It is time to stop buying into a lie.

Dear Reader,

May I be honest?

I am sad. I am sad because I am told by my government that I must celebrate the Independence Day of my country on the 31st of August. But what is so wrong about this that it makes me sad?

Let me tell you. If you don’t like dry and boring history lessons, you can leave my blog now. But if you have ten minutes to spare, read on.

The Federated States of Malaya which comprised all the nine Sultanates, Malacca and Penang were given their independence by Great Britain on the 31st of August, 1957. The photo below records the historic event. It is the iconic image of Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaiming independence for Malaya. Yes, MALAYA. Not Sarawak, not Sabah, but MALAYA. And this date became known as MERDEKA DAY. For the Federated States of MALAYA.



Then, six years later, Sarawak was given her independence. On the 22nd of July, 1963. Bet you didn’t know that the 22nd of July is an historic date for Sarawak, huh? Of course you wouldn’t. It has probably been wiped off the official history text books, or glossed over during history classes. But if you buy a copy of the Sarawak Government Almanac, it’s there in black and white. The British gave up Sarawak on the 22nd of July, 1963 and on that day we became an independent nation. A country all of our own. Our own flag, our own anthem and even our own money!

Then, fifty five days later, after the British granted her independence, Sarawak, together with Sabah, Singapore, and the Federated States of Malaya came together to form a new nation called MALAYSIA on the 16th of September. This date, the 16th of September, 1963, came to be known as MALAYSIA DAY because it was on this historic day that a brand new country was born in the world. (Singapore got ‘kicked out’ later but Malaysian history books politely claim she decided to withdraw from the new nation. Brunei was also involved in the discussions to form Malaysia but it too decided against the idea.)

However, gradually, Malaysia Day became forgotten through, I suspect, a subtle and systematic process of brainwashing on the part of the Barisan Nasional government. More and more emphasis was placed on Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day was ignored, its significance eroded and displaced by Merdeka Day. Merdeka Day became a public holiday, and the whole country began to get caught up in celebrations come every 31st August.

Young Sarawakian school children were, and still are taught to wave flags and jump for joy come 31st August because on this date Malaysia achieved her independence. Now if you have been paying attention, you will obviously have noticed that there is a factual error in the previous sentence. Malaysia DID NOT achieve her independence on the 31st of August, 1957 simply because Malaysia had not existed yet! It was only Malaya which achieved her independence on the 31st of August, 1957; Malaysia was only formed six years AFTER Malaya achieved independence.

The date 31st of August means very little to me as a Sarawakian and yet I am told by my government to honour this date on the basis that I am a citizen of Malaysia and therefore as a proud and loyal Malaysian, I should jump and shout for joy that Malayans received their independence on the 31st of August despite the fact that I am also a Sarawakian and this date has little significance to me. This date did not affect my beloved Sarawak in any way whatsoever and has never been part of its rich history, so what is there to celebrate or what memory is there to honour and cherish for a Sarawakian? Sarawak achieved her independence on the 22nd of July but the government does not give this date any due recognition. Instead, I am to celebrate a date which has more significance for my fellow Malaysians in West Malaysia. That is why I am sad.

Malaysia Day, the 16th of September, 1963, however, means a lot to me. It was the date my beloved Sarawak became a part of a new nation, standing tall and proud in the world amongst other independent nations. Shouldn’t this date when we officially became a country take centre-stage in our history as a nation?

And yet, it was only last year that the Barisan Nasional government decided to recognise Malaysia Day and grant it ‘public holiday’ status. And only because Pakatan Rakyat ‘reminded’ the BN government. It actually took the BN government forty-seven years to recognise Malaysia Day officially!

But the question on my mind is why did the BN government try to sweep Malaysia Day under the carpet and dispatch it to the annals of history to be conveniently forgotten? And why do I suspect that there is a conspiracy going on to distort and blur the story of the formation of Malaysia?

Let me draw your attention to the opening paragraph of a blog entry dated 15th September, 2009, by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak. He wrote,

“On this day (16 September) forty-six years ago, Malaysia welcomed Sabah and Sarawak as states and set out on a course toward becoming one of the leading nations in the world. I was only 10 years old when my father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, witnessed the historic proclamation of Sabah’s independence in 1963, but I remember how proud he was during that momentous occasion. Sabah and Sarawak occupy a special place in my heart because of that history.”

Spot the offending sentence? “Malaysia welcomed Sabah and Sarawak as states.” The Prime Minister of Malaysia, no less, officially writes in his official blog that Sabah and Sarawak were welcomed INTO a country called Malaysia in 1963!

Not only is this sentence factually wrong (as Malaysia was actually formed on that very day and you cannot ‘welcome’ other states into an entity which would need those very states to form it in the first place in order to welcome anything into), but it is also a blatant re-writing of history! Sabah and Sarawak were not just states of a larger country, Mr. Prime Minister; Sabah and Sarawak were INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES and EQUAL PARTNERS to Malaya!

But if you were to believe the Prime Minister writing in his blog, Sabah and Sarawak were only states that joined an already existing country! Surely the Prime Minister of Malaysia would know history and know how his own country was formed? And if he genuinely made a mistake, surely one of his many advisers and staff members would quickly alert him to the fact and correct the glaring mistake? Or did they not know too, and if so, it begs a more disturbing question: is our country being runned by incompetent people who do not know the history of their own country? Truth be told, I suspect no one made a mistake.

It is plain that history is deliberately being re-written. But why? Two glorious words: Malaysia Agreement.

The Barisan Nasional government wants us to forget that there is such a thing as the Malaysia Agreement. It wants us to forget because the Malaysia Agreement specifies very clearly that Sabah and Sarawak have certain rights and privileges enshrined in the 18-Point (Sarawak) and 20-Point (Sabah) Agreements respectively. Sabah and Sarawak, both independent countries, came together as equal partners with Malaya to form Malaysia with pre-conditions attached. And these pre-conditions would empower Sabah and Sarawak. Empowerment is a frightening thing to the BN. It does not like to empower anyone except itself. Now more so than ever, it needs Sabah and Sarawak to retain its majority in Parliament and cling on to power. So to give power to Sabah and Sarawak is a very frightening idea to the BN government. So what does it do? It re-writes history and hopes that Sabahans and Sarawakians forget. It teaches Sabahan and Sarawakian school children to celebrate the 31st of August as Malaysia’s Independence Day whilst remaining deafeningly mute on the 16th of September. It uses newspapers, television and colourful parades to brainwash the masses into believing the lie that it assiduously propagates - that Malaysia gained independence on the 31st of August, 1957; when in actual fact Malaysia had not yet existed.

But all is not lost. You and I can change the situation. We can bring honour back to the 16th of September and accord it the significance it rightly deserves. More importantly, you and I can honour the Malaysia Agreement and return power to Sabah and Sarawak. Did you know that the Pakatan Rakyat has made a very important pledge to the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak?

Respecting the position of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Malaysian Federation, and honouring previous agreements made, Pakatan Rakyat pledges to restore autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak in line with and within the framework of the Federal Constitution and the Federation Agreement.

Yes. A Pakatan Rakyat government will honour the Malaysia Agreement. (The Federation Agreement is basically the Malaysia Agreement.) This pledge is contained in the Buku Jingga, the book of policy pledges by the Pakatan Rakyat. You can download the Buku Jingga in English HERE. If you, like me, love Sarawak and want to see her powers and status as an equal partner restored, you will know what to do come the 13th General Election.

Back to the Prime Minister’s blog entry, which you can read HERE. If you continue reading the blog entry, you will see that the whole purpose of the entry was to appease Sabahans and Sarawakians. Wasn’t it ironic that in trying to appease us, he actually made us feel even more displeased, thinking us illiterate idiots with short memories?

So when is our nation Malaysia’s Independence Day? There simply isn’t one. Our nation Malaysia never achieved independence. Our nation Malaysia was born out of the coming together of three individual nations already independent BEFORE they formed Malaysia.

And let us be clear once and for all. Sarawak never JOINED Malaysia because there was no Malaysia to join in the first place. Sarawak joined Malaya and Sabah to FORM Malaysia. Never forget that. Teach it to your children.

I will fly my Jalur Gemilang proudly on the 16th of September. Not on the 31st of August. It is time to stop buying into a lie.


P.S. If the Barisan Nasional is genuinely not guilty of subtle and systematic brainwashing and never willfully schemed to displace Malaysia Day with Merdeka Day (and my entire argument about the insidious plot to wipe the Malaysia Agreement from memory is therefore in tatters), then the Barisan Nasional is guilty of a far graver and greater sin - absolute and unadulterated ARROGANCE; the significance of Malaya’s independence far outweighs that of Malaysia’s formation and birth and to hell with what Sabah or Sarawak might think. And that means we’re well and truly screwed.

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

Dear Reader,

In these troubled times when the Church and Christians are being persecuted, I am deeply comforted by these words from the Scriptures...

Hide me now
Under Your wings
Cover me
Within Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father You are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

God bless Malaysia.

Busy

Dear Reader,

It has been a while since I posted a new entry. I was going to talk about how the royal consort of a certain head of state in Malaysia had ignored convention and made political statements in a public forum; totally unbecoming of any royal, especially a consort. In any constitutional monarchy, the monarch and his royal family would abstain from being politically active, refrain from making political statements and remain dignified and above the fray. I was going to royally bash this royal dignitary for publicly defying convention (and ignorance is no excuse, especially not for a royal who must know she is constantly in the full glare of the public), but then other things had to take priority. So I decided not to bother.

What’s on my mind? A lot of things. I have a paper to complete for the British Museum. I need to start on a new paper for the Borneo Research Council. Then there’s the new business I’m thinking of starting. And, of course, my book project which has stalled because of the lack of funding.

If only there were more hours in the day...

What happens if we have a hung Parliament?

Dear Reader,

It looks like election-prediction fever is back again. Most political commentators are saying GE13 will be held this year, some even suggesting as close as post-Ramadhan and pre-Budget. I prefer to remain quiet because, at the end of the day, only one man knows the exact date and even he himself remains in a conundrum as to when to fix the date. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, his wife will definitely offer her suggestion laced with very persuasive reasons. So trying to read his mind is a fruitless endeavour best left to pundits and bookies.

What pre-occupies my thoughts more is what will happen AFTER the election. If Barisan Nasional is returned again, then it is status quo and back to the drawing board for Pakatan Rakyat. If Pakatan Rakyat wins Putrajaya, then we will definitely be seeing drama enfolding like never before on the night the results hit the airwaves – probably with tear gas and water cannons and even rubber bullets thrown in – but resolved soon enough. In either case, one coalition will be the sure winner and life will go on, for better or worse.

So who will win? These two articles, Polls unpredictable with spike in new voters, says Nomura and GE-13 can go either way, says Japanese research house, should give you an idea.

The lingering question on my mind, though, is what if we have a hung Parliament?

The hung Parliament notion is not far-fetched, and we would be wise to give it a considered thought. It happened in Australia and in the UK last year and it could very well happen here in Malaysia. Many scenarios can lead to a hung Parliament, and the permutations to these scenarios are endless.

Let us take one straightforward scenario. The Third Force and other independents are wiped out. BN wins Sabah and Sarawak while PR wins West Malaysia. The seats are evenly divided, right down the middle. Someone has to budge. Who then becomes King Maker, and will this King Maker come from Sarawak?

And remember, this is a straightforward scenario. In politics, nothing is ever straightforward. So the scenario could be far more complex and convoluted. Independents will become the lynch-pins. How scary is this, that a government is cobbled together by the mere support of individuals with ambiguous and questionable political principles?

This then leads me to ask more questions. BN will be throwing promises and bags of cash to win over as many seats as possible for a convincing majority. Will PR do the same? Does political expediency absolve the immorality of frogging?

Will Sarawakian BN MPs cross over in the wake of a weakened BN? Will PR accept them? Will their constituents accept this? Will Sarawakian PR MPs crumble and succumb to the temptations offered by the other side?

So many questions. And no answers. Rest assured, if we have a hung Parliament, it will be anyone’s guess who will sit on the Government Bench eventually. Now this is what really keeps me up at night.

Kumang is smiling!

Dear Reader,

I am so very proud of Veeky-Leonora Andria, from Saratok, for winning the Kumang Borneo Hornbill 2011 Pageant in KL today!

As you can see from these pictures, Veeky-Leonora is dressed in original Iban fashion. She took my advice seriously and discarded the marik empang (beaded chest covering). Instead, she only wore the rawai tinggi (high corset) around her waist. Brave girl for taking a big leap!




Click on pictures to enlarge.

This is how the Iban goddess Kumang is dressed according to legend. And I am glad the judges agreed with me and with tradition!

Kumang must have smiled on Veeky-Leonora for bringing back the true fashion of our foremothers. Perhaps Kumang even whispered to the judges to award the prize to Veeky-Leonora?

You can read more about the original dress style of Kumang and Lulong at my old blog entries, QUINTESSENTIAL and Pemanah Ngepan Kelia vs. Ngepan Jai Diatu.

I have been campaigning for Iban girls to return to the original ‘look’ for two years now and I am happy that finally someone took up the challenge! And won!



I hope more Iban maidens will be inspired to dress in the ORIGINAL style of Kumang and Lulong.

GEN 709

Dear Reader,

Have you heard of GEN 709? It is now in Sarawak. You really should find out what GEN 709 is all about.

Click on www.facebook.com/GenerasiBersih709Sarawak to find out.

Have a BERSIH weekend everyone! And don't forget to wear yellow tomorrow.

“The last of the Mohicans.”

Dear Reader,

This morning a group of us visited the residence of the late Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min to pay our last respects to a great statesman. I was touched to see Datuk Amar’s favourite hat placed atop his casket.


YB Baru Bian, N70 Ba’ Kelalan, signing the register.

Until Sunday, Datuk Amar was the last man living who was a signatory to the formation of our nation Malaysia. He was a founding father of our nation. Let us NEVER forget that. He was, as Datuk Michael Bong (Datuk Amar’s brother-in-law) put it, “the last of the Mohicans.”

I was also touched when Datuk Michael Bong mentioned that my late grandfather, Ivory Kedit Ipa, was one of the founders of SNAP. He is correct. SNAP was founded and constituted in granddad’s home in Lintang Park all those years ago. It was my father, Albert Rumpang Kedit, who carried the newly written constitution of SNAP from Seria (Brunei) to Kuching for the protem committee to endorse. So yes, my family has a long history in SNAP.

But my grandfather would not have approved of how the current leadership of SNAP has allowed a once glorious party to become the sham that it is today. Such pity. Perhaps I should join SNAP and resurrect the ideals that granddad and his fellow founders subscribed to?

And then at lunch I read in the Borneo Post a comment (click HERE to read) by that fellow Mr. Mawan, who never ceases to amaze me with his churning out of insensitive statements. He said, “There is a possibility that the state’s first deputy chief minister would be given a posthumous award. He may no longer be around but recognition may possibly be granted.” Twice, Mr. Mawan qualifies himself. Twice!

Firstly, why wait until the man is gone to honour him? Honours are best bestowed when the person being honoured can receive and enjoy the honour himself, not posthumously when he is gone. All this while, was the government blind to his achievements? Did it take for him to pass away before the government finally recognises that within their midst was a mountain of a man?

Secondly, why qualify yourself, Mr. Mawan? Using words like ‘possibility’ and ‘possibly’ only goes to show that you are not certain of what you are saying. Is it because you need to get permission from your boss first? Half-hearted protestations of honour should not be uttered in the presence of the deceased, Mr. Mawan. It is just not polite. Worse, it only reveals your unquestioning obeisance to your boss.

The late Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min deserves nothing less than a Tun-ship, like his compatriot Tun Jugah, also a founding father of this nation. But I doubt it will come to pass. Prove me wrong, Mr. Mawan.

Lovely curtains, Your Holiness!

Dear Reader,

I woke up to this picture this morning and had a chuckle! I swear I did not mess with the colours or shading! See the original at New Straits Times. Someone at NST must have a sense of humour for adjusting the shading of the colours, because I am quite certain the curtains in His Holiness’ summer palace are coloured gold, not yellow.



And if the Prime Minister had been properly briefed by his coterie of advisers, he should not have worn a purple tie and handkerchief. The colour purple is reserved for Lent, the season of fasting for Catholics and Anglicans, which was four months ago! It is also the symbolic royal colour of Jesus Christ as head and King of the Church, and Catholics in particular would not deign to wear the colour purple in church, let alone in His Holiness’ presence. Only cardinals wear purple! But then again, one would not expect the Prime Minister to be surrounded and advised by experts on church protocol. (Should employ me next time!)

However, I did think that our Prime Minister’s idea of presenting a book about himself to the Pope was not elegant and grossly ill-advised. Must have raised some eyebrows in the Vatican, especially when Europeans prefer the understated style. Self-promotion is just not classy.

As for claiming Malaysia to be a ‘moderate’ model of an Islamic country, our Prime Minister must think the Pope a nincompoop! Here is a well-read scholar who has spies in every nook and cranny of the Catholic universe who keeps abreast of his flock’s well-being. The Malaysian government’s heavy-handed reactions to various Christian issues lately have definitely been reported back to the Vatican. Who is Najib kidding? The Prime Minister would do well to resolve the outstanding issues affecting Christians in Malaysia first before having superficial photo-calls with the Pope. The Christians in Malaysia are not stupid.

From Buckingham Palace to the Vatican, Putrajaya has only managed to elicit total disdain. How truly embarrassing for the country!

Bila DSAI terpaksa ‘berkhutbah’ dari jendela!

Dear Reader,

YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim had visited Kuching last Saturday. One of the events he attended was a sambutan bulan Ramadhan al-Mubarak gathering at Matang.

The party had applied several times for a permit for this function but all the applications were declined.

Nevertheless, the function proceeded as planned. The PDRM also came, and insisted that Dato’ Seri was not allowed to address the gathering since permit for a ceramah was not issued. He was not allowed to neither stand in front of the audience nor stand at the balcony of the house.

Eventually, Dato’ Seri had no choice but to address the assembled audience through a window! Simply ridiculous! Nevertheless, it betrays the irrational fear the Barisan Nasional government has for our future Prime Minister!

Watch the video:



All the same, we extend our thanks to the PDRM for allowing us to proceed with the function and for closing one eye as Dato’ Seri spoke through the window.

Thank you PDRM!

Let me tell you why the Queen wearing yellow when granting an audience to Najib was NOT a coincidence or a faux pas.

Dear Reader,

Let me tell you why Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II wearing yellow when granting an audience to our Prime Minister and his wife was not a coincidence or a faux pas. As much as UMNO would prefer to think otherwise.

Fact 1. The Queen, contrary to popular belief, is very much well-informed. She is constantly kept abreast of the latest developments and news pertaining to her realm and her government by her team of palace advisers, secretaries and civil servants. They, in turn, gather their information from various sources, including ministries, government departments, Scotland Yard, 10 Downing Street, and members of the press corp in the UK. (Scotland Yard, knowing that the Queen would be granting an audience to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, would have certainly informed the Palace of the many demonstrations in London by Bersih 2.0 supporters.)

When a visiting dignitary is scheduled to meet the Queen, she is always fully briefed on the background of her visitor, the current situation of her visitor's home country, and the DO's and DON'T's to observe. Particularly, she would be informed of developments in her own realm regarding the visitor. Scenes in London like the one in the photo below would not have escaped Her Majesty's team of advisers, who in turn would have briefed the Queen. So, to assume that she was not aware of Bersih 2.0 is untenable.




Fact 2. Royal wardrobe and fashion is strictly regulated, and the Queen and members of the Royal Family are always careful not to make any fashion faux pas or distress their guests. Her advisers would have advised her to stay away from wearing yellow, and explained the significance of the colour in present circumstances. As Sarawak Report suggests, “she MUST have been informed of the sensitivity of the colour yellow”.


Fact 3. Besides attending public events, state dinners, receiving dignitaries and horse races, the Queen actually does paper work! Yes, Her Majesty, like many of us, has her daily duty of working at one of her many desks reading and signing state papers and official documents (often classified as secret). British fastidiousness with information and intelligence gathering is well-known. Her cache of papers would most definitely have included confidential dossiers on Najib Razak and Malaysia. And Bersih 2.0.


Copyright Press Association Images


Fact 4. Besides official papers, she also reads the newspapers. Knowing that she would be meeting the Prime Minister of Malaysia, an article in The Guardian, a respected British newspaper, with the headline "Malaysia's Najib must abandon the Mubarak model", would surely have caught her eye.


Fact 5. The Queen meets her Prime Minister once a week, every week. It would have been incumbent upon David Cameron to apprise the Queen of Najib Razak and Malaysia, in view that he would be visiting the UK on an official trip. News of the Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur, being reported globally the same week the Queen had her weekly meeting with David Cameron, would most definitely have been a topic of conversation. It is also a practice for the British Prime Minister to advise the Monarch on how to appropriately respond to political situations of the day, since she is constitutionally apolitical.

Did Cameron therefore gently suggest that the Queen wear yellow as a message to our Prime Minister and also to the people of Malaysia? Where Cameron could not publicly chastise Najib, the Queen could, with regal aplomb, send a strong message?


Fact 6. The Queen is a politically astute woman who has seen twelve British prime ministers serve under her reign, the list starting with Winston Churchill, no less! Her vast experience in international relations and diplomacy is unchallenged and she would thoroughly understand the subtleties and symbolism attached to what one says and what one wears. To assume that Her Majesty has no political acumen is completely ludicrous.


Fact 7. Everything the Queen does is planned in advance and takes into consideration all factors. Everything has a reason, even right down to the colour of the flowers in her audience chamber! Nothing is coincidental, random or arbitrary where the Queen of the United Kingdom is concerned.

These seven facts alone allow us to reasonably conclude that the Queen was very much aware of Bersih 2.0 and the significance of the colour yellow, besides it being the royal colour for Malaysian royalty.

The question now is, knowing full well the sensitivity of the colour yellow, what was the reason behind Her Majesty deciding to wear yellow when meeting our Prime Minister and his lovely wife? The answer, dear reader, is yours to conclude.




The author read law and politics in the UK from 1989 to 1992, where he was greatly fascinated (and still is) with the British Royal Family, the Queen in particular.

Video of Emeric Teo being detained this morning at Starbucks, Spring, Kuching for wearing a BERSIH 2.0 yellow t-shirt.

Watch the video shot by PisauKarat (Rusty Blade):



The first YELLOW SATURDAY arrest in Sarawak! Credit where credit is due, the PDRM was polite and did not use force, as shown in the video above.

Read story HERE.

Mr. Masing, do you really know what the PDRM did last Saturday?

Dear Reader,

No sooner had Mr. William Mawan anak Ikom spewed his disgraceful and uninformed comments, another Dayak leader has joined the fray to gush more tired rhetoric. This is what was reported at the Borneo Post Online.

No deal with law breakers, says Masing

KUCHING: Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing says the government cannot afford to be lenient with those who are determined to break the law.

The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president said he could not help thinking with ‘uneasiness’ that Malaysia must be one of few countries in the world who negotiated with would-be law breakers, in obvious reference to organisers of the Bersih 2.0 gathering on July 9.

Masing said he could not hide his gratitude for the police force who managed to prevent the illegal gathering from becoming a full blown affair like the one organised by Hindraf in 2008.

First of all, no one broke the law. If anyone did, then why were the 1,667 civilians arrested by the police all released without charge? Is Mr. Masing (I refuse to acknowledge his Tan Sri-ship too) aware that the UMNO Youth Chief himself was arrested, and also released without charge?

Secondly, Bersih 2.0 as a loose umbrella of 62 NGOs is not an illegal entity despite being branded so by the Home Minister. Are the 62 NGOs grouped under Bersih 2.0 not registered societies? Does a loose coalition made up of registered organisations need to be registered again as a society? Pakatan Rayat is a loose umbrella coalition of three political parties, all of which are registered. Applying the legally strange, if not arguably flawed precedent of the Home Minister on Bersih 2.0 onto Pakatan Rakyat, does it therefore make Pakatan Rakyat illegal too? The issue of legality is therefore far from certain. It is ambiguous and has not yet been tested in court.

Thirdly, did His Majesty the Agong not consent to grant an audience to the leaders of Bersih 2.0? Granted, this royal nod does not by any stretch render the loose coalition legal, IF it was illegal in the first place to be rendered legal. Nevertheless, royal recognition carries with it certain privileges, which Najib’s government refused to acknowledge despite their noisy protestations of loyalty to the King in the past. If the King himself recognises Bersih 2.0, who is Mr. Masing to even offer his 2 sen’s worth?

So Mr. Masing’s reservations are without basis. None whatsoever.

Then Mr. Masing goes on to thank the PDRM. Is Mr. Masing aware that even within the ranks of the PDRM, one has spoken up and said that excessive use of force was wrong? Can someone please show this man the overwhelming number of Youtube and Facebook pages documenting irrefutable evidence of how the PDRM had acted against ordinary citizens on July 9th?

Is the Minister, apparently gratuitous of the PDRM, therefore telling the public in no uncertain terms that he wholeheartedly approves of and even applauds such practices?

I declare you a disgrace, Mr. Mawan anak Ikom, to your people and to your race.

Dear Reader,

Can someone please teach Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai to surf the internet, view Youtube and peruse Facebook and blogs? I was there at Tung Shin. The Minister wasn’t. I saw with my own eyes the tear gas canisters flying like pissed-off rockets into the compound of the hospital! Is he telling me I dreamed the whole thing?

The height of arrogance demonstrated by the Minister only reveals his utter contempt for truth and betrays the foundation upon which Barisan Nasional Ministers operate - spin like hell, lie through your teeth and pray to God the public believes you, and if all fails, cheat to win.

As for the hospital’s board members who agreed with the Minister, do not be too quick to lick MCA’s backside. The hospital’s main source of profit is the public, and the public can punish you where it hurts most. You want to side with the Minister or you want to tell the truth?



But my main grouse today is with none other than Mr. William Mawan Ikom (I refuse to acknowledge his Tan Sri-ship), the Minister for Social Development and Urbanisation in Sarawak. Free Malaysia Today, at ‘Flag-waving, God-fearing supporters were patriotic citizens’, reported:

Meanwhile, in Miri William Mawan Ikom, president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), blamed the organisers of Bersih rally for “muddling” the prevailing peace and political stability in the country.

He said those who supported the rally “should be ashamed of themselves”.

He added that everyone should be mindful that when exercising their rights, the need to safeguard the existing multi-racial harmony, peace and political stability must be given top consideration.

He said street demonstrations should not be allowed as they indirectly reminded the people to go back to the “headhunting days” where there was no peace.

He added that the government has to defend the rights of the people who demanded to live in peace and harmony.

“Why should we put our people at high risk and let the current strong solidarity be in jeopardy?” he asked.

Humour me for the next several minutes as I go to town and teach this man a quick history lesson. Of course, I will ignore his hollow ramblings on the ideals of multiracial harmony, peace and political stability; inconsequential and insincere rants of a political dinosaur out of touch with reality and the 21st century. Nobody really takes such advice seriously these days, and yet these decrepit geriatrics actually believe people listen to them. But never mind this.

Back to the history lesson.

He said street demonstrations should not be allowed as they indirectly reminded the people to go back to the “headhunting days” where there was no peace.

How ridiculous is that? And from a Dayak Minister, no less!

It was precisely because our forefathers wanted to preserve the peace that they went on head-taking raids, in the absence of the rule of law or any modern system of laws. (Incidentally, ‘headhunting’ is a misnomer, Mr. Mawan. No intelligent person uses it. If you had bothered to check, the term used by modern anthropologists and all learned people is ‘head-taking’.)

Two centuries ago, head-taking was a necessity - it was plainly survival of the fittest, kill or be killed. It was then the cultural rule of law. It is most unfair and completely inappropriate for Mr. Mawan to use modern standards to judge what happened in the past. It was the credo by which our forefathers lived. And died.

Mr. Mawan, by equating head-taking with disturbance of the peace, is evidently saying that our forefathers, his included, were barbaric outlaws bent on creating havoc. It is grossly the wrong criteria for Mr. Mawan to use in the context of his sermon and in the process, Mr. Mawan totally rejects his forefathers’ history and instead pours scorn over them by using them as his prime example of lawlessness. How shameful!

To the Iban, Mr. Mawan’s rubbishing of head-taking is akin and tantamount to spitting on the graves of his forefathers. He has not only dishonoured his forebears, but more tellingly, he has indubitably disgraced himself.

Behold, the man!



He indulges in making offerings to the Iban gods (miring) but is also quick to spit on the graves of his very own ancestors.

His rejection of head-taking contradicts entirely with his belief (or so we assume, as evidenced by the picture above) in miring when both are invariably intertwined in Iban culture. And since he contradicts himself so easily, he simply has no credibility as an Iban leader. More so when he is complicit in promoting electoral irregularities of the Barisan Nasional government, which is the whole point of Bersih 2.0 and why we marched on the 9th of July.

I declare you a disgrace, Mr. Mawan anak Ikom, to your people and to your race. It is you who should be ashamed of yourself. You are no Dayak leader, and history will remember you as such, if it does at all.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Iban members of Mr. Mawan’s party, SPDP, will be falling over themselves to discredit me and to print a copy of this posting to show to their boss. But deep in their hearts, I know that they know that what I am saying is the truth, and that is what shames them to the core - IF they still know what shame is.

The day I was tear-gassed by my Government.

Dear Reader,

Even as I write this, the after-effects of being exposed to tear gas earlier today are still lingering; a throbbing headache and slight nausea. Yes, I sucked on rock salts to neutralise the tear gas, I covered my face with a wet towel and I wore a mask. But being a 'virgin activist', it was all a very real shock for me and more so to my system.

We began the day by assembling at the entrance to Petaling Street around 11.30am. Huge crowds were already gathering and soon enough, the signal came for us to begin marching.

The Sarawak contingent was led by YB Baru Bian and YB See Chew How. The pictures below were taken at the start of the march, around 1pm.













We marched peacefully and chanted "Bersih! Bersih! Hidup Bersih!". We reached the junction in front of Menara Maybank, where we were joined by throngs of people coming from Bukit Bintang on the right.





As these pictures incontrovertibly reveal, the streets of KL were NOT quiet as suggested by the state-controlled mainstream media. In our vicinity at Puduraya alone, I estimate at least 10,000 people. Nevertheless, the mood was joyous yet orderly. Marshals were posted at various points to keep the crowd moving at a steady pace. It really was very safe and almost carnival-like. There were even tourists joining us and cheering us along. It also began to drizzle lightly.





This video of the thousands who thronged Menara Maybank was taken by Paul Bian:




Minutes after I took these pictures and Paul shot the video, the horror began.

The police began shooting water cannons. People began to move away from the police line, but it was still orderly as the marshals began re-routing us. And then suddenly canisters of tear gas began flying through the air. That was when all hell broke loose. People began running. As the canisters were shot from way up front, I didn't think they would reach us. So we stood our ground and tried to take pictures of the flying canisters. Then suddenly one canister flew right over our heads and landed just a few feet from where we were standing. That was when we began to run. But it was too late.

Paul Bian had already taken out his towel and soaked it in water and wrapped it around his face. Lynette and I were just too shell-shocked by the whole spectacle. Baru was busy trying to organise everyone. So we just ran! The gas got into our eyes and into our noses. We made a mad dash for the ramp leading down to the basement of Puduraya Station, the closest escape route we could see. It was frightening! I reached for my left pocket and fumbled for the packet of rock salts Lynette had distributed earlier in the day and popped a few stubs into my mouth. Big mistake! More gas got into my lungs. Panic had set in and all we could think of was just getting away from the tear gas. I managed to cover my face with a towel. All this while running! As we reached the ramp, another canister fell right in front of us! We just ran right through the toxic smog which was thick and horrible. Just horrible! I kept pouring water over my face with one hand while the other hand was desperately trying to shield my nose from the noxious fumes as I put on and adjusted my face mask.

When we finally got to the safety of the basement, we were coughing our lungs out! Breathing was difficult and for a moment there I thought I was going to suffocate to death! Our eyes were stinging and it felt like someone was spraying acid into our eyes! My nose was runny and my mind was racing! What if they shot more canisters down the ramp into the basement? What if the exit was blocked and more canisters were on their way from the other side?





Finally, after about 15 minutes, the panic had dissipated and we settled down to take stock of the situation. YB See Chee How and several others had been separated from us in the chaos. Now the Sarawak contingent was well and truly dispersed all over the place.

All around us, people were helping one another and offering rock salts and mineral water bottles. It was amazing and heartening to see various races united in one cause and looking out for each other. I tried to tweet but apparently there was no internet connection.



Lynette Tan Ping, Baru Bian and Paul Bian


We began to move along with the crowd, and found refuge across the street at Tung Shin Hospital.

Internet connection was restored and so I began tweeting again, and sending bbms. We took more pictures as we rested and planned our next move on how to get to Stadium Merdeka, the rallying point.




I began updating my facebook, and then...





The police began firing tear gas canisters into the grounds of the Tung Shin Hospital! So we ran again!

We came to a dead end, and had to climb over a 12-foot fence into the ground of the Nan Kai Chinese School. Amazingly, no one pushed or shoved. People were orderly and many offered to help others over the high fence. It really was touching to see how a Chinese aunty held out her hand to a Malay boy while an old Malay uncle offered his salts and water to Baru Bian. The rakyat truly came together and showed unity in adversity.

And then my blackberry battery died on me. So I couldn't take pictures or tweet or update facebook or keep track of what was happening elsewhere. We were told that the police had cut off all routes to Stadium Merdeka. Undeterred, we moved with the crowd. We were determined to get to Stadium Merdeka no matter what. So we just followed the flow of the crowd as the marshals directed.

Shortly after 4pm, we were told that the crowd at the Stadium had begun to disperse. We heard of more horror stories at KL Sentral. The marshals said to call it a day. So we decided to return to our hotel.

To be continued...

Why bother, DPM?

Dear Reader,

I started my day quite upset.

On page 7 of the Borneo Post today, a headline screams, "Gawai Open House to feature Dayak beauties." The write-up is innocuous enough. Same old same old drivel.

But what got my boxers in a twist was the date. Yes, the date of the event. Monday 11th July. Now you tell me what is right about this date, and I will tell you what is SO wrong about it.

First of all, Gawai Dayak is well and truly over. Forty days ago, to be precise. Even in the biblical context, that is a very long time. Second, the event falls on a Monday. A Monday, when most people are at work!

And then when the news report said the Guest of Honour will be the Deputy Prime Minister, it all made sense. (Not the Prime Minister and his fat wife, mind you. No, he's too good for the Dayaks. The Dayaks do not deserve a Prime Minister to celebrate their most important festival, as far as Putrajaya is concerned.)

You see, the DPM does not care about Gawai or the Dayaks. To him, attending this event is just a formality that he must dispense with, a political expediency at best. Putrajaya needs to be seen to be giving its 'fixed deposit account holders' some face. As far as Putrajaya is concerned, Gawai Dayak is just another bothersome nuisance in its political calendar that needs to be tended to. So it can wait. At the DPM's convenience and order of priority.

What does this tell you? If the DPM really cared about Gawai or the Dayaks, do you think he would allow the event to be held forty days after Gawai and on a work day for that matter?

You think the DPM would do a Hari Raya Open House forty days after Raya, or a Chinese New Year Open House forty days after CNY?

The DPM's action is just a reflection of Putrajaya's policy towards us Sarawakians, Dayaks in particular. It is clear as daylight. We Dayaks are not important enough for Putrajaya to make our festival a priority. But what really makes me angry is that our Dayak Ministers in the BN tolerate this insult and slap-in-the-face! What happened to Dayak pride and honour? Shame, shame, shame!

Urang benong ngiling tikai, sida Putrajaya nyau deka berengkah begawai. Enda malu menteri Dayak kitai dikemelikka Putrajaya?