Why I yearn for change to happen in Sarawak

From Sarawakian4Change, via e-mail

Dear Sarawakians and fellow Malaysians Greetings from the Land of the Hornbill. I am writing to do my small part in making sure change will happen to our beloved state, Sarawak.

As we have read from the online and printed media, TV and radios, political parties from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) are campaigning hard to win the hearts and minds of us fellow Sarawakians.

Before you cast your votes coming this Saturday, April 16, please consider why I long for change to happen in our beloved land;

* I am a pure Sarawakian, born, bred, working (and will die) here in Sarawak. I don’t have other places to go or to migrate to. I am afraid if I do not do anything, my children and grandchildren will suffer due to lack of opportunities in the state. They may have to work abroad (like the 80 thousand Sarawakians who are now residing in Johor and other states in Semenanjung), their forests gone, their river polluted, etc…

* For the past 47 years under the rule of the current government and 30 years under the current CM, I (and I believe you too) have heard, read stories and proof (via online news) of the rampant abuse of power by the current leaders to enrich themselves, their families and their cronies. Sarawakians are being robbed in broad daylight for the past three decades!

* Sarawak is the richest state in Malaysia. We have petroleum, gas, timber and minerals. Yet, according to World Bank report last year, Sarawak is the poorest state after Sabah! Where does our wealth go to? Hundreds of thousands of us fellow Sarawakians are poor, living from hand to mouth everyday. Only the select few enjoyed life beyond our imagination while the rest of us wonder where our next meal will come from.

* Our NCR land are being taken away from the rural people whose livelihood depends on it. Those that rake in hundreds of millions from the deals are not even the owners of the land. They only sold pieces of paper to the highest bidders. According to online report (www.sarawakreport.org), NCR 20x the size of Singapore have been taken by the family and the well connected. What will happen to the children and grandchildren of the rural people? Sooner or later, they will be squatters on their own land.

* Some of our leaders have been in power for as long as I can remember. The danger of staying in power for too long is that, you might think that it is your God-given right. You think that you are invincible. Thus, greed will conquer the heart, leading to abuse of power and massive corruption. Look at examples from dictators around the world, Husni Mubarak of Egypt, Ferdinand Marcos of Philipines and others.

* Our rural people have been warned that voting opposition (i.e. PR) is voting ‘against the government’. Do they forget that we the ‘rakyat’ are the government? If the government is abusing its power, corrupt and inefficient, then it is the right embedded under the constitution for us to vote and kick the current government out.

* The current government mentioned that Opposition do not have the experience to govern the state. Well, look at Penang and Selangor, the two states governed by PR. It is more transparent, accountable and efficient. Proof? More investments are coming into the states than when they were governed by BN!

* We also need to ensure that our rights to practise our religion be it Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. are protected as enshrined under the constitution.

I have many other reasons but I don’t want to waste your time with them. I think you’ve got the point. Sarawak is ripe for change now. For the past weeks, one thought has been disturbing my mind.

If I see, hear and know that someone is doing something wrong and yet I don’t do anything, then, I too am responsible, for not taking action. I am as guilty as the person who commits the crime. Thus, after having sleepless nights, I have decided to start my ‘little campaign’.

You too, can do your part to bring change to Sarawak. Here are what you can do:

* Check your voting channel by logging in to Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia website http://www.spr.gov.my/

* Go and vote for PR candidate at your constituency. Go early if you are in rural areas.

* Bring your camera, handphones, etc. and taking photos of ’dirty tactics’ campaign and post it up in online news such as Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider, Sarawak Update, Suara Sarawak, Sarawak Report, etc

* If you cannot cast your vote, then ask, request or call your family, friends and colleagues to vote for PR. Explain to them why as mentioned above.

* You can distribute this email to all your email contacts. Please paste their email addresses at the ‘Bcc’ column to protect the privacy of the email accounts holders.

* Post campaign news onto your Facebook, Twitter and blogs as frequent as possible.

* Attend campaign ceramah and hear for yourself why we need to change.

* Donate your time, money and other resources to help PR in their campaign. They are up against BN mighty 3M weapons ; money, media and manpower.

Lastly, only WE can make the change happen. Imagine, many years from now, our children and grandchildren may ask us what have we done for them to ensure a better life, what answer will we give to them? Now is the time. Vote for change. Vote for PR.

God bless you. God bless Sarawak.