“The one major problem facing Dayak today is political fragmentation. The Dayak voice is extremely diluted because it is divided among practically all the political parties.

These include the non-Dayak based ones and those passing themselves off as multi-racial but who give only scant attention to issues plaguing the Dayak community, either out of ignorance or political convenience.

Political lessons should have been learnt from the past and the issue of a diluted voice should have been addressed.

Unfortunately, nothing of that sort happened.

Today, more than half a century later – since the early years when Dayak leaders were drawn even to the alien struggles of the non-Dayak – the diluted Dayak voice has been reduced to just a whimper.

The rise and fall of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), the rising from the death of Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and the final nail on the coffin, the brush with death of Party Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) until it was cleansed of its non-Dayak elements, apparently did not make Dayak leaders any wiser.

On the other hand, betrayals, back-stabbings, empty promises, dirty money, manipulation of the less informed rural Dayak and the jostling for power and positions remain the order of the day.

It has been one long political drama where some leaders emerge rich, very rich and super rich while the majority of the Dayak remain mired in poverty and struggle to get their children through university.

It is against this backdrop that “The Broken Shield: The Dayak Dilemma” was written, where author Joseph Tawi lays bare the unashamed infighting and unabated bickering among Dayak leaders whose bigger enemies now are themselves!

From day one, the Bumiputera wing of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) wanted nothing less than the No 1 post in Sarawak, that of the Chief Minister, while the Pesaka wing doesn’t seem to mind being a mere sleeping buddy.

The Sarawak United People’s Party has been fighting for, among others, control of business – big-time business – and Chinese education; while in Malaya, Umno’s one and only overriding principle is ‘ketuanan Melayu’.

But what do the Dayak political leaders want to do for the Dayak?

Laugh if you must.

Or if you are a Dayak, a young Dayak who has made good in education despite coming from a struggling family of farmers, you probably would be struggling to keep your emotions in check seeing how Dayak political leaders today have no real agenda to pursue except repeat what they have been saying all these years – support the government so that roads could be built, electricity and water could be connected, subsidies could be provided, BR1M could be given and welfare aid could be approved.

At one stage Tawi wrote: “Current Dayak leaders and politicians seem to be happy to see that their fellow Dayak suffer as they chase material and monetary gains by supporting a cruel regime.”

At another, he said: “Our enemies include some Dayak leaders who ignore the Dayak plight but help also to perpetuate and enhance Dayak sufferings. Although the number of this elite group is few, they personally benefit at the expense of the majority of Dayaks.

“For their job, they are given timber concessions, big government contracts, large tracts of native customary rights land, and hold high salaried positions in the government or government-linked companies.”

Rural Dayaks who continue to be under the delusion that their political leaders are all out to improve their lot are fast diminishing.

More and more are beginning to realise they are mere pawns in a political drama where the heroes and villains are identified and events clearly narrated in “The Broken Shield: The Dayak Dilemma.”

“Dayaks have been mistreated, oppressed and suppressed by whom and under what circumstances? Joseph’s message is obvious, that political leadership overrides other forms of leadership. In the Dayak context, when political leadership does not perform to our expectations, what option do we have?” asked Dr Dusit Jaul, Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) president.

Later after the launch, Dusit said it is not a coincidence that Dayak-based NGOs – SDGA, Dayak National Congress (DNC) and Sarawak Dayak Association for example – are fast becoming household names across the state.

“Unlike most of our political leaders, the NGOs do not spread propaganda and make promises; they tell of the stark realities facing the Dayak, and that it is not impossible to project the Dayak political might if in our midst we have Dayak leaders who put the interest of followers above self.

“The basic essence of democracy is that we the rakyat are given the power to choose whom we want to lead us. My advice is be prudent, be careful and be calculative in our choice. For we can see how difficult it is to mend a broken shield. Translated into politics, we have seen how difficult it is to regroup from our political fragmentation,” said Dusit.”

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Source : The Ant Daily by Jimmy Adit

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