Mar agi meli belacan ari meli undi Iban

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

The captioned of this article in Iban mean ” it is more expansive to buy “balacan” -prawn paste then to buy Iban vote”. This statement was said by Datuk Sng when he was YB for Meluan some years ago. This statement will haunt the Sng family very soon. The people of Meluan remember this statement very well because it insulted their dignity. The Sng will try to resolve this problem by splashing even more money hoping that the Meluan voters can be bought. MRP would be a very important to get the Meluan people to forget statement. But will they?

Why is this statement getting relevant?

SPDP President YB William Mawan has made concession in the news media that his party is willing to accept Larry Sng as one of its candidate. In this way, the Larry Sng drama will end with Dr James having the upper hand in Pelagus PRS candidate choice and Mawan is able to field and claim an “Assistant Minister” of at least THREE portfolio into his party. That would be a big gain as far as SPDP is concern.

Where will Mawan put Larry to contest?

The only logical place is Meluan. The incumbent YB Wong Judat do not share good relationship with Mawan or Joseph Salang, the MP for Julau. Larry’s father, Datuk Sng has stood and won in Meluan Julau therefor he would have still many good loyal supporters in the area. SPDP is also well organize in Meluan and plus there will not be anymore aspiring candidate from SPDP for the seat with Larry’s selection as candidate.

I doubt YB Wong Judat would consider to become an independent candidate against Larry as that would be to his big disadvantage in many ways then just a political suicide. As a retiring politician YB Wong Judat would have to look after his retiring plan too. Larry in this manner could be very helpful to Wong Judat and it is better that Wong Judat lend his support for Larry.

A battle between the rich and the poor is looming

With Larry coming to Meluan that would signal big money coming to be spent in the coming election. The contest in Meluan would be exactly the type that will be fought in many fronts in the coming election whereby rich family and rich politician would literally buy their power from the people. This will give Meluan voters the opportunity to prove to the rich politician that they cannot be easily bought. The people of Meluan may want to prove that they are not as cheap as “belacan” as Datuk Sng thought.

If Datuk Sng is prove correct and god forbid that Meluan voters could be bought then there is nothing much that the young professional Dayak can do to help their own people.

The challenge faced by young Dayak leadership

Young well educated Dayak simply do not have the money to compete with the multi-millionaire the like of Sng. Larry Sng can splash his money around with Tan Sri Ting Pek King as his father -in-law but the young Dayak could provide the voters with sincere effective leadership to improve their standard of living. To fight for their NCR land rights.

The Dayakbarus should make the change by educating the people of Meluan that money is not everything. Meluan voters will have their own future to take care of, their children education, their NCR land, increase in income over the long run and most of all they have to keep their dignity and not treated as “belacan” in order to walk with their head held high.

Evidence from Datuk Sng tenure as YB for Meluan

There was not much progress in Meluan and seldom visited by ex-YB Sng after he was elected. If the Meluan voters can remember and learn from experience then Meluan can see a big battle coming between the rich family and the people of Meluan who wanted real progress. A road from Ng Entabai to Rantau Limau in Ulu Kanowit. The road from Pakan to Ulu Entabai, Entaih, Engkamop etc.

The battle would be also between elite and special Minister favored by Taib against committed and visionary young Dayak leadership. The Meluan voters will have to make an important choice.

Conclusion

PKR will need to place hard working and down to earth leadership in Meluan against the might of Datuk Sng / Larry Sng wealth and political office position. The PKR candidate must be seasoned, tough, knowledgeable and have the trust of the Meluan people.

Dayakbaru – now is the time for Change and let us show what Change WE Must is all about in Meluan. Come together and volunteer yourselves to put up what is right for our community.Money after all is not everything. We have pride and dignity to look after too.

Aram meh kitai Berubah diatu di Meluan