‘Meek’ Kadazandusun leaders, wasted opportunities

When it comes to the crunch, Sabah politicians who for decades have been clamouring for clean elections and for the electoral rolls to be purged of dubious voters, are found wanting in the wake of Bersih 2.0′s call for reforms.

Outspoken figures like Jeffrey Kitingan, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Bernard Giluk Dompok,
Yong Teck Lee, Joseph Kurup, Madius Tangau and even Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing, to name
a few, were once synonymous with untiring calls to clear the state electoral rolls of phantom voters.

But no more. Today, save for Yong, all are mere spectators.


Jeffrey has said he is against the Bersih 2.0 rally for free and fair elections in the country and prefers a dialogue.

The rest have either kept quiet or have brushed off the significance of Bersih chairperson S Ambiga’s attempt to force the government to end the unfair election system.
Sabahans appear to have become apathetic after taking their battle to the courts to cleanse the rolls and finding no remedy.

They are like a soccer player who is great at dribbling with the ball but is never able to score a goal.

Ironically, if there are people who had been severely affected by the voting system in the country, it must be the Sabahans.

Saya ingin tegaskan bahawa masih ramai PATI di Sabah yang menggunakan dokumen Unit Penempatan JKM, IMM13 palsu dan MyPR palsu.  Keadaan lebih parah ketika pilihanraya kerana ramai PATI turun atau diupah untuk membuang undi menggunakan resit kad pengenalan sementara atau MyKad yang hanya dikhususkan untuk mengundi.

They have experienced far more dirty tactics and smart scheming by Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government.

And they have suffered the most insults. Especially the Kadazandusuns.

Through a meticulously redrawn election boundary, the Kadazandusuns have been reduced to becoming an insignificant minority in a State Legislative Assembly which they should have dominated much in the same way the British in 1963 entrusted them with what was then North Borneo to govern.

Today their leaders remain cowed.

Subdued and confused

The Bersih 2.0 rally is a missed opportunity for Sabahan leaders who could have led a similar campaign in their state to show solidarity with Ambiga and also send a signal to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that Sabahans will not hesitate to abandon him if a better option comes up.

What instead has happened is that Sabah leaders have chosen to tell the federal government and Najib that “we are with you through thick and thin, yes we are your fix deposit”.

It would have been very easy for Sabah leaders to back what Bersih is championing, but instead we see subdued and confused Sabahans.

They don’t know what to do with the opportunity they have in hand.

And, that is exactly why they are in such a predicament today, living as the poorest and most marginalised group of people in a rich land.

Had they made the right choices in the past, they would not have been in a predicament they are in today, say many of those who took over the reins of the administration of the state from the British in 1963.

The current crop of state leaders are reminiscent of its leaders of yesteryears, meek and easily counselled.

It has taken a 36-year-old rap singer, Atama, to show the way.

Fearless, creative and eager he came forward to organise a peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally in Kota Kinabalu and allow Sabahans to have a say in their destiny.

At least he tried.