Siratal Mustaqim in Islam, as most said is a bridge connecting the Al Masyar to Heaven. Al Masyar, is a desert where at the world-end-day, all humankind are called to assemble. In the hereafter; in the Day of Judgement, everyone is to cross the bridge. It is a weighting bridge. One with the better Iman and Taqwa, faith and good deeds, will just take a highway drive over it to his enjoyment of the forever life blessing heaven, while those with the worst will fell torture to the hellfire pit. Nonetheless there was a narration stating that the Siratal Mustqim is a our today lives path. The path indeed is our presence life journey whereby it is walled up and lined with lots of curtained doors. The walls are the don'ts that Allah's forbidden, while the doors are all those deception that may hinder us to reach to the end point to an ease. The start point is our present loci as the slave of God, while the path end is the Heaven that Allah had crafted for our great hereafter blessed lives.
I just imagine, walking this path is just as one takes a walk over the Great Wall of China. The walk along the path is though, yet it was to provide all the security measures that the old Chinese needed from the barbaric Mongol.
(2) When I traveled to both Canada and the United State in 2007, with friends, at a stopover in a small city (I can't recall which town), I dropped by a Lebanese Restaurant. As I walked passed the hall to the washroom, my eyes were glued onto an abstract painting. It was a special painting by a Palestinian artist to remind the restaurant owner of his destiny ie to liberate BaitulMuqaddis. The painting is about a door opening to the doors of Al Aqsa, BaitulMuqaddis. I then talked him over and bought the painting, not for the same purpose, but because the philosophical destiny of the painting sounds great. I believe the painting would one day gives me a future destine value of my own which normally would comes crossing my mind much later. At MyTownHome in Kuching, originally I placed the painting immediately to the opposite of my entrance door. At such point in time, I visualized, as I enter MyHome, the painting would always remind me of the yet path and many doors that I need to walk and see through if not to open. My daily HomeComing then is not a rest but a wander along the path and door(s). It fit well to my responsibilities at such point in time. It hanged there for almost three years. But then, when I completed the construction of MyVillageHome ie toward the end journey of MyCivilService (2011), I replaced the painting with a calligraph of Ayatul Qursi, a gift from a friend from Bintulu, and I took the painting to MyVillageHome. But then I have great difficulty to locate the best place to hang it. I don't really understand why my heart strongly ordered me to hang the painting immediately after the door to MyBedRoom. Again I presume, at MyVillage, there are yet winding path and many doors that I need to walk and see through and or open up; the hearts and minds of my relatives and societies. Certain inspirational and exemplary deeds need to be implant into their hearts and minds to change them to better. The persistence inferiority complex of my relatives and societies need to be melt hard. I presumed, I myself need to be reminded of those as I want to settle for my day rest and or prays. By instinct, I assume, my heart just ordering me to keep on moving, despite after I had left all those official public responsibilities. But, today, only I realized, that my heart had a greater instinct, that the very reason why I write this article: Mending The Broken Doors was specially inspired by the painting. May Allah blessed the artist and the restaurant owner for giving me the chance to have the painting and may the inspiration of the painting would be giving some meanings to those who are willing to spend their time reading my this article. This writing is based on my snap predicament of the future of the Sarawak Malays in particular. InsyaAllah
(3) In Islam, the door has a very significant hikmah psychological meaning dated to the day of Abraham-Ismael. Once, after some longing, Abraham visited his son in Mecca, yet he was only received by the in-law for Ismael was on a hunting journey. The daughter in-law was indeed complaining to Abraham without knowing he was her father in-law, about the harsh life that she was going through with Ismael, in great poverty. Indeed, the early disposition of Ismael and his mother to the barren Mecca was by order of Allah for later the purpose of reviving the Baitullah as a destine spiritual unity of all humankind. The harsh lives, that Ismael and his wife need to go through was a mere test from Allah. As such spiritual mission was not well comprehended by the wife, thus Abraham left with an advice for Ismael to change his door ie to divorce the wife and marry a better one. My simple interpretation of such command was to remind Ismael not to be deceived from his purpose. Thus the painting, I would say, indeed is the Palestinian artist interpretation of his Siratal Mustaqium to his Homeland, Baitul Muqaddis. May Allah blessed him to his destiny. InsyaAllah.
(4) In this articles, my primary concern will be with the future fate of the Sarawak Malays. When the term Sarawak Malays is being used, its refers and to cover the ethnic Malays, Melanaus, Kedayan and those natives that had embraced Islam. While, when I used the term Malays, it would strictly be referring to the ethnic Malays per se. Other native ethnics and or races will only be touch in passing. Nonetheless, the socio-cultural diversities and fragmentation of the Sarawak Malays and the dilemmas affixed to its in many senses are also applicable to the others especially among the Ibans, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulus whom are indeed forming the Greater Malays of the Nusantara.
(5) Since 1986 to 2011 while in the civil service and now a "free lance person", looking back, today Sarawak Malays as I see them, they are to take a long walk on winding paths with lots of broken doors, fragmented and drifting floating to lots of uncertainty just as the overall Malays of the Nation and even the Nusantara. One may argue, in life there is always those winding path and uncertainty. Life is always 50:50. Those are the pure virtue of the West, not as Islam had said. In Islam, the founding belief of the Malays, lives is destine. Allah had predetermined everyone fate in accordance to one's degree of Iman and Taqwa. He had made clear of all His promises to humankind. Yet, the problem with the Muslims, the Malays, is that they understand Siratal Mustaqim all along the traditional ways of interpreting it. Siratal Mustaqim, to the Malays is a matter of hereafter, while indeed it is the path and entries that are now they are walking on. Since such is never in their mind, the Malays used to enter into all those decepting doors and in most instances are off balanced. In this articles, I will try to highlight all those deception and imbalance currently experienced by the Sarawak Malays and what it may take into their future. InsyaAllah.
(6) From the very first offspring of humankind, they were split. The story of the arranged marriage of Adam AS first two pair twin kids was the very starting of human disunity. Qabeel, the elder son refused to let Habeel the younger brother to be married to his much beautiful twin sister. Allah by virtue of His almighty-wise, guided Adam AS well in how to resolve the dispute through offering of a sacrifice. By virtue of his honesty, Habeel offering was well accepted by Allah, but not of the stingy offering of Qabeel. Jealousy then cropped up, and Qabeel threatened to kill Habeel. Habeel was killed in the absence of Adam to pay his pilgrimage to Baitullah. Most Muslims read such a dispute between Qabeel and Habeel more from the jealousy judgement. Not many would remember or research the attitude of Habeel on the brother threatening or even his move to kill him ie to accept without a fight. Habeel indeed never put a fight to his brother. Was he a coward? He put his fate absolutely into the hand of Allah. His absolute Iman and Taqwa made him different in the eyes of Allah. In the Al Quran, there is a verse which says: Among the gruesome Muslims, if both fight and killed each other, both will go to hellfire which implies, in every sense, the Muslims must avoid blood shed and or lost of lives. A conflict among the Muslims must be avoided. Such spirit indeed had been over turned by the following Malays' proverbs saying: Alang-alang menyeluk pekasam, biar sampai ke pangkal lengan; Biar berputih mata, jangan berputih tulang; and Membujur lalu, melintang patah. Why? Indeed, Alhamdullillah, Allah brought the mountain to the Malays for the Malays will never want to explore to Khalwat in Hira to search for the benefiting wisdom for themselves. Why?
(6.1) To answer such a wonder, let take a low flight across Sarawak, be it in a helicopter and or small fixed wing plane. Start along the coast from Sematan, the farthest West to Lawas, the farthest East. Seas of mangroves swamps, peat lands, with 1,000s of rivers and tributaries are the natural scenes. The dissection by river tributaries and the soak and muddy nature of the mangrove, gave the isolate 1,000s islets ecosystem of the Malays' living. Such is not only peculiar to Sarawak, but a natural Malays' habitat in Rhiau, Cambodia and Vietnam (Champa), and South Philippines (Sulu). The very unfriendly nature of the mangrove, created mind block among the Malays. Farming is out of their mind, for such an area. Frequent flooding and erosion stop them from having fish ponds or any form of aquaculture and even livestock rearing. Building proper homes and all the other infrastructures were also out of their thought. Mangrove produce no quality timber for such purposes. Nonetheless, they choose to settle in such an environment, for they were originally sailors, maritime people. They love water. They love fishing. Agriculture is not their best skill. But again, the seas are not always friendly. Come the Monsoon season, they retreat to fish in the rivers and or making good of the mangrove ecology for their temporary living. The early Malays lives rested a lot to the whim and fancy of the Mother Nature: flood, storm, tide, draught, etc. Their lives were subjected to the waiting of favorable timing and or nature to the extended over generations had inbuilt the spirit of wait and see among them.
(6.2) Accordingly, the vast soggy peatland, yet again created another mind block. Nothing could grow well in such an environment. Agriculture in such an area is always met with lots of hardship and failure. Even among the hard working few, their effort are not much rewarding. All these indeed are the great natural deterring factors for the traditional general Malays to be productive and innovative. Worst, the such natural profound hindrances had made the Malays to accept their fate as it is: Padi secupak tidak akan jadi segantang. The Quranic verse requesting them to wander all over the universe for them to see and understand the almightiness of Allah was then taken in its true literal sense: to glorify Allah. The term glorify to this day remained as a proposition to surrender to one's fate since: Padi secupak tidak akan jadi segantang; and Ulat dalam batupun hidup, rather exploring such call to make oneself great and could serve Allah better. But definitely there are a few Malays whom are smart enough to take such call to their full advantage, yet they then ignored the reality that their gains are the mere amanah from Allah.
(6.3) The unique Sarawak's coastal geo-system of 1,000s rivers, flat inundated mangroves and peat lands, such natural geo-scapes indeed had socio-culturally dissected the Sarawak Malays into three main sub-geo-culture ie the Coastal Malays mostly found in Samarahan, Sadong, Lupar, Saribas, and Kalaka whom speaks loud and harsh dialect which the riverine the fine Malays are alien to. The riverine Malays are found further inland such as in Bau, Lundu, Kuching, Bintulu and Miri; which among them are also split into "tribal and clan" among the Wan, Awang, Abang, etc. These are the pioneer to the much today urban Malays. The much adventurous early Malays traders now settling in much hinterland towns such as Serian, Sri Aman, Saratok, Betong, Kapit, Belaga, and Marudi. These Malays due to their assimilation with the Ibans, Bidayuh and orang Ulus, made them dialectically and thus socio-culturally different from the Coastal and Riverine Malays. Nonetheless, their upriver drift landed them to islands of isolation. In the 1980s, due to urban economic boom as well as the dwindling of the agriculture commodities price, the coastal Malays drift afloat in many of the squatters areas in Bintawa, Pending, Gita Kubor, Tabuan, and Samariang in Kuching. To this day, lots of them are still trape in the floating boats as are their brothers Champa at Tonle Sap Lake of Vietnam and Chambodia.
(6.4) The same indeed applies to the Melanaus. There are the Rajang Melanaus which occupies the Rajang river mouths (west and central) extending from Tg. Manis-Belawai to Sarikei and Bintangor. Then there are the Matu-Daro Melanaus. Followed by the Igan group, then the Oya Melanaus to the river mouth of Batang Dalat, and thus the Dalat Melanaus whom majority are non-Muslim, followed by the Mukah-Balingian on the coast, then the Bintulu and Miri Melanaus. The Bintulu Melanaus called themselves as the Vae Segan, sound like those ethnic of the the German Highlanders. All these sub-geo-grouping speak dialect that differ much to each other. In the 1960-70s, the Melanaus, probably due to their close contact with the Foo Chow Chinese in Sibu, Sarikei and Bintangor, they were great lumber jacks. If one goes to Matu, Daro, Igan and even Mukah, one will sees that most of their large homes are made of timbers. Those were the gifts of those golden logging days, yet today, their timber depilated homes are hard to maintain. Those homes in Dalat especially in Sg. Kut and Sg. Ud are the very glaring "museums". These populations are now drift floating in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, and Sarikei. Due to the sun rise and set of the timber industries, the Melanau did migrated and form huge colonies of squatters in Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu and Miri.
(6.6) Indeed it was and continue to be not easy to deal either with the Malays, Melanaus, and Kedayans. While the majority of Malays and the Melanaus settlements are within their distinct enclaves, nonetheless, the Kedayan except those in Lawas, are thinly distributed among the majority Iban and Orang Ulus. The Sarawak Malays 1,000s of years deep association with the harsh disintegrated natural living state made them accustomed to their choice of thinking processes and ways of lives. Their geo-physic, made the Sarawak Malays distinct to each others, and for 1,000s of years, those had made exclusively split. Indeed, the disunity, the inert character among them are well attributed to the very nature of their living state. In the past, ie prior to the High State Economic Growth beginning in 1980s, the Sarawak Malays are living in abundance despite great hardship. Nonetheless, in those days and even today, they were not able or couldn't organized themselves to gain as much from those abundance. Their self pride, driven by mere selfishness and prejudice carried on to this day though express in very different forms. Thus, today, the mangrove are fast turning into urban, industrial, aquaculture areas, not by the Malays, Melanaus, and Kedayans but they are mostly as passengers and or bystanders. Since, they never see the world, as commanded by the Al Quran, their mangrove were and are harvested for charcoal, pilling materials, etc by others. Their past fishing ground for crabs, all sort of crustaceans, etc are disturbed and depleting fast. Their nipah palms are no more an easy access. Indeed in the pursuit of economic growth the Sarawak Malays failed to established and exert their NCR over the land that used to feed and support them. The Sarawak Malays lacking in the well defined traditional land tenureship placed them in a very disadvantage position in regard to the 
present State Land Code and the Dayak Tusun Tungu. They are loosing their mangrove, nipah and even peat areas. The sea where they used to roam, now is no more their friendly grounds. Even the rivers which used to be their blood stream are no more welcoming. In the past 1960-70s, river load of quality timbers where harvested from the Sadong, Samarahan, Lupar, and Rajang peat basins not by the Malays and or Melanaus, but they as mere kuli. Ramen the high value peat endemic were afloat forming lantin either tugged to the awaiting mother vessels or sawmills down the rivers. Similarly, the sago, which was and is accustomed to the Melanaus and some Malays, the cash cow earning from such potential golden crop was and is never within their pockets, but a cartel of non-compromizing capitalist. Why? Indeed, today, lots of Malays grumble over their future fate, yet they just dare to grumble without a courageous act of rectification. Why? Where and or what level are their Iman and Taqwa?
(7) At Sarawak post independence era, both Tawi Sli and Kalong Ningkan, I would believe among those illiterate rural persons, whom realm to power was at the very wrong timing probably allude by tradition, took the administration of the State at a leisure fare basis; festivity in nature, even to a certain stage being carried to this day, in what today young Malays' term as the Puyo Fiesta. Nothing much changed in those eras. Que Serra Que Serra. People just continue with their harmony but poor living. But again when Rahman Yacub took over the leadership of the State, due to such point in time circumstances, he adopted a flamboyant Arabic style of governing the State. I would say such a style had made the Sarawak Malays becoming more of menerima takdir. Rahman's patronage style made the few fortunate Sarawak Malays to what I termed as they had forgotten of their amanah over their gains. Their Rahman's gifts were treated as gains from Rahman, not the Rahman from Allah. Rahman had to live with such kind of people to keep everything stable while undertaking lots of other experimentations. When Taib took over the State leadership in 1981, I could see he was agitated to the poor State of Sarawak and thus began to rock the boat to the extend that those who are used to be fed by Rahman began to stage revolt. These series of revolts indeed I would believe had turned Taib to take a much shrewd stances in his leadership style.
(7.1) Firstly, Taib understands the divisive nature of the Sarawak Malays, and Sarawak as a whole. There are 1,001 socio-cultural-political gaps (1) among and within them. Thus, to physically develop a State, one can't just take a plane or helicopter to get things moving and done cost-effectively. The same would be the issue if one need to unite all the fragmented Sarawak Malays societies into one mind vision and act. The real task is to be on the ground, to be as close as possible to the people. Now let take a walk, imagine if one need to reach every Sarawak Malays settlements from Tg. Po, Sematan to say Kuala Merapok, in Lawas, definitely he will be deadly exhausted if not death being wallop by Bujang Senang, the Mr. Croc. The same even if he needs to take a sampan to visit all those coastal villages. Thus then what would be the best option to enable one to have a good visit and thus to organize all these disperse and isolated Sarawak Malays villages? I would believe there are about 500-700 Sarawak Malays' villages housing a total of about 25 per cents of the State population. Taib's launched his development aspiration to contrary of the normal paradigms.
(7.2) While initially, Taib tried to develop the Marine-based resources of the Sarawak Malays, by encouraging big private sector investment, yet he continue to face failure in the area to this day. Not only the Malays failed, some Chinese did also failed badly. Hopefully with his resilient effort now to get the Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese at the present Tg. Manis Halal Hub, he would at last succeed. Nonetheless, the question lingering in my head would then: what will happen to the Sarawak Malays fishermen?. While land-based development is the next better option, but Taib understand, he need to provide all the relevant infrastructures first. Nonetheless, the mangroves, peat lands and rivers, makes roads and bridges development to the coastal areas really expensive. Since the State source of revenue is limited to a few, and to some extend now is greatly depleted, he was and is in need of fast source of revenue replacement. Restructuring the timber-based industries was his strong course in the 1990s, but those came at the down fall of the timber industries. I would say, Taib's groomed timber industrial players failed him to his dream by escaping from his path and they, I would say betrayed him by migrating to harvest the over sea forests even as far as in Siberia, Russia and flooded the international market with cheap timber source. Indeed marine and forest resource-based industrial development seem to fail Taib urge to place Sarawak into the larger Global Economic Positioning. Even if Taib did succeeded in his Timber-based Industrial Dream, I am sure the Sarawak Malays would be mere bystanders. He then tried other industrial development, such as even his expected high economic impact 1st Silicon Investment and ship building in Miri and Sibu also failed him badly. Taib's industrial push, attracted lots of Sarawak Malays to be a transition floating Nation in certain urban enclaves. He succeed to uproot the Sarawak Malays rural-phyllic to urban setting as sprawling displace population. Sarawak, not only the Sarawak Malays were then seem to drift in the opened wild ocean.
(7.3) Thus in the mid 1990s, the State pushed hard for large scale oil palm plantation developments. Initially he had been instrumental with the State run agencies such as SALCRA, SLDB, DOA and even SOP, but these agencies were then having great resources constraints. Even those Federal agencies such as FELDA and FELCRA failed to make an impact to this day. He even placed heavy trust on LCDA, a special vehicle to mobilize both the people and the private sector to move fast in his direction, yet his open invitations were also accepted in luke warm. Agencies such as Sime Darby, Golden Hope, Trade Wind and Tabung Haji, despite were given some privileges also failed to make great impact. But due to the down fall of the timber industries in mid 1990 to this day, and with the influence of the Peninsula Malaysia oil palm industries, the reverse investment by Taib's timber groomed boys began to gain momentum. Since the earlier experimentation in the hinterland using SLDB, SALCRA, FELDA, FELCRA, DOA and SOP were facing great resistance among the NCR land claims, Taib then definitely saw his option was to move fast into the about 1,600,000 hectares of peat and mangrove areas. That was indeed the starting of the great Sarawak Malays home ground invasion. Taib capitalised the private sector to open up the State not only for Palm Oil production, but to economically out reach the rural areas. The hiccup I could see, was the private sector unreadiness to extend much friendly gesture to the neighbouring settlements and or to adopt green development. Thus, due to domestic political issues and foreign interventions, there is a great slow down in the opening of the peat lands. The locals indeed were easily poisoned by all these noises due to the private sector too reserved attitude. Taib's vision to have at least 2,000,000 hectares of oil palm area by 2020 is tricky to be accomplished. Despite such, to-date I believe, Sarawak had achieved at least 1,000,000 hectares of oil palm plantation development. The very glitch of such success was that the Sarawak Malays were far left out in the area even to compare with the Iban. The Sarawak Malays were and are indeed still being very inert in such field. Why?
(7.4) Nonetheless, Taib is an man of high fluidity, he is now very instrumental in gearing for high energy industries development in Bintulu, Mukah and Tg. Manis. He work hard to dance to the changing Sarawak Malays demographic and social preference. He dreams to make those regions to score Sarawak into the Highest Income State by 2030. Purposely he chosen the coastal Miri-Bintulu-Tg Manis as the corridor of Sarawak Heavy Industry Development, SCORE while keeping the hinterland Bintulu-Miri-Kapit as the State Timber and Water Resources Stock with the midland to be aggressively opened up for plantation development, are all grounded based on resources and spatial strategic considerations. In his dream, Taib visualized the SCORE, would change the socio-economic landscape of Sarawak and the Sarawak Malays in particular into the much prosperous economies. He projected, the success of SCORE would entail for high demand in skilled and professional manpower. Definitely such will be the case, but, will Sarawak and or the Sarawak Malays really benefit from all these? Are we not going to again play the hide and seek or zerro sum game as we had experimented with the general agriculture, fisheries, livestock, timber, construction, FIRE, mining and selected industrial development? There are few factors that may once again failed Taib's SCORE dream, which among others:
(7.4.1) Sarawak State Industrial Development undertaking is an outlier to the National Development Radar. Worst with Najib's style of Popular-based Governance, Sarawak will loose financial support focus. Infra and infostructure are the Key Success Factor of SCORE. Located within the coastal areas, such development undertaking would consume huge development investment while Najib Development Budget is only 20 per cents of the Total Budget with all sort of subsidies and goodies made almost equal to the Development Budget. I could see, our National Budgetary trend is more of a Developed rather a Developing Nation, all indeed due to Najib's Popular Hungry Governance Style. Accordingly, the State Financial position, is still shaky to support its huge Operating and Development funding requirements. Despite huge FDI interest on SCORE, definitely their coming is at our economic expenses.
(7.4.2) Secondly, the Manpower Development in the State is not in tandem with the State Industrial Development Plan. I would believe, the State Manpower master Plan (if any) is not well conceived by the Federal Government. Let one spend time wandering and asking around those Sarawak Malays schooling ages say in Asajaya, Sebuyau, Beladin, Kabong, Daro, Matu, Igan, Balingian, Tatau, Jepak, Kelulit, Kuala Lawas and even in Kuching, Kota Samarahan, and Mukah among those Public Higher Learning Institutions (PTA) undergraduates, examine the courses that they are taking, as well as their knowledge outlook and communication skills, would those lead to fulfill the State Professional and Skilled Manpower Demand? To my little findings, most Sarawak Malays are gearing toward soft knowledge gain rather feeding into the future. Why? By far, among the Malays and Muslim youths, their Islamic moral grounding I would say are at stake. The present Public Education and Skill Development System are not really developing Malaysian or even the Malays to be Professional Muslim Workforce and or Entrepreneurs. I could see, future Malaysian workforce are mere wage earners whose concern are more toward self-support rather the Nation and or Ummah development. Most would end up as low wage earner in the service and manufacturing sector. In short, our Human Resource Development System fail to produce sustaining productive and high moral workforce. As such, I'm worried, SCORE will gives great score to the foreign investors and or limited local entrepreneurs yet fail to be a tool to generate High Income among our general population. The State may prosper at the expenses of the people. Was Penang electronic industrial boom not a good example for the marginalization of the Sebrang Prai and Balik Pulau, Kedah, Perlis and Perak Malays?
(8) Surely now Taib has to make his judgment; success or failure, it is a matter of timing. Accordingly, what other options does he has? His recent announcement to embark on State 2012-2020 Agriculture Development Plan I would say will be met with numerous constraints. The politicising of the NCR land matters, as well as the international interference to the peat and mangrove area development, would very much hampered his renewed choice. Infrastructure support services from the Federal Government, I would visualise as slim. By right, judging from the Umar Al Khataab RA governance period, firstly he stressed on Iman and Taqwa development, then followed by Governance Systems development where then he encouraged the prospering of the Service Sector especially trading, followed by Agriculture and Infrastructure development. Industrial development was only greatly pursued in the time of Umar Abdul Aziz administration. Taking from such a queue, Sarawak must never neglect the rural sector except the methodology must not be bounded by heavy subsidy syndrome. Land administrataion matters in the State must be quickly resolved through rigorous and honest inter racial and political discourse. To me, Taib initial gearing for the establishment of the Corporate Sector (GLCs) to spearhead the State development warrant a refreshing. What I could see, the State GLCs as well as the public agencies, they are in the state of inertia due to lack of courage, vision and experience of the CEOs, heads and senior management. Today challenges differ much from yesterday, and even even hard for tomoroow. Sarawk Civil Service, as I could see is not moving fast for change. GLCs (and Civil Service) entrepreneurial leadership and business development and exposure in the State is by far very lacking. Worst I would say, the local politicians are not able to provide the visionary leadership except to totally dependent on the Government Next Move without realizing that they themselves are the "Government". I could see, Sarawak indeed is experiencing great leadership crisis whereby the head, body and tail are not working to the same pace or rhythm.
(9) My simple calculation of the Malays and Sarawak Malays as a whole, despite their population strength may makes up to 25-28 per cents of the total population, their economic accumulation especially in land matter I would say not proportionate to their numbers. Out of the 12,500,000 hectares of the State land mass, the Sarawak Malays at most I would say are occupying about only 200,000-500,000 hectares of land which is about 1.6-4.0 per cents of the State. Differing from the NCR claims which are made mostly not by the Sarawak Malays, the size though was published to be around 1,600,000 hectares ie about 12.8 per cents, nonetheless the claims are spreading statewide not only confine to those farmed up to the 1960 which now to include the Pemakai Menua, etc. These statistic is made with reference to the whole State's land mass, but if those only suitable land are considered, the Malays' land ownership will be greatly marginalised. Worst due to the Malays tradition, their economic assets are disintegrating with the growth of their population (by generation). Nonetheless, such is not the main issue, the crux of the Malays problem is they are greatly in limbo. Indeed, I would see in the long run, the Sarawak Malays will not be equal in standing both in the urban and rural development sector. In both case, they would be the fringe players if not reserves if they don't change fast. The irony, the Sarawak Malays seem to place to much burden over Taib for the change, yet most of his trusted khalifah are enjoying lives rather shouldering the amanah. Why?
(10) There is left another seven years to Vision 2020 Developed Nation target. Realising the possible disadvantage position of the Saraswak Malays, I would say it is now timely that they must revisit the way they talk, hear, and see Siratal Mustaqim. I would believe, the Sarawak Malays and the Malaysian Malays as a whole had walked down to too many decepting doors in their lives path, such some or most of the doors are broken doors that need to be mended strategically. Allah in the dark days of Jahilliah, in the doom of their destruction, He sent Islam to light their path as well as to haul them out of the dark pits. The Sarawak Malays, with the ever fluid and energetic Taib if they could be lead to behold fast to Islam, they would emerge great. The Ansar and Kawarij of the early Madina, they were the disadvantage over the civilised Jews as well as borne into the harsh desert environment, as they behold fast to Islam, they then gave birth to the great Islamic empires.
(11) Last but not least, I would call on all those GLCs lead by the Sarawak Malays to have courage, vision, and determination to realise their amanah to lead and care for the Ummah. They just can't be caring only for themselves. I believe, Allah hikmah psychology to give Muhammad SAW friends among others such as Abu Bakar Ass-Siddique, Umar Al Khataab and Usman Affan, while he himself is a poor illiterate person, is nothing but for us to emulate, that the making of the Ummah was with the helped of the have, honest, able and determine people Such group of people must be developed within our present GLCs and they must take all initiatives to unite the Malays and the Malays' asset into their strategic economic strength. InsyaAllah.
Kuching, Sarawak
12 Dec, 2013
Note:
I just imagine, walking this path is just as one takes a walk over the Great Wall of China. The walk along the path is though, yet it was to provide all the security measures that the old Chinese needed from the barbaric Mongol.(2) When I traveled to both Canada and the United State in 2007, with friends, at a stopover in a small city (I can't recall which town), I dropped by a Lebanese Restaurant. As I walked passed the hall to the washroom, my eyes were glued onto an abstract painting. It was a special painting by a Palestinian artist to remind the restaurant owner of his destiny ie to liberate BaitulMuqaddis. The painting is about a door opening to the doors of Al Aqsa, BaitulMuqaddis. I then talked him over and bought the painting, not for the same purpose, but because the philosophical destiny of the painting sounds great. I believe the painting would one day gives me a future destine value of my own which normally would comes crossing my mind much later. At MyTownHome in Kuching, originally I placed the painting immediately to the opposite of my entrance door. At such point in time, I visualized, as I enter MyHome, the painting would always remind me of the yet path and many doors that I need to walk and see through if not to open. My daily HomeComing then is not a rest but a wander along the path and door(s). It fit well to my responsibilities at such point in time. It hanged there for almost three years. But then, when I completed the construction of MyVillageHome ie toward the end journey of MyCivilService (2011), I replaced the painting with a calligraph of Ayatul Qursi, a gift from a friend from Bintulu, and I took the painting to MyVillageHome. But then I have great difficulty to locate the best place to hang it. I don't really understand why my heart strongly ordered me to hang the painting immediately after the door to MyBedRoom. Again I presume, at MyVillage, there are yet winding path and many doors that I need to walk and see through and or open up; the hearts and minds of my relatives and societies. Certain inspirational and exemplary deeds need to be implant into their hearts and minds to change them to better. The persistence inferiority complex of my relatives and societies need to be melt hard. I presumed, I myself need to be reminded of those as I want to settle for my day rest and or prays. By instinct, I assume, my heart just ordering me to keep on moving, despite after I had left all those official public responsibilities. But, today, only I realized, that my heart had a greater instinct, that the very reason why I write this article: Mending The Broken Doors was specially inspired by the painting. May Allah blessed the artist and the restaurant owner for giving me the chance to have the painting and may the inspiration of the painting would be giving some meanings to those who are willing to spend their time reading my this article. This writing is based on my snap predicament of the future of the Sarawak Malays in particular. InsyaAllah
(3) In Islam, the door has a very significant hikmah psychological meaning dated to the day of Abraham-Ismael. Once, after some longing, Abraham visited his son in Mecca, yet he was only received by the in-law for Ismael was on a hunting journey. The daughter in-law was indeed complaining to Abraham without knowing he was her father in-law, about the harsh life that she was going through with Ismael, in great poverty. Indeed, the early disposition of Ismael and his mother to the barren Mecca was by order of Allah for later the purpose of reviving the Baitullah as a destine spiritual unity of all humankind. The harsh lives, that Ismael and his wife need to go through was a mere test from Allah. As such spiritual mission was not well comprehended by the wife, thus Abraham left with an advice for Ismael to change his door ie to divorce the wife and marry a better one. My simple interpretation of such command was to remind Ismael not to be deceived from his purpose. Thus the painting, I would say, indeed is the Palestinian artist interpretation of his Siratal Mustaqium to his Homeland, Baitul Muqaddis. May Allah blessed him to his destiny. InsyaAllah.(4) In this articles, my primary concern will be with the future fate of the Sarawak Malays. When the term Sarawak Malays is being used, its refers and to cover the ethnic Malays, Melanaus, Kedayan and those natives that had embraced Islam. While, when I used the term Malays, it would strictly be referring to the ethnic Malays per se. Other native ethnics and or races will only be touch in passing. Nonetheless, the socio-cultural diversities and fragmentation of the Sarawak Malays and the dilemmas affixed to its in many senses are also applicable to the others especially among the Ibans, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulus whom are indeed forming the Greater Malays of the Nusantara.
(5) Since 1986 to 2011 while in the civil service and now a "free lance person", looking back, today Sarawak Malays as I see them, they are to take a long walk on winding paths with lots of broken doors, fragmented and drifting floating to lots of uncertainty just as the overall Malays of the Nation and even the Nusantara. One may argue, in life there is always those winding path and uncertainty. Life is always 50:50. Those are the pure virtue of the West, not as Islam had said. In Islam, the founding belief of the Malays, lives is destine. Allah had predetermined everyone fate in accordance to one's degree of Iman and Taqwa. He had made clear of all His promises to humankind. Yet, the problem with the Muslims, the Malays, is that they understand Siratal Mustaqim all along the traditional ways of interpreting it. Siratal Mustaqim, to the Malays is a matter of hereafter, while indeed it is the path and entries that are now they are walking on. Since such is never in their mind, the Malays used to enter into all those decepting doors and in most instances are off balanced. In this articles, I will try to highlight all those deception and imbalance currently experienced by the Sarawak Malays and what it may take into their future. InsyaAllah.(6) From the very first offspring of humankind, they were split. The story of the arranged marriage of Adam AS first two pair twin kids was the very starting of human disunity. Qabeel, the elder son refused to let Habeel the younger brother to be married to his much beautiful twin sister. Allah by virtue of His almighty-wise, guided Adam AS well in how to resolve the dispute through offering of a sacrifice. By virtue of his honesty, Habeel offering was well accepted by Allah, but not of the stingy offering of Qabeel. Jealousy then cropped up, and Qabeel threatened to kill Habeel. Habeel was killed in the absence of Adam to pay his pilgrimage to Baitullah. Most Muslims read such a dispute between Qabeel and Habeel more from the jealousy judgement. Not many would remember or research the attitude of Habeel on the brother threatening or even his move to kill him ie to accept without a fight. Habeel indeed never put a fight to his brother. Was he a coward? He put his fate absolutely into the hand of Allah. His absolute Iman and Taqwa made him different in the eyes of Allah. In the Al Quran, there is a verse which says: Among the gruesome Muslims, if both fight and killed each other, both will go to hellfire which implies, in every sense, the Muslims must avoid blood shed and or lost of lives. A conflict among the Muslims must be avoided. Such spirit indeed had been over turned by the following Malays' proverbs saying: Alang-alang menyeluk pekasam, biar sampai ke pangkal lengan; Biar berputih mata, jangan berputih tulang; and Membujur lalu, melintang patah. Why? Indeed, Alhamdullillah, Allah brought the mountain to the Malays for the Malays will never want to explore to Khalwat in Hira to search for the benefiting wisdom for themselves. Why?
(6.1) To answer such a wonder, let take a low flight across Sarawak, be it in a helicopter and or small fixed wing plane. Start along the coast from Sematan, the farthest West to Lawas, the farthest East. Seas of mangroves swamps, peat lands, with 1,000s of rivers and tributaries are the natural scenes. The dissection by river tributaries and the soak and muddy nature of the mangrove, gave the isolate 1,000s islets ecosystem of the Malays' living. Such is not only peculiar to Sarawak, but a natural Malays' habitat in Rhiau, Cambodia and Vietnam (Champa), and South Philippines (Sulu). The very unfriendly nature of the mangrove, created mind block among the Malays. Farming is out of their mind, for such an area. Frequent flooding and erosion stop them from having fish ponds or any form of aquaculture and even livestock rearing. Building proper homes and all the other infrastructures were also out of their thought. Mangrove produce no quality timber for such purposes. Nonetheless, they choose to settle in such an environment, for they were originally sailors, maritime people. They love water. They love fishing. Agriculture is not their best skill. But again, the seas are not always friendly. Come the Monsoon season, they retreat to fish in the rivers and or making good of the mangrove ecology for their temporary living. The early Malays lives rested a lot to the whim and fancy of the Mother Nature: flood, storm, tide, draught, etc. Their lives were subjected to the waiting of favorable timing and or nature to the extended over generations had inbuilt the spirit of wait and see among them.(6.2) Accordingly, the vast soggy peatland, yet again created another mind block. Nothing could grow well in such an environment. Agriculture in such an area is always met with lots of hardship and failure. Even among the hard working few, their effort are not much rewarding. All these indeed are the great natural deterring factors for the traditional general Malays to be productive and innovative. Worst, the such natural profound hindrances had made the Malays to accept their fate as it is: Padi secupak tidak akan jadi segantang. The Quranic verse requesting them to wander all over the universe for them to see and understand the almightiness of Allah was then taken in its true literal sense: to glorify Allah. The term glorify to this day remained as a proposition to surrender to one's fate since: Padi secupak tidak akan jadi segantang; and Ulat dalam batupun hidup, rather exploring such call to make oneself great and could serve Allah better. But definitely there are a few Malays whom are smart enough to take such call to their full advantage, yet they then ignored the reality that their gains are the mere amanah from Allah.
(6.3) The unique Sarawak's coastal geo-system of 1,000s rivers, flat inundated mangroves and peat lands, such natural geo-scapes indeed had socio-culturally dissected the Sarawak Malays into three main sub-geo-culture ie the Coastal Malays mostly found in Samarahan, Sadong, Lupar, Saribas, and Kalaka whom speaks loud and harsh dialect which the riverine the fine Malays are alien to. The riverine Malays are found further inland such as in Bau, Lundu, Kuching, Bintulu and Miri; which among them are also split into "tribal and clan" among the Wan, Awang, Abang, etc. These are the pioneer to the much today urban Malays. The much adventurous early Malays traders now settling in much hinterland towns such as Serian, Sri Aman, Saratok, Betong, Kapit, Belaga, and Marudi. These Malays due to their assimilation with the Ibans, Bidayuh and orang Ulus, made them dialectically and thus socio-culturally different from the Coastal and Riverine Malays. Nonetheless, their upriver drift landed them to islands of isolation. In the 1980s, due to urban economic boom as well as the dwindling of the agriculture commodities price, the coastal Malays drift afloat in many of the squatters areas in Bintawa, Pending, Gita Kubor, Tabuan, and Samariang in Kuching. To this day, lots of them are still trape in the floating boats as are their brothers Champa at Tonle Sap Lake of Vietnam and Chambodia.
(6.4) The same indeed applies to the Melanaus. There are the Rajang Melanaus which occupies the Rajang river mouths (west and central) extending from Tg. Manis-Belawai to Sarikei and Bintangor. Then there are the Matu-Daro Melanaus. Followed by the Igan group, then the Oya Melanaus to the river mouth of Batang Dalat, and thus the Dalat Melanaus whom majority are non-Muslim, followed by the Mukah-Balingian on the coast, then the Bintulu and Miri Melanaus. The Bintulu Melanaus called themselves as the Vae Segan, sound like those ethnic of the the German Highlanders. All these sub-geo-grouping speak dialect that differ much to each other. In the 1960-70s, the Melanaus, probably due to their close contact with the Foo Chow Chinese in Sibu, Sarikei and Bintangor, they were great lumber jacks. If one goes to Matu, Daro, Igan and even Mukah, one will sees that most of their large homes are made of timbers. Those were the gifts of those golden logging days, yet today, their timber depilated homes are hard to maintain. Those homes in Dalat especially in Sg. Kut and Sg. Ud are the very glaring "museums". These populations are now drift floating in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, and Sarikei. Due to the sun rise and set of the timber industries, the Melanau did migrated and form huge colonies of squatters in Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu and Miri.
(6.5) The Kedayans are mostly found along the coast of Bintulu, Miri, Limbang and Lawas. Only the Miri and to some extend the Lawas Kedayans are taking farming to some degree of seriousness. The rest were mere fishermen, except in the early 2000 then only they realised their landless status for being so long sandwiched among the mangroves, rivers and peat land.
(6.6) Indeed it was and continue to be not easy to deal either with the Malays, Melanaus, and Kedayans. While the majority of Malays and the Melanaus settlements are within their distinct enclaves, nonetheless, the Kedayan except those in Lawas, are thinly distributed among the majority Iban and Orang Ulus. The Sarawak Malays 1,000s of years deep association with the harsh disintegrated natural living state made them accustomed to their choice of thinking processes and ways of lives. Their geo-physic, made the Sarawak Malays distinct to each others, and for 1,000s of years, those had made exclusively split. Indeed, the disunity, the inert character among them are well attributed to the very nature of their living state. In the past, ie prior to the High State Economic Growth beginning in 1980s, the Sarawak Malays are living in abundance despite great hardship. Nonetheless, in those days and even today, they were not able or couldn't organized themselves to gain as much from those abundance. Their self pride, driven by mere selfishness and prejudice carried on to this day though express in very different forms. Thus, today, the mangrove are fast turning into urban, industrial, aquaculture areas, not by the Malays, Melanaus, and Kedayans but they are mostly as passengers and or bystanders. Since, they never see the world, as commanded by the Al Quran, their mangrove were and are harvested for charcoal, pilling materials, etc by others. Their past fishing ground for crabs, all sort of crustaceans, etc are disturbed and depleting fast. Their nipah palms are no more an easy access. Indeed in the pursuit of economic growth the Sarawak Malays failed to established and exert their NCR over the land that used to feed and support them. The Sarawak Malays lacking in the well defined traditional land tenureship placed them in a very disadvantage position in regard to the 
present State Land Code and the Dayak Tusun Tungu. They are loosing their mangrove, nipah and even peat areas. The sea where they used to roam, now is no more their friendly grounds. Even the rivers which used to be their blood stream are no more welcoming. In the past 1960-70s, river load of quality timbers where harvested from the Sadong, Samarahan, Lupar, and Rajang peat basins not by the Malays and or Melanaus, but they as mere kuli. Ramen the high value peat endemic were afloat forming lantin either tugged to the awaiting mother vessels or sawmills down the rivers. Similarly, the sago, which was and is accustomed to the Melanaus and some Malays, the cash cow earning from such potential golden crop was and is never within their pockets, but a cartel of non-compromizing capitalist. Why? Indeed, today, lots of Malays grumble over their future fate, yet they just dare to grumble without a courageous act of rectification. Why? Where and or what level are their Iman and Taqwa?(7) At Sarawak post independence era, both Tawi Sli and Kalong Ningkan, I would believe among those illiterate rural persons, whom realm to power was at the very wrong timing probably allude by tradition, took the administration of the State at a leisure fare basis; festivity in nature, even to a certain stage being carried to this day, in what today young Malays' term as the Puyo Fiesta. Nothing much changed in those eras. Que Serra Que Serra. People just continue with their harmony but poor living. But again when Rahman Yacub took over the leadership of the State, due to such point in time circumstances, he adopted a flamboyant Arabic style of governing the State. I would say such a style had made the Sarawak Malays becoming more of menerima takdir. Rahman's patronage style made the few fortunate Sarawak Malays to what I termed as they had forgotten of their amanah over their gains. Their Rahman's gifts were treated as gains from Rahman, not the Rahman from Allah. Rahman had to live with such kind of people to keep everything stable while undertaking lots of other experimentations. When Taib took over the State leadership in 1981, I could see he was agitated to the poor State of Sarawak and thus began to rock the boat to the extend that those who are used to be fed by Rahman began to stage revolt. These series of revolts indeed I would believe had turned Taib to take a much shrewd stances in his leadership style.
(7.2) While initially, Taib tried to develop the Marine-based resources of the Sarawak Malays, by encouraging big private sector investment, yet he continue to face failure in the area to this day. Not only the Malays failed, some Chinese did also failed badly. Hopefully with his resilient effort now to get the Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese at the present Tg. Manis Halal Hub, he would at last succeed. Nonetheless, the question lingering in my head would then: what will happen to the Sarawak Malays fishermen?. While land-based development is the next better option, but Taib understand, he need to provide all the relevant infrastructures first. Nonetheless, the mangroves, peat lands and rivers, makes roads and bridges development to the coastal areas really expensive. Since the State source of revenue is limited to a few, and to some extend now is greatly depleted, he was and is in need of fast source of revenue replacement. Restructuring the timber-based industries was his strong course in the 1990s, but those came at the down fall of the timber industries. I would say, Taib's groomed timber industrial players failed him to his dream by escaping from his path and they, I would say betrayed him by migrating to harvest the over sea forests even as far as in Siberia, Russia and flooded the international market with cheap timber source. Indeed marine and forest resource-based industrial development seem to fail Taib urge to place Sarawak into the larger Global Economic Positioning. Even if Taib did succeeded in his Timber-based Industrial Dream, I am sure the Sarawak Malays would be mere bystanders. He then tried other industrial development, such as even his expected high economic impact 1st Silicon Investment and ship building in Miri and Sibu also failed him badly. Taib's industrial push, attracted lots of Sarawak Malays to be a transition floating Nation in certain urban enclaves. He succeed to uproot the Sarawak Malays rural-phyllic to urban setting as sprawling displace population. Sarawak, not only the Sarawak Malays were then seem to drift in the opened wild ocean.
(7.3) Thus in the mid 1990s, the State pushed hard for large scale oil palm plantation developments. Initially he had been instrumental with the State run agencies such as SALCRA, SLDB, DOA and even SOP, but these agencies were then having great resources constraints. Even those Federal agencies such as FELDA and FELCRA failed to make an impact to this day. He even placed heavy trust on LCDA, a special vehicle to mobilize both the people and the private sector to move fast in his direction, yet his open invitations were also accepted in luke warm. Agencies such as Sime Darby, Golden Hope, Trade Wind and Tabung Haji, despite were given some privileges also failed to make great impact. But due to the down fall of the timber industries in mid 1990 to this day, and with the influence of the Peninsula Malaysia oil palm industries, the reverse investment by Taib's timber groomed boys began to gain momentum. Since the earlier experimentation in the hinterland using SLDB, SALCRA, FELDA, FELCRA, DOA and SOP were facing great resistance among the NCR land claims, Taib then definitely saw his option was to move fast into the about 1,600,000 hectares of peat and mangrove areas. That was indeed the starting of the great Sarawak Malays home ground invasion. Taib capitalised the private sector to open up the State not only for Palm Oil production, but to economically out reach the rural areas. The hiccup I could see, was the private sector unreadiness to extend much friendly gesture to the neighbouring settlements and or to adopt green development. Thus, due to domestic political issues and foreign interventions, there is a great slow down in the opening of the peat lands. The locals indeed were easily poisoned by all these noises due to the private sector too reserved attitude. Taib's vision to have at least 2,000,000 hectares of oil palm area by 2020 is tricky to be accomplished. Despite such, to-date I believe, Sarawak had achieved at least 1,000,000 hectares of oil palm plantation development. The very glitch of such success was that the Sarawak Malays were far left out in the area even to compare with the Iban. The Sarawak Malays were and are indeed still being very inert in such field. Why?
(7.4) Nonetheless, Taib is an man of high fluidity, he is now very instrumental in gearing for high energy industries development in Bintulu, Mukah and Tg. Manis. He work hard to dance to the changing Sarawak Malays demographic and social preference. He dreams to make those regions to score Sarawak into the Highest Income State by 2030. Purposely he chosen the coastal Miri-Bintulu-Tg Manis as the corridor of Sarawak Heavy Industry Development, SCORE while keeping the hinterland Bintulu-Miri-Kapit as the State Timber and Water Resources Stock with the midland to be aggressively opened up for plantation development, are all grounded based on resources and spatial strategic considerations. In his dream, Taib visualized the SCORE, would change the socio-economic landscape of Sarawak and the Sarawak Malays in particular into the much prosperous economies. He projected, the success of SCORE would entail for high demand in skilled and professional manpower. Definitely such will be the case, but, will Sarawak and or the Sarawak Malays really benefit from all these? Are we not going to again play the hide and seek or zerro sum game as we had experimented with the general agriculture, fisheries, livestock, timber, construction, FIRE, mining and selected industrial development? There are few factors that may once again failed Taib's SCORE dream, which among others:
(7.4.1) Sarawak State Industrial Development undertaking is an outlier to the National Development Radar. Worst with Najib's style of Popular-based Governance, Sarawak will loose financial support focus. Infra and infostructure are the Key Success Factor of SCORE. Located within the coastal areas, such development undertaking would consume huge development investment while Najib Development Budget is only 20 per cents of the Total Budget with all sort of subsidies and goodies made almost equal to the Development Budget. I could see, our National Budgetary trend is more of a Developed rather a Developing Nation, all indeed due to Najib's Popular Hungry Governance Style. Accordingly, the State Financial position, is still shaky to support its huge Operating and Development funding requirements. Despite huge FDI interest on SCORE, definitely their coming is at our economic expenses.
(7.4.2) Secondly, the Manpower Development in the State is not in tandem with the State Industrial Development Plan. I would believe, the State Manpower master Plan (if any) is not well conceived by the Federal Government. Let one spend time wandering and asking around those Sarawak Malays schooling ages say in Asajaya, Sebuyau, Beladin, Kabong, Daro, Matu, Igan, Balingian, Tatau, Jepak, Kelulit, Kuala Lawas and even in Kuching, Kota Samarahan, and Mukah among those Public Higher Learning Institutions (PTA) undergraduates, examine the courses that they are taking, as well as their knowledge outlook and communication skills, would those lead to fulfill the State Professional and Skilled Manpower Demand? To my little findings, most Sarawak Malays are gearing toward soft knowledge gain rather feeding into the future. Why? By far, among the Malays and Muslim youths, their Islamic moral grounding I would say are at stake. The present Public Education and Skill Development System are not really developing Malaysian or even the Malays to be Professional Muslim Workforce and or Entrepreneurs. I could see, future Malaysian workforce are mere wage earners whose concern are more toward self-support rather the Nation and or Ummah development. Most would end up as low wage earner in the service and manufacturing sector. In short, our Human Resource Development System fail to produce sustaining productive and high moral workforce. As such, I'm worried, SCORE will gives great score to the foreign investors and or limited local entrepreneurs yet fail to be a tool to generate High Income among our general population. The State may prosper at the expenses of the people. Was Penang electronic industrial boom not a good example for the marginalization of the Sebrang Prai and Balik Pulau, Kedah, Perlis and Perak Malays?
(8) Surely now Taib has to make his judgment; success or failure, it is a matter of timing. Accordingly, what other options does he has? His recent announcement to embark on State 2012-2020 Agriculture Development Plan I would say will be met with numerous constraints. The politicising of the NCR land matters, as well as the international interference to the peat and mangrove area development, would very much hampered his renewed choice. Infrastructure support services from the Federal Government, I would visualise as slim. By right, judging from the Umar Al Khataab RA governance period, firstly he stressed on Iman and Taqwa development, then followed by Governance Systems development where then he encouraged the prospering of the Service Sector especially trading, followed by Agriculture and Infrastructure development. Industrial development was only greatly pursued in the time of Umar Abdul Aziz administration. Taking from such a queue, Sarawak must never neglect the rural sector except the methodology must not be bounded by heavy subsidy syndrome. Land administrataion matters in the State must be quickly resolved through rigorous and honest inter racial and political discourse. To me, Taib initial gearing for the establishment of the Corporate Sector (GLCs) to spearhead the State development warrant a refreshing. What I could see, the State GLCs as well as the public agencies, they are in the state of inertia due to lack of courage, vision and experience of the CEOs, heads and senior management. Today challenges differ much from yesterday, and even even hard for tomoroow. Sarawk Civil Service, as I could see is not moving fast for change. GLCs (and Civil Service) entrepreneurial leadership and business development and exposure in the State is by far very lacking. Worst I would say, the local politicians are not able to provide the visionary leadership except to totally dependent on the Government Next Move without realizing that they themselves are the "Government". I could see, Sarawak indeed is experiencing great leadership crisis whereby the head, body and tail are not working to the same pace or rhythm.
(9) My simple calculation of the Malays and Sarawak Malays as a whole, despite their population strength may makes up to 25-28 per cents of the total population, their economic accumulation especially in land matter I would say not proportionate to their numbers. Out of the 12,500,000 hectares of the State land mass, the Sarawak Malays at most I would say are occupying about only 200,000-500,000 hectares of land which is about 1.6-4.0 per cents of the State. Differing from the NCR claims which are made mostly not by the Sarawak Malays, the size though was published to be around 1,600,000 hectares ie about 12.8 per cents, nonetheless the claims are spreading statewide not only confine to those farmed up to the 1960 which now to include the Pemakai Menua, etc. These statistic is made with reference to the whole State's land mass, but if those only suitable land are considered, the Malays' land ownership will be greatly marginalised. Worst due to the Malays tradition, their economic assets are disintegrating with the growth of their population (by generation). Nonetheless, such is not the main issue, the crux of the Malays problem is they are greatly in limbo. Indeed, I would see in the long run, the Sarawak Malays will not be equal in standing both in the urban and rural development sector. In both case, they would be the fringe players if not reserves if they don't change fast. The irony, the Sarawak Malays seem to place to much burden over Taib for the change, yet most of his trusted khalifah are enjoying lives rather shouldering the amanah. Why?
(10) There is left another seven years to Vision 2020 Developed Nation target. Realising the possible disadvantage position of the Saraswak Malays, I would say it is now timely that they must revisit the way they talk, hear, and see Siratal Mustaqim. I would believe, the Sarawak Malays and the Malaysian Malays as a whole had walked down to too many decepting doors in their lives path, such some or most of the doors are broken doors that need to be mended strategically. Allah in the dark days of Jahilliah, in the doom of their destruction, He sent Islam to light their path as well as to haul them out of the dark pits. The Sarawak Malays, with the ever fluid and energetic Taib if they could be lead to behold fast to Islam, they would emerge great. The Ansar and Kawarij of the early Madina, they were the disadvantage over the civilised Jews as well as borne into the harsh desert environment, as they behold fast to Islam, they then gave birth to the great Islamic empires.
(11) Last but not least, I would call on all those GLCs lead by the Sarawak Malays to have courage, vision, and determination to realise their amanah to lead and care for the Ummah. They just can't be caring only for themselves. I believe, Allah hikmah psychology to give Muhammad SAW friends among others such as Abu Bakar Ass-Siddique, Umar Al Khataab and Usman Affan, while he himself is a poor illiterate person, is nothing but for us to emulate, that the making of the Ummah was with the helped of the have, honest, able and determine people Such group of people must be developed within our present GLCs and they must take all initiatives to unite the Malays and the Malays' asset into their strategic economic strength. InsyaAllah.
Kuching, Sarawak
12 Dec, 2013
Note:
(1) Let me narrate an experience of the late Yusuf Putih, the Sarawak State Secretary of the 1970s with the Penan of Baram, in interior Miri. Yusuf initiated some permanent settlement program for the nomadic Penan, to enable their greater access to the public facilities such as medical services, education, and other welfares. One day in his visit to the settlement place, he had a heart-to-heart talk to the community. He gave a fatherly advice, in the sense that the Government had spent lots of money to build them their nice homes, their farms and so fort. Thus, they must live in those houses, take care of what the Government had provided for them. Send their kids to school, and make full use of the medical facilities provided. They should stop wandering, roaming, start a settled live. Sure, the Penan out of great respect, they hear him in great silence. Then, he many times asked for comment or any idea from the Community. Thus, after great persuasion, the leader stood up and gave his words, sort of: Indeed I'm not interested to talk. But since Datuk is very persistant to make me to talk, so let me say this. This houses, farms, schools, and clinic are good. First the Government built them. We didn't ask for it. Now, the Government want us to take care and use all these which we didn't need. My question is, why is this Mr. (I repeat Mr) Government stay too faraway in Kuching, and not staying and taking care of what he (Mr. Government) had built?. What is the morale of the story? Sure that was in 1970s, but in early 1990s, when the Penan were taken to see Mahathir Mohammed at the PM's Office, upon their returned to Kuching when asked how do they feel after seeing Mahathir, their statement was very amazing: just as we go and see those Councillors ie junior officers at the Belaga District Office.
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