By : AMDEE SIDIK
LESS THAN 100 people attended the so-called protest, a demonstration ala BERSIH held at Donggongan, Penampang Town Center on 29, November. According to news report, 13 NGOs represented the people from various groups in Sabah.
It was a protest against the passing of new law, Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011.
It’s a small gathering by any number, but noble idea behind, because it means for the people and the state and even country.
It’s a platform for people to cognise and voice out their displeasure of the disparity in our society, the injustices and unfairness by those in power.
While in Kuala Lumpur (KL), the gathering was in big number 10,000 or so, participants are aware of the importance and the repercussion of the Bill once becomes law. Though the gathering ended a mere symbolism
The new law restricts and regulates the freedom of Assembly, which contradicts the spirit of the main law of the country, the Federal Constitution.
But there is something else that I want to highlight here which I find very crucial and need to be worked out among the people of Sabah.
Its all about competition, which I hate to mention, yes competition, we all but very often lose out to politicians in KL, I meant, federal leaders in KL will dictate political powers in various forms and shapes, even if you’re part of them, for example, you’re a leader in BN component. If in any event KL leaders do not find you likeable you may not be treated as partner let alone as equal partner therefore don’t dream to be given fair shares.
I also see the same would happen whoever or whichever Malaya's political party in power unless and until Sabah is strong enough to withstand political onslaught the political aptitude wouldn’t change. It’s therefore imperative for Sabah people to unite and share the benefits together.
First let think small for Sabah, while those involved for change in Malaya we wish them good luck.
We the people of Sabah should work out to consolidate our political power based, regardless of our ethnics origin, tribes and or political divides. In so long as we’re like stars in the sky scattered all over the place we would forever like a jelly without spine. We are easily divided, meek and have no life of our own.
Malaya influenced both culture, religions, politics that are in fact ruining our social make up in Sabah. We’re succumbed to the divide and rule policy.
To sum up, this is the view of majority of the people I met, with one thing in common is, they agreed that we must look after ourselves since no one really is looking after us based on our experience for the last 48 years.
For example, Sabah is labeled the second poorest State in Malaysia under helm of BN UMNO never was in the hand of Sabah local political parties.
Cultural differences between people living in Sabah and in Malaya are obvious, different outlook about practicing religion, some extreme, behaving more Arabic than Arab.
My view, as was exemplified during BERJAYA Government that had made us strong because of our sound economic management, proper utilization of natural resources, but distracted in the end due to the obsession of the then Chief Minister to buy power from the then Prime Minister which led to his (CM) and the party’s downfall.
UMNO for Sabahans is for wealth and betterment of those connected, catering only for small section of community, those affiliated and managed to rub shoulders among the privileged. The questions remain, how many and for how long?
UMNO is racist political party which is no longer suitable for Malaysians in general, it divides people instead of unite.
People of Sabah are to lose out of State political power unless they prepared to sacrifice with one single minded objective in their heads that is, to make Sabah a respectable State, otherwise nothing deters the bullying attitude of Federal leaders. We’re too small to throw a challenge, but if all of us consolidate ourselves together, thing would be different. All of us must realise the State of ours needs safeguard, that can be done by non other than Sabahans.
(NOTE : Amdee Sidik is the Deputy President of SAPP and Chairman of Citizen Journalists Malaysia)
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