When the Rooster Crows

SPDP blamed for Dr Tiki’s exclusion
The Borneo Post Press: - By Raynore Mering

Bidayuhs left out because differences in party: Former aide

KUCHING: The Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) was yesterday blamed for the loss of Bidayuh representation in the federal cabinet after Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe was dropped.

The Lost Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe

Peter Timik Juin, who was Dr Tiki’s principal assistant secretary when the latter was the Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister, made this claim, indicating that there could be a rift in the party.

Reacting to comments by Bidayuh social activist Datuk Peter Minos on Sunday, Timik said in a statement that he disagreed with any suggestions that the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership was at fault.

He said the BN leadership had given recognition to the Bidayuhs after Dr Tiki, Richard Riot and James Dawos were returned as MPs in the 2004 parliamentary election.

He emphasised that the coalition’s leadership had then chosen a Bidayuh MP from SPDP in the person of Dr Tiki to represent the community in the BN central government.

“The leadership of SPDP, however, failed to maintain the Bidayuh representation by not being fully and wholeheartedly supporting Dr Tiki in the last parliamentary election.

“This had caused so much adverse report on Dr Tiki’s behaviour and his conduct of the election campaign, which eventually weakened his claim to continue to represent the Bidayuh people at the federal cabinet,” said Timik.

“Some of those who make the noisy complaint of Bidayuh absence in the federal cabinet line-up might not themselves have been enthusiastic supporters of Datuk Dr Tiki’s campaign efforts in Mas Gading.

“Datuk Dr Tiki could have failed to win the Mas Gading MP seat if leaders of other BN component parties were not asked to help in the campaign.”

In the run-up to the March 8 polls and immediately after, there were murmurings that some SPDP leaders could be working against Dr Tiki during the polls.

The party’s leadership has kept quiet about this.

Dr Tiki, who is a SPDP vice president, had served in the federal cabinet for two terms before being dropped by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad

Badawi in the new cabinet announced on March 17.

Despite the challenges Dr Tiki was said to have faced during the polls, he still managed to increase his winning majority.

He faced three contenders - Sarawak National Party’s (SNAP) Dr Patau Rubis and two independent candidates, Favian Tisen and Apin Baeng.

Dr Tiki polled 8,551 votes to win by a majority of 4,301 votes.

In the 2004 polls, he faced Dr Patau in a straight fight and won with a majority of 2,712 votes after he garnered 10,579 votes.

Dr Tiki, who has been the Mas Gading MP since 1999, was the only Bidayuh in the cabinet before the recent reshuffle.

It is believed that all three Bidayuh MPs in Sarawak were proposed by their parties for posts in the cabinet.

There were rumours last week that Dr Tiki and Riot, a Sarawak United People’s Party central working committee member, were quitting their parties because they were not appointed into the cabinet but the rumours proved to be untrue.

On Sunday, Minos had said that the appointment of at least one Bidayuh MP in the new cabinet line-up would be symbolic of the federal government’s recognition of the Bidayuh’s role as a pro-BN and pro-government community.

“If this issue is resolved and if the Bidayuhs are represented in the federal cabinet, this will give the community a greater reason and resolve to back the BN in the coming state election,” he told Bernama.
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When there is one Bidayuh, there is one party, if there are plenty Bidayuh they are plenty parties. Now, SPDP is blamed when Tiki was dropped down from the Parliament’s window by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Peter blamed SPDP because SPDP is playing the same Mah Jong game with SUPP. How about PBB? Is Peter Minos going to blame Mr. Taib for not putting James Dawos in the house of frogs? I have not hear any Bidayuh No.1 activist on this PBB thing. He must be somewhere else to find more frog in Taib pond.

If you ask Bidayuh to climb a coconut three, they will climb a durian three too. Just in case you are thirsty, they will give you “raja buah” to enjoy sacred that you will not like them. This is the Bidayuh political game played by some of the “kaki bangku”. We are always giving what we have easily. SUPP asked for Borneo Highland Resort and hire us to be the dunk collector, we said yes. PBB asked for Rejoi and Semban by chasing us away, we said yes too. What if SPDP askin us to move to Sri Aman and leave our homeland? Will we agree?

The Bidayuh activists are the beggar that is not going to gain anything. I do not know why Peter Timik has to project this issue. My perceptions are like these. Either he is a real Bidayuh activist and used Borneo Post to show his stripes or begging for some money from William Mawan to shut his mouth. Hey, the Ibans are already there together with the Kenyah. Why should Peter Timik asking for Tiki to be re-instate?

Tommorrow in the Borneo Post Press front page, “Peter Minos gets mad because James Dawos is not selected to be the Parliament Cleaner!” That is a good title for tomorrow news.

Now is not the time to ask for re-instate. It is too late to do so because Badawi has selected his right people to be in his team. As the third largest ethnic Bidayuh must think further to be a part of Malaysia. Bidayuh has their own strength and courage to fight for their people. It has been so long they have been used by Barisan Nasional to gain wealth but yet the wealth is not given to Bidayuh.

The Bidayuh activists have nothing to do with Bidayuh since they are just the “ayam kampong” which only crows in the press and not in Parliament. The more are the “ayam kampong” the best are sounds. The activists have gone to nowhere whenever the money is ready to keep the mouth shut. What is the different to have a Bidayuh activist and a Bidayuh life bands? One is a rooster and another one is an entertainer group.