The Chinese who kept Taib in power were rewarded for their support and all the transgressions, abuse of power and corruption that is being perpetuated by Taib and his family, and which you are complaining about, is being perpetuated in collaboration with his Chinese cronies.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Many people are calling the Sarawakians stupid and are disparaging the natives of Sarawak for keeping what they say is the most corrupt Chief Minister of that state in power for so long. Taib, who took office in March 1981, has been in power for more than 32 years now.
I take it these people saying all this must be quite young (meaning below 30-35) and do not know much about Malaysia’s history. If they did, they would know what really happened in the past and why things are what they are today -- and hence would be very ashamed and would not talk so much.
Actually, the attempt to kick out Taib Mahmud was launched 26 years ago in 1987 by none other than his own uncle together with Dayak leader, Leo Moggie anak Irok, the one-time President of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), a breakaway party from Parti Kebangsaan Sarawak (SNAP).
That attempt, however, failed mainly because the Chinese supported Taib and not the natives. Thereafter, Taib launched his divide-and-rule counter-strategy and stayed in power for another 26 years until today (and will probably ‘rule’ Sarawak for more than 35 years before we see his exit).
The Chinese who kept Taib in power were rewarded for their support and all the transgressions, abuse of power and corruption that is being perpetuated by Taib and his family, and which you are complaining about, is being perpetuated in collaboration with his Chinese cronies.
Malaysia Today, in fact, wrote about the logging and timber scam in Sarawak back in 2004 and we even named names. Nevertheless, nine years on and the situation has more or less remained the same and will probably remain unchanged right up to the coming Sarawak state election in three years time.
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Excerpts from Chapter 6: The Ming Court Affair
The Broken Shield
The Ming Court is a hotel in Kuala Lumpur where a group of politicians headed by the former Governor of Sarawak, Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub, gathered some time in March 1987 and discussed a plan to topple the state government of Sarawak under the leadership of Taib Mahmud, Rahman’s nephew. The Ming Court Hotel became the ‘headquarters’ of these politicians who were dissatisfied with Taib’s government. Thus, the name of Ming Court Hotel Affair came about.
Dissatisfaction with Taib’s leadership started as early as in 1985, when Bumiputera politicians accused him of neglecting the interests of Bumiputeras -- the Malays, Ibans and Bidayuhs -- and giving so much face to the Chinese. Many big projects, timber concession areas and large tracts of land were given to the Chinese and SUPP. Because of a special relationship between Taib and the SUPP leaders, SUPP became very daring in its demand. SUPP even asked the state government to give it a piece of land in each of the seven divisions in the state for the construction of its premises. This request by SUPP angered the Bumiputeras.
Wilfred Nissom, the independent State Assemblyman for Bengoh, was among those who were critical of Taib Mahmud. Nissom accused Taib of being a ‘weak’ Chief Minister who always gave in to demands by SUPP. He said that it was only a weak Chief Minister who tried to make a criminal out of a Bidayuh who had made a private application to join PBB under him.
READ MORE HERE:
The Dayak dilemma (Part 1) by Sim Kwang Yang, 20 December 2008http://www.sapp.org.my/mkini/081220_dayak.htm
The Dayak dilemma (Part 2) by Sim Kwang Yang, 27 December 2008http://www.sapp.org.my/mkini/081227_dayak.htm
The Dayak dilemma (Part 3) by Sim Kwang Yang, 10 January 2009http://www.sapp.org.my/mkini/090110_dayak_dilemma.htm
The Dayak dilemma (Part 4) by Sim Kwang Yang, 17 January 2009http://www.sapp.org.my/mkini/090117_dayak.htm
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What more can SUPP ask?
Joseph Tawie, Free Malaysia Today, 14 August 2010
Former councillor of Parti Rakyat Sarawak Joseph Allen has slammed SUPP leaders for neglecting the interests of Bumiputeras in their constituencies.
“Look at longhouses and villages under their constituencies in Pelawan, Bawang Assan and Dudong in Sibu, Sarikei and Bintangor: many of them have no clean water, electricity and proper roads compared with Chinese areas under their control,” Allen said.
“Clearly the interests of Bumiputeras have been neglected,” he said, adding that SUPP (Sarawak United People's Party) paid only 'lip service' to the Bumiputeras.
Allen was commenting on the proposed meeting between SUPP leaders and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
The SUPP leaders want Najib to exert pressure on Chief Minister Taib Mahmud to give equal opportunities to the Chinese community in business, contracts, employment in the civil service, scholarships and places in institutions of higher education if the Barisan Nasional leaders want to see the party doing well in the coming election.
“I am surprised to hear that SUPP is asking for equal opportunities business, tenders and government contractors. After the Ming Court affair in 1987, SUPP was given everything,” he said.
(The Ming Court affair refers to group of rebel state ministers and assistant ministers who plotted to topple Taib by moving a vote of no confidence in the state legislative assembly. The plotters met at the Ming Court (now Corus Hotel) in 1987 to hatch their plan but Taib retaliated by the dissolving the state assembly. He won in the fresh polls.)
“Who owns Class A and Class B licences? And who are being awarded big projects, given timber concessions and given provisional leases to plant oil palm in native customary rights land? Who are the millionaires and billionaires in the state?” Allen asked.
Allen, who is a contractor himself, alleged that Bumiputeras, who own class F licences, can only get government projects if they promise to sub-contract such projects to Chinese contractors, because the majority of the Bumiputera contractors do not have capital.
“This arrangement is being done in Sarikei, Bintangor, Sibu, and I am sure in other towns often with the full knowledge of certain authorities,” said Allen, who is being dubbed the 'Ibrahim Ali' of the Dayak community.
Said Allen: “What SUPP leaders are seeking are projects for their cronies. The fight now is between their (SUPP) cronies and cronies of Taib. They are meeting and asking the prime minister to pressure Taib to give them some of the projects."
“They are not doing it for the ordinary Chinese,” he added.
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How would you describe the politics in East Malaysia, specifically in Sarawak, compared to the days when you were a politician?
The Star, 18 December 2010
Even in Sarawak, the public is more cynical now, compared to say, ten years ago. More so among the urban population with access to all sorts of information or misinformation. So, politicians are subject to greater scrutiny, which is a good thing.
Rural Sarawakians by and large are still respectful of authority. They are uncomfortable with the aggressive confrontational style of campaigning seen in Semenanjung. They still need basic infrastructure. They need potable water supply, electricity, access to roads, access to good education while trying to make a living on smallholdings and family farms. For instance, our area, including my own longhouse, is accessible by road. We are just an hour from Sibu Airport. But our lighting comes from our own small diesel gen-set. It is difficult for people in the Semenanjung to comprehend that. Until these basic needs are met, the dynamics of politics in Sarawak will remain unchanged. -- Tan Sri Leo Moggie
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