Lessons of the 12th General Elections For Sarawakians To Ponder

An Analysis of Malaysia’s 12th General Election

With comments in red by Sarawak Headhunter.

1. Introduction

In our pre-election analysis, we estimated that the Opposition parties will win about 50 parliamentary seats and face a very strong challenge from DAP-Keadilan in Penang. We also warned of the strong wind blowing in the Indian and Chinese communities towards the Opposition. We did not and could not then anticipate the equally strong wave of Malay support for the Opposition which resulted in the Opposition gaining 82 seats in Parliament, denying the Barisan Nasional of its two-thirds majority, the first time since the May 1969 General Election.

The wins probably took the Opposition by surprise as well. In spite of fielding many unknown and untested candidates, the electorate voted for them. We now see the trust placed by the Opposition and the electorate being betrayed by a few of them for personal gains - for these few it will be their first and last wins.

The Opposition has to ensure that the right candidates are chosen for the coming Sarawak State Elections. The Opposition must also make sure that it identifies and gives as strong backing as it can to the candidate with the best potential to become the next Chief Minister of Sarawak. Time is running out and no such person has yet been put forward by the Opposition.

We had in our pre-election analysis noted the possibility of a divided outcome with a strong Malay government against a strong non-Malay Opposition. However, this did not materialize as Malay support for the Opposition was also strong resulting in multi racial Keadilan winning 31 seats and PAS 23 seat in Parliament. In fact, the popular votes obtained by UMNO (35.5%) and combined PAS/Keadilan (34.8%) was almost equal. Whilst the loss of Penang state to the Opposition did not come as a surprise after the first week of campaign with massive turnout at DAP ceramahs and large donations collected on the spot for the DAP candidates, the fall of Perak and Selangor was totally unexpected. What happened? What caused the massive swing?

Some facts on the 12th General Election should be noted and analysed. The Barisan Nasional within Peninsular Malaysia failed to obtain a majority of popular votes cast. It only obtained 49% of the popular votes in Peninsular Malaysia whereas the Opposition had the majority of popular votes – 51%. UMNO won 35% of popular votes against 34.8% won by PAS and Keadilan. Although the Barisan Nasional won 140 seats in Parliament, 54 seats came from Sabah and Sarawak.

Obviously Sarawak and Sabah somehow did not get a sense of what was happening in Malaya. Internet penetration is still very low and the Opposition is not only totally blacked out from the daily newspapers and TV but completely vilified. The logistics and expense of campaigning in Sarawak and Sabah also put the Opposition at a great disadvantage, while the State BN has no qualms about abusing government machinery, staff and facilities in campaigning with impunity.

The Opposition will have to come up with answers at the very least to neutralise all these or turn them to its advantage.

The Sarawak electorate, especially in the rural areas, do not like to be perceived as being anti-government or lawan perintah. To overcome this the Opposition has to start behaving and being perceived as a government in waiting rather than being perpetual troublemakers and nuisances as the State BN is fond of painting them.

It is high time to start concentrating on creating policy rather than merely running Taib and his minions down. The voters already know what Taib and his evil regime are. The question now is whether the Opposition can show that they are different and can put forward solid plans for reform in all the areas that matter, especially with regard to land and equitable economic development.

Notwithstanding that, Taib is now at his weakest and attacking him and bringing him down will lead to disarray in the ranks of his followers, none of whom may be described as leaders in any real sense of the word.

So, without Sabah and Sarawak, Barisan Nasional will not have even obtained a simple majority in Parliament. If the Federal Territory was to be considered as a state, the Barisan Nasional actually lost 6 states. In Negeri Sembilan, it survives with only a 4-seat majority. In Pahang, Barisan Nasional even lost the state capital, Kuantan. Even the Barisan Nasional fortress of Johor was successfully penetrated by the Opposition this time with both DAP and PAS winning seats. There are no safe bastions for Barisan Nasional anymore.

Not even Sarawak.

Although the Chinese and Indian votes have decisively swung to the DAP and Keadilan, causing MCA, MIC and Gerakan to lose massive support, it was totally unexpected for UMNO to lose in urban and semi-urban Malay seats like Titiwangsa and Lembah Pantai (in Kuala Lumpur city), Shah Alam, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat, Kuala Selangor, Gombak, Ampang, Sungei Petani, Merbok, Kulim, Nibong Tebal, Balik Pulau (in Penang), Parit Buntar and Bagan Serai in Perak. Barisan Nasional even lost Kuantan – the capital of Pahang and Indera Mahkota. With increasing urbanization with the urban population projected to increase to 73% in 2020, up from 62% in 2000, can UMNO prevent a slide in urban Malay votes? What made the urban Malays desert UMNO? This question needs to be addressed.

If the Malays can desert UMNO, the natives of Sarawak can also desert PBB and the other supposedly Dayak parties who have actually betrayed them. This time SUPP must also be totally wiped out, just like Gerakan in Penang.

For the MCA and MIC, it was clearly their worst ever electoral performance ever. In 1969, MCA won 13 out of 24 seats contested (54%), whereas this year MCA only won 37.5% of parliament seats contested. Gerakan was totally wiped out in Penang – its stronghold. The DAP campaigned that a vote for MCA or Gerakan is a vote for UMNO to capitalize on the anger of the Chinese community over UMNO. Hence, the track record of MCA and Gerakan was ignored with an emotional swing against UMNO.

2. What the Election Results Mean

Several broad conclusions can be drawn from the 12th General Election:

(i) It is a seismic shift in Malaysian politics. A political tsunami as the Star headlines said. The old ways of campaigning may no longer work. Putting fear into voters minds did not work. The use of mainstream media to create spin or to demonise the opposition was detested by urban voters and had a counter-effect instead. From feedback, many urban voters were turned off by the spin especially in NST and Star.

The predominantly rural voters of Sarawak must also be made to feel the same way. The Opposition must gain their pity, sympathy and support. They must be encouraged not to fear the BN or fall for its lies and demonisation of the Opposition. The Opposition must put forward a people friendly face, especially when Taib is still showing his unfriendly and arrogant face.

Taib is not and has never been a friend of the people, neither have any of his minions whom the people have been forced by him to accept as their "representatives". The rural voters must be made aware of this beyond doubt.

They must be made to know that they cannot put their future and that of their children and grandchildren at further great risk by continuing to place their trust in Taib and his gang to be abused.

Taib and his gang are beyond redemption.

(ii) The victory of DAP, Keadilan and PAS in many areas showed that voters do not buy the argument that the Chinese won’t support PAS and DAP won’t get Malay votes. As Dr. Farish Noor reported from the PAS Headquarters in Kota Baru on Saturday night (polling night), Kelantan PAS supporters cheered when the DAP gained control of Penang. So the notion Malays won’t support DAP was debunked that night in Kota Baru.

(iii) Makkal Sakhti (People Power), the cry of HINDRAF, caused a tidal wave of support from the Indian community towards the opposition. This seismic shift of Indian voters contributed to the defeat of many Barisan Nasional candidates, not only MIC candidates.

(iv) The Barisan Nasional’s brand of race-based politics is no longer an attractive proposition to voters. Chinese voters deserted MCA and Gerakan. Indian voters swung away from MIC. Many Malay voters switched to Keadilan, making Keadilan the biggest opposition party with 31 parliament seats. The Opposition parties won, not on race-based issues but across a range of issues that cuts across ethnic lines. The MCA and MIC lost whilst trying to portray themselves as defenders of their race. UMNO lost ground to Keadilan even with Anwar calling for an end to NEP. Is this then a new paradigm for Malaysian politics that Malaysian voters are more taken in by wider national issues such as corruption, crime, cost of living, social justice and human rights which cuts across all ethnic groups rather than narrow ethnic issues that favour any particular race? Even MCA championing the cause of Chinese schools didn’t get much support from the Chinese community. But PAS delivered votes to DAP and Chinese voters supported both PAS and Keadilan. Should MCA remain purely a Chinese party when it lost more Chinese votes to the
DAP or should it become a multi-racial party and widen its appeal to non-Chinese? This has set the stage for a new era of multi-racial politics in Malaysia, perhaps the beginning of a two-party system which is healthy in any democracy.

Taib's and the Sarawak BN's racial politics of divide and rule must be rejected as well. The Dayaks must neutralise such racial politics not by emphasising more racial politics such as "Dayak Unity". "Dayak Unity", which is in itself a difficult task to achieve, has the potential to scare the Malays, Melanaus and Chinese and thereby defeat its own purpose. Taib will capitalise on this.

Instead of "Dayak Unity", the Dayaks should be calling for "Sarawakian Unity", irrespective of race. That is the only way to avoid being divided and ruled, whether by Taib or the UMNO Malayans.

The Malays, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Melanaus, Chinese, Kayans, Kelabits, Kenyahs, Lun Bawangs, Kadayans, Penans, Punans - ALL Dayaks and Non-Dayaks alike - MUST unite to destroy the evil - in the shape of Taib and his gang of corruptors and pirates - that has overtaken our fair land Sarawak.

(v) The loss of Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Perak can perhaps be partially attributed to complacency in the Barisan Nasional camp. Over-confidence in a proven track record may be another factor. In Penang, the non-Malay voters were unhappy with Gerakan for being unable or unwilling to stand up to UMNO. However, the Opposition’s ability to capture, in particular, Penang and Selangor, the jewels in the crown so to speak, and even Perak to a lesser extent, will enable DAP and Keadilan to attempt to provide a new model of governance, which if they succeed, could further strengthen their grips on these states in the next General Elections and extend their support in other states like Negeri Sembilan (remember an earlier point: Barisan Nasional only have a 4 seat majority in Negeri Sembilan). However, if the DAP and Keadilan mess up, they will lose their opportunity and the voters in the 3 states Penang, Perak and Selangor may revert to the Barisan Nasional. It is however, unlikely DAP and Keadilan will squander their chance. It is left to be seen if the new State Governments in Penang, Perak and Selangor can deliver. If so, expect them to control these states for at least two terms if the state governments are administered well with good governance, accountability and transparency.

(vi) The point has also to be made that never in the history of Malaysia has the Prime Minister ever lost his own home state. In Penang, UMNO/Barisan Nasional only retained 2 parliamentary seats, that of the Prime Minister and Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

The 12th General Election by any reckoning is UMNO’s worst-ever performance, worse than in
1969 and 1999.

The coming Sarawak State Elections must also become PBB's and the Sarawak BN's worst-ever performance - TOTAL REJECTION of Taib and his minions.

3. What Caused the Swing to the Opposition

The political tsunami was brought about by various factors, foremost of which is the perceived arrogance of power. All racial groups – Malays, Chinese and Indians had the perception that the Barisan Nasional did not hear or listen to the voice of the people.

Taib's and the Sarawak BN's arrogance of power must by now already be perceived by the people. Their complete mistreatment of native customary land rights has turned no less than half a million natives into trespassers on the land on which they and their forefathers have lived and eked out their livelihoods for centuries.

The Opposition should publish a complete list of all cases decided as well as still pending before the courts and threatened by Taib's regime against native customary landowners. Distribute this list as widely as possible. Let ALL native customary landowners be aware of the imminent danger they are in.

Above all, the Opposition should formulate clear policies on what it will do about the native customary land issue and communicate these policies to the people. The people must have full confidence that the Opposition can solve this issue without having to resort to the courts, once it takes over the government in the coming State Elections.

The Barisan Nasional mishandled the Bersih and HINDRAF protests. This showed no tolerance for public assemblies and no outlet for grievances which resulted in the aggrieved parties voting against the Barisan Nasional in the ballot boxes. The Barisan Nasional’s over-confidence and poor intelligence failed to identify growing anger and frustration of the people. The Prime Minister’s challenge to Opposition supporters not to demonstrate but to take it to the ballot box also made many fence sitters and opposition sympathizers to vote for the opposition. The Barisan Nasional failed to effectively read the mood on the ground. Many urban voters in particular the fence sitters were put off by the propaganda, spin and one-sided coverage on TV and in NST and Star.

The BN has still not learned its lesson and is still hurtling towards disaster like a runaway train. and this applies to Taib and the Sarawak State BN as well. It is the job of the Opposition to stop that runaway train or derail it before it causes more damage to the people, the State and the Nation. The Opposition must capitalise on the BN's numerous mistakes and read the mood on the ground right.

A contributory factor could be internal bickering over the choice of candidates within the Barisan Nasional component parties not only in UMNO but also in MCA and Gerakan. Apart from the above, other factors also contributed to the unprecedented swing in support to the Opposition.

These can be attributed as the 9C’s:

(i) Change : A massive mood swing brought about by the opposition’s promise of change and reform.

Don't just promise. Perform!

(ii) Crime : Growing anger at the seeming inability of the Federal Government to tackle crime effectively.

This is also an issue in Sarawak. Crime is getting out of hand while the police play politics.

(iii) Cost of Living : Rising frustration over increases in the cost of living.

This is also an issue in Sarawak. Sarawakians pay more for everything because the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer.

(iv) Corruption : Growing perception that corruption has worsened over the past four years.

In Sarawak, corruption has got from bad to worse over the last forty years. Taib is the epitome of corruption.

(v) Courts : Disgust over the Lingham enquiry and concern about judicial independence.

Not so much an issue in Sarawak. Sarawak courts have generally ruled in favour of native customary land owners, for example. Nevertheless, Sarawakians have to made aware of the larger issues of judicial independence at the national level.

(vi) Convergence of Issues : All these issues coming to a head at the same time and perception that government is not listening or effectively addressing them. There is really no one single big issue but a convergence of issues that caused people to be dissatisfied and angry with the Barisan Nasional.

Since when did Taib and his evil regime ever listen to the people or really address any issues concerning them? Let the issues converge on Taib in the coming State Elections.

(vii) Communications Technology : The power of the internet and blogs to provide alternative information, that is downloaded, printed and distributed even to kampungs and new villages. With the spin in NST, more people trust the blogs more than the mainstream media.

Make full and effective use of this. Expand it.

(viii) Credible Leadership : For the first time, the Opposition was able to present credible leadership and credible alternatives. The Anwar factor is pivotal. More than the 1998 reformasi
campaign this year is much more an Anwar coordinated campaign. DAP, Keadilan and PAS put up young, credible candidates. Lim Guan Eng, a Monash economics and accounting graduate, taking charge of Penang instead of his father Lim Kit Siang provided a younger and less belligerent face to the electorate backed by credible candidates like Prof. Ramasamy, Lim Chin Tiong and Jeff Ooi.

Do this for Sarawak as well.

(ix) Campaign Strategy : The Barisan Nasional’s campaign strategy was much of the same. The old school approach – some carrots and sticks. It offered development on the one hand, it threatens on the other, warning the Chinese and Indian communities that they will have no representation in government. The Chinese and Indian voters didn’t buy this argument this time. At one point in Penang, feedback from many Chinese voters is they don’t mind not even having a Chinese Chief Minister to teach the Barisan Nasional a lesson.

Time for Sarawakians to teach Taib and the Sarawak State BN a lesson as well. Sarawakians must not succumb to Taib's hollow promises and fear tactics.

Promises and fear didn’t work this time. UMNO also took Malay voters for granted. On the other hand, the Opposition’s strategy was low-key, humble and non-threatening. PAS didn’t speak of an Islamic State. DAP didn’t campaign to capture Penang as was the case during Tanjung I, II and III. All DAP asked for was to deny Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority both in Penang and in Parliament. This softer approach compared to Kit Siang’s aggressive style in 1990, 1995, 1999 won DAP many sympathetic votes. The use of blogs as alternative media was also highly successful.

For the Chinese voters, memories don’t fade easily. Often politicians tend to think people have short memories. But the Chinese voters are still upset and aggrieved over the waving of the keris incident at UMNO Youth Assemblies and the racial rhetoric in the 2006 UMNO General Assembly. Chinese voters also perceived MCA and Gerakan to be too subservient to UMNO. For the Indian voters, HINDRAF was a key factor. The power of Makkal Sakhti (People’s Power) is real and translated into votes for the Opposition throughout the country where there are sizeable number of Indian voters. For Malay voters, Anwar provided an alternative leadership. He read the Malay mood well. To the Malay voters in Anwar’s campaign speeches, the NEP because of its over-obsession with Bumiputra equity, benefitted only UMNO Puteras and didn’t benefit the ordinary people in the rural heartland. UMNO Youth was also perceived to be brash and arrogant.

4. Looking Ahead

What the 12th General Election provided is a timely wake-up call to all political parties. They need to change, reform and deliver.

For the Barisan Nasional, it means reinvention to stay relevant. For the Opposition in control of the 5 State Governments, it means the need to deliver what they promised. Can they work together?

The question, looking ahead, is how UMNO will react. Will it be magnanimous and learn the right lessons? Will it change and reform from within and lower racial rhetoric to win back non-Malay support or will it up the ante to become even more ultra-Malay to retain whatever Malay support it still has? Will UMNO remain united and cohesive or will there be a scramble for positions in its coming General Assembly and party elections? The internal dynamics in UMNO in the lead up to party elections need to be watched.

For the Opposition, the key question is whether the new State Governments in Penang, Perak and Selangor can perform and deliver and meet the expectations of the people? Will there be a witch-hunt against Barisan Nasional supporters? Will they be able to cooperate and work closely together? Will they gain the support of civil servants? Will they be able to cooperate and work with the Federal Government? What will be the impact on Government-Linked Companies controlled by or connected to these state governments?

For the MCA and MIC, the question is whether they should continue to narrowly fight for Chinese and Indian interests or should they reinvent themselves to become multiracial parties like DAP and Keadilan and champion wider national issues such as corruption, human rights, judicial independence and economic opportunities.

For the Gerakan and PPP, the key question is whether they should continue to exist and if so, what is their niche in Malaysian politics? Should they bring about the merger of smaller parties in the Barisan Nasional including those in Sabah and Sarawak? Will the 2008 Election lead to the emergence of a two-party system in Malaysia?

For the Prime Minister, this is an opportunity to clean house. To listen more to the voice of the people and not to be disconnected to the feelings on the ground. We have in Pak Lah (and now Najib) a decent man, a dedicated and pious Muslim. He should use his strength to reinvent himself and renew UMNO and Barisan Nasional. Credit ought to be also given to the Prime Minister for providing more democratic space and a fairer, freer election as well as for his stoic acceptance of the democratic voice of the people, and for not reacting ala the midnite snatch in Sabah in the mid-1980’s or having an Operasi Lallang or May 13/NOC type reaction.

There is clearly a need to review certain National Policies that causes unhappiness and devisiveness. Will the Barisan Nasional leadership, be able, perhaps more willing, to rise to the occasion to bite the bullet?

It certainly doesn't appear to be so. Arguably things have gotten worse under Najib. Under Taib it's still business as usual, which is not good for the people.

In the final analysis, despite the massive swing to the opposition, the Barisan Nasional still remained in office at Federal level and has a comfortable majority to provide continuity and political stability.

This is rubbish of course and achieved only by gerrymandering or monkeying around with election boundaries to give the BN its "comfortable majority" even though it loses the popular vote.

Is continuity and so-called "political stability" worth the propaganda, corruption, mismanagement, misgovernance, arrogance, racism, abuse of law, the judiciary, police, human rights, administrative and federal powers and inequitable economic and other opportunities amongst the myriad other rubbish that we have to put up with and tolerate? Enough is enough!
This analysis provides some key facts and pose some key questions that need to be pondered over in the days and months ahead. Whatever it is, Malaysian politics post March 8, 2008 will not be the same again. It is time for a new beginning. A new era has begun. More importantly, to note that the morning after, most surveys showed that many Malaysians from all races and different walks of life felt good over the election outcome.

So Sarawakians, if you want to feel good over the outcome of the next State Elections, you know what to do - KICK TAIB AND HIS MINIONS OUT!

Dated: 13th March 2008

An Analysis of Malaysia’s 12th General Election

The Taib Succession Dilemma

Taib just does not want to make a decision about his successor. That is clear. No matter what he says or does. He is in a dilemma because he does not want to make the biggest mistake of his entire "career", one that could haunt him for the rest of his ever shortening life.

He has made many mistakes of course, although he pretends to know all and to be always right - the mere fact that nobody in PBB dares to dissent does not make it any right, even if this charade has kept him in power for so long. This is the evil power of deception and the politics of manipulation.

He knows who his successor should be and it is not anyone who is presently or has previously been in PBB (and that both includes as well as excludes his own son, Suleiman Abdul Rahman). However, he still hopes to deny reality.

If this were not the case surely it would be an easy matter for him to just decide who it should be from among the ranks of the present line-up of PBB. There is so much misplaced and misused talent there if he just wanted someone like himself to take over. What is so difficult about it, especially since he has known and worked with them for such a long time? However, Taib also knows that none of them would be good for Sarawak and that paradoxically is why he has kept them all out of the equation.

Not that he is or has been any better for Sarawak of course. They are all so scared of dissent that they have to manipulate the PBB party polls to ensure that there are no contests, thereby depriving their members the right - at the very least - to democratically elect their leaders. If they could do away with general elections they probably gladly would, but since they cannot they have devised other means of manipulation such as bribery and intimidation. Some semblance of democracy must after all be maintained.

Do you think that Taib doesn't know what he has done to Sarawak and what needs to be done to undo what he has done? He knows it better than anyone else. He knows that Sarawak needs reform and that there is no one in PBB capable of undertaking such reform, least of all himself. PBB, just like UMNO and the rest of the BN baggage train, is incapable of reform unless it is led by a real reformist-minded leader. There is none, not even pretenders.

Taib, more than anyone else in PBB, knows that it cannot be business as usual. If PBB tries to carry on with business as usual, even with Taib himself at the helm, that will be the end of PBB and Taib as well. As they say, the writing is on the wall.

Taib has deceived everyone, including members of his own party, that what he has been doing has been good and right for Sarawak, knowing that the opposite has been true. His dilemma now is how to undo all the damage without admitting his wrongs and wrongdoings. He knows that he will be remembered for the latter if he does not undertake the former or at the very least put someone in place to succeed him who can do it without succumbing to PBB's divisive, destructive and corrupt politics - largely caused by him.

Taib's successor may very well be rejected by the older echelon of PBB, who are in any event due for replacement, but with the younger generation with him he will have to ride the tiger and conquer it. Now is the time for Taib to be bold enough to put a successor in place who will do it for it is only by doing so that Taib will redeem himself. Will Taib be bold enough to admit and attempt to right his own wrongs? Does such a person exist in the whole of Sarawak?

If he does, you can be sure that Taib knows who that person is and what he (Taib) needs to do.

Anything else will lead to unmitigated disaster and an uncertain and bleak future for Sarawak and its people.

Bagaimana Taib Terselamat Pada Pilihanraya 1987...

dan mengapa Sarawak hari ini dalam cengkaman penguasaan gang perompak tauke-tauke balak...

Apabila "Peristiwa Ming Court" – satu pemberontakan terhadap Taib oleh ahli, sama ada wakil rakyat dan bukan wakil rakyat, dari kemnya sendiri yang diketuai oleh bapa saudaranya sendiri, Tun Rahman – telah terjadi pada Mac 1987, Taib pada waktu itu sudah menjadi Ketua Menteri selama 6 tahun.

Dalam 6 tahun tersebut, dia telah berjaya untuk menimbulkan kemarahan ahli-ahli tersebut dengan berat sebelah menyokong dan memberi kontrak serta konsesi kepada sekumpulan baru kroni kapitalis yang kebanyakannya adalah Cina Foochow, dari atau dekat dengan parti SUPP, dan terlibat secara khasnya dalam industri pembalakan dan pembinaan.

Yang ironiknya, bapa saudaranya sendiri yang telah memulakan tren ini, semasa menjadi Ketua Menteri pada tahun 1970 dia terpaksa bergantung kepada sokongan parti SUPP dan dengan demikian menghalang percubaan SNAP untuk berkuasa semula di negeri ini.

Bapa saudaranya telah berkuasa hampir 12 tahun tetapi dalam masa 6 tahun kroni-kroni Taib telah pun merapatkan jarak dengan hampir menyamai jumlah konsesi balak yang dipegang oleh kroni-kroni Rahman.

Walaupun Taib telah mendapatkan nikmat secara peribadi daripada pengaturan bersama dengan kumpulan kroni-kroninya, pada masa itu kemungkinan besar dia masih tidak bersetanding dengan kuasa-kewangan kroni-kroni bapa saudaranya. Dia juga mengetahui bahawa pilihanraya 1987 yang terpaksa diadakan kerana pemberontakan yang telah berlaku sangat mahal kosnya, dengan kumpulan bapa saudaranya membelanjakan sebanyak wang yang mungkin untuk menggulingkan dia, sementara dia (Taib) harus membelanjakan sejumlah wang yang sekurang-kurangnya hampir sama seperti perbelanjaan mereka demi mempertahankan dirinya dan kroni-kroninya.

Untuk separuhnya menyekatkan kuasa-kewangan pihak lawan dan juga untuk mendapat akses kepada sumber kewangan yang diperlukan untuk dirinya, dia telah mengarahkan semua dana kerajaan negeri dipindahkan daripada Bank Utama yang mana pada ketika itu dikuasai oleh salah seorang kroni bapa saudaranya Bidari, yang juga Bendahari PBB.

Ini dapat dia lakukan dengan bantuan baik iparnya, Aziz Hussain, yang pada ketika itu kebetulannya adalah Pembantu atau Timbalan Pegawai Kewangan Negeri. Sebenarnya Aziz Hussain lah yang membongkarkan rahsia tersebut, tanpa disedarinya kepada Sarawak Headhunter pada suatu ketika.

Taib telah membuat perjanjian dengan 5 ketua gang tauke balak – jika anda tidak tahu siapa mereka, lihat sahaja siapa 5 pemegang konsesi balak utama di Sarawak. Perjanjiannya adalah bahawa mereka akan membayar Taib RM30 juta setiap seorang jika dia memenangi pilihanraya itu. Sebagai balasan mereka bukan sahaja akan dapat mengekalkan konsesi balak yang sedia ada tetapi mereka juga akan diberi banyak konsesi lagi – dan Taib juga akan menerima banyak lagi, ia itu RM30 juta setiap orang yang bakal diterima Taib hanyalah suatu bayaran muka yang kecil.

Jadi Taib telah menggunakan RM150 juta wang kerajaan negeri untuk menampung kempen pilihanrayanya (dan BN). Wang mengalir umpama air daripada kedua-dua pihak, tetapi di sebelah Rahman kelihatan seolah-olah lebih banyak wang tidak dibelanjakan seperti sepatutnya, maka selepas pilihanraya, rumah Nor Tahir di Satok telah digeledah oleh pihak berkuasa persekutuan dan lebih RM90 juta wang tunai haram yang tidak sempat dibelanjakan telah dirampas.

Ya, rakyat Sarawak yang baik, itulah pendapatan haram dari sumber alam saudara-saudara, yang mereka telah gunakan bagi “merasuah” anda untuk menyokong mereka.

Apabila pilihanraya selesai dan kumpulan Taib telah memenanginya dengan kelebihan hanya 4 kerusi, RM150 juta tersebut telah dengan segera digantikan dan tiada sesiapa pun tahu atau sedari apa yang telah Taib lakukan untuk menyelamatkan diri dalam pilihanraya 1987.

Inilah cara bagaimana Taib terselamat dalam pilihanraya 1987 dan bagaimana sekurang-kurangnya 7 juta hektar konsesi balak telah jatuh ke dalam kawalan keluarga Taib, konco-konco dan kroni-kroni mereka (yang tidak kurang 5 juta hektar telah dikuasai 5 perompak tauke balak paling besar yang telah membayar balik Taib bagi memulangkan wang kerajaan negeri yang telah dia gunakan dalam pilihanraya tersebut).

Pilihanraya di Sarawak dan di banyak bahagian Malaysia tidak lebih dari hanya sekadar demokrasi olok-olok dan suatu penyelewengan demokrasi, sehinggalah sampai suatu ketika di mana rakyat sendiri memutuskan bahawa mereka tidak boleh dirasuah lagi dengan wang mereka sendiri untuk menyokong serta mengundi wakil rakyat yang kemudiannya akan menyalahgunakan amanah mereka.

Daripada: http://abunsuianyit.blogspot.com/

How Taib Survived The 1987 Elections...

and why Sarawak is today in the grip of the robber baron timber gang lords...

When the "Ming Court Affair" - a rebellion against Taib by members, both elected and non-elected, of his own coalition led by his own uncle, Tun Rahman - took place in March 1987, Taib had already been Chief Minister for 6 years.

In those 6 years, he had managed to antagonize these members by one-sidedly supporting and giving contracts and concessions to a new group of crony capitalists who were mostly Foochow Chinese, from or close to SUPP, and mainly involved in the timber and construction industries.

Ironically, it was his uncle who had started this trend, when to become Chief Minister in 1970 he had to depend on the support of SUPP and thereby thwart SNAP's attempt to come back to power in the state.

His uncle was in power for almost 12 years, but in 6 years Taib's group of cronies had almost closed the gap in terms of the timber concessions held by them as against those held by Rahman's cronies.

While Taib did benefit personally from arrangements with his group of cronies, by that time it is likely that he could not as yet match the money-power of his uncle's group of cronies. He also knew that the 1987 elections which he was forced to call because of the rebellion was going to be a very costly affair, with his uncle's group spending as much as they could to try and overthrow him, while he had to at least match their spending to defend himself and his cronies.

Partly to neutralize his opponents' money-power and also to gain access to the necessary funds for himself, he ordered the transfer of all state government funds out from Bank Utama which was then under the control of one of his uncle's cronies, Bidari, who was also PBB Treasurer.

This he was able to do with the kind assistance of his brother-in-law, Aziz Hussain, who then just happened to be the Assistant or Deputy State Financial Officer. In fact it was Aziz Hussain who inadvertently spilled the beans, unaware that he was talking to the Sarawak Headhunter at the time.

Taib then made a deal with 5 robber baron timber gang lords - if you don't know who they are, just look for the top 5 timber concession holders in Sarawak. The deal was that they would each pay him RM30 million if he won the elections. In return they would not only get to keep the concessions they already had but they would also be given many more - and Taib would also make much more, the RM30 million each just a small down-payment.

So Taib used RM150 million of state government money to fund his (and the BN's) election campaign. Money flowed like water on both sides, but it would appear that on Rahman's side much of the money did not get where it was supposed to go, so much so that after the elections, Nor Tahir's house in Satok was raided by the federal authorities who found and confiscated more than RM90 million in unaccounted for cash that had not been spent.

Yes, good folks of Sarawak, that's the illegally-earned money from your own natural resources, particularly timber, that they were using to bribe you to support them.

When the elections were over and Taib's group had won by a mere 4 seats, the RM150 million was immediately replaced and no one was any the wiser what Taib had done to survive the 1987 elections.

This is how Taib survived the 1987 elections and how at least 7 million hectares of timber concessions came to be controlled by Taib's family, henchmen and cronies (of which no less than 5 million hectares came under the dominion of the top 5 robber baron timber lords who had reimbursed Taib the state government money that he had used for the elections).

Elections in Sarawak and many other parts of Malaysia are nothing more than a mockery and subversion of democracy, until the people decide that they cannot be bribed with their own money to support and vote for their elected representatives to abuse their trust.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

HAPPY & PROSPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR TO ALL SARAWAK HEADHUNTER'S CHINESE FRIENDS AND FOES ALIKE

Another UMNO Racist Idiot Caught Lying With His Pants Down

See the report at Malaysia Today: "UMNO official denies making racist remarks in London"

This letter to Malaysiakini started it: "Racist UMNO Youth propaganda in London"

What is obvious is that UMNO will never learn to accept the non-Malays in Malaysia. Sarawak, with its majority non-Malay population, should GET OUT OF MALAYSIA, the sooner the better. Furthermore, the Sarawak Malays (other than those who are BN cronies) are not like the Malayan Malays.

Perakians Lead The Way!

Was UMNO Behind It?

Seasons Greetings From Sarawak Headhunter

SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL SARAWAK HEADHUNTER'S FRIENDS AND FOES ALIKE

Taib Mahmud Al-Mahalanun, Evil "Rajah" Of Sarawak

Sunday, December 20

Sarawak has a new Rajah

KUCHING – Chairman of Sarawak PKR Baru Bian has claimed that Sarawak is now under a new “Rajah” who has controlled the State for the last 27 years where he gets almost everything from forests, land, government contracts, and prime city land like Batu Lintang area in Kuching city down to the collection of rubbish.

“We are under a new colonialism, far worst than before we joined Malaysia,” he said in a key note address at a one-day PKR convention on Sunday 13 December 2009.

“Because of this new colonialism, we, the sons of the Land of the Hornbills, must work together and dispose this dynasty.

Pointing out that Sarawak has come to a political cross-road, Baru said: “A new hope is dawning in Sarawak.

“Parti Keadilan Rakyat which is under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim is here and it will help us get rid of this new colonialism.

‘Notwithstanding the bleak situation that we Sarawakians are in today, I see hope, new hope rising in the horizon. This hope must be polished and nurtured by all the people of Sarawak.

“It is the hope promised by Pakatan Rakyat, aggressively promoted by PKR, a paradigm shift from inward and selfish attitude of championing a particular race and religion to a focus on the common people cutting racial and religious prejudices to birth a new Malaysia and a Malaysian race where none will be left behind where all shall be treated equal citizen of this beloved country,” Baru said.

He said that he had read the Cobbold Commission Report, which disclosed the findings of the commission on our people before the formation of Malaysia. And one part of that report stated that many of the people were wary and anxious about joining the Federation because they feared that the wealth of this State would be siphoned to Kuala Lumpur and we the people of Sarawak be left high and dry.

“Today this is a reality. But the sad fact is this, that not only are we left high and dry by Kuala Lumpur, even our own leaders here in Sarawak have robbed us of the share of our wealth, robbed us of our land, robbed us of our opportunities in business by getting most of the big Government contracts for themselves and their family members,” Baru said.

He said that many people from Sabah and Sarawak saw their status today as no more than “anak angkat” (adopted children) of the federation because of the treatment given to them as compared with other States in the Peninsula.

“At other time we the people of Sabah and Sarawak feel that we are being colonialised,” he said. Forty-six years down the road of independence, he said the people are proud to say that Malaysia is a developing country, a democratic government, a civilized and opened society governed by the rule of law.

“Yet, today in the same breath we use draconian laws like ISA and the like to oppress our citizens, pervert justice and suppress the truth.

“Enforcement Agencies like MACC, the Police and the AG Chambers have lost all credibility because of their apparent unprofessionalism and selective prosecution focused only on the opposition, the weak and the defenseless while the politically linked, rich, powerful and mighty are free to instill fear upon the ordinary people like you and me.

“You are not permitted to speak your mind, to offer your opinion and to reveal the reality of things. So the truth is often times intentionally concealed, hidden and even manipulated by the power that be, to preserve the status quo or prolong the agendas of the corrupt and the unjust,” Baru said.

He explained that one of the reasons why Sarawak and Sabah agreed to the formation of Malaysia was that our people of the eastern States could merge and flow together in the main stream of national development promised by the Federal Government then, with the sincere hope that they and the generations after them could better their lots in every sense of that phrase ‘national development’.

Our forefathers, he said, were promised that they would be elevated to a better life, improved standard of living, better educational opportunities and share equally the riches and wealth of our Nation.

“Today, after 46 years Sarawak joined Malaysia, the dreams of our forefathers to be on equal footing with Malaya, as it were, is far from being a reality.

“The Government builds one of the tallest buildings in the world, yet we are unable to provide homes and basic amenities for the poor and needy among us in particular the rural Dayaks of Sarawak. Studies show that many people in Sarawak in particular the Bumiputras are among the poorest in Malaysia.

“The Government boasts in sending a medical doctor and astronaut flying into space, yet they fail to continue and maintain the Flying Doctors Services to the rural places of Sarawak which has been a source of great relief to many of the frail and the sick deprived of proper medical assistance all their lives, due to greed and business rivalries at the expense of our poor and needy.

“The Government boasts in our national car-making achievements and records, yet many of our rural areas in Sarawak are still inaccessible by proper roads. Don’t talk about manufacturing national cars when the rural poor have yet to see any road to their villages.

“Vast areas of Sarawak after 46 years within Malaysia are still accessible only by the most expensive means of transport, air, the most dangerous, logging roads, the most arduous, rivers and the longest and time consuming, on foot.

“Our priorities are misguided, our focus distorted and our vision blurred; misguided because of insincerity, distorted because of corruption and blurred by material greed.

“We pride in the spirit of Malaysia Boleh, yet often time that spirit is motivated and inspired by racial and religious sentiments not towards a true spirit of 1Malaysia, but leading us down the path of national disintegration, polarization and suspicion. And those who advocate these despicable things are protected and sheltered by the present BN Government,” he said.

Baru went on to say: “The Government boasts in the fact that we are on the road to a developed nation status stirred by a perfect Vision 2020, yet we are blind to the vast majority of us in Sarawak who have lost their only earthly possession, their very source of life, the land, the forests and the environment to rich logging companies, plantation owners and investors, and where poverty rates equal of that many African Nations.

“Where basic amenities are rare commodities and that the very existence of a community is threatened in the name of development,” he lamented. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

What Do Sarawakians Want?

This posting is a reaction by Sarawak Headhunter to comments made by ampraxius on Malaysia Today's article "Finally, light at the end of the tunnel" by Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

Ampraxius said:

"While it is indeed a good step towards gaining a foot forward in the next GE, I think we need to reconsider the reality of 'points of agreement' between the Borneo states and the federation. We need to ensure that every citizen is represented equally and all casted votes are of the same value. The lower house must be reflective of the population and the upper house must be distributed equally among the states".

You do this and immediately Sarawak's representation will be reduced to 10%. As it is Sarawak is already under the yoke of the Federal BN and its evil State collaborators and exploiters. Do you think that Sarawakians will put up with this even under Pakatan Rakyat? Better for Sarawak to demand independence!

"Additionally I think Malaysians are fed up with the immigration laws between the Borneo states and the peninsular states. This is not about cultural baggage or supremacy, but of practicality. It doesn't make sense when Malaysians are only allowed to be in Sabah and Sarawak for 90 days only while the UK gives them 6 months! Same goes with the work force movement, why do i need a work permit in my own country?"

When you say "Malaysians" I presume you mean "Malayans", since Sarawakian Malaysians are quite happy with it, even if in practice this is only purely psychological, given the reality of abuse of Federal power over the state and its resources in spite of this restriction. While Sarawakians may be "Malaysians", I doubt if many feel that Malaya is their own country for the same reasons. Therefore, don't be so presumptuous to assume that Sarawak is your own country.

PR or rather PKR will ignore this at its own peril. Sarawakians are fed up of submitting to Malayans with colonial mentalities, be they from BN or PR. I have yet to see any Malayan politician give Sarawakians the respect they deserve. Most of the time they are patronising and that includes both BN and PR politicians who don't even bother to try to understand where Sarawakians are coming from.

What Sarawakians want is just a little bit of understanding.

Don't expect Sarawakians to be happy either with BN or PR although we may support PR just for a change.

Putting Jeffery Kitingan in charge of Sarawak (and Sabah) just doesn't send the right message to Sarawakians. It just shows Sarawakians that even PR or Anwar cannot be depended upon to do the right thing.

And what is the right thing?

Autonomy. Yes, that too comes with a little bit of understanding.

After all, that is practically what the Federal BN has given Taib, or doesn't Anwar or PKR trust their Sarawakian counterparts? Unfortunately they may also have a point! If they don't trust or even understand their own counterparts, perhaps its time to cast a wider net to attract better Sarawakians who can be trusted.

But this can only be done if Anwar and PKR spell out what exactly they are willing to concede to Sarawak and Sarawakians, which they haven't done so far, even with state elections just around the corner.

Rotation of the Prime Ministership between Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak would do for a start or do the Malayans think that there are no Sarawakians of sufficient calibre?

Perhaps then Sarawakians may consider doing away with the immigration restrictions and we may all be one nation at last.

Otherwise let Sarawak have its independence, from Malaya and from Taib and his family, cronies and henchmen.

Let Sarawak be a nation of its own.

Or the light at the end of the tunnel might just be that of an oncoming train.

Al Tugauw
Sarawak Headhunter


Here's another reaction from Abdul Hakim Bujang at Sarawak Update (with minor editing by Sarawak Headhunter):

Raja Petra forgot Jeffery Kitingan's RM3billion scandal

posted on December 14th, 2009 @ 10 : 57 pm by Moderator

By Abdul Hakim Bujang

I have sent out an SMS to a PKR leader trying to get his honest response over Dr Jeffery Kitingan's appointment as Chief of Sabah and Sarawak. It has been hours, but no reply.

I am sure he will pretend not to have received it.

I sent it out to him because he was the most open-minded of them all.

I will not waste my money by sending SMS's to others, I am definitely going to get typical Anwar Ibrahim worship replies.

My first question is very simple, how much does Jeffery Kitingan know about Sarawak, or care about Sarawakians or has fought in the name of Sarawak before to warrant him to be the leader of PKR Sarawak?

To me, he is just a desperate political frog that nobody else wanted except Anwar Ibrahim, period.

Then PKR Sarawak Chairman, Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Senusi, once requested me to draft a letter protesting Jeffery Kitingan's admission into PKR.

Do not tell me that Wan Zainal is a very happy man now that Jeffery has been made big boss of PKR Sarawak.

Where was he when PKR founding members fought with blood, sweat and tears in the early formative years? Flying kites with Dominique Ng or main pondok-pondok with Lina Soo? Please tell me.

I am also very confused that Raja Petra, my former boss, now suddenly writes such a positive analysis on Jeffery's appointment that he must have forgotten that he blogged extensively about Jeffery and Pairin's good old days' Yayasan Sabah folly.

Are we saying that by virtue of joing PKR, all the former BN leaders' sins would be deemed cleansed? Will that make the likes of Jimmy Donald and Jawah Gerang holy? And Gabriel Adit a bloody traitor after he quit PKR for refusing to finance his political struggle?

Let's hear from the likes of Daniel Tajem, Baru Bian, See Chee How, Wan Zainal, Hafsah Harun or Baharuddin Mokhsen. I am eagerly waiting. On a personal note, this is just another excuse for Anwar to his Western financiers…

“Ooh, we make a mistake. We forgot that Sarawakians do not like to be under a Sabahan. That’s why we lost this election...”

I presume some guy whoever that may be, is easily pocketing a handsome amount of campaign money because Raja Petra did complain before that the money never trickled down and that PKR leaders were staying in lavish hotels while campaigning in Sarawak.

BTW, these beautiful blogs by Raja Petra no longer exist except in “captured files”:

"If we can remember, Yayasan Sabah was the centre of a RM3 billion – that’s right THREE BILLION RINGGIT – scandal during the time of another two infamous brothers, Pairin and Jeffery Kitingan.

Why are crimes in Sabah always perpetuated by two brothers?

Anyway, the then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that RM3 billion had been siphoned out of Yayasan Sabah that was headed by Jeffrey at the time Pairin was the Chief Minister and he ordered Price Waterhouse to conduct an audit. Jeffrey was subsequently removed and Musa Aman took over as the new head of Yayasan Sabah.

The audit report was never made public and till today no one knows what happened to the RM3 billion. Yayasan Sabah, which used to be the richest organisation in Malaysia, is now in dire straits. Shouldn’t someone be brought to book for this crime? Why is there a cover-up? After all, RM3 billion is not a paltry sum!"

Malaysian Oil & Gas Production Since 1974

From PETRONAS's website here:

James Masing's Head Added To Sarawak Headhunter's List Of Heads To Roll

For his recent remarks on BBC's Radio 4, the Sarawak Headhunter has concluded that James Masing is beyond redemption and has therefore added his head to the list of heads that must roll in Sarawak.

James must be more confused than the Penans if he thinks that the Penans do not know the difference between consensual sex and rape. Does he seriously expect the whole world to believe that being dragged, beaten unconscious and raped is part of the Penan social etiquette of consensual sex? What an idiot!

This man, who purports to have a doctorate in anthropology, is not only a traitor to his own race but to the human race as well and a complete disgrace.

It is actually Masing who's telling stories, clearly on behalf of his master Taib Mahmud and his logging and oil palm land grabbing cronies.

"State land" is it? What gives Taib's regime the right to parcel out millions of hectares of forest for timber logging concessions to a handful of family members and their cronies, when hundreds of thousands of natives depend upon the very same land for their daily survival and livelihood?

And yet these natives are told that they are trespassers on the very land which they and their forebears have worked on and depended upon and that they have to get out when outsiders come to bulldoze whole forests down.

Where are they to go? They do not have massive bank accounts overseas (if at all any bank account) where they can escape to like Taib, his ministers, his family and their cronies and henchmen.

Enough is enough!

See the Malaysiakini report "S'wak minister draws flak over Penan rape".

Senyum Kambing: Apa Itu Program BTN?

Continuing Extermination Of The Penan By Taib's Evil Regime

See Malaysiakini video "Trading Penan for palm oil".

Taib's "Till Death Do Us Part" Cabinet

It is quite obvious now that Taib wants to die in office. His "new" cabinet line up sees no "new" ministers being appointed and a few "new" assistant ministers, all yes-men and sycophants, like any good cabinet should be of course. They are only there for Taib and themselves, not the rakyat.

There is still no clear successor in sight, as Taib wants it to be.

Only the rakyat of Sarawak can now decide whether he stays to die in office or is booted out unceremoniously at the next state elections. If the people cannot make the right choice, maybe God will decide for them.

Whatever it is, Taib's days are numbered and he may not even live to see his 75th birthday anniversary, which is also the limit of his present term.

The only question is whether he goes quietly or is dragged screaming to his grave trying to bring all his ill-gotten wealth (actually Sarawakians' wealth) with him.

See The Broken Shield report "Taib's New Cabinet line-up" and also The Borneo Post report Six new faces; three dropped by Zora Chan "Revamp to prepare Sarawak for new development policies and approaches: CM".

In actual fact the revamp is to prepare Sarawak for new exploitation policies and approaches. Taib is asking for more Federal funds for this very purpose. See The Borneo Post report "Taib wants more federal money for development".

What this means is that Taib wants more Federal money for exploitation by himself, his family, henchmen and cronies. Do you think he wants it for the people?

"He said Sarawak was still very much behind compared to other states in terms of infrastructure development due to its size and geographical conditions".

Not to mention the fact that most of Sarawak's resources have either been siphoned off to benefit the Malayans or Taib, his family, henchmen and cronies.

“There’s no major cabinet reshuffle until after the next state election,” he told a media conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here.

Of course if he wins or unless he dies before that. What will the rakyat of Sarawak be praying for?

MPOC Advert Banned By UK For Being Misleading

Blow to Malaysian palm oil industry as UK bans advert

from Survival International

2 November

Oil palms planted on recently-deforested land, Sarawak © M Ross/ Survival

– Penan tribe in Borneo welcomes ban

An advert for Malaysian palm oil has been banned in the UK, dealing a major blow to the credibility of Malaysia’s palm oil industry. Members of the hunter-gatherer Penan tribe in Borneo have welcomed the ban, saying, ‘Oil palm plantations have not benefited us at all; they have only robbed us of our resources and land.’

The Penan live in Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of Borneo, and are fighting to stop the forests they rely on being cut down to make way for oil palm plantations. Survival International is calling on the Malaysian government to halt plantations and logging on their land without their consent.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency banned the magazine advert, placed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. The advert claimed that Malaysian palm oil was ‘sustainable’ and contributed to ‘the alleviation of poverty, especially amongst rural populations.’

The advertising regulator ruled that these and other claims made in the advert were misleading and could not be substantiated.

Members of the Penan tribe who have already lost much of their land to oil palm plantations said today:

‘Our people welcome the ban on the magazine advert by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. How come the advert claimed that palm oil helps alleviate poverty, when from the very beginning oil palm plantations have destroyed our source of livelihood and made us much poorer? A lot of people are hungry every day because our forest has been destroyed.’

Oil palm plantations and logging are destroying the forests the Penan hunt and gather in, and polluting the rivers they fish in. Without their forests they have difficulty finding enough food.

Survival’s director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Claims that Malaysian palm oil is green and people-friendly will not wash, especially with the Penan. The industry’s expansion onto their land is a disaster.’

Palm oil is used in many everyday grocery products, and is increasingly being used for biofuel.

Download the banned advert

Act now to help the Penan

• Write a letter to the government of Sarawak in Malaysia urging action on the Penan’s situation.
• Donate to Survival’s campaign for the Penan and other campaigns.
• Write a letter to your MP or MEP (UK).
• Write to the President, your senators, congressmen or other elected officials (US).
• Write to your local Malaysian high commission or embassy, find out the address here.

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Senyum Kambing - Elak Rahsia Pertahanan Bocor

Do The Malayans Get To Decide Who's A Sarawakian Bumiputra?

Marina, you’re no bumi

Friday, 30 October 2009 02:02

KUCHING - For 17 years, Marina Undau lived a life of a child growing into a young adult.

School, her family and friends were a central part of her existence. She dreamt of doing her parents proud by furthering her education in a university and eventually getting a good job.

SPM came and went, and the 18-year-old science stream student of SMK Simanggang did well, scoring 9As and 1B last year.

But then she had a rude shock.

Not eligible

The education system said she was not eligible to enroll in a matriculation course, a prelude to varsity and a degree. The reason? She was, it seemed, not a bumiputra.

Born to an Iban father and a Chinese mother, Marina’s hope for a smooth climb up academia was dashed. With it went a part of her identity and the drive that made her a top scorer.

In an interview with The Borneo Post at her house in Sri Aman on Wednesday, Marina expressed her feelings in Iban: “Aku amai enda puas ati nadai olih nyambung sekula ngagai universiti (I’m very sad that I can’t pursue my university education).”

Meantime, she has started Form Six in her old school as a workaround solution for now.

Upset and bewildered

Seated between her parents, Undau Liap and Wong Pick Sing, the disappointment in the teenager was plain to see.

Her elder sister never had a problem getting into a university. Her identity was never questioned and she is at present in her second year at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang.

Marina is worried that a similar obstacle awaits once she completes her STPM.

“If I get good results, what’s next?”

Marina’s father, Undau, would not take no for an answer.

When her application to enter matriculation was rejected, Undau, a civil servant, contacted the Education Ministry’s Matriculation Department in Putrajaya on June 23 and was told that her daughter was not a bumiputra.

Pressing on

Dissatisfied, the father wrote to the ministry on July 1. The reply he received shocked him, and it is bound to challenge the identity of many Sarawakians who are of mixed-parentage.

The ministry said in a reply on July 14 that Undau’s appeal was turned down because “the candidate is categorised as non-bumiputra (father is Iban and mother is Chinese)” based on a definition used by the Student Intake Management Division, Higher Learning Department and Higher Education Ministry.

Their definition is as follows:

• If either parent of a candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/Orang Asli as defined in Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.

• Sabah – If the father of the candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/native of Sabah as defined by Article 161A(6)(a) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.

• Sarawak – If the father and mother is a native of Sarawak as defined under Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.

Despite the explanation, Undau is still dissatisfied and urged the government to clear up education issues that differentiate bumiputras from non-bumiputras.

He said the 1Malaysia concept would be rather hollow if education today continues to be polarised along such lines.

“Why all the differences in the intake of students for higher learning? I am not questioning the Constitution, but what is the meaning of 1Malaysia if things like this happen?”

NRD and Native Court weigh in

The National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters here said it has received a flurry of enquiries about the bumiputra status of late.

An NRD spokesman said that in Sarawak, a person’s race is registered based only on the race of the father.

On whether such a person is automatically accorded bumiputra rights, the spokesman said: “We don’t actually handle that. We look at the race of the father. If the father is Iban, the child is Iban. If the father is Chinese, the child is Chinese. The bumiputra status comes under the Native Court.”

Native Court registrar Ronnie Edward said the bumiputra status was a “birthright” and the Native Court only hear cases where a person who was to be declared a bumiputra although his father was not a native.

He said Marina was not alone in facing this problem.

Edward believes the only way to clear the air is to amend the Federal Constitution.

“Article 161(A) of the Constitution has to be amended. The article says that in Sarawak, both parents have to be ‘exclusively’ a native,” he said.


Being ‘mixed’ is no privilege

Iban-Chinese schoolgirl in limbo over Bumi status; ministry ascertains her as non-native, throws out application to do matriculation

KUCHING: Getting her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) result was the best — and the worst — thing that could happen to Marina Undau.The 18-year-old science stream student of SMK Simanggang scored 9As and 1B in the SPM examination last year.

She thought she was on her way to university, especially being a Bumiputera and all, but that was not to be.

Born to an Iban father and a Chinese mother, Marina’s life was turned upside down when her application to undergo a university matriculation programme was rejected by the Ministry of Education. The ministry determined that she is not a ‘Bumiputera’.

Her dreams were crushed and in the process, she lost a part of her identity and the drive that made her a top scorer.

The Borneo Post met Marina at her house in Sri Aman yesterday.

Seated between her parents, Undau Liap and Wong Pick Sing, the disappointment in the teenager was obvious.

Speaking in Iban, she said: “Aku amai enda puas ati nadai olih nyambung sekula ngagai universiti (I’m very sad that I can’t pursue my university education).”

With no chance of entering a university for now, Marina has started Form 6 in her old school.

Asked what she thought of everything that was happening, she replied: “What worries me is that will this happen again when I pass my STPM next year? If I get good results, what’s next?” What confuses Marina even more is how her elder sister could further her studies in Universiti Sains Malaysia in Pulau Pinang, where she is now in her second year, without ever having her identity questioned.

When Marina’s application was rejected, Undau contacted the Education Ministry’s Matriculation Department in Putrajaya on June 23 and was told that her daughter was not a ‘Bumiputera’.

Dissatisfied, the father, a government servant, wrote to the ministry on July 1 and the reply he got shocked him, and it is bound to challenge the identity of many Sarawakians who are born of mixed-parentage.

The ministry said in a reply on July 14 that Unau’s appeal was turned down because “the candidate is categorised as non-Bumiputera (father is Iban and mother is Chinese)” based on a definition used by the Student Intake Management Division, Higher Learning Department and Higher Education Ministry.

Their definition is as follows:

• Semenanjung – “Jika salah seorang ibu atau bapa calon adalah seorang Melayu yang beragama Islam/Orang Asli seperti mana yang ditakrifkan dalam Perkara 160(2) Perlembagaan Persekutuan; maka anaknya adalah dianggap seorang Bumiputera.” (If either parent of a candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/Orang Asli as defined in Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a Bumiputera.)

• Sabah – “Jika bapa calon adalah seorang Melayu yang beragama Islam/Peribumi Sabah seperti yang ditakrifkan dalam Perkara 161A(6)(a) Perlembagaan Persekutuan; maka anaknya adalah dianggap seorang Bumiputera.” (If the father of the candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/native of Sabah as defined by Article 161A(6)(a) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a Bumiputera.)

• Sarawak – “Jika bapa dan ibu adalah seorang Peribumi Sarawak seperti mana yang ditakrifkan dalam Perkara 161A(6)(b) Perlembagaan persekutuan; maka anaknya adalah dianggap seorang Bumiputera.” (If the father and mother is a native of Sarawak as defined under Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a Bumiputera).

Undau could not accept the explanation given by the ministry and he hoped that the government would seriously look into education issues that involve Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera status.

“Is this what we call the 1Malaysia concept? Why all the differences in the intake of students for higher learning. I am not questioning the constitution, but what is the meaning of 1Malaysia if things like this happen?” Unau asked.

A check with the National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters here revealed that there have been numerous enquiries about the Bumiputera status of late.

A staff said she was somewhat surprised because no one had asked until recently.

A spokesperson for the NRD here said that in Sarawak, if a person is born to an Iban and his mother is Chinese, he is registered as an Iban according to the race of his father.

Asked if such a person is automatically accorded Bumiputera rights, the spokesperson said: “We don’t actually handle that. We look at the race of the father. If the father is Iban, the child is Iban. If the father is Chinese, the child is Chinese. The Bumiputera status comes under the Native Court.”

Native Court Registrar Ronnie Edward, when contacted, said the Bumiputera status was a ‘birthright’ and the Native Court only hear cases where a person who was to be declared a Bumiputera although his father was not a native.

He said there had been others who had suffered the same fate as Marina and it all boiled down to the Federal Constitution.

“I think to solve this problem. Article 161(A) of the Federal Constitution has to be amended. The article says that in Sarawak, both parents have to be ‘exclusively’ a native,” Ronnie said.

Marina, you’re not alone

By Nigel Edgar

Parents like Marina’s now worry for children’s future; STU calls for immediate solution

KUCHING: Marina Undau is not alone. Apparently, there are many students in Sarawak suffering the same fate as her.Yesterday, several parents contacted The Borneo Post to thank Marina for speaking up for them and of the heartache they now endure after learning that their children are not Bumiputera.

One of them is a teacher here, who wants to be known only as James. Like Marina, James’s daughter, Lymie, was also rejected after applying for matriculation this year.

James is an Iban-Bidayuh from Serian while his wife is a Chinese-Iban from Kuching.

“My daughter from SMK Kuching Town No. 1 also scored 9As and 1B in her SPM but she was rejected when she applied for matriculation. I asked her to appeal to the Education Ministry online. The appeal failed,” he said.

“I contacted the matriculation section of the Education Ministry after that and their explanation was that my daughter is not a Bumiputera. I was puzzled because as far as I know, if the father is Bumiputera, the children are also Bumiputera,” he said.

He said he had recently written another appeal letter to the Education Department with the help of two elected representatives whom he declined to name.

“A few months ago I also went to an education fair. I stopped by a matriculation programme booth opened by the Education Ministry to ask one of the people there on the criteria of enrolling into the programme.

“I explained to them my daughter’s status but they said she is considered a non-Bumiputera and is not qualified to enrol. I asked them why and they replied it is according to Sarawak law. They even explained to me other local higher learning institutions like UiTM also implement this criterion,” said James.

“My daughter is now in Form Six in SMK Kuching Town No. 2. My concern is what would be in store for her after Form Six?”

He urged the state ministers to look into the matter because there could be more parents and students facing the same problem.

“My brother-in-law also faced a similar problem with his daughter who tried to enrol at UiTM. He, a Bidayuh, is married to my wife’s sister who is a Chinese-Iban,” James said.

Another father who wants to be known only as Lambros, a Bidayuh-Iban with a Chinese-Iban wife, said his daughter also had excellent SPM results but failed to enrol at UiTM for the same reason.

“I have to put my daughter into a private college for now. I am concerned over my four other kids who are still schooling. What does the future hold for them?” he said.

Some more parents called in to express their concern as well as support for Marina and all those children in a similar predicament.

They said many Sarawakian native children who are excellent in their studies have been bogged down by this issue which is preventing them from utilising their full potential.

When Marina’s application was rejected, her father Undau Liap had contacted the Education Ministry’s matriculation department in Putrajaya on June 23 and was told that his daughter is not a ‘Bumiputera’.

Sarawak Headhunter's comments:

Looks like it's easier to be a Malay in Malaysia than a Sarawakian Bumiputra, if we leave it to the Malayans. Even if one's father was Indian and mother half Malay and half Indian, one could still be a "Malay". What nonsense is that?

Irrespective of what the Federal Constitution says (who cares anyway?), what business do the Malayans have of deciding who is a Sarawakian Bumiputra and who is not? That is for Sarawakians to decide.

Just give those idiots a declaration or certificate from the Sarawak Native Court or the NRD. If neither of these wants to give the requisite declaration or certificate, time to declare 1Malaysia DEAD and Sarawak INDEPENDENT!

The Sarawak government under the evil Taib's regime also has some dirty tricks of its own. See Jetty's comments from "Is Iban a Bumiputra or not?":

If the Higher Ministry of Education really applies the ruling as it does to Marina, then many of those having native fathers with Chinese as their mothers in Sarawak will suffer. For Marina, her status as a Bumiputra is being questioned and it is made worse by the amendment to the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance in 2004 when the State Government banned the use of the word “Dayak” in official communication. Thus “Sea Dayak” has been changed to “Iban”, “Land Dayak” has become “Bidayuh” and “Murut” to “Lun Bawang”.

The words “Iban, Bidayuhs and Lun Bawang” are not listed in Article 161a (7) and thus they are considered as non-natives under the Federal Constitution. The legal effects of these are many and Marina when she puts her race as Iban, she is not considered as native or Bumiputra, and should not be accorded any privileges given to natives.

Even now, there are efforts to say that Ibans do not have any native customary rights over land as they are not natives according to the law due to the amendment to the Interpretation Ordinance. When the bill was passed, our Dayak elected representatives including Alfred Jabu, William Mawan, Michael Manyin and James Masing were too eager in supporting the amendment in 2004. They did not realise the legal implications.

From now on, it is advisable for Iban when filling a form asking for race, to write down “Iban (Sea Dayak)” to ensure that they are not going to be disqualified. I believe Marina could have been a victim of the doing of our elected representatives.

Since the story has been highlighted by The Borneo Post, our leaders like Jabu, Masing and Mawan should do something to help her and many others by urging the authorities to relax the conditions of entry to matriculation, etc. These students really need their help since they (ministers and our elected representatives) are walking along the corridors of power and rub shoulders with the powers that be. If they can do this, then they really help Prime Minister Najib Razak in his campaign of 1Malaysia. Otherwise the 1Malaysia is a mere lip service.

These are the issues that our Ministers – Jabu, Mawan, Masing and Manyin – should be very vocal and firm in fighting for the rights, the future and livelihood of the Dayaks rather than shouting at the top their voices on petty issues such as “cawat” “sirat” (loin clothes) or Miss Dayak Borneo pageant contest.

Don’t you think so? – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

They Might As Well Declare Perak A Police State

Sarawak: Government Servants Of The People Or People Servants Of The Government?

From Sarawak Talk:

A day in the life of an investor in Kuching

Posted by ENDING, SAYING GOODBYE SARAWAK, MALAYSIA FOREVER on October 27, 2009 at 15:03:54:

Temporarily working for a would be large foreign investor in Sarawak.

Work for the same company in Indonesia.

The company had a pilot team to feel the investment atmosphere here. They been here 2 months and my job is to show them the truth about local conditions. They have signed a MOU with the government but finality only after 6 months.

First thing is the visit to TM office for telephone lines and internet lines. The foreigner was aghast at the chaos at the waiting area. He was even more astonished when I told him that TM do not care how big or busy a boss you are, you must come here and sign the contract yourself, and also wait in line for 1 to 2 hours. He had a good laugh.

Next we went to the Immigration Department to extend his visa. At the entrance we were told our car must be parked at a public carpark far away and the near car park is for staff. He said, in our place staff park at the far car park and all customers park at the near car park otherwise the boss there will get sacked. Continuing he said, "public serve the boss or the boss serve the public?" he laughed.

Then we entered the building, he could not find where he needed to go to because all (the signs) were in Bahasa. (Melayu). So I pointed to the place where he needed to go. Again he laughed saying, "your Immigration expects us foreigners to study Bahasa (Melayu) in your country? Visas are for foreigners and yet no English or Chinese language signs!"

We went into the Immigration room, 20 people, all foreigners are waiting, so we asked the receptionist. She said we had to wait. So my foreign friend asked her, "for how long?". She screamed at him, "WAIT LAH!" and walked away. My foreign friend saw 4 to 5 people laughing and chatting in another room. He went in to ask and was rudely told to get out and wait outside. 15 minutes later that woman came out and looked at the pile of forms.

My friend said he also needed a form to fill maybe. She gave him one. It was all in Bahasa (Melayu), so he asked her to help him to fill. She scolded him and asked him to look for a runner to help him. Immediately someone approached him to help for a fee.

Promptly he refused and asked to leave.

He was not angry, just amused. Then he asked me to bring him to MIDA at Bank Negara. There the people know him and try to carry his balls knowing him to be a big guy from a big company. The MIDA boss personally came out to ask him to go into his office and try to sell him Sarawak, Malaysia. He laughed and laughed and did not answer much.

Then we went back to the hotel, had a bath and he said he wanted to buy me the best dinner in Kuching. We went to the Hilton bistro.

Finally, after dinner he told me, "I thank you a lot for telling me to go down to the ground and see for myself the atmosphere of the situation in Sarawak. On one hand your government begged us to come in, on the other hand your other ministries do not care about the investing people or rather any people. The people serve the government in this country and all its servants and not the government and its servants serving the people. So investors like us come in, then we become like Sarawakians serving the government and its servants. In the end it is the people and the investors paying for the government and its servants. So if we come in, we are paying billions to be slaves of your government and its servants. Yes, the businessmen Sarawakians are very helpful and diligent and hoping that we will invest here so that they have some business and jobs to do. But the government and its servants not only want to get paid by the people but also want to be their Boss, God and their Lord. So tell me a good reason why I want to bring my money and my people to come here and be slaves?"

He laughed and laughed and laughed.

Adding he said, "why invite foreigners to your country when you make sure they do not understand anything, from forms and making them to walk so far to see the authority while your office boy can park his car in front of the authority's office? If you cannot serve your own public with ease and convenience to them, it means your servants do not know their priority, it means the civil servants top to bottom do not understand their jobs and priority, so tell me what am I doing here?"

With this he ended his company's mission to invest in Sarawak and paid me 25k for the simple reason of opening his eyes, ears and feeling to the reality in Sarawak (and) Malaysia for investment.

So, why does anybody in Sarawak believe that the government can turn Sarawak into a higher income state from the poverty we are in? It is not my duty to con anybody for my state and country. I show the foreigners the truth. The government must change, address the bullshit in the civil service and the negative image that civil servants are king and the people paying their salaries are slaves.

Sarawak just lost a big investor.....ending they have their laugh!

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