When Barack Obama was pronounced the winner of the 2008 US Presidential Election, the world was energized with a new spirit of Change. It is the first time in my life that I have seen a political figure become such a celebrity!
But Batang Ai Dayaks had sold their spirit. Our spirit too has also been buried along with negative growth for the last 45 years since the Independence Day including 35 years under the Taib’s regimental government. And I still think the Dayaks will never Change.
Color and Race Does Not Matter
There is no question that 2008 had been a revolutionary year in American politics. For the first time in that country’s existence we see a “black man”, who won the election by a popular landslide, be the President of the most powerful nation on earth. Judging by the extreme enthusiasm, America was clearly ready for this. And regardless of conflicting views on Obama’s liberalism, it is evident that this man is a great orator with an amazing ability to connect to listeners.
His resume, too, is outstanding, boasting of experience and accomplishment in academia, writing, foreign affairs, civil rights, environmental awareness…etc. He is young, vibrant, captivating, moral, and inherently motivating. President Obama is now a new face of the imperial United States of America. But some Dayak leaders today remain “kulup” and/or “muntat”…. (sorry… words to challenge your mindset) yet so dependable on others to lead, manage and feed them.
Dayaks’ Taboo Today
Though some Dayaks have tattoos (warrior simbol) on their body but the taboo words “anang ngelaban perintah” and others have already been implanted in their brain and heart since the Independence Day. With the majority of Dayaks’ today mentality and walking in the opposite direction against oaths, I really doubt about such Change would come in our way?? But the word “Change” can certainly revolutionize everything. If others can Change, why can’t we?
Create Change and Foster Hope
The current constitutions, Dayak can forget about becoming a “Mr. Prime Minister” of Malaysia and/or “Tuan Yang Terutama” of Sarawak. However, there’s still possible “Hope” where a Dayak potential leader could become a “Chief Minister” again if only we can create such Change now! Americans… still believe in an America where anything’s possible – they just don’t think their leaders do. ~Barack Obama. Change…?? No We Can’t?? Yes We Can??
Nine (9) Possibilities
I believe these nine (9) possible ways that “Yes We Can!” i.e. like Barack Obama make the “Change”:
1. Change By Us, For Us, Within Us and Change We Must
Why not us? Why not today? Why not now? Why need it? I believe that those who seek Change must be the initiators (physically or virtually) to consume Change. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time or some other opportunity. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
We are the Change that we seek. As we know, try all we may, we cannot change anyone but ourselves. This is the same with situations. Only we can act to change our circumstances. Procrastinating action with excuses is easy. If we desire to accomplish something great, then we must have a vision, and be that vision.
2. Constant and Never Ending Improvement
Although I/we have recognized how hard others have worked for this beloved state and/or country, I still believe that there is much more that need to be improved for both the urban and the rural Dayaks. There is never an end to improvement, it gets going, keep going and going forward. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun.
Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the native lands of Borneo or the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today or 45 years ago. No matter how good times may be, we can always aspire for an even better tomorrow.
A new breed Dayak leader could be a Chief Minister of Sarawak, but that does not mean that there is an end to racism. If “Dayabaru” could walk borderless; so this “new leader” could run. If he/she could ran then we can all fly, but even flying is a means to something bigger. Not just moving forward but kick into the future!
3. Rational and Justified Measures
Personal development aficionados sometimes plunge into action. We attempt to tackle happiness, jump out of our comfort zones, and wage magnificent wars against a slew of vengeful carbohydrates and alcohols. And although extremes can be great, we must also make sure that our goals are well planned, strategize and rational. I don’t oppose all wars and developments. What I am opposed to is a dumb war and “14x mini dams” development.
What I am opposed to is a rash war and inequitable development. When a nation and the globe including the United Nations chooses to declare a war on drugs and systematic-hostile war and/or preventive measures on AIDS and global warming, respecting indigenous peoples rights and Rule of Justice, eradicating poverty and the relevant, I believe that these initiatives should be well justified, as war and the relevant preventive measures can have huge implications on the nation and its citizens.
Taib’s administration has successfully implemented the NCR systematic land alienation policy by promoting unethical corporate maneuvering via its related government agency (PELITA/SLDA/other nominees) and other policies: systematically contained rural Dayaks from any real economic growth; systematic resettlement and relocation policy; Dayak land owners being branded as “lack of smartness” will have no corporate rights to jointly managed the 60/30/10 equity model on any NCR Land Development projects; continuously marginalized the Dayak special rights as “2nd class bumiputra” ; promoting caste system on Dayak as “4th class citizen” (after the Malays, Chinese, Indians and the ‘dan lain-lain’); indirectly hijack the Dayaks’ Native Court; inequitable economic development distributions; and many others, which had become one of the many unpopular political issues of BN Sarawak today.
So what happened to the controversial Bakun Hydro-Electric Dam of mass environmental destruction and dislocation of rural communities? How many more Dayaks would be dislocated (dislocated also means divide, confine, contain, control and rule) from their own lands if the ambitous SCORE “Mini-Hydro Dams” take off? We have not found any rightful and/or justice and improvement done yet on Dayak issues except the “gimmick-instant noodle” being promoted during the election day. The BN state government is now merely moderating and meddling with someone else’s civil rights and political disunity.
4. Possibility and Opportunities
Sarawak is a state where any person, regardless of where they came from could freely practice religion, politics, trade, and love, and as stated alike the Sabah 20 points agreements. Our great ancestors and my parents too shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this state and/or nation.
Sarawak has always been the land of opportunity, and it is very encouraging that a politician can so openly relate to this, himself/herself. You may have heard the old saying that that anything is possible. Have you ever stopped to think about all the different possibilities? It is with out question that possibilities exist all around us; virtually in ever direction we turn our heads.
Unfortunately, we often times get possibilities and opportunities confused with each other. Opportunity is something that is created; a growing stem from what was just a possibility. Opportunities will never come knocking! Don’t ever wait for an opportunity to start knocking on your doors or if you decide to wait be prepared to wait forever.
Let suppose for a moment that someone comes up to you and offers you RM10.00. In most cases you begin to think about what you would spend this ten dollar bill on. The opportunity isn’t truly created until you exercise several various possibilities and turn those into a plan of action.
For example, one may think about to spend the ten dollars versus another who may think about where to invest the RM10.00. Spending the RM10.00 simply justifies a waste of money and opportunity while investing creates a future opportunity. Understanding what is a possibility and what is an opportunity to can truly change the actions in which you take moving forward.
Strategic planning is a key ingredient in any quest for success in our lives. Look for the possibilities and think about the opportunities in which stems from each possibility. Desire, dedication, commitment, and willingness to embrace the challenge that lies ahead will surely prove to be successful ingredients. So work on many possibilities to generate on opportunities!
5. Future Forecasts for Today’s Efforts
I/we recognize that nothing comes from nothing, that we must win small battles today in order to prevent greater problems in the near future. Poorly and systematically manage: buiding imperialistic dynasty; pursuing divide & rule policy; unsecured and paperless “sixty (60) years land title lease” NCR Land Development policy; and uneven economic distributions policy, could build up unforeseen civil unrest and “ethnics’ war” that detonates in Kalimantan (Dayak-Madura War 1996). The many ambitious mini-hydro electric dams could become destructive eco-system with irreversible consequences to safe the green planet. The poverty and underserved rural areas in Sarawak could possibly breed the terror of tomorrow.
Any business owner or investor knows that it is extremely important to anticipate impending Change before taking on projects. Bill Gates did not believe that the internet would become as ginormous information medium as it has and had significantly lost on this bet. Owners of Blockbuster franchises may not have seen Netflix and HBO on demand revolutionizing where people get their movies.
The government had not foreseen a global financial recession disaster yet. Economist and/or financial experts may have a lot on their hands right now, but the Government (BN & PR), Financial Insitutions and NGOs must jointly work harder on it today for a better tomorrow and not merely pursuing on rhetoric politics and hostile-systematic political manuvering tactics. Politics never bring income but spent lots of tax-payer money and waste economic efforts.
6. Not taking Yourself Too Seriously
I kind of figured that anyone run this state or a country would always feel pretty important, but please don’t turn your back on your poor and desperate rakyat who have entrust you to form a government. Just don’t let your rakyat become “skinny” and “smartless”. When we take ourselves too seriously, we are susceptible to a lot of insult and backfire later.
What I mean is that we perceive more as insult when, otherwise, it would be taken as light-hearted comments. When we take ourselves too seriously and/or stupidly, we may also get more discouraged in the face of hardship because we would get hung up on our own stupid mistakes instead of coming up with solutions to the problem. Therefore, be conscious of what you worry about. Make sure it is worth it.
7. Unity in Dayak and For All
We must focus and foster on what could unites the Dayak communities and their leaders and/or Sarawak and Malaysian, rather than their differences or ideologies. I presume Vision 2020 is for every citizen of Malaysia and not for elites and “special peoples” i.e. if we are to believe in 1 Malaysia.
There is not a pro-BN and a pro-PR – there is the Federation of Malaysia. There is not a “Muslim Bumiputra” and a “Non-Muslim Bumiputra” and “Non-Bumiputra” and “Pan-Asian” and “dan lain-lain” and/or West Malaysia, East Malaysia and Federal Territories – there’s the Federation of Malaysia! While this may not have always been a reality in Malaysia, and some of our forefathers wouldn’t necessarily agree, it is our ideal Vision 2020 of Malaysia, and the dream that is slowly becoming a reality.
8. Perfection and Balancing Smartness
We do not need to be inherently perfect in order to perfect ourselves every day. We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent. As someone who has spent so much time on improving herself, it is a marvel to me how so many people are completely okay with being mediocre.
Mediocrity does not save people from hunger. It does not cure diseases and it does not write glorious symphonies. We must internalize excellence and make it a part of our identity. Instead undermined the Dayak, their leaders must build center of smartness, reducing government dependences, help developing smart human capital, smart business networking, smart farming technology and many others, and not “smart ass” and/or creating a “smart-system to further marginalized the rakyat”.
9. Ambition
If there is one great opportunity for people today it is an abundance of resources. Before the internet, people had excuses when they had no way to find something out. Today, not only can we find answers to almost all of our questions, but we can expose ourselves to millions of people around the virtual world who are looking to build and share knowledge, skills, and social networks.
Today, we have no excuse for why we can’t do something. This also means that we can take on social responsibility. The problem is that many people don’t have the drive to balance the available information. Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential and greatness.
Conclusion
People can only tackle greatness when they set high standards for themselves and their lives. Now, I ask you, what do you admire about Barack Obama’s words of “Change” and what can we learn from that? Why not with our current BN and/or PR Dayak leaders? Can TS Alfred Jabu, DS James Masing and/or YB Gabriel Adit and other ex-YBs and/or other Dayak intellectual leaders, help the Dayak communities to “Change”? Lets voice up your thoughts.
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