When we gained independence, most of us were all very poor, but, there was much peace and happiness in our lives. We played with our neighbours and the people around us were very friendly. We never thought a person who played marbles with us was a malay, a dayak a Chinese or an Indian. At night time, we could afford to sleep comfortably without fear of intruders. We never had any air-conditioners in our homes and when we slept, we opened our windows at night to get the fresh air. When doing business, money passed hands without receipt, promises and agreements by way of mouths counted and there was no need of things been put into writing. In those days, we all trusted each other and we all held high morals and integrity in lives. There was nothing our neighbour wanted to steal and rob from us because we were all the same as disparity of wealth was not felt. There was nothing to steal from each other. There was a lot of friendliness among neighbours.
The foremost importance at that time was that, everyone was treated equally in the eyes of the law and there were equal opportunities for all in education, economy and possession of property and people could do business with confidence. The government was fair to all people, irrespective of their creed, colour or race. Racial tension was something unheard of and no one gave a thought this could happen.
In present day, we claim ourselves as Malaysians, but, we do not really identify ourselves as such. Instead of a bangsa Malaysia, we classified and we identified ourselves as bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras and among the bumiputeras some were identified as UMNOputeras. The bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak, being not themselves classified as UMNOputras then have to regard themselves as third class bumiputeras. This divide was caused by the present government through the implementation the New Economic Policy because without classification of the Malaysian race into bumiputera and non-bumiputera and be further identified by the implementers as bumiputera and UMNOputra, the New Economic Policy could not be implemented. Therefore, the implementation of the New Economic Policy after the infamous May 13, 1969 incident was the beginning of moral decay in this country.
The nomenclature was the creation by BN politicians who know best the implication of such classification of races. The policies of the government were supposed to give equal advantage to the malays, dayaks, kadazans and other natives of Sabah and Sarawak, whom the BN government had classified as “bumiputeras” but, this was not. Opportunities and wealth in the country were not equally shared by all bumiputeras. Only those bumiputeras who were near to UMNO and only those who were near the ruling party got the added advantage over those outside them.
Politicians and those in the corridors of power mislead the people, abused their power and to acquire their wealth. To acquire their wealth, the more greedy ones also used all means possible to get them. They enjoyed much advantage in the art of survival. Our nation being abundant with resources and of which many were still untapped, were “goldmines” to these greedy people, and by their greed, they took and swallowed like dinosaurs, whatever things that came to their path. Their greed had domino effect because they normally cried for more and when they cried for more, they then took away most of the wealth of the country, leaving the crumbs under the table to the unfortunate to fight.
This was how business morality began to slide and people began to trust each other less. The effect was that, it also created a gap where the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. There was no more equality under the eyes of the law and this then affected the country’s social order.
Unlike what we enjoyed after independence, at present, equal opportunities in the fields of business, education, ownerships of property and advancement of personal skills are now no more there. People no more respect each other because their rights had been threatened by the more powerful creatures around them! The government then became less caring where tough laws were passed to control and to curtail unwarranted norms or behaviours so that social and economic order could be maintained so that less harm be caused to the people. The Internal Security Act 1960 was and will be the only known law that the government could effectively use to prevent social, security and economic disorder. The use of the Internal Security Act 1960 will only serve to tarnish further the image of Malaysia in the international community. This was clear in the arrest of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and YB Teresa Kok and reporter, Tan Hoon Cheng.
Racial Harmony affected by NEP
The foremost importance at that time was that, everyone was treated equally in the eyes of the law and there were equal opportunities for all in education, economy and possession of property and people could do business with confidence. The government was fair to all people, irrespective of their creed, colour or race. Racial tension was something unheard of and no one gave a thought this could happen.
In present day, we claim ourselves as Malaysians, but, we do not really identify ourselves as such. Instead of a bangsa Malaysia, we classified and we identified ourselves as bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras and among the bumiputeras some were identified as UMNOputeras. The bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak, being not themselves classified as UMNOputras then have to regard themselves as third class bumiputeras. This divide was caused by the present government through the implementation the New Economic Policy because without classification of the Malaysian race into bumiputera and non-bumiputera and be further identified by the implementers as bumiputera and UMNOputra, the New Economic Policy could not be implemented. Therefore, the implementation of the New Economic Policy after the infamous May 13, 1969 incident was the beginning of moral decay in this country.
The nomenclature was the creation by BN politicians who know best the implication of such classification of races. The policies of the government were supposed to give equal advantage to the malays, dayaks, kadazans and other natives of Sabah and Sarawak, whom the BN government had classified as “bumiputeras” but, this was not. Opportunities and wealth in the country were not equally shared by all bumiputeras. Only those bumiputeras who were near to UMNO and only those who were near the ruling party got the added advantage over those outside them.
Politicians and those in the corridors of power mislead the people, abused their power and to acquire their wealth. To acquire their wealth, the more greedy ones also used all means possible to get them. They enjoyed much advantage in the art of survival. Our nation being abundant with resources and of which many were still untapped, were “goldmines” to these greedy people, and by their greed, they took and swallowed like dinosaurs, whatever things that came to their path. Their greed had domino effect because they normally cried for more and when they cried for more, they then took away most of the wealth of the country, leaving the crumbs under the table to the unfortunate to fight.
This was how business morality began to slide and people began to trust each other less. The effect was that, it also created a gap where the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. There was no more equality under the eyes of the law and this then affected the country’s social order.
Unlike what we enjoyed after independence, at present, equal opportunities in the fields of business, education, ownerships of property and advancement of personal skills are now no more there. People no more respect each other because their rights had been threatened by the more powerful creatures around them! The government then became less caring where tough laws were passed to control and to curtail unwarranted norms or behaviours so that social and economic order could be maintained so that less harm be caused to the people. The Internal Security Act 1960 was and will be the only known law that the government could effectively use to prevent social, security and economic disorder. The use of the Internal Security Act 1960 will only serve to tarnish further the image of Malaysia in the international community. This was clear in the arrest of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and YB Teresa Kok and reporter, Tan Hoon Cheng.
Racial Harmony affected by NEP
At the same time in pursing the never ending policy of the New Economic Policy, racial tensions had been created from time to time by interested groups. It had been purposely created with the focus to ensure that only one particular race or group of people will continue to benefit from the wealth of the country at the expense of other Malaysians. There will be further erosion of equality of rights and opportunities. All protection of our rights and equality as enshrined in the Federal Constitution will be further diluted or be taken away. The Federal Constitution will just become a paper tiger and will be ineffective to provide economic, security and political stability, certainty and stability.
For those who were not so fortunate than those in power and being also having not so much opportunity in their paths to help them overcome the spiraling costs of living, they have no choice, but to rob, cheat and sell drugs to survive. Why? Morals, trusts and integrity were no more be important to them because they had to survive. They had become too greedy! There had been much moral decay and this was a disease of the 21st century created by BN government. We must examine this moral decay carefully and we must seek a cure for it.
When moral decay creeps in, our society will collapse. There will be more plunder, murder, cheats and robbers everywhere. More ministers and houses of businessmen be robbed and people will not be safe. The policies of the BN government had instead made robbers smarter and more intelligent in the choice of their targets. It all sprang from the New Economic Policy and its’ side effects are now felt!
How to cure?
It is very simple, but, the cure would be time consuming because of the rot inside. Politicians and administrators need to take the lead because they were the cause of these diseases. Peace and progress in society were created by politicians and administrators and if all take the lead, the domino effect of a better society could be felt.
When YBs were elected they took Oaths before the Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies or in Parliament to protect the Constitutions. The Constitutions are to ensure equality and equal protection before the law, equal opportunity for all races in the fields of business, education, possession of property and the protection of rights of citizens, but, many had failed to uphold the Oaths for fear of losing popularity and be kicked out in the next election.
This then created a situation of selfishness among YBs and Ministers and the attitude among these politicians were also that as long as they survive, they forgot or neglected to represent the peoples’ voices in and outside the Legislative Assemblies and Parliament. Due to selfishness, many of these politicians may try to kill each other off politically, be it within or outside own circle. This was only to ensure their political survival. Their selfishness had not been healthy because the best brains may just have to retire from politics. Those good brains after being been marginalized would just have their political career shortened. The end result is that the country will stand losing these honest and creative politicians.
Most if not all, YBs in Barisan Nasional feared to speak on issues affecting the people. Many cabinet ministers also dared not to speak during cabinet meetings for fear that the leadership will not pick them in coming elections! This was because being in the Barisan Nasional, the stakes were always high. This is because once elected these YBs could also gain extra allowances if given ministerial posts. They could also gain extra allowances by making them sit in the Board of Directors of government linked companies or in statutory bodies. Among other perks are also that plantation lands and timber licences were also for them to grab and to share.
Since politicians and administrators in the Barisan Nasional had played an important role in causing social and economic divide, they must mend it; otherwise, it will be too late and things can explode at any time.
Power had been in their hands if they continue to take away people’s land, people’s rights and discriminate them, we would in these next few years see the bad effect of their abuses more drastically soon. People will go to the streets and we will see that law and order would be of no effect in this country. Our country will be like some of our neighouring countries where elected governments collapsed caused by demonstrations and protests in the streets.
2 comments:
Hello YB VLS! The urban voters have already made up their mind to eliminate BN Sarawak and put an end to UMNO hegemony in Malaysia. To bring the fight to the rural constituencies, I find it is useful for political leadrs in DAP to ead a book written by Joseph Tawie, "The Broken Shield" to understand the mindset of the rural folks and the predicament the Dayaks had got themselves into since Tun Rahman Yacub took over as CM and how he and his nephew Taib Mahmud, working in cohot with the power in Putra Jaya had managed to divide and rule and subjecting the rural Dayaks and Malay/melanaus to be subservient to BN.
DAP with its provened principle and stances on National politics since Independence and the many oppressions some of its leaders had gone through and the number of free "nasi curry" they had been served in prison locked up in Kamunting, will continue to be a respected political platform for many aspiring young professionals to take part in Malaysia's nation building. It is my hope that DAP will reinvent its website and hence its image to attract more educated and professional bumiputras in Sarawak to participate in its political struggle for all malaysians to achieve a truly Malaysian MALAYSIA. Right now many bumiputras have restrained themselves from interacting with DAP members and leaders beacuse they have language barrier to overcome since DAP website is in chinese and most of its functions are graced by leaders who speak in Mandarin. Some leaders may be conversant in Iban or even Bidayuh but the Rocket which is in English is only good for readers who understand English. I suggest there should be some space for articles to be written in Iban, Bidayuh and Kadazan for the benefit of rural folks in Sarawak and even Sabah.
In Sarawak and Sabah in particular, The DAP is perceived by the rural folks as a political platform only for the chinese community and the failure of DAP and DAPSY to attract Dayak leaders to join the party underlines that perception and strength the myth.
More "gotong royong" initiatives in Dayaks kampungs should be taken by DAP and DAPSY from time to time as a gesture that DAP wants to get to know them better and has always been there to fight for their rights and seek justice for them as well as for all Malaysians.
Most Dayaks youths have been struggling to earn an honest day pay by deserting their kampungs and living in rented rooms in the cities such as Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri and some in Peninsular Malaysia. They are the ones whom DAP and DAPSY should approach and the party should also help them discover their own true potentials in various fields. I was surprised to find some secondary schooled Dayaks who think they are only good for coffee shops jobs in the city because they do not have the "connection" to apply for office or civil service jobs. DAPSY should be more active in reaching for these Dayak brothers and sisters and help them change their mindset and also that of their folks in the kampungs.
I agree with what you said. The problem is that DAP since it entered Sarawak was always been painted as a Chinese Party which is not correct. Our weakness which caused this was because our leaders since the Party was launched here was that most of us could not speak the dayak language. Sim Kwang Yang tried very hard, but, he also failed to attract the dayaks. YB Chiew was successful because he tried the difficult to learn the Iban languange after coming back from University. If YB Chiew retires, DAP Bintulu will have big problem again and it is very difficult to find one like YB Chiew. At present, only myself could speak fluent Iban, but, this was not enough,because we lacked the fund. I hope more dayaks will join us.
Language is always a barrier and we in the DAP knew this. This is why we now had aggressively promote of English version of The Rocket magazaine which also have pages in Bahasa Malaysia. We had brought this matter in our State Meeting and hopefully we will gain grounds.
We would appreciate if Dayaks within their own area join DAP and with that we hope can train them to tackle their respective areas. However, personally I feel this would be a daunting task because DAP Sarawak lacked the numbers. At the moment, we also have to man out fort because SUPP and other BN component parties will not let us lapse. Once we lapse in guarding our forts, we could be easily destroyed by them in the next election.
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