young and educated Dayaks joined him, including personalities such as Leo Moggie, Daniel Tajem, Jonathan Sabai, Dr. Jawie Masing and Joseph Samuel. All in all SNAP won 18 State seats, making it one of the strongest parties in the State.

Balan who spoke fluent English and Bahasa Malaysia and his team gave the Coalition government hell in the Dewan Undangan Negeri.

Recognising the important roles the young Dayaks in the party were going to play in the State and national politics, Prime Minister Abdul Razak invited SNAP to join the Federal and State Governments. He sent Ghazali Shafiee to meet with Dayak leaders. James Wong, who was Deputy President, was in Kemunting Camp in October 1974 following complaints by Rahman Yakub (Chief Minister) that he wanted to sell Limbang to Brunei.

Anyway after serious negotiations, on 1 November 1977 SNAP formally joined the government. Endawie who had taken over the presidency of the party was appointed Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister for Local Government. Moggie, Secretary General, MP for Kanowit and State Assemblyman for Ngemah, was appointed Minister for Welfare.

Balan Seling was appointed Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Community Development. In 1978, Moggie was appointed as a Federal Minister, while Balan Seling was promoted to full-fledged Minister for Local Government.

Endawie’s resignation as SNAP president due to differences with Moggie and Tajem opened a floodgate of troubles in the party. Both James Wong, deputy SNAP president and Moggie contested for the top post, resulting in the party splitting into two. Balan was among those who supported James Wong. The split led to the expulsion of Tajem who together with other State Assemblymen and MPs formed Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) in September 1983.

Balan was then appointed as secretary general of SNAP. In the 1983 election Balan again won his seat of Telang Usan.

But in the 1987 State election, which was called early due to a political crisis famously known as the “Ming Court affair” saw Balan together with Edward Jeli, Michael Ben and Geman Itam joining PBDS which then had left the Barisan Nasional. PBDS won 15 seats and its counterpart, Parti Permas won five seats.

With 20 seats, PBDS and Permas which formed an alliance known as the Maju group failed to dislodge Taib and his government. The Maju group then tried to buy over some of the “shaky” newly elected State assemblymen; and if they could get four of them to cross there would be a tug-of-war situation.

It was rumoured that RM4 million was made available. But their efforts failed. Instead five from PBDS leaf-frogged to Barisan and SNAP, one of them was Balan Seling. The others were Edward Jeli, Michael Ben, Sora Rosah and Geman Itam.

PBDS also later lost Bolhassan (Tatau), Gramong Juna (Machan) and Mikai Mandau (Batang Ai) to PBB.

Balan, Sora and Ben joined PBB, while Edward and Geman returned to SNAP.

Balan’s defection to PBB surprised not only PBDS, but also their supporters who condemned him for his “deeds of betrayal”.

Masing, who was then PBDS publicity chief, had said that there was no way these defectors could be disciplined, adding: “It is up to the voters to discipline the defectors. Their defections were the worst of gutter politics and people change their principle, their conscience at the snap of a finger.”

“Dayaks in this country do not deserve this type of politicians as their leaders. They moved out without discussing it with their grassroots supporters. So they moved as persons, leaving behind their supporters with PBDS,” Masing had said.

After he was dropped from contesting, Balan in 1998 was then appointed as a senator for a term; and he was also appointed as chairman of the Pepper Marketing Board.

Certainly Balan’s passing will be missed by many including his political foes and has been described as a big loss to the Orang Ulu community.

Deputy Chief Minister George Chan regarded him as a leader who put his people first and always looked after the community.

“That is his strong point and that was what he had taught us. All politicians should follow his example as he is the true epitome of a political leader,” said Chan.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Daud Abdul Rahman said that Balan was a strong supporter of PBB. He was a good leader. His death was a great loss not only to society, but to the party as well. He would certainly not easily to replace.

There are people who still remember him as the man who betrayed the principle and the cause he wanted to serve – the cause of the Dayaks.

Many of his followers and supporters still remember Balan’s words when he attended a function in Bintulu after the 1987 state election, when he said: “We have lost a battle, but we have not lost the war. We are ‘lanun’ (pirates) and we only retreat to sea.

“When I was in the government I climbed in my political career until I reached the top as secretary general of SNAP. But because of my conscience and my ambition for the people, I have come out to fight the people’s cause and to do this I have to start from zero in my political career, that is, just as an ordinary member of PBDS.

“I do not mind sacrificing my secretary general post in SNAP. If I can do that, I believe you all, as my supporters will also be able to bear with me. One day, we will form the government if we all have the same spirit,” he had said.*

Yet on 14 July 1987 (about three months later), he forsook his ideal for a greener pasture when he defected to PBB taking along with him his seat of Telang Usan. Until today the seat is still “owned” by PBB.

His angry supporters accused Balan Sel(l)ing Dayak Orang Ulu to PBB.

“Certainly this is a black spot in his political history,” said a veteran politician, who was his colleague in the days of Sarawak National Party.

This is a legacy that he leaves for posterity, he added.- The Broken Shield.

* Reference page 156 of THE BROKEN SHIELD – The birth of Dayakism by Joseph Tawie.

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Is SPDP’s Shield going to be broken?

Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) is heading towards a big trouble when five of its elected representatives and three members of the supreme council are abandoning the party and are applying to join Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), another member of the Barisan Nasional (BN).

The five are State Assemblyman for Tasik Biru, Peter Nansian, the State Assemblywoman for Bekenu Rosey Yunus, the State Assemblyman for Marudi, Sylvester Enteri, State Assemblyman for Batu Danau, Paulus Gumbang and the MP for Mas Gading Dr. Tiki Lafe and three supreme council members – George Garai, Peter Gani and Eda Egar.

They want to join PRS under the pretext of merger so that their “transfer” to PRS will be smooth. More are expected to join them. The “group of eight” is aptly applying the SPDP principle – "Sapa Pedis Dulu Pansut".

But SPDP deputy president Peter Nyarok in a statement today has taken to task the group led by Datuk Peter Nansian for acting on their own accord without the sanction of SPDP for hastening and negotiating the merger with Parti Rakyat Sarawak.

“The group needs to be reminded that SPDP has already appointed a committee under my chairmanship,” Nyarok said, stressing that the committee has to work jointly with the committee from PRS to discuss and chart out the roadmap for the merger.

The chairman of the PRS’s appointed committee for the merger was the late Datuk Dublin Unting Ingkot and is now replaced by Dato Billy Abit Joo.

The joint-committee, co-chaired by the two chairmen, has met three times and to date it has shown progress, although a lot more areas have to be covered and resolved.

“The wishes and views of party members at branch and divisional levels must be taken into account and respected before any major decision such as the proposed merger can be made.

“SPDP wishes to reiterate that no individuals or groups other than the appointed Merger Committee are authorized to speak or negotiate on matters relating to the merger on behalf of SPDP.

“Those refusing to comply with this procedure are deemed to be acting on their own accord and SPDP does not recognize their action,” said Nyarok.

”It must be acknowledged that the merger is a complex and tedious process as it involves looking into the interests and sentiments of leaders and members of both political parties.

“It is a process that cannot be forcibly hurried by some individuals who fail to see the big picture and are not able to operate according to the order and discipline of their party,” he said.

Background to the crisis

It is indeed a pity that SPDP which broke away from Sarawak National Party (SNAP) in 2002 is facing a similar problem – all due to big towkays. During SNAP’s crisis, the “gang of nine” as the group was then known walked out from a CWC meeting when the meeting decided to expel Tiong King Sing from the party. Ironically, the “gang of nine” who was unhappy with the decision to expel Tiong was led by William Mawan who later formed what is now known as SPDP.

This time the “Group of eight” was not happy with the party president’s decision to replace Sylvester Enteri with Nelson Balang as secretary-general after the president did not honour his promise to maintain status quo in the party prior to the party’s triennial general assembly. Initially Balang refused to accept the appointment, as he knew that his appointment might cause a split in the party. But after a week of persuasion, he finally agreed.

It was also understood that the president wanted Kilat Briak, a prominent lawyer who hails from Saratok to be appointed as secretary-general. But Nyarok vehemently opposed it as he did not want Kilat to be too strong in the party. Nyarok does not want Mawan to groom Kilat to replace him in the Krian constituency. Nyarok, the sources said, wants his son-in-law to replace him perhaps in the coming state election.

But for the “group of eight” Enteri’s termination as secretary-general is a mere excuse. The problem in the party has been brewing up for the past one year or so especially when the president has allegedly failed to perform as a leader such as not keeping his promises made to some senior members of the party as well as not having a mind of his own; he listens too much to one man, the man who treated every member of the supreme council of the party as small children.

And during the last TGA, the man really showed his authority when he made decisions on behalf of the president such as deciding the list of the president’s men as well as the list of SPDP youth. When anyone questioned him, he shouted at him as if he was a beggar.

Mawan has been reminded about these insults, but he ignored them. Now he is paying the price of not listening to the party members. And the “gang of eight” has made up their mind to abandon SPDP and join PRS. They had first informed Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud. It is understood the two leaders seemingly agreed with their decision.

All the Dayak-based parties have shields as their symbols. And we have seen by now how the symbols of Dayak-based parties - the Shield of Sarawak National Party and the Shield of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) being broken; and how the Shield of Pesaka absorbed into Parti Bumiputra and how the Shield of PRS was almost broken. Is the Shield of SPDP going to be broken as a result of the current crisis? – The Broken Shield

Source: http://www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com/

Focus on PBB’s delegates conference

KUCHING – Even though PBB party elections considered a tame affair in early March 2010, yet the triennial delegates conference has generated some interest not only among its members, but also among the general public as they believe that the party President and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud may choose to announce his successor.

Abdul Taib Mahmud

Taib, aged 74, looking frail after an operation, but still mentally alert, is said to be looking for someone to lead the party which he has helmed since 26 March 1981, a period of about 29 years. And what makes it more interesting and exciting is that whoever is to succeed him as the president of PBB is going to be the Chief Minister of Sarawak.

In the past Taib has eyed a number of PBB leaders who should take over from him; names such as Bujang Haji Ulis, Abang Abu Bakar, Dr. Sulaiman Daud, Effendi Norwawi and Adenan Satem are still fresh on the minds of the members. But one after the other of them has disappeared into political oblivion.

Since Parti Bumiputra and Parti Pesaka merged into Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu in January 1973, no one has ever challenged the president of the party. Except for two party elections in 1998 and 2005, there have never been any serious elections in the party.

Adenan Satem

In 1998, both Adenan and Abang Johari Tun Openg fought one another for the other post of deputy president (II) reserved for the Malay/Melanau section. In that bitter fight Abang Johari with the support of the Dayak members of the party won the race, against Adenan who was personally picked by Taib.

The defeated Adenan was then appointed by Taib as the senior vice president of the party.

In 2005, Adenan tried once again to challenge Abang Johari, but the TDC was postponed after some of Adenan’s supporters were found by Abang Johari’s men to have allegedly duplicated branches in some 40 constituencies. The matter was reported to the Police and to the Registrar of Societies who advised them to redo the election otherwise they might end up like PBDS.

Taib had reportedly said before the 2006 State election that he might still offer himself for the last term as Chief Minister in the coming state election that may be called between now and July next year.

And Taib’s desire to step down is further strengthened when on 10 January 2009 at an SPDP annual general meeting in Sibu in a speech read by George Chan, he had said that he was looking for someone regardless of race to be trained to take over from him.

The man supposedly to be picked by him must be trained from now to do the job, must be smart and sincere in the struggle to develop the State and raise the standard of living of the people.

Thus the March party elections which can be the last one for Taib have therefore triggered the rumour mill in motion. Immediately coming into focus are a number of senior leaders such as Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, deputy president (I), Abang Johari bin Tun Openg, deputy president (II), Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, treasurer general and even Taib’s son, Sulaiman. Any one of them has been mentioned by members of the party as well as the public as Taib’s possible successor.

No one can deny that Jabu has all the experience and expertise and he does not need to be trained now to take over the chief minister’s post the way the policemen are trained for promotions for higher ranks.

Alfred Jabu

A graduate in Agriculture, Jabu (pic above) has been tutored by two of Sarawak’s greatest politicians in the persons of Abdul Rahman Yakub and Abdul Taib Mahmud. Elected as State Assemblyman for Layar in 1974, he has been appointed to hold various ministerial posts including Deputy Chief Minister under Rahman and since March 1981 under Taib.

Another chief minister material is Abang Johari who holds a MBA degree from a British university. He has shown to be a very effective and capable minister. When Taib appointed him as Industrial Development Minister, he was able to bring in billions of ringgit worth of foreign direct investments to the State. After he left and moved to the Tourism Ministry, the amount of FDI to Sarawak declined sharply.

But in the Tourism Ministry, he was once again proved to be a capable minister by turning it into a machine making money earning billions of ringgit from tourists who came from Japan, Korea, China, Arab and European countries.

In another cabinet reshuffle, Abang Johari was moved to the ailing Ministry of Housing and was shocked to find out that the ministry was nearly “bankrupt”. There was no fund even to build a single house. And what he did was to meet his federal counterpart and discussed his problems. From their discussions, he was able to secure RM200 million to carry out people’s housing projects in the State.

Coming from an aristocratic family (his father Tun Abang Openg was the first governor of Sarawak), he seems to have won the trust and confidence of Taib after he (Taib) gave him an additional ministry – the Ministry of Urban Development to his current portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle in November 2009. His upbringing has brought him into contacts with Malays, Ibans, Bidayuhs and Orang Ulus.

The next favourite is Taib’s son Sulaiman who resigned recently as deputy minister of Tourism. Although it was stated that he resigned due to health reasons, speculation is rife that his father wants him to return to the State and to be “trained” to take over.

Political observers are closely watching Sulaiman in this coming party election and the post he is offering himself. The post he is going to hold will be a barometer to gauge his political fortune.

The next name mentioned is Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, senior vice-president (I) of the party and the Minister of Public Utilities and the Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management, who is considered the most powerful minister after Taib in the State Cabinet.

But Awang Tengah’s alleged disadvantage is that the Dayak members of PBB and to some extent the Malays have little respect for him; in fact they are not happy with the way he, as second Minister of Planning and Resource Management, handles land matters especially the NCR land. Dayak votes in the party are critical to anyone who aspires to lead the party.

In the past months, Taib has also been seeking the views of the people close to him including some Dayak and Chinese Ministers regarding his possible successor. But sources say that his ministers are divided on the issue; while one or two prefer Abang Johari, they are those who prefer Sulaiman.

“Certainly with the coming party elections, the public are interested to know who will be the man Taib is going to train to take over,” said a veteran politician.

“A lot of things are at stake such as the Sarawak Corridor Renewal Energy (SCORE), the 12 dams that are going to be built, the aluminum plant and the infrastructures. All these are worth billions of ringgit.

“And there are accusations of corruption and nepotism that have been labeled against Taib on several occasions and the dominance of Sarawak’s political elite including Taib’s family in the logging industries, road construction, housing projects and NCR land oil palm plantations.

“And Taib must find someone who he can trust to undertake all these projects and to help protect his family’s businesses,” he said.

“But many put their bet on his son. Can he be the dark horse?” asked the political veteran, who was once time served under Taib Mahmud.- The Broken Shield

Source: http://www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Are Dayak leaders prepared to merge?

KUCHING – Are Dayak-based parties and Dayak leaders prepared to merge to form one single entity? Or do they dare to merge?

These are the questions posed by Tedewin Ngumbang, a supreme council member of Parti Rakyat Sarawak.

Writing in his blog, The Borneo Warrior, Tedewin said: “Dayak leaders in Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Pesaka and Sarawak United People’s Party should come together and form a merged entity.

“Don’t think only about Dayak leaders in SPDP and PRS. James Masing, PRS president and William Mawan, SPDP president are not the only Dayak leaders.

“There are Dayak leaders in PESAKA and SUPP such as Alfred Jabu, Michael Manyin, Douglas Uggah, Alexander Nanta Linggi (all from PBB), Jerip Susil, Francis Harden, Ranum Mina and Richard Riot from SUPP,” he said.

“I challenge them if they dare to come out from their respective parties and form a bigger union of Dayak party.

“If this can be done, the Dayaks can become a very strong and formidable political force and can afford to choose whether to support BN or PR,” he said, urging PESAKA which forms the Dayak branch of PBB since January 1973 to detach itself from PBB and join the merger.

“Are they daring enough to come together and form one single party?’ he asked.

Tedewin, a confidant of Masing, made those remarks after a PBB leader poking fun at PRS and SPDP over the merger between the two parties.

The merger proposal was suggested by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud four years ago in order to strengthen the Dayak political unity and struggle.

But until now the merger remains an illusive dream as both sides are rather hesitant on the move.

Few issues need to be solved such as the question of leadership and Chinese membership in the new entity.

SPDP did not discuss the merger issue during its last month’s triennial general assembly.- The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Taib’s New Cabinet line-up

KUCHING – Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud today announced the long over due cabinet reshuffle that is involved switching of cabinet posts between certain ministers.

Deputy Chief Alfred Jabu has been given his old Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture (MOMA) as well as retaining his Ministry of Rural Development. Jabu’s Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Communication has been given to Michael Manyin who was then the Minister of Urban Development and Tourism.

Deputy Chief Minister George Chan is now the Minister of Tourism and Heritage as well as the post of Minister of Industrial Development. Abang Zohari is now the Minister of Housing and Urban Development.

Six news faces have been appointed as Assistant Ministers and they are Abdul Wahab Aziz, Dr. Stephen Rundi and Talip Zulpilip (all from PBB), Mong Dagang and John Sikie (PRS) and Peter Nansen (SPDP). None from SUPP has been appointed Assistant Ministers, although a number seats for SUPP are still vacant.

The reshuffle will take effect from 1 December 2009 and the following is the full list of the State Cabinet:

Abdul Taib Mahmud

- Chief Minister

- Minister of Finance

- Minister of Planning and Resource Management

George Chan

- Deputy Chief Minister (1)

- Minister of Tourism and Heritage

- Minister of Industrial Development

Alfred Jabu

- Deputy Chief Minister (II)

- Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture

- Minister of Rural Development

Michael Manyin

- Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication

James Masing

- Minister of Land Development

William Mawan

- Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation

Abang Haji Zohari

- Minister of Housing and Urban Development

Wong Soon Koh

- Minister of Environment and Public Health

- Second Minister of Finance

Awang Tengah

- Minister of Public Utilities

- Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management

Assistant Ministers:

Larry Sng

- Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office

- Assistant Minister for Industrial Development (Planning)

- Assistant Minister for Youth Affairs and training of Youth

Daud Abdul Rahman

- Assistant Minister for Islamic Affairs

- Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Development

Fatimah Abdullah

- Assistant Minister for Human Resources and Training

- Assistant Minister for Agriculture (Home Economics and Training)

- Assistant Minister for Women Development

John Sikie Tayai

- Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office

- Assistant Minister for Rural District Council

Naroden Haji Majais

- Assistant Minister for Entrepreneur Development

- Assistant Minister for Planning and Resource Management

Mong Dagang

- Assistant Minister for Tourism

- Assistant Minister for Agriculture (Research and Coordination)

Talib Zulpilip

- Assistant Minister for Tourism

David Teng

- Assistant Minister for Food Industries

Peter Nyarok

- Assistant Minister for Agriculture (Farmers Organisation and Cooperatives)

Abang Abdul Rauf

- Assistant Minister for Industrial Development Promotion and Development of Industrial Estates

Lee Kim Shin

- Assistant Minister for Communication

- Assistant Minister for Sports

Abdul Wahab Aziz

- Assistant Minister for Rural Development

- Assistant Minister of Housing and Urban Development

Gramong Juna

- Assistant Minister for Rural Development

Francis Harden

- Assistant Minister for Land Development

Sylvester Enteri

- Assistant Minister for Land Development

- Assistant Minister for Public Utilities (Water Supply)

Soon Choon Teck

- Assistant Minister of Housing and Urban Development

Peter Nansian

- Assistant Minister for Environment

Stephen Rundi

- Assistant Minister for Public Health

- Assistant Minister for Public Utilities

Three Assistant Ministers were dropped and they are Ambrose Blikau (Katibas), Bohhassan Di (Beting Maro) and Hamden Ahmad (Belawai).

PBB has five Ministers and eight Assistant Ministers; SUPP has two ministers and four Assistant Ministers; PRS has one Minister and two Assistant Ministers; SPDP with one Minister and three Assistant Ministers and Partyless one assistant minister. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Another Malay party?

KUCHING - A group of people led by Affendi Jeman who have been trying to promote the formation of Sarawak UMNO have now submitted an application to form a political party to be known as Anggota Rakyat Bumiputra Sarawak (ARABS), it is reliably learnt.

One of the protem committee members, who refused to be named, said that ARABS was submitted in May this year.

“The party is to be known as Anggota Rakyat Bumiputra Sarawak or ARABS in short. We hope that the party can be registered as soon as possible in view of the coming election and urge the authorities to look into its registration,” he said.

This group has been trying to bring UNMO into Sarawak for years, and UMNO leaders in Kuala Lumpur knew about their plan. But their efforts have been strongly opposed by Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) leaders on ground that PBB being the backbone of the state government is strong and doing well in administering the State.

The idea of UMNO extending its wings to Sarawak has been off and on since the then Chief Minister Abdul Rahman Yakub made the suggestion in the 1970s. In 1980s the former Defence Minister Abang Abu Bakar tried to revive the idea; his efforts too failed.

Then came this group led by Jeman. But now it appears that the group has abandoned the idea. Instead they are trying to form ARABS which will be a Malay-based party.

Meanwhile, Mustaffa Kamil Ayub, chief of Sarawak PKR said that he had heard about Gabriel Adit, a PKR leader and State Assemblyman for Ngemah forming a new party.

“We cannot stop him leaving Keadilan and forming a party of his own. If it is true, then what can we do?

“So far I have not received any letter of resignation from Adit,” he said, adding that Adit’s move would not affect PKR in the state.

PKR, he said, is still intact and it is growing from strength to strength as more and more Sarawakians are joining the party. Early this month, he said some 2,400 applications have been received from people in and around Debak in the Betong Division to join PKR.

Mustaffa also said that he had discussed with Anwar Ibrahim, de facto leader of Keadilan, on the possibility of him relinquishing his post as chief PKR in Sarawak.

“It is up to Anwar and PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to appoint someone who they think can lead the party in Sarawak. I know that they have found somebody. It is a matter of time when they will announce the name of the person,” he said.

Mustaffa who was appointed last May to head the party in the State said that he had completed his task of team-building and had organised various programmes to strengthen the party.

“It is high time that a Sarawakian be appointed, someone who is ready to serve the party,” he added.

In the meantime, Adit is reported to be leaving for Kuala Lumpur today (Sun, 11 Oct) to see some of those who are involved in the formation of the new party.

He is expected to be back on Thursday, 15 October to announce the name of the party, its objects and aims and the names of the protem office-bearers. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

News and Views

1. Najib’s Cabinet

It is nothing surprised about Najib Tun Razak’s cabinet announced this afternoon. While Sabah is given a better deal, Sarawak remains the same with two (2) ministers and eight (8) deputy ministers.

We were hoping that one Dayak from either Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) or Sarawak Progressive Party (SPDP) should have been appointed to represent the Dayak community in the cabinet proper. The four deputy ministers – Joseph Salang (Information, culture, arts and communication), Jelaing Mersat (home ministry), Joseph Entulu (rural development and territories) and Jacob Sagan (international trade and industry) – are outside the cabinet and do not attend cabinet meetings. Who are going to articulate our interests?

It is true that Douglas Uggah Embas has been retained as a minister, but he is more representative of PBB’s interests than the Dayaks’ interests.

Once again the Dayak community has been let down both by the former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the newly appointed Prime Minister Najib.

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud was reported to have said that there would be surprises for Sarawak. Now you know what surprise is there?


2. The picture tells the story

The picture of page 6 of The Borneo Post today (9 April) tells the story how happy were PBB boys with the electoral victory of Malcolm Mussen Lamoh on the Batang Ai by-election on 7 April.

Although Mussen was nominated by PRS to contest the Batang Ai by-election, there were no signs of PRS people celebrating his victory. The questions being asked are: Where were the PRS people? And why PBB people were seen celebrating the victory? Does this mean anything to the readers?


3. Time for BN to deliver the goods

After the by-election is over, the Barisan Nasional candidate, Malcolm Mussen Lamoh has won the by-election. His victory was achieved because of the promises made the Barisan to the people of Batang Ai. The promises to tar-seal the roads leading to their longhouses, the construction of a new road, the construction of communications and internet towers and centre, to pay the unpaid claims of properties as a result of the Batang Ai Dam, to give them an extra land for farming, to give them titles to their land and to supply them with electricity and water supply. The BN also must keep its promises to give RM1,000 more if their candidate won the by-election. RM500 had already been given.

The Ibans in the Batang Ai have been loyal to the Barisan and it is expected that the BN will be honouring their promises. However, the people and Parti Keadilan Rakyat are monitoring the fulfillment of these promises. The next state election is actually around the corner and the same issues will be raised again.


4. Recognise Dayaks as Dayaks

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) wants the ethnic races of Sabah to be known as Bumiputra Sabah and not “other races” in the federal government affairs and forms.

As Dayaks have no political party of their own, there is no one daring to speak on the interests of the Dayaks. Like PBS, our Dayak YBs should ask the federal government to recognize Dayaks as Dayaks and the word “Dayaks” should be written in the official forms and the federal government affairs instead of “lain-lain” (others).

The categories of races in most forms listed major races as the Malays, Indians, Chinese and other races.

There were occasions when Dayaks are not considered as Bumiputras and are therefore not entitled to privileges given to Bumiputras.- The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Is Jabu anti West Malaysians?

Is Deputy Chief Minister and deputy president of Parti Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Alfred Jabu anak Numpang anti-West Malaysians?

This is the question that members of the public especially members of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) asking themselves after reading Jabu’s statement appearing in The Borneo Post today (12 March 2009).

Jabu had warned “outsiders” not to mess around with the Ibans. Foremost, he said, these “outsiders must never show disrespect for the community’s tradition and culture and they must adhere to the Iban rituals whenever they entered longhouses otherwise bad luck would befall them.

Jabu did not name who the “outsiders” were. If the word applies to West Malaysians, then no one from West Malaysia not even Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister can come to Lubok Antu. Even if they come, do we expect them to go to certain rituals (genselan) as suggested by Jabu?

If the “outsiders” means those outside Lubok Antu, then Jabu himself, Abdul Taib Mahmud, James Masing and William Mawan also cannot come to Lubok Antu. Let the Lubok Antu people conduct the by-election by themselves.

It is obvious that Jabu has nothing to say any more as he keeps on repeating what he said several times before. Just imagine the other day Jabu was addressing students and talked politics to them and repeated what he has been saying about “outsiders”.

As the students do not understand politics, Jabu’s intention is/was to sow seeds of hatred against “outsiders” who are Malaysians from the peninsula.

By using the words “don’t mess around with Ibans” does not Jabu appear to behave more like a 'gangster' than a minister or a Dayak leader? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

PRS is worried about PKR influence

It is little doubt that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is making massive political inroads into constituencies held by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Pesaka wing of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), following constant visits made by Anwar Ibrahim, de facto leader of PKR and other leaders to Sarawak. And starting from this month the frequency of such visits and political talks will be intensified as Sarawak is approaching the next state election.

It seems that only PRS is very worried, while SPDP and Pesaka are just brushing aside PKR influence in their areas, although their seats are also equally vulnerable.

Several PRS leaders have expressed their concerns to Dr. James Masing and have told him that if reports from the ground are any indications, the party may lose as many as eight seats in the coming election. Such reports put PRS in a dilemma so much so that some members even want Masing to bring PRS out of Barisan to “save” the party. And they say there is no point in staying in the BN family when the party has no future and has lost its fighting spirit.

For instance, none of its YBs and leaders dares to speak for Dayaks’ rights such as on NCR land and issues that tend to oppress and suppress the Dayaks, even though it claims to represent the Dayak community.

And those who dare to speak will find themselves in hot water. Beginda Minda, a Masing strong supporter, is a good example. Beginda, who has accused PBB of a big bully and called on Abdul Taib Mahmud and Alfred Jabu to resign, was forced to leave the party.

But up to this day Masing is adamant in remaining with the State Barisan even though his party may lose some of its grassroots leaders and members to PKR. Understandably, Masing has to think of the overall interests of the party, the perks and the comfort that he and other PRS leaders enjoy by remaining in the Barisan.

But that stand of Masing makes some members of the supreme council unhappy and angry. One supreme council member even threatened to resign not only as a supreme council member, but from the party as well.

For SPDP, it is not worried at all about PKR, even though PKR is very active in its constituencies and has been wooing its leaders and supporters. Its deputy president Peter Nyarok described PKR’s plan to conquer Sarawak as “something that can only be achieved in imagination, not in reality”.

Likewise, Pesaka is also not concerned with activities carried out by PKR in its constituencies, because, according to Dr. Stephen Rundi, a Pesaka leader and secretary general of PBB, PKR lacks credibility as well having no capable leaders who can take care of the interests of Sarawakians.

From their statements, it is obvious that SPDP and Pesaka are the least worried and do not believe that the so-called political tsunami that swept five states in West Malaysia into the hands of the Opposition can happen here. SPDP and Pesaka leaders say that Anwar and his Pakatan Rakyat are only dreaming.

Before the March elections, complacency was all around in the BN component parties in West Malaysia and when the tsunami did come, they were caught with their pants down and ran helter-skelter. By then it was too late to “save” Selangor, Kedah, Perak, Penang and Kelantan.

Can something like this happen to Sarawak? - The Broken Shield

Source:http://thebrokenshield.blogspot.com/2008/12/prs-is-worried-about-pkr-influence.html

Focus on Masing as a leader

Eyes on Masing now

Eyes are now on Dr. James Masing after he dared to stand up for the rights of his Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) against Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), the backbone of the State government, for the ill-treatment meted against his party.

His outbursts against PBB leadership last week have not only received praises from his party leaders and members, but have also earned the respect of members of the Dayak community.

Watching Masing closely are also some 100,000 hardcore members of the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) who have remained partyless upon the deregistration of the party more than four years ago as he has a round of spats with PBB over the Batang Ai seat and other issues.

Many of them have pity on Masing because they know that Masing and PRS have been bullied since the PRS crisis in 2006 and during the State election that year its candidate for the Balai Ringin constituency had been deprived of the seat to contest.

Instead PBB through Donald Lawan, a PBB man, and Sng Chee Hua, a rival for the PRS presidency at that time, hijacked the seat and laterally handed it to Snowdan Lawan (Donald Lawan’s son). Of course Snowdan is with Masing’s PRS now, but in his heart of hearts he is a PBB man.

Likewise in the March parliamentary election two of Masing’s preferred candidates were sidelined. Instead PBB put up candidates who have an inclination towards PBB to stand on a PRS ticket. Masing has tolerated all this while until he blew his tops recently. A week earlier, his “right hand” man not only accused PBB of a big bully, but also called on Abdul Taib Mahmud and Alfred Jabu to resign.

PRS is not the only party that has been bullied. Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), led by William Mawan, has also suffered in the hands of the bullying PBB, although they will not admit it openly. SPDP’s representatives for Marudi, Sibuti, Batu Danau, Ba’Kelalan and Tasik Biru were not their candidates, but that of PBB’s.

Mawan was forced to lend the SPDP shirts to them to don. Having no choice, Mawan has to accept a “fait accompli”. Today the PBB men and a woman are firmly rooted as they hold important posts in the party.

After the departure of Tan Sri Leo Moggie and Datuk Sri Daniel Tajem from the political scene, the Dayaks are still looking for a leader, not a “confrontational” leader, or a leader who is only able to do “apple polishing” duties, but a leader who dares to speak for and defend the rights and interests of the community who have been marginalized, suppressed, bullied, unfairly, and unjustly treated. It appears that they have found one in Masing.

However, many ex-PBDS hardcore members still harbour ill-feelings against Masing for what he had done to PBDS, but they can still forgive and forget him if he can prove himself worthy of their and Dayaks’ support.

What they want from him is no more rhetoric, but a firm action. Their message to Masing and to anyone who aspires to be a leader is: Walk the talk to help the Dayak community.

Masing’s outbursts confirm PBB a bully ~ ref Malaysiakini

James Masing’s outbursts over activities of a BN component member trying to claim the Batang Ai seat is understandable. Although he did not name the party concerned, it is a common knowledge in the constituency that he was referring to PBB (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu) whose leaders have been active lately in the constituency preparing for a by-election. The incumbent state assemblyman, Dublin Unting is still lying at the Normah Hospital following a stroke since May this year.

What makes Masing angry is that PBB is undermining PRS influence in the constituency as well as showing no respect for Unting and his family as if they want him to die. PBB has identified a senior civil servant and a brother of a minister to be a PBB candidate. In his effort to introduce his brother, the minister has allegedly been distributing “ang pau” projects through a partyless State assemblyman, Johnichol Rayong.

“If you are weak, this is what PBB is doing to you. They have already hijacked PRS candidates in the March parliamentary election in the Lubok Antu and Sri Aman constituencies. They are planning to take away Batang Ai, Bukit Begunan and Balai Ringin come next election,” said Beginda, and accused PBB of a big bully. For that statement Beginda was rebuked and in the end he resigned from PRS to save the “embarrassment of my president”.

But why was Rayong involved? Simple: After being sacked from SNAP, Rayong has become partyless. He applied to join Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) together with Aaron Dagang, Jawah Gerang and Gabriel Adit, but was opposed by other members of the BN. Rayong then applied to join SUPP last year, but again his application was opposed by PRS.

Now he looks to PBB leaders like Alfred Jabu and Douglas Uggah to help him join BN in exchange for introducing the senior civil servant to the Batang Ai constituents.

But Masing has found out the truth. A few months back, Masing would not dare complaint. This time it is different; he does not want to be bullied any more. With the support of his supreme council members and party leaders, Masing puts his foot down, saying “Batang Ai belongs to PRS, so stay out”. The message is loud and clear.

Beginda resigns from PRS

Resigns from PRS

The outspoken member of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Beginda Minda, today resigned from the party citing dissatisfaction as his reason.

“The party has deviated from its original objective to safeguard the interests of the Dayak community. The party is unable to protect the interests of the community as it has to listen to PBB,” he said, adding that the party did not agree with him when he accused PBB of bullying PRS.

Beginda made the accusation last month accusing UMNO and PBB of bullying smaller parties like PRS in the Barisan Nasional. In a follow-up, he called on Abdul Taib Mahmud, chief minister and Alfred Jabu, deputy chief minister to resign as they had no more fresh ideas to develop the State.

Taib has been chief minister for the past 27 years while Jabu has been deputy chief minister for more than 30 years. Apart from Beginda, nobody else in the Barisan Nasional dares to call on Taib and Jabu to resign.

Thus Beginda’s call put James Masing and PRS leaders in an embarrassed situation as PBB leaders exerted pressure for PRS to sack him. Beginda’s sacking should be given wide publicity.

PRS, however, decided to issue him a show-cause letter. “But before I receive the show-cause letter, I want to resign first,” he said.

Beginda called on PRS members who shared his dissatisfaction to resign from the party as there was nothing that the party could offer them. “All business opportunities, contracts and government posts have been taken by the big brothers in the Barisan Nasional,” he said.

Meanwhile, a dinner party is to be held on 15 November in Sibu where Anwar Ibrahim will be a guest of honour. Beginda and several grassroots leaders of PRS are expected to attend the function.

More cases of 'bullying' by PBB ~ ref Malaysiakini

Another PRS division leader has come out in support of a colleague’s claim that PBB is ‘bullying’ state component parties, even as speculation swirls that heads could roll. The following article was extracted from Malaysiakini

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By Tony Thien Oct 28, 08 11:23am

The Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) is abuzz like a hornet’s nest that has been disturbed, following an accusation that Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) has been ‘bullying’ component parties.

Another Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) division leader has come out in support of the claim - Simanggang division publicity chief Nanta Chaku cited three examples in a statement to Malaysiakini.

On Saturday, the party’s Baleh division publicity head Beginda Minda had revealed two instances of alleged bullying by PBB, led by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud (right), as well as by Umno.

Nanta said: “To support Beginda Minda's contention... three other examples come to mind immediately:

1. Since 1981 other component parties in the Sarawak BN have been required to send two to three names of candidates for each constituency held by them, for the PBB leadership to pick the ones to contest. In other words, the final selection is subject to PBB's decision.

2. A certain high-ranking Iban personage in PBB who fancies himself as the paramount chief of the (community) always insists on appointing his favourites as Penghulus, Pemancha and Temenggong (even) where PBB does not have elected (representatives).

3. In the contest for top posts in component parties, the election is dependent on close (connections between) the candidates (and) the PBB leadership. In other words, candidates perceived to be supported by the PBB leadership always seems to win. Social and economic issues doesn't seem to matter, but closeness to the PBB leadership does.

”Nanta also said ‘big boys’ in Sarawak BN deny ‘small boys’ any say in the final selection of candidates, whether for a general election, appointment of community chiefs or party leaders.

Since this is subject to final approval by PBB leaders, it makes a mockery of the original concept of the BN power-sharing concept in Sarawak, he said.

“It is perhaps more accurate to say that PBB is not only all too dominant but also domineering in attitude vis-a-vis smaller component parties.”

‘Explore other options’

Nanta urged members of other component parties to examine their options.

In the two examples cited by Beginda, reference was made to selection of candidates for the Sri Aman and Lubok Antu parliamentary seats, held by PRS in the March general election, and to a particular candidate selected for the 2006 state election.

Beginda had reminded the BN top leadership that the coalition must wake up to current political realities and stop being in a state of denial.

“Before, there was only BN which could provide the national leadership. After March 2008, it is clear that PRS has other, perhaps better, options,” he ended with a veiled warning, without elaborating what these options might be.

In an immediate reaction to this, Masing - the state assemblyperson for Baleh - distanced the party from the claim, describing it as Beginda’s personal stance.

Masing said he could not stop members from expressing their views but felt that they should not go overboard in their criticism. He also said he would initiate an investigation.

Beginda is one of Masing’s right-hand men and his comments have irked Taib, who is the state BN chairperson.

It is learnt that Taib has told Masing to take disciplinary action against Beginda.
Rumours are circulating that the latter may already have been sacked, but this could not be immediately verified.