Quoted from Malaysiakini by Bongkersz Apr 3, 09 4:47pm
In light of the coming by-election at Batang Ai, I would like to debate and discuss some stereotypical statements often attributed to Sarawakians.
1. ‘As long as they (politicians) deliver, we do not care which party they come from. We are fed up with the lack of basic necessary facilities.’
Naive. You don’t care which party? Even when there’s this one party that you voted for all this while, which neglected the people and basic infrastructure in the area for the past 45 years? Great.
With this kind of mentality, it is a no wonder that BN can keep these people in a perpetual cycle of poverty and still voting for the party. How funny, BN is the culprit, keeping away the promised development for the past 46 years, and they still say is ‘we don’t care which party, as long as they deliver’. What happened to all the years when they didn’t deliver?
Can’t they see with their eyes? All of sudden, Santa Claus projects and goodies are coming in, where were all this in the past? It is clear that BN can do things if they want to, but somehow they’ve ‘forgotten’ to do so all this while until now.
Heck, the people of Batang Ai should thank the opposition for this great opportunity to get their basic infrastructure upgraded, new funds allocated etc, (although I believe it’s just mere empty promises with the country’s coffers already running dry. These politicians just ‘promise first, the projects can wait).
It is only when the establishment feels the heat of the probable prospect of losing in this by-election, (or any by-election for that matter) will they buck up and start doing the work they conveniently forgot in the past. If PKR wasn’t contesting, would they get anything done?
2. ‘The Ibans are simple - they will vote for you if they see your projects right in front of their eyes.’
I have heard this many, many times. In a way, it’s a bit like how many Chinese think ‘As long as we can cari makan, we can take all the nonsense’. Pretty sad don’t you think? They should instead ask ‘Why there are no projects/developments in this area all this while?’
Can’t they see they are being used in to extend the political mileage of a certain a party or individual which made the promise of ‘development’ all this while? People should not wait five years or so for a general election to get financial and project allocations in their area.
Because of the above-mentioned mentality, they can be used by a certain party and politicians for political expediency. Political expediency is the opposite of democracy and is no excuse for naivete.
Just see how an act of building a simple feeder road connecting a long house in Sarawak to the main trunk road will capture that long house occupants’ votes for the establishment for many years.
Year 1 - No proper road connecting the long house with the main road. So build a simple earthen road. Can last until the next general election.
Year 5 - Upgrade the road, to probably a gravel road. Last till another election.
Year 10 - Tar the road. Last till another election.
Year 15 - Install lighting. Last till another election.
Year 20 - We will think of something else. Perhaps an Internet connection? Build a school? Build a clinic?
That’s how it goes in Sarawak. The Durin bridge near Sibu, the college in Bintangor, an extra TV channel all promise keep the votes with BN for another 10-15 years! And only before any election would you see some construction work going on.
This is a form of political bribery, worse when it is laced with lies and false hopes to keep a corrupt, lying government in place. One can’t help but thinking that it must be somehow a ploy that we have a mediocre education system and rigid rules for students especially when it comes to politics - it is to keep the people in a perpetual cycle of idiocy.
Lower education levels and a pathetic level of political awareness combine to make the people more convenient and easy to manipulate. To change the political landscape in Malaysia especially in the rural areas like Sarawak and Sabah, the misconception among the people that only Barisan Nasional can bring development must be addressed first.
A responsible and good government should develop all areas regardless of the differing political sentiments among the people there and should never use developments as a ‘stick’ or ‘carrot’ to fish for votes.
The money for development projects come from the taxpayers - voters - so they deserve their share of development. Denying them this right to development is wrong and is the doing of a lousy, insecure government.
Particularly for this by-election at Batang Ai, the people of Batang Ai should realise that with all the Santa Claus projects and goodies being given out now, it tells of only one thing, a chilling fact
- BN can bring development if it wants to but somehow they neglected this place for the past 45 years.
To the voters of Batang Ai - beware the corrupt BN bearing gifts!
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