By Mario Rozario
OF SLAVE MENTALITY... SARAWAK'S DAYAKS NEED HIGH VOLTAGE JOLT...
IF the Dayaks (at least the voters) didn't have a slave mentality, they would have voted for a system of checks-and-balances, democracy, public accountability,and transparency and not vote in, like political morons, the same political dynasty for the last 40 years.
What do you call that, if not slavery? A slave mentality is worse than a yesman mentality. It's demeaning and humiliating the Dayaks who are registered as voters and bother to vote.
There are many who don't register and even if they register, they don't bother to vote. Yet others don't even have personal documents and can rightly be considered stateless.
When some people in KL started whining and moaning about ketuanan Melayu (what they actually mean is ketuanan Umnoputra) did any Dayak say anything? That's another example of a slave mentality.
How can you impose ketuanan Melayu on Sarawak, the sacred land ofthe Dayaks since time immemorial?
Slaves generally don't break out of their slavery because when a smart slave is plotting freedom for all, some of the other slaves would carry tales to the master. The master of course would make an example of the errant slave, for example by lynching him in front of his fellow slaves (and probably raping all the women in his family to stamp out his genes) and eventually letting him bleed to death.
That would be the end of the freedom movement among the slaves for perhaps another 50 years. Another example of the slave mentality among the Dayaks is their low literacy levels, especially among the Ibans, the miserable number of university graduates among them and their self-imposed lack of access to newspapers and the Internet.
On top of this, they are weak not only in English and Malay but also their own mother tongue and math and science. Don't talk about going into business when youcan't count.
Finally, what takes the cake is the legendary aversionof the Dayaks to have anything to do with books,reading, learning, studying or even thinking. No Malaysian is as lazy as a Dayak when it comes to studying. That's proven in the statistics. Don't complain about the lack of books etc. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Abraham Lincoln had only one book but he mastered that book, went on to study law and became a great president of the United States who fought a war to free the slaves. As long as the Dayaks consider books as their mortal enemies, they would continue to be drawers of waterand hewers of wood for other communities.
Other people have embraced the concept of lifelong learning in this era of globalisation to stay relevant and productive all their life. Meanwhile, Dayak graduates don't touch even a single book after getting their paper qualifications which become useless in less than five years.
Why can't Dayak parents start learning all over again on their own when their children are born? Is it more important to sit in front of the TV all the time or indulge in other time-wasting pursuits and vices? Every Dayak parent should tutor his or her own kids at home.
This is possible if you start studying again the moment they are born and continue studying alongside them. You don't have to be a genius to know what is in the books at the school level. Even an Orang Utan can do it.The Dayaks are slowly losing their land and with it their independence and their "maruah" (dignity).
The day that no Dayak has even a small plot of land left, the yoke of slavery would have completely descended on them and crushed them mercilessly. Daniel Tajem was right when he said on the sidelines of the recent (Dec 28 & 29) PKR Congress (in Shah Alam)that the most important goal of the Dayak community should be to get back all the land which had been seized from them under one pretext or another since independence.
This is not only one Dayak who is thinking but thinking the right things and having big thoughts.The Dayaks know about the miserable fate of the Indians on the estates in Peninsular Malaysia.
Nothing good ever happened to the estate Indians in the last200 years. It's the misery of the estate Indians that resulted in the birth of Hindraf. Yet, the Dayaks who have had their land seized for the big estates in Sarawak are moronically treading the same path as the estate Indians, 200 years later.
Isn't it silly to give up your land to the estates and end up slaving on that same land for a pittance? Can't you fellows study from the history of others? Or do you want to suffer for 200 years before coming up with Dayakraf?
I mentioned ketuanan Dayak to provoke a response. If other people can talk about ketuanan, it's time that the Dayaks talked about ketuanan too in their own land to temper the ambitions of others.
Whether it materialises or not is besides the point. The only way to stop all talk of ketuanan Melayu is to harp on ketuanan Dayak, ketuanan KDM and ketuanan Orang Asli among the original settlers and owners of the land... (Jeneral Ken: This provocative piece sure have reverberating effect on Borneo once it met the eyes and mind of the great Natives. I pray my Dayak brethrens would not be offended in any way by this strong view from an anonymous writer who sent me this article...By the way, my advice to Daniel Tajem and my Dayak brethrens is to unite under a Sarawak-own Party and not a KL-based party like PKR... My advice shall be proven right in years to come, mark my word... he, he..)
Fatwa-fatwa yang akan datang?
Oleh Bukhari Hood, Shah Alam
Makin hari umat Islam makin ditindas dan dikongkong. Bukan oleh orang Cina, atau orang India atau orang Yahudi atau orang Kristian. Tetapi dianiya dan dikongkong oleh orang Islam/Melayu sendiri.
Selepas fatwa pengharaman yoga, fatwa-fatwa yang akan datang mungkin boleh jadi seperti berikut :
Please do not laugh. Many of the above will become a reality if we do not do anything. The rational-thinking muslims in this country are simply not doing anything. We let a very small minority of narrow-minded idiots to control our lives. We, especially the Malay muslims, are fast becoming a laughing stock worldwide. We are obsessed with the little little things.
When there are so many important things remain to be done, why must the Fatwa folks spend their time on little things.. tomboys, yoga, etc, etc. Why don't we ever hear anything from the Fatwa folks for social justice, eradicating corruption and poverty, protecting single mothers, helping the poors, educating the ummah, protecting the environment or ensuring fairness in society.
If you are a rationale, forward thinking muslim, please speak up. If you choose to remain silent, it only means that you agree with whatever is happening. And do not blame the non-muslims for all our troubles. We are asking for it.
(Jeneral Ken : Sdra Bukhari Hood sure knows how to tickle us with his satire... What a presentation of a creative preemption on the coming possible "fatwas" after the fatwa to forbid Muslims to learn Yoga... Lets hope rationale and tolerance prevail in this poor country of ours...)
DANIEL JOHN DARES FEDERAL WORKS MINISTER TO LIST OUT THE SO-CALLED RM17 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS FOR SABAH FROM 2008-2012
Report by Abang Arjuna
KOTA KINABALU / JESELTON (Dec 3, 2008): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) today challenged Federal Works Minister, Mohd Zin, to list out all the infrastructural projects worth RM17 billion the latter claimed would be carried out in Sabah from now till 2012.
PKR State Liaison Deputy Chairman, Daniel John Jambun, in a statement here said what Mohd Zin had said is tantamount to misleading if he could not prove to the people the full list of RM17 billion projects to be carried out in Sabah, and their beneficiaries.
“The recent announcement by Mohd Zin is smacked of Barisan Nasional’s arrogance. We do not yet know the truthfulness of all this big promises being announced here and there . They mentioned big figures for short period, is this real?
“I want to highlight just one example of their old tricks. Asphalting of the Kokol road from Menggatal town was approved during the 7th Malaysian Plan (1996-2000) but only now at the very end of 9th Malaysian Plan, the road is finally being asphalted,” he said.
Daniel said there were many projects and funds announced by Federal leaders during the Ijok by-election last year, but those promises had not materialised in Ijok until now.
“Now hundreds of millions of ringgits are being announced for Pensiangan, just because of an impending by-election there. If the Federal leaders are sincere to help, they should have completed many projects there long time ago.
“Nabawan is second only to Pitas in term of poverty, why must wait for a by-election to act and help big,” he said adding that BN MP Ghapur Salleh’s skepticism on BN promises does hold water.
Daniel said PKR welcomed whatever help and projects for the Pensiangan folks, regardless of their political affiliation. In fact, Pakatan Rakyat has been successful to “force” the federal to offer more to Sabah and Sarawak, he added.
THE SIX MISTAKES OF SABAHANS...
By Vox Populi
The First Biggest Mistake made by the Sabahan leaders, I think, was that they concurred with the crafty Malayan Tunku Abdul Rahman to form a nation called 'MALAYSIA' not knowing that the Malayan leader(s) under UMNO might have a hidden agenda of "colonising" Sabah and Sarawak in a true sense of the word.
We could have been happy in the safe hands of Great Britain until such a time when the Sabahans could take over the administration and rule on their own.
Look at Brunei as a case in point. Like the ‘fairy tale’ the Bruneians could only whisper to your ears and say “we live happily ever after”.
The Second Biggest Mistake was the Sabah and Sarawak leaders’ inability to read between the lines when Singapore was ejected from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965.
The ejection from the Federation means that the MALAYSIAN AGREEMENT signed by the four countries which formed the Federation namely, Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak is NO longer valid.
Therefore when Singapore left, a fresh Federation should have been worked out among the remaining equal partners - Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. Sabah and Sarawak could have just been independent countries like Singapore today.
The Third Biggest Mistake was when our state leadership agreed to sign an agreement to give away 95% of one of our most valued natural resources - OIL - without any sense of personal reservation and pride.
It is like giving away your only begotten son to a monster looming at your backyard to be sacrificed for nothing without even attempting to fight it off. This bad decision had caused Sabahans to be the poorest in a land of the most bountiful.
This situation will go on in perpetuity without us seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, unless we put up a fight.
The Fourth Biggest Mistake was when the Sabah leaders allowed the then dominant and condescending UMNO came and spread its wings to Sabah.
Now Sabahans are at the receiving end or merely taking orders from UMNO, again and again and again 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year without any sign of stopping. That explained the perennial problem of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS in Sabah!
UMNO has no intention, whatsoever, to solve this problem because they see them as the only way to help them to perpetuate the Ketuanan Melayu by turning these illegal people into their permanent voters in every subsequent General Election.
For they (PTI) are now might be the majority in Sabah. That explained the decision to go at length to distribute the Green Cards to them a few of days ago at the expense of the genuine Sabahans in the interior, many of whom still do not possess the Malaysian ICs.
The Fifth Biggest Mistake was when Sabah leaders and the Sabahans still clung to UMNO’s Barisan Nasional in every General Election despite the non-stop ”raping” taking place at every turn.
Even in a situation where the Sabah and Sarawak have now become the LIFE GIVER of UMNO at the Federal level, UMNO are so blinded with ‘lust’ that Sabah and Sarawak are still treated as Illegitimate Children in favour of the severely election-battered MCA and MIC.
With this very obvious lopsided policies of UMNO and rampant discrimination of KL towards Sabah one may be prompted to ask this question, “What came into the heads of PBS, UPKO, PBRS, LDP leaders?” Only SAPP had come to their senses and turned their back on UMNO’s BN. Bravo to you SAPP leaders!!
The Sixth Biggest Mistake will be for Sabah leaders and Sabahans to allow once again our very own natural resources - GAS - to be channelled to Bintulu and once again start believing the sweet talk of “Romeo UMNO” that a Petro-Chemical will be set up in Sabah and only excess gas is channelled to Sarawak.
Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is right that no one knows for sure of any of such “excess gas” at all given the fact that Petronas had never been transparent to the rakyat of Sabah in the more than 30 years of operation.
So, Juliet, be wised up, Romeo’s promises are only meant to be broken!!
Whether the above Mistakes are in fact mistakes or just mere Stupidity on our part I will leave it to my fellow Sabahans to make the judgement. And it is up to us whether we want a change or remain in the status quo.
The American people, especially the white people, had recently made a decisive move for a CHANGE propagated by a minority black leader, Barack Obama. Could not we Malaysians in Sabah take a que from them?
May God open our eyes wide!
Federal special treatment to stateless Indons and Filipinos in Sabah !
By Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan
Guest Writer / Vice President of PKR
The Federal Government announced it is giving out Green Cards to stateless people. With this announcement, immediately the Federal Registration Department offices especially in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan were swarmed by hundreds of Filipinos and Indonesians !
As a responsible leader i cannot but question this sudden mass issuance of green cards to non citizens. I am calling on the Sabah State Government not to sit idle. Please play a role to check against what is happening to the state.
Sabah State Government should check what is going on because it has a role on sovereignty and citizenship. Don’t just leave entirely at the hand of the Federal Registration Department.
There seem to be many stateless people in Sabah. Who are this stateless people? The state leadership needs to know and explain. Some has birth certificates but without any information on their parents, who are these people actually?
And who carried out the registration of birth of these people in the first place? Wasn’t it the Federal Registration Department? Why did they don’t have the complete information? Why?
If these people are stateless and coming to register for green cards, that means they are not citizens of this country. But why are they still allowed here despite the on-going Ops Sepadu to eliminate illegal immigrants?
Does this has to do with Datuk Najib Razak’s order that only undocumented illegal immigrants would be rounded under the current Ops Sepadu, and that by giving this green cards to these people they are deem documented and thus would not be arrested and deported now?
There are confusions and inconsistencies on the whole exercise, but if one reflect deeply on the whole scenario then one can see that what is happening is just part a of bigger dirty political scheme by outsiders.
As a responsible citizen of Sabah, and in all humility, I am urging the current State Assembly sitting to bring up this matter for discussion or debate as this is something of utmost importance to our state sovereignty and to future safety of our generations.
UMNO POLLS: Contractors rule !
Joe Fernandez Dec 1, 08 3:01pm
Take a closer look at delegates to the Umno polls next March and be very afraid - the bulk of voting power will be concentrated in the hands of 1,560 contractors.
Former Sabah attorney-general (AG) Herman Luping made this observation in an opinion piece entitled ‘Money politics the new curse in our society’, in yesterday’s edition of the Kuching-based Borneo Post.
Luping, citing a ‘reliable source’, wrote that contractors will make up 60 percent of some 2,600 delegates at the next Umno general assembly. “About 25 percent of the delegates are professionals in various fields while five percent are businessmen and party veterans,” he said, without accounting for the rest.
Luping noted that the situation is a far cry from the early years and even as late as the 1970s and 1980s when (Malay school) teachers initially and small businessmen later made up the overwhelming majority of Umno delegates.
“Those were the days when delegates would spend their spare time working for the party through their respective divisions on a ‘voluntary’ basis. No money was involved and nothing was demanded in return,” Luping wrote, citing his source. “... Umno delegates these days are more discerning and ‘demanding’. It can be very good for the nation. Except, of course, the use of money to buy votes and influence people. This ‘political curse’ we can do without.”
In his cautious piece, he touched on former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s threat to reveal the names of members those allegedly involved in money politics; his failure to combat money politics in his time; money politics a la the timber curse in Sabah; and where to draw the line between money politics and party work.
He noted without comment party deputy president Najib Abdul Razak’s recent pledge that Umno would take several more measures to check money politics, that the problem cannot realistically be resolved in the near future, and that efforts to eradicate it should be supported by strong political will and commitment.
“Efforts in tackling money politics involved a process that needed a certain time frame because even ... Mahathir ... had initiated efforts to eliminate money politics,” Najib is quoted as saying. Problem in all parties Mention is made of the Anti-Corruption Agency’s arrest of two politicians in Sabah, who had allegedly bribed members at the recent Umno party divisional elections.
No charges have been filed against them so far. “We do not hear much about money politics amongst other BN component party members. It is not unlikely that politicians in the coalition partners do not indulge in money politics.
The problem of money politics is in fact the problem of every political party in the country,” said Luping. “Buying votes at party elections is a common practice. It had happened before and will continue to happen for a long time, as long as there are over-ambitious politicians in our midst.
“The buying of votes at party elections, however, is a recent happening, a recent phenomenon. The problem was not there in the early stages of our political history. This is especially so in Sabah.”
However, Luping said he does not recall spending money to buy votes or influence people to vote for him when he was in United PasokMomogun Kadazan Organisation (Upko) or in United Sabah National Organisation, which Upko members joined en masse after dissolving their party.
Leaders then took it for granted that people would vote for them for their commitment to the party and the state. Even party workers and those who helped campaign for candidates did so on a voluntary basis. It was not until the mid-70s that money politics crept in and more funds were needed for campaigning purposes.
Even so, it was discovered in 1976 that several candidates in fact didn’t even spend the money allocated to them by the party but had, instead, pocketed it. “Today, money politics have also set in (during) general elections. This too cannot be avoided as people who come out to help in the campaign must be compensated...
"Blatant direct buying of votes is wrong. But is it also wrong if candidates for positions in the party to pay their campaigners?” ‘Contain new curse’ Luping made a distinction between “the curse of money politics” and the “timber curse” which, according to him, began when Fuad (Donald) Stephens was appointed the first chief minister of Sabah two weeks before the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963.
Stephens came up with his infamous 4Ks - kayu, kaya, kerja, kampung - rationale for the exploitation of the timber resources in the state. The colonial government itself had awarded four timber concessions to bumiputera politicians to help build them up financially for the political struggles to follow, but they made up a small number compared to the 43 concessions leased to non-bumiputeras.
Even so, Stephens’ timber policies did not prevent the Sabah Alliance crisis of 1964, noted Luping. After he left the CM’s post, Stephens penned a bitter article entitled ‘Timber curse in Sabah politics’ in 1965 in the North Borneo News which he owned.
The crisis in Sabah politics since then has been engineered by politicians struck by the “sure get rich quick” phenomenon of the ‘timber curse’. “Money politics is the new curse in our society. It has become the new syndrome, the new ‘culture’ that our leaders have to deal with and contain,” added Luping.
Source: http://malaysiakini.com/news/94068
Petronas boss flayed over Sabah gas pipeline...
By Joe Fernandez
Guest Writer - 18-11-08
PKR Sabah chief Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has “a sneaking suspicion” that Petronas chief Hassan Merican has been less than candid in his lengthy statement on the state’s resources, which appeared in Daily Express and New Sunday Times on Sunday.
“Petronas should be more transparent and truthful as it is dealing with a state and national resource and not a private property,” said Kitingan in an emailed statement late last night to Malaysiakini.
“The Petronas chief should resign if the information or assessment from an independent assessor differs from his statement on Nov 16,” said Kitingan.
“If Sabah’s gas deposits are in small economically unviable and scattered pockets, why the need to exploit it, pipe it or even build a full-fledged petrochemical complex and oil refinery? The figures given by Petronas on its reserves and current production level do not indicate, in any way, the viability or otherwise of the oil and gas industry in Sabah. What it does show is that we have yet to exploit these resources, i.e. 14.5 percent of Malaysia’s total reserves versus a two per cent production. According to figures released by Merican (left), Sabah at Jan 1, 2008 had 44 percent of Malaysia’s crude oil and condensates (2.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent per day); 14.5 percent of gas (2.1 billion bboe/12.7 tcf) and 22 percent of the nation’s combined oil and gas total. So far, production from Sabah comprises 15 percent of the nation’s crude oil and condensates; two percent of the gas production and 7.7 percent of the combined oil and gas production. Several questions arise..." said Kitingan.
"We (Sabah) have oil but we only get five percent royalty. We have gas but it is being piped out. We have an oil and gas industry but little participation in its downstream activities.We have substantial oil and gas reserves/deposits but we are being told that ‘you only have very little’. Petronas talks about a big royalty revenue for Sabah. Where is the logic (in all this)?” he asked.
Better to pipe it to neighbouring Sarawak? Among others, Merican also said in his Nov 16 interview that Petronas has completed plans for a full-fledged petrochemical complex in 2006 and discussed the project with Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.
“It was not an afterthought,” he said, referring to the Nov 7 federal cabinet meeting which ostensibly approved a full-fledged petrochemical complex and oil refinery in Sabah in compensation for “surplus Sabah gas being shipped from Kimanis to Bintulu” after UPKO chief Bernard Dompok raised the subject of the on-off and on again gas pipeline.
While Sabah did not request for a LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant in the state, Merican disclosed that such a plant was considered, found to be not economically viable – especially in view of existing facilities in Bintulu, Sarawak.
The proposal was scrapped in favour of the only practical idea - ship Sabah’s gas to Bintulu and use the rest to support downstream gas industries at the planned full-fledged petrochemical complex in Bintulu. Petronas has plans for a oil and gas terminal (SOGT) on 250 acres in Kampung Takis, Kimanis, Papar.
Its principal activities will be to receive, store and export crude oil from the offshore fields. SOGT will also receive, process, compress and transport gas from the offshore fields through a 500km pipeline to Petronas’ MNLG (Malaysian Liquefied Natural Gas) complex in Bintulu.
The designed capacity is 300,000 barrels of oil per day and 1.25 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. The storage capacity for crude oil is 2.5 million barrels. Construction started in June last year and operations will commence in January 2010.
Sabah’s infrastructure still backward Merican did not explain why oil-and-gas related industries have been developed in non-oil states like Pahang, Malacca, Kedah and Johor while such industries are lacking in Sabah, which has most of Malaysia oil reserves.
Neither did he touch on the electricity shortage along the eastern seaboard of Sabah which necessitates the setting up of a gas-fired plant along the West Coast to generate electricity for the east coast.
The lack of supporting infrastructure – not up to world-class standard – like water and related facilities for the oil and gas industry in Sabah, appears to be a major problem holding back the state in these industries, judging from Merican’s assessments. “All the facilities we have built are world class because this is a global business,” said Merican.
“The ability to bring in the big players is crucial. “People always criticise Petronas. They say we keep things quiet. But in this industry, this is how we do it,” said the technocrat.
Source: http://malaysiakini.com/news/93287
Of Bullying and the New Deal on Petrochemical Plant in Kimanis...
By Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan
Guest Writer / Vice President of PKR
Today ( November 8, 2008) the newspapers carried a story that Bernard Dompok now supports the proposed 500 kilometre long gas pipeline from Kimanis, Sabah to Bintulu, Sarawak after the Federal Cabinet told, and must have convinced, him they would also build a full-fledged petrochemical plant in Kimanis...
I found this new deal to be illogical and perplexing. It does not make sense for the Federal Government to still go ahead with the 500km Kimanis-Bintulu gas pipeline, and at the same time wanting to build a full-fledged petrochemical plant in Kimanis.
The idea is to scrap the 500km pipeline, and to use the billions of ringgits for it to raise a full-fledged petrochemical plant in Kimanis. Not to have both.
How do you know there is an excess of gas? (because according to the newsreports only excess gas would be exported to Bintulu). What is the use of a full-fledged petrochemical plant in Kimanis, if it is indeed real and really full-fledged, when at the same time you export the same raw material for this plant?
It is illogical and wasting, isn't it?
It is just unfortunate that Dompok would be satisfied so easily and quickly with this new raw deal or promise by the Federal Government. He must at least take the Federal words with a pint of salt, judging from their long chain of broken promises to Sabah.
While it looks good to saying that finally the Federal Government agreed to build a petrochemical plant in Sabah (and so employments and spinoffs are coming), it is rather appalling and raises eyebrows because here you are killing the plant by building the pipeline to export Sabah’s gas, the so-called excess gas or "gas lebihan".
The idea is to scrap the 500km pipeline and build a full-fledged petrochemical plant here. I feel sorry to hear that the President of UPKO (Dompok) now allowed the building of the 500km pipeline. In actuality Dompok achieved nothing. The full-fledged plant may never take off…
I think we must take note of BN MP Ghapur Salleh who today said his skepticism over the pledged petrochemical plant by the Federal Government.
AS for me, I still oppose this 500km gas pipeline project. This is tantamount to act of UMNO-led Federal Government bullying Sabah and sabotaging her economy.
We Sabahans want to create downstream industries in Sabah. Why must we export this opportunities to Sarawak, which has their own? Sabah is in dire need of this opportunity as this state has been the poorest among the 13 states...
Thanks to the whites, America opens the door...
Practising Lawyer
The victory of Barack Obama has given us an unprecedented lesson of humanity, at least as far as politics are concerned.
Thanks to the open-mindedness of the American people especially the whites who formed about 80% of the American population.
This is a culmination of the "dream" of the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, whose invigorating speech in the early 60s on the future possibility of blacks and whites looking at themselves as one Americans instead of you are judged by the colour of your skin.
We hope the Obama factor will influence the proponents and propagators of "ketuanan Melayu" to abandon this policy and let the Malaysians of all creeds be allowed to shape the destiny of this land without being muddled by this racist sentiment and policy.
Only when this is eliminated then we will dare to dream that one day an Iban or Kadazandusun can be the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Malaysia Agreement reigns supreme over all institutions..
( Malay Rulers demanded in their statement two days ago [Oct 14, 2008] that the greatness of Malay race and Malay Sultans must be respected... whatever that means, looking at the timing.. mmm )
By Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan
Harvard Scholar / KDCA Deputy President
The single most important social contract in Malaysia that needs to be respected by all is the Malaysia Agreement, on which sovereignty of the nation really sits upon and founded.
Sovereignity and greatness of this country named Malaysia lies in the Malaysia Agreement which contracted socially all the people of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore which in 1963 agreed to form a Federation of Malaysia that adheres to fair parliamentary democracy.
However many things had been breached. Certain parties willingly took advantage of the people in Borneoan states, making them always at the receiving end. This must stop. Respect the foundation of the nation, no single race is greater than other in Malaysia, we must all stand equal and be treated as equals.
It is time to review the Malaysia Agreement whether it has been respected. I think Malaysia Agreement is now outdated since Singapore had long left the Federation, therefore it is high time to put it right and to put in place a fair power sharing, as originally envisioned by our forefathers...The 1963 agreement reigns supreme over all institutions in Malaysia.
We should be forthright and brave to come together and sit down to make sure Malaysia Agreement continues to be relevant, taking into account our maturity and what had happened in and to the country.
What Ketuanan Melayu ?
By Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan
Harvard Scholar / Resident Writer
Ex-USNO Sec-Gen, Onn Ariffin, should stop harping about Ketuanan Melayu in Sabah as it has no relevance to us unless his intention is to colonise us. At any rate Onn should show the people of Sabah exactly what this so called social contract that he is talking about.
I am surprised that even after 45 years of Sabah’s independence some people still want to take over the role of the British colonisers and want to be our “tuan”. Sorry, Onn, we are our own Tuan now.
We have our rights and we do not want anyone to “lord” over us. So stop imposing on us outdated concepts of racial supremacy and let us move towards a civil society of Ketuanan Rakyat instead.
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok was right, the last “tuan” left us in 1963 – 31st August 1963 to be exact.
If Onn’s intention is indeed what he says then it is clear that UMNO’s motive for coming to Sabah is to colonise us.
And if UMNO is here to colonise Sabah then Sabahans must get rid of this colonisers as soon as possible to prevent further damage to our country politically, economically and socially. Everyone knows that since UMNO came, Sabah has become the poorest State with the largest illegal immigrant problems and is last among the States in terms of development achievements.
This is because UMNO’s priorities are not our priorities. UMNO’s priorities are to maintain control of Sabah through whatever means (including selling Malaysian citizenship rights to foreigners for voting purposes) and to be our “tuan”!
It is time our political leaders, irrespective of their political parties, realise this and be brave enough to make a stand on our State rights like what Datuk Yong Teck Lee is doing. The other leaders are more interested in polishing the shoes of their political masters.
By Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan
Resident Writer / Harvard Scholar
There have been too much talk with no action and too many problems but no solution to the issues concerning the government’s handling Malaysian citizenship and dubious ICs in Sabah to the extent that Sabahans now regard this as a deliberate political plan by certain quarters in the Federal Government with obvious agenda.
My IC Oh My IC
By Amde Sidik
Lawyer / Columnist (Oct 17, 2008)
Writing on the issue of Malaysian Identity Card (IC) isn’t new to many of us. So too hearing the same argument from the authority, probably said by the same people aren’t unusual?
When federal politicians are confronted with issue such as the recent Malaysian citizens of Sabah origin whose status were being downgraded to permanent resident PR. The authority usual reply were, One, it was due to NRD administration oversight, second, came a promise to work more diligently in the future.
But if you are in the shoes of these people as experienced by Yong Lee Hua, Alice Chui Pee, Stephen George, Thien Kan Pah, and others, and if you are a Minister of Home Affairs, I would think this would enough reason for you to say why can these people not be sent to Kamunting.
Have we been, Sabahans all this while considered as forever naïve, forget and forget after given Hari Raya sweets, Christmas sweet, Ang Paw or Kaamatan kolopis alike? I know lots of restless people out there. My worry is what would happen if they speedily becoming less patient. Are they going to be naughty or are they becoming more stupid as if virus has infected their brain cells.
At the moment their patient is still at bay, nonetheless so to speak. So we keep to ourselves–even if we neither believe nor trust in them with their excuses. This because we love our State, this love must go beyond today, after all, not many of us having second home elsewhere. Thus defense is a must.
We shall wait if the political system of government is going to change. We are looking forward to having bi party system form of government.
I am not saying if and when new government is formed it will be full of angels. But I would be slightly happy to exercise my democratic right, help making democratic system works. If in return, the government I trust makes me unhappy, I wouldn’t mind making it go to the drain again.
I want to see this cardinal political philosophy is working at our doorstep,
Governed by the people for the people, and with the people. I know a lot primary six YBs memorized this, what I don’t know whether they understand it or not as we have far too many parrots.
Let me come back to these affected citizens of Malaysia, those hold bumiputra status both by right and by law, what else can be greater than that; their forefathers were the inhabitants of the Sabah. Yet denied right of what they are, in other words, their statuses are down graded to PR or even some as lower as aliens.
My grandmother was from Sarawak, she never got blue IC until she died, but I wouldn’t bother because I am pretty sure she doesn’t need an IC where she is now.
We have not talked about those who in our eyes deserved to be given PR, many whose plights have never really be entertained because we are too pre occupied with this basic problem.
I wish we should also be caring for people who help developed our State and Nation. We are not that selfish. If I am in power, I could have assisted Tiger Wood in getting his Malaysian PR in those days, now he is in USA lah. I also know leaving us as we are would make us more stupid.
Why can the politician not see this?
By Amde Sidik
Political uncertainties are looming in the horizon for the Prime Minister. What would he do?
Prone to making announcement after announcement, usually ended up in anti climax–for example, decision has not made yet, decision is carried forward, or shall elaborate in a day or two-thus the high build expectancy suddenly dropped, mood turns somber and often retreated. It’s like watching pink panther-the cartoon, after he being grilled by machine he has to start all over, and all over again.
All this indecisiveness isn’t good for action-oriented people.
PM is to announce whether he will stay put defending or relinguishes his Presidency in UMNO? This must be terrible feeling to some people wonder how did they swallow some of the Hari Raya kuih without thinking because the dateline is after Hari Raya.
But didn’t he already settle with his deputy Najib? Sure they have, it is scheduled to 2010 that Najib will be the PM.
Najib finds it too long to wait for 2010, he might or he might not. In an environment like this one-hour in politic can be hellish let alone talking about 416 days.
Power makes people impatient. People always go for short cut rarely waits, only the least brainy ones would. With that note, I think Najib wouldn’t like to be called as the least brainy one. He has learnt a thing or two, that after all.
Verbal and political agreement in UMNO’s experience meant nothing much. If the Imam can break the promise, (Tun Mahathir and Abdullah) what’s about the playboy?
The choice, Najib foresees he can beat Abdullah; he can grain him on the pretext that it’s under Abdullah’s reign that Malay super power is ruined and UMNO is sinking.
Abdullah now pushes to the corner. But I see Abdullah can always bites back he is at the advantage if you are plying tennis; an advantage point is crucial point. He can make and unmake power to anyone in so long as he still the President of UMNO and the PM. Only fools don’t see this way. His only problem is when come to solving his very own problem little will he get assisted.
Abdullah can stop Najib from becoming PM anytime. Assuming he is pushed to the corner by Najib, with the current mood, he just have to declare that he is supporting Razaligh for UMNO President, should he not defending his post. That’s enough to make Najib sob looking for big brother.
Abdullah can say, you push me to the extreme let me organize with Anwar Ibrahim, not only UMNO is sinking but sinking fast and deep. Where does UMNO loyalty come from? Well if Mahathir could do why can’t others?
Who will putih mata in the end?
I hope Sabah politicians see this!
This time i want to share with you my witnessing a discrimination and prejudice at work.
As i was waiting for my friend, i think it was about 9am, came DBKK (City Hall) traffic enforcement men in their dark-blue uniform. Six of them. They must be on their routine going rounds looking for indiscriminate parking.
They came passing by where I was, writing furiously on their prepared dockets for cars that are parked indiscriminately.
I watched them closely. There were many cars but mostly were Kancils, Kelisas, Nazas and motorbikes. There was also this expensive four-wheel car, a Ninja, parked indsicriminately.
To my surprise these DBKK enforcement officers were not interested in this Ninja. I saw some of the boked cars owners pleading to the DBKK officers. I heard they argued they were there only for a few minutes to send and pick something... Their pleadings all fell on deaf ears... The booking is written, that's it!
I then approached three of these DBKK officers asking them, why didn't they book the Ninja (Amde sent me the some pics but i couldn't put them here : Jen Ken).
He seem reluctant to "saman" the Ninja. He didn’t book the Ninja.
My friend came and it was time to leave. And the DBKK officer rushed to join his colleagues who were now somewhere in front of the Hyatt Hotel.
I actually knew the owner of that Ninja. Was there justice to the Kancil's and Kelisa's owners? Wasn't it a discrimination at work? I am reporting to God...
