Dayak – Let us work together

19 Responses to “Dayak – Let us work together”

1. Kerani Opis Welfare on November 29th, 2009 11:25 am

   a very good article doc.

   if we think deeply inside our heart of its intended messages. how i wish if only just 45% of dayak iban can think properly, seriously,critically and gauge the basic noble of your messages above.

   doc, HONESTLY,to me the most interesting part of speech is when you say”……Why are we so selfish?

   In a nutshell, we are selfish with our family members, our relatives, our friends and ultimately our own country to a larger extend today. We are selfish because we are afraid of ourselves and afraid of the the seeming threat that the world present to us. It makes us extremely selfish. We want to build our own little nests, our own little cocoons, so that we can live by ourselves in a more secure way. How do you know you are secure?”

   i think i lost of word thinking about it

2. Panjai Runding Panjai Ruai on November 29th, 2009 1:24 pm

   DJB your write-up is very TRUE.SELFISH as the main theme is very appropriate.

   Although selfishness in a common man carries little weghtage BUT for those in the ‘corridor of power’ selfishness carries heavy weightages and have long lasting impacts.

   It has been widely known that those in authority are reluctant to help poor Dayak students with study scholarships or loans.Some even said that helping Dayak students would be like rearing ‘ULAR SAWA’,”udah sida pandai (besai) kitai abis DITELAN”.This is an example of EXTREME sefishness.

   It is very difficult for us to find out actually how many students have become victims of some powerful influential DAYAK SELFISH politicians or those in the corridors of power.

   They do not feel secured if there are more educated or affluent people within the community as their very position would be destabilised.

   To them, their elite group membership is best kept to the minimum where competition should be minimised.So working together as a BIG group is TOTALLY NOT in their AGENDA.

   So Change We Must.

3. Equaliser on November 29th, 2009 3:22 pm

   Dear Dr. John,

   Congratulations, you are striking the right notes. UNITE AND WORK TOGETHER AND WITH OTHERS.

   Your call to the dayaks to come together and unite for the general good of all dayaks is most commendable.

   In Sarawak or in Malaysia, as at today, dayaks must know their position, where they stand and work from there to a higher plane. In a multi-racial country, all politicians and community leaders must think outside their party and racial group in order to be credible and trustworthly.

   Leaders must know the environment or the land and the people well, including other groups, to be able to attain cool heads and clear thinking. The eight guidelines of Abraham Lincoln and own self-made ten commandments (done or to be developed) must be followed as guides. The important thing to remember is not to break the guidelines or principles.

   Dr. John, you are on the road to GREATNESS.

   God bless Sarawak.

4. Deo on November 29th, 2009 6:18 pm

   Hello Kaban semua,

   The issue here is very simple: Its for all to see that in Sarawak DB(not to mention in the whole of Malaysia)is made up of minorities group. Majority of our people (Dayaks) is working together within the majoity system. Rightfully those in minorities should be willing and prepare to work together with those in the majority. The problem in this blog is that minority DB insiting on imposing thier value system on majorities, mana bolih.

   Why not DB help the majority Dayaks in the majority gomen instead of spliting the Dayaks to support minority opposition.Sad to say if DB chose to stick to thier current mindset…there will be no unity and the Dayaks will not be able to work together.

5. batulawi on November 29th, 2009 8:25 pm

   Dayaks have been chopped to pieces the last 46 years by the present BN gomen lead by UMNO and it was and is their pleasure to see us the way we are today…poor and helpless.

   Do we really think that the UMNO BN lead gomen would do a “u” turn and let us prosper? 46 years is a long time and it is getting worse by the day for us. Dayaks are not that blind and stupid as some of our own kind think we are! CHANGE WE MUST!!!

6. anakmit on November 29th, 2009 8:59 pm

   SO BORED ARTICLE!!

   CAKAP SENANG LA DR!!

   JANGAN HARAPKAN PERUBAHAH!!

7. Equaliser on November 29th, 2009 9:21 pm

   Dear Dr. John,

   It is very, very important for the Dayak-leaders including yourself to have good accurate intelligence and statistics on the dayak communities. Without proper intelligence, we will be commenting in general term and sometimes blindly without knowing the facts and figures. That is no good for planning the courses of action and the future of dayaks. It is also bad for discussion based on false information. Poor intelligence also make dayaks feel lost, inadequate, sometimes helpless. Good intelligence is essential for dayaks to know about self, where it stands and where it is going to.

   The dayaks and their NGOs, in particular the Jugah Foundation must play a leading role in intelligence production on dayak communities.

   For example, do the dayaks and Tun Jugah Foundation have the staistics on the following:

   a. The population of dayaks in the various groups.
   b. The population of dayaks in the urban areas and their disposition.
   c. The number of professionals and their locations.
   d. The number of dayaks in the government services, federal and state and others.
   e. The number of dayak business-men and women.
   f. The list of the first twenty richest dayaks from Sarawak.
   g. The list of the top twenty dayak companies from Sarawak.
   h. The number of dayak graduates, male and female.
   i. The number of dayak Tan Sris and Datuk/dato.
   j. The number of schools and colleges owned by dayaks from Sarawak.
   k. The number of bank owned by dayaks as a major holding.
   l. The number of dayaks in the Armed Forces and Police.
   m. The number of dayak-veterans, retired-police personnel, retired civil servants.
   n. The number of dayak families living below the poverty-line.
   o. The number of dayak-students in local and foreign universities.
   p. The number of dayak graduates, year by year, in the last ten years and the breakdown of their types of studies.
   q. The number of dayaks working in Petronas and other oil and gas companies.
   r. Others as necessary, such the number of scholarships awarded to dayak-students, the number of federal projects and state projects awarded to dayak-companies.

   Giving lips-service is one thing, providing the vital intelligence is another for proper and smart planning, with better chances of success.

   “Seek and you shall find.”

   God bless Dayaks with good intelligence.

   Thank you, sir.

8. Equaliser on November 30th, 2009 9:40 am

   Dear Dr. John,

   Having gathered and developed the required intelligence, please develop a plan to win over a ll dayaks, especially from both sides of the divide.

   What are the key points to be put forward to win friends and support, including other groups, must be worked out, presented and dissiminated.

   The winning plan, in the form of a strong COVENANT or AGREEMENT must be dynamic and awesome that every Sarawakian will not be able to resist it. They will love it.

   It is hard work, Dr. John and I hope you and your team are up to it. Actions speak louder than words. As you have said, PKR National must prepare an agreement and set out its deal, so, you should do the same, to give assurance to all parties concerned, especially those who are not with you now. Change, DB must.

   God bless evryone.

9. Kerani Opis Welfare on November 30th, 2009 12:00 pm

   what equaliser just said is true doc.

   quote from equaliser “…It is hard work, Dr. John and I hope you and your team are up to it. Actions speak louder than words. As you have said, PKR National must prepare an agreement and set out its deal, so, you should do the same, to give assurance to all parties concerned, especially those who are not with you now. Change, DB must.”

   thank you equaliser, now the PA and sound system is near to perfection in tune. but it is all right to play a number by a German Group, the scorpion “WIND OF CHANGE” and it gors like this, ” follow the ………….dowm to Gorky Park, listen to the Wind Of Change. Did you ever know, that we are so closed, like brothers, if you in the air listen to Change We Must.”

   Nama runding dah Manang Empangau, Berlin Wall udah runtuh tahun 1990. kati baka barriers DB&DL arap ke anang baka barrier “The Great Barriers” down under.

10. Pengayau on November 30th, 2009 12:29 pm

    Change We Must?YES,i agree but i believe that we must CHANGE our MINDSET first before we are about to CHANGE the other SIGNIFICANT things.How can we change our MINDSET?I believe the right way is we must be able to see,analysze or interpret things from different aspects and angles,and only by that way that we can Free Ourself from the Mental Slavery by this Cruel Regime…

11. MERAMAT TAJAK on November 30th, 2009 4:21 pm

    In summary: the article extol the virtue of altruistic (as opposed to selfish) behaviour – and posit that it would be possible for Dayak to work together and make the community successful (even while coming from different political affiliation), if a) they were to be more altruistic towards their community, and b) they were to be able to assert their rights without becoming ethnocentric (Ketuanan Dayak).

    As I play this summary in my head, I realise it may not be that simple. Although an argument can be made to say that a community will die out if its all its members are as selfish as prawns, social scientist would counter, its precisely because of selfishness that a community will also thrive. The modern capitalistic world order is successful because it create an environment of the survival of the fittest – which makes the world turn. The wrold thrives on human greed, not philantrophic impulse.

    If we then follow this capitalist world view, and using it to take an honest look at our Dayak community, I think we can be proud of our natural instinct to be the perfect capitalist. We have a strong individualistic and selfish roots, each of us. For the Iban, the only reason that the peasants are still living in the longhouse is to save on the unit cost per bilek : also its not an altruistic behaviour, when people share their food, rather it is, in anticipation of community recognition for the feast, or in anticipation of future assistance in their individual times of need.

    Only if Dayak accept this cruel truth, and resist the urge to moralize, then we may begin to explore and align our socio-economic-political motivation as a community.

    Really, if were to look at how the rural Dayak peasants would vote, the voting pattern would be no different than the peasants in India, Consta Rica, Columbia and Vietnam. Political scientist would have many theories on how they vote, but the most commonly accepted explanation is value-maximisation. The peasants want, what the peasants need, which is often not surprisingly – modest.

    For the likes of seasoned Dayak political persons, dispersed among the many political parties ; they would have legitimate selfish interest – be it in the realm of idealistic plane or in the pocketbooks. How would these group selfish need be aligned with the peasants modest expectations ? As if, I had to ask !

    Now – I have to admit, I’m writing this post, out of selfish interest. I don’t really know what it is. Part of me, wants to understand. Is there such a thing as the Dayak community in this modern, capitalistic world ? Isn’t it a wrong premise to assume individual Dayak to want to unite, using numerical superiority like the Malays/Chinese/Indians, to gain some political and economic advantage ? The more I think about it, honestly, there may not exist sufficient Dayakness stuff to bind us, as a community. There is no glue. Period.

    So, the right model for us Dayak, is to be like the truly capitalist, to be driven by greed and selfishness – to be what we can be, with whomever we want ! For the middle class and the rich Dayak, well, they can mirror their counterparts in other races; set up a Foundation – and pursue philantrophic goals: like rights to NCR land title, rights to higher oil royalty, cultural rights to Dayak TV etc. Fine if any of the goals were to becomes successful; otherwise, if there is social pain – that would also be good for the selfish, individualistic Dayak, anyway – to rise through the evolutionary steps !

12. Iban Abroad on November 30th, 2009 6:07 pm

    DB Readers,

    This article remind me recall back my previous article; Why Dayak Disunited and DB Randau Forum.

    For unity, I need to ask my self on these questions. What mechanism we should unite, how we should unite, who we should unite and when we should start? These questions will answer by it self if we conduct a simple or proffesional study of our unity/disunity at the same time study our problem and list out our solution. Put this study into book or guideline for every Dayak to respect their duty toward unity.

    The question here is who shall sponsor and do this study? If we do not get the sponsorship, then we think about who shall start to arrange the sponsorship.

    In my belief, I recall back my article to call contra and pro gomen to set together, bring this idea to PM as part of our agenda and ask the gomen to sponsor this study.

    Now, the question is, does it is impossible for Dayak who are contra and pro gomen set together? Of course the answer is yes.

    Then I ask my self who shall coordinate this relationship, how to coordinate it and when shall it can start?

    Can we start from this blogging and say, hellow to Dayaklama asking him to have drink with him in his house this week end or say hellow to Iban Abroad asking to have dinner this coming Saturday in his house or something like that.

    Do not put our political different, our selfishness, our ego as an obstacle causes of our unity.

    Or unless we forget about unity amongst Dayak.

13. bujang ringat on November 30th, 2009 9:30 pm

    SAMA-SAMA KITAI BERATI KA JAKO DI BAROH TU.
    -KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Nov: Ketika semua media menyuluh apa yang berlaku dalam PAS, Tun Dr Mahathir menulis dalam blognya bahawa seorang bekas pemimpin kanan Umno bercadang untuk menyokong PAS kerana “Umno busuk hingga ke ususnya.”

    “Umno busuk daripada peringkat terendah hingga ke peringkat tertinggi,” kata bekas pemimpin kanan Umno itu kepada Mahathir sebagaimana yang ditulis beliau dalam blognya.
    “Yang tinggal katanya ialah orang yang berkepentingan yang berharap mendapat sesuatu kerana menyokong Umno. Mereka ini bukan nasionalis dan mereka tidak boleh diberi kepercayaan.

    ” Banyaklah lagi hujah-hujahnya akan sebab-sebab Umno tidak lagi akan diberi peluang untuk memerintah negara yang disayangi olehnya. Saya tidak akan hurai lebih lanjut. Hanya yang saya ingin sebutkan ialah pendapat beliau sudah menular ke semua peringkat orang Melayu, bahkan ahli Umno juga,” tulis Mahathir lagi.

    Berikut adalah tulisan penuh Mahathir dalam blognya Chedet yang disiarkan pada 30 November 2009 jam 12:07 tengahari.

    1. Pilihanraya Umum ke-13 hanya dua tahun lagi. Saya sedang meneliti reaksi rakyat terhadap UMNO dibawah pimpinan baru. Saya terkejut. Saya terkejut kerana seorang bekas pemimpin UMNO yang kanan telah meluahkan perasaannya dengan berkata “UMNO is rotten to the core” (UMNO busuk hingga ke ususnya).

    2. Beliau telah berkata yang beliau sedang memikir untuk menyokong PAS. Beliau juga berkata beliau telah bertemu ramai pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO yang telah bersara dan mereka speendapat dengannya.

    3. UMNO busuk daripada peringkat terendah hingga ke peringkat tertinggi katanya. Di cawangan, ketua cawangan hanya berjuang untuk mengekal dirinya sebagai ketua sahaja. Kenapa? Sebabnya majoriti ketua cawangan dapat jadi pengerusi Jawatakuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung dengan elaun tertentu dan kuasa untuk mengagih peruntukan. Berpeluang juga untuk jadi kontraktor Kelas F untuk projek kecil di luar bandar.

    4. Untuk menentukan dirinya tidak dicabar ketua cawangan tidak akan benarkan sesiapa yang lebih terpelajar daripadanya masuk UMNO cawangannya. Lebih daripada itu kebanyakan peruntukan untuk jadi ahli UMNO, yang mana dia mesti melalui cawangan, tidak akan dilayan. Tujuannya ialah supaya cawangannya tidak mempunyai banyak ahli kerana mereka tetap akan menimbulkan masalah dan sukar dikawal, bahkan sukar disogok pun.

    5. Sebab itu tidak ramai ahli profesional yang dapat menjadi ahli UMNO. Sebaliknya semakin ramai daripada pemimpin PAS terdiri daripada doktor, peguam, jurutera dan lain-lain profesyen.

    6. Oleh kerana ketua cawangan biasanya tidak memiliki pelajaran yang tinggi dan beliau menentukan ahli lain dalam cawangannya mempunyai ilmu pengetahuan yang lebih rendah daripadanya, maka apabila ketua terpaksa berhenti kerana sebab-sebab tertentu, maka penggantinya akan terdiri daripada yang kurang berkebolehan daripadanya. Dengan itu kualiti kepimpinan akan merosot sepanjang masa.

    7. Tentu ada cawangan yang tidak seperti ini tetapi pengecualian hanya mengesahkan keadaan yang sebenar.

    8. UMNO, kata bekas pemimpin kanan ini sekarang dipimpin oleh perasuah. Mereka menjadi ahli Majlis Tertinggi kerana sogokan wang. Orang ramai tidak akan serah nasib mereka kepada perasuah.

    9. Penempatan perasuah dalam Kerajaan dan badan-badan lain juga memburukkan lagi imej UMNO. Sudah tentu perasuah akan dipilih sebagai calon UMNO dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke-13. Jika mereka diberi kemenangan maka negara akan dapat Kerajaan perasuah. Sebab itu beliau tidak akan sokong UMNO sebaliknya akan menyertai dan menyokong parti lawan. Katanya lagi hingga kini separuh daripada orang Melayu tidak merasai nikmat kerana Kerajaan-Kerajaan pimpinan UMNO menidakkan hak mereka sedangkan mereka juga orang Melayu walaupun mereka menyokong parti lawan. Mereka yang menyokong parti lawan bertambah sejak (Tun) Abdullah kerana ramai daripada ahli UMNO sendiri sudah tidak percaya kepada UMNO.

    10. Yang tinggal katanya ialah orang yang berkepentingan yang berharap mendapat sesuatu kerana menyokong UMNO. Mereka ini bukan nasionalis dan mereka tidak boleh diberi kepercayaan.

    11. Banyaklah lagi hujah-hujahnya akan sebab-sebab UMNO tidak lagi akan diberi peluang untuk memerintah negara yang disayangi olehnya. Saya tidak akan hurai lebih lanjut. Hanya yang saya ingin sebutkan ialah pendapat beliau sudah menular ke semua peringkat orang Melayu, bahkan ahli UMNO juga.

    12. Rakan-rakan dalam Barisan Nasional semuanya berpecah dan lemah. Mereka tidak mampu menjayakan Barisan Nasional.

    13. Masa semakin singkat untuk memperbaiki keadaan ini. Saya mencatat maklumat ini untuk pengetahuan umum sahaja.

14. Equaliser on November 30th, 2009 9:52 pm

    Dear Dr. john,

    So then, what are the dayak plans that are required to develop the dayaks and ensure they advance faster than they are advancing now? I believe, it is not easy to develop the plans for the quick advancement of the dayaks, but prepare the plans, dayaks must. Tun Jugah Foundation should take the lead, in cooperation with other dayak NGOs and the leading dayak companies and Dayak Commercial and Industrial Institutions.

    Dependence on the government and others is secondary and should not be considered here.

    The plans should included all those subjects well discussed in your seminars and forums. The plans should include the following:

    1. Mind-set change plan. Both the urban as well as the rural dayaks must change their mind-set from one dependent on the government and others to one to be able to stand on their own two feet. Erase the subsidy mentality for good, the sooner the better. It is doing more harm than good for the dayak community. If it needs be, employ a foreign expert to help out. A German or a Korean expert is suggested. I am sure Tun Jugah Foundation can foot the bill.

    2. Child care and education plan. Nothing better than training the child from young. To beat the odd, the dayaks must pay great attention on child development, especially in the first three to five years of the children formative lives. This needs discipline and sacrifices on the part of the parents.

    3. Education plan. Place education above all else. Demand from the government for first class education and school facilities and teachers in the rural areas. Ask Petronas and Shell to build universities for all poor Sarawakians, well spread-out in all the rivers of Sarawak, the more the merrier.

    4. Business plan. Develop dayaks to be enterpreneurs and business-men or women no matter how small the business is. Start with training coffee-shop operators and owners in Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu.

    5. Timber and plantation plan. Tun Jugah Foundation, together with some rich dayaks should start establishing more oil palm plantation and timber companies and sawmills with dayaks having major shares and some minor shares. Be part of companies that make money though it is quite late for timber industry which is in its sunset stage. Oil palm plantation industry is still good.

    6. Agriculture plan. This is where the dayaks are kings. They own vast tracts of land and should maximise the land use. Employ experts from Thailand and taiwans to help out on sharing basis. Set up a trusted organisation or NGO to coordinate the whole operations.

    7. Housing plan. Are dayaks (Iban) going to continue living in longhouses or the concept is to be changed? Do the longhouse community continue to receive small handouts by sticking to live in longhouses, based on 20 doors and above longhouse eligible to give grant? Why go for small hand-outs when the dayaks can earn big money on their own. Be resilient. Be smart. Get out of the self-imposed “monastry”.

    8. Others, as deem fit and suitable.

    9. Cut down on cultural and other non-economic activities.

    10. Stop or reduce bad “habits” that waste time, money and energy.

    Change dayaks can.

15. Iban Abroad on December 1st, 2009 10:23 am

    bujang ringat on November 30th, 2009 9:30 pm

    KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Nov: Ketika semua media menyuluh apa yang berlaku dalam PAS, Tun Dr Mahathir menulis dalam blognya bahawa seorang bekas pemimpin kanan Umno bercadang untuk menyokong PAS kerana “Umno busuk hingga ke ususnya.”
    …………………………………

    Tuai Rumah.

    Article tu tau endar dihighlight, awak ka bansa kitai Dayak nemu perubahan politik ba peringkat national. Pia mega ucapan DSAI pasal Dasar Dua Parti ba Dayak Nation Blog.

    Tun Mohathir empu ke nyadi tokoh BN/UMNO udah enda pechaya ka UMNO/BN agi, jauh agi kitai bukai tu. Utai ko Mohathir nya ukai semina belaku ba UMNO aja tang ba semoa komponan parti BN kelebih agi ba BN Sarawak.

    Enti udah baka nya politik ba peringkat National, kitai Dayak patut bepikir baru lalu berunding ka pemanah Dasar Dua Parti ke selalu disebut DSAI begulai enggau bansa bukai. Ngena chara nyukong Dasar Dua Parti , seolah-olah kitai nyukong perubah negara maju selangkah nuju perubah demokrasi ke manah sebaka enggau menoa maju ke bukai baka USA.

    Ari Dasar Dua Parti kitai oleh ngubah dasar perintah ke salah lalu nganti ketuai ke enda manah bila-bila masa, lalu muai polisi ngenakut, nagang rakyat ngelaban perintah ke betuai ka orang ke enda manah baika nya ari BN tauka ari PR. Kitai mega oleh bebagi ka kuasa perintah badu agi diempu siti kelompok parti aja tang semoa rakyat Malaysia bela bisi peluang ke sama tau nyadi ketuai. Kitai mega oleh bebagi ka pengeraja negara enggau pemansang lebih agi adil ngagai seluruh rakyat, laban kuasa udah dibagi lalu ukai diempu siti parti aja.

    Ngena Dasar Dua Parti tu, kitai deka bela bisi orang ke nyakal enggau orang ke merintah megai semoa agensi perintah baka ba soldadu, polis, civil court, anti-rasuah, ahli ekonomi, opis pelajar enggau maioh agensi perintah ke bukai, laban sida bela bisi peluang bekuasa diberi kitai rakyat biasa ke ngundi sida.

    Ari nya menoa kitai ngibun atur ke chukup manah, check & balance policy, megai agensi perintah lalu ngatur pemansang menoa kitai. Kebuah pia, laban sida ari pro enggau kontra perintah ka belaban diri-sama diri deka enda talah ka panggan ngereja pengawa ke enda manah ba agensi perintah. Laban bisi orang ngerara. Ari nya utai ke manah aja dikerja.

    Perintah dua iti tu (PR & BN) mega deka bepekit enggau naka oleh ngereja utai ke manah ngagai rakyat awak ka ngambi ati rakyat agi ngundi sida ba pilihraya ke dudi ari. Nyadi orang ke amat-amat menang ba dasar Dua Parti tu iyanya kitai rakyat biasa.

    Dasar Dua Parti tu penemu ke baru ukai aja ba kitai Dayak tang mega ba seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Ari nya tugas kitai DB nerang ka Dasar Dua Parti tu ngagai kitai Dayak kelebih agi kitai rumah panjai, awak ka sida jampat agi nemu reti dasar ke ka dibai DSAI.

16. Equaliser on December 1st, 2009 4:52 pm

    Dear Dr. John,

    Your topic touched on working together and not being selfish. Talking about selfishness, we are all selfish, partly because we are poor. But let us look at the top 20 richest dayaks and dayak companies, on how generous they are or how selfish they are, in helping or not in helping the dayak communities to grow?

    Can we say Tun Jugah Foundation is generous? Can we say Datuk Amar Linggi is generous? Can you or the other readers enlighten us how generous the dayak rich are in helping the dayak communities grow?

    I can only hope the richer they are, the more generous they will be.

    It is more blessed to give than to receive.

    God bless the generous.

    Thank you, all.

17. DAYAK THINKER on December 1st, 2009 8:34 pm

    Very funny…

18. mirror on December 8th, 2009 9:52 pm

    i have yet to see this any of the ideas in db becomes a reality. djb, you do not have the doers in your group, but a lot of talkers and the copy paste’rs. not to mention the ball carriers to get your attention. one after another they failed to impress you. lutor like u are good in talking, because u r not a doer like the rest.

19. dayak on December 10th, 2009 10:57 am

    Dr.
    Equaliser’s idea is a must and basic thing that we should have.with that statistics, we can tell where we stand.Desiminate all the required info to the targeted groups and we can utlise SDNU,SADIA or whatever it is for this purposes.Get Dayak associations/Groups to be more proactive to reach targeted group.

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