Joseph Tawie
Is Barisan Nasional’s ‘divide and rule’ policy grating on the local Bidayuh community, who pride themselves of being cohesive? It appears so judging from the warning issued by a former leader of the Dayak Bidayuh Nasional Association (DBNA).
Ex-DBNA vice-chairman Edwin Luak has slammed BN leaders for stoking disunity and using the association as a pitching ground from BN candidates.
“BN political leaders should be aware that DBNA is an association for the Bidayuh community irrespective of their political ideologies, religious beliefs, dialects or which areas they come from.
“The various dialects, the different geographical regions and different religious beliefs of the community have not divided the community.
“They (BN) should therefore practise what they preach. How could you preach unity among the community when you are alienating yourself from those who do not subscribe to your political belief?” he asked.
Luak was responding to a recent call by Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) party senior leader Michael Manyin to maintain the BN status quo in the community.
Accusing Manyin of stoking disunity among Bidayuhs in DBNA, Luak said: “DBNA has always been apolitical and it must remain so.
“The Bidayuh community has always been united and it has always been unity in diversity.”
Personal political mileage
He added that even when the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) was in the opposition until 1976, DBNA was strong.
“When Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) was having strong influence in the Bidayuh community, DBNA remained an icon of unity for the Bidayuhs.
“The various dialects, the different geographical regions and different religious beliefs of the community have not divided the community,” Luak said.
He criticised Manyin for using the association as a ‘Barisan Nasional political tool’ in order to gain political mileage among the Bidayuh community.
Luak, who is a permanent member of the association, was commenting on a dinner organised by DBNA in Bau last weekend during which BN political leaders including Manyin politicised the gathering for their political mileage.
Among the things that Manyin, who is DBNA adviser and Minister for Infrastructure Development and Communications, said was that he wanted ‘status quo’ for the three Bidayuh parliamentary seats of Serian, Mambong and Mas Gading.
In other words, he wanted Richard Riot to defend Serian, James Dawos Mamit to defend Mambong and Tiki Lafe Mas Gading.
“My duty is to make sure these seats remain in BN after the coming election. It is not important who and where the candidates are from.
“What is important is that they are nominated by Barisan Nasional. That is important and that is what all of us should look at while campaigning for the candidates and casting our votes during the D-Day” he said alluding to the fact that Lafe is currently a partyless but BN-friendly MP.
Lafe and four other elected other representatives had quit Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) after a fall-out with its president William Mawan.
Apolitical organisation
Commenting on Manyin’s remarks, Luak, who is chairman of DAP Serian branch said: “DBNA is a cultural and social organisation meant to safeguard the culture, customs and traditions of the Bidayuh community.
“The members used to detest any attempt to inject political ideology into the association.
“Years back it was decided in its general assembly that the president of the association be held by a non-politician.
“Thus Peter Minos who was in PBB had to step aside to give way to James Dawos who was then not in politics.
“When Dawos entered politics, he declined to seek re-election for the presidency in order to give way to the current president Ik Pahon Joyik, a civil servant,” he said.
He said that DBNA since its inception in the 1950s has successfully united the community.
“Of late there have been events organised by DBNA which have been capitalised by BN political leaders for political mileage of the Barisan Nasional. The latest and the most grand one was held at the Bau Civic Centre last Sunday.
“Similar dinners are in the pipeline, one in Siburan and other in Serian. Speeches of BN political leaders at such functions are politically venomous against the opposition.
Hornbill Unleashed 
“DBNA has always been apolitical and it must remain so.”
“The members used to detest any attempt to inject political ideology into the association.
“Years back it was decided in its general assembly that the president of the association be held by a non-politician.”
Even the PBB party Opar branch meetings were held at DBNA Bau office, how ‘apolitical’ isn’t it! Pathetic!
Yes political party meetings held at DBNA premise! Apolitical say you!!!
Such a joke lah this DBNA wonder when is DAP, PKR turn to have their meetings inside DBNA office???
DBNA should look into Bidayuh top students how many really got deserved placement in universities or scholarship. Many Bidayuh bright students are systematically denied education placements (anti-Dayak education agenda by UMNO) and DBNA do nothing about it. Rather than being proactive in seeking the Bidayuh students name lists (easily obtained from Education office) upon SPM or STPM results out and guide them, DBNA simply leave them to fend themselves hell knows.
DBNA rather happy to impress Taib in NCR land survey than ensure Bidayuh students get proper placements and scholarships. The Bidayuh penghulus, pemancas speak high and mighty of themselves as BN agent of change yet none speak about education agenda in detail at all.
Look at Bidayuh mission schools mostly rotten, as rotten as its old church buildings. DBNA should become vocal to get its mission schools be converted as fully-funded govt school but no DBNA prefer funds for its own building.
While DBNA took no pain in getting RM4m funds for its new office block from UMNO (benefit few cronies only), look how Bidayuh Christians become beggars just to complete a church project (to benefits thousands)! Even the masjid, surau at some Bidayuh muslim villages get faster fundings (with city council annual maintenance given too)! Perhaps DBNA forgot that Sarawak have no official religion so no one religion should get better than the rest, isn’t it?
DBNA got its all priorities wrong, simply put. A glaring but a typical Dayak association only interested in impressing Taib than fighting what is best for its own people.
Therefore sorry lah to PKR, DAP or even SNAP…only BN party can use DBNA office for branch meeting OK!
Comment by Dr.Jamal Burok bin Hamid — March 5, 2012 @ 3:51 PM |
It is the moral responsibility and obligation of all our church leaders whom I hope are reading my message to advise all Christians in Sarawak and Sabah to receive Jesus in their hearts and vote with a clear conscience to rid our country of blatant corruption and political colonisation of our own people.
Help email my message to all Christian brothers and sisters and your church leaders to seek Jesus guidance and blessing to do the right thing by voting against blatant corruption and power abuse of BN government.
God bless all Malaysians.
Comment by Sebastian Jacob — March 4, 2012 @ 10:03 AM |
The comment in response by “Mata Kuching” is missing the point which is DBNA was given a government grant of RM7. 0 million to build its headquarters hall at Jalan Ong Tiang Swee, Kuching. And since then Michael Manyin, a minister from PBB of Bidayuh descent from Serian, is tasked to ensuring that money will be generously reciprocated by Bidayuh voters voting for BN i.e. Bidayuh community must be totally gratified for that money for after all when can ever this poor community be elevated to “millionaire” status. This has been it!.
It must also be noted that in Bau where the dinner was recently held during which function Michael Manyin was exhorting unity in the Bidiayuh Community and to vote for BN in the coming GE13, Nansen Nguse was in attendance too. And he should be because simultaneous with the funding given to DBNA above the incumbent ADUN of Tasik Biru was given another fund of RM5.0 million to build his REDEEMS Building. That REDEEMS building he will use yearly to celebrate his Gawai Redeems for building his personal ego and image which would be the underpin to perpetuate his grip in Bau Politics, and thus ensuring he will remain paramount leader until thy kingdom come in Tasik Biru State Constituency.
The call by Micaheal Manyin for Bidayuh Unity, and that all Bidayuh voters will vote BN in the coming GE13 is to ensuring that the status quo will be retained. The creme de la creme of the Bidayuh Community will always and shall remain the existing BN YBs. Of course if their wishes are fulfilled by the gullible poor Bidayuh voters voting for BN upon Michael Manyin’s call as such the same bunch of the status quo peoples will be rewarded: all of them will be millionaires. That is all what they are after. And to make the call for unity appealing to the people at large they promise that only their BN leaders could bring about development and projects. Alas, the project they always put forth will remain the MRP of less than $5K. Now with the economy depleting globally and the availability of funds get scares even while the amount of promised MRP will be getting lesser, their implementations will have to wait after next 10 years of BN provided it remained in office.
I do not think the people should be too worked up by Michael Manyin’s call actually insofar as Nansen and Tkiki are concerned. Both of them are outcast from SPDP. And SPDP has spoken that it will put its own candidate in Mas Gading. And the master tactician in CM Taib will apply the 1983 formula whereby then Peter Minos of PBB used BN ticket to contest while Patau of SNAP used the latter party’s ticket to contest for Tasik Biru. In that contest BN lost it to SNAP’s Patau. And my gut feeling is that CM will not be deterred from whatever he wants to do. Look at how he went to swear himself at midnight after the recent state election. He did so due to fear of Naib might want to persuade him to step down in favour of some-one else from the chief executive seat. And as now he is finally in control of Sarawak’s politic where that could ensure him to last the next at least 10 more years, or at his own wish after all he is the sultan without a crown but more powerful than that. He knows it is Najib that is fighting for survival while knowing that his PBB’s sector is firmly under his control. Therefore he can afford SPDP to square it out in the poll by the above 1983 formula. After all either wins it i.e. between Tiki and SPDP’s candidate, he/she will still under his grip and for BN.
I would only want to caution anyone especially from the civil service and or those who are budding leaders to keep away from the coming fight in Mas Gading. Please leave this fight to those already involved. And do not enlarge the already crowded pit. There is no point. Others are only asking us to fight one another to weaken the community.
Lastly despite what Micahel Manyin recently had exhorted the Bidayuh community to do to vote BN, I still think all of us should take stock of it all. What has we got from these 50 years of BN been in office?. Our community has been the same – “kais pagi makan pagi kais petang makan petang”. Except of course our YBs and those immediately close to them, but only a small number. Therefore make a break for this time round: vote opposition.
Comment by Gai,Bau — March 3, 2012 @ 4:59 PM |
An educated, well informed and discerning community will be a gross disadvantage to UMNO controlled BN government, whose leaders had been ganging up to enrich themselves by looting and plundering the people and the country. The educated and right thinking Bidayuh and other communities must stand up to defend their future against these thieves and must vote for change and a brighter future.
Comment by Mata Kuching — March 3, 2012 @ 10:19 AM |
Dear all bidayuhs, can 1 of us b the prime minister of so call MALAYsia when we are all under BN hospitality?
Comment by Kaluk Tikasuom — January 25, 2016 @ 10:19 AM |