Some Thoughts on the May 2013 Malaysian General Election

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE MAY 2013 MALAYSIAN ELECTION

 
The much awaited election was finally held on Sunday May 5, 2013. The pre-election campaigns were intense. However, my own intended plan to go on the ground, specifically to canvass in the DUN Air Hitam Kedah for Dato' Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and the Parliamentary constituency of Pendang Kedah for Dato' Othman Abdul was aborted the last minute, as the colleague that was to come with me could not make it as he was heavily involved in getting some important reports completed. Thus, I missed the atmosphere of the election. However, I was very much in cyber space responding, explaining, educating, learning on the many issues raised in the many postings particularly on the Facebook, the social media of which, I actively participate. I was happy that the Barisan National (BN) won a simple majority in Parliament with 133 seats with the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) obtaining 89. PR, however, won in three states - Selangor, Penang and Kelantan but Kedah which previously was administered by PAS fell to the BN besides the other states that have voted to retain the BN administration. The many issues that were raised and my own thoughts on them are given below:

1. Need for Change. PR propagates Malaysian Malaysia and equality among Malaysian regardless of origin, race or religion. A change of govt, according to PR, is needed to vote out the BN led Govt as it is dominated by UMNO, corrupt, practice poor governance, implement policies that favour Bumiputras. My view on the issue is as expressed in my postings in Nicole Tan's, the Politician Facebook. 
　            Hashim bin AbdulWahab  : leaders are already tainted with corruption inspite of being there for a short period of time n secular in its approach; another party still pushes for a religious state and already impose some of the enactments that appear to be impingiI too want a political change. When a party has been too long governing the country it takes a lot of things for granted as few have indicated in this column n the most unhealthy of which is the acculturisation of corruption in our society But let us look at the two choices that we have. Will a change for a new coalition be the answer for the sake of change. I have my doubt based on a few considerations. One key consideration is leadership. One personality that the party has full trust in leading the govt unfortunately gets very little of my confidence because of his political history,personal n financially tainted background with dubious foreign connections which may not serve the interest of the country. The second important consideration is the political philosophy of each of the component party - one party is still racially chauvinistic n inspite of its claim a few of its ng on the rights of the other races; the third party is of no significance in the coalition. Under the circumstances, can Pakatan govern? What is overriding for continued peace and economic dev is NATIONAL UNITY and any party that can deliver this inspite of some weaknesses, deserve my vote.
　

Nicole Tan the politician  I agree with you that NATIONAL UNITY is paramount for continued peace and economic development. Pakatan has proven that we can manage our states with stellar ability based on the report cards on their performances for the past 5 years by the Auditor General. Penang's CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency) principles has should be the model for any opposition state to emulate. The component members of the Pakatan has come out with the Common Policy Framework and Buku Jingga to iron out the differences among them and they are bound by them. As proven by the stellar performances of the Pakatan states, let us have the opportunity to perform the same feat in Putrajaya. If we fail, then change us. The power is in your hands.

Hashim AbdulWahab Nicole Tan, for the reasons that I hv given in my earlier posting Particularly on the leadership issue, I am not willing to make that change as for now. The Common Policy Framework appears to be good on paper but disAgreements among component parties on fundamental issues such as religion n leadership are already emerging. Though the administration of a few of the sates may appear to fulfill the CAT criteria but the ultimate considerations are: are we sincerely sharing the wealth of the states also to benefit the lower rung of society; that development is sustainable; that equal opportunities are provided for all strata of society; and that there is mutual respect for each other culture, faith n beliefs. The present govt in Putrajaya, inspite of the shortcomings which it strives to overcome like corruption, more equitable employment in the govt service which must be reciprocated by the private sector, has brought lasting peace; has made serious effort to seek a more equitable distribution of income among the population; has attained high rankings in ease of business, attractiveness as second home programs to foreigners , shopping paradise, one of the top tourism destinations in the world. Malaysia is doing so well. Why do we need to change?

Nicole Tan , the politician 1. Leadership issue - I believe Anwar has paid the price after being incarcerated for 6 years. I believe that he has turned over a new leaf. Love of God is the foundation of both Islam and Christianity. Love of God is expressed through inter alia prayer, repentance, and surrender to God. God-loving Christians and Muslims "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and "remember Allah much" (Qur'an 33:21). Prayer allows people to understand God's greatness and their own unworthiness. Such understanding brings repentance, which is essential to receiving God's approval and forgiveness (Qur'an 20:82; Muslim 2:1142; Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32; 15:7). Through cycles of prayer, repentance, and forgiveness, the believers' love of God grows. Therefore, let us forgive Anwar and let him do his part. 2. Common Policy Framework (CPF) -CPF is binding on all parties despite their differences. Pakatan is not like BN where the taikor (UMNO) dictates their will. In Pakatan, there needs to be constant consultation and deliberation to reach the consensus within the CPF. 3. Sharing of wealth with the lower rung of the society - Penang's Eradication of Poverty programme which was launched in 2009 managed to eradicate poverty in Penang in one year, which the BN government failed to accomplish in 51 years ! 4. Sustainable Development and equal opportunities - Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan managed to accomplish that as reported by the Auditor General. 5. Mutual respect - all the component parties in Pakatan are multi racial whereas BN's component parties are not. 6. Corruption. How can you say the current government strives to overcome corruption ? - (i) Acording to Wall Street Journal, Malaysia is ranked number one in the world in corruption. According to Transparency International, Malaysia scored worst in the 2012 Bribe Payers Survey. (ii) Malaysia ranks number three globally in terms of illicit capital outflow over a 10-year period from 2001 to 2010, according to Global Financial Integrity (GFI). 7. Malaysia is not doing well - our national debt is now RM620 billion and counting. 8. Shopping - our PM's wife and daughter were reported by foreign papers for having shoping sprees (lavish ones). We need a change !
　

Hashim AbdulWahab You are aware Nicole that only God can forgive a human being' provided a person seeks repentance. But is this leader repentance of his past deeds? Is he forgiving? Not from the many statements he has made - he seeks revenge, he has an axe to grind and he wants blood. Following the New Year Address of this leader on the You Tube, I was surprised to see the appearance of his face - no glow, no smile which is an expression of lots of pain inside. He lived a life full of sandiwara and I am glad we still have many in your party ardently supporting him.

Nicole Tan ,the politician Let God be the final arbiter

Hashim AbdulWahab PR component party multiracial? How many non- Malays are members of PAS? How many Malays in DAP? The few that joined were disillusioned with the party and resigned. The classic case is YM Tunku Aziz. The party brought in Zairil and among the many Malay candidates that vied for the CEC the chauvanist Chinese delegates did not demonstrate sincerely the willingness to work together and the Malay candidates received few votes. None got into the CEC. The truth is that the party has so much to hide of its hidden agenda that it does not want things to leek out by having a Melayu in its midst. This morning I have a big laugh reading the report on the last DAP party election. What a farce when the party election machinery said that there was a technical glitch in the counting of the delegates votes that took place four weeks ago. Coincidentally, the DAP member that has no position in the party and govt and a nobody lost Zairil Khir Johari got in. UBAH DAP Style! Ingat semua org bodoh macam lu org kah mau percaya ini cerita. Although the component party of BN is monoethnic but there is genuine consultation and mutual trust and cooperation. Of course in any alliance there must a taikor. A taikor comes from a party that commands the largest no of MPs and in Barisan it has always been UMNO.....PK state govts practice sustainable dev?. Look at what happen to the hills that is the watershed areas of Pedu in Kedah; the hill dev in Penang meant for the Chinese rich; the Lojing land dev in southern Kelantan of which more than 4000 acres belonging to a company with the Perak DAP political family has interest in. All botak. Sustainable Development DAP style..... interesting that you have quoted TI report that Malaysia is the no 1 corrupted nation in the world. May I have the details of the methodology used, the nations covered - Russia, Latin America, Africa, Indonesia, India, China, Thailand, the parameters used to assess corruption. Dont forget too that TI is part of the dubious connection that PR has among the many organisations like the Soros Foundation and NeoDO(?) connected to Soros and the former ambassador of US to Malaysia, Mallot who wants to see their friend as PM of the country. Read ' The Confessions of an Economic Hit Man' by Tony Perkins to understand the political ramifications and inriques of the US-Jewish network of these organisations.
Nicole, the politician Well, we have each given our points. We can agree to disagree. Let the people decide

2. The Votes of Gen Y. Record no. of voters came out to exercise their rights as citizen. It appeared that the bulk of the young voters cutting across racial boundaries' casted their preference for PR candidates. I feel that their leaning towards PR especially among the Bumiputras is due to the little understanding of Malay civilization. Malay civilization has a long history long before the Islamic sultanate of Melaka. My posting in one of the websites provides insight on this.

    Interesting to follow the discussion. Just to share a little of Malay-Polynesian history. The Malays were originally grouped by historians as Austronesians (people of the southern islands) and with its related blood ties, the Polynesians, over the 60 000 years of its history, inhabited regions covering southern Thailand from Isthmus of Kra, Peninsular Malaysia, Island of Borneo, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Polynesian-Micronesian islands in the Pacific Ocean (Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti, Aoraterea (New Zealand), Tuvalu, Tahiti and as far east as Easter Island etc.). The people of the region particularly in present Malaysia and Indonesia were subjected to Hindu and Buddhist influence for quite a period of time - the Vijaya and Majapahit Empires were Hindu kingdoms centred on the island of Java that extended as far as central Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Sumatra Indonesia. Islam emerged much later in the Malaysian history through Aceh in Sumatra and Melaka in the early 15th century. Malaysian history did not start with the Muslim sultanate in Melaka. We have to recognise the history that our ancestors were Hindus and Buddhists... a few misconception that Malays are pendatang from Indonesia and the Orang Asli are the original people of the country. Orang Asli, the Malays, the various ethnic groups in Indonesia (Javanese, Balinese, Acehnese etc), the Philippinos belong to the same ethnic stock - Malay. It was the foreign colonisers (the Spanish, French, British and Dutch) that subsequently divided us into separate nation states of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam...The Malays were seafarers and considered by the early colonisers, as very innovative in boat building. It is understandable as they move from one island to another among the myriads of islands in the Malay-Indonesia- Philippines region. The Indonesian Archipelago is made up of more than 13 000 islands; the Philippines Archipelago 7 000 islands. Until today it is natural for these people to move from island to another - the Bangsamoro from Southern Philippines to Sabah; the Acehnese, Minang, Padang fr Sumatra to Malaysia as they have a long history of blood ties. Borders of nation states are considered articial barriers to their travels. Good references on history of the the Malays are 'The Malay Civilisation' by Prof Arof Ishak published by Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia and 'The Malays by Milner published by ISEAS Singapore.
This is the other arrogant misconception of the Chinese. Know your history. Malaysia is an integral part of the Malay heartland encompassing southern Thailand, lndonesia, the Philippines, Brunei. Malays are the original people of the Federated Malay States n with the inclusion of Sabah n Sarawak became Malaysia. Malays are the original people of the country. Admit who are the pendatang...under the guise of meritocracy n so called justice you wish to remove the previleges of the Malays - a fairer share of places in the univ n wealth. Is greed meritocracy; is the rampant illegal businesses like gambling n prostitution meritocracy; is the illegal trade n smuggling of wildlife merit ; is the refusal of Chinese companies to take Malays fair. Do not underestimate our ability in governing the country, manage plantations, banks, telecommunication n petroleum industries n managing businesses. Look at the Malay professionals that now serve in the govt n variius sectors of the economy

3. Criticisms of Malay Institutions and Leaders. Government institutions such as the Police, the Army, the various Ministries and departments were alleged to be incomptent and the education standard in universities has deteriorated in ranking. A significant number on cyber writers heaped hated messages on Malay leaders such as YAM Tun Dr Mahathir, Dato' Seri Najib The critics forget that Malaysia, inspite of some pitfalls, is still peaceful, stable and its economy is still good.

4. Interference of Foreigners in the Political Affairs. Quite a few postings were critical of the Government with messages that can create doubt in the integrity and honesty of Malay political leaders.  The following comments are in response to a posting by a New Zealander and a posting by a Fellow at Australian National University.

Posting in Malaysia Digest Website – 13/4/2013 Looking from a distance and not knowing what is happening in Malaysia and wanting to comment on our leaders have demonstrated the sort of ignorance, superiority complex, snobbishness and arrogance among many in the white, Anglo Protestant people that populate Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand and behaving as such in cohoot with the Zionis-American collusion to belittle capable and respected national leaders such as Tun Dr Mahathir (TDM) and dominate the world. The fact that you claim to be neutral and that claiming your country is transparent and democratic, does not provide you the right to be criticising the leaders of another country without having the correct facts. It is easy to see the faults and weaknesses of others thousands of miles away. Look closely to your own house. What did the pakeha do to the indigenous people of NZ- killing them, robbing their lands, raping their women etc, breaking all the provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi. Now only with the Maori fighting back the pakeha, with reluctance, are redeeming their past mistakes.
You alleged that Tun Dr Mahathir (TDM) during his 22 premiership of Malaysia has destroyed the country. Far from it. He has instead tranformed the country, from the backwaters of an agricultural kingdom, to a prosperous industrial nation, raising the income and well-being of the people, regardless of ethnicity. If nothing else, inspite of the New Economic Policy that was supposed to give a better deal to the Malay/Bumiputra, the Chinese has benefitted most, both in average higher income and the large no of millionaires. Far from being slapped, he is loved by the people and now with the election campaign, he has drawn large crowds who wish to shake and kiss his hand as a sign of respect. Mind you he is 87 years old, a family man very close to his wife and family with no sex scandals which are plagueing the leaders of the opposition parties. He has brought self-confidence and esteem among the citizens.
Inspite of his age he is still intellectually active with his reading, writing and lecturing. He blogs actively and has written more than 13 books. He has received accolades in the form of honorary degrees, awards, recognitions from many countries and institutions from all over the world. By any standard he is one of the greatest leaders in the world.
For having abuse a leader and stateman of the world, it is you that deserve the disrespect of the readers for the ignorance and arrogance shown.
JC, are you serving in an intelligence unit from a foreign country? you appear to be belittling Malays in the various posts you have made in the FB and having a specific agenda of your own and also questioning the academic finding of Prof Shamsul. Prof Shamsul is reporting what was the contributing factor to the unsatisfactory performance of BN and UMNO in the 2008 Election. It was the split in Malay votes...Race is very much in Malaysian politic. Look how euphoric were the Chinese after that election and they were happy to see that the victory of DAP and PR were due to the split in the Malay votes. The Chinese again ganged up together during the Sarawak election. They are happy to prop up AI because he is the Malay leader that he can be made use of. The Malays can see all these and they too feel that they themselves need to rally behind UMNO and BN under such leaders as Tun Dr Mahathir and DS Najib. You may perhaps observe the huge Malay crowds attending the recent campaign. Malays are still distrustful of the Chinese as the Chinese still insist on their schools with the curriculum designed to still have their people owing loyalty to China; the Malays have not forgotten the role of the Chinese during the Japanese occupation and the Emergency that only ended in recent years; the Malays have not forgotten the opposition of the Chinese to the Malayan Union which would have eroded the rights of the original people of the region; the Malays are still not happy that many of Chinese are not willing to share and still greedy wanting to amass more wealth at the expense of the Malays; the Malays are not happy that Chinese companies are closing their doors to the Malays by including Mandarin as the requirement for entry of employment and the so-called meritocracy, without even understanding what this implies in a wider context; the Malays are not happy with the many derogatory remarks on Malays by the Chinese in the social media. Yes the Malays are not happy with many things regarding the Chinese.... You raise the question of the needs of different ethnic groups - the Malays, Chinese and Indians. The answer is, definitely some needs and values are similar and others different. For Malays they are contented and with adequate income to meet their basic needs like food, shelter, education and a foreign travel to Mecca; basically their life revolve around preparing for the perpetual life in the next world. You know better what the Chinese would go for.
Do not underrate our local universities. Academic performanve is not the only criteria in the success of many. Look at the performance of Malays as professionals and leaders in GLCs in the country.

Hashim AbdulWahab SW, I agree with u that GPL does not know what is the political happening in Malaysia. GPL in his postings in this forum make sweeping statements about politicians and political scenarios in the country n assuming that followers of this forum will take things without questioning the info he has produced here. To his surprise readers are pressing him for the source of the various statements he made such as 53% of Malaysians supporting AI. Source of info: PKR (note: Parti Keadilan Rakyat) survey and this survey covered only KL, Perak, Selangor and Johor. We know who are the leaders of the party. With this dubious background of the survey, GPL has the temerity to conclude that 53% of us support AI. Where is your credibility GPL? You talk about Malaysian politicians not to be trusted. You as an academician who people expect to be more objective and honest also fall in the same category as them...GPL, go back to the political history of the country to understand how AI has built his circle of followers of influential global leaders. It was during his UMNO days AI as minister of finance and DPM travelled to all nooks and corners of the world, meeting world leaders. It was at this time that he built this network...as to the reasons how he manages to hold the three component parties in Pakatan together...simple, in him they hv found someone that they can make use of for their political agenda....having said that I must take my hat of to AI and recognise his positive attributes. He is a great orator, charismatic, wellread, knowledgeable and as Dina has pointed out, full of energy... BTW another formidable thing about AI is that he has acculturated the Malaysian society on street demo. Any issue, however small, go to the street.....I hv no hold barred with my comments to the postings by people like GPL, who from a distance and with their hidden agenda making comments that are detrimental to the country...Read the posting by Govind Rudra. I agree that what are at stake are democracy and justice. In addition, overriding these considerations are national unity, peace and stability and sustainable development.

Yes, GPL, AI is a formidable politician - formidable in stabbing the backs of friends who have nurtured him in politic and appointed him in senior ministerial positions in the govt; yes formidable in making money when he was a minister looking after money - do research on how much he is worth now and where do the wealth come from; formidable in having political enemies - Chandra Muzaffar, Ezam Nor, Nallakarupan, Zulkifli Nordin etc etc; very formidable in the bedrooms with both handsome boys and pretty ladies; formidable in quoting the verses of the Quran and leading prayers but in practice what he does is something else; formidable in linking with dubious international organisations and individuals like Soros and Mallot...AI having more political skill than Mahathir? If this is so he would hv been PM already. Mahathir outsmarted him in 1998. If your books are worth anything, do more research on the political scenario of the country and get the correct facts and statistics, then, if nothing else, you will come out with respectable and reasonable conclusions.

Met Tun Dr Mahathir (TDM) at a Conference a few days ago. He just celebrated his 87 years old who still rides horse a few times a week-he looks youngish, happy and his mind is as sharp as ever, delivering a one-hour discourse with utmost confidence. Allah has blessed him for the great things he has done to the country - to Malaysians, Malays/Bumiputras and Islam. Under his leadership there was peace and stability in the country and all Malaysians from all walks have benefitted from the tremendous economic dev, particularly in uplifting the incomes of many Chinese and turning quite a few of them, billionaires and millionaires; We continue to benefit from his far-sightedness by the wide range of investments in foreign countries which are now remiiting revenues to the country...The Malays/Bumiputras have also benefitted with wider opportunities for tertiary education and the building up of professionals in the fields of medicine, law, engineering, architechture etc. With the many unit trusts established it has also inculcated the savings spirit among the Malays/Bumiputras and these trusts have yielded returns that many of them are grateful in that it has generated additional income to meet their needs, from this innovative savings system. Above all, with some hiccups here and there, the country was peaceful and stable. Many of us are proud to be Malaysians. Many Malaysians, feeling grateful to TDM, will continue to pray for his continued good health, happiness, recognition for his contributions and success. Perhaps only a few like you with your arrogance, conceit and selfishness would like to see a towering Malaysian leader suffer. Allah will protect this statesman.
You at it again. Remember your lies on the dubious survey that 54% of the Malays support AI. Now you know where the Malay support is.You hv apologised to the readers for that wrong info you hv provided and bring disrepute to the university you represent, Australian National University. The authorities of ANU need to be reported for your academic unprofessionalism..You have committed another serious undoing in the circulated video by saying that Najib should resign for winning the largest no. of parlimentary seats. Thats the way we hv undertaken our election system by having constituencies and not popular votes. Najib won hands down...The 2013 election results demonstarted clearly who are the racial chauvanists and who are exclusive.. For your information AI may be acceptable to the Chinese because he can be manipulated by them n certainly an ally of the Australian-American-Zionis axis, of which you are a apart of it, that have directly assisted him thru financing and media coverage that slant towards him, but the majority of Malays hv rejected this man whom they regard as a hypocrite and traitor to the country with his pro- zionis Israel and pro-American statements. For your role and selfish intentions in this regard, come back to the country, speak to your contrymen (if you are still a Malaysian) and understand the intricacies and complexities of governing a multiracial country rather than saying things that make you appear very stupid and unprofessional.

Posting in Gong Kapas Times Website - 6/5/2013
Nadia Jalil
Non-Malays: Help us. Make more babies, because you can't trust the Malay vote to choose the more qualified candidate #DzulkeflyAhmadLike · · Unfollow Post · May 6 at 12:31am near Kuala Lumpur

Hashim Bin Abdul-Wahab Nadia, many non Malays hv either forgotten how to make babies as they are so engrossed with amassing wealth n how to spend it or so stressed up with materialistic and unsustainable living that the drugs that they consume hv made the critical organ for making babies dysfunctional. Live the Malay way - be satisfied with what we hv; care for your children, neighbors, friends and members of the family and the communities you live in; work hard n smart to earn a decent living; minimum stress and always happy; find time to till your garden and grow your vegetable and thus keep healthy. with this style of living, one is blessed with such a beautiful and happy life and even at the ripe old age your organ is still easily awaken and capable of producing children. continue to

Hashim Bin Abdul-Wahab To understand why Malays like me act the way we do , one has to understand the history of the country prior to independence n post independent Malaysia n the post PRU 12 election...anthropologically the Malays belong to Austranesians which subsequently ethnically were composed of two groups - the Malays living in the Malay Archipelago covering The Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, southrn Thai n the then Malay Peninsular n the Polynesians inhabiting the many islands of the Pacific Oceans. Malaysia is an integral part of Malay land..when we were fighting for independence and the British wanted to introduce The Malayan Union abolishing d rights of the Malays as the original people n reducing the role of the Sultan the Malays opposed it but the Chinese were with the British...during the Jap occupation when many of the Malays were siding with the Japs the Chinese were fighting the Japs to help their motherland who was then fighting the Jap. During the Emergency members of the Malaysian Communist Party murdered many Malay leaders..I question the loyalty of many of the Chinese.At a small national crisis many will leave the country....after PRU 12 they were euphoric when Malays appear to b divided. They hv ganged up during the subsequent Sarawak election n continue to do so for the PRu 13, questioning the simple previleges given to Malays such as places in univ n business licenses, insisting on Chinese medium education under the guise of Malaysian Malaysia n meritocracy...you can find my interpretation of this word in my earlier postings. What is happening now among the Malays is the backlash to the ganging up of the Chinese for their hidden agenda....remember in the DAP CEC election not a single Malay was voted in. ...I m open for a discussion with u on the various issues related to ethnic relationship in the country.

Nadia Jalil Hashim, thank you for your offer of a discussion, but I went to an ultra-Malay boarding school for two years, and your views are not new. I just wonder how long this mistrust in the Other will be perpetuated, as well as he belief in this conspiracy the...

Hashim Bin Abdul-Wahab I m leading a beautiful and happy retired life, practicing the life I hv painted above n writing about it. Look at my books 'Adventure Journeys in Sabah' n 'In Search o f Happiness' n a few others. I hv no fears n insecurities for myself. My concern is for the generations to come.
Sumay Woo Chinese are too busy amassing wealth because they don't get to makan rasuah yang besar besar as much as UMNO fellers la. That being said, where are all the marginalised Malays? It isn't the Chinese or Indians marginalising them as we are too busy working hard to afford to send our kids to private institutions of higher learning, it's the system of deeply entrenched feudalism which has cultivated a very distinct "privilege" system within the "privilege" class of the Bumiputera which is, by default if you are only within the favoured people in UMNO. Aiyah simple as that.

ChinHock Ooi Dear Prof. Hashim Bin Abdul-Wahab, i sincerely hope you will read n consider some of our points of views. Thanks for sharing yours. Thanks to all
Hashim Bin Abdul-Wahab AP, I was touched by your earlier posting which somehow has disappeared (that was a beautiful posting. why do you remove it?)where you hv indicated that the rural communities in Sarawak were happy and hv voted for the politicians that hv satisfied their wants d that the urban communities somehow are rich but wanted more which the BN cannot provide. That precisely is the problem in our country. The Dayaks, Ibans, Kenowits, Muruts, Penans lead a simple life and easily satisfied with what we hv like the Malay/Bumiputra in Semenanjung Malaysia. Like you hv indicated the urban communities are not satisfied and want more - licenses thru Bumiputras to log forests and not complying to the selected harvesting as required in sustainable forestry , accumulate more wealth, pollute our rivers, disturbed the natural home of the Penans' illegal trade in wild life etcetc. (see my comment in response to Sumay Woo).

Yeo Kien Kiong I am sure that many of the urban communities are fighting for those who are mis-informed, abused or manipulated in many sorts of manners such as moral, sex, gender, education, heritage, statelessness, poverty, truth...etc. especially from the rural are...See More
Hashim Bin Abdul-Wahab Common la, SW, implying that the Chinese are working hard and that Melayu/Bumiputra malas. Read Prof Syed Naguib Al-Attas on "The myths of the Lazy Natives". Like to try working in the paddy fields in the rain and sun, trudge the rows of rubber trees from 5am and work until noon to irk a living by tapping rubber, going into the forests hunting for food, fishing in the high seas catching fish, the policeman that stands in the hot sun in the middle of the road, the immigration officer that processed your passports within a day and clear the visitors to the country in seconds at immigration posts at the airports, the policemen standing in the middle of the road endangering his life directing traffic as compared to someone working in the shop, the middlemen that takes the fish and agric products and sell them at high prices, the executives in the office...Except for a few I do not believe that many Chinese are rich due to their working hard. Be honest to study how these towkays amassed their millions and billions - illegal n dishonest businesses, prostitution, gamblings, bribes and corruptions, illegal logging, illegal export of wildlife etc. By any standard mereka beri dan terima rasuah yg paling besar, nothing compared to those received by 'UMNO fellers' as you addressed them. When money becomes everything in one's life, the little that is being allocated to other less fortunate people, you shout 'NOT FAIR', UBAH. Live the simple and happy life of the natives. We can teach you lots of things on SUSTAINABLE LIVING and not the self-centered, greedy n unsustainable way of the capitalistic system. Even how to make more children (read my earlier posting in this website).