Are the natives of Sabah and Sarawak being marginalized?
PRU12 bring untold changes
The result of the PRU12 brought untold changes in Malaysian society. To many it gives hope to a united and progressive multi-racial Malaysia. A new generation of voters who sees Malaysia in a new light; equal and just, united and harmonious, transparency and prudence in government and all things must be guided by moderation, compassion and compromise.
The question of native’s (Dayak) being marginalized
In Sabah and Sarawak the natives are asking questions on why do they feel marginalize in Malaysia despite being classified in the Federal Constitution into similar category with Malay in relation to their quotas and reservation in the areas of (1) position in the public services, (2) scholarships, educational or training privileges, (3) permits or licenses for the operation of any trade or business and (4) places in institutions of higher learning providing education after MCE. With the rapid development in the other states of Malaysia, is there a fear among the natives of Sabah and Sarawak that they will be left further behind in important aspects of development. Has the provision in the Federal Constitution for Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak being fairly implemented, to favour none?
Is there such a thing as Malay Rights?
We heard people talking and shouting about upholding “Hak Melayu or Malay Rights”. Is there such things in our constitution to say that the Malays has been given special rights? Looking at Article 153, it says “special position of Malay and natives of Sabah and Sarawak” but not special rights. If the Malay can say “Hak Melayu” than we say that there is such a thing as “Hak Dayak” being the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
A difference between Malay and Natives?
Maybe there is, as the Malays think that they are different from Dayak, even if the constitution banded them together in one category. They can always claim that they are Muslim and Dayak are not as most hold on to their traditional belief and some has been converted to Christianity.
It might be a fair statement to say that “race” and religion” are not in the same category. But the constitution clearly spelled out that Malay and natives of Sabah and Sarawak are put under “special position”. If its under the same “special position” why are the natives finding themselves being treated differently?
Short cut to “special position”
After all, the definition of a “Malay” is easily abused and so many “foreigners” claimed to be Malay just because they are professing the Islamic religion and follow Malay culture. By physical attributes those differences could easily be identified. By the same token, a Chinese, Indian, Iraqi, Pakistani, Arabs, Bosnian or a Dayak would be a “Malay” if he professes the Islamic faith and follow the “Malay Culture”. Thus they will also qualify to be treated with “special position”.
Dayaks are Natives
To be a Dayak is very difficult, as it is a “right” given at birth rather than from a choice of what religion to believe in and what culture to follow. The natives are also part of those group in multi racial Malaysia that can lay claim to be the original owner of Malaysia.
Bumiputera
How the word “bumiputera” come into being is a product of the New Economic Policy. It would be acceptable to talk about reviewing the mechanism of NEP but the spirit and intention of Article 153 should be left as it is as it take consideration of the well being of all Malaysian. Just because some politician and technocrat has a narrow perception of the Article, it does not mean it encourages racial harmony and injustice. The intention is to progress Malaysia with equality and justice as long as the country leadership do not politicize the “special position”.
What has happened to Article 153?
Article 153 may be written to highlight the special position of Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. But it does not stop there as it is also provided in such a way that equality for all Malaysian is paramount.
In the subsequent years after the formation of Malaysia, initially the economic imbalances between the races in Malaysia was made a common issue to all. After the May 13th debacles the policies of the government and its implementation take a sharp turn towards racialism. Today we are trying to steer back society to recognize that “poverty” must be address a national problem and not as a racial problem.
The problem of associating “poverty” with race is the unintended side effect of the NEP. This is further reinforced by politician who finds it easier to get votes by promising better life with government support. Today, it is the doing of the NEP that makes Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak dependent on the government for their living. Many expects the government to give handout and it is the government on doing. The BN government created the problem and therefore it is their duty to undo most of the dependency on the government mentality.
Some perspective
In the early 1970′s, the Malays have very little issues with the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. Then a surged of religious awakening decided for the Malays that the natives of Sabah and Sarawak are really people of different category. Then the dressing norm start to change drastically towards the end of 1970, that really pushes the races and people of different religion further apart even in public. Now, you can easily observed that Malaysian stick to each other by religion and race. Racial polarization is becoming a norm in Malaysian society activities and events.
Natives being marginalized
The very government that is mandated to see a united multi-racial Malaysian accelerate their practice of racial polarization and segregation. The Article 153 was not used to drive “equality” but the foundation for “special rights and special privileges” for Malays. By now, the natives of Sabah and Sarawak is long forgotten. The evidence can be drawn by looking at the statistic on education achievement, public service post occupied, scholarship and training given and the business achievement of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
Misinformation
Then the education Ministry start to change the content of the history book. It drives different episodes in history and its players towards a bias opinion. Soon many young graduate start to think differently and lost the “spirit” of moderation, compassion and compromise in Malaysian society. It is “us” versus “them” and instead of celebrating similarities we look for differences. How do we find unity in such a place? A common goal became a goal to a section of the population and success belong to a group instead of the whole country.
UMNO agenda derail natives progress
The natives of Sabah and Sarawak moved forward quite quickly in the early years of Malaysia. That is the time when the government see the natives as a sector of the community that really needs opportunities to be given. Then in the 1990′s till now, things got from bad to worst and the interest of one group start to emerge as the most important agenda, overshadowing the spirit of Article 153.
“Jauh di mata jauh di hati”.
The Malay National Consultative Council wrote a letter to “NEW Straits Time” on July 25th 2008, it made no mentioned of the special position of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak along side the Malays. Is it a case of “jauh di mata jauh di hati” or just the tendency of some individual to change the rule to fit their own perception. The focus is only on Malays. The MNCC could not speak as one for the population with “special position”.
Cultural arrogance
A senior UMNO politician even go an extra mile to say that the BN support from Sabah and Sarawak is not the determining factor in the ability of the the Barisan Nasional government to form the Federal government. What can we read from the mentality of the person who issued such statement?
“Understanding the spirit of accommodation”
The article in “The Star” on 23rd July by Shad Saleem Faruqi under the topic of “Understanding the spirit of accommodation” is very objective. It stressed that even though the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak are given special position ( not special rights), article 153 “is repleted with clauses that seek to balance the interests of the various communities”(Faruqi S S 2008).
Is Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman for Malay National Consultative Council view of the article 153 highly “defamatory of the constitution’s sacred provisions and detrimental to preserving racial harmony in our dazzlingly diverse society?”(Faruqi S S 2008).
Conclusion
Whatever it maybe, the natives of Sabah and Sarawak is not happy with their progress within Malaysia. They felt marginalized by the larger group under the same category. “What is it for me?” after 45 years of Malaysia is a question that the natives and orang asli will always asked. The government do not seemed to care because the natives do not see or feel the government concerned on their plight. As an example:Is there a special revolving fund to provide business capital for natives of Sabah and Sarawak?.
The natives of Sabah and Sarawak has always given BN their full support, otherwise Anwar would have been Malaysia Prime Minister by now. There is no need for Anwar to wait until September 16th when Malaysia was actually formed to become the Prime Minister.
In view of the natives marginalization, it is not wrong for their Member of Parliament to change political alliance in order to chart off into new water with a promise of a better partnership towards improved progress for natives and Malaysia as a whole.
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5 Responses to “Are the natives of Sabah and Sarawak being marginalized?”
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Inspirational word from gkm2020
Are the natives of Sabah and Sarawak being marginalized?
My answer is absolutely YES!
My corcern is What’s next?
To be more accurate the natives are raped by UMNO BN.
The Dayak need to change their leader which mainly brainwashed by BN. We need younger generation. We need speed and quick result.
To established Dayak TV or Dayak Todays (Newspaper) would be great idea… to stimulate the warrior spirit that long overshadowed by fear to Agenda Politik Pembangunan of White Termite Colony..
The question of native’s (Dayak) being marginalized??
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I don’t believe it is the case of being marginalised in all aspects. Dayak are marginalised in specific cases such as government positions, award of direct nego contracts, award of timber concessions, etc.
Business licences – there is no discrimination, only that not many Dayak businessmen around and not many who apply for ones.
It is more a question of Dayak are generally weak in socio economic therefore require more assistances and subsidies as allowed under the NEP. Unfortunately NEP has not been successfully elevated Dayak socio economic status that led to many Dayaks concluded that they have been marginalized. But the fault is also with the Dayaks themselves.
Nonetheless Dayaks need to compete more and must be determined to look after their own interest rather than waiting to be aided. They should emulate the success of the chinese or even the indians or even the bidayuhs.
By now Dayaks should be just sick of hearing nothing else but Dayaks here, Dayaks there. Why not instead go out and make the better of yourself. Get out of the longhouses and start to excel on education, careers, businesses, politics or whatever it is your field of endeavour. Try to listen to people like Datuk Celestine Ujang on the importance of education. Be more like Idris Jala! Go and earn salaries of RM100k/month like some of the Ibans in the oil and gas. Get out of the longhouse! Bejalai. Look for your success. Stop crying and whining!
dayak can go further if we practice to help each other more. be united and alimanated the feeling of arrogant toward each others.do not be too selfish.if we failed to unite,we wil be oppressed.