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The statement by DAP MP Dr Hiew King Cheu published last Tuesday asking Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan to stop confusing the people with his UBF agenda begs a proper response, because I feel it is regrettable that Hiew, being a Ph. D. can make such an error as calling the revelation of the truth as “confusing the people”. The question is, is Dr. Jeffrey really confusing the people?
This popular phrase, “confuse the people” has been used so many times by the Barisan Nasional that its meaning has been twisted, especially in its Malay version, i.e. “mengelirukan rakyat”. First of all, why is the BN so worried about the opposition confusing the people? Is the BN thinking that the people are entitled to only one version of the truth? Is the BN saying that only the ‘truth’ from the BN is true, and that any information and ideology from the opposition is confusing the people, and shouldn’t be accepted? Is the BN rejecting the free flow of information in this country although we have the Ministry of Information. If this ministry rejects alternative information, then it should rightly be called the Ministry of Disinformation. The government-controlled RTM and TV3 cannot find the guts to tell the truth by showing the different sides the news. And what a loss to the people, because the huge amount of budget given to run the Information Ministry alone is actually money that belongs to the people – and they are denied the truth!
But Dr. Hiew’s accusation about confusing the people is of a different type. What he means is confusing the opposition supporters in such a ways that “This will… split votes and make BN laugh.” He also threw an insult by asking Dr. Jeffrey to “Go an buy yourself a mirror and look at yourself first.” I can see how troubled Dr. Hiew must be, now that the PR’s Peninsular-based strategies are being made obsolete in Sabah and Sarawak. I believe his worry is NOT about UBF splitting votes, but about DAP losing support because of UBF’s powerful pro-Borneo agenda. DAP has been trying to woo the KDM votes by trying to make itself a multiracial “local” party by attracting KDM leaders such as Jeffrey Kumin, Dr. Edwin Bosi and Edward Muji. It made some fair progress but now that UBF is here, how on earth is DAP going to go for votes from the non-Chinese people of the Borneo states? Shouldn’t it rethink it strategy and realistically concentrate on parliamentary Chinese seats only?
Dr. Hiew is telling Dr. Jeffrey not to confuse the people. I would like to ask him (the Ph.D) which part of the statements of Dr. Jeffrey (also a Ph.D) are confusing? If something is confusing it means it is a lie or untrue. So which statements from Dr. Jeffrey are lies or untrue. And for that matter which part of UBF’s seven-point agenda is confusing or bad for the people of Sabah and Sarawak? Are you, Dr. Hiew, of the position that we should not be fighting for the rights and autonomy of Sabah and Sarawak because you are a leader of a KL-based party?
UBF is not confusing the people, but revealing the truths that have shackled them and made them live under a pack of lies and deceptions of the BN for 47 years. UBF is “unconfusing” the people, to remove the blanket of confusion and illusions that have covered their eyes and ears for so very long. As Dr. Jeffrey said in the media conference last Wednesday, if the political parties in Sabah and Sarawak are not supporting the UBF agenda, what are they fighting for? If DAP is really sincere about fighting for the rights, autonomy and future of the Sabahans and the Sarawakians, it should come forward and support the UBF.
There shouldn’t be any confusion anymore about what we Sabahans and Sarawakians should be fighting for. It is for the rights and autonomy for the two Borneo states as promised in the Malaysia Agreement. Any Peninsular-based party, be it DAP, Pas, Umno, or PKR, if it doesn’t support the UBF agenda, then it is clearly against the interests of the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak. If DAP thinks that Dr. Jeffrey, or UBF, is confusing the people, then it doesn’t understand the Borneo spirit, it doesn’t understand the people’s hearts and minds. And if that is what DAP is, it has no place in Borneo. Why should the people support DAP it if the party is against the people’s aspiration for rights and autonomy, and to have equal partnership in the Malaysian Federation?
DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN
Wonder who is confusing people when DAP inability to work with PAS since the Independence Of Malaya had MADE UMNO supreme till their breakdown into UMNO and PKR. Without the Anwar glue and Pak Lah failure to implement his "anti-corruption" programs, DAP would have not be able to capture Penang in 2008.
ReplyDeleteSo as an "intellectual in DAP", have a look at your own mirror too to realize why and how UMNO strategists have been able to divide and to rule us. We must actually have a look at our own mirrors too to ensure that we are not lost in our focus to do our best to help Malaysians, even if we do not hold the power for now.
Unity towards a goal and a focus toward it is ESSENTIAL to ensure that vested interests are not hindering our cooperation is vital. Sarawak and Sabah must tell KL once and for all. We are indeed Malaysians too so stop telling us what to do like "COLONIAL masters". Change your MALAYAN attitude and maybe UBF will not be "confusing".