Discovery of a Herbal antidote

It was in 2006 when a Canadian trained doctor found out that there is a herbal antidote to Paraquat chloride poisoning. Up to that day the kill rate of this weed killer is 100% So he watched with exasperation his nephew’s son died in August 2006 at the age of 19 in a district Hospital.
He was so frustrated that his grandson dying and he is not equipped with a knowledge which could have saved him. Till to-day a scientifically proven method has not been able to save any Paraquat Chloride victim, especially in hospitals in Sarawak or Malaysia for that matter. Taking this weedkiller at a specific small dose means certain death if taken to any of these hospitals. Modern medical treatment cannot avert a certain death yet.

So on that fateful day he had a covenant with TOPA, the Bidayuh name for God.

“You have asked me to be a Healer, but yet an incomplete one. Here I am watching my grandson dying yet I cannot help him in anyway”, He said. Then continued, “Help me to be a complete Healer by showing me the antidote to this poison.” In less than two weeks after he found a Traditional Healer who told him that he has cured two of his own relatives sent home to die by hospital Authorities but are still alive from his herbal treatment.

He requested whether he could showed him the herb. He eagerly did. Thus to-day, only the two can treat Paraquat Poisoning with almost 100% cure rate. He had lost only one case in Sabah so far….from severe secondary complications.

However over these years the herbs are effective in all type of poisonings, chemical or biological. It worked like magic in three snake bites giving instant relief within half an hour of oral intake. It has saved the life of one woman bitten by wasps which also killed three of her children. Could have saved one of her child but the doctors refused to give permission for the antidote to be given by gastrointestinal tube in the ICU but given dialysis to “clean out” the poison!

So knowing how to save life, he is still frustrated by bureaucracy and politics that people are still suffering unnecessarily… but the answer to all type of poisoning, intoxication and addiction is here NOW! The Traditional Healer has saved three Drug Addicts… after his treatment, the three remain free from drugs.

Trials on alcoholics and drinkers have shown that drunks will sober after half an hour and an alcoholic stopped drinking for two weeks with no withdrawal syndrome.

So here is a knowledge need by many people but is still on the shelf as we have yet the means to produce the antidote for the world.

Politics- your life and future

“Politics is dirty”, is the most frequent answer to those who want to know what is going on but refuse to be involved in politics. Even some who are registered members of poltical parties make the same comments to me often times…

My standard answer is and will be the same. “Politics IS NOT dirty, but some politicians ARE and they pollute poltics making it appears dirty.” I also add, “Politics is vital to life for it determines the type of life we can have.”

In fact politics is like water and fresh air is essential for the survival and well being of mankind. Without good and healthy politics a nation can die and a new Government or nation will evolve. For instance, Malaysia was born out of the politics of Imperialism and the surge of Communism. The fear of Federation of Malaya being overwhelmed by the Communists led to the birth of Malaysia.

The need for some to have the racial security and power, they form racially based parties. Failing in achieving their forces alone they would form block of racial parties under a common agenda and symbol, BN of Malaysia. In some countries they will form a coalition after an election in order to govern as it is done now in England between the Conservative Party and Liberal Party.

A good government can help the nation to progress and achieved economic success unexpected like Singapore. A government which only talks but remain ineffective, you will have some countries like our other neighbours. Malaysia can be better but too much politicking and too little concern to get rid of politics of Patronage has mired us to our present state of affairs where our nation may default on our debts if “subsidies continue” said Idris Jala…

In order to avoid defaulting on our debts, it is vital that good and honest professionals and individuals to be fully involved to replace those in BN who are letting us down now. Most of them are a waste of time and money but they will remain there unless more concerned individuals get in. I has made the mistake of thinking that anyone can do the political job until I realized that the Bidayuh will get nowhere in 1982. To ensure that Sarawak reach its full potential more people are needed to stand for what is right for all Sarawakians. We cannot leave our fate to the present set of leaders.

Sarawak needs to change from its present set of leaders who could not stand criticisms but sent out rude remarks to NGOS and others who care about our environment and Biodiversity. We cannot be blind to the destruction we have impacted on our environments. We have to mitigate against flooding we have created to Kuching for instance. Politics of Development must be people friendly. We must enhance our environment rather than damaging it. We must spread the wealth rather than to concentrate it to the few to control and rule the rest…

To get the work done though, we need your full involvement to clean up Sarawak politics… Be a contributing member of any party and be vigilant against political parasites in your respective party or better still join hands with me to do so…

NCR land and the natives of Sarawak

Much time has been spent amongst many bloggers on both sides of the political divide in the last few years.

The State Government which has an absolute say on Land matters in Sarawak has been amending the Land Code many times to make it easier for the Minister of Land to approve and allocate any piece of Land to any individual they favour with or without consent from those who may have established their rights to the said land. In Sarawak,  the Minister which have total power on Land Matters is the current Chief Minister. His instruction verbally or otherwise is the “Law”.

Yet so far the Courts can rule otherwise. Using natinal and international conventions on natives rights, the Courts have overturned many decision made by the State Government to allocate land for various plantations. However the onus of proof  for the right to any piece  of land is up to the complainants. The government continues to issue a provisional lease to any capable developer through their proxies as long as the price is right. The latest for example is the Kampong Stenggang land in Bau District. The piece of Land was allocated to a company without consulting the people who have established ownership because according to the Land and Survey, the area appears to be State land from the Settalite map they have in their office. However the said piece has been occupied by the Stenggang people since it was allocated that piece of Land to them by the Rajah.

Now the matter if not resolved soon will be brought to the Courts to decide at a fee of RM75,000.00.

Thus the dilemma of many natives. Their land can be sold to anyone without their knowledge. Any dispute it is up to the Courts to decide if they can afford a lawyer to establish their rights. They may win their case but the Government of the Day will appeal and appeal like in the case Nor anak Nyawai vs Borneo Pulp and the Government.

Yet land is life. Without land on one can live as land is needed for food production or collection, land is needed for shelter, and even for burial land is needed. Yet the priority of Land allocation for the present Government is to sell arable Land to Oil Palm plantations and other plantation in the name of Politics of Development. Fortunately the majority of Sarawakians supported the view that bulk of valuable land must be given to the rich people only.

I have long advocated that the poor natives must benefit from all land development and no land should be developed without their involvement. Yet when I raised this issue in my maiden speech in the State Assembly in 1983, one Assistant Minsiter was asked to shoot me down. Anyway eventually, they appreciate the need to involve the landowners through Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabiliation Authority(SALCRA). Initially SALCRA did very well to improve the buying power of the landowners who were involved as they received very good bonuses and dividends when the Scheme was under the late Denys Lang. Now hardly worth anything under the present management… They have been using my small piece of land, but it appears they need my bonus and dividend to pay for their own comforts….

I believe that unless a proper approach of Land development is taken seriously by all concerned, the current instant benefits to the few will hamper the future of many. It will become the tears of many soon. STAR is very concerned on this issue. We want land development to benefit as many as possible. Further land development must also take into account the sustainability of our Biodiversity and the overall ecological system. Millions are promised for flooding in Sibu. Millions are needed for Kuching for flood mitigation project. Yet these floodings are geeting more severe because of  indiscriminate development projects in the water catchment areas. Whatever happen to our environmental impact studies which are being done by the Department Of Environment?

Back to the natives, your land is your land. It is your right to allow your BN masters to sell your land without your consent. By the way, you have given “your CONSENT for Taib to sell your land WHEN YOU VOTED FOR BN during any election” after 1995. So if you cry when your land is sold without compensation, etc, remember I have reminded you of this possibility in 1995 when I shaved my head…

Politics- your future

My brother just told me of a story about how one of my uncle introduced “A political party to them” in the early sixties. He said in Bidayuh, “I bring to you a fishing gear, (sokoup), to fish and dirty your bathing place.” When one uses a “SOKUOP” to fish, one needs to clear all the stones and sand in that track of water so that not only the dirt goes into the fishing gear but the fish and shrimps which happen to be there as well. Anyway, the water downstream will be dirtied. Thus the Bidayuh expression of “Oku toban sokuop ngan dah bikalan ingan koluh” which was used by my uncle. Sure enough, many politicians and political parties only “dirty” the minds of their followers and confused the voters.

It aptly described politics as played by most politicians all over the world. Yet politics need not be dirty if  the voters want it to be clean. Politics and how it is conducted determined whether the “milk”, which is money collected through taxation, etc  from the cow or cows(taxpayers) are being distributed and used. Wonder whether all of you are aware of how capitalism, socialism and other forms of Government are described in terms of the cows and their milk and its use and distribution. Politics is about dirtying the mind of the people to follow the leader either without questions or no questions asked. It can mean either you as you are told by the “GREAT LEADER” or you suffer the consequences. Wonder whether Aldous Huxley’s “animal Farm” is fully practised in most Third World countries including Malaysia. It was supposed to be a satire about Communism but is there any difference from what is happening in Sarawak, I wonder.

Take “Batang Ai” byelection for instance, it is rumoured that PRS submitted only one name for the candidate to be considered on Saturday but a different person and name came out to-day as the candidate for BN yet it was introduced as the “perfect candidate” by SUPP President. What is going on in that BN meeting on Saturday? It was a good thing that Masing as a “very good” team player didn’t not announced the name of his party’s sole nomination before the BN meeting. It is wondered who is the “REAL” President of PRS. But that is Sarawak BN politics and how it is to be played.

Anyway it will not make an iota as to who wins Batang Ai, except the twelve million gained as announced finally for the tarsealing of the Batang Ai road, as it will not change the real dynamics of Sarawak politics. It will only be a winning for the winner alone plus the projects given during and before the by-election to the constituency by BN. However, whoever the winner may be, he will end up to be the loser in the long run. For the winner, it will continue to be a hopeless pursuit because one way or another he will be just another new player amongst a team of extremely experienced players. For the loser, he only has to pack  his bag and go into a political oblivion.

The only importance of the results of Batang Ai by-election is its function as the political barometer for BN Sarawak politics and for PKR in a Dayak majority area. BN, being the incumbent, cannot afford to lose the seat. If it does, they have  to say “goodbye” to its incumbency. If PKR loses despite having all the issues on their side, they will have to reconsider its approaches and place in Sarawak politics. Thus both sides have to put their “PERFECT” candidate to fight the BATTLE ROYAL between them.

Yet it is important for the future of Sarawak and your own future.

PKR alone toppling Taib??

PKR had their General Assembly over the weekend, and Anwar, its de Facto leader, had promised to take over Sarawak before 2011, apparently in the next State General Election. Thus the next State Government will either be led by Dominic Ng, PKR or Chong CJ, DAP, as the Chief Minister or another character yet to come to the fold. He announced that the PR will comprise of PKR, DAP and PAS and had asked its MPS to adopt a seat each and to start to visit their seat starting this week. Thus with 31 MPS in hand, 31 seats will be taken care of by PKR alone. Under this strategy, some seats will even have two Members of Parliament assigned to it if PR fully agrees to implement his recommendation.

PKR has been very active to recruit the Dayaks in Dayak areas, after they have so far unable to win any Muslim majority areas since the 2000 blackout when they could have won Santubong and Petra Jaya seats but lost with a small margin after the blackout. In the last Parliament, they tried to get a foothold in the Chinese areas, only to lose their deposits in certain seats but importantly ensure the return of at least five seats to BN. Now they want to capture the Dayak majority areas with Nicholas Bawin and his MDC group minus John Nichol Rayong, the former Deputy President of Malaysian Dayak Congress(MDC), who still waits for his acceptance into SUPP.

Taib quickly “scoffed” Anwar’s mission as a mere dream. He must have his reasons to be confident and Anwar should be fully aware of it. Yet nothing is impossible and only time will tell.

In 2006, even with Taib at his weakest, he managed to survive PKR, DAP, PAS and SNAP/MDC assault, although he lost the most number of seats to the BAS, Barisan Alternative Sarawak, since 1987, the Ming Court attempted coup de tat which failed. BN lost eight of the 71 seats available for grabs to BAS. But BN won two seats uncontested namely Daro and Dalat. DAP won the most seats, six in total. Now with the defection of the Independent from Ngemah to PKR, PK(Pakatan Rakyat) has now nine seats in the State Assembly.

PK now needs to win at least twenty seven more seats in the coming State Election to form the next Government to get a minimum of 36 seats to form a simple majority to take over, assuming PK can retain all its present seats. DAP can surely win three more if they can get proper candidates to stand in REPOK, DUDONG and PELAWAN where they lost by 576, 408 and 263 votes respectively in 2006. Thus assuming that the Chinese voters continue its present trend to reject BN, with twelve seats in hand, PR still need to work on a minimum of 24 more seats. To-day it is rumored that PKR has at least five more seats in hand, if PR works together honestly otherwise it may even lose Padungan.

But will Dominic Ng retain his Padungan seat without DAP support? He had angered the rank and file of DAP by putting up candidates against DAP and BN in the last Parliamentary election ensuring that BN won at least Stampin, Sarikei and Sibu back. Knowing Taib as a political heavyweight, he will know how to placate certain “opposition weaklings” to help him win again in the coming state election. Thus the real challenge for Anwar to do is to appease all the contending parties within his PK first before he can topple Taib. If he can appease all the former DAP factions to genuinely work together, then there will be at least TEN seats from the Chinese area alone. If not, the sure Chinese seats will go back to BN SUPP again just like the last General Election where SUPP managed to retain the Sarikei seat with the skin of their teeth.

Much are heard now of a potential Sarawak political Tsunami in the next general Election. Given the right conditions, it can happen. Amongst these are genuine co-operation amongst the current PK partners, with a good and respectable local Muslim leader for PKR commanding the respect of the Muslim constituencies, an additional strong and viable locally based party as a partner and sufficient finance for them to do the needed ground work. However even with all these in place, if the younger and eligible voters don’t register to vote and mobilize themselves, the older generation will remain to become the Taib’s bastion of support, especially in rural constituencies. PK cannot win unless they can challenge effectively in the Muslim areas and win some seats there. The failure of Ming Court and KUMPULAN MAJU was because they failed miserably in Muslim and Chinese majority areas. They won only one Chinese majority area and only two Muslim areas while the other seventeen were Dayaks majority areas out of forty eight State Assembly seats then. If fact, had KUMPULAN MAJU had worked closely with DAP at that time, BN would have lost in 1987. But now, there seventy-one seats and most of them have been made to favor a BN win.

For Anwar to succeed he has to work very hard, invest time and money to “conquer” Sarawak by getting the right person to do right job. If he is going by his 2006 crew again as what he has done so far, he may fail in his mission to win Sarawak. Winning Sarawak is crucial for him to become the next Prime Minister. If Sarawak and Sabah remains to be the main “battle ground” to become Malaysia’s Prime Minister, then he should know that this coming Sarawak State Election will be critical both for him and Najib.

In the last State Election, PKR contested in 27 seats and PAS Beting Maro. PKR won only Padungan seat with a majority of 1,417 votes or 3.7% of the popular vote. It lost its deposits in 4 seats namely Bukit Sari, Balingian, Muara Tuang, and Tanjong Datu. In Saribas, its candidate lost by only 94 votes. Overall popular votes obtained was 17.3% while won in the same areas with a popular vote of 47.2% on an overall turnout of 64.5% in the Muslim majority areas and one Chinese majority area of Padungan. With this in mind, no wonder, Taib “scoffed off” Anwar’s next mission.

Most Sarawakians have told me they want Taib out, but very few can really commit themselves to work at it. Many of them are just waiting for a sponsor to even “pay for their car loans before they have the stomach to fight on” and other needs before they can fight. With such needs and spirit by the present Opposition pact, no wonder Taib still has the command despite various “handicaps” and is confident to form the next Government.

In 2006, many Dayak politicians sprinted past STAR to join BAS when they heard “rumors” that they would be given RM50,000.00 as pre-election expenses and RM 200,000.00 for the election expenses. I was told at the last minute that no seats would be given to STAR, even though we were supposed “to look after the Bidayuh areas” initially. They were so confident of winning that only one SNAP candidate asked for my help. Surprisingly after we announced that we would forgo the election, it was my friend in BN who asked me whether I could help Peter Namsiam in Tasik Biru. The rest is history, but up to to-day they failed to see why I did it. They could spread rumors trying destroy my reputation without bothering to look into their own mirrors to examine their egos and greed.

However many of those “SNAP” candidates of 2006 do not even bother to chip in money to get the SNAP headquarters running fully and properly nor could they hold their annual Divisional Meeting. The Headquarters had been closed since October 2008. Only once, I saw the office open again. It is sickening to see how SNAP, a party with a good history, is being used by different people for different purposes, save to make it a strong local Party to over the State Government again. Hopefully it can hold all its Divisional Meetings properly with proper notices in accordance to its Constitution without resorting to the powers vested with CEC just to remain in control.

How Anwar moves to get all these diverging forces with vested interests together to win will determine whether he will become the next Prime Minister. It is not impossible to topple Taib, but it is not that easy also. It will take time, money, and better strategies to counter money politics, potential electoral frauds including potential blackouts and the promises of developments and projects in Sarawak Politics.

A day to remember- Part 3…Dayak Unity.

The December 4th gathering of almost a thousand concerned Dayaks under the auspices of Sarawak Dayak National Union is the first of its kind as political affiliation became a non criterion for the invitation. Dayaks from all works of life across the Board of the political spectrum. It is indeed an evening to remember and cherish. It is an example for NGOS, especially all Association which claim to represent a specific race or group to follow – let your event be representative of your race or just make an “official Branch of the ruling Party”. Politics should be thrown out of the window if the Association is really going to work for their respective races as SDNU did.

It is about time that all Associations follow the footsteps of the Melanau Association where every Melanau is welcomed to contribute and even to be elected to the Committee even if he is on the opposing camp. This was what was told to me by a senior corporate Melanau leader after the Ming Court event when pressure was applied to isolate the TUN Rahman faction. True enough that now Tun Rahman is back to support the “fledging” Taib with Nora, his daugther as the new Member Of Parliament. The Melanau is the only community in Sarawak which has reached that level of political maturity.

So it was a big step taken by the present SDNU committee to build alliance amongst the Dayaks without fear or favor. They should be encouraged to continue to become a forum for all the Dayaks where they can at least to sit down to eat together and exchange ideas as to how they can move forward socially, economically and if possible politically. We need to show the world and also all Malaysians that we can work together to help Malaysia. SDNU must now continue to become the catalyst for the Dayaks to work together irrespective of faiths, political beliefs or regional background. The borders which have divided us leading to the present exploitation of Dayak’s resources and land have to be dismantled.

The present Dayak status as “others” in Malaysia despite that they are also the natives in Malaysia is but the doings and mistakes committed by their past political leaders. Being categorized as “Others”, the Indians which ranked number three in Malaysia has better quotas for scholarships and places in the Universities for entries to certain degrees specially Medical degrees. All these are known to all Dayaks, the discriminations and exploitations, so I don’t have to give further details, but the remedies to these problems should be discussed and acted upon. Only the Dayaks will be able to resolve these problems as these are self-inflicted by the continued political divisions and continued slavery to money politics by the majority of the Dayak voters and Dayak political leaders and their followers.

If CHANGE is what we need, then the need for urgent and wise change amongst the Dayaks must be look into. It has to start with the Dayaks, themselves. Time to fear in their hearts must go. Time for bravery must be replaced by wisdom. Time to think with their head must take precedence over “bottle talk” and breast beating of “we, the majority” talk. They need the support of all Sarawakians for a CHANGE FOR THE BETTER FUTURE, just like the others also need their continued support and help for continued peace and progress to achieve Vision 2020. It will not be easy nor wanted by those who currently benefit from the present system, but it is indeed our common will and mission, then we will be half way there already.

SDNU leaders must remember the advice of the Governor of Kalimantan Tengah who told us that alone we cannot succeed. It is the people who are prepared to support and follow the leader make the leadership possible. We have many Dayaks who look himself in the mirror and decide that he is the BETTER LEADER and the others are not good enough for every conceivable reasons without asking “Am I ready to lead through Hell and snow without fear or favor?”. No Dayaks who cannot say “YES” to that question should lead any organisation trying to resolve any problem faced by their members under our present system of Government and administration. Whenever a leader cannot carry the present burden, then he/she must give in to the next in line to do so.

Leadership by oppression, force and enticement must give way to leadership of principle, transparency and performance. All Dayak leaders must remember that as leaders we will be treated like the Bidayuh Undertaker, the “PININUH”. However while we kindly accept the role we must play our role differently which is while PININUH buries all the dead, we, as leaders, should not do so. We should, where possible, resuscitate “the dead” and make them live again. We have nothing to lose as GOD will find a way to repay us and he can even punish them if they in turn do bad things to those who have helped them. This is a lesson which I have learned from my father. It has worked for him and is working for me now.

In politics, we must also be patient although it is said that, “Time waits for no man.” However for good things to come, it will take time. Never rush for the desired result may come. For example, if you were to shake or climb a durian tree when the fruits are not ripe, then all what you will get will be unripe durian fruits! Take them but do not complain. It will take time to regroup and rebuild. It will take time to have voters who can understand what politics mean to their future. The majority of our Dayak voters were committed for change in 1974 and 1987 but many have been betrayed and enticed by the very leaders they have believed in. Now they are at times of confusions.

Even Bidayuh nationalism was strong at one time but BN tactics have misled them to worship BN now. Through DBNA, it was aroused but now through the same organization we are being “shackled”. Only with a more mature and knowledgeable population they can be “unshackled”, but it may take time before they appreciate my sacrifices. In their desperations, many are now looking up to Anwar and PKR to become their Saviour. How many time will tell but DBNA turn down the offer to host the MADN visitors on the 6th December last minute according to the Organizing Committee. So it was Datuk Daniel Tajem who came to the fore to receive them at his own residence.

A day to remember…Part 2- “rubbished” and a lesson…

When the Vice-President of PKR,Azmin Ali told the PKR delegates to expect an early snap election at the Party national annual Congress at the end of November, he was quickly “rubbished of” by the Chairman of Sarawak State BN and President of PBB three days later and made the front page of Borneo Post on the 4th December also. At noon time that same day over lunch, a friend of mine asked the question, “Why the over reaction?”… After all it was only a prediction. Why,.. did PKR Vice President hit the “raw nerve” of Taib for the over-reaction?

What happens if by the “hand of God” an early election is needed because of the need to win before PKR is ready to topple him as promised? Definitely, if no one could stop PKR from adopting one State Constituency by each of Member of Parliament and the designated “orphan” can do his/her work to win the support of the voters in his/her constituency? Will BN Sarawak wait until 2010 or 2011? Unlikely….. If so, who become the “rubbish” then?

Now that PKR is stirring the Dayak areas, it will be an interesting 2009 for all political observers…. especially members of BN Sarawak…. Will more of former PBDS and PRS leaders jumping ship to PKR following the footsteps of YB Gabriel Adit? Only time will tell… but if the first gathering of many Dayaks intellectuals on the 4th of December is anything to go by, then the coming State Election could become very interesting…. BN may lose or may lose two third majority for the first time in Sarawak history especially Taib’s???

The wind of Change from PR will be greater if they can win the Kuala Trengganau Parliamentary seat next month. UMNO and Najib, the “apparent PM designate” now that he won the UMNO Presidency uncontested, has a big stake at hand, and so is for PR. Although the contest is between UMNO and PAS, it will be also Anwar and PKR on trial. If PR wins, it will send negative side-effects on BN Sarawak….

A “lesson” is being served to all UMNO members, who may choose to behave and act like Zaid Ibrahim who resigned from his Senator and Ministerial posts appointment because he disagreed with the use of ISA on one reporter, a blogger and an Opposition Member of Parliament. All three have been released since. Of course attending the PKR national annual Congress was the “last straw that broke the camel’s back”. Isn’t the lesson given a bit too late? Could there be more UMNO members more ready to leave to join Anwar? After all now is the clear choice of Najib and Anwar to become the next PM? This so called lesson also made the same front page of Borneo Post…

If PR can conquer Sarawak in the next State General Election which have to be called before the next General Elections and maintain and expand the present base in West Malaysia, Najib could be in a lot of hard work…. Is it this pressure which triggers Taib’s outbursts on a mere prediction of an early State Election from a mere Vice President of PKR….? Or if UMNO win KT with a very big majority, will Najib call an early General Election if the conditions are right to ….

Indeed a day to remember… ada orang marah ooii….

Bully- Part 3 Masing “the bully off”?

“Batang Ai belongs to PRS, so stay out: Masing” made the front page in THE BORNEO POST, Monday 10 November Issue, is another telling sign of a “Bully” in BN Sarawak. Parti Rakyat Sarawak(PRS) was born to destroy its parent, PBDS, when Masing quarreled with Tajem over who should took over the Party after the resignation of its elected President, Moggie. It was an instant Party, registered within 24 hours and accepted into BN at the same time just to stop any chance of PBDS return.

Now whether or not, Masing has the power and blessings to throw out that warning publicly to his “rival” in BN is yet to be seen. One astute political observer commented to this morning that he may have the blessings to fire at his rival, as such matter can be quietly settled with the Chief Minister as they are now together in a Council Negri Budget meeting. Or has “bullying within BN is so intolerable” that the President of PRS has to shout publicly the warning. He also have fired his right hand man recently, Baginda for making a statement on PRS being bullied by BN partners. To-day we learn that the threat to PRS survival is “NOT from the Opposition, but from a Barisan Nasional(BN) component member”. Imagine BN destroying the very party they have to create to destroy PBDS? What are they fighting over, I wonder? One misery state seat, called Batang Ai, which BN can afford to lose and still has two third majority to govern!

Of course, when I was in SNAP Batang AI used to be a SNAP stronghold, and in all elections prior to the split of SNAP into PBDS in 1982, PBB used to sponsor the opposition candidate. Wonder whether the threat to PRS is still PBB or SPDP which another child created by BN Sarawak to destroy SNAP? So why the infighting, is it proxy fight as to who should become Taib’s successor or is PRS, Masing faction ready to “jump” ship unless Masing gets a better deal from Taib or just a case of too much bullying within BN Sarawak? Are they just thinking as to who should take over Dublin Unting who is still in coma or as according to a reliable sources, a case of power struggle for a bigger price amongst BN leaders now?

Whatever it maybe, a “bully” is present because there is a weakling to bully. PRS is a small party with the internal problem having two factions of Masing and Sng. BN Sarawak is also a group of political parties in Sarawak where PBB was born out of three parties which were established to represent the following groups: BERJASA-a Melanau based, NEGARA- a Malay based and PESAKA-an  Iban based. Through a very skillful manipulation of the Melanaus, BERJASA absolved NEGARA to become BUMIPUTRA and when adding the Malays was not enough, they absolved PESAKA to make it PBB – which is PESAKA BUMIPUTRA BERSATU. Since the Ibans are already represented by PESAKA, why should PBB need PRS or SPDP for the Iban support if PESAKA faction can deliver? Farther a united Iban party or group could be a threat to Melanau hold on to power. Three groups of Ibans, led by Masing, Mawan and the veteran Jabu, quarreling publicly over one seat, Batang Ai, will be no threat at all. But who is the Bully amongst the three and who is the weakling amongst them?

Yesterday I was taken by surprise when I was asked to give a talk to group of the people who are trying their level best to save their land from being taken by companies which has been approved by the BN-led State Government to take their land without compensation, knowledge or discussion at Kpg Sungei Limo, Lundu. These companies used threats and even gangsters as in the Ulu Niah case to deprive the natives of their Native Customary Rights(NCR) Land. BN-led Government, supported by the all named leaders had amended the Land Code to empower the Government to “STEAL” NCR land for sale to those developers. Fortunately in the test case of Rumah NOR vs Borneo Pulp, the Courts ruling expanded from just the Land cleared for farming prior to January 1st 1956 to include all other areas used by the said natives as the definition of NCR land. Unfortunately the amended Law requires the natives to show definite proof of their use and occupation the land they so claimed meaning there must be documented evidences – a HEAVY burden placed squarely on the natives.

Taking into account of the HEAVY BURDEN imposed by the Iban leaders placed on their own people over time I reminded them that for them to succeed, first they need to know their rights as citizens of an Independent Nation. After knowing those rights they must know how to protect those rights which they hold dear to their hearts or required for their survival. They must also be brave enough to depend those rights. I took a leave of rallying call from the Governor of East Kalimantan in his previous campaign for that post.

He said, “…. Jikalau BERANI, JANGAN TAKUT, TAKUT; Kalau TAKUT, TAKUT JANGAN BERANI..”. It means that if we dare to be “BRAVE, DON’T FEAR. FEAR” and if we “fear, fear DON’T BE BRAVE.”

Masing has been known as a IBAN fighter but always lasts only for a short time.. from 1987 till their surrender in 1991.. Now he wants to fight, how, when and how long. I have heard his speeches in Council Negeri but I always wonder whether he could walk the talk. Jabu on the other hand has always been loyal to his Master both in speeches and actions, but he can be very harsh to those below him especially to his Dayaks critics. He vowed “to teach me a Lesson before my sacking” in 1995 in the old Airport terminal, while we were waiting for our flight. It didn’t bother me them and it do not bother me now but I will not go back to BN as long as Jabu is there so as to be bullied again by him who does not dare to stand up for our NCR rights for one. Mawan we all know and does not need any comment…

Small wonder though, that all those who were there in Kpg Sg Limo, Lundu were “bullied” by our Chief Minister, who has the SOLE power to approve “outright sale” of State Land. I was handed yesterday also an urgent appeal from Willie Kajan, a Berawan from Long Terawan, a village in the Mulu Park National Reserve asking for help to regain their ancestral land from the Chief Minister’s sister, who was granted a full lease to their land by Land and Survey Department 2004, under Borsarmulu Resort Sdn BHD where she holds shares. Amongst the group are all the others: Kayan, Kenyah, Punan, Iban and Bidayuh whose rights have been squashed by those in power and are hoping that Courts will recognize and protect their rights to their ancestral land. Against their interests are the RICH and Powerful using “the need for Land development” as an excuse for them to have the sole monopoly of “getting rich fast” from the land deals.

To maintain and sustain their rights, all the Natives have to have the courage to fight long and hard like Tuai Rumah NOR who have fought long and hard over the last twelve years with partial victory because the Appeal Court decided against him for lack of “convincing evidence” especially when the Government Lawyer was smart enough to get one elder to sign affidavits against Nor’s Claim.

If the natives want to stop being bullied, then it is necessary for them to protect themselves politically as well.

JANGANLAH PILIH PEMIMPIN YANG BERANI TETAPI TAKUT, TAKUT, atau PEMIMPIN YANG TAKUT, TAKUT TEPI BERANI AJAR ORANG YANG MISKIN, TUA, ATAU LEMAH sahaja. Only you, yourself can stop the BULLYING.

With all your help, we also can. We can strive for a BETTER FUTURE together.

Wisdom, Honor and Respect

Many may wonder why the Bidayuh traditional Village Elders, also known as Ketau Kaum or Tua Kampong(TK) are described as “meek” and other derogatory terms. In the old days, Tua Kampongs are elected by the residents of the village on one door one vote basis. It follows the tradition of one door to provide only one person also to do any community work now called “gotong royong” especially to cut their footpaths, etc annually. The total costs of all the pigs and or chickens used during the year for all the Gawai and rituals are divided equally and each door will contribute one share each.

Normally, only the real achievers who had earned the respect of his fellow villagers will be asked by the majority to take the post of Tua Kampong to represent them when confronted by outsiders or the Government of the Day. At the same time the next individual will be elected to be the Second in command and his title is called the “KOMITI”.

The Tua Kampong is the leader who also become their judge and jury in any disputes or misconduct occurring in his village. He is also the counselor for those in need. He helps to settle land disputes or inheritance, etc. His word is their law.

Clever talkers who are selfish and relatively poor almost never get elected. Of course a “gila, gila’ person as alleged by the YB for Tasik Biru will never get elected to become a Tua Kampong. For a person to say so, he is insulting the whole of the Bidayuh Community and especially the village so alleged. It is an utmost disrespect to the community to be branded as having a Tua kampong who is “gila, gila”.

Wisdom is earned and is accorded by the observers, not by the person himself. Being elected a TK is always a personal mandate and based on personal merits alone. Every village will want to have a wise person to mediate in their chores and problems. The longer they serve as the village elders, the wiser they get. This is why no traditional village will elect a new TK while the serving one is alive. If he is unable to do the work in certain areas, his Second man in charge known as the “Komiti” will do those chores on his behalf. If he cannot perform cetain rituals or ceremonies, the expert also known as “Tukang Gawea”, “Pinguguh”, “Pinginang”, or any other person with the necessary knowledge will perform those specific functions. It is these type of co-operation and understanding which keep them alive despite of all the challenges facing the Bidayuhs in the past, present and the future.

However the TK remains to be the overall leader of the Village. Now politicians also want to utilize their leadership for their political convenience. This is alien to them till Malaysia Day and now. It should not been done as no village will agree to join a single political party. Involving the “Judge and Jury” will immediately split the village. We have seen IBAN longhouses splitting into shorter and newer ones because of politics. There are several villages in Bau District where they cannot work together like the good old days because they have current and former TKS.

To charge them as non-performers is the unkindness cut BN politicians can do. What are things they are supposed to do? Just reporting to the District Office once a week is to be part of their performance output. It is the biggest “BULLSHIT” which the present administration wants them to do. What is the hell they are suppose to do, just to know about BN YBS schedule? If that is their job, then the YBS or BN must top up their allowances with their own fund and not the Taxpayers’ money. Remember all Tua Kampongs have families to feed and making it compulsory for them to attend to all BN politicians all over the district is pure slavery at RM 450 per month. In fact, one the “sacked” TK told me that he is now happy, because now he can attend to his pepper again and free to do what he wants and is determined to fight BN in the coming State Election. I must thank the BN YB for that.

Look folks, if you think becoming Tua Kampong is a big deal, just remember my father who started with being the most successful person in our village. He had a “belian detached” house when I was young, then changed to Zinc roofing when others were still using “attaps”. We had a lot of jars, baskets, brass trays, etc but when I came back in 1974, almost everything were gone. He must have given them away as souvenirs, etc. Even our big Dragon jar was gone. Luckily for him he was not “sacked” by politicians or the District Office till his death at 82+ in 1986. However he would be asked by the District Office to become an adjudicator in difficult cases. The honor and respect accorded to him must have made it easier for me to enter the political arena as till to-day I refuse to smoking and drinking as “baits”. His only worry about me going to politics was that I am non-smoker and not a drinker, as he said, “how am I going to talk to the people?”. But thank to the honor and respect he had earned all those years helped me to win anyway.

To ensure that Sarawak will have a better future, the Government of the Day ought to leave the Tua Kampongs to do the business of looking after the welfare of their villages without political interference or instigations. Non-performance, obsolete, old age and “gila gila” should not be the excuses for bending them to obey politicians’ command and wishes.

Rural Development

“Opposition repress Dayaks” is the Headliner in The Borneo Post. on Monday, April 14th 2008. Now is also a Malaysia Day.

While Jabu sees Dayaks’ poverty in rural areas as an Opposition problem, Malaysia needs not. It is the opposition that did it according to him. He slammed PKR and DAP, apparently for supplying the lawyers who took the Government to courts over indiscriminate use of NCL and NCR lands by government approved investors without getting permission from the rightful owners. Of course State BN has amended the Land Code a number of times to ensure they can give away lands for oil palm plantations throughout the State under a provisional lease title. However, there are one hundred and seventy-three cases have been served to the numerous respondents and about twenty-seven more cases are being filed in courts for further approval for cases to be served. Thus the Malaysian Courts had not.

Current rural poverty has not been effectively eradicated because plantations alone have not been able to help the rural folks unless they are actively engaged as was done during my time. State BN policies are good on paper but the implementation procedures need further strengthening to ensure that NCL and NCR landowners are paid the due profits regularly on time as well as being paid the development fees which are received by a Government agency overseeing the particular plantation area which are developed on joint venture basis. For instance my land has been used by SALCRA for over twenty years but till to-day they use it for free. Even my land title is also being kept by them. I let them use my land and money because they it more than I do.

During my time, the dividend and bonus received in Tudan Scheme in Bokah/Raso had made a lot of Landowners happy. One of them even received over sixty over thousand Malaysian Ringgit in the first year, but now not as much. How these profits dwindle over time, only Jabu knows. SALCRA is under his care as BN leadership has entrusted all the SALCRA management to him till now. After my sacking from the State Cabinet, SALCRA managed the Estates in Bau and Lundu schemes directly under the General Manager who controls everything. The Kampong folks are no longer in control as were my time. The kampong Committee are now heavily influenced politically. The workers are mainly “contract” workers who in certain areas allegedly fertilize the streams and kill the fish instead. The over all result is that the production rate is below what FELCRA and FELDA can manage to achieve. There are also allegations that in certain areas where contracts are deemed to be completed and paid for but the work had not been done to specifications. No one dare to make official complaints because a Minister’s son is involved in the company. There are also allegations that fertilizers can be hijacked, bought and sold at the right price. Tiki, the current Honourable Member of Parliament(MAS GADING) used to be critical about these allegations privately but now he is out of the Federal Cabinet as well.

By right, no one in the Government should blame anyone in the Opposition for the oppression of the Dayaks. After all, almost every elected representatives most of this time since we helped formed Malaysia on September 16th 1963, had been and are from BN. Furthermore PBB led BN has governed Sarawak since the ouster of Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan in 1966. Taib and Jabu have been No. 1 and No.3 in the State Cabinet since 1981. PKR is only in existence after Anwar was sacked and knocked out by Mahathir in September 1988. DAP only entered the State Assembly since 1996. Since policies and governance have been the monopoly of Taib and Jabu since 1981, it is best that they look at their own closets and mirrors before blaming and attacking others for the poverty in rural as well as URBAN areas.

The policy of “urbanizing” the rural areas must be pursued in earnest at the cheapest possible way as was as practised in the Bau District during my tenure in office. Under this policy every single village should have motorable roads connecting them the nearest markets, RES, potable water and Telecommunication lines where possible. This policy was adopted to stop rural-urban migration as well as to reduce rural poverty. Kampong Tringgus is a classic example to show how accessibility can help to reduce rural poverty. Prior to the opening of the roads, the District Office almost always have to provide padi/and/or rice at certain times of the year on an annual basis. Now it is no longer practised. They even commute daily to work in Kuching as the half to one walk is now reduced to about forty-five minutes journey. To-day they can afford most of the things they only dream of in the past.

Kampong Jagoi Gunong on the other hand which is still reachable on foot is almost a “ghost” village because my successors could not put the 2 kilometer road into the Budget even though Tiki was the Deputy Minister of Rural Development! He even told one old permanent resident, Regong Pa Jeho, that “road cannot go up the Mountain” sic. it remains my only debt to them as I was supposed to put it in the 1996 Budget but BN sacked,kicked and maligned me in September 1995 in the middle of my hard earned leave just because SUPP alleged that I helped Dr. Eric Munjan in 1995 parliamentary Election held earlier in the year. For the isolation and dwindling population of Jagoi Gunong, Jabu can share the blame handsomely also.

Small MRPS were given direct to the Kampong JKKS to handle and it is up to the Implementing Officers to handle without my political interference. Now it has to go through a “new delivery system” which needs money to be channeled to feed the political machinery of BN. According to a Tua Kampong who had since passed away, a “thirty thousand allocation for Tar sealing” became only “three trunk loads of Pre-mix” in his kampong when it should be good for at least three kilometers at my time or at that particular year it should be good for at least two kilometer stretch. He was asked to sign the work order nevertheless. If anybody is to be blamed, look no further than the cronies of BN representatives.

Now is September 16th, the Day we can proudly say the Day we welcomed our Independence in 1963. No one should act as “COLONIZERS” did. Our rural folks are supposed to enjoy themselves to-day. If not, BN has ONLY itself to blame for its inability to use its “ABSOLUTE” power over the Governance, the MEDIA, ISA, OSA, etc just to protect BN leadership from losing power but to serve the people especially the RURAL and URBAN POOR. Time have come for BN to be happy to lose power, if the wellbeing of all Malaysians is top priority. Time has come for the Election Commission to be truly independent and to ensure only real citizen has to the right to vote without any more “floating”, phantom”, “ghostly deletions of real voters” or “blackouts to change votes”. Time has come for the Police to be reformed to look after “LAW and ORDER” only and not the “POLITICAL SAFETY” of some leaders and “POLITICAL DEMISE” of another. Time has come for everyone to respect DEMOCRACY.

The people had spoken earlier this year when they gave the mandate to Pak Lah to govern and Anwar to critize as the LOYAL OPPOSITION LEADER. Let us all give them all the peace they need to govern or criticize the full term- no one inside or outside UMNO should demand for a transition just because of the current economic downturn because of the Crude Oil price increase. Neither Najib nor Anwar have enough personal money to lower the price of the crude oil throughout the world. BN had made the mistake to pre-sold our little crude before, now we have to pay for that mistake because we believe in the system which made the recommendation to sell at that time. Allow the voters to speak again in three to four years’ time as to who can govern better. After the Loyal Opposition have FIVE out of thirteen States to show that they can do better. Govern and/or criticize honorably for all Malaysians.

It is our system which is in “bad needs for reforms”. It is the system which allows for manipulations which allow Lingam and Stephen to control the Judiciary and also allow the late Eric Chia and the likes to become BUMIPUTRA No.1 ahead of many UMNOPUTRAS who mostly act as “ALIBABAS” as examples. Allow and support Pak Lah to reform the POLICE, ACA and etc so that the SYSTEM can work again for all Malaysians.

Happy anniversary, MALAYSIA…….and to all Malaysians ….. PEACE BE TO ALL…. Hope for a BETTER FUTURE..