A call to amend State Constitution, out of tune

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The urban voters made a clear choice in the just concluded 10^th State Election. They rejected Barisan Nasional in all their constituencies. The victory margins were all very convincing even for rookies in Padungan and Batu Kawah.

By implication, they rejected   to be part of the government, which they perceived to be corrupt and unjust, which was the hallmark of DAP campaign to discredit the government both at the Federal and State levels. 

DAP’s  campaign for Change,  merely to remove Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud as the Chief Minister of Sarawak for reason  that he has been around  for 30 years, was out of date and vulgar to say the least. It was totally alien to the local culture of being respectful and cultured towards each others, to elders and leaders in particular.

First Pehin Sri Abdul Taib has already made known his intention to step down in two or three years’ time.  It is not for DAP to demand that he should make known his succession plan to the public. Otherwise, the same can be demanded from Lim Kit Siang, who has been DAP superman for 43 years and Karpal Singh, 37 years. 

More importantly, Pehin Sri Abdul Taib is not known to be a leader that takes back his words.  Besides, it is an open secret that he has wanted to retire from   politics since 2006. So why make his retirement plan such big issues in election campaigns in Chinese majority constituencies?

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Why demonise him just because he has been able to stay on his job for 30 years?   It is very simple he is a very strong Bumiputra leader, a formidable leader, who will not bend to pressure from any communal groups. To him communalism or racialism cannot be part of politics in a multi-racial and multi-religious state like Sarawak.  A lesser person than Pehin Sri Abdul Taib will fall by the onslaught of very negative campaigns that were laced with very personal and slanderous attacks against him.

For example,  a DAP candidate, in one of her campaign speeches, now being run by U-tube, even questioned  why only the Melanau should be the Chief Minister of Sarawak?   By implication why only Bumiputra should become the Chief Minister of Sarawak? Clearly, DAP believes that its leader should also become the Chief Minister of Sarawak, which is known for racial tolerance and harmony. 

Obviously, Lim Kit Siang, once considered as the firebrand of the opposition in Malaysia, is not the kind of person that will take instructions from Anwar Ibrahim, with all his personal problems and inconsistent stand on issues and vague political ideology, but he is riding on him. As much he also rides on Hadi Awang of PAS to create DAP supremacy in the State and the country.

Besides, Lim Kit Siang must be grateful to PKR for helping his son, Lim Guan Eng to become the Chief Minister of Pulau Pinang.  He shares Anwar’s burning ambition to capture Putra Jaya at the macro level and Petra Jaya at the micro level. 

If the Chinese voters have already decided that they do not want to be part of the government, a suggestion by a Senator that BN government should nominate non-elected representatives from the Chinese community to sit in the State Legislative Assembly by amending the State Constitution, is totally out of tune.

Sabah had that provision before but it was scrapped because it was considered to be undemocratic. Even those appointed under the provision got themselves ridiculed by the opposition mainly DAP in Sabah Legislative Assembly.

Instead, the people should respect the decision of urban voters to vote overwhelmingly for the opposition, which they believe can do more for them by shouting. Let them have the privilege to shout and shout to the top of their voices to get what ever they want; they believe that babies don’t get attention if they  don’t cry.

Lim Kit Siang can say what ever he likes that Pakatan Rakyat is staying in Sarawak with the objective of striving to be stronger in ensuring people’s voices be heard.  His boast cannot be taken with a pint of salt.  Rather, it should serve as a warning to Bumiputras, who make up more than 75% of the population of Sarawak, to remain vigilant less they fall into crafty propaganda of PR.

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Though Pakatan Rakyat could not even agree on seat allocations among members, but they can agree on strategy how to demonise leaders in the government. For example thank to timely disclosure by Raja Petra Kamaruddin of News Portal Malaysia Kini that Anwar Ibrahim is the “Father of Conspirators”.

DAP,  may not have appeals to Malay/Melanau, Ibans, Bidayuhs, Orang Ulu and others but PKR, its ally known  to be very astute in crafting propaganda,  may be able to pierce through bigger holes in rural areas to the advantage of DAP.  PKR has already pierced hole in Murut Highlands of Ba’kelalan and Krian the heartland of the Iban community in Betong Division.

However, PKR failed in Bidayuh areas, which it had always considered as soft targets.  Remember, the PKR set its first Markas (headquarters) in Mambong.  The leaders must have thought that the people, who had been complaining lack of socio economic development in the parliamentary constituency, could easily be dissuaded to switch support from the government to their side.

Its propaganda machine made relentless efforts to remind the Bidayuhs that they have only six state constituencies and three parliamentary constituencies in their areas. Therefore, they should limit the term of office of each of the elected representatives to two terms in order to allow new people with better leadership qualities and academic qualifications to represent them.

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Even the Orang Ulu, a smaller community than them is better represented in terms of having Senators and more political secretaries.  After 40 years of Independence, Barisan Nasional has yet to appoint a Bidayuh as senator. 

PKR, which contested in Bengoh constituency, one of the two State constituencies in Padawan Parliamentary constituency, does not have socio economic projects that can create jobs for the people. The constituency can only boast of a Chinese cemetery sprawling over a wide area, a Prison camp, Police Training School and Waste treatment plant.

Now the State government is in the process of dislodging people in four traditional villages to build dam to supply clean water to people in Kuching city. Those were examples of how PKR played on the feelings and sentiments of the people in agitating them to go against Barisan Nasional.  There were numerous issues being raised by the party in other constituencies too.

Therefore, Bidayuh voters, who used to be quite gullible, those in  Bengoh constituency in particular, deserve to be congratulated  for being steadfast in their support  to Barisan Nasional in spite of being subjected to massive propaganda onslaught by the opposition.

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Obviously, PKR and DAP criticize and curse leaders in the government, Pehin Sri Abdul Taib and Tan Sri Dr. George Chan in particular in order to shift the blames from themselves.  If the people know  that Pulau Pinang being governed by DAP is going down, Selangor by PKR is running short of money, Kedah  by PAS as a no action government and  Kelantan by PAS, being the poorest state in the country, they will  reject the opposition.

Generally, the people agree with the remark made by Huan Cheng Guan, Vice President of Parti Cinta Malaysia that both DAP and PKR are No.1 in telling lies and spinning stories. They will promise everything under the sun to lobby for support.

 benuasains

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