Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

This would be my first article for 2013 and I am glad to be back and writing down my thoughts. I read all the comments and try to gauge what is the level of our thinking and what are we thinking about. I would like to address both questions in order that we can move forward in our discussion. The intention is not to conclude who is right or wrong but it is important to recognize that our thinking do indicate changes in our perception and our action.

A little recap

Before going any further, let me summarize the little things that has happened around me. The preparation for PRU 13 has stepped up in tempo despite continued indecision by the Prime Minister. There are still a lot of uncertainty but all the same, planning and work have to continue for the election. I cannot say that the approach to the coming election is normal because of the gravity of the consequences to Malaysia if PR do not win Putra Jaya. So many things are stack against us Dayak and it is choking to say the least when we have enough evidences that the wealth of our land is being taken away from us for the creation of personal wealth by the country’s BN leaders.

Appointment to DAP as central Executive Committee member

Then I was appointed to the Central Executive Committee of DAP at the December 15th 2012 Convention and frankly I felt that I have to up the level of my political contribution and also to take a new role as a team member of the DAP national leadership. Thus, there are new expectation to be met. I even ponder on new political strategies to bring PRIDE and even COURAGE back to the Dayak in order for them to take action if they want to see change take place in Malaysia and specifically for the community.

Reinforcing Dayak pride and courage

The Gawai Kelingkang Batu Tempan Balang kena Nempa Ketuai Dayak ngiring bansa is very much on my mind. The Gawai will be on the 9th January till 11th ( 3 days and nights of timang) by a bard man from Ngemah, a lemambang Muyan. All are welcome. There will be no drinking and feasting but a series of ritual to invoke the fighting spirit of Dayak and to gain back our lost pride as the renowned Headhunters of Sarawak. We need this pride and courage today to make the change that we want. Fighter Balang of Batang Rejang fought the Raja because he refused to submit to the Raja tax. He was later betrayed by the Iban themselves, captured through trickery and killed.

Are we facing the same predicament but at a different time and situation? This lead us to the subject of thinking and wisdom – are we on the right track by fighting for change of Government from BN to PR? (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

(This is yet another article which appeared in the previous blog before. Happy reading Cikgu Iban)Dayak have been gullible, opportunist, self centered & easily exploited by others since time in memorial…written by Dr John Brayan Anthony 4th March 2010

Paranoid Politicians

I am not at all surprised when Nyarok Enterie won the VP post in recent SPDP TGM with full backing of Tiong King Sing. After all, the contender, who is my friend Philip Ngo is just testing the water. I am not surprised when Enteri Muran aka Mohd Abdullah and Nyarok Enteri resisted the motivational programmes conducted by Dayak Intellectuals – as they viewed such programmes as ‘eye opener’ “wake up call” for the longhouse folks & students – they are damm worried that their weaknesses be revealed to their voters! Typical of paranoid politicians and Jabu Numpang is the father of all paranoids!

Naïve & gullible

Whether we like or not, we have been very naïve, gullible and easy prey of sweet talks by others to serve their own need as far as our history can remember. I won’t discount the prowess of our fore father’s courage during the founding years of ‘ngerumpang batang, ngerumpang agang’, but in every strength we possess now and then, people easily exploit us and may continue to do so out of our own foolishness and the tunnel vision our leaders have had. (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

“As sure as the sun rises tomorrow” the building of 12 big dams in Sarawak will continue said the Chief Minister of the Government in Sarawak. This is in response to Hydro Tasmania imminent withdrawal from the Murum dam project after being pressured by GREEN interest in Australia and other countries of the world after appeals for help from NGOs such as Save Rivers and many more. Actually, it does not seem like a pull out for people who are familiar with construction. It is more like demobilization process, that is expert stated leaving when their scope of work is completed. To say that Hydro Tasmania will pull out by end of 2013 is just at the end of the project. If the Hydro Tasmania leave immediately NOW that would have some impact and meaning to the construction of the Murum dam.

What does all of this mean – any bluff or lie by the Government and other stakeholders.

As the sun rises tomorrow

The line “as the sun rises tomorrow” stirred in me a strong sense of the implication of the word. Firstly in an old song, a lyric from a song entitled Tom Dooley it ran like this:

“As the sun rises tomorrow, you will be hang to die” (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony (Resubmitted by Cikgu Iban)
Thank you Cikgu for submitting the various articles which i  re-publish here.

“It is better for the Bidayuhs to “fight” the Government from within rather than from outside the BN political parties”, said Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit.

The same has been echoed by many other Dayak YBs particularly from PBB. This could well be the view of CM Taib so that the Dayak YBs will not join the chorus of the Opposition to put right what is wrong in the BN government. It is certainly not a new piece of advice and all I can say is this: it is one of the biggest lies of the BN YBs. The fact is you cannot do anything to change the wrong when you are within BN. CM Taib who is the “boss” will definitely threaten you. Similarly, your peers will also threaten you if you ever disagree with the BN policies. Therefore, have you ever heard of a BN YB saying anything different from the official tag line when a Dayak long house is being pulled down by the authorities? (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony, 8th Dec 2011 (resubmitted by Cikgu Iban)

There are TWO schools of thoughts on this. One is to treat DAP as “racial enemy” following the lead of UMNO and the other is that we Dayak should shift our support from BN to DAP. The obvious advantage of such a shift is that the combined Chinese and Dayak would make up the most numbers in Sarawak. In addition, the Dayak and Chinese are a more natural team to go it together and form the next Government in Sarawak.

1.Sarawak is a unique situation.
Many of us hold on to the idea of Sarawak for Sarawakians only. Many more hold on to the perception that whatever is Chinese is bad because of our daily experience in their way of the Chinese dealing with us. The bottom-line really depends on us in that if we know what we are looking for and know what to do we will not get cheated time and again. It is not right to blame others for our weakness but we must step up our effort to adapt and improve our selves so that we can be in equal footing with others. The Malay Muslim in Sarawak should also be with us but following the practice of “majority” rule, they must not play a dominant role in Sarawak. As it is, the Malay Muslim is leading Sarawak, leaving the majority Dayak and Chinese to be led by this minority group. In Penang for example, the Chinese rule Penang. Similarly in Kelantan, Terengganu and many other Malay majority states, the Malay rules the States because they are the majority. The exception of this situation is seen in Sarawak whereby the Malay minority rules the state of Sarawak. (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

In Sarawak, it is common knowledge that the police always side with the big companies and to a certain extend the gangsters. It is even  common knowledge that a certain BN YB is the “Godfather”of gangsters in Sarawak. The gangsters control the prices of rubber and even eggs for that matter. Just recently we have hundreds of cyber gambling raids after the matter was raised by the Opposition MP. At first the police deny any knowledge of such cyber gambling outlet. Some cyber gambling outlet manage to escape police raid which could be attributed to inside information from within the police force to the gambling den operator.

Why do we need to wait for an Opposition YB to highlight the matter to the press before the police took action? Most of the time, no action is taken against the organizers of these gambling dens etc. Is there any involvement or has the gangsters manage to infiltrated the police and that with the police force are criminal elements who masterminded the many ongoing illegal activities in Sarawak?

Time will tell as we compile more evidence that is collaborative to determine whether it is true or false! (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

After May 13th 1969 incident, the then Prime Minister Tun Razak seize the opportunity to realign Malaysia to enure that the Malay as a race is being put as the priority. This is the case when we miss out on the opportunity of creating a new Malaysia without racial differences but all of us are born Malaysian  holding on to the same national values and united in our struggle to be a strong country economically and stable politically.

New Economics Policies

The New Economics Policy was introduce to correct the balance of the economics power in Malaysia. Alas, after 40 plus years, the NEP create an elite group of bumiputera businessmen while most of the population fell back behind. The NEP is being used by politicians and their political cronies to gain business monopoly and obtain license over the extraction of natural resources. The rural income did not improve as the rural economy was not develop with adequate infra-structure like roads and amenities like clean water and electricity. The political leaders focus was on enriching themselves and their cronies. (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

I felt it is important to talk about this particular development whereby the people of Sarawak has a choice of different view and different format and agenda from their radio. The usual “Radio Tai Manok – RTM” is is devoid of the truth and avoid getting feedback from the people. Therefor is less exciting. The RFS crew is more innovative and focus on their objective of explaining issues and carrying out political education for the Dayak.

SWP is a BN party and out to destroy Dayak

Since a day or two ago, the Sarawak Workers Party announced that it is starting a Radio Kenyalang that is similar to RFS. In the first place anything Kenyalang is always associated with BN Government led by Tai Manok. SWP is a BN Government and is working to break up Party Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) because it is getting too strong for Tai Manok liking. The President of PBB wanted to leave PBB into good strong hand but fear that PRS will challenge a PBB candidate for the Chief Minister post. Thus SWP is hatched to check PRS growth and the starting up of SWP – Radio Kenyalang is to check the REAWAKENING of the Dayak after the Stephen Kalong Ningkan days. (more…)

Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony

Today hardly any civil servant make any decision on the implementation of policy matters. One example – when Dayak confront Land and Survey about their land issues and usually encroachment by a plantation company, the answer is “we cannot help you or we do not know anything because this is directed from the top”. Now who is the top? It usually refer to political leaders.

Civil servant do not make decision anymore

In a fascist State the Civil Servant do not make decision at all, as they can only comply with the direction given by political leaders. Is this happening in Sarawak? Yes, it is. The Civil Service are made up of highly educated people and well train in the details of their function. They are also capable of making decision on their own basing on the policy given to them by the government. It seems however that such person sitting in the District officer post become impotence in their decision making as they work based on directive given by politician. (more…)

Written by: Dr John Brian Anthony

I am very happy to be back again. I would like to apologize for the long gap between the day that this blog was hacked sometime in September to today. I was naturally disappointed that nearly 4 years of my work and the thoughts of many of you just disappeared. It was a very serious attack leaving not a single posting standing. In this respect, I would asked that any of you who has any article that you might have saved from Dayakbaru to send it to me to be posted into this new blog.

The new name “Penemudayakbaru” is an extension of the original name which I cannot use anymore. I expect that this new blog will provide a new platform where we will exchange ideas and perception of events that affect us Dayak. This blog site cost money and has to be renewed on a yearly basis for about $1200.00 per year. Whenever possible please contribute towards the fund that would be needed to keep this blog going.

I expect that we conduct ourselves in proper manners at all time when writing in this blog. I would usually let all comment through except those that are down right rubbish in nature of employing bad dirty words and bad manners. Please exercise your best gentlemen behavior at all time. I will delete a one liner comment and I expect everyone of us in this blog to argue on our point of view. Use English, Iban or Bahasa Malaysia as the language of choice in this blog.

Those of you with new ideas and concept to improve our community are encourage to share the ideas in this blog.

This blog will be solely administered by me as the blog owner.

I wish you all happy blogging and enjoy the thinking process and the writing task.