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Daniel John Jambun
The recent report made by Rozza Rothman against people from the Peninsula insulting Sabah in Facebook postings reminds us again of the long and unceasing attitude of Malayans looking down on Sabah and Sabahans.
This is due mainly to the misconception created by the failure of the efforts of national integration and national unity made under the National Unity and Integration Department (NUID) which has been operating since 1969 (after the May 13 riots), spending hundreds of millions of ringgits trying to Malaysians in the Peninsula and those in Borneo. The Malaysian blog reported in July 2006 that “Probably 99% of Malaysians have not even heard of the very existence of the national unity and integration department. Ironically, as its name suggests, it is the one entrusted to 'integrate' and 'unite' the people and therefore should have been very familiar to the public!” the writer even commented, “"What the devil have you been doing all these years except collect your monthly pay?" The biggest problem with the NUID is plain ineptness, lack of creativy and drive, as well as the over-dominance of Peninsular officers who have the attitude that in the whole process, it is the Borneons that need to be rehabilitated from the wild, to be civilized so they can be on par with the more civilized Malayans. There is less thought about rehabilitating the Peninsular Malaysians into learning about Borneo which to them is unimportant and not even part of the real Malaysia.
Ever since the beginning people in the Peninsula had always looked upon Sabah and Sarawak as the nation’s wild side, areas covered with trees occupied by monkeys, pythons, crocodiles and even wild men living on treetops. The Facebook insults reported by Rozza included comments saying Sabahans still live on trees. In the past Peninsular teachers coming to teach in Sabah used to shop for Panadols and toothpastes in large amounts in their hometowns before they boarded the planes to Kota Kinabalu because they believed those items can’t be found here. In one TV live interview Datuk Dr. Maximus Ongkili was called by a girl from Penang who asked what monetary currency was used in Sabah. Sabahans coming to KL are asked, “Bila sampai Malaysia?” or worse, “When is Sabah going to join Malaysia?” I have friends who had been asked to please go ahead and enjoy the fish-head curry because “You people don’t have this in Sabah”. The list of blatant ignorance runs long and wide, proving how ignorant people are in the Peninsula. Even in the age of the Internet when surfers can easily see tens of thousands of pictures of Sabah online, they still really, really believe we live on trees.
Other the 43-year failure of the NUID, this intolerable ignorance is also caused by the timidity and cowardice of our Members of Parliament who act like wet mice in Kuala Lumpur, bowing and smiling to the Malayans as if to admit they are actually less civilized. They allow themselves to be looked down upon to curry favours. They forget that one of their duties as the representatives of Sabahans is to educate the ignorant people of the Peninsular that Sabah is a beautiful and a more peaceful place where Peninsular teachers and civil servants come to get married and settle down because of the beauty of the state.
They need to shout in parliament every now and then to remind the people there that they owe Sabah and Sarawak for the wealth and prosperity being enjoyed by them. The fine highways, airports and buildings (including the Petronas Towers) are there because of oil from the Borneo states! This is so ironic because Sabah, the producer of this precious black gold is mired in poverty, having terribly bad roads while they have four-lane highways even to gambling haven, Genting Highlands. Our MPs need to shout in Parliament, “Jangan lupa orang Sabah yang kasi makan kamu!” to shame them into recognising our contribution to their prosperity there which is like 20 years ahead of us.
I urge the police to take serious action on Rozza’s report and inform us of their progress. Soon, someone need to make a police report on the gigantic failure of the NUD, even to sue it, or at least to audit its performance and penalize it for decades of failure to unite Malaysians. It needs to explain why Malaysians today are more polarized than ever before and why it is not taking any action against those causing racial and religious disunity, especially people like Ibrahim Ali who is record for threatening to kill Christians and calling for a ban on Christians from teaching in schools. If they can’t do the job the NUID should be closed down to save precious money.
Sebenarnya masih ramai orang SM ni yang masih kurang pengetahuan tentang Sabah dan menganggap rakyat Sabah masih kolot.
ReplyDeleteThey should equip themselves with knowledge not some rubbish.
Deletemereka harus lihat sabah dahulu, baru mereka tau bagaimana keadaan d Sabah.
DeleteThey are simply jealous of us.
ReplyDeleteI was so disheartened to see so many negative comments about Sabah in Facebook. Where's your morality?
ReplyDeleteYes it is.
ReplyDeleteKesian orang yang kutuk Sabah, nampak sangat hidup mereka tak cukup bahagia. haha
ReplyDeleteKononnya serba moden tapi pengetahuan masih tak cukup. hihi. Apapun, pedulikanlah mereka... Ada juga hukumannya tu nanti.
ReplyDeletePeduli kan sahaja siapa yang suka mengutuk itu.. cuma sebilangan kecil saja yang kurang pengetahuan.
Deletetidak perlulah Daniel melenting.. anggap saja ini sebahagian daripada risiko kesan dari amalan kebebasan bersuara.. kalau semua media2 sosial disekat, confirm masalah seperti ini tidak akan berlaku..
ReplyDeletepada pandangan saya, pembangkang juga memainkan peranan dalam hal ini.. lihat saja sebelum ini pembangkang giat memainkan sentimen wilayah berkenaan dengan pekerjaan/jawatan kerajaan.. seolah2 mesej pembangkang kepada rakyat Malaysia, orang2 semenanjung tidak layak bekerja di Sabah sedangkan ada ramai rakyat Sabah yang bekerja di jabatan2 kerajaan di semenanjung..
ReplyDeletesetiap kali ada penjawat awam dari semenanjung yang ditempatkan di Sabah, mesti dipertikaikan.. malah pembangkang menyalahkan mereka dengan kelembaban pentadbiran kerajaan di negeri ini, dan juga menyalahkan mereka kononnya tidak memberikan komitmen dengan kerja terutamanya bagi guru2 warga semenanjung..
ReplyDeletekerajaan berusaha melaksanakan konsep 1Malaysia dengan menempatkan penjawat2 awam bukan berdasarkan negeri kelahiran mereka, tapi malangnya pembangkang membantah cara ini.. bila tidak ada perpaduan dikalangan rakyat dan masing2 membuat kenyataan bersifat provokatif di laman2 sosial tanpa melihat situasi sebenar, kerajaan juga yang disalahkan oleh pembangkang..
ReplyDeleteMau dekat-dekat PRU ini, banyak kes sebegini.. mungkin ini taktik pihak yang tertentu.. siapa tau.
ReplyDeleteMaintaining a close relationship and work ties between federal and state officers is vital towards ensuring a more effective and efficient implementation of federal development projects in Sabah.
ReplyDeleteChief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman assured that the State Government under his leadership will continue to give the fullest co-operation to federal department and agencies in implementing projects entrusted to them.
ReplyDeleteIt is a collective responsibility to carry out the task that is being entrusted by the national leadership effectively and efficiently, and the only way to do this is by working closely together.
ReplyDeleteMusa also commended the outgoing federal secretary for his excellent service in the State and congratulated him for his appointment as the new director general of the Malaysian Customs Department.
ReplyDeleteHe also expressed satisfaction on the quality of services given by federal top officers posted to Sabah, saying the officers in general showed commendable ability to adapt to local culture and environment and therefore able to perform their duties effectively.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Khazali said among the things he wanted to do as the new DG of Customs was to build a new Customs complex and provide better housing facilities for the department’s officers and staff in Sabah.
ReplyDeleteHe noted that the department is currently operating mostly from rented properties in Kota Kinabalu and other districts in the State and it is time for the agency as a major income collector for the nation to have a better infrastructure in Sabah.
ReplyDelete