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.
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.
8 comments:
Dayak will never learn.
Politicians are busy enriching themselves.
To them politic is money making carreer. A good politician are those who don't need politics to survive and prosper.
Unfortunately there are very few Dayaks capable of being a good, principled and honest politicians.
Good luck to your efforts.
I agreed 100% when you say that Dayaks must learn from Permatang Pauh. As a person who was in Permatang Pauh during Anwar's landslide victory I can feel that the people in PP want changes and this not only happening in PP but also in other area too, right now.
now back to the Dayak and what are their general views and opinion regarding the BN and Anwar, who is the good guy and the bad guy. Most Dayak wil only get their information source from only 1 channel that is the BN controlled media, or some of the BN rep. who tells something that is not entirely true.
We need to get the people to know the truth, regarding the current situation and they need to judge whom they want to lead the country, The people must know this. Many rural dayak will think that the BN is their only hope and that the BN is the urang perintah and if they go against the perintah, they may not get the pemansang, which is totally rubbish and not relevant in today's world.
So do we expect the rural Dayak to change until they change their mindset.
Words must go to the people fast and they must know the truth. It is happening here in PP and we must make it happen there in Sarawak too.
If Dayak do not change now, we will lost everything forever. We will still be back behind.
We must change so that Dayak will learn someday..
White hair is scare to his balls if Dayaks is unify so that why he shake hand with Masing on Monday and Mawan on tuesday.Now the black horse is Joseph Salang.If White haif sense anything fishy he won't hesitate to bring up Salang .The Dayak cards are been played to White hairs favor.No one so far dare to fan the fire of dayakism.White hair knows very well that by giving them peanuts is enough to satisfied them,after all he knows too well that a clever dayak,Leo Moggie's downfall was engineered by him.With the heads off there is no hope for the tail.Another clever dayak is Linggi who only is interested in money,not the dayak's welfare.He is too rich and to stand next to the poor is too shameful for him.That's is why dayakism never takes off, not another 50 years.
Ever since Anwar said he had 30 MPs from Sabah and Sarawak waiting to cross over to his Opposition party on Sept. 16 I have been left wondering who from Sarawak would have the guts to defect? Can anyone enlighten me?
As of today, DSAI have 42 confirmed crossers. Sarawak 4, Sabah 12, Gerakan 1, MCA 3, MIC Nil so far, UMNO Peninsular 12.
The crossing is expected very soon. The whole process could be completed before the 10th of Sept.
Then again I could be wrong...one thing for sure, the whole of Malaysia is waiting September 16 with bated breath.
Good Night
I will keep you guys informed in my next postings the identity of Sarawak MPs who are going to defect to Pakatan Rakyat...
Dayak people definitely want changes and progress. Dayak also want unity. But Dayak always blame white hair for creating Dayak's political disunity. Seldom I hear Dayak blame the Dayak for their political disunity.
If that is true then what are Dayak doing? If that is not true then what is the cause?
To me, true or untrue make no difference. What is important the Dayak must make effort to stay united and do all they can towards making things happen. We can't just wait and wait.
Do we have 'Sarawak RPK' in our midst? Someone who can get his hands into White Hair's closet and expose those skeletons and also his cronies? Raja Petra sacrifices his freedom for what he believes in. Until we find our very own 'Sarawak RPK' who speaks his mind, and valiant enough to remove those dirty carpets of our elected people...to convince the rakyat in Sarawak we need CHANGE, until then, we will still be in this hole for another 50 years!
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