Pick of The Week

Old Folk Minister with Old folk kind of Ideas.

"How do you get better rural development under BN"
Taken from Dayakbaru blog.
By Dr. John Brian Anthony

Quoting Borneo Post 8th September issue Jabu says that the rural folk must remain united and work closely with government for better development. This sound more like meaningless talk without any intention to achieve anything.The rural Dayak would still believed in such talk as their lack of education make it difficult for them to translate this Minister statement into their life. The BN Minister has capitalized on rural folk lack of education to get the support they needed but give almost nothing in return to better their rural life.

What is the government plan to develop rural folks?

For our Ministers to be able to talk in such manner, there must be a specific plan for the development of a particular rural area. Releasing FISH (Ikan Jabu) into the river has its merits but is that the type of development the Dayak are looking for to enable them to compete and progress into the 21st Century?

Fish is to provide food for rural Dayak and is it the most important thing that will be able to help sustain and progress the Dayak into the 21st Century?

The BN Minister demand or urged unity for better development. Why is unity important over the release of fishes or the give away of building materials and minor rural project implementation. Why is unity important when the government did not consult them over the encroachment of NCR land by “provisional lease” for plantation? These are the things that Dayak Minister does to confuse the Dayak on the meaning of unity and keep them from getting into the main stream development.

Main Stream Development

This is all about improvement of incomes and creation of new wealth. The land development make Dayak a labourer’s class. The 30% equity is vague and not defined. Does it mean 30% of profit after tax, gross sales or from gross profit of the plantation company where rural land owners has been bought their share equity?. No body care to explain the meaning of 30% to the rural Dayak. Maybe the BN government really have a hidden agenda to grab Dayak land and the YBs has personal agenda to take up personal “share kosong” inside the plantation company.

Any business opportunity for rural folk?

Are rural Dayak investing in business and industry as part of its activities to increase the Dayak disposable income or increase their saving? They own no timber license or plantation. Nor do they have land titles to secure their life to the land. The government do not seem interested in enriching the rural folk to continue to keep them marginalize and therefor continue to support BN government with the hope that one day they will be assisted by the government. The government and definitely the Dayak Ministers are not talking and organising Dayak to be involved in business and commerce. Where does this lead the Dayak to - nothing! The Dayak survived by earning salary and become 3rd class citizen in most cases.

The rural Dayak need to make the change themselves by not voting BN anymore. The Dayak cannot have a “helpless mentality” and also “dependent” on others to provide them with what they want culture.

More...