May 17, 2010
The New Parliamentary Representative of Sibu - YB Wong Ho Leng
On 16th May the by - election ended in a surprising way - in spite of people's expectations and prediction (gamblers included) - Wong Ho Leng won by about 400 votes. Even some of the DAP supporters thought that BN was going to win by a handsome majority of 2000 votes.
The turn out was "disappointing" according to the Chairman of SPR. (Election Commission)
Hopefully Sibu will see a new kind of political scenario after a long period of SUPP rule which promised development within coalition. Firstly the path of this new YB will not be smooth. Secondly the spirit of the Sibu people must be calm and still to withstand the aftermath of the storm.
But here's a checklist of some of the problems I have gathered for you if you do not know the problems of the multi-racial component of Sibu:
1. Since 1960's Penasu residents buy their own electric generators and bottled mineral water. Other West Malaysians are faring better. Many villages have electricity and water supply since 1970's.
2. Long houses in Sg. Apong for example - roads have never been tar sealed.(compare this with Queensway in Sibu was built by our Foochow forefathers within three months using changkuls and bungkis from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. under the Japanese. And under Malaysia Boleh - 5KM road can be tar sealed within l week. Think Upper Lanang in the 1990's )
3. Incomes of the longhouse dwellers - for example - depends on catching of crabs (one week about 200 ringgit for both husband and wife);many town dwellers work in coffee shops and food outlets or are hawkers. Many still gather mee din for a living (selling them in hawkers' centre in Sibu)
4. Flood - mitigation has been promised for 20 years. Belian Road in Sibu is underwater almost every day.
5. Shipping - Sibu used to be a deep sea port. Now with low bridges ocean going ships cannot come to Sibu. Rajang Port Authority may be a thing of the past.Tanjong Mani/Manis is the new Port.
6. Ship building - this industry was the pride of Sibu - now the brains behind the industry may have to move elsewhere before the Rajang is facing very bad sedimentation due to deforestation.
7. Land lease...still uncertain. After buying a house and staying there for a lifetime the government will take back the land...where will our children lay their heads!! No soft pillow to land on.....sometimes even the old folks have no where to stay. 60 years is too short.
8. Shortage of jobs at all levels. Sibu's sons and daughters cannot come back to Sibu to work because there are no factories and growth industries to accomodate them. The diaspora continues.....
All these problems are not difficult to solve if the government(s) work hand in hand with the visionaries and ordinary people with sincerity. Progress for the people is achievement of a good and strong democratic government.
A generation or two ago the Chinese Emperors did not hear about the rakyat's pain because he was cocooned in the palace....hence the famine and poverty...and the rampant murders by warlords and bandits.
Marie Antoninette famously said "Let the people eat cakes" when the salt tax was at its height in France before 1780.....
What will our beloved Agong say?
"There is a voice crying out in the wilderness!!"
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4 comments:
i just watched the news .as usual,the loser blames on so many things.they didnt know SIBU'S PEOPLE VOTED FROM THEIR HEARTS ! ! ! (and not from the hampers2 or gula2 or tit bits2 given at the last minute )- Viva DAP ! whether DAP really Walks the Talk or not , to me is always another story.my personal opinion is that ,the conditions of Sarawak & W.M'sia is totally different.developments here is too slow and the income of wages earner of most support groups is by far ,much lower when compared with the west - kinda being exploited all these years.Sarawak may be in actual fact ,much2 richer in resources then over the west.majorities of the city dwellers wants a change - A Wind of Change.if BN had won,it doesn't mean a happy ending for the majorities of the support groups.it still means that,they have to work hard becoz ,if you looked carefully at the "dacing" - it's still " senget2" or slanged
Dear Ah Ngao
Good thinking!
I am more liberal democratic - I believe in a Government that is fair to all (races and groups) and is willing to develop where it is needed most e.g. inner cities and rural fringes . poorer educational sectors. I believe in a government which has the welfare of the people at heart. And I believe in a government that will provide for all the rakyat. I do not support a government that creates fear and that threatens. I do not support a government that helps only their supporters and denies even a good drain to the areas which do not support the ruling party. The ruling party should know that it is not the govenment forever too. So in the final analysis our great Malaysia is still not able to provide for the real alternative government and the rakyat is not too ready yet.
Malaysians should also be modern enough and open minded enough to know the real meaning of winning and losing. We should also be learned enough to be magnanimous.
Malaysia should have its own Confucius and its own Sun Yat Sen. We need our Mulans and our Pocahontas.
May be one day soon.
I like the way you say that Sarawak has rich resources....And may our people be blessed.
Dear Sarawakiana,
i'm happy to know that you do understands my feelings.God bless you,me and our childrens and all Anak Sarawak !! VIVA !
Interesting interview.
Will some one tell him that water supply and electricity is a basic need, not an enjoyment,. His first speech in Parliament would be more effective if he changes the word enjoyment, the people are ENTITLED to piped water electricity like every one else, which includes mt brother in law in Bario.
Otherwise, OLE to my Methodist school boy though he was there just one year.
May be he reads your blog. LOL
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