Sarawak plays positive roles in enriching identity of Nation

Unimas

Sarawak will be celebrating 48 years of progress and advancement within Malaysia on July 22, 2011. It was on that date that Sarawak became a new political entity with the establishment of the first cabinet of self-government Sarawak. The event led to the State’s participation in the formation of the beloved nation Malaysia on September 16, 1963.

Indisputably, the state has made tremendous progress and advancement since July 22, 1963 with poverty rate having dropped drastically from about 80 per cent in the 60s to merely 7 per cent even after the upward revision of the poverty line index (PLI) from RM500 to RM700. The state has also succeeded in developing a good network of roads with a total length of 18,000 Km from mere few hundred Kilometers in the mid-70s.

Sarawak, with its own history, varied customs and traditions, a way of life that is distinguished by pluralism in culture, has been able to retain an identity that is distinct and undiminished. However, it remains steadfast in pursuing a future that is neither separate nor independent from that of the nation. It remains true to its status as an indispensable part of the nation and a major contributor to the larger identity of the beloved nation.

Kuching Swinburne

Generally the people, enjoying continuous development since 1981, have clear vision and aspiration to move forward as a peaceful and progressive State in modern country.  More importantly, they remain steadfast to the struggle for nation building; to them defeat is not an option in the struggle for nation building. 

Generally, the situation in Sarawak is very different as compared with those in Peninsular Malaysia; the state has its own peculiarities. Hence, the State Government has to come up with the development program that could suit local situation and environment. For example, in the 60s and early 70s, about 80% of the population still lived in rural areas that did not have roads, clinics, schools, basic communication facilities like telephones and amenities like water and electricity supplies. 

Besides, the people were living in 5,000 traditional villages and longhouses, which were distant apart from each other, mostly between one to 30 miles apart. They were scattered thinly over a wide area throughout the nooks and corners of the state. Some people had to walk for 14 days from their longhouses to the nearest towns or bazaars in order to register for the identity cards or report the births of children or deaths of members of their families or do other official matters with the government. 

Miri

Generally, it was very difficult to bring meaningful development, which must be comprehensive and thorough to such areas. Fortunately, the federal leaders notably the late YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister recognized the differences in situations between the State and Peninsular Malaysia and allowed local leaders to use their capability, wisdom and farsightedness to institute changes and development in the state. He also appreciated why politics in Sarawak had to be different from those in other states in the country.

Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud considers he has been fortunate to get a lot of advices and encouragement from the late Tunku in carrying out his duty and responsibility as the Chief Minister in the services of the people, State and country. The late Tunku used to make regular visits to the state, almost every year, as a way to give him the necessary encouragement and support in the overall task to bring development to the State. He used to give Abdul Taib fatherly advice such as : “Taib don’t be sad, don’t be discouraged  by all the challenges that you have to face in your job. You can do whatever you want and I believe you will succeed in the gigantic task to develop Sarawak.”

Miri Marina Bay

Pehin Sri Abdul Taib says the introduction of the politics of development as the philosophy of development was primarily to guide the political direction towards development. It was to ensure that efforts of the people would not be wasted and diverted elsewhere. Instead, they should be focused towards development primarily to create opportunities for the people, who had been living in poverty and without any opportunities to work and earn their living. Hence, they were either unemployed or under-employed in their longhouses or kampungs. They had to do odd jobs to earn their meals. It was a hard life.

For Sarawak, July 22 must remain a significant date as it was this day, 48 years ago, that the late Stephen Kalong Ningkan, a son of Sarawak, received his appointment as the first Chief Minister of internal self-government Sarawak. The event symbolized the handing over power by the British Colonial Administration to the State and people of Sarawak. He led the first post Independent cabinet, which comprised of local state leaders, who represented Dayak, Malay and Chinese communities.

Sibu

His appointment and the formation of the first internal self-government state cabinet was the first step to a long and arduous journey towards nationhood. Since then Sarawak has been putting into office four chief ministers, each with his own style of leadership to institute changes and development as a way to fulfill the wishes and aspirations of the people to experience positive changes in their livelihood. All of them realized the need to make conscientious efforts to nurture and build a fair and just society for every community.

The late Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan, as the first Chief Minister, focused his attention and efforts to bring a form of development to the State, which, after centuries of rules by various foreign powers mainly under the White Rajah, Japanese occupation and British Colonial Administration, the State was under developed with the overwhelming majority of the people living in rural areas in abject poverty. Generally, the people lived from hand to mouth with nothing to save for the rainy days.

RH Hotel and Wisma Sanyan

Therefore, he had to focus his attention to the development of infrastructure mainly roads and bridges, wharves and jetties in order to make more places accessible by roads to towns and bazaars. Besides, his government also tried to build more clinics and schools and provide necessary facilities and amenities to as many people as possible. He took the initiative to develop two land development schemes, each at Triboh in Serian and Skrang in Sri Aman. It was a new thing and definitely the first attempt by the government to make land as an agricultural enterprise, which entailed the development of land for modern agriculture with proper management.

The late Tan Sri Ningkan was succeeded by Dato Tawi Sli, whose government, for the first time, believed in developing the rich natural resources of the state on a sustainable basis to ensure that the resources could be inherited by future generations. He was prepared to freeze all applications to harvest the forest areas, with total acreage of millions of hectares, until inventories could be made of them and a proper system could be worked out based on the principle of perpetual yield to harvest them. The system was to ensure that the forests would remain lasting sources of income for the people, state and country.

Sibu Central Market

In this connection, the government being led by Dato Tawi Sli decided that all forests areas, before they could be harvested, must be surveyed first. He sought the help of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for this purpose. The primary objective was to ensure that any forest area, being given out for harvest, must be harvested according to the concept of perpetual yield in order to sustain it as an important source of revenue for the state and country.

The late Dato Tawi Sli was succeeded by Dato Abdul Rahman Ya’kub as the third Chief Minister of the post-Independence State within the Federation, after the first direct general elections in the state in 1970.  Dato Abdul Rahman, in his sincere efforts to bring greater development to the state in a more modern and systematic manner, should be credited with two very important achievements, the restoration of peace and stability and the abolition of the Common Entrance Examination in the state.

Kuching :The Isthmus Project 

Dato Abdul Rahman had to focus his attention to deal with the security threats being posed by members of the underground armed terrorist groups with the avowed aims to disrupt peace and harmony in the state. They were involved in an armed struggle to overthrow the government, being elected by the people through the principle and practices of parliamentary democracy, and replace it with the communist system of government.

Dato Abdul Rahman Ya’kub, as the Chief Minister and Chairman of the State Security Committee, led the government’s successful campaign to persuade members of the armed group to lay down their arms and rejoin the society. The turning point was the signing of the peace agreement “Persetujuan Sri Aman” or Sri Aman Peace Accord on March 4, 1974.  The agreement was marked by laying down arms by about 500 members of the armed group.  The agreement helped to end a long running conflict, which had cost the government a huge expenditure and caused immense hardship and losses to the people. After, the Sri Aman agreement, the government could spend more money on development and accelerate its pace. In other words, the state government, for the first time, could spend more money on development and less on defense and security.

The Isthmus Project : Borneo Convention Centre Kuching

Indisputably, the abolition of Common Entrance Examination, through the initiatives and successful efforts of Dato Abdul Rahman Ya’kub, has a long term effect on the development of the state. The common entrance examination, a relic of the colonial administration, had been restricting only 30% of pupils in Primary 6 annually to continue with their secondary education.  The restrictions had badly affected pupils in rural schools, which caused them to be further lagged behind in education and development.

The State government, being led by Dato Abdul Rahman, had to implement a crash program to build more secondary schools throughout the state after securing the agreement of the Federal Government to abolish the common entrance examination. Consequently, he laid a strong foundation for the present state government to pursue a more aggressive educational development program and create more opportunities for the people to pursue tertiary and technical education and skills development trainings.

The Isthmus Prject : SEB

Now the State can boast a full-fledged university, a number of university colleges, polytechnics and specialized training centres. Kota Samarahan, a home to UNIMAS, the premier state university, a branch campus of UiTM, a Teachers’ College and a host of private colleges, has already been recognized as the Centre of Excellence in the state.

Besides, Mukah is being planned for development as smart city in SCORE development area. A number of universities, polytechnics and specialized training centres will be built in the town to address the training needs for skilled and semi-skilled workers within the corridor.

The future for Sarawak towards the year 2020 is bright; it should be brighter by the year 2030 and beyond. However, the people must be prepared to embrace change and face the challenges of the second wave of development toward that year.  Besides, the people must remain steadfast to the philosophy of the politics of development, which has already brought manifolds success to the state in all fields. 

The Isthmus Project : Kuching Tower

Generally, the people are getting more mobile in looking for employment and business opportunities. They are prepared to go anywhere for such purposes. For example, the Bidayuhs, once confining themselves in the hinterland of Kuching division, have taken up jobs as fishermen, they are now seafarers. They can be found in every division in the state including the industrial town of Bintulu. Of course, the Chinese, Malays, Ibans and Orang Ulu can also be found in all divisions in the state.     

More importantly, the people can recognize and embrace changes and respond positively to opportunities of the new economy. They can move forward with confidence.  They are mobile and having the common feeling of pride being Malaysians of Sarawak origins, who could stand shoulder to shoulder or sit on the same level with others.   In other words, the people are sharing a common feeling of having an equal society, which they have succeeded in building for Sarawak.

The State will be able to embark on the second wave of development with greater focus and courage as the people are being equipped with necessary knowledge and skills for the purpose. They will have more opportunities to do the jobs that suit their talents. Besides, they will be able to embrace change,  adjust to the new situation with the primary objective to raise their own standard of living as outlined in  vision 2020.      

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 *Photos Source: google.com images