‘Blind, deaf and dumb’ to Sarawak natives needs

Despite two Dayak-majority parties within the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, little progress has come to a vast majority of the longhouses in Sarawak.

KUCHING: A renown blogger has ‘diagnosed’ current Dayak elected representatives and leaders as suffering from “blind, deaf and dumb” syndromes.

“They (Dayak leaders) have eaten ‘taju remaung’ (forbidden fruit) so much that they are just blind, deaf and dumb on native customary rights (NCR) lands that are forcibly taken away from the native owners and given to the cronies and companies linked to the powers that be, ” said Dayak blogger Dr John Brian.

He said Dayak political leaders cen’t seem to hear cries of help from the natives.

“We have never heard them (leaders) talking and protecting the hundreds of thousands of Dayak land that have been submerged by Bakun and Batang Ai dams.

“Did the (leaders) protest when the government changed the Land Code so that it was easier for the government to take away NCR land?,” asked Brian.

He was speaking to residents of a longhouse at Nanga Bidat, Julau recently.

Brian, who has been very vocal lately in Meluan, is expected to contest the seat on a Pakatan Rakyat ticket.

The incumbent rep in Merluan constituency is Wong Judat of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

‘Don’t trust Jabu’

Brian said Dayak natives should weigh the words made by Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu in relation to the government’s land acquisition plan.

“What I have heard of Jabu talking is about how developing your land by Sarawak Land Custody and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) will make you rich.

“He asks you to give your land to Salcra to develop so that you can become millionaires.

“Don’t trust Jabu, because I have not seen anyone from his own Layar constituency becoming a millionaire for taking part in Salcra.

“They have been with Salcra for more than 20 to 30 years.

“If the Dayaks in Betong depend only on Salcra for a living, they would be classified as hardcore poor when their monthly dividends are between RM200 and RM300 per month.

“Fortunately, they have other sources of income to rely on,” he said.

Brian also said Dayak leaders should think of ways on how to improve the people’s health, economic well-being and their livelihood.

He suggested setting up of clinics, rubber and cocoa factories and introducing small holdings for oil palm, pepper and rubber rather than distributing minor rural development projects worth from RM3,000 to RM5,000 as is being done now.

Such projects, he said, need not involve elected representatives to distribute as they were not development per se.

He also pointed out that majority of longhouses in the constituency lacked treated water supply and 24-hour electricity as compared to some of villages in the coastal areas.

“Go to the coastal villages in SCORE. Even farm houses are given electricity,” he said, pointing out that development is not equally distributed in the state.

Don’t succumb to fear

As a result of lack of economic activities in the state, many of the Dayaks have left for Peninsular Malaysia and overseas to seek employment, he said.

On education, Brian has called for the setting up of a Dayak University and an Iban school.

“The Chinese, Malay and Indian communities have their own respective universities, but where is a Dayak university? And where is an Iban school?

“Why aren’t our Dayak leaders asking for this? They are not asking because they have eaten the ‘forbidden fruits’ fed by their political masters. They have become blind, deaf and dumb,” he stressed.

Urging the locals to think wisely, he said although Barisan Nasional had been voted into government for the past 46 years, the conditions at the longhouse have remained the same.

“They warn you that if you vote for the opposition, then your children cannot go to schools, because these schools are owned by the Barisan Nasional.

“You will not be given development projects if you go against government.

“Have you rebelled against the government? Have you taken up arms like communist terrorist against the government? Of course it is a big NO.

“So you are not against government. What you are against is a Barisan Nasional government.

“However, if you still like them then you vote for them during election times, and if you don’t like them, vote them out.

“Don’t be afraid to vote for Pakatan Rakyat for a change in the coming election,” he said. - FMT