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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

SUPP and Bidayuh - A Sham Marriage


SUPP and Bidayuh - A Sham Marriage Written by Britonger of 97

SUPP and Padawan

When the late Stephen Yong was the MP for Padawan, the Bidayuh people suffered. No development was evident. When Yong Khoon Seng took over, he was a hated figure which lasted a brief term. Again, no physical development was evident. Piece meal developments, if any were, at best staggered, which were negligible and forgettable. The only thing the Chinese representatives were able to do efficiently back then was to provide trophies and gifts for football tournaments. Stephen Yong, the former communist was also famous for sending truck loads of “kien pidea gunyeng”- salted fish, during election to fish for votes. His henchmen would scooped the salted fish by using spades, from on top of a lorry to the poor Bidayuh people, gathering below the truck, with their hands reaching out, like famine victims in Africa begging for food. The Bidayuh political naivety was also demonstrated. It was a naked yet obscene truth that for every five years, Stephen Yong got re-elected over and over again and in return he gave the Bidayuh nothing. The symbol of scourge of neglect and underdevelopment: none other than the famed Padawan road. It was put on record the Padawan road is to be improved as per the 9th M’sia plan. If so, it is indeed a record that a road would take more than 20 years under SUPP leadership to be tarred. A shocking phenomena just as it is real. After every election, Stephen Yong and Yong Khoon Seng benefited while Bidayuh, impeded. Under the BN ticket, the two Chinese live in splendor while the Bidayuh live in squalor.

That was how bad the relationship with SUPP. Old tales would have it that Tun Rahman back then knew SUPP was a hated party amongst the Bidayuh. There was simply no development. Padawan was therefore carved into Mambong and Tarat so that much needed development could be given via PBB. Indeed there were significant developments done thereafter. For Tun, it was killing two birds with one stone. He refused to get SUPP out of Padawan for fear of destabilizing the Alliance and the same time managed to placate frustrating Bidayuh people by allowing the carving of Padawan into Mambong and Tarat. SUPP, a hated party then a hated party now.

SUPP and Serian (MP Richard Riot);
Not even considered a cabinet post in recent Badawi led federal government despite having well proven track record. Unblemished excellent election results. What do you get from Dr George Chan, SUPP president? A formality: “We had submitted his name to PM. It’s PM’s prerogative.” This is an obscure statement, more so, when SUPP have three Chinese ministers appointed to Federal posts. Obviously this point to the fact that Dr Chan had lobbied hard for them but not for Riot. As for prerogative, there is no such thing as unfettered prerogative. This prerogative must be tempered with merit and justice for the Bidayuh people. If Tiki is dropped then Riot is the replacement via merit and justice. Badawi should do this but instead the opposite is true. As for Riot, this is nothing less than sheer degradation. His volte-face to leave SUPP is equally frustrating. For the Bidayuh community, coupled with the fact of Dr Tiki’s demotion, this snub is an insult, bordering on complete and total humiliation. To go one step further this is political annihilation of the Bidayuh. Is this temporary? I hope so.

I have seen nothing to convince me that the current Bidayuh leaders in power have the scrotal gumption to even speak of this injustice in the local papers. The effort of Ik Pahon, current DBNA president, is commendable but Minos, the self appointed social activists has tarnished that effort. With all due respect, nobody listens to him. He is not of respectable voice. Generally, as a whole, present Bidayuh leaders reaction to recent snub by Kuala Lumpur is extremely disappointing. No statement of whatever kind was forthcoming from them. This defeaning silence and inaction merely show their tacit approval of this mistreatment of the Bidayuh people by Kuala Lumpur. A just reward for all the difficult years under Mahathir and Badawi administrations? You readers make up your mind.

On SUPP- Bidayuh relationship as a whole, the inevitable conclusion is that Bidayuh and SUPP have coexisted uncomfortably for the past decades. This is a sham marriage. A façade. A marriage equally shambolic that it should be annulled in the very beginning. It was also a master servant relationship with a large dose of bullying committed by the master. This relationship is seriously hemorrhaging the Bidayuh while SUPP prosper. It is best that SUPP leave the Bidayuh constituency and to be replaced by either a dayak based party, SPDP or PRS.

SUPP, a hated party then, a hated party now. Nothing has changed. A tormentor of a party, an intimidator that oppressed the Bidayuh into a no win situation. The bullying of Bidayuh continues. A raison detre for change.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Padawan has benefited a lot from SUPP. The green buses was used to tell the Bidayuh that SUPP does care. The logging activity in Bidayuh area and some of the paddy farm was bulldozed. SUPP gave donation to SMK Padawan and SMK Penrissen.

What else?

Anonymous said...

Just in case SUPP forget: The Bidayuhs can do away with SUPP and nothing will happen BUT SUPP cannot do away with the Bidayuhs! They need Bidayuh votes to survive onslaughts from DAP and PKR.

Just take a look at SUPP's achievement which they prominently display at their website. In education, for instance they donated RM500,000 to 14 CHINESE SCHOOLS ONLY, not even a cent was donated to a much, much, much, much, poorer Bidayuh school..... "PTUIIIIIIII!!!!!!... ptuiiiii!!!! just.... just surf around their site..

SUPP Educational Achievement

See how clean and fair their OBJECTIVES are and see what a load of hippocrites they are!!! Ptuiiiiii !!!

Anonymous said...

Below is a reproduction of a letter to the editor of the Eastern Times which was published on 26/03/2008. It relates to the issue at hand.


The Editor


Dear Sir,

I refer to the article titled "SUPP not disregarding Bidayuhs: Sim" that was published in The Borneo Post, on 24th March 2008.

In the article, the Secretary General of the Sarawak United Peoples’ party (SUPP), Senator Datuk Sim Kheng Hui, was quoted as saying that SUPP “has a complete plan to look after people of all races” that it would adhere to at all costs. It is heartening to know that SUPP has such a plan, which to my knowledge, has never been publicly articulated before.

SUPP’s plan must be a big one, considering that it is a complete plan that covers all races in the State. Nevertheless, is it possible for SUPP to publish more details of the plan? What are the visions, objectives, targets, issues, constraints, assumptions, strategies, activities and timeline of the plan? I am sure there are many in the State who would like to know.

As the article is about Bidayuhs, and being one, I would like to also like to know SUPP’s plan for the Bidayuh community. Many in the Bidayuh community are equally curious. From the article and from previous statements by SUPP leaders in the local media, it is clear that that SUPP is well aware of the frustrations of the Bidayuh community over the perceived snub by the party in appointments to positions of responsibility.

Two of SUPP’s state constituencies and one parliamentary constituency are in Bidayuh areas. Regardless of their political affiliations, the Bidayuhs have generally been very loyal to SUPP, and have delivered all the seats during the previous few elections, unlike some other constituencies where SUPP lost. Even in previous times, the Bidayuhs have been good supporters of SUPP, electing the likes of Valentine Cotter, Senyum Mutit, and William Tanyuh to represent the party. Currently SUPP has three Bidayuh YBs, namely, YB Ranum Mina, YB Dr. Jerip Susil and YB Datuk Richard Riot.

Looking at history and at the current situation, it is natural that some in the Bidayuh community are questioning the price for this loyalty, and the roles and expectations of the Bidayuhs in SUPP. The wonder is that it has taken so long to surface. Many Bidayuhs feel that the old Bidayuh SUPP YBs like Valentine Cotter, Senyum and William Tanyuh were not given the respect accorded to other YBs in the party. It was also felt that they were unceremoniously dumped when they were not needed anymore. Some Bidayuhs are beginning to think that the constituencies are treated merely as safe seats for the party, and that their YBs treated as cannon-fodder.

The current problem concerning the YB for Serian reflects the increasing bewilderment and frustration of the Bidayuh community over the same issue. Is this an isolated or a random phenomenon, or is this an expression of growing consciousness of the Bidayuh community?

It is hoped that SUPP take cognizance of this issue and take appropriate actions and measures to address it. Its plan for the races of Sarawak, including the Bidayuh community, must not be some nebulous and hazy statements of intent. Such tactics and statements do not work anymore in this age. SUPP’s plan must be a properly published plan with proper vision, objectives, strategies, timeline, and so on. Equally important is that SUPP must match its words with deeds.

Yours sincerely,


Joseph Jindy
Babai Bidayuh Blogger

Anonymous said...

"Padawan has benefited a lot from SUPP. The green buses was used to tell the Bidayuh that SUPP does care. The logging activity in Bidayuh area and some of the paddy farm was bulldozed. SUPP gave donation to SMK Padawan and SMK Penrissen.What else?"
__________________________

Election commodity (development funds, projects etc) to hold us Bidayuhs as ransom? In true democracy principle, govt are duty-bound to bring development, funds to rakyat. The money coming from rakyats' tax money and rightfully for rakyat also. And it's rakyat choice whether to vote for BN or not. To retaliate, halt development funds is half tyrant works. Calling rakyat as ungrateful? Riding on Bidayuh votes and in the end prolong the tyrants to rule is even more sickening and ungrateful.

What SUPP got to do with Bidyuh?

Unknown said...

"Election commodity (development funds, projects etc) to hold us Bidayuhs as ransom? In true democracy principle, govt are duty-bound to bring development, funds to rakyat. The money coming from rakyats' tax money and rightfully for rakyat also. And it's rakyat choice whether to vote for BN or not. To retaliate, halt development funds is half tyrant works. Calling rakyat as ungrateful? Riding on Bidayuh votes and in the end prolong the tyrants to rule is even more sickening and ungrateful.

What SUPP got to do with Bidyuh?"

My answer is SUPP can make us better than PBB and SPDP. You know why the Padungan and Kuching people rejected SUPP? Its mean that the Chinese are sick of BN running dog.Pak Lah has plenty of bones in Sarawak. In Miri he has black bone and Kuching he has white bones.
I still remember in 1990's when the time of campaign. This SUPP fellow went to every kampung to project some movie for us to watch. My mother piggy me at her back all the way down to Sadir to watch Rambo III by Stephen Yong. It was fantastic when we have such a wide white screen.
That is the thing that SUPP have to do with Bidayuh. With Jerip, they can ease our pain by giving free pain killer from Klinik Batu 10. Well, its free man...why should we pay for free pain killer.

They, SUPP do not have to worry about the pain because Jerip has dozens of pain killer. Name it Paracetamol, morphine.. macam-macam ada..SUPP gave the pain, Jerip ease the pain through SUPP Development Plan to Bidayuh.

Jerip, is there anymore pain killer for the Padawanians?

Anonymous said...

I just wish that in the next state election, we Bidayuh in OPAR constituency vote SUPP out. Out of Opar and leave the Bidayuh alone. Let Dr. Patau lead us, give him a chance. We deserve better treatments. All these while, the Bidayuh , all under SUPP constituency, had been sidelined.

How I wish that all educated Bidayuhs visit this blogsite and share one common objective, that is to kick out SUPP of the Bidayuh world.

Keep on blogging.

Unknown said...

I do not know what is in Ranum Mina mind. If Opar continue their stupidity and vote for SUPP, then they must not blame themselves to be in such a poor ans struggle life. Patau should be re-instate again. SNAP should be restored for the sake of the aborigines. Make it enough for Ming Court Affair and Bidayuh should stand on their own feet. Crabs are not needed in Bidayuh community.

VOTE RANUM OUT, VOTE JERIP OUT,VOTE SAGAH OUT, VOTE MANYIN OUT. They have nothing good to think about Bidayuh future.

Anonymous said...

VOTE RANUM OUT, VOTE JERIP OUT,VOTE SAGAH OUT, VOTE MANYIN OUT. They have nothing good to think about Bidayuh future.
I sokong with all my heart.All they do is play golf,hang out at karaokes,hugging those GROs etc.etc. You name it. They've got it all.For them is like the rich gets richer & the poor gets poorer.
Dayung Salau..

bu'ai said...

Greetings to my fellow friends! Any new issues to be shared with us? May I suggest that proper English is used so that the readers could really grasp what the writer is trying to say.