Robert Saweng
KUCHING (July 27): Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) must openly admit that in its long history of administering the state, it has failed to uplift the living standard of Sarawakians,” said Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB).
Its Youth chief Robert Saweng said there was no point talking about implementing mega projects when the people are poor, pointing out as it is now, Sarawak is “indisputably a clear case of a rich state but with poor people”.
He said instead of asking the federal government to do something about rural poverty in Sarawak, PBB, as the lynchpin of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) should do something to tackle the problem of rural poverty.
“PBB youth has to take the lead in helping to eradicate poverty in Sarawak as the party is more in touch with the rural poor than the federal government.
“By passing the buck to the federal government, PBB is washing their hands, which is their responsibility to tackle in the first place.
“After all, most of Sarawak’s rural constituencies are held by PBB which are PBB’s political support base,” he said in response to PBB Youth’s call to the federal government to verify their statistics on poverty in Sarawak.
Robert pointed out that the majority poor are the Dayaks, in particular the Ibans, saying the Pesaka faction of PBB, which claimed to champion Dayaks, while apart from the continuous brainwashing like ‘Anang Ngelaban Perintah’ does not seem to have done much.
He said they dared not speak for their own race even when they were aware Dayaks had been sidelined in every aspect conceivable.
“Just look at the State Civil Service, award of places in university and scholarships.
“More importantly, the ministers talked about the need for Dayaks to go into modern farming but they have failed to bring the community’s customary land (NCR) into the system.
“We are talking about the needs to survey the NCR land and issue Section 18 title to it,” he said.
Robert suggested that in addressing the poverty issues in the state, instead of finger pointing the responsibility to the federal government and arguing the validity of the data on poverty, PBB Youth should ask themselves, are the poor living in poverty because they are lazy or because their government is corrupt?
He said they should also ask themselves how PBB can help to address the issues or is the “Political Government” of the state that had been instituted since 1966 providing a new system of political responsibility that can get the job done and provide the tools for sustainable development.
Robert said they also should ask themselves if the present government instilled the bravery, fortitude, realism and responsibility to empower the poor to end poverty amongst the poor; are the ruling political parties aware of the government’s aid that was for the benefit of the poor being pocketed by powerful individuals (as per the court case of supplying solar power to rural schools in the state but the project was benefiting an individual to the tune of billions of ringgit!); is rural poverty the result of Tun (Pehin Sri) Taib Mahmud’s politics of development?
He said since the Sarawak state government has aggressively embarked on the development of timber industries, plantations, dams and oil and gas industries, the PBB Youth should also ask themselves that despite much of the state’s resources been poured and spent on developing the above, has it been a failure in the sense that it has failed to eradicate rural poverty?
“PBDSB is of the view that at the most basic level, the key to eradicating poverty is to enable the poorest of the poor to get their foot on the ladder of economic sustainable development.
“The development ladder hovers overhead, and the poorest of the poor are stuck beneath it. They lack the minimum amount of capital necessary to get foothold, and therefore need a boost-up to the first rung,” he said.
Robert said PBDSB believed that the poor in the rural areas of Sarawak lack major capitals, like human capital development where health, nutrition and skills are needed for each person to be economically productive, and every citizen should be given assistance (not only for the privileged selected race as revealed in the imbalance of state civil service) regardless of creed or race.
He said the poor also need business capital – the machinery, facilities, motorised transport used in agriculture, industry and services, motorable road, adequate basic infrastructure such as electricity, treated piped drinking water and sanitation, and telecommunication system that are critical input into business productivity, natural capital – arable land, healthy soils, biodiversity, and well-functioning ecosystem that provides environmental services needed by human society (for rural eco-tourism and cultural tourism).
“Aside from that, the poor need public institutional capital – the commercial law – judiciary system and government services needed to protect and conserve the native rights, such as land rights, human rights and economic rights that are enshrined in the constitution.
“They also need knowledge capital – the scientific and technological know-how that raises productivity in business output and the promotion of physical and natural capital of the rural poor,” he added.
Besides that, PBB must admit that they are fully aware of the above which is sorely lacking, he stressed.
He said PBB has to take steps and responsibility and accountability, being a major ruling political party to address such issues like rural poverty, instead of finger pointing to the federal government.
“As strong supporters of the federal Barisan Nasional (BN) government, it does not seem to be producing the desired result as Sarawakians would want it to be.
“What have the state MPs done in Parliament as they have failed to fight for sustainable development for Sarawak?
“What have the Sarawak Federal Cabinet members done to ensure participative and inclusive activities drawn up for Sarawak?
“PBDSB would like to ask, where has the state’s wealth gone to, and for the state government to be more transparent in its spending.
“With rampant poverty in Sarawak, despite the state being rich in natural resources is the state government admitting its failure to improve the standard of living especially in the rural areas in Sarawak,” he asked.
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