16/4/11 PRU10-WHAT DO WE NEED?

(This 'basic' scene, life-style, still exist in lots of rural Malays-Melanaus areas (surely among the non-Malays natives as well). While in the urban and sub-urban areas, lots of the Malays-Melanaus are still being marginalised, living in slums or crowded traditional villages)
In the last State election, PRU10, the Chinese made a great shift in their support. What do they want or not happy with? Tun Mahathir, said in a very simple word, let them do their business. Basically, the Chinese interest is to do business, they must be able to do business, at all level, big, medium and small. Doing business is their livelihood. Once they can't progress in their business, definitely they are going to be not happy.

(2) The non-Malay natives; whom most are rural-based, their votes actually, despite still majority were with the Government, but there are indication of some 'big' shift to the 'left'. Why and what attracted them do do so? NCR land is the major issue. NCR is a very exploitable issue. NCR is a silver bullet.

(3) The non-Malay natives in particular, their need stamped on the need for a proper alienation of their NCR land. They just want their land to be surveyed and issue with title. They need the land alienation for whatever purpose it intend to be used. Probably, now, the Natives leadership should focus their heads to resolve such an issue. With settlement of NCR land issue, I would believe the rural non-Malay natives socio-economic transformation would be much easier and faster.

(3) The Malays-Melanaus, their vote seem to be solid with the PBB. In many places, there are indication of increased popularity. But, this increased, does it mean the Malays-Melanaus are happy and they are not pressing for their needs. I believe, the Malays-Melanaus are throwing a reverse psychology, I would believe, to them, they hold to the phyllosophy of: "Biduk lalu, kiambang bertaut; Air dicincang takkan putus; and Bulat air kerana pembentung, bulat manusia kerana maufakat" . Basically, they threw their full support to the PBB/BN to enable them to get what they needs.

(4) What exactly the Malays-Melanau needs? In answering this, I would love to bring readers to my earlier article 15/4/11 The Emergence of the Second Generation. To me, the numbers of the Malays-Melanaus in Urban-Sub-urban and Rural areas are sort of balanced. They are equal number of Malays-Melanaus in the Urban-Sub-urban and Rural areas.

(5) The Rural Malays-Melanaus, their needs are simple and humble: improve quality of life . Their needs are basic: water, electricity, road and transportation, education, health services, and obviously some income. Their simple and humble lives make them not in hurry to press too much demand onto the Government. As long as they can see or expecting to see the development, they would be happy and convince of the Government promises and efforts. Being patience and tolerance has and being the main ingredient of the Malays-Melanaus culture. Thus, they easily be convinced to be patience and tolerate, though sometimes, they being mislead.

(6) But one thing that the Malays-Melanaus leaders (not limited to politicians) must take note, these rural Malays-Melanaus are not forever 'ignorance'. Time is moving fast, since the 'past older generation (those above 75 years old)' had been drastically replaced by 'much educated elder generation'. These are those who had been previously employed either in the Government of Private sectors. These are mostly post-independent generation. Their level of 'patience and tolerance' will be very much different. Their patience and tolerance need better and much quicker return.

(7) Surely in the urban and sub-urban areas, there are the middle, lower middle and lower income Malays-Melanaus. Most I would say, still falls within the Lower Middle and Lower Income bracket. Nonetheless, all I would say are much better educated sector of the population.

(8) With their better educational standing, the urban-sub-urban Malays-Melanaus, their analytical minds would soon change their outlook over how the State should be governed. in fact, they have 'changed' their mindset, just that they are still patience enough to 'hold' those change.

(9) Accordingly, their perception over many issues will be very much different. Their views, their spirit will be very fluid. If not properly judge and accomodated, they would dare to gamble to throw their support to the 'Left' if their current support to the "Right' are taken for granted. They are, I would say, in future, would be 'risk taker'. They wouldn't mind to take the risk if their trust are not well appreciated, they would resort to the believe, that they have nothing to loose even if they support the "left'.

(10) Ofcourse we are now wondering what do these Malays-Melanaus needs. These urban and sub-urban Malays-Melanaus needs. Can we still be talking about water, electricity, road, transport, education, health, etc

(11) I would believe, Good Governance, Good Neighborhood (not limited to housing), and Numerative Employment would be their main concern. To what extend would all these fiting into their immmediate demand, I would believe, we need a thorough Study. We can't be behalving just like the 'flip flop' Government that Mahathir used to criticised. Here, the role of the Civil Service, being neutral and professional is very vital. The balancing act had to take it course. It is an urgent call to act fast and smooth. The BN glitch in the PRU10, must also be taken as the glitch to the Civil Service effectiveness. We, as civil servants, must realise that and take responsibilities over such setback.

Kuching, Sarawak
26 April, 2011