Bidayuh bashing and SBGA: An intellectual reply

Posted by YB Golong on April 08, 2005 at 07:28:34:

It is really appalling to read all the negative comments regarding SBGA. As founding Secretary General of the Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) and a founding member of the Sarawak Bidayuh Graduates Association (SBGA), I would have done a grave injustice to these two associations if I do not stand up against the baseless accusation labeled at them. What is more appalling is some of my beloved Bidayuh brothers and sisters claimed that such association will further disunite the already fragmented Bidayuh community.

As a founding member of these two associations and being one of the brains behind the promulgation of its constitution, I am really perplexed if not bewildered on the accusation that SBGA will further create a division between those graduates and non-graduates. At this juncture, non graduates probably are not aware of the provision that they too can be a member of this association by signing up as an associate member. As long as they are not a bankrupt.

SDGA and SBGA both have 13 objectives. Three of the objectives are:

(i) to cultivate and advance a learning culture among members of the society in the area of education, socio-economics, technology and spiritual development
(ii) to promote mutual understanding and maintain goodwill and harmonious co-existence with all races in Malaysia
(iii) to provide a means and forum for members of the society to participate constructively in nation building through intellectual exchange programmes between the society and other races in Malaysia.

Apparently those who are skeptical about the formation of any forms of NGOs do not have a fair comprehension about the workings of the NGOs in a civil society. As a scholar in Political Science, I believe the formation of SDGA and for that matter SBGA is a step forward by the Dayaks in the case of SDGA, and by the Bidayuh in the case of SBGA towards making Malaysia in general and Sarawak in particular as a civil society.

If the confused jabbers could not comprehend what is the meaning of civil society, I humbly advise them to look at the Chinese Community in Sarawak. From what I understand, the Chinese have formed various types of associations in almost every vocations and clans. Look at them, they are more successful than the Bidayuh. Apart from that these associations are able to articulate and aggregate the interests of the members of the associations to the authorities concerned.

If any of you have ever read an essay by a French scholar, De Troqueville on Civil Society in the United States, you will be surprised to find out that there are more than 10 millions NGOs registered in the US. Some of the most influential NGOs are the Jews lobbyist group, the Tobacco Growers Association, and also the Gun Owners Association. It is well known that the Jews lobbyist group is one of the strongest NGOs in the US and it can to the extend of influence the President?s decision. That is why the long-standing Middle Crisis can never be solved.
Well, back to the present state of affair in SBGA, I must congratulate the committee members for having formed and register the association. I look upon the association to do a lot of common good which politicians, political parties as well as DBNA could not articulate in the past.

I am looking forward in the forthcoming seminar for SBGA to come up with a road map for the Bidayuh in the formulation of the Ninth Malaysia plan. What are there for the Bidayuh in the second phase of the implementation of the second phase of the Third Outline Perspective Plan ? an extension of the New Economic Policy. If at the previous Bumiputera Minority Economic Congress (BMEC 2005) held in Kuala Lumpur, one of the resolutions passed was to ask the government to allocate at least 3 per cent of the corporate wealth to the Bumiputera Minorities of Sabah and Sarawak, I hope a resolution is passed among us to ask the government to allocate at least 0.5 per cent of the corporate wealth to the Bidayuh.

As a firm advocate of civil society, I hope the SBGA also pass a resolution for the formation of some of the other Bidayuh-based association. After all our Datuk was seen in the Borneo Post today is also behind the formation of the Sarawak Toilet Association! Some of the associations which can be formed after the offshoot of the ABGA?s seminar are:

(1) Bidayuh NCR Land Owners Association (sorry I am disqualified because I do not own any form of NCR land)
(2) Persatuan Penaman Padi Bukit Bidayuh (sorry I don?t plant hill padi anymore)
(3) Persatuan Penanam Padi Paya Bidayuh
(4) Persatuan Pekerja Kedai Kopi Bidayuh
(5) Persatuan Pekerja Binaan Bidayuh
(6) Persatuan Pemilik-Pemilik Pub Bidayuh
(7) Persatuan Peminum Cap Langkau Bidayuh
(8) Persatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Kilang Bidayuh
(9) Persatuan Penjual Sayur Kampung Bidayuh
(10)Perassatuan Anti-Buuh Saratau Mambong and Sidanu (sorry I can?t be a member or the founding President because I am not affected by the buuh because I do not reside at the 3 kampongs and in a legal term I do not have any loci standi)

There are a lot more of a Bidayuh based association which should be formed. As a Political Scientist I believe such associations will be able to articulate the diverse interests of the community and put these interests forward to the government. The government on the other hand can respond by co-opting the members of the SBGA to formulate strategic action plans/affirmative action to tackle such issues.

The allegation that SBGA will further split the Bidayuh is unfounded, and I urged those who are against the SBGA to think outside the ?box,? but instead think outside of the ?box.?

Lets give our full support to the only Bidayuh Graduates Association in the world.

Cheers and meet you guys at the seminar and dinner