Promises are like hearts and are meant to be broken

During my teeange years, the most irritating thing I usually encountered were broken promises. For example, I could hardly tolerate people who turned up late for an appointment where exact time had been fixed. Some of my friends tried to pacify me with one phrase that many of you often hear, "Promises are like hearts and are meant to be broken". Even though the phrase was meant to be a kind of joke to light up someone in his moment of disappointment, it has often been taken literally by many people. Some of those who often take the phrase literally include past and serving politicians.

Tony Thien, a reporter of a popular news portal, Malaysiakini, at 11:11am today reported that Sarawak's First Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam, would stay on as the President of Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) despite his quit promise not too long ago. Local daily, The Borneo Post, mentioned that top leaders of SUPP unanimously decide that George Chan should lead the party. Notwithstanding his pledge to step down stemming from a motion by party's Engkilili branch, Dr. George Chan said, "that is no longer an issue".

SUPP will hold its Triennial Delegate Conference on 13 and 14 December, where election of office bearers for the new term would take place. An insider did whisper that another SUPP's stalwart, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, has been asked to take on Dr George Chan for the post of party's president in the forthcoming TDC. But with the unanimous stand by the party's top leadership, Wong Soon Koh has to wait for another TDC to helm the party's leadership. So another failure for a "Hock Chew Neng" to head SUPP. The last Foochow to lead SUPP was Tan Sri Dr. Wong Soon Kai, who gave up the post after a surprise defeat by Richard Wong Ho Leng in Bukit Assek.

SUPP, formed in 1959, is the first political party in Sarawak. In preparation for British departure from Sarawak's soil in 1963, several political parties were formed. But among political parties in the pre-Malaysia era, only SUPP survives the test of time. SNAP that was formed in 1961 was strangled to death by the Registrar of Society. But was given a temporary lease of life by the court through a stay of execution. The rest of the political parties like PANAS, BARJASA and PESAKA had all perished in the name of merger. PBB or Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu is their offspring. For SNAP, its offspring, PBDS and SPDP were born weren't out of merger but stemming from premature and forced ejaculation.

Fortunately or unfortunately, before it takes a final rest, SNAP has managed to see the birth of its grandchild, PRS (Parti Rakyat Sarawak). PRS initially enjoyed the guardianship of its big adopted brother, the PBB. Then all of a sudden, a person by the name of Beginda Minda or affectionately called Tubai Kara by his close friends, dropped an atomic bomb by disclosing Tan Sri Jabu's direct interference in the selection of candidates for the Parliament of Lubok Antu and Sri Aman in the recently concluded historic general election.

Following Beginda's allegation speculation has been rife that PRS would follow the footstep of its other sibling, SAPP (Sabah Progressive Party) by leaving the Barisan Nasional coalition, which was strongly denied by its top leadership. An insider has confirmed that the aforesaid speculation was not true.

With Pakatan Rakyat, led by PKR (Parti KeAdilan Rakyat) aiming to have Sarawak as the sixth state under its control, Malaysian politics has become more interesting. But with BN so firmly entrenched in Sarawak politics, what YB Peter Nyarok said in Borneo Post a few days ago is not without truth. He said that PKR's ambition of taking over Sarawak is just a dream. Perhap yes, but then no one will ever know.

And with that I like to end with the following words from an American civil right leader, the late Dr Martin Luther King Jr :

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.

With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.