By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Nov 18: A win by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the eight Bidayuh-majority seats will be a bargaining chip for the community to achieve its 10-year strategic plan, said Bidayuh political observer Dato Peter Minos.
According to him, like the voters in the just-concluded Tanjung Piai by-election, the people had shown that they were getting tired of Pakatan Harapan (PH)’s unfulfilled promises.
“Like what had been seen at the Tanjung Piai by-election, the Bidayuhs are totally fed-up of PH federal government for deliberately breaking promises, not leading the nation well, hitting Sarawak at every turn and not respecting Sarawak and its leaders at all.
“I think and I believe the Bidayuhs will reject PH in all the eight seats. I can bet on that. Up to now, PH has been very aggressive, arrogant, provocative and saying and doing things so recklessly,” Minos told DayakDaily here today.
He reiterated that many PH leaders had insulted Sarawak’s leaders and they do not show respect to its people.
“They behave like lords and masters and learned from their Malayan bosses. People are fed up of them. Their politics of breaking words and promises and hitting opponents harshly has failed. PH will be rejected. People are not happy with them. In fact, very angry,” he said.
Another issue Minos believed the community must fight for is their native customary rights (NCR) land to be legally titled especially individual titles under Section 18 of the State Land Code.
“The Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) has been helping the Sarawak government as well as the Land and Survey Department on this matter and we really hope that the department to reciprocate.
“If there is no legal titles, the land is almost worthless, impossible to develop, not wanted as collaterals by banks and a source of endless local disputes.
“Thus the titles are absolutely necessary wanted. I believed that DBNA will bring up the matter again to the chief minister and his help is very much needed,” said Minos, who is also Kota Samarahan Municipal Council chairman.
He was commenting on the 10-year Strategic Plan for 2020-2030 which was deliberated over the weekend at Bung Bratak Heritage Centre, Bau.
“It is a good and wise that the Bidayuhs had made their 10-year Strategic Plan for 2020- 2030. DBNA led by its president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik has been doing a good job in coming up with the strategic plan in collaboration with other Bidayuh professionals and leaders.
Minos stressed that such strategy will do the Bidayuhs a lot of good in planning early.
“From the planning, then ideas of doing and implementing will follow, including bringing the Bidayuh wishes, needs and wants to the chief minister,” he said.
He asserted that as an economically-struggling community, the Bidayuhs need understanding and support from the government.
“They need a lot of support in uplifting their socio-economic status, especially in the field of education and land development. Hopefully the government will give understanding and support they need. As I see it, the chief minister is most understanding,” added Minos.
Meanwhile, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) deputy president Dato Sri Richard Riot Jaem also welcomed the initiative and hoped that the community will progress well and be developed by 2030 like the rest of the nation.
The eight Bidayuh-majority state seats are Tasik Biru, Serembu, Tebedu, Opar, Mambong, Tarat, Kedup and Bukit Semuja are all under GPS except Opar, which is under Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), a splinter party of SUPP. — DayakDaily
