Jambun: Multiracialism way forward for Dayaks, S’wak
The politics of divide-and-rule politically weakens the Dayaks, the majority community, and at the same time adds their strength at their expense to that of the others.
KUCHING: A human rights advocate and Borneo rights activist has ventured that the imminent state election in Sarawak would be a watershed after over 50 years of race-based political parties in the state. “It will show whether the days of race-based politics are numbered and that multiracialism is an idea whose time has come.”
Daniel John Jambun, the president of the UK-based Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (Bopim), was commenting on local media reports that a political accomodation of sorts has been reached between the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and its breakaway United People’s Party (UPP) on seat allocation for the state election.
“It seems that both parties would leave the allocation of Chinese seats that they claim, and certain Dayak seats both covet, to the top Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership,” noted Jambun. “This is just euphemism for Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem deciding on the allocation of some SUPP seats to UPP.”
Jambun said that it would be extremely surprising if SUPP President Sim Kui Hian went along with the contents of a media statement on Sunday attributed to UPP President Wong Soon Koh. “Wong claims that Sim agreed during a meeting with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Adenan on Tuesday night that the top BN leadership can decide on the allocation of seats to both SUPP and UPP.”
The fact that Sim was not available for comment on Wong’s statement sounds ominous, added Jambun. “Sim has explained his party’s position on the allocation of seats many times in the past. He has no intention to surrender any of his party’s seats to UPP, a non-BN party retained in the state administration when it broke away from SUPP.”
Jambun does not rule out UPP getting at least one of the 11 new seats created for the next state election while SUPP gets another. “However, it’s unlikely that SUPP would agree that any of the 19 seats it contested the last time be allocated to UPP on any ground whatsoever including winnability.”
SUPP “belabours under the delusion” that it’s okay to divide-and-rule the Dayaks but not the Chinese, charged Jambun. “It wants Chinese unity in BN. It’s not willing to share any seats with UPP. That (sharing Chinese sests) is divide-and-rule, said SUPP. It wants all Chinese seats plus some Dayak seats.”
If all Chinese seats in BN must go to SUPP, and all Muslim seats go to PBB, then all Dayaks seats must go to one political party in BN, PBB, PRS or SPDP, argued Jambun. “All three parties and SUPP and UPP and Teras can’t be taking a share of Dayak seats.”
“That’s dividing-and-ruling the Dayaks.”
The politics of divide-and-rule, pointed out Jambun, politically weakens the Dayaks, the majority community, and at the same time adds their strength at their expense to that of the Chinese and Malays/Melanau. “Such an approach only benefits non-Dayaks.”
The BN’s politics of race brings nothing but “political misfortune” to the Dayaks, lamented Jambun. “This is one reason why Dayaks are losing their NCR land, and are badly under-represented in the civil service, business, professions, in education and scholarships.”
What Dayaks need, believes the Bopim Chief, is a multiracial party, not race-based politics. “Multiracial parties are based on issues, not race and religion.”
Jambun expressed confidence that if the Dayaks commit themselves to a multiracial party, they can rise as a community after languishing for over half a century, kept out of the mainstream.
After 50 odd years of failed politics, the Dayaks must reject political parties based on race and religion, advocated Jambun. “The key to an issue-based multiracial political party emerging in Sarawak is the Pesaka component of PBB.”
Once Pesaka is removed from the political equation, said Jambun, multiracial politics will emerge in Sarawak through issue-based multiracial political parties.
Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram
Race and religion are not issues in politics, he summed up. “The Dayaks and Sarawak need to free themselves from that.”