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In Dayak Iban system of belief there is no Aki Andan but only the legendary Ini Andan. Aki Andan is deliberately used here merely to denote a male counterpart and not in any way to be construed as her spouse as there being none. Ini Andan occupies a very special social and spiritual station. She is also in possession of many special skills, which among others, the ability to foretell with accuracy what is to come in the near future and also often the saviour of the wounded and downtrodden. Not specifically endowed with such skills or abilities, hence her modern male counterpart has to use the 'teropong' to look into the distant future.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Refusing the gift of a deputy minister--stupid or smart?

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak , while accepting the defeat of Barisan Nasional in the Kuala Trengganu by-election, said that the result was not a reflection of the people’s lack of confidence in him as the incoming premier.

Before the polling day, when launching the Barisan Nasional election machinery for the Kuala Trengganu by-election at the Islamic Civilisation Park, Najib said, "If they vote for the PAS candidate, he cannot be a deputy minister".

Now that Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh of BN had been defeated, therefore there would be no deputy minister for Kuala Trengganu in the words of Najib. If refusing the 'gift' of a deputy minister was a stupid act then Najib was smart with such a 'gift'. Therefore it was obvious that the 32,883 voters of Kuala Trengganu were stupid for rejecting such 'gift'. But if rejecting such 'gift' was considered smart then Najib was obviously stupid with such a 'gift'.

Considering the timing, the nature of the promise and the circumstances of the making of the promise, by any standard, it is in my considered opinion such promise of gift was a bribery. That being the case, the 32,883 were not stupid but smart for rejecting what they considered as bribery. But of course the more reason being that those voters did not have confidence in the BN to hold such mandate.

On the issue of confidence in Najib as the next Prime Minister of Malaysia taking over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi this coming March, it is my opinion that the result of the Kuala Trengganu by-election is without doubt a reflection or expression of the peoples' rejection of Najib both as the incoming Prime Minister as well as their rejection of the Barisan Nasional. We Malaysians by and large are very mindful of the reputation of our leaders. Datuk Seri Najib is a very senior national leader, and therefore it is hard to believe that voters in Kuala Trengganu were not mindful of his reputation or in our local slang "would not want to give face" to him without cogent reason. Be that as it may, I am absolutely convinced that the voters of Kuala Trengganu were either had got fed up with Najib and/or the Barisan Nasional as a whole and/or that there was something so appealing that PAS can deliver that they had refused to "give him face'.

On my part, I like to congratulate Abdul Wahid Endut for having won the Kuala Trengganu parliamentary by-election and also Wan Ahmad Farid for having shown a good performance too. But most of all I like to congratulate the voters of Kuala Trengganu for expressing their views without fear.

8 comments:

Abdullah/Selangor said...

Yes. Everything is possible. Sarawakians should learn from us in Malaya. We take their money, bribes, gifts, millions and presents and "assure" them of our votes. Once we proceed to the polling stations, we vote for Pakatan. I hope that day when Sarawakians will behave like Malayans is near. Take whatever Tahip Mahnuk offers you, after all it is your own money and taxes, but excercise your right in choosing the right people. In other words, reject BN outrightly because by bribing you as they do, they believe that all Sarawakians are simple minded folks who have no interest in their welfare and wellbeing. Malaya BN used to believe that but we woke up and we refuse to be put to sleep again. We have shown the way, I hope you people in Sarawak work hard and win. Start now, register now, mobilise now, educate now, engage now, visit now. Malaya PR leaders and supporters have been preparing for 2 years and learnt from their mistakes. Don't wait for the final days. Start beating the drums of the war now.

Apai Semalau said...

Once again the ballot boxes have spoken! KT folks have no trust and confidence in Najib. All his "hard work" in KT have come to nothing. Bet he is nursing his wounds now. History is repeating itself. The results of the previous general election and the last two by- elections with him as chairman have shown that he is no longer credible to lead.
However, its still not too late for Bn to make amends in Sarawak failing which they can kiss their arse good bye come the next election. They can start of with returning back what is rightfully ours being our NCR lands and our share of equity with SALCRA. Minimum of 35%+ as per the NEP to be backdated to the day of establishment of SALCRA. This is to be held in trusts for the benefits of the participants for improvement to their reapective communities. We can smell the wind of change coming our way in Sarawak.

kulatmalam said...

Iban Version.
Ulih kitai ngumbai orang ke enggai nerima pemberi ari TPM nya beli tauka pintar?Lebuh pengawa pelilih baka di KT ti alai parti PAS menang enggau majoriti ti besai,kitai enda tau tak lalu terus madahka sida di KT nya tambab laban kitai mesti deka berunding enggau rasional sereta belamatika sempama jaku tuai Iban - "Jari kiba nyua,jari kanan ngenggam "- Reti jaku sempama tu mudah bendar deka diperatika.Amat mih danji ke disemayaka TPM nya besai,sereta disadang ulih nguntung rayat KT,tang dalam konteks rayat KT ke udah pandai berunding,pemutus runding nya mandangka sida iya endang mutus ati laban dijangka aku sida tentu belalauka pemanah ulah tauka nilai sereta enda mudah tepaut ati enggau semaya ti dijangka tusah nyadi nyata.Ba adat kitai Iban orang ke udah buya bula tentu pedis amat deka tulih pechaya ari orang bukai.Nya alai rayat di KT patut dipuji sereta tau diambi nyadika teladan rayat di menua Sarawak, ngagai parti politik baikka nya parti perintah tauka penyakal.
Ngagai rayat kitai Iban di menua pesisir tauka dini - dini endur pemutus pengawa bepilih di KT, tau muka runding kitai bansa awakka enda mudah pechaya enggau danji ke enda menuku.

Rian Ulu Sau said...

janji nda pansut ari mulut baya, tama ke mulut baya..umbas meh.. gamal baka ke sebaka ajak pendiau BN & PR. Manah S'wak ngadu Pakatan Sarawak empu..awak ke sida ba menoa sebrai tasik nemu kitai pan enda ulih diindik sertai nitih jako urang sengapa..buai Aki Taip kitai dulu, dah nya ngadu PS..awak ka sida ba seberai nyin nda sengapa grip kitai. Ulah & pendiau mensia nemu berubah nama udah megai kuasa, taja enda ulih dibaca kitai diatu...nadai jalai nda nangi nya dulu...nya aja jaku lalau ku gai kita.. masalah kitai S'wak..balat dependent nggau urang seberai tasik nyin...nda milih meh, PR tauka BN.

kulatmalam said...

Oh Rian Ulu Sau...Landik ga nuan mantaika penemu, aku sigi muji tang dalam konteks kitai Sarawak kitai enda ulih ngerarika diri ari orang Malaya baikka nya BN tauka PR, enti dikira enggau angka sum, kitai Iban dikira minoriti enti dibandingka enggau di Semenanjung din. Isu ba aku siku iya nya kitai Iban diatu, kitai balat begunaka parti sereta enggau pengari (YB)ke agresif,angkun, pandai,sensistif ka pendiau rayat.Ngambi ke chunto -menua Kapit, lama ga Sarawak udah meredeka , kenyau ari TUN JUGAH kelia sampaika diatu lalu bedau ga jalai alun ke menyana udah neresa menua Kapit.( Ukai ga aku bejaika pengari ari Kapit)Kati nya ketegal menua renyan, pikul,bebukit enggau beparung?Nya alai nya mih kebuah kitai nguna sida YB ke berani, nakal,sanggup berambun nama diri ngenataika penusah ke penguntung rayat.Reti nya prestasi enggau archievement YB Sarawak patut deka diperatika rayat. Sida YB ke enda performing,udah tuai jejukuk,bepenyakit,bengal,sereta babu patut nyurutka diri sereta meri awak ngagai sida ti regas,tajam sepuh,pandai lalu mayuh idea megai sereta ngemudika bansa kitai enda milih PR tauka BN.Enti kitai ngasaika bisi pengilap anang enggai ngaku salah, enggaika kitai kena kutuk sida ke rebak dudi.
Baikka nuan ari BN tauka PR, kitai patut nemu bunga kuntau ke baru,bunga ajat ke baru nitih pemansang dunya ke diatu. Nya baru kitai tau dikumbai bulih tahan! neh Unggal!Bunga kuntau kitai anang sekali dipadahka ngagai munsuh enggaika sida ulih macha...ulih sida nepis terajang kitai.... parai kitai.
Ngagai blogger ke bukai.. enti deka nulis utai ke senstif kena mih jaku kelaung awakka ulih ngayanka basa kitai Iban ke tinggi.Nya baru kitai tau digelar Iban ke mereti sereta bepelajar.

Rian Ulu Sau said...

bro kulat malam,

nadai ka ngena jaku kelaung.. honesty is the best policy. nadai guna nyimpan utai ngena jaku pusin2. be bold in what you say...at least urang nemu nuan nda puas ati. nda ga aku madah dirik aku landik sertai bepenemu..

kulatmalam said...

Brother Rian Ulu Sau,
Enti munyi nya, nadai ga ngawa.Ba era dunya baru tu, endang patut ga kitai beterus terang awakka orang ulih nemu puchuk runding kitai sesiku.Aku arap ka nuan anang ensiban ati ke komen aku nya.

Rian Ulu Sau said...

bro kulat malam,

nadai urang tak terus ensiban ati macha komen nuan nyak ah..biasa la nya..