Umno, just don’t come to Sarawak

Of late, a 2014 video of the late Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem talking about Umno has been making the rounds on social media.

It has been reposted over and over again, and shared in various groups with accompanying anti-Umno comments.

This could be the work of the opposition in Sarawak. With GE14 around the corner, whipping up anti-Umno sentiment is a surefire tactic to derail support for BN.

Or it could just be the work of concerned netizens in the state, who are once again wary of Umno’s intentions in Sarawak.

I am actually surprised that this subject was broached again, and with such fervour. I thought it had already become a non-issue, as no one – certainly no Umno leader – has made any mention of the subject of late, at least not publicly.

So it makes me wonder whether there are unseen hands involved in a plot to bring Umno into Sarawak via the back door. In politics, anything is possible.

Then again, Umno also has cronies in Sarawak; some businessmen in the state are closely linked to powerful Umno figures. So anything could happen.

There is also talk of a possible crossover of Sarawak BN parliamentarians to Pakatan Harapan after GE14, should the opposition coalition win. This could also trigger Umno’s interests in Sarawak again.

The last time I heard of serious intention to bring Umno into Sarawak was in 2001, in a move initiated by former Parti Pesaka Bumputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president and Defence Minister Abang Abu Bakar Mustapha.

I recall asking Abang Abu Bakar about his move at that time, and he told me that Sarawak had much to gain by being in the strongest political party in the country, adding that the interests of Sarawakian Malays would be better protected within Umno.

I did not agree with his reasoning, but could understand his position then. Abang Abu Bakar had already fallen out of favour within PBB, and was at loggerheads with his party president and powerful chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Caught in such a situation, perhaps his best option was Umno.

Back to the Adenan video. In it, the then chief minister can be seen giving an interview to the media. When asked about Umno, he responded: “There is no need for Umno in Sarawak. We already have PBB.

“If I were to be in Umno, I would probably be appointed a vice-president. When it comes to concerns regarding Sarawak, I would be overruled by the majority in Umno. I don’t want that.

“There are also some extremists in Umno. These people are not the kind we want in Sarawak,” Adenan added.

'Madness in Malaya'

With such a strong statement from the chief minister, other Sarawak BN leaders were quick to rally behind him.

Deputy chief minister James Jemut Masing, who is also the Parti Rakyat Sarawak president, stated last year Sarawak was a model state because of the tolerance among its people.

He said that this was in part due to the ability of its leaders to maintain the intricate fabric of its social structure, and also because of the absence of Umno from the state administration.

“Sarawak’s social structures are such that it allows us to live in peace with each other. Because of this we will not allow Malaya’s social, culture and political culture to encroach into Sarawak.

“This has been our work for years. So why do we want to change it by bringing foreign culture from Malaya to our state?” Masing had told The Borneo Post.

Masing is one of the Sarawak ministers who has been vocal against Umno.

Recently, he publicly expressed his disappointment at how Sarawak BN parties were being sidelined at a BN briefing for GE14. He was irked at how it turned out to be a briefing specifically for Umno, instead of for BN parties.

Sarawakians must also be happy and proud of the tribute paid by a former Umno minister, Zaid Ibrahim, to the Hornbill State.

Last year, Zaid wrote an article called “Madness in Malaysia,” in which he shared his wonderful experiences while visiting Sarawak.

“I have no wish to celebrate or make any life-changing resolution, except to tell you a story about how wonderful Sarawak is. I would say that Sarawak is the place to be in the future when Peninsular Malaysia burns through its own folly,” he wrote.

He reiterated the point on Sarawak being a model state because it is administered by local parties, and not Umno.

“Sarawak will not insulate us totally from everything, but it will provide some kind of protection from the madness found in the peninsula.

In Sarawak, Malaysians will be quite safe from racist thugs whose idea of ‘jihad’ is to fight over shopping malls and enforce khalwat laws.

“In short, Sarawakian leaders can provide us with some relief from the toxic and deleterious politics of Putrajaya,” the article read.

Zaid also emphasised that Sarawak is potentially the best place to live in if the people want to escape from the misfortune that will sweep Peninsular Malaysia in the years to come.

“The school system and even public administration will be better with the use of English - when your English is good, you tend to know more about the world,” he wrote, stressing that the Islamisation of the state will be impossible because Umno is not in play, and that Malays in Sarawak would be safe without Umno.

As a Sarawakian, I am naturally proud of songs of praise for my home state, particularly from people who mean what they say.

In Zaid’s case, I believe he was sincere when he heaped accolades on Sarawak. I think he is genuinely fond of Sarawak and its people, and wants to learn more about them.

A few years ago, when Zaid was in Kuching, he asked me whether I could arrange for him to meet the family of Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Sarawak’s first chief minister.

We managed to catch up with Ningkan’s widow, Rosalind, and his daughter, Diana, at an impromptu lunch and had a good conversation.

I appreciate Zaid’s gesture in wanting to meet an Iban family in Sarawak, whether they are prominent or not. I don’t think many in Umno care to learn about Sarawak’s glorious past or its former leaders.

Just stay away

Well, many have given their opinions on Umno and the party’s purported intention in Sarawak. The conclusion is a big “no” to the party’s entry.

In case there are some Sarawakians who are Umno cronies behind any new move to bring Umno in, please let me respectfully ask you to just go make your millions, build your mansions and enjoy your lavish lifestyle, but please stay away from playing dirty politics with us.

Sarawak is bigger and more important and precious than any of us.

As for Umno today, I think I speak for many of my fellow Sarawakians by stating this.

Just stay where you are, Umno. Don’t set foot in Sarawak. Do not contaminate our beautiful homeland and peace-loving people with your extremism and venomous political culture.

Like Adenan Satem said: “We don’t need Umno and we don’t want Umno in Sarawak.”

---

FRANCIS PAUL SIAH heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.- Mkini