Friday, July 4, 2008

Does S'wak's future lie with Malaysia?

Dr John Brian Anthony | Jul 3, 08 4:10pm Malaysiakini

Looking at the physical development of Sarawak, it lacks so many things even the most basic needs - roads, water, electricity, education and health. Why are we still so dependent on river transport? Why are Sarawak trunk roads in such poor condition and lack proper facilities for drivers?

Why is clean drinking water so difficult to get and there is still no electricity for dwelling places that are located in some urban areas and most sub-urban areas. Where is the money from our timber? Has it gone into the pockets of elite businessmen and corrupted politicians and civil service officers?

A timber tug boat operator now owns one of the largest timber companies and has hundreds and thousands of acres of plantation land - how can that be? It can be when the chief politician makes it so. In the process, the people of Sarawak are deprived of their wealth generated from the valuable tropical trees that the natives have held so dear to their heart.

The jungle is the major provider of their needs. For the rich man, he sent in gangsters to his estates to subdue any Dayak from making complaints and demanding for a better living standard. The Dayak got the wrong end of the stick in all cases.

Money from oil? Many are asking what has happened to the money we get from the oil royalty? We are now suffering from an oil price hike so when did we enjoy the money from our oil then? The price of gas cylinders for cooking is reaching $180 per tank in rural Sarawak. The natives cannot understand such products that are produced in Bintulu - from Sarawak’s gas field - are priced that high.

The West Malaysians are paying much less and they are the ones that have no gas when we take the Terengganu equation out.

Why are we not seeing good schools and good health care for Sarawak’s rural folks? The ‘Flying Doctor’ service is still too limited while billions worth of hospitals are built in West Malaysia - not one but many. In Sarawak, the Sarawak General Hospital was built maybe four decades ago. Do we have a new one - the answer is ‘no’.

We do have new expensive private hospitals though the poor rural folks have no chance of using them as they don't have the money.

Money from hydro-dams? The Batang Ai hydro dam has forced the relocation of people living in the area. There is no land to expand their farming activity and the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) provides only minimum wages for their work in the plantations and a low return for their shares in Salcra. The government has shortchanged the people.

The same government headed by the same person after 30 plus years is ignoring the plight of the poor people in Lubuk Antu. You just need to go to Lubuk Antu - what major economic activities have been implemented there? The answer is none as the government’s idea of helping the poor is by not training them to have skills and knowledge to better themselves.

Some Dayak leaders are there to ensure that the Dayaks do not progress and are therefor easier to control for political gain.

Is electricity made available to the longhouses and villages in nearby areas? The answer is ‘no’.

The Bakun dam is near completion. Is it going to benefit Sarawak poor - the answer is ‘no’. It will feed the richer West Malaysian states and provide power to their industries.

Why don't they relocate their industries to Sarawak? Because it is too expensive and Sarawak lacks basic infrastructure, it lacks skilled workers, it has limited port facilities, a poor transport system, it lacks towns that can provide comforts for the employees, etc.

This goes to show that the rich grab the poor man’s resources but are not paying for such resources in the correct manner. Otherwise why are the poor getting poorer? Why should we still stay with Malaysia?

Money from palm oil? Where is the money earned from plantations? We all know that the biggest plantation companies are from West Malaysia and Umno-linked companies. Just go to their offices and the senior management teams and managers are West Malaysians. The field supervisors and labourers are local Sarawakians - we can't help but feel ‘colonised’ and made second-class citizen of Malaysia.

Our prime land is taken to feed West Malaysians. We feel very disappointed and hurt by this attitude. It is time for Sarawakians to think about leaving Malaysia. Leaving Malaysia - why?

Sarawak has not received what is due to them.

Sarawak has been sidelined and ignored - no senior positions in the federal civil service, no senior members in the police and army, no important positions in the cabinet. The Sarawak bumiputera is a ‘fourth class’ citizen, behind the major races in West Malaysia.

We didn't join Malaysia to only learn to speak Bahasa Malaysia and have Islam as our official religion. We did not join Malaysia to champion ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and be made used of by Umno elitists to further strengthen their grip on political power and wealth.

We want justice, we want equality, we want respect and we want dignity in our lives. We do not need to bow, kneel and plead for what is rightly ours. We want our own money to develop ourselves and be able to live a better life.

From this frustration with the BN government under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, we are even thinking of leaving Malaysia. It has brought us untold misery and frustration with its poor leadership and poor planning accorded to Sarawak.

Furthermore, why has the federal government not approved the Dayak community’s wish to form their own political party known as the Malaysian Dayak Congress? They should ensure that the races are represented by political organisations of their choice.

We want to have our political freedom of choice and association. We do not want to feel that there is ethnic genocide in Sarawak too. Sarawak for Sarawakians.

It is the very policy and structure of BN government that is causing Sarawak to lag behind so far from the rest of Malaysia. The Sarawak leader can shout nonsense that the Dayaks are equal to the rest of the Malaysian population etc because he wants to feel good about himself - he who has overstayed his welcome and value.

He has made certain elites in the community rich beyond their wildest dreams. Have these elitists helped Sarawak’s poor - the answer is still ‘no’.

27 comments:

malaysian sabahan said...

Sungguh menyedihkan, tetapi kami di Sabah masih tertunggu-tunggu bila kah masanya MPs dari sarawak buka mulut untuk menyarakan ketidak puasan hati rakyat Sarawak. Tanpa sokongan MPs dari Sarawak, permintaan dan kehendak kami di Sabah tidak mungkin akan di beri perhatian dan di penuhi oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan pimpinan UMNO. Saya berharap saudara saudara dari Sarawak dapat memberi sokongan dan bersatu dengan Sabah demi kepentingan kedua dua negeri ini.

Unknown said...

I am a sarawakian too from Long Lama..

Check my link below about milking Sabah and Sarawak dry!


More Milk Please!!







Shiok Guy

Anonymous said...

swk future with independence

Anonymous said...

Sarawak for Sarawakians!

Denny said...

Dear reader,

In the time of 'chaos' it is those who see clearly and perseverance that will triumph...

...I believe it is time for us the Sarawakian to do some soul searching, to dare to dream and set out to achieve it.

However, we need to think and plan ahead to clearly understand what we want, what we need and how to realize this.

The questions are where to do this? and how? and hopefully sooner is better than later. As not to miss this window of opportunity.


Yours respectfully,


Denny

Jasper Chong said...

I am one of those who fully support sarawak's independence. I cant understand why did sarawak join Malaysia in the first place. we did not gain independance, we simply switch master from the british to the malays...

We were promise independence by the british after world war 2, but our ex leaders opt to join malaysia. I bet they all personally gain handsomely from agreening to the deal.

Plus sabah and sarawak was suppose to be equal to tanah malayu, now we are just another state, which is quite sad. And what about the 20 points agreement? how many have been broken/replaced/removed already?

Secawan Kopi said...

Dont worry Sarawakians..I will stand-up for our Independents from Be End (BN) party.. Just wait and see..

BN go to hell..Independent party rule..!!!

Anonymous said...

My compliment for your well written piece up there. Robust and bittersweet, like cold stout. Come across it in MToday.
If I'm not mistaken, the main reason Sarawak form Malaysia(with the other 3 entity) is to stem the comunist influence in our state. Also the Malaysia agreement was suppose to held a review of the agreement 10 year after it was sign, weather we want to stay in Malaysia or go Independent. However, the review was never held. Another thing is our 18-point agreement (the sabahan version is the 20-point agrmt) al so state that our yang di pertua NEGERI real title is the yang di pertua NEGARA.
Unfortunately,it seem that even such simple thing in our agreement has been broken.
My point? TL;DR We are never part of Malaysia in the first place. And we yet still our leader are still wondering when the west malaysia will treat us as equal. our Federation with Malaya was lost the moment Singapore leve the Federation.
For now, the only way Sarawak can be independent is 1) having a strong local opposition party or 2) refer to the ICJ to disolve the Federation.
The first point is because the only opposition party that we have in Sarawak is imported from Malaya and each of it was viewed with suspicion. DAP as chinese party(not bad in it self but the voters in the rural part can't quite connect with them), PAS as islamist (it is THE "party gerenti kalah" in Sarawak) and PKR as almost no diffrent than UMNO (and we pride ourself as the only state with no UMNO with a good reason). With a strong local opposition party in Sarawak, we can only benefit as we now have a real alternatif to BN and Pakatan.
I'm persimistic about No 2 though, because as long The White Haired One is still in power, we'll lost both end. In Malaysia, under him, out also under him, only worse cause he got more power.
But srsly, weather we manage to break the Malayan yoke, I do hope hope that our new leader will adopt the Brooke Golden Rule, in that they are there for the interest of the rakyat. So far, our leader only have their interest in mind.
TL;DR Sarawak for Sarawakian

Anonymous said...

I'm a sarawakian too... sad but true my lovely state been raped by those muthafucking BN morons.. i dream a day we will kick em out of hornbills land and execute those traitor in front of swkian.
swk for swkian ( support swk independent)

gundam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gundam said...

http://www.weebly.com/
uploads/7/4/5/0/745037/
939956.jpg?18085

Anonymous said...

SUPPORT SARAWAK INDEPENDANCE!!!

chng said...

Good day Sarawakian,

Your choice to leave Malaysia would do you a wholesome of goodness, in terms of putting law and order, fairness, freedom of speech and press, .... which all the blogers are claiming this Malaysian Government are corrupt, nepotism. ..... In other words, you wite your own destiny. I wish you Good Luck.

The People's Power said...

To see the future of Sabah and sarawak going independence might not happen in this generation. But, if we have a public referendum in Sabah and Sarawak to get the response from its people to form new countries and let say the response is good, then no harm for us to claim our independence from the weaken Malaysia. Remember, Singapore did the same thing before declared its own independence in 1965.

I heard a rumor from Penang that its CM is considering independent from Malaysia as its next move due to the actions by Federal government either canceling or postponing major projects in the state. Its going to be interesting if Sabah, Sarawak and Penang become new countries. This might be the new agenda for the people in these states. That's one way to stop all these sucking business from the states.

Dayak Baru said...

Original post in www.dayakbaru.com
Original title was "Should Sarawak pull out of Malaysia"

Link: http://dayakbaru.com/weblog08/?p=109

Anonymous said...

im from east malaysia..
i say, better die on ur feet than live on ur knees..fight for ur rights swkian..!!

Anonymous said...

hampir setahun hijrah kerja di bumi malaya, saya sedih melihat pembangunan di sini jauh lebih baik daripada sarawak. kita ketinggalan jauh..apakah ini semua salah taib mahmud dan tun rahman? atau org melayu, dayak dan cina dll tidak berani bersuara setelah merasa lena oleh taib yg bijak bestari mentadbir uruskan sarawak. pak lah juga takut dan tidak berani kpd taib. apa kah sebenarnya yg berlaku di sarawak?
selesaikah masalah kita kalau keluar malaysia? yg penting ialah pilihanraya DUN akan datang ini, rakyat sarawak hendaklah berani membuat perubahan. jangan sama sekali undi BN. ajar mereka seperti apa yg berlaku di malaya tok.

Anonymous said...

I say man, why this talk about independence? Mata kitak semua buta kah? telinga ditebatkah? The reason Sarawak mundur ialah sebab sidak orang sarawak sendirik!!! nangga dacing terus undi dacing.... bak kata orang simpan berok jadi calon pun sidak orang ya undi... tepok dada tanya selera lah bro. bahlol punya rakyat... mun s'wak keluar lagi rakyat dirogol oleh sidak perintah... naaaaannnnnng bebal pun idea. ada election 2009/2010 undilah apa yg patut. sapa orang dyak, melayu, cina sitok balik kampong lobi sidak untuk undi kebenaran. nang simpleton benar sapa sapa pikir keluar malaysia dpt solve issues.

aku orang sarawak tapi aku rakyat Malaysia!

Anonymous said...

This article is written by a disgruntle politician. Dr John Bryan Anthony actually contested in so many elections in Sarawak, be it Parliamentary or State election. He joined the fray but never make it, he fails miserably. I know him he hails from Michael Lanyaw Long House in Sebauh, whose bilek is not too far from Datuk Calestine Ujang. Dr. John Bryan has make it big by being a Consultant and he is a very successful Iban or Dayak for that matter. He has a PhD in management and now concurrently doing another PhD in Early Childhood education. I envy him because I don't have the chance to do my PhD even though I passed my HSC with 3B and 2C. I admire him for his courage and what he had voice out in Malaysiakini. But as an educated Dayak, what has Dr. John Bryan Anthony do to uplift the socio, economic status of the Dayak? I know now that he is the Vice President of SNAP? But what has SNAP did to help the Dayak? I know he is the Publicity Chief of Sarawak dayak National Union, but what has SDNI did to help the Dayak in Sarawak? He is justtrying to politicise the whole issue and probably want to be the hero. But look at what we have achieved now in Sarawak, we have Universities, hospital - yes we have it in most Divisions and in most Districts such as Serian, Bau, Lundu, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Limbang, Kapit and the like. On top of that there are countless Klinik Desa.

We are just a nation of 50 years old, the history of Malaysia is unlike the history of other great nations such as the United States, Uniked Kingdom, France, Canada, or even Australia and New Zealand. remember we have the diverse ethnic groups in our midst. The government priority is to maintain social cohesion and in the process of maintaining this, affirmative actions, plans, or whatever are being drawn up. Mind you Rome is not built in a day. Civilizations took years. Sarawk is only 45 years old. yet we have achieved tremendous growth. Had it not been for the wise leadership, Sarawak would have been taken over by the communist insurgent, or taken over by the Indonesian. Do you remember the early years of the formation of Malaysia? Indonesia under Sukarno wanted to 'ganyang' Malaysia and the send troops to the border of Sarawak, such as in Tebedu, Padawan, Sirikin, and Biawak. In the northern parts they send troops to Bario. Are we still not grateful? Another thing I want to ask Dr. John Bryan is has he ever travelled to the Kalimantan Borneo and witnessed how life was in Pontianak, Sangau, Bambang, Plangkaraya, Bandjarmasin, Samarinda and the other outback of Borneo? Compare these places with Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu or even Limbang. There situation is worse than that of ours.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Anonymous, Siapa yang merpertahankan Sarawak bila Sukarno menhantar Askarnya untuk menyerang? Kalau saya tidak silap Askar Gurkha Britishlah dan Rangers ( AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN) which are mostly Sarawakian. So i just wonder eventhough i'm a Sabahan why should Sarawakian be grateful to the new catagory colonial.

Anonymous said...

Dear all I so happy to see that a lot of sarawak people start to realise that how important we should say good bye to malaysia or ketuaan melayu, if you see singapore it just a small country with nothing in it but it become the 4 country in SEA with the high GDP why we in sarawak cannot achieve this sucess like singapore even we know by joint malaysia we sarawak people sure will loss, let look at brunei how success that country. in term of our oil evey 1 ringgit we produce we need to send 95 sen to KL and their only give us 5 sen is this we call fair, You all know how much money we produce from our gas and oil sales ? yet most of petronas staff from Malaya what happen to our local peole did their not qualify to work with petronas ? when we have best student their send it to local university but when malay student their send it to oversea, Are we at sarawak so stupid still want to follow this Malaysia ??? You just think of it and try to find the anwser by yourself, no need for me to expland and give you the anwser because you may think i try to influance you thinking.

DR. GV

Anonymous said...

betul tu annoymus.saya tinggal di semenanjung hampir 5 tahun tuk belajar.apa yang saya perhatikan memang orang melayu semenanjung sudah lama menganggap org sabah/sarawak sebagai 2 class bumis.Tak apa bagi saya sebab ada balasan terhadap kaum(melayu) yang x adil dan saya cuba mengelakkan isu yg berkaitan agama.Cuma disini saya ingin menerangkan bahawa org melayu amat mementingkan mereka sendiri.Di awal semester saya mengikuti satu program camping bagi kolej kediaman saya di satu dimana diantara peserta saya adalah satu2nya bukan melayu.apa yang menariknya ketika waktu camping ada sesi ceramah dari pihak HEP dan selepas memberi ucapan tahniah kerana memasuki Uni lalu seorang penceramah memberitahu ttg statistik pelajar yg masuk mengikut kouta dimana 95% adalah dr semenanjung dan 5% sabah dan sarawak.5% kalau ikutkan berapa la sgt maksudnya untuk kursus kritikal seprti Chemical,Mekanikal,elektrikal engineering/Pergigian,Perubatan memang tak banyak tuk org2 sabah/sarawak.Yang selebihnya melayu yang conquer. Mungkin ini yang dilaungkan sebagai DEB,Ketuanan Melayu tapi tak apala mungkin dia lupa Malaysia ni diorg saja yang duduk.Kebanyakan student sabah/sarawak yg datang belajar bukannya dari golongan berada tapi perbelanjaan mereka bergantung dari mak ayah tg bekerja sebagai kuli,ada yang petani.Saya membuat perbandingan antara kawan saya yg melayu,saya dapati yg dia bernasib baik dari saya walaupun kedua2 tidak mempunyai biasiswa.Beliau dengan senang menjelaskan yuran pengajian hanya mengisi form tuk tabung kebajikan yg disediakan U bagi pelajar berhutang.Saya pun membuat perkara yang sama dan pergi ke pejabat bendahari dan yg mengecewakan dari bendahari ialah tabung hanya tuk melayu saja.sehingga sekarang saya masih berhutang dan hampir tidak dapat mendaftarkan subjek selepas merayu hanya kerana x menjelaskan yuran.Saya berfikir apa la nasib kwn2 sabah/sarawak yg lain klu ini la perkara yg berlaku.Sedikit sebanyak rasa kebencian tinggal disemenanjung.oleh itu saya rasa tidak perlunya lagi bersama malaysia dan kita sabah sarawak mampu berdikari sendiri.Ingat kamu org melayu saya x lupa apa yang kamu buat, dan tunggula akan pupus juga kaum kamu itu.Marila org2 swak /sabah kita bersatu dan berani untuk membuat perubahan

Anonymous said...

the main reason tuanku abdul rahman wanted sarawak and sabah to form malaysia with malaya and singapore was to balance the malays and non-malays (chinese and indians) populations. then we invert word bumiputera to include malays and natives sabah and sarawak

without natives sabah and sarawak, malays would be minority in the new country (malaya + singapore)

Anonymous said...

Farewell Address in
the State Council
to the Sarawak People
by Charles Brooke





“I beg that you will listen to what I have to say, that you will recollect my words, and endeavour to call them to mind when I am no longer with you. I will make known of what is in my mind to my successor, but I can only be responsible during this my lifetime.

“I have lived in this country now for 60 years, and for the greater part of that time as Rajah. I know that I feel as you do in every way regarding the present and future for the existence and welfare of the inhabitants. I think after so long a period you will allow me to open my mouth and give my opinion truthfully.

“Has it ever occurred to you that after my time out here others may appear with soft and smiling countenances to deprive you of what is solemenly your right, and that is the very land on which you live.”

“This land is your inheritance on which your flesh and blood exist, the source of your income, the food even of your mouths.

“If this is once lost to you, no amount of money could recover it. That is why the cultivation of your own land by yourselves or by those that live in the country in important to you now.

“Cultivation by stranger, by those who might carry the value of their products out of the country to enrich their shareholders ? such products should be realised by your own industries and for your own benefits.

“Unless you follow this advice you will lose your birthright, which will be taken from you by strangers and speculators who will in their turn become masters and owners, whilst you yourselves, you people of the soil, will be thrown aside, and become nothing but coolies and outcasts of the island.”

Anonymous said...

sabah & sarawak stand together bring fucking malaya down to its knees!

Anonymous said...

MP Sarawak kbnyakannya sdah "dibreastfeed". Tak guna kalau tak turunkan mereka. Memang sedih, tapi kena lawan jugak. Fight against this new kind of colonialism..

Agi Idup agi ngelaban!!!

nyabur said...

udah bepuluh taun swk dlm m'sia,nama penguntung ulih urang swk,kitai bansa 'bumi' ko sida iya semina ka ulih ngempa rampang sida melayu umno,enti diperati endar2 sigi bisi ka siti menua ka benama m'sia,indah ka m'sia day pan enda disambut,enti kitai swk bisi mata uji peda hr bln tu 31 ogos nya hr malaya ukai hr m'sia, hr m'sia pa penemu aku 16 september,reti iya malaya sigi enda bebasa ka hr m'sia lbn ba runding sida swk enggau sbh dlm m'sia semina nyadi capi ti mesi tusu enggau dagin ka pemakai sida iya....aku nyukong swk pansut ari m'sia....ambi ka bansa diri niri negi menua kitai...go down to the mp's that only know to nudge their heads...damn it