Balloons Bursting in Sarawak BN

The Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) which is a BN partner is today slapped in the face by a BN veteran YB Sagah. Sarawakians know that SPDP is already trying to survive an internal squabble and such a statement in the press from a BN member of the house will not make its flamboyant President Mawan happy at all. Will he confront the man head-on or like the cool person he seems to be, shrugged it off lightly. Roland Sagah, a member of the state house has of late been disturbed by the bad mouth of some “SPDP linked groups” in his constituency.

The interesting thing is the Balloons are now bursting in Sarawak's BN. It looks like some BN stalwarts are now opening up and opening up quick with perhaps the PRS President as the man to watch. Indirectly they are sending a message to the old man Taib that his time is up to play any more magic. The PRS President Masing and his lieutenants are adamant that the state seat of Pelagus belongs to the Ibans and PRS and not to the Taib favored Larry Sng. They have echoed over and over again that PRS will not budge over its rightful claim on Pelagus.

Ironically, the PM‘s call for direct BN membership has also received a lukewarm welcome from the BN YBs in Sarawak. There wasn’t much support for it in the press and that calls for concern. On the other hand, we can assume that the man happiest to hear the “direct entry” stuff is Larry. It means that his ride to be re appointed the candidate in Pelagus will not be that bumpy.

Chicken Pok Poke Pork Teacher in Kuching

At a time when Najib is recovering from Chicken Pok, this school teacher, an assistant head at St. Thomas in Kuching poked the PM’s 1Malaysia image in Sarawak over the issue of eating Pork by a non Muslim. This bloke canned a 10 year old student for putting in pork into his food which he brought to school to eat. Here is a school teacher who is a Muslim playing around with “fire”, foolish enough not to know the repercussion he would be getting.

If the Education Ministry let this case go unnoticed, then it will go to show that extremism is accepted by the authorities in the Semua Boleh land. It will of course indirectly score a minus for BN and a big hooray for PR in Sarawak.

The Mighty Rejang brought Cow Dung

Cow dung has been deposited in the BN house in Sarawak with a natural blessing when the mighty Rejang came flowing with lots of wooden debris from up river. Even the fish die due to this man made disaster which had many BN leaders in Sarawak nervous about their fate. All fell short of mentioning what the real issue was behind the uncontrollable mishap which if they did, fingers will most likely point back at them.

Logging is big business and big money in Sarawak, everyone knows that. It has made many people rich including BN political leaders from day one when logging licenses were issued to cronies and those linked with either the royalties or someone up high. Of course, the CM cannot deny the part he played in grooming some big “towkeys” through logging activities in Sarawak. This is all old stories.

What when the GE is coming on in a couple of months time, it will be a blow to BN when things like this happened. The opposition doesn’t have to overplay such scenarios because they revealed themselves the natural way. Sometimes, God has his ways to reveal the truth.

Will the Ship Sink under an Ailing Captain?

The ship with the BN flag under an ailing Captain is now being steered into deep waters in the South China Sea. The waters are full of Tiger sharks and perhaps a typhoon will soon come to hammer the crew down to their cabins. They all seem to hang on to dear lives, banking on their luck on this one Captain whom they are praying will bring them out of the storm.

This is the scenario in the coffee shops around Sarawak. BN they say may lose many seats in the soon to be GE. The reason is because of the Captain whom many thought as being too old to steer the Ship. But alas, he has gone through such storms before and, this one last voyage will be his final journey through the same stormy South China Sea.

On board the ship, his crew realize that they will risk their lives should they talk about any mutiny. The Captain they know is known to have no mercy.

Only time will tell whether the Ship will sink or be saved again by this ailing but experienced Captain.

If the Real Issue is Change in Leadership

Is this not the real issue? Will it lead to some losses for BN in Sarawak? Anyone dares to take a bet with me that this will not be the case. We will see.

The voices of the people have been heard. So it seems. We cannot deny the fact that many leaders, both from political and social activist groups in the state have rallied their support for Taib to stay put as the Chief Minister. Whether they meant it or not when making their statements to the press is not for me to speculate. One wonders whether they have thought deeply enough about the future of their state in terms of equal distribution of its wealth amongst all groups irrespective of standing, colour and creed or did they bang on with their statements in order to be seen as “menyokong Ketua Menteri” and “penyokong perintah BN”.

The real sentiments from the people of Sarawak will soon be gauged by the ballot box when peace loving Sarawakians once again go to the polls to cast their votes. KL expects BN Sarawak to maintain status quo at least. A bad performance therefore will see immediate resignations from many old mules after the elections. All the dumb leaders then who have by default made their statements may also need to go.

In Sarawak, it is not unusual and looks pretty normal for political leaders to cling on to power for up teem years. Perhaps the greed for money is too good to give up even after 20 years as a YB. This trend in the state will soon be changed after the next GE when the “Domino effect" from the last GE in Peninsular is experienced in the land of the horn bills. This is not to say Sarawakians are supporting the opposition or behind Anwar, that’s not the point. The point is in the word CHANGE. Sarawakians are just fed up with the old political rhetoric replayed over and over again by some old guards wearing their BN tainted uniforms. They just want a change in leadership. Let that be understood.

The Impossible Dream

Two things can happen, Taib can step down quietly without any hassle or he can be pressured to step down by Kuala Lumpur. Both ways, the time is really up for him to genuinely give way to someone younger, not as the Chief Minister of Sarawak but as Head of the commanding PBB, Sarawak. As we cannot really predict that BN will win outright again in the next GE in the state, let’s not say that he should step aside as CM for another. That would be wrong. The next CM could well be an opposition member or a now BN member turned opposition.

I thought for a while that it could happen in Sarawak without much of a problem. PR can join up force with SUPP, PRS and SPDP to force a simple majority and what if some PBB YBs jumping ship, there you are, a new unity Government can materialize. Would it be impossible? Perhaps not, in politics even your wildest dreams can come through sometimes.

Such turn of events cannot be ruled out altogether. For Sarawakians, it would be foolish to think of it as annoying Kuala Lumpur if the state is to rid itself of corruption, nepotism etc. And surely, we don’t know how the GE in Peninsula is going to turn out this time around. BN has created too many potholes and the rakyat aren’t blind nor deaf that they are unable to see the right from wrong. Be your own Judge.

When it's all Shaking for BN in Sarawak

As the GE in Sarawak draws near, we hear of all sorts of rumors which cannot really be substantiated. This scenario is expected to develop even more in the next couple of weeks, it is a time when it's all shaking for BN in Sarawak. The fact that Democracy is working when people are given their say, either right or wrong, is good.

Already we hear of Sarawak United Peoples Party echoing their displeasure which very well is a strategy of sort to win back the disgruntled Chinese voters who have deserted camp.Some see it as a "ploy", if it could be regarded as one. Enough said, SUPP is facing a leadership dilemma with the left and right wings trying to pin down each other. They are still battling so it seems or is it just a mild “sindiwara” in the making? After all, Sarawak has a spate of such disguised political acts that were meant to play havoc on people’s mind, we called it dirty politics.

Looking around, SPDP looks like a limping buffalo all covered with mud whilst PRS, with its dare devil President means business, out to prove that they are solid like a rock. Their problem is just with a bright Chinese Minister who knows his way round the block. Circumstances tell you that PRS may have to concede at least 1 seat for this bloke, with the President having to swallow his words at that.

PBB has also been shaken up with their President under fire from many angles due to some unexplained wealth he has accumulated overseas. His boat too is shaking and I have no doubt that he is worried about how the political business in Sarawak is going to be in the next few months, especially now that SUPP may be calling it “quit”. They did not say so directly but the whistle has been blown.

Conspicuously Wealthy Political Bums

You have been asked to kick the backside of the opposition! Would you do it? Or would you kick the backside of those Conspicuously Wealthy BN Politicians.

Come November 2010 the State Elections will probably be held and my prediction is BN in Sarawak will be in for a shock with defeats in areas they never would dream of losing. It will be autumn blues for them. Why is this so? What made me to think so? It is simply so because the voters and people in Sarawak are entering into a new phase of political maturity. The realization of all the wrongs created by leaders of the BN Government in Sarawak led by a conspicuously wealthy CM is too much for their conscious mind to bear. The people are fed up with a bunch of the old Guards led by Taib, George and Alfred.

You only need to look around you to realize that things have gone widely wrong in Sarawak. Roads, especially our highways are way below average, developments have been hap-haphazardly handled and going in to the hands of cronies and above all, how the hell did some BN ministers and YBs become conspicuously wealthy?

Hearing the speeches by some of our BN politicians can make many peace loving people in Sarawak sick because BN tends to be in a state of denial with their old style rhetoric in trying to win hearts by political "sweet talks" which are pretty outdated. Whenever they harped about having done the state good, it smelled "basi". And laughably people are always reminded to kick the backside of the opposition.

Sarawakians are now leveling themselves into a new era with the internet as the tool to kick on the backside of the big talkers in the BN camps. Let’s wait for a couple more months, that will be the day when many political bums will be kicked out for good.

Penan Maidens - Are you subjects of the "Signal Detection Theory"?

If ever the rapists exist, then they should be brought to book and punished by the law severely. There is every reason to believe that the numerous reports made on Penan girls being raped in the Baram are true. Circumstances in the remote areas would make it not impossible for rapes to be carried out. Jungles are the best of places.

Much have been said, politicized and given publicity internationally, all at the great expense of this defenseless group we know as the nomadic tribe of Sarawak called the Penans. Groups championing their cause in this particular matter better do it right and get to the roots of things.This is not about logging and felling of trees but disgusting rapes of innocent girls.

Politicians especially from the BN party should just keep their big mouths shut on such issues and not try to cover up the offenders. Let the law take its course. The Police and other investigators from the welfare and NGO bodies should perform their duties well and protect the rights of these poor maidens of the jungle. Could some already be mothers now? Hence it demands immediate real action from all those in authority.

No matter what one thinks, even if it borders on the "signal detection theory", the cases reported are unlikely to be false. I do not think so. Such social matters should never be swept under the carpet by the BN government.That would be a mistake, a big mistake.

The POISONS in Sarawak's Politics

It amazes me why Sarawakians are so keen in forming new political parties of late. Are they not satisfied with the present State Government led by the old man Taib? Are they fed up with corruption within the State BN Government? What are their motives? Aren’t they enough political parties already around in Sarawak to demand yet the formation of more parties? Is this going to be the trend in Sarawak which at one time was also happening in Sabah? And finally, will such action destabilize the supposedly calm political scenario in Sarawak and make the BN State Government more vulnerable to losing power?

The General Elections in the state should be just round the corner so these aspirants of change may want to give it a go, all claiming that they will fight for the rakyat in their own style. The irony is they know that standing as independents will not get them far. A political platform is what they are looking for, to start somewhere somehow. Win or lose is another thing.

Having said all that, one thing is for sure and that is, everyone in Sarawak knows that the time for the Chief Minister to step down as Chief Minister is overdue and very much overdue. The old man Taib is unperturbed so it seems of the “slander” and controversy thrown at him lately. The controversy is of course on the amount of assets he has overseas. To put it simply, how did he and his family become so rich when we know that he came not from a millionaire background. Has he now been cornered with people talking about his "ill gotten" wealth? For those reading this and wanting to find out more about the so called wealth accumulated by the Chief Minister, they could easily log in to Sarawak Report.org. I stumbled upon the website recently and found it to be interesting. It holds water.

Today, I read the papers about our Iban leaders politically fascinating themselves by shooting poison arrows at one another. This is typical longhouse politics. None are so outstanding that they can be called heroes. Many people and men of their blood have jibed at them as traitors. They are just lucky to be where they are, circumstances played into their hands and they became leaders. They are perhaps not traitors but opportunists in their own rights. Say one thing and do another.

Divide and Rule - An OLD Game Plan

Secrets are to be kept but one can’t stop another from fouling the game of secrecy especially when it involves political moves and the Chief Minister of Sarawak. There was a big BN retreat to the Mulu National Park a couple of days back and the hot topic was about the coming elections in Sarawak, it must be held by June at the latest, of 2011.

As is the case always, these big BN meetings in Sarawak will be a closed door affair, the doors locked from the inside. Everything discussed then will be “classified” and leaders would be reminded to keep their mouths shut. But human beings are creatures that have a mind to tell tales. Being such, what's told will then be untold. It means what transpired would soon be talked and the news would then be unceremoniously splashed with special "add-on" by individuals who are really loaded flamboyant BN political rumour mongers. These will eventually spilled over to those in the opposition who as foes are only too glad to hear the “good” news or loathe the bad ones. For the old withering guy, the game of "DIVIDE and RULE" is again a hidden agenda which can never be proven.

Tales can also be told about the once largest and strongest party in Sarawak - the Sarawak National Party formed by the late Datuk Stephen Kalong Ningkan. Sarawak sees a new chapter today when the oldest party around regained some of its pride with the announcement on the setting aside of its deregistration by the Court of Appeals. Many die hard SNAP members in their 70s must be happy to hear such news. Dundang, their stylish President living in Miri should be pleased and happy too. However, it will not put SNAP in any better position in Sarawak because the Party has hardly done anything for the people of Sarawak in the last 10 years. Internal squabbles amongst party leaders have not been trashed out and the party looked doomed alright, not until today. This should give them a new lease of life and at the least, some new political bearing to fight on their cause.

But alas, it is going to split the Ibans once again making it so much easier for the old man to divide and rule, perhaps for another term.The vicious cycle goes on.

Get rid of Subsidies = A New State Government

When subsidies are lifted even in any small way, the hardest hit will be the low income earners. As it is now, life is already hard for many Sarawakians regardless of their race. They can be the Iban family in the longhouse, the elderly Malay kampong couple or the Chinese guy who does his trade on a street corner from dawn to dusk to feed his family. These are the people who will carry the burden and feel the pinch if prices of the basic commodities go up upon lifting of government subsidies of essential items.

Surely our smart BN leaders either at Federal or State levels realize that such announcement which can become a reality will inflict great sufferings to the poor in the country. But they the BN Ybs and Ministers are well-off and many are stuck-ups. Money to them, either ill gotten or otherwise is NOT a problem so they couldn't careless for the poor. The poor can be described as those whose income is hardly enough to buy food and other essential household needs to enjoy life as a Malaysian. The poor is the mother who may have only one single meal a day when Ministers lavish on sumptuous dinners every night. The poor is the stressful father who works overtime to feed hungry mouths at home while children of the rich have laptops to play their favourite games. The poor is the child who can’t afford to buy a new pair of school shoes for the new term. The poor is the family who dreams of a simple water filter which for health reasons is a must for households in Sarawak.

The worry for the poor is already beginning and thoughts are tormenting many in Sarawak who are also now angry with the BN government. In fact the "subsidy issue" has hit the public and private sectors here in the state like a Tsunami, dreaded by the majority. Perhaps this is the beginning of a new chapter, the ending episode of BN’s rule in the land of the hornbills. Idris Jala is playing his role pretty brilliantly in Najib’s government. He's not an idiot to make such an announcement without realising the consequences. The question is, did he not too, inadvertently unlocked some doors for PR in Sarawak to enter? His bouquet we accept, nice of him!

CORRUPTION Camouflaged

Money can be gotten in many ways and one way is to abuse the tendering system. In Malaysia and Sarawak, contractors who are nobody today can be somebody the next day after securing just one big government project which may run up to hundreds of millions. Road construction is where most of the money is. Stories of the “nobody” who made millions from just one deal, catapulting him or her to be “somebody” are always told in the coffee shops. They are all true. Such deals would normally involve the PKK Class “A” or CIDB G7 contractors.

It is quite normal for projects to be “sold” to a second party at 2/3 of the cost which is surely an indication of the price having been inflated in the first place. How does it work and how do they do it have always been interestingly asked by the rakyat. Unless you are familiar with procedures involved in tendering, you will never know how they are being manipulated to favour only cronies of the BN government. Of course politics has a hand. Sarawakians are not that foolish not to know at least what is happening in the award of these big tenders. Days of the 1980s are gone!

SCORE which is known by many as Project Ketua Menteri will see many millionaires becoming multi millionaires in Sarawak soon. You can safely bet that BN activists with some family members of the Ketua Menteri will grab a bigger piece of the cake. Others in the inner circles like state ministers from the component parties will scramble for what is left.

The whole cycle is vicious and smelly. If such unwarranted activities are not checked and checked quick by the Najib government, it can lead to the downfall of BN in Sarawak. Just watch!

A New Chapter for Sarawak

What are up the sleeves of BN now that they have lost Sibu to DAP? Are they going to honour every ringgit they have promised the Sibu people? That is left to be seen. Election promises in Sarawak were seldom kept and after 40 years Sarawakians may not be too optimistic this time around too.

One can bet that a thorough post mortem will be done by SUPP pretty soon. Is George Chan going to blame the BN Foochow leaders in Sibu again? Will the hornet’s nest be stirred up once more from within the Chinese based BN party? Let’s ask ourselves as to “Why” BN lost the Election? According to Najib, BN failed to make good and proper use of its powerful machinery and relied too much on the old ways of campaigning. This is a lame excuse because everyone in Sibu knows that BN had their whole machinery and arsenal laid out in the Foochow town. They had bombarded the system left right and centre, so how could it be that BN had failed to make use of its power on the ground.

Let’s get straight to the point; BN has lost Sibu to DAP for many reasons which fundamentally affect the Chinese. The Urban Chinese voters in Sarawak want equality, equal rights to land, equal rights to licenses, equal rights to higher Education equal rights to joining the civil service, all of which they know they are being deprived of at the moment. And I would think that SUPP is losing support from the Chinese in Sarawak and becoming irrelevant to them for the same reasons. SUPP is seen by the Sarawak Chinese as ineffective when fighting for such rights.

Recapping, I thought there were glaringly hitches in making a due and quick announcement on the results last night. One can be sure that reasons given will always be biased and against the opposition so let’s not talk about that.

The fact that Sibu is a Foochow town and now controlled by the Sarawak DAP leader will leave many BN activists angry, SUPP for one, is embarrassed and upset. Don’t tell me they are not.

When a Win may not be a REAL Win

It was big time gambling in Sibu when BN throws their money around in trying to win votes or hearts, I am not too sure. But I am sure that BN (at time of writing) is about as desperate as ever to win Sibu for SUPP, not so much for the people of Sarawak. This is because SUPP is the pillar of the Chinese for BN in Sarawak, like what MCA is in West Malaysia.

BN has promised millions to the parliamentary constituency and the people of Sibu and cash were handed out like it had never been done before. Najib has made history in Sarawak to Taib's chagrin. One BN leader told me that the Najib government should come to their senses because from now onwards, all the other towns are expecting similar deals like that being rendered in Sibu and the Sibu folks. Anything less or short will see BN lose many seats in the next GE. Nice comment and holds water.

The result tomorrow would be interesting for us to analyze on the political stance of the Chinese voters in Sarawak as well as the sentiments of the people towards the popularity of the opposition in the state. Should BN win, then anything less than 2000 votes majority is nothing special, that will be indicative of the winds of change in Sarawak. If BN loses the seat, then Taib has to step aside and make way for someone more energetic and less corrupted.

Winning Elections isn't easy. It's always a GAMBLE. If you do it the wrong way, you may be digging your own grave.

BN's Old Tune Replayed in Sibu

You feel like vomiting listening to our BN political leaders defending their stance just because they want to win Sibu. They are throwing everything they have got to save SUPP from embarrassment. All of a sudden, Sibu is their pet topic. Of course, it’s all about promises, promises and more promises, the old outdated rhetoric replayed. When you hear the same tune over and over again, it makes you sick.

Are we going to be taken in by all these goodies that Najib’s government is promising to the Sibu people? To me, it’s just like telling a 7 year old to sing, dance and be merry because there are chocolates and toys waiting for him.

You can bet that internet savvy Foochows in their 20s will not be hoodwinked by BN’s sweet promises because the news today has no boundaries and the inquisitive mind can be smarter than any Datuk or BN professor out there appearing on tv as proxies of BN. The Sarawak Datuk appearing on TV1 tonight was to me, technically stupid and out of tempo when trying to defend BN achievements in rural Sarawak.

Time has changed and gone are the days when SUPP rules the Sarawak Chinese electorates, their “mafia” days and ways are a thing of the past, ineffective in today’s world.

The time for change may be getting nearer in Sarawak. The opposition DAP leader has mildly put it that the league will start with Sibu.

"Corruption" veiled - Is Sarawak excluded?

Sarawakians are not excluded from Corruption and Sarawakians are not stupid people to blindly follow bad governance. You will find many ordinary members in the BN skeptical of all the sweet talks thrown at them lately by their leaders.

It is often said that many simple minded folks in Sarawak would passively follow the government of the day because their "periuk Nasi" comes first. There is a lot of truth in this, a good portion of them don't belong to any political organization. They are the ordinary citizens, the majority are in the low income bracket.

Yet with others who are fence sitters but not fence sitters, "fear" engulfs them that they keep their mouths shut. It's simple as that, the fear of retribution if they go against the powerful system controlled by the BN government has forced them to "artificially" place allegiance to BN. This is dangerous and very much a probable "cause" of swing votes during elections.

Those in the opposition camp who have pressed for political change want "real changes", many know that merely to say change but with corruption still going on will not transform or change anything.The chanting of "Reformasi" from PKR means changes must be made to the system with a change in government so that justice and fairness will be enjoyed by all the people and NOT ONLY by a collective few or groups of the already rich lot.

The membership of the opposition in Sarawak comprising the Malays in PKR and PAS, the Chinese in DAP and Dayaks is growing by the day. They have quietly increased their numbers of late because Sarawakians are attracted to join them for a myriad of reasons. The main reasons are justice, equality and of course corruption in the BN administration. They are in effect unhappy over bad governance, of how the system is flouted by direct tendering, etc. They are fed-up with leaders who are corrupted and make bad decisions.

We can all be quite sure that Najib’s government is aware of the poor people’s plight especially in Sarawak and they have talked about changes too which shall be brought about under 1Malaysia. That sounds pretty convincing but on the ground, people in Sarawak know that CORRUPTION will be interestingly veiled by the system of his government.

The biggest known “scandal” completely veiled in front of our eyes was the 500 million Ringgit so called COMMISSION paid for the submarine deal. This file is closed, as we understand it.

Gambling in the Semua Boleh Land

People in Sarawak do gamble and they don’t care two hoots about the Malays gambling. You see Sarawak Malay punters freely in the 4-D and Toto joints, people just don’t care. Well, it’s bad habit to gamble, everyone knows that, even a seasoned gambler would agree to it. No Sarawakian will say it's good.

The fact that gambling is made legal in Sarawak or for that matter in Malaysia is somewhat a blessing for those who seek some excitement and thrill playing with their money. Losing their bets is secondary because one must have money in the first place to be able to bet. If the lure to money is what that spurs people to enjoy the game, it is greed of it that will destroy the beauty of a clean gamble.

The apple pie of gambling will soon be manifested in Malaysia when the World Cup starts to kick up dust and make the civil servants lag behind in their work. Interestingly, some have predicted that Najib’s KPI will drop these couple of months, starting with the Thomas Cup debut.

In Sarawak, the Ibans are accustomed to their "cock fight" bets. That is embedded in their culture, there is nothing you can do about it, except to rope them in when things go out of hand. The Sibu By Election will definitely see a lot of gambling especially amongst the Chinese groups, it's unstoppable. The police will be too busy anyway to snoop around on the bookies' backyard.

Malaysia is land of many contradictions, you can when you can’t and you can't but you can. Rightly too, we have 1Malaysia to support us with Gambling in the Semua Boleh land, a land where you can go breaking rules and get away with.

Najib's Sifu - Idris Jala

When you see things beyond the average intellect, it may get dangerously irrelevant to the common men in the street. I watched Idris Jala on tv3 last night. The guy has tremendous memory and possesses extraordinary skills in management. First, he’s a natural talker, second he smiles a lot, and third he has experience. Those are his qualities besides being a top scholar of his time.

He was asked about solving the Pudu Raya Bus terminal congestion in KL and he brilliantly gave some solid answers that would put Samy Vellu to shame. And I told myself that here was a humble Kelabit guy from Sarawak who had his days spent learning the skills from SHELL and using that same instrument to oversee a government machinery now. Ironically, where have all the Malay professors gone?

Idris spoke about Sarawak’s rural infrastructure which he agreed should be given due attention, only that he never uttered the word “neglected” which if he did, would see him sidelined by the cabinet. But surely, a brilliant guy like him knows deep down in his heart that our rural sector has indeed been neglected by the BN state government of Taib.

Idris praised the police force for a job well done basing his argument on crime statistics from the data collected over the last few months. His comparison on the rate of crime to that in the UK was not realistic and weak. We can't compare apples to rambutans. I thought he would at least talked about immigration and the “imported” crimes committed by foreigners in the country, which he didn’t.

I particularly liked his asking the civil service to run and run fast to catch up with time and the word "efficiency". That's good so as to wake up all the lazy bums in the service in Sarawak.

Let's not push it too hard Idris, lest you become a social outcast in Sarawak.

Becoming CM - He'd rather Self Destruct

Politics hit its lowest level yesterday in Sarawak when it was suggested that Alfred Jabu is the able man to become the next Ketua Menteri. His nemesis Dundang of SNAP supported the idea together with a few prominent Dayaks who gave their approval too.

The Iban Jabu isn’t happy at all. He has asked that such nonsense be stopped immediately. And according to Jabu himself, he just wanted to keep his role as team player. That was no excuse but to please his Boss. Surely we all know that Jabu will self destruct because he dare not lift any fingers at his boss, Taib. How could he offend the man he loved so much.

I thought for once that BN has run out of ideas to suggest old man Jabu to lead Sarawakians. It gives me the giggle.

SCORE = Patronage Politics

Will SCORE be underscored and bring more fortune to those who already display extreme wealth in Sarawak?

For some cynical reasons, people have labeled it Project Ketua Menteri. This statement cannot be wrong when a dictator is not a dictator. After all, the Ketua Menteri controls the State Government and almost all the major businesses in Sarawak or at least his family does.

What we know as the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy has been set to bring all the goodies to the people of Sarawak. That’s what the website says. While you may accept it positively as a step in the right direction which it must be otherwise it will make the government looks stupid, I take it with a pinch of salt.

Let’s focus on what we understand as “patronage politics”. It is when tenders will only be awarded to a selected few within one’s group. With SCORE, it has to be those who have already displayed extreme wealth in the BN group. This is to allow the flow of funds into the bureau to seal BN’s power in the state. Millions and millions of ringgit will then be embezzled legally. To achieve this, the whole system will be in “reverse gear”, that is to say, money will be the instrument to get things done. Everything will then have an “artificial” fee capped to it. Mismanagement sets in, the circle becomes vicious and corruption persists.

When the propagation of a capitalistic environment becomes wider, we shall get a situation where the selected few who controlled the market becoming extremely wealthier.

Some questions that need to be asked are: Will matters get worst in Sarawak? Will it only benefit the privileged few? Will it end up like the "AP" case that benefit only Bumi entrepreneurs? Will workers once again be grossly exploited, underpaid?

Sarawak smelled like Kasam Ikan - Sibu By Elections

This is politics. BN is a veteran and so are Taib Mahmud and his gang of elders comprising George Chan, Alfred Jabu , James Masing and William Mawan. They will do whatever it takes to win the Sibu by election. By hook or by crook, they must win this so called “challenge” by DAP and ironically Najib. Najib meant business and “no main main” attitude could be tolerated. Even by elections has a KPI.

Taib and his gang know that losing Sibu will be like an iron ball hitting their head. They would go all out to make sure the iron ball stuff would never materialized. They want to show Najib that they are still very much in control in Sarawak although Najib knows that many things in the land of the hornbills smelled like “kasam ikan”.

Voters are just as smart today, the Sibu ones comprising mainly of Foochows can get what they want if they play their cards right. And of course the Foochows are known for their smart ways. I am sure they have by now, planned to ask for the “sky” if they could have their wish. This is the time BN will whitewash everything and “turut saja”. Just give the Sibu people what they asked for. Losing to DAP in Sibu will be like a pancake thrown on George Chan’s face. He cannot afford to see his party lose.

BN Drains in Sarawak

Look into any drains in Sarawak and you will see filth and the hap hazard manner that they are constructed, if at all they are made of concrete, they have been poorly constructed. Many are in a dilapidated state full of debris and glaringly neglected by local councils. Of course these councils are all run by BN appointed councillors, many of whom are "balls' polishers". Yes, funds are utilized, the budget is there but due to the hanky-panky culture of the system, projects implemented are no more than a mere fulfillment.

In Sarawak, many drains are actually ditches and trenches quickly dug out on the sides of roads and highways. During heavy downpours, motorists have to take extra care not to end up in those ditches. Moreover, they are the NO.1 areas for mosquito breeding when water clogged. Don’t blame the mosquitoes for the rampant spread of the H1N1 virus, blame the government. I may be generalizing here but such is the condition of the drains in the State, one cannot hide the fact no more. And for that matter, to complement what I have said here, you can ask any Sarawakian about the drainage system in our towns or 2 cities of Kuching and Miri, I bet you will get a not so good answer.

Drainage and sewers cannot be ruled out in any development infrastructure. The State government never cared too much about the bad effects of drainage if it is not done to plan. They have been busy planning, sometimes for the wrong thing. Or did they plan for the right thing where it is easier to “siphon” off the cash?

Fighting for your Rights - NCR Land

The NCR Land Issue in Sarawak will once again be in the limelight in Kuala Lumpur when Lawyer Baru Bian takes to the stage. My question is this - Why do the native people of Sarawak have to be burdened with this unnecessary process of fighting for what is actually theirs?

The following is a report from Malaysian Mirror:

KUALA LUMPUR - Well-known Sarawak lawyer Baru Bian will speak on the controversial Native Customery Rights (NCR) land issue in Sarawak this coming Saturday.

The talk, sponsored by the Human Rights Committee of the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, will take place at its premise in Jalan Maharaja at 12 noon.

Baru has handled more than 100 NCR lawsuits against the Sarawak government over the past decade.

He is expected to provide an insider's view of the legal process surrounding the NCR land issue. In the past decade, Sarawak natives have accused the Sarawak state government of grabbing their land and not recognising their NCR land.

This has led to several confrontation between NCR owners and plantation operators. At present, more than one million hectares of plantation land is under NCR dispute.

Sibu here we GO

The By Elections in Hulu Selangor concluded with an expected result predicted by the BN camp. BN did not win convincingly and very much short of their focused 6,000 vote majority they believed they could garner. This was a seat BN had held for many years and this win is actually getting back what they thought must be theirs for keeps. They got it back and MIC is happy.

The question now is, will the win be of any impact to the upcoming Sibu By Election. It could because high morale can result in the BN work force giving it their best. Although the Sibu scenario is a whole lot different from that in Hulu Selangor, BN is expected to perform well and retain the seat. In Sarawak, many would agree that BN will find its way to win "by hook or by crook". GOD has always been watching how money politics have been brought into play in the rural areas. This is something that cannot be denied in Sarawak.

DAP is known for their unexpected moves and they could well pull a surprise if their ground work has been laid well. These are urban voters in Sibu made up of predominantly Chinese Foochow people who have in the last general election, voted for the credibility of Candidates rather than the Party.

I see it as a big tussle between a BN newcomer and a seasoned politician from DAP. BN’s strength, like that of Hulu Selangor’s, could well be the deciding factor that could tip the scale in their favour. I am sure, like a Bulldog, DAP will fight SUPP to the end.

Malay 1st, Malaysian 2nd - What is your opinion?

I am Muslim and I am an Iban. That doesn’t sound right to many who are non muslims. Many Iban Christians will condemn me. But what if I say I am a Malaysian, an Iban and a muslim. That sounds ok to many. So the word “Malaysian” is clearly a fundamental unifying factor. It is an identity which all Malaysians should be proud of. If really 1Malaysia is to make sense, it would also make real sense to call ourselves Malaysians first, then whatever as second and third.

For our Deputy Prime Minister, the respected Muhyiddin to say he’s Malay first and then Malaysian doesn’t jive with me certainly. That’s segregation politics, polarizing our sensitive racial ethnicity and confusing the minds of the layman. Has he helped to make us more patriotic as Malaysians? The answer is a big NO.

In Sarawak, things are not as bumpy because people here are laughing of this issue, they prefer to be known as Sarawakians first and then Malaysian. This also applies to the Chinese here. Many would prefer to be called a Sarawakian Chinese rather than a Malaysian Chinese. They really couldn’t give a damn to what DPM said.

What is your opinion? I have given mine.

Sarawak 's "Yes Men" in Parliament

What about this announcement on the revision in the maximum fine for traffic offences to punish us in Sarawak? It has been increased 3 times over from RM 300 to RM 1000 under a recent Bill passed by Parliament.

With all our Bumpy Roads around in Sarawak with their blatantly inadequate traffic signs, poor lighting, bad drainage and hap-hazard urban road system designed by corrupted councils, we are now subjected to the same law that our fellow West Malaysians will endure.

It is regrettable that our Sarawak BN Parliamentarians are sometimes forced into supporting Bills which may not be practicable to Sarawak. They are the "Yes Men" of Sarawak's politics. They support because they had to as one told me personally. We have no choice, according to him. This equates to the fact that they are being dictated by their UMNO masters, towing the line even when their conscience tells them it's wrong. When this is the case, Principles are immaterial, they are brushed aside and opinions become useless.

This was the very reason Zaid Ibrahim left UMNO to join PKR. He's a man of principles who refused to do what I called "political prostituting".

In the doldrums because People swallowed the BN bait

I travelled over the weekend talking to people in Sarawak. I kept my diary. I spoke to 10 people and 9 say BN will be shown the way out by the rakyat. I don’t know how to respond, I am surprised. Would I believe this? We really don’t know whether it will come through. But we do know that they were nearly shown the “Exit Door” during the last GE. MIC failed, Gerakan failed, MCA failed and UMNO had their biggest nightmare. They had been saved by the 2 backward states of Sabah and Sarawak. And UMNO, the controlling party and head of the government suddenly woke up to the fact that Sabah and Sarawak are their forte.

The most interesting issue is UMNO leaders only discovered that Sabah and Sarawak had all this while been left in the doldrums in terms of development. They assumed all had gone well, not until of late. This is the reason why Najib and his government are doing all it can now to close the wide gap between the “have” and “have not” in these 2 states. The poor in either Sabah or Sarawak are undoubtedly hardcore poor.

The reason for being so poor is simply that we have been dominated and neglected. We have been ruled by selfish BN leaders who raped the system for their own gains. We have for over 40 years been constantly indoctrinated with sweet talks under what they termed as “Politics of Development” by UMNO sanctioned leaders, a few generations of them.

People have swallowed the bait and support the State BN government without questioning any of their ulterior motives. BN was therefore able to win and kept on winning in Sarawak. As a result, only a handful would dare to speak out on things like corruption, the NCR land issue and misuse of funds by awarding contracts to proxies.

If the older generation of the natives are law abiding citizens who gave their support to BN to ensure BN victories all these years, the younger set are now realizing how backward Sabah and Sarawak really were in many areas of the economy and its infrastructure. Schools, clinics, roads and basic amenities in rural areas etc are way behind those in West Malaysia. Only a fool would say we are ahead.

Cash loaded BN YBs in Sarawak - The "How"?

I was in a coffee shop today and some of the things said were about the millions of ringgit being poured into Sarawak by the Federal government to upgrade everything from Roads to Suraus, School Toilets and Kampong Balai Raya. All of a sudden there is this surge in funds to Sarawak. What I hear is the PM isn’t happy about the slow “development” in the state. He smelled something fishy. On top of it, Statistics shows that Sarawak stands as the 4th poorest State.

With this sudden surge, there is enough proof and a reason to believe that the BN state government under Taib has either failed to honestly deliver what was meant for the rakyat or have “siphoned” the money intended for development through dubious means under the system. This includes misusing MRPs, abusing the Tendering system, awarding to proxies plus many other ugly manipulations not worth a mention.

So, if you want to know how and why BN YBs in Sarawak are exceptionally rich and loaded with cash, this is the reason, CORRUPTION.

SUPP walking on Thin Ice

Sarawak United Peoples’ Party or better known as SUPP, once a somewhat “communist” based party back in the 60s will be in hot soup soon when they come face to face with the DAP in down trodden Sibu. If they lose the by Election, that will be the end of SUPP. George Chan can then pack his bags and go down under to Australia where his PR status is kept sealed.

We don’t really get honest good leaders these days. The likes of Thaksins in Sarawak are many. Only with a slight twist, Thaksin is a known flamboyant billionaire while those around in the land of the hornbills are wily politicians who stash their cash in foreign banks.

Last night I spoke to a SUPP member and he says the party is now struggling to make everyone happy. The Chinese is known for their entrepreneurship, their business acumen and their “kangtao” attitude. That makes them successful businessmen and politicians. If they are happy when there is money, they can also abandon you when there is none. The SUPP leadership knows this and they will try at least to make all their office bearers happy, that is, if money is the issue.

SUPP had their biggest shock during the last state elections when they lost some of their ADUN seats to young DAPians. They lost simply because they could no longer hold the confidence of the Chinese voters. Their old strategy dating back to the 80s didn’t work no more. After 2 decades, they were outdated. They have recently come up with a new strategy with the hope that it would work.

Winning hearts and minds, especially the rakyat's "confidence" is no easy task. It will take a lot of hard work and ample cash for everyone, after all nothing is for free. What will SUPP do now to win back this confidence amongst the Chinese or will they be rejected altogether. Walking on thin ice is always dangerous.

Having to shit at 12 midnight

I am no reporter, I am no journalist, and I seek the truth to challenge BN in many quarters where they have failed to render the basic amenities to the rural rakyat. Where there are, they are poorly run. This will be a short post.

Today I received some news which to me is old information related to water shortage in rural colleges in Sarawak. This call came from Mukah. It is alarming how students in Sarawak have to suffer in their ill maintained hostels where they have to bath at 12 midnight. I was told that water would run into the taps only at this odd hour. This isn’t water rationing, it’s just poor service and inadequate service from the BN controlled government.

No excuse when we have plenty of rivers around in Sarawak. No excuse when we have been with the UMNO controlled government for over 40 years. Just no excuse!

Learning from Political Mistakes

Obsession has its bad effects in politics. Sarawakians are slowly but surely coming out of their cocoons to challenge the BN leadership. Lest you forget, you can be obsessed as an opposition to BN, this is when you start denouncing everything that BN does. You may start cursing and lose your rhythm. You lose focus, you become agitated, you start to slander.

Many have brought themselves to the threshold of hatred. By this, I mean they hate BN and will not subscribe to anything BN. When hate takes over our minds, we can even turn around and say white is black and black is white. When this happens, you find pleasure in the “blame game”, smashing BN to the ground at every opportunity and use whatever arsenal in the dictionary of politics to smear, smear and smear everything BN.

When we ponder deeply, there are certainly the good things that BN has done to the rakyat besides the many bad ones they are known for. Torching everything BN to the ground like what BN is doing to PKR and DAP is ugly and will not make the Opposition win Elections. Let’s learn from the mistakes made by BN.

Waiting for a Warlord's Inspiration - Sarawak GE

The Election fever is growing by the day in Sarawak. The popularity of BN amongst Chinese voters in the state will soon be tested in Sibu. The demise of MP Robert Lau who was a charismatic figure amongst the predominantly Foochow population calls for a thorough scrutiny by SUUP on its replacement candidate. The by election is expected to be a straight fight between BN’s SUPP and DAP.

Fever or no fever, the State Election in Sarawak will only be announced when Sarawak’s top Warlord by the name of Taib Mahmud is fully inspired. Not until he says so, things will remain rumored as only coffee shop talk.

If BN is ever ready as claimed by Taib and BN leaders in Sarawak, it looks like the Opposition is on a tactical limbo over the allocation of seats. This is because everyone wants to have a say. The foursome PAS, PKR, DAP and the limping SNAP led by autocratic Edwin Dundang are not happy with one another. Pas has said that they want all the Malay/Melanau majority areas which have left PKR in a fix. DAP seems unperturbed because they know they have the edge over PKR with Chinese urbanites. SNAP is of course focusing in on Dayak dominated areas.

It is hoped that this election will be the most interesting ever in Sarawak. Najib cannot take any risks to field the wrong candidates. The question is, will he let the Warlord decide? He may, he may not.

Crafty Moves by Politicians? - Think Harder

Come On, you must be kidding to even propose of taking the states of Sarawak and Sabah out of Malaysia. Although I have my reservations, this is just a dream of some unhappy politicians who want publicity. We have enough bumps as it is now to think wildly of this move which is like starting an “uprising” in Sarawak or Sabah. To rebel in such a way is not my cup of tea.

Instead of showing anger on the international stage and stooping down to the British government and parliamentarians for help and assistance, it would be a lot better to focus on what needs to be done and corrected in these two states. We can absolutely move forward in many areas both politically and economically, one major initiative is right in hand and that is, to deny the BN victories in the 2 states.

Of course many bumps have to be blasted out first to make us win. It needs planning and thoughts and a lot of it. Underrating BN is not wise, bulldozing by venting our anger and belittling individual politicians may not be effective anymore. RPK did just that and he ended up marooned and a “wanted” man. We must remember that BN has all the “powers” to squash you out of sight including using the ISA. That’s enough of my rhetoric.

What I wish to point out in this post is the way BN has exploited us, the rakyat for our money through the process of government. When camouflaged by what they called “revenue”, we are made to believe that the BN government is doing the right things. We then pay all our "dues" obediently, absorbing all the taxes, levies and what have you. So whilst you dig into your pockets and sometimes figuring how to make ends meet, BN political leaders may be celebrating with easy hard cash.

Most of our BN political leaders in Sarawak and Sabah have wriggled their way to be wealthy businessmen with vested interests in corporations and private companies. It would not be good to show up their names here, that's not my intention. The fact is we know they are generating income for themselves through the legal process, their undeclared assets run into millions of ringgit. We also know that the government's call for “privatization” would normally be grabbed up and run by elected representatives and their proxies. And indirectly, when appointed to sit in the board, they are the "untouchables". The pretext that "privatization" would increase efficiency so as to render the rakyat better service is just an excuse.

Now think about this: Both you and I will have paid a little for the parking tickets imposed on us every time we park our cars, we thought it is alright. But that small sum is actually a “squeeze” on our pockets. Similarly, the unrealistically high “tolls” in West Malaysia is always thought of as mere collection to upkeep the highways. It is not. The MIC President lost his seat because of it.

1Malaysia Political Bums in Sarawak

How on earth are you going to unite Malaysians under 1Malaysia when some BN quarters symbolize it as a BN entity? Yes, 1Malaysia has been politicized and circumcised by BN. You cannot expect a PAS or DAP member to put on the 1Malaysia badges with the BN logo in the background. Perhaps this has not caught anyone's attention. It doesn’t matter really because we know that 1Malaysia from the day it was launched, has been questioned and ridiculed by the opposition and not fully understood by the majority of Malaysians at large. The recent news that it is “copycat stuff” from Israel is very disturbing, certainly amongst hard core Muslims.

1Malaysia is not as bumpy in Sarawak as it is in West Malaysia. The bumps here are obnoxiously different. In fact we do not need to go heads over heels with 1Malaysia in Sarawak where people of all races have enjoyed their lives and carry on living in peace and tranquility over the decades ever since the days of the white Rajahs.

However, Sarawakians are in no way a bunch of crimpy Homo sapiens who accept things passively. There is truth in the older generation of the natives who are accustomed to the “adat” of respecting their “bosses” taught to them and inherited from the British colonial rule. This is good value appreciated by the young but it must not be taken as a rule of thumb that Sarawakians are born to be followers of their bosses. Let me put it right, we have no damn bosses.

When there are bumps in the system, it is only a natural instinct for people to protest and they can opt to do this in many ways. That accounts for all the barbarous "cow head" and "pig head" acts seen in West Malaysia.

The bumps in Sarawak are not religious in nature nor is it racial, let’s all be clear on that. Our bumps created by crafty BN political leaders are about the inadequate infrastructure, roads, clinics, schools etc etc after 40 years of plastered rule by UMNO dictators. To the natives, it's about the BN government abusing NCR land belonging to the Dayaks. But most importantly it’s about political power in the hands of a few BN political bums who are filthy rich and not wanting to hand over political leadership to the younger generation.

Lousy Roads in Sarawak

If you were to ask any Sarawakians who have been to KL about the condition of our Sarawak roads or its infrastructure as compared to those in West Malaysia, you will get a "negative" answer. They will agree that the West Malaysian roads in peninsular are a lot better than what we have here in Sarawak. Besides being well constructed with our oil money, their roads are well maintained too.

You would agree with me that a high percentage of our roads here in Sarawak are in a deplorable state. By all measure, many have definitely engineering flaws that resulted in bad construction. They have claimed hundreds of lives and some unfortunate victims could still be alive today had the roads been built well. Indeed some stretches are death traps with pot holes that have ruined tires, rims and taken lives.

Many are in a state of neglect, the Sibu ones being notoriously dangerous. I don't need to mention where they are, there is no need to because you have travelled on them and you know how bumpy the ride would be even for a short outing to Santubong from Kuching. In terms of infrastructure, our roads fall short of lighting, road signs and drainage. Look around you to believe me. Forget about proper rest stops along highways, ours here are run down shacks offering quick meals and filthy toilets.

Such is the condition of our roads in Sarawak, I would not want to delve on those unsealed ones like the infamous "Lapok Road" in Tinjar, Baram which the late Datuk Luhat Wan didn't do much about during his long tenure in office as a Deputy Federal Minister. The present Baram BN MP who is also enjoying the same status has promised many times over that something would be done to get this supposedly "trunk" road tar sealed. It has been 15 years now and nothing has materialized. And the road seems doomed.

With the Elections coming soon as predicted by some inner BN circles, our bumpy Sarawak roads will once again be a solid subject to talk about in derailing BN's popularity. Of course, PM Najib is focusing in on Sarawak which has over the past 40 years been raped and robbed of its wealth by the UMNO goons. Of late he has been scrambling for funds and pouring them into the State. Everyone in their right mind knows why he is doing this. He knows our roads are lousy, he's not a fool. We are his bastion.

Longhouses without the Basic Amenities

Sadness surrounded me during my travel by road recently to Northern Sarawak. I stopped at 4 longhouses along the way and 3 are without the basic amenities, clean water supply and electricity. I saw the children bathed in rivers of mud, they have to make do with dirty water from erosion as a result of logging activities. There was no other choice as rain water was reserved for drinking. I thought then that what was once rivers of fish are now rivers of hell.

To deduce that the authorities are not aware of the plight of these longhouses is simply nonsense. Our BN YBs aren't blind and deaf. I can only arrived at one conclusion and that is, they have failed to serve their constituency and looked after the interest of the rakyat. They have failed to bring the basic amenities to the longhouses. BN failed to fulfill their promises to these longhouse folks in Sarawak.

My bumpy ride was made worst on some stretches of what we called "trunk roads" that are poorly tar sealed, obviously the works of unscrupulous contractors and poor supervision by JKR. They deserved to be labelled "Jangan Kerja Rajin" in this instance.

Well over 40 years have passed since we joined up to form Malaysia and Sarawak is still on this bumpy ride to development. Yet BN leaders have got the cheek to call it "Politics of Development" whenever there is some announcement of a new project in the state. It is sad and misleading.

The NCR Land Issue

The political scenario in Sarawak looks good but is really not so good. Leaders from the BN have failed in many areas to fulfill the peoples' wishes. Sometimes their incompetency is glaring. Their words are often accepted as a norm. It seems no one dares to challenge the BN leaders because for many Sarawakians, their "rice bowl" comes first.

One topic that has always been of concern and has caught attention again when Elections are near is the NCR Land Issue. Such "Native Customary Rights" land in Sarawak may cover vast areas that run into hundreds of acres of virgin jungle fauna. They span throughout the breath of interior Sarawak where the natives comprising the predominantly Ibans, Bidayuhs, Kayans, Kenyahs and other indigenous groups reside.

The NCR land issues are a never ending feud between landowners and wealthy companies who have been given lucrative land leases by the government. How and who got what are never revealed and made transparent to the public, such information will remain somewhat "classified", the eventual real losers are the rakyat, the gainers are some wittingly self serving leaders of the BN government. Many of these companies, purportedly "contractors" have bulldozed everything in their path and their encroaching activities have caused annoyance amongst NCR landowners. Sometimes compensations are meted out and paid without the notice of the authorities but more often than not, landowners are taken for a ride. Many too ended up "swindled". Those who can afford it find their way to the courts and this protest action have increased the number of court cases in the state. NCR land matters pending hearings in the courts are all really uncalled for if the so called "NCR Land Task Force" had made a good job of handling things. But it has failed because of one Iban. For up teem years it was headed by DCM Alfred Jabu whom it was reported, resigned recently to make way for Dr.James Masing who is the land Development Minister. What Masing will do is left to be seen. He's expected to perform and perform ceremoniously well if Najib's KPI is to be of any good. Or will he, like his predecessor be cowed into submission by the works of another man?

The irony of it all is that Land matters are under the care of the Chief Minister of Sarawak and he does what he pleases when he pleases.