Two Pakatan leaders demand immediate action against Taib

KUCHING: Two Sarawak Pakatan leaders today (14 May) demanded an immediate investigation to be taken against Chief Minister of Sarawak Abdul Taib Mahmud following reports by Sarawak Report that the President of Swiss Federation Micheline Calmy-Rey has revealed Taib’s assets in Switzerland.

Calmy-Rey has forwarded the information about Taib’s assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation.

The Swiss President said that Switzerland takes extremely seriously the concerns that have been raised internationally about Taib’s alleged profiteering from timber corruption and are unhappy that such assets may have been invested in Switzerland.

In a statement on the report, Sarawak PKR Chief Baru Bian said: “For the President of a foreign country to acknowledge that her government has begun investigation into Taib Mahmud’s assets is indeed an indictment on the credibility of the Chief Minister.

“It is also, no less, a huge blot that dents Malaysia’s image internationally which Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife, self-styled First Lady Rosmah Mansor, have been desperately trying to advance over the last year with their unending international PR exercises and tours to curry global favour.

“For months now Chief Minister has stubbornly refused to respond to the numerous reports at the whistle-blower website alleging his corruption.

“The MACC, despite receiving a profusion of reports from the public and NGOs, has not been able to give us a clear answer on what it is doing about such reports,” he said.

Bian, who is the newly elected state assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan said; “It is now clear that silence is no more an option.

“It is incumbent upon the Chief Minister to respond to these reports publicly. The MACC must also stop hedging before it loses all credibility with the public. The Prime Minister cannot anymore ignore the elephant in the room,” he said.

Sarawak Report further states that Calmy-Rey also makes clear that under international money-laundering agreements it is up to the Malaysian Government to make a request to Switzerland to freeze potentially illegal assets.

On the other hand the Swiss President specifically refers to the recent freezing of assets belonging to the leaders of Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, which have been possible under existing provisions of Swiss legislation.

“In light of this international investigation, an implicit request by the Swiss authorities to freeze Taib’s assets and an appallingly embarrassing slur on our country Malaysia, will Prime Minister finally do the right thing or will he continue to fail to act?” Bian asked.

He pointed out that the "onus is on Najib to redeem Malaysian’s tarnished image abroad and I reiterate that elegant silence on the part of Taib and MACC has ceased to be an option as Malaysia’s reputation is now in question and heavily at stake.

“The public demands answers and they demand them now. More so we the people of Sarawak,” Bian added.

Meanwhile, in a separate Press conference, Sarawak DAP demanded that Taib issue a ‘ministerial’ statement with regard to the allegations made against him by the Swiss authorities either through the newspapers or through the state assembly which will meet this June.

“These allegations by foreign authorities are very serious indeed putting Sarawak in a bad light that the chief minister is involved in corruption.

“Taib must make a stand and issue a ministerial statement either through the media or through the state assembly that will meet this June,” said Chong Chieng Jen, DAP Secretary.

This was the second allegation against Taib being involved in corruption, he said, pointing out that the first one was regarding a Japanese tax agent that was paid into a commission for the exportation of timber from Sarawak.

“But the latest one is the most serious and Taib must issue a statement to clear the air,” he said.

Chong who is the state assemblyman for Kota Sentosa said that he will raise the issue in the coming meeting of the state assembly.

“We demand Taib to answer the allegations,” he added.

Meanwhile, several Sarawakians while welcoming the report react with anger after reading it and want immediate actions to be taken against the chief Minister.

Some describe the report as the best news while others declare the revelation as a ‘Gawai’ gift for Sarawakians especially the Dayaks who celebrate gawai on June 1.

But state BN leaders when contacted refused to comment on the allegations.

Batang Ai by election: Taib confirms more names submitted

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud today confirmed that more names have been submitted for consideration as a possible candidate for the Batang Ai by-election. And this seems to confirm the news disclosed by The Broken Shield yesterday.

In an interview with a national newspaper, he said that the Barisan Nasional would meet this Saturday and would name the candidate.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) James Masing had submitted the name of a senior civil servant to the chief minister. However, the chief minister was said to have asked for more names, so that he had a better choice to choose from the list.

Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu also submitted another list of candidates for consideration.

Meanwhile, the youth leader of PRS of Batang Ai Branch, Vicker Andrew Enting wanted the BN to consider Nelson Naga Alam, private secretary to the late Dublin Unting to be a candidate.

The people, he said, would prefer a local rather than a parachute so-called professional to be a candidate.

“We will be very disappointed if Naga Alam is not the candidate,” he said.

Knowing that Taib was not happy with the PRS’ recommendation, two more persons have expressed interest to contest in the by-election as a BN candidate. One of them is a headmaster of a school and the other is an engineer.

Both of them have been conducting a signature campaign right in front of PKR officials today.

While PKR candidate is more or less settled, the Barisan Nasional candidate is uncertain and this has placed the PRS and BN leadership in a dilemma. - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

More people want Taib to resign ~ ref. Malaysiakini

Nowadays more and more Sarawakians are getting bolder and bolder in demanding for Abdul Taib Mahmud’s resignation as chief minister of Sarawak. Some time ago it was DAP Ting Tze Hui (Member for Meradong).

Recently it was Beginda Minda, publicity chief of Baleh branch of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) who asked Taib to resign. For those remarks Beginda was forced to resign from the party. Now the MP for Bandar Kuching, Chong Chieng Jen has joined the chorus.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, Chong not only asked Taib to resign, but also accused Taib’s family of accumulating “astronomical wealth” through State contracts such as RM300 million for the construction of the new State Assembly building. Many road and building projects have been awarded to CMS and Naim Cendera, both companies are owned by Taib’s family members and relatives.

Many more contracts are waiting for these companies in the proposed SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewal Energy) that is expected to draw in more than RM100 billion of investments and the construction of 12 dams in the State.

Literally thousands of Sarawakians – whether they are Malays, Chinese or Dayaks – have expressed dissatisfaction with Taib’s administration, and have wished him to resign, but not many dare to express it publicly. Listen to them at offices, coffee shops, villages and longhouses and you hear them talking bad about Taib’s 27 years as chief minister and his family being awarded government contracts, etc. and etc.

Among the Dayaks, their common talks centre on thousands of acres of their Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands being taken away and are sold to big “towkays” who are mostly supporters and financiers of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) for huge oil palm plantations.

Taib knows about the people’s resentment against his administration. In fact he knew it a long time ago so in December 1995 he announced he would retire by 2000 in order to pacify the people. (See the attached news cutting below: Sarawak Tribune, 7 Dec 1995).

Now it is eight years over due. And the people who were supposed to take over from him have disappeared into political oblivion. Such great names include Bujang Ulis, Dr. Sulaiman Daud, Abang Yusuf Puteh, Abang Abu Bakar and Adenan Satem.

The question the people of Sarawak are often asking is: Why does Taib continue to rule Sarawak despite of his age, health problems and the huge amount of wealth his family has accumulated?

One reason is perhaps he could not find a suitable and trusted leader to take over from him; someone whom he can trust to “look” after his (Taib’s) family’s businesses when he steps down. “Mau tidak mau” (whether he likes it or not or whether we like it or not), he has to wait for his own son, now a deputy minister of Tourism to take over from him as chief minister. That may take two more years or even longer as his son has just entered politics.

It appears that Taib wants to ensure that his family’s businesses will not be “disturbed” as he has seen how the Indonesian government seized properties belonging to Suharto’s family or the Philippines Government wanted the Marcos family to return to the people the ill-gotten properties.

And more frightening for Taib is that the Sarawakians may elect Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance) to power in the coming State election or subsequent elections; worst still for him, if Anwar Ibrahim is to be the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

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.

Taib blames Dayak shifting cultivators for creating NCR lands

Sarawak’s Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud must have forgotten there were some Dayak ministers, Dayak elected representatives, Dayak civil servants and Dayak farmers present at the Sarawak Agro Fest 2008 in Kuching when he condemned their forefathers for creating NCR land through shifting cultivation.

If he knew, he would not have embarrassed them the way he did when he opened the function last Saturday, 1 November 2008; unless, of course, he wanted to pass a message through them to their parents and their folks in longhouses and villages.

“You see, they (Dayaks) have two million acres under NCR lands just because of shifting cultivation. Apa itu?”, Taib said.

Almost all of the Dayak listeners, especially the Ibans, were jolted by the words used by Taib to hit back at the shifting cultivators. YB Francis Harden, assistant land development minister, and other YB Dayaks sat uncomfortably. Alfred Jabu, a senior Dayak minister, appeared to enjoy the criticisms.

Taib’s choice of words was not only a smack of arrogance, but also seemed to confirm Beginda Minda’s accusation that Taib was a big bully.

Since the amendment of the Land Code in 2000, the NCR lands have become thorny issues as the amendment not only declares all untitled lands including NCR lands as “State Lands” but criminalizes the land owners for defending their rights. Many have landed in jails.

According to the 2005 reports of Land and Survey Department, some 1.2 million hectares of land have been approved for oil palm plantations, the bulk of which is NCR lands. And by the year 2015, some 4 million hectares of land are to be planted with oil palm. Out of the total, about 1.5 million hectares are NCR land. By then there will be a few acres of NCR land left, if any!

Native land owners claim that their ancestral lands have been in existence for hundreds of years. Regarded as their life, now their lands have created nightmares for them and their children as they (lands) are slipping away from their grips.

Dayak-based parties should form NCR land public complaints bureau

When the chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud introduced several amendments to the Land Code that affected Native Customary Rights (NCR) land in 2000, many Dayak State assemblymen spoke highly of Abdul Taib Mahmud. Some went overboard to heap praises on him.

Roland Sagah, PBB State Assemblyman for Tarat said that Taib was and “is the greatest defender of native land rights”, while the late Dr. Judson Tagal, SPDP State assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan (died in a helicopter crash) said the amendment to the land Code “is the jewel in the crown for the State Barisan Nasional government led by Taib” and would spell a new beginning in the development of native lands and a new era in the life of the natives, all because Taib had the moral and political courage to do it.

Another SPDP leader, Sylvester Entri Muran, State assemblyman for Marudi, said the government under Taib had made a “quantum leap by having foresight” in the formulation of the bill.

Today (eight years after the bill had become law), the amendments had not only become the bane of the NCR land owners’ life, but also their nightmares. Under the law, all lands untitled including NCR lands are State lands and as a result many NCR lands have been seized and declared State lands. Once NCR lands declared State lands, the lands are being leased to big companies for the planting of oil palm, after premiums have been paid.

Up to October 2005, more than 1.2 million hectares of land, the bulk of which are NCR land, have been approved for oil palm plantations. But the Natives who know their rights are challenging the government for taking away their ancestral lands. Near 200 cases of NCR lands have been filed with the court. The cases so far heard have been won by the Natives. This is a very encouraging piece of news.

One of the most damaging amendments to the Land Code is Section 5. Section 5 (a) (2) (i) is amended by substituting the word “acquired” wherever it appears in the subsection with the word “created”.

On the surface of it, the amendment looks very innocent. But if you go deep into and analyse it, it is very destructive to the owners’ customary rights over land. Prior to the amendment, the NCR land can be passed from generation to another generation, i.e. from father to son and his children’s sons, and so on. The land that has been acquired by any other means by the family always belongs to the family and its generations.

NCR land could be acquired through the following methods: through the feeling of virgin jungle and the occupation of land thereby created; by the planting of land with fruit trees; by the occupation or cultivation of land; by the use of land for a burial ground or shrines; by the use of land of any class for rights of way; or any other lawful means.

Emphasis should be given that by substituting the word “acquired” with the word “created” the customary rights over such land could be terminated, as only the “creator” would have the customary rights over such land. And after his death, the land will be reverted to the government if the descendents are unable to provide proof for such a claim.

With the amendment, the land that has been created by their forefathers ended with their deaths and the land will be reverted to what is commonly known as the State land. You can claim the land provided you are able to prove that your great grand parents created the land.

The onus is on you to provide the proofs. Very few, if any NCR land owners can prove that their great grand parents created the land. They can only depend on their Headmen (Penghulus and Tuai Rumahs) to be their witnesses, but then the Headmen have been warned by the government not to simply endorse such land as NCR land. Slowly and surely all the NCR land will be reverted to the government. In 10, 20 or 30 years’ time, the natives especially Ibans will lose their land. They cannot “create” rights now over any new land as this is also against the law formulated since January 1958.

What makes it worse for the Dayaks in particular is that their NCR land is not titled. The Dayaks have been asking the government to survey their lands so that titles can be given to these lands, but the government refuses to do it by giving so may excuses such as there is no money and lack of staff to carry out such surveys. But when the Dayaks see that the government has been issuing land titles to Malays now and then, they feel that they have been unfairly treated.


What are the implications?

The implications are many. But the most important one is that the Dayaks suddenly become illegal squatters as more than 5,000 longhouses have been built on lands that have not been surveyed. Any time the government wants them out from the land, the Dayaks will have no recourse to any law to protect them.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has formed its own NCR land task force as it knows the seriousness of these problems confronting the Dayaks. But that task force is less significant as it means only for PRS. Perhaps, forming some sort of NCR Land Public complaints Bureau after the style of Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Public Complaints Bureau may be more effective in dealing with NCR land problems. The affected landowners can seek help, advice, guidance, etc and etc. from the bureau that will not only study each and every case, but also act as a bridge between the people and the government.

No doubt SUHAKAM (Human Rights Commission) has been carrying out investigations on abuse of power, infringing on human rights, etc. against the landowners by the implementers of “politics of development”, but do parties like SPDP and PRS that claim to represent the Dayaks dare to form such a bureau and risk being isolated or even condemned by their big brothers in the Barisan Nasional? In other words, are they scared of being bullied?

PRS: Umno is a bully, so is PBB

The following article was posted in Malaysiakini which described UMNO & PBB as "bullies" in their dealings with smaller component parties in the Barisan Nasional. I will give my comments on the article in my next posting.

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A Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) division leader has described Umno at the federal level and Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) in Sarawak as ‘too dominant’ and indeed are ‘bullies’ in their dealings with smaller component parties in the Barisan Nasional.

Taking a cue from the statement of former MCA president Ong Ka Ting who has expressed similar sentiments, Balleh PRS publicity chief Beginda Minda said this tendency of one party dominance has an adverse impact on public perception and intra BN relationships.

“It is my view that in Sarawak, PRS, a component party inside the state and federal Barisan Nasional has been bullied by what could collectively be called the "BN leadership," he said in a statement to Malaysiakini today.

Elaborating, Beginda explained that in the case of Sarawak, the BN system has generated a state level entity where there has been one dominant party, the PBB which is leading the state BN government.

Very powerful Taib Mahmud

PBB president Abdul Taib Mahmud is also state BN chair and chief minister of Sarawak for the past 27 years.

He has long been described as Sarawak's most powerful personality and is known to be intolerant of dissent within the party's ranks.

“Just as there is a public perception of Umno being too dominant at the national level, there is also a similar perception that in Sarawak, the dominant role of PBB has had an effect on the conduct of smaller parties, such as PRS,” Beginda said.

Prime Minister and national BN chair Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has responded immediately to Ong’s remarks on Oct 18, denying that Umno has bullied others in the BN.

Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib has also asked for proofs of Umno bullying.

Responding to Muhammad Taib’s request, Beginda cited two recent instances of Umno and PBB bullying PRS.

The first was during the 2006 state election when a component BN party was ‘allowed’ to steal a PRS seat.

“Neither the state nor federal BN intervened effectively to stop a component party from interfering in the affairs of another. Where was BN when effective action was needed?

It was as if the BN was shutting its proverbial "eye" to the intra-BN infighting in Sarawak. By letting the problem fester, it was acting as a bully, not a problem solver,” Beginda pointed out.

The second incident was during the March general election when two of the party’s candidates were rejected without any reason.

Beginda queried why was PBB allowed to choose its candidates to contest on PRS seats.

“Where is the principle that component parties ought to be free to conduct their own affairs and make the selection of candidates themselves? Is this not a case of dominance and bullying?” he asked.

“As a result, PRS was caught in a dilemma. The choices were two: PRS could have rejected the suggested replacements or it could have accepted them.

A refusal to accept the replacement candidates could have left the party open to accusations of being disloyal to BN, a grave enough political sin. Such a move would have put PRS leadership in hot soup and perhaps alienate the party from BN.

“The impact on PRS was that it was a tremendous "let down". To paraphrase Dato Seri Ong, the perception was that a partner in Sarawak BN - the PBB - was being "too dominant".

Despite these internal BN problems, Sarawak managed to deliver all but one of its 31 parliamentary seats to the BN. The ruling coalition only lost Bandar Kuching to DAP.

PRS is led by Dr James Masing who is the party's founder president. He is also state land development minister.

PRS has six members of parliament. Its vice-president Joseph Entulu serves at the federal level as deputy minister for national and rural development.

Other options, other than BN

On the current situation within the Sarawak BN, Beginda said it would seem that “we in PRS are still back in a bad school environment where the weaker students are being bullied by the more senior ones.”

He called for a mechanism in the BN for components parties to be protected from the predation of others, no matter what the excuse.

“Umno and PBB could be strong but that should be so without being dominant up to the level that it could openly ‘interfere’ into the internal affairs of another component party,” said Beginda.

Stressing that the BN leadership must be just, Beginda said the organisational integrity of a component party like PRS must be maintained.

“Its decisions, such as the nomination of candidates, must be respected. Failure to do this could lead to fragmentation at the peripheries and ultimately could spread to the centre,” he warned.

Beginda also emphasised on the need for re-generation, re-vitalization and re-growth within the BN.

“The BN machinery is seen as an ossified body, presently unable to respond effectively to the needs of component parties and that of the country as a whole.

The message is that such dominance need to be rectified and ways be found as a means of resuscitating the rest of the BN partners so that the BN machinery could be energized and respond to the people more effectively, “he said.

Beginda 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 added with that friendly ‘warning’.

Dayaks must learn from Permatang Pauh voters

Is there anything we the Dayaks can learn from the Permatang Puah (PP) voters who gave a thumping victory to Anwar Ibrahim last Tuesday (26 Aug 2008)? Definitely the answer is yes.

Despite the UMNO/BN guns campaigning against Anwar Ibrahim, despite the various allegations including sodomy against him, despite the pouring of millions of ringgit of development funds for Permatang Pauh, and despite the threats and intimidation against the voters, yet the PP voters elected Anwar with a bigger majority – bigger than the majority secured by his wife during the March 8 elections.

In so far as by-elections are concerned, the party in power, in this case the UMNO/BN, has always had the upper hand, deploying every available means at its disposal including the use of government machinery to ensure its victory. Usually the BN wins in by-elections, and if it loses, it loses with a small majority. But this time around, the BN loses with a huge majority – 15,571 votes. So what does this indicate?

In past elections, the Dayaks, despite being marginalized, despite being the poorest community in the country, and having suffered due to the State BN policies, we Dayaks continue to elect BN candidates. Unlike the PP voters, we Dayaks easily fall prey to promises and happily receive a “reward” of RM20 and RM30 each to vote for the BN candidates, as we are “mudah lupa” (forgetting easily) the bigger problems that we are to face in the next five years.

If we are to continue with this habit and attitude come next election, then we Dayaks can never learn from our folly. For sure in the next State election, Sarawak will be the target of political tsunami that has wiped out BN from five States in West Malaysia. Now with Anwar Ibrahim being elected as an MP and possibly becoming the next Prime Minister, he has pledged to introduce the political tsunami in order to drown Abdul Taib Mahmud’s political dominance. But the question is: are we ready for the new political culture? Or are we going to be part of the tsunami in ending Taib’s political dominance?

For what you know, Taib may be the first person to join Anwar if he knows that Anwar is going to form the next Federal Government in the interest of “Negara kita, bangsa kita dan agama kita”. In doing so, Taib is not only saving his own skin and protects his family’s business, but he may also be given a special position in the Anwar government. If this scenario is to materialize, then we Dayaks again will be caught with our pants down and will be left behind – this time we will be left far, far behind.

Therefore in my mind, this is the time to strike when the iron is hot. Dayak leaders in PRS leaders such as Dr. James Masing, MP Joseph Salang, MP Joseph Entulu, and MP Aaron Dagang should seriously consider joining the Pakatan Rakyat and demand we be given more important posts in the Federal cabinet. As the saying goes: the early bird gets the biggest worms. After all, PRS under the present government is not being respected and has only a little voice. Failing to play to the gallery, PRS itself may also be drowned when the tsunami hits Sarawak.

Do we have "manok sabong" after Taib-post era?

In my last posting, I posed the question: Are we Dayaks ready for a change of government? And this time I am going to ask every one of us equally important questions: Who should lead us after the Taib-post era? Or be our “manok sabong” (fighting cock) to fight for our cause? Before going further, let me compare the Dayaks in the Brooke era with the Dayaks of the present day.

* “The Dayaks are noted for their honesty, humility, bravery and spirit of adventurism (bejalai). In wars, they are motivated by their battle cry – AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN (as long as there is life, we fight). Their incredible courage during the height of communist insurgency in Malaya before and after it became independence in 1957, communist terrorism and the “confrontation” after the formation of Malaysia, had earned them gallantry awards.

Our forefathers were also the most feared tribes of Borneo successfully practicing headhunting and territorial expansion. The reasons for their successes were that they were united, brave and loyal to their community.

But nowadays we are all “ngeleput” and are losing those traits – the pioneering spirit, the spirit of expansionism and adventurism as well as the spirit of “beduruk, segulai, sejalai, sepenemu enggau penyarakup” (working and living together in unity towards a common goal) and the effects of this lack of those traits lead us to disunity, bickering and fighting among ourselves even for a trivial issue causing us to lose our numerical superiority, our political influence and our sense of direction. Indeed, we are more individualistic driven by greed and jealousy, the weakness of which is being manipulated by those who wish to see the Dayaks in a state of continued periphery and subjugation.*

The current political situation offers a golden opportunity for any Dayak to prove himself as a leader. For example, when Anwar Ibrahim calls for the end of Abdul Taib Mahmud’s political dominance and regime in Sarawak, Dayak leaders should come forward to express support and a similar sentiment, because they know that Dayaks have become victims of unjust “politics of development”. Why must it be Anwar Ibrahim who wants Taib to go? He must have a lot of guts. And why the deafening silence from the brave Dayaks? Or is the present generation of Dayaks no longer brave?

But what should we do now to revive the spirit of bravery, the spirit of headhunting and the spirit of adventurism as espoused by our forefathers?

First and foremost, we have to put our house in order. “This should be our priority number one,” said Dr Dusit Jaul, a senior INTAN lecturer when commenting on my previous article.

“The question is who should play the leading role. In this, we no more can depend on the old generation of the Dayaks in the Abdul Taib Mahmud era. Those self-proclaimed Dayak leaders have ample opportunities to prove their worth to the Dayaks. You can see for yourself what have they have done to the Dayak causes at large,” he said.

In the days of “ngayau-mulau” (headhunting), a Dayak leader had to prove his leadership quality by conducting “ngayau” expeditions and returned home successfully with their war trophies and loots, and only then he would be recognized as a “manok sabong” or a “Raja Brani” (warrior).

According to Dr Dusit, a leader must have the ABC leadership - ability to lead, must be brave and at the same time competent. “Now how many of our Dayak “leaders” fit with these leadership qualities, not to mention the leadership qualities of the 21st century,” he said.

Currently Jabu is the most senior Dayak “leader”. However, he knows only how to praise Taib Mahmud and addresses him with the words “yang disayangi” (most beloved) not once or twice, but several times in his speech so much so that it causes embarrassment to the audience. Some of his enemies say that Jabu is not a leader, describing him as only fit to be a community leader (Tuai Rumah) or a discipline officer barking and condemning his “anembiaks”.

Dr James Masing, although highly educated, has spoilt himself after he brought the death of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) in 2004 in collaboration with Sng Chee Hua. Generally, the Dayaks cannot forget nor forgive him, even though he has realized his blunder and is trying his best to be recognized as a leader in the new party he formed.

Another Dayak leader is William Mawan. Many Dayaks distrust him because of his close association with Tiong King Sing and many have also questioned him over his personal behaviour. He is only good as a follower.

What about Joseph Salang, you may ask? Although Salang can be a uniting force between the hardcore members of the defunct PBDS and the members of PRS, he is new to PRS and being new he has been very cautious for fear of stepping on the toes of some of the senior leaders. He is being groomed to take over after Masing steps down, perhaps in the next State election. His quality as a leader is yet to be seen.

Other Dayak leaders in the present Taib era are not worth mentioned, as their performances are below par. They are the “Yes” men.

Although there are many Dayak intellectuals among us, so far no one has come out to show his colours the way the HINDRAF leaders do and who are prepared to go to jail fighting for their community’s rights. Until we find some one possessing the spirit of our forefathers, the Dayaks will not be able to free themselves from being marginalized and manipulated.

* Taken from a page in the volume two of "The Broken Shield – The Dayak Dilemma"

Excerpts from Chapter 5: The Fall-Out With Taib

It was evident during the SNAP-PBDS crisis that Taib was not only supportive of PBDS, but went all out to ensure that it was admitted into the Barisan Nasional. At one time, Taib even called SNAP the “real enemy” of the Barisan Nasional.

After a year or so in the Barisan, Taib started to pick quarrels with PBDS leaders insulting and chiding them whenever occasions presented an opportunity for him to do so. For example, at the opening of the Batang Ai hydroelectric station in Lubok Antu by the Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on 21 August 21 1985, Taib spoke highly of Datuk Alfred Jabu, the deputy Chief Minister III as the true leader of the Iban community, honest and trustworthy. Datuk Leo Moggie, Minister of Telecommunications, Posts and Energy and president of PBDS, Datuk Daniel Tajem, the deputy Chief Minister II and deputy president of PBDS, other PBDS and Dayak leaders were present at the function.

Datuk Moggie, according to some observers, was seen very uncomfortable. Datuk Tajem, however, looked calm. To many of the Dayaks present at the function, Taib’s remarks were clearly aimed at chiding PBDS leaders especially Tajem, a member of his cabinet.

There was also another instance when Taib directed Jabu to officiate at an agricultural conference in Sri Aman organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Community, of which Tajem was the Minister. The reason was obvious and clear, that is to belittle Tajem.

According to Tajem, Taib began to change when he (Tajem) questioned him as to why Taib changed a number of decisions already agreed to by the cabinet without referring back to the cabinet. Usually Taib changed cabinet decisions after Wong Soon Kai allegedly met him privately. If such a cabinet decision had been made, which affected his ministry or the Dayak community or that it was made as a result of his ministry’s recommendation, Tajem would certainly ask Taib why such a decision had to be changed and why the whole cabinet was not informed of the change.