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on Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:18 am
Today’s Dayaks are thinking Dayaks: SDNU
KUCHING: Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) publicity chief Dr John
Brian Anthony took exception to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president
Dato Sri Dr James Masing’s statement that said Dayaks “lack the element
of smart factor” in politics.
Brian said Masing, the Land Development Minister and Baleh
assemblyman, probably meant to say the Dayak lacked political
manoeuvrings.
Either way, he said, the Dayaks never lacked political intelligence
but were “cautious and skeptical because of many unfulfilled promises”.
“The modern Dayaks are cautious and skeptical. The new Dayaks are
thinking Dayaks who are no longer like cows that one can pull in any
direction by the nose,” said Brian, a blogger who styles himself
Dayakbaru.
In fact, he said, it was this skepticism that the Barisan Nasional
(BN) government had to deal with in the recent Batang Ai by-election,
which was the reason why the BN had to come in strongly during its
campaign to convince and win the voters over. He said Batang Ai voters
handed the BN a convincing victory because they felt that the
government was sincere in its effort to develop the constituency when
it promised to spend RM70 million to change the people’s socio-economic
lifestyle.
Brian said, the April 7 by-election victory was unlike previous
elections - whether in Batang Ai state seat or Lubok Antu parliamentary
seat - when the coalition only enjoyed slim victories in the
Iban-majority areas.
“Isn’t that wisdom on the part of the rural Dayak? I do not agree
with Masing when he said they lack smartness (in politics). They are in
fact smart for choosing BN over Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) because now
it means they can look forward to a better standard of living, that is
if the election promises are fulfilled,” he said.
Brian said it all meant that the BN must work hard to make sure that those projects that included tar-sealing of roads and construction of a polyclinic must be carried out in due time; not in the next 10 or twenty years. “These were among the things promised. The people are indeed smart to have chosen BN now. Previously they were cautious and skeptical,
which the authorities unfortunately interpreted as siding with the
opposition,” he added.
In Sri Aman on Saturday night, Masing said the Dayaks were easily manipulated because they lacked the element of “smartness”.
Speaking at an Easter dinner organised by PRS Bukit Begunan
Division, Masing said this lack of smartness was particularly evident
among rural Dayaks whose political stand was seldom firm.
“Politics within the community (Dayak), particularly in rural areas,
is fluid until now because there is lack of the smart factor. And
because of that they will listen to instigation and get manipulated by
certain individuals,” he pointed out.
Masing also urged educated and intellectual Dayaks to help educate
the members of the community to imbibe in them that element of
“smartness”.
He added that it was a pity that some Dayak intellectuals were going
to the longhouses to incite people to hate and reject government
policies.
“It is sad to see that many educated and intellectuals from the
community are inciting the people and this has caused the Dayaks to be
further fragmented in politics,” he said.
He said such action by these irresponsible people would result in the community lagging behind other races, he stressed.
“It is because the Dayaks are getting smarter and smarter that you
can’t just force things down their throats any more. Today we have
thinking Dayaks who do not accept but Dayaks who will question if they
are doubtful,” Brian said in response.