HAPPY NEW YEAR...........................

Surat kepada YB-YB ahli Parlimen & ADUN SARAWAK

Badan Kebajikan Siswa/Siswi Sarawak,
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris,
35900Tanjong Malim,
Perak Darul Ridzuan.
________________________________________________________________________

Rujukan Kami : 09/Baksar/upsi/09 (04)
Tarikh : 26/11/200


YB-YB Ahli Parlimen & DUN
SARAWAK,


YB Tan Sri/Datuk Amar/Datuk Seri/Datuk/Tuan/Puan,


DISKAUN PELAJAR UNTUK KAPAL TERBANG

Saya dengan segala hormatnya merujuk perkara diatas.

2. Merujuk perkara di atas, saya mewakili anak-anak Sarawak ingin meminta jasa baik pihak YB-YB ahli Parlimen dan ADUN Sarawak untuk menyuarakan hasrat dan permintaan kami anak-anak Sarawak yang sedang melanjutkan pelajaran di Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Kami berharap pihak YB-YB dapat menyuarakan harapan kami ke hadapan pihak berwajib bagi membantu kami.

3. Untuk pengetahuan pihak YB-YB, kos penerbangan pergi dan balik ketika cuti adalah mahal untuk pelajar Sarawak. Sebagai mahasiswa/i, kami merasakan bahawa kos untuk tiket pergi dan balik ke Sarawak adalah mahal kerana selain membeli tiket kapal terbang, kami juga perlu mengunakan wang pinjaman PTPTN kami untuk perbelanjaan lain-lain terutama untuk belajar.

4. Justeru itu, kami meminta jasa baik pihak YB-YB untuk membawa cadangan kami iaitu supaya diwujudkan satu harga yang seragam dan mampu untuk mahasiswa/i. Hal ini demikian kerana kita semua sedia maklum bahawa tiket kapal tebang untuk dua syarikat iaitu MAS dan Airasia sentiasa berubah dan kadang-kadang ia menyukarkan pelajar kerana kebiasaannya tambang murah sentiasa pada waktu peperiksaan akhir. Jadi kami juga mencadangkan agar tambang yang seragam, murah dan sesuai untuk mahasiswa/i ditetapkan. Kami mengharapkan dengan kewujudan tambang yang seragam, ia akan memudahkan mahasiswa/i untuk mendapatkan tiket kapal terbang pada bila-bila masa dan memudahkan kami untuk ke pulang ke Sarawak.

5. Segala tindakan dan perhatian pihak YB-YB ini amatlah dihargai dan didahului dengan ucapan berbanyak terima kasih. Pihak kami juga akan menghantar laporan cadangan kami untuk pihak YB-YB. Sekian. Terima Kasih.

Sekian.
Yang benar,

[ SAMUEL SILA MATHEW UNJAH ]
SETIAUSAHA AGUNG
BADAN KEBAJIKAN SISWA SISWI SARAWAK
UNIVERSITI PENDIDIKAN SULTAN IDRIS
HP: 0137117477

IBAN PEOPLE

The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. They were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks. Ibans were renowned for practising headhunting and tribal/territorial expansion. A long time ago, being a very strong and successful warring tribe, the Ibans were a very feared tribe in Borneo. They speak the Iban language.

Today, the days of headhunting and piracy are long gone and in has come the modern era of globalization and technology for the Ibans. The Iban population is concentrated in Sarawak, Brunei, in the West Kalimantan region of Indonesia. They live in longhouses called rumah panjai or rumah panjang [1]. Most of the Iban longhouses are equipped with modern facilities such as electricity and water supply and other facilities such as (tar sealed) roads, telephone lines and the internet. Younger Ibans are mostly found in urban areas and visit their hometowns during the holidays. The Ibans today are becoming increasingly urbanised while (surprisingly) retaining most of their traditional heritage and culture.

Iban History
The origin of the name Iban is a mystery, although many theories exist. During the British colonial era, the Ibans were called Sea Dayaks. Some believe that the word Iban was an ancient original Iban word for people or man. The modern-day Iban word for people or man is mensia, a slightly modified Malay loan word of the same meaning (manusia).

The Ibans were the original inhabitants of Borneo Island. Like the other Dayak tribes, they were originally farmers, hunters, and gatherers. Not much is known about Iban people before the arrival of the Western expeditions to Asia. Nothing was ever recorded by any voyagers about them.

The Ibans were unfortunately branded for being pioneers of headhunting. Headhunting among the Ibans is believed to have started when the lands occupied by the Ibans became over-populated. In those days, before the arrival of western civilization, intruding on lands belonging to other tribes resulted in death. Confrontation was the only way of survival.

In those days, the way of war was the only way that any Dayak tribe could achieve prosperity and fortune. Dayak warfare was brutal and bloody, to the point of ethnic cleansing. Many extinct tribes, such as the Seru and Bliun, are believed to have been assimilated or wiped out by the Ibans. Tribes like the Bukitan, who were the original inhabitants of Saribas, are believed to have been assimilated or forced northwards as far as Bintulu by the Ibans. The Ukits were also believed to have been nearly wiped out by the Ibans.

The Ibans started moving to areas in what is today's Sarawak around the 15th century. After an initial phase of colonising and settling the river valleys, displacing or absorbing the local tribes, a phase of internecine warfare began. Local leaders were forced to resist the tax collectors of the sultans of Brunei. At the same time, Malay influence was felt, and Iban leaders began to be known by Malay titles such as Datu (Datuk), Nakhoda and Orang Kaya.

In later years, the Iban encountered the Bajau and Illanun, coming in galleys from the Philippines. These were seafaring tribes who came plundering throughout Borneo. However, the Ibans feared no tribe, and fought the Bajaus and Illanuns. One famous Iban legendary figure known as Lebor Menoa from Entanak, near modern-day Betong, fought and successfully defeated the Bajaus and Illanuns. It is likely that the Ibans learned seafaring skills from the Bajau and the Illanun, using these skills to plunder other tribes living in coastal areas, such as the Melanaus and the Selakos. This is evident with the existence of the seldom-used Iban boat with sail, called the bandung. This may also be one of the reasons James Brooke, who arrived in Sarawak around 1838, called the Ibans Sea Dayaks. For more than a century, the Ibans were known as Sea Dayaks to Westerners.

Religion, Culture and Festivals
The Ibans were traditionally animist, although the majority are now Christian, some of them Muslim and many continue to observe both Christian and traditional ceremonies, particularly during marriages or festivals.

Significant festivals include the rice harvesting festival Gawai Dayak, the main festival for the Ibans. Other festivals include the bird festival Gawai Burong and the spirit festival Gawai Antu. The Gawai Dayak festival is celebrated every year on the 1st of June, at the end of the harvest season, to worship the Lord Sempulang Gana. On this day, the Ibans get together to celebrate, often visiting each other. The Iban traditional dance, the ngajat, is performed accompanied by the taboh and gendang, the Ibans' traditional music. Pua Kumbu, the Iban traditional cloth, is used to decorate houses. Tuak, which is originally made of rice, is a wine used to serve guests. Nowadays, there are various kinds of tuak, made with rice alternatives such as sugar cane, ginger and corn.

The Gawai Burong (the bird festival) is held in honour of the War God, Singalang Burong. The name Singalang Burong literally means "Singalang the Bird". This festival is initiated by a notable individual from time to time and hosted by individual longhouses. The Gawai Burong originally honoured warriors, but during more peaceful times evolved into a healing ceremony. The recitation of pantun (traditional chants by poets) is a particularly important aspect of the festival.
For the majority of Ibans who are Christians, some Chrisitian festivals such as Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and other Christian festivals are also celebrated. Most Ibans are devout Christians and follow the Christian faith strictly.
Despite the difference in faiths, Ibans of different faiths do help each other during Gawais and Christmas. Differences in faith is never a problem in the Iban community. The Ibans believe in helping and having fun together. This is ironic for a tribe who once waged war with others due to differences.

Musical & Dancing Heritage
Iban music is percussion-oriented. The Iban have a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung ensembles - percussion ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drones without any accompanying melodic instrument. The typical Iban agung ensemble will include a set of engkerumungs (small agungs arranged together side by side and played like a xylophone), a tawak (the so-called 'bass'), a bendai (which acts as a snare) and also a set of ketebung (a single sided drum/percussion).

The Iban as well
as the Kayan also play an instrument resembling the flute called 'Sapek'. The Sapek is the official musical instrument for the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is played similarly to the way rock guitarists play guitar solos, albeit a little slower, but not as slow as blues.[ One example of Iban traditional music is the taboh.
The Ibans perform a unique dance called the ngajat. It serves many purposes depending on the occasion. During Gawais, it is used to entertain the people who in the olden days enjoy graceful ngajats as a form of entertainment. Iban men and women have different styles of ngajat. The ngajat involves a lot of precise body-turning movements. The ngajat for men is more aggressive and depicts a man going to war, or a bird flying (as a respect to the Iban god of war, Singalang Burong). The women's form of ngajat consists of soft, graceful movements with very precise body turns. Each ngajat is accompanied by the taboh.

Branches of the Iban People
Although Ibans generally speak a dialect which is mutually intelligible, they can be divided into different branches which are named after the geographical areas where they reside.

Majority of Ibans who live around the Lundu and Samarahan region are called Sebuyaus.
Ibans who settled in areas in Serian district (places like Kampung Lebor, Kampung Tanah Mawang & others) are called Remuns. They may be the earliest Iban group to migrate to Sarawak.

Ibans who originated from Sri Aman area are called Balaus.
Ibans who come from Betong, Saratok & parts of Sarikei are called Saribas.
The Lubok Antu Ibans are classed by anthropologist as Ulu Ai Ibans.
Ibans from Undup are called Undup Ibans. Their dialect is somewhat a cross between the Ulu Ai dialect & the Balau dialect.

Ibans living in areas from Sarikei to Miri are called Rajang Ibans. They are the majority group of the Iban people. They can be found along the Rajang River, Sibu, Kapit, Belaga, Kanowit, Song, Sarikei, Bintangor, Bintulu and Miri. Their dialect is somewhat similar to the Ulu Ai dialect.

In Kalimantan (Indonesian part of Borneo), Iban people are even more diverse. The Kantu, Air Tabun, Semberuang, Sebaru' , Bugau, Mualang & along with many other groups are classed as "Ibanic people" by anthropologist. They can be related to the Iban either by the dialect they speak or their custom, ritual & their way of life.

RETHINKING OUR “PALAU” CULTURE

FROM
DAYAK BARU..

Pengawa “Palau” sigi nadai ngemai pemansang tauka pengidup meruan: True or False?

Most of us like to have a nice casual drink hours when we go out with our friends of an evening, and enjoy that merry feeling that comes after a few pints, when everything we say sounds like the most intelligent thing that’s ever been uttered, and everyone is, like, our best friend, ever.

And while there’s nothing wrong with having a couple of pints or a nice glass of beer/wine, there’s little doubt that too much of a good thing is bad for us. I always doubt a drunker would ever remember what he/she say or do they are under influence of alcohol.

It aren’t good for both young and old health, it leaves our wallets scarily lighter (wasn’t there a couple of fifty Ringgit notes in there before I went out last night?? For it could have been used for good deeds: future education needs, leverage saving, investment, insurances, nice clothing/snickers which you could wear everyday, etc), and those boozy sessions can result in a whole heap of embarrassment, with photographic evidence we’d just as soon never existed.

So find out what’s okay, what’s not, and protect your health, your hard earned money, your own safety, and don’t leave your loved ones behind unprepared. Just think of that for awhile whenever you think of that “Cap Apek”, “Ms Stella Atois”, “Mr Chivas Regal” and so on….

This is a state of creating awareness that alcoholism is bad for you, you family and most of all your community. I haven’t heard a drunker become the champion of others except for him/herself. What if you were caught in a candid camera or in reality TV show; I’m sure you might feel ashamed of what you done “yesterday”?

I don’t foresee you or anybody would look “beautiful”…. If you think “old drinking culture” brings goodness to you and/or your family or community then drink for your success, glory and achievement!

So tell me the basics… What is alcohol, and how does it affect me?

Alcohol is a depressant drug (yup, a drug), that slows down your body functions, both physically and mentally. Explaining why your reactions aren’t as fast after a few drinks, why your inhibitions are lowered, why your speech becomes slurred, and why you wake up the next morning with no recollection of how you got home. It’s likely to make you feel down (it being a depressant, and all), especially if you felt blue before you started, but can exaggerate an existing mood. So if you felt a bit aggressive or hyper before you got going, this will probably be magnified significantly after downing a few drinks.

What causes the raging hangover you get the very next day?

Your body’s instinctive reaction to alcohol is to try to flush it out of your system, resulting in dehydration. It also irritates the lining of your stomach; causing the nausea and vomiting that are such an awful part of the morning after.

To reduce the effects of a hangover, make sure you’ve eaten enough before you go out (that notion of ‘lining your stomach’ is not a bad one), and during the night, alternate booze with a soft drink (if you’re worried about getting slugged – which you SHOULDN’T be, but that’s another issue – then just don’t tell anyone there’s no Bacardi in your Bacardi and coke), and drink a big glass of water or good “teh si peng” or “teh tarik” or “black coffee” when you get home.

But remember, the only cure for a hangover is time. It takes your body a full hour to remove one standard drink from your system, no matter what you do. The coffee, the full breakfast or the cold shower might perk you up a bit, but you’ll be a caffeinated, well fed, clean and shiny drunk!

And why is it a bad idea to mix alcohol with other drugs?

Well, alcohol, being a depressant, is dangerous when you mix it with another depressant (which a variety of prescription and illegal drugs can be), as it can slow your body’s functioning to a point that can lead to organ failure. Combined with a stimulant, alcohol can lead to increased blood pressure, anxiety, confusion, aggression and paranoia.

The effects of certain over the counter drugs, like cough and cold remedies, painkillers, antihistamines and travel sickness pills, can be enhanced by drinking alcohol, even hours after taking them, so you’ll feel even drowsier, and your concentration and coordination will go down the plughole.

Alcohol can also interact with a wide variety of herbal supplements, so avoid these while drinking, especially Echinacea, chamomile and valerian, which cause serious drowsiness and/or sedation when combined with drink. “Enti ka panjai umor badu ngirup; Enti ka padam seput jampat agi anang nagang diri ngirup…”

So what’s too much alcohol?

First of all, you need to know how much you’re drinking – there can be a world of difference between the size of the glass of wine you’d pour yourself at home and the glass you’d get in the pub. And your gender counts too – unfortunately, basic biology means that girls can’t drink as much as boys (damn biology!).

Remember too that’s it not the volume of liquid you drink, it’s the percentage of alcohol that’s in it. One standard drink is considered to have 10 grams of pure alcohol. Even different brands of the same type of drink – different wines or beers, for instance – will have different percentages of alcohol in them. It’s a fantastic resource for calculating exactly how much alcohol is in your favorite drink.

But basically, experts advise that up to 14x standard drinks per week for a woman and 21x for a man is fairly safe. Unfortunately, you can’t save these all up for one “mad drinking splurge” at the weekend or happy hours.

NOTES: Our bodies just can’t process all that alcohol all at once and you should really only have 1 or 2 drinks in one go, if you’re a girl, and 2 or 3, if you’re a boy. Anything above this is considered unsafe, and is damaging to your health. You should also ensure that you have at least a couple of alcohol-free days during the course of the week. If you drink beyond your standard, you may be a target of a known “predator”? Beware too… “haruan makan haruan”…

What are the risks in drinking too much?

* It might not seem likely, but you can become dependent on alcohol, or alcoholic
* It can interfere with your sex life, causing erectile difficulties in men
* It can cause stomach problems, such as ulcers or stomach ulcers
* It can cause a nice little thing called pancreatitis, that results in severe abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting
* Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver disease
* An increased risk of certain cancers or other unforeseen diseases
* Mood changes
* Alcohol poisoning can lead to coma, brain damage and death

And that’s just the damage to your body. Other risks include:

* Alcohol’s interference with your functioning increases your vulnerability to fights, unprotected sex and sexual assault, getting robbed, or having an injury or serious accident (like a car crash).
* You are more likely to suffer relationship difficulties while drinking to excess
* You risk getting into trouble with the enforcement officers/authorities, and ending up with a criminal record

Remember, you don’t have to be an alcoholic to harm yourself or others – just one binge drinking session is all it takes to put yourself in danger. Favorite Dayak Lama’s words: “nama nuan ka ngemai bebukut pia…”/ “apooo…bajik amat indai blues nya madik….”/ “ehh….anang mayoh jako nuan wai, kitu tua belalai sulu….”/ “babi makai kita…ai bisa irup kita…”

And you should NOT drink in any of the following circumstances:

* If you are pregnant or think you might be
* If you are taking certain medications (check with your doctor)
* If you are driving, operating machinery, playing sports, seminar, official ceremonial or doing anything that requires coordination or unimpaired judgment

So how do you know if your drinking culture is becoming a problem?

You don’t have to be an alcoholic for drink to start causing problems in your life. If any of the following are true, you might want to have a closer look at how much your drinking culture has affect you and why? And maybe take a bit of a break from the booze for a while.

* You drink to forget about your problems, or conquer your shyness or anxiety
* You drink over the recommended amount on a regular basis
* You find it difficult to stop drinking once you start, even if you don’t drink too often
* You are secretive about drinking
* You suffer from memory loss or blackouts after drinking
* You feel guilty about drinking
* Drinking interferes with your ability to do the things you usually do, or should do, like going to work or interview or examination/test or college and/or even school
* Drinking starts to disrupt other areas of your life, like your relationships with family or friends, your finances, your health or your behavior and/or financial status

What to do in an emergency… If someone you’re with is very drunk

* Stay with them, and do not allow them to have any more alcohol
* Keep them warm
* Get them home safely and do not just bundle them into a taxi on their own
* If they pass out, put them into the recovery position (on their side, with the top leg bent, the top arm bent across the chest, with the palm of the hand under the cheek). Never move anyone with a suspected spinal injury
* Call an ambulance or ask someone else to do it

But how can I have fun without drinking?!

It can be difficult to go booze free, especially as our Dayak Lama Culture often centers in the “ruai of rumahpanjai” and/or around the pub either during the festive holiday or “election fiesta”. Ask your friends to support your decision, and not to give you too much of a hard time if you’re enjoying a soft drink in the pub. If they just won’t quit, tell them to “F-off”.

If pubs aren’t your thing anyway, there are lots of other things you can do. Put your persuasive hat on and ask your friends to try out some of your hobbies, whatever they might be.

But if you do take such drink

* Don’t forget your dinner! Fill your belly with carbohydrates like rice, noodles and bread. Yummy!
* Don’t be in a hurry! Remember – your liver can only remove one standard drink from your body an hour.
* Think water, and drink water! While you drink, and after. Also pace yourself with lots of soft drinks.
* Avoid drinking games, or competitive drinking! Maybe fun now, but you’ll pay the price later. Try not avoiding rounds too, or limiting them to just one or two friends. If others in a round are drinking faster than you’re comfy with, just slow down, or opt out of the round altogether.
* Never accept drinks from strangers, no matter how good-looking they are, and remember that the reason they might look so great anyway might be all down to the beer goggles! And you’re hardly drop dead gorgeous yourself when you’re drop down drunk.
* Don’t leave your drink unattended either… if you leave one on the bar while you go to the loo, ditch it and buy a new one.
* And remember to plan how you’re going to get home before you start drinking. Keep your taxi numbers in a safe place, along with some cash to pay for your cab.

If you’re a soccer star extraordinaire or just an occasional jogger/hiker, get the low down on how alcohol can affect your performance with our guide,

Having a drink is a big part of Dayak Lama’s culture and social life. So is sport and exercise. For most adults/youths, enjoying alcohol in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t cause any problems.

Of course many people enjoy a drink when they are socializing as alcohol can help you relax. There are many good health, family and social reasons why you may decide not to drink. If you choose not to drink alcohol either as a lifestyle choice or on any particular occasion, people should support you in this and you shouldn’t feel pressured to drink by your team mates.

One Standard Drink: A glass of stout/lager/cider (284ml) or a small glass of tuak/wine (100ml) or a pub measure of spirit (35.5ml)

Change our Dayak Lama “ngirup” culture first

If we want Change then change this old traditional “ngirup” culture first! There is no such thing as “enti ka ngirup, ngirup mimit-mimit aja tau”…. And I do believe there’s no such thing as “one for the road” too. Societies that believe in promoting “bad drinking culture” are normally the loser and usually faced with backwardness. Alcohol win but you’re looser!

Conclusion

To the Iban and/or bansa Dayak in general, kindly rethink your old “ngirup” heritage culture. Used alternative drink to welcome your honorable guest and/or promoting a toast. We’re already living a change of modernization or a Dayak Baru civilization. I know Iban/Dayaks are known for their bravery as the great “headhunters’ but they’re also great “pemabuk” too! You no warrior if you’re alcoholic.

Lastly, from me: Teach your children to drink alcohol; you train them to become a professional drinker one day. Teach your children to save money; you help them to build their own wealth one day. To become prosper like others, you have to learn from their success culture and/or stories.

Not just Change the political arena but Change your old alcoholistic culture too. I started yesterday and how about you? Good luck!

Majlis Anugerah Kecermerlangan Jabatan Sejarah & Jabatan Pengajian Malaysia 2009...

MEMO
PERSATUAN MAHASISWA SEJARAH (PERMAS)
PERSATUAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA (PPMAS)

KEPADA:
MAHASISWA & MAHASISWI
PENDIDIKAN SEJARAH
& &
PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA DENGAN PENDIDIKAN

DARIPADA:
MAJLIS TERTINGGI PERMAS & PPMAS
1. JABATAN SEJARAH & JABATAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA AKAN MENGADAKAN MAJLIS ANUGERAH KECEREMERLANGAN JABATAN SEJARAH & JABATAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA YANG BERTUJUAN UNTUK MEMBERI PENGIKTIRAFAN KEPADA MAHASISWA/I SEJARAH DAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA YANG BERJAYA MENDAPAT ANUGERAH DEKAN. SELAIN ITU IA TURUT MEMBERI PENGIKTIRAFAN KEPADA MAHASISWA/I YANG BERJAYA DI DALAM KOKURIKULUM.

2. BUTIRAN PROGRAM:
TARIKH : 29 OKTOBER 2009
HARI :KHAMIS
MASA :8 MLM – 11.00 MLM
TEMPAT :AUDITORIUM UTAMA
PAKAIAN :FORMAL

*PARA PENERIMA ANUGERAH DEKAN DIWAJIBKAN MENGHADIRI MAJLIS INI DAN DIWAJIBKAN JUGA MENYERTAI REASEL YANG DIADAKAN PADA 29 OKTOBER 2009, JAM 2 PETANG DI AUDITORIUM UTAMA.

*SENARAI PENERIMA ANUGERAH DEKAN BOLEH MERUJUK TERUS DI PAPAN KENYATAAN KETUA JABATAN SEJARAH & KETUA JABATAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA. ANDA JUGA DIMINTA MENGESAHKAN KEHADIRAN ANDA DENGAN MENANDATANGANI DI SEBELAH NAMA ANDA DI DALAM KERTAS SENARAI PENERIMA ANUGERAH DEKAN SELEWAT-LEWATNYA RABU INI (21 OKTOBER 2009).

*Sesiapa yang berminat menjadi AJK Perlaksana bolehlah terus menghubungi Pengarah Program. Sijil Disediakan.

SEKIAN. TERIMA KASIH,
SAMUEL SILA MATHEW UNJAH.
(PENGARAH PROGRAM MAKJSJPM 09)

Isu Posting: Kenyataan NYDP PERMAS & SETIAUSAHA AGUNG BAKSAR

Salam Sejahtera kepada semua Ahli-Ahli PERMAS & BAKSAR UPSI

Kepada ahli-ahli PERMAS & BAKSAR, saya berharap anda semua bertenang terutama dalam isu POSTING yang hangat dikatakan. Semalam saya sempat mengadakan perjumpaan dengan TNC Akademik & Antarabangsa UPSI, Prof Dr. Zakaria Kasa berkenaan dengan isu ini. Beliau telah menjelaskan bahawa beliau hanya ingin mengingatkan kepada pelajar sahaja kemungkinan kalaui berlaku masalah ini kelak, para pelajar UPSI sudah bersedia menghadapinya.

Prof. Zakaria turut menyatakan bahawa tidak ada mana-mana pekeliling daripada KPM berkaitan penanguhan atau pembekuan posting kepada pelajar di IPTA atau mana-mana institusi. Beliau juga menyeru kepada bakal graduan terutama semester 7 supaya merebut peluang yang ditawarkan oleh UPSI untuk menyambung pelajaran ke peringkat MASTER dan kemudian PHD sebagai satu langkah untuk memajukan pelajar dan mengukuhkan lagi peluang pekerjaan pelajar-pelajar nanti.

Menurut beliau, Universiti juga menawarkan semakin banyak peluang untuk menyambung pelajaran ke peringkat MASTER dan PHD. Saya berharap semua pihak bertenang dan sekiranya ingin mengetahui lebih lanjut, bolehlah bertemu dengan saya untuk penjelasan lebih lanjut.

* Pada 29 HB OKtober 2009, Jabatan Sejarah akan mengadakan Majlis Anugerah Dekan dan dijangka dirasmikan oleh TNC Akademik & Antarabangsa. Sesiapa yang berminat menjadi AJK Perlaksana Majlis bolehlah menghubungi saya dan anda dialu-alukan menjadi AJK Perlaksana. Sijil akan diberikan.


"Mahasiswa Didahulukan, Kebajikan Diutamakan, Kualiti Dimartabatkan"

Sekian.,
Samuel Sila Mathew Unjah
Naib Yang Dipertua PERMAS
Setiausaha Agung BAKSAR

“How the Sea Dayaks are called Iban”

After some warriors had been killed and wounded, Entinggi called Tindin by the Bukitan word isan1. Tindin was surprise and said, “Why do you address me as isan. Have you got any son?”

Entinggi answered, “Yes. I have a son named Demong. Now let us sit down and try to resolve our misunderstanding peacefully.”

Tindin was glad to hear these gracious words from the headman of his enemy and he agreed to stop fighting and try to reason out their quarrel.

Tindin declared that it would be both wise and proper if Entinggi agreed to a marriage between his son and Tindin’s own daughter in order to restore peace as soon as possible between the Bukitans and the Dayaks. However, Tindin insist that the marriage can be approved if Entinggi agrees to pay him compensation known as drian palit mata or a dowry. The dowry is for the purpose of abolishing racial enmity between the two tribes. Entinggi promptly agreed and said that he had no malice in his heart neither had he any territorial ambition other than to defend the life of his people against the invading Ibans. It was here that the Bukitans first called the Sea Dayaks Iban due to the fact that they were pushing other races out and taking all into their possession.

Entinggi was pleased and agreed to Tindin’s suggestion. He assured him that before long he would pay the drian palit mata as claimed so that his son, Demong would marry Rinda, Tindin’s daughter.

Tindin also felt it would be proper to demand of Entinggi a padi bin full of new heads plus a large brass gong in recognition of his rank as a chief extraordinary authority, who had the right to claim for dowry according to the tradition founded by Serapoh.

Entinggi agreed to all this. At the conclusion of the negotiation he invited Tindin to accompany him to the Paku to see for himself the beauty and fertility of that district. The eager Tindin at once consented and took some of his leading warriors with him. In Paku, Entinggi took Tindin to meet various Bukitan chieftains including Entigu. Tindin found that Entigu and his people were nomads who wandered in the forest while Entinggi and his people were settled down and planted crops for food.

After Tindin had seen the length and width and fertility of the land, he told Entinggi that he was attracted and would like to migrate there with his followers if Entinggi would permit them. The Bukitan chief had no objections so long as the proposed marriage took place.

Entinggi said, “Through this marriage, the future of this country will become the everlasting inheritance of our descendants.”

When all the things including the dowry had been discussed, Tindin asked for further presents as a token of the first marriage between a Dayak and a Bukitan. These includes;

1. One brass cannon
2. One blowpipe
3. One tanggui serawong of the kind worn by high ranking Iban brides especially on the first day they live with their husbands.

Entinggi agreed with all this that a month later the marriage feast was celebrated in Skrang. Rinda was taken by Entinggi to Paku to live with Demong. Not long after this, Tindin migrated to Paku and settled at the Upper Pengar stream near Spaoh. He then moved again to Tanjong Melanyut where he died of old age, greatly mourned by both the Dayaks and the Bukitans. He was buried opposite Nanga Beduru.

A year after her marriage to Demong, Rinda gave birth to a male child. She later had four more children, three boys and one girl named Jawai. Unfortunately Jawai died when she was about fifteen years old. But because of her noble birth, her body was not buried in the ordinary Sea Dayak way. Instead the corpse was placed in a coffin and put on a platform about six feet from the ground to await the decomposition of the flesh. This method of burial was known as lumbong and the site of Jawai’s lumbong is still known although today the practice has disappeared along with the Bukitan people who originated it.

Rinda died shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Bakak. She was killed by a falling rafter during a hurricane and was buried with her father at Nanga Beduru.

After the death of Rinda, Demong remarried. This time he married a Bukitan named Lemia, by whom he had many children. These children afterwards married other Bukitans before they moved into Julau, a left tributary of the Kanowit River of the present Third Division.
Footnotes

1. Isan is an Iban term of address used between parent of children who are married together. [↩]

Today's Highlight in History

Today is Monday, Sept. 14, the 257th day of 2009. There are 108 days left in the year.


On Sept. 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write a poem after witnessing how Fort McHenry in Maryland had endured a night of British bombardment during the War of 1812; that poem, originally called "Defence of Fort McHenry," later became the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," the American national anthem.

On this date:

In 1812, the Russians set fire to Moscow in the face of an invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops.

In 1836, former Vice President Aaron Burr died in Staten Island, N.Y., at age 80.

In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces under Gen. Winfield Scott took control of Mexico City.

In 1901, President William McKinley died in Buffalo, N.Y., of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

In 1927, modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan died in Nice, France, when her scarf became entangled in a wheel of the sports car she was riding in.

In 1948, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in New York at the site of the United Nations' world headquarters.

In 1964, Pope Paul VI opened the third session of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, also known as "Vatican II." (The session closed two months later.)

In 1975, Pope Paul VI declared Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton the first U.S.-born saint.

In 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly actress Grace Kelly, died at age 52 of injuries from a car crash the day before; Lebanon's president-elect, Bashir Gemayel, was killed by a bomb.

In 1988, Hurricane Gilbert slammed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 5 storm after forcing thousands of residents to flee.

Ten years ago: Indonesian soldiers looted the abandoned U.N. mission in East Timor, just hours after 110 U.N. personnel and 1,300 East Timorese were evacuated and flown to safety to end a 10-day siege. Hurricane Floyd clobbered the Bahamas, toppling power lines, ripping roofs off homes and pushing a roiling sea into streets before heading toward the southeastern United States.

Five years ago: Guerrillas bombed a Baghdad shopping street full of police recruits and fired on a police van north of the capital, killing some 60 people. President George W. Bush told veterans in Las Vegas he was proud of his time in the Texas Air National Guard as he sought to deflect questions about his Vietnam-era service.

One year ago: Losing its devastating punch as a major hurricane, Ike nevertheless drubbed the Midwest with powerful winds and floodwaters. Carlos Zambrano pitched the first no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs in 36 years, striking out 10 in a 5-0 win over Houston in a game relocated to Milwaukee because of Hurricane Ike.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Zoe Caldwell is 76. Feminist author Kate Millett is 75. Actor Walter Koenig is 73. Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown is 69. Singer-actress Joey Heatherton is 65. Actor Sam Neill is 62. Singer Jon "Bowzer" Bauman (Sha Na Na) is 62. Rock musician Ed King is 60. Rock musician Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) is 54. Country singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman is 53. Actress Mary Crosby is 50. Singer Morten Harket (a-ha) is 50. Country singer John Berry is 50. Actress Melissa Leo is 49. Actress Faith Ford is 45. Actor Jamie Kaler is 45. Actress Michelle Stafford is 44. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is 44. Rock musician Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers) is 43. Actor Dan Cortese is 41. Contemporary Christian singer Mark Hall is 40. Actor Ben Garant is 39. Rock musician Craig Montoya (Tri Polar) is 39. Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley is 38. Rapper Nas is 36. Country singer Danielle Peck is 31. Pop singer Ayo is 29. Singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse is 26. Actor Adam Lamberg is 25.

Thought for Today: "America has been called a melting pot, but it seems better to call it a mosaic, for in it each nation, people or race which has come to its shores has been privileged to keep its individuality, contributing at the same time its share to the unified pattern of a new nation." — King Baudouin I of Belgium (1930-1993).

MITOS: PECAHKAN..Hissamudin Rais

Dalam negara kita ada beberapa mitos yang disebarkan. Pada ketika mitos ini disebarkan ramai warga negara kita belum bersekolah. Maka mitos ini di terima bulat-bulat. Penyebaran mitos ini memang bertujuan untuk membodohkan kita semua. Tetapi dengan adanya internet kita dapat memecahkan mitos-mitos ini melaui pengkajian berdasarkan fakta-fakta.

DARI JELEBU oleh Hishamuddin Rais
Mitos ialah naratif yang dibuat bertujuan untuk memesongkan hakikat.

Contoh mitos : Raja di katakan jelmaan tuhan. Ini adalah mitos bertujuan untuk membodohkan kaum tani agar mereka memberikan tanamanmereka pada satu kumpulan manusia yang malas bekerja. Mitos ini berpanjangan dan ditokok tambah lepas satu – satu lagi ditambah. Hakikatnya mitos raja dari muntah lembu atau raja jelmaan tuhan bertujuan untuk menipu. Walhal antara raja dengan sesiapa sahaja tidak ada bezanya. Yang melahirkan perbezaan hanyalah mitos.

Contoh mitos : Pokok itu berhantu. Pokok itu wujud dan dapat dilihat dan dibuktikan. Tetapi hantu itu tidak wujud. Mitos hantu diwujudkan untuk menakut-nakut. Apabila kita takut maka kita akan mencari perlindungan. Peranan untuk melindungi kita dari hantu ialah bomoh dan dukun. Akhirnya kita tunduk pada kuasa bomoh dan dukun.

Mitos diwujudkan untuk tujuan baik dan tujuan jahat. Jangan pergi didalam gua ini ada hantu - adalah nasehat yang bersalurkan penakutan. Nasihat ini baik kerana cuba menjaga keselamatan. Ianya juga tidak baiak kerana asasnya satu pembohongan.

Hari ini mitos masih cuba di wujudkan – tetapi agak susah. Dengan kemajuan ilmu tidak ramai yang akan mempercayai mitos-mitos baru yang hendak direka. Mitos seperti angkasawan Neil Armstrong turun ke bulan terdengar suara azan. Atau mitos Bruce Lee mati kerana bersilat dengan Dicky Zulkarnain – semua ini cuba disebarkan untuk menjadi bahan lawak jenaka.

Tujuan asal mitos ialah untuk membodohkan dalam masa yang sama menakut-nakutkan orang ramai. Kalau Raja Jepun berasal Tuhan maka diharapkan rakyat Jepun akan tunduk – walhal kalau Raja Jepun ini makan petai – kencing dia tetap haring. Kalau Prince Charles tercirit baunya tetap busuk.

Lawan mitos ialah fakta. Fakta dapat dibuktikan melalui pengkajian. Ilmu pengetahuan manusia datang dari fakta dan pemikiran manusia. Semua ilmu dalam dunia ini berpunca dari tiga sumber. Pertama : Pengumpulan pengalamnan. Kedua: Kaji selidik. Ketiga : Ujian dalam bilik makmal.

Mitos ini akan pecah jika kita berfikir secara rasional. Kajian ilmiah akan dapat membuktikan sama ada ianya mitos atau fakta. Jika sesutu masih dalam kajian dan belum dapat dibuktikan betul atau slah maka ianya masih di tahap teori. Satu ketika dahulu Letupan Besar/ Bing Bang hanya satu teori – hari ini telah diterima sebagai fakta. Teori menjadi fakta apabila kajian dapat dibuktikan teori ini.

Ilmu pengetahuan adalah pengumpulan pengalaman manusia dari satu zaman ke satu zaman. Buruk atau baik pengalaman ini akan menjadi panduan. Panduan ini adalah ilmu pengetahuan. Ada ilmu pengetahuan yang turun dari mulut ke mulut. Ada yang dibukukan.

Dalam negara kita ada beberapa mitos yang disebarkan. Pada ketika mitos ini disebarkan ramai warga negara kita belum bersekolah. Maka mitos ini di terima bulat-bulat. Penyebaran mitos ini memang bertujuan untuk membodohkan kita semua. Tetapi dengan adanya internet kita dapat memecahkan mitos-mitos ini melaui pengkajian berdasarkan fakta-fakta..

MITOS PERTAMA:

Hari Malaysia bukan pada 31 Ogos tetapi 16 September. BOHING. Sabah ,Serawak, Singapura danPesekutuan Tanah Melayu menjadi PersekutuanMalaysia pada 16 September 1963. Singapura meninggalkan Malaysia pada9 Ogos 1965. Tidak percaya sila tanya orang Sabah dan Serawak.

MITOS KE DUA :

Merdeka dimulakan oleh United Malays National Organisation. BOHONG. Parti yang awal memperjuangan dan melaugkan slogan MERDEKA ialahKesatuan Melayu Muda di tubuh pada 1938. United Malays NationalOrganisation belum wujud lagi. Apabila wujud slogan United Malays National Organisation ialah HIDUP MELAYU dan bukan MERDEKA !

MITOS KE TIGA :

Kemerdekaan didapati tanpa tumpah darah. BOHONG. Parti Komunis Malaya, Angkatan Pemuda Insap, Anakatan Wanita Sedar, Hisbul Musliman, Peta, Malayan Democtaric Union, KMM dan ribuan warga telah bangun mengangkat senjata – pada mulanya melawan Jepun – kemudian melawan British. Tanpa angkat senjata British tidak akan undur.

MITOS KE EMPAT :

Lagu Negara-Ku dikatakan lagu kebangsaan kita. BOHONG. Lagi ini bukan ciptaan warga Tanah Melayu. Peciptanya orang Peranchis bernama Pierre Jean de Beranger (1780-1857) Nama asal ialah Memula Moon. Bertukar menjadi Terang Bulan. Di zaman Konfrontasi - Radio Repuklik Indonesia memainkan lagu ini untuk mengejek Tunku yang dianggap budak suruhan
British. Dari Terang Bulan menjadi Negara-ku.

MITOS KE LIMA :

Bendera Jalur Gemilang – namanya baru 5 tahun. Ini adalah tiruan bulatbulat dari bendera Amerika Syarikat yang bernama Star Spangled–Banner, Stars and Stripes dan Old Glory. Nama jalur gemilang pun diciplak dari nama bendera Amerika. Buktinya lihat Jalur Gemilang tidak
ada motif Nusantara/Melayu – warna merah dan puteh adalah motif Nusantara - merah darah rakyat - puteh hati rakyat.Motif Nusantara ini wujud dalam bendera Singapura dan Indonesia.

MITOS KE ENAM :

Wujud perpaduan Melayu. BOHONG. Tidak ada perpaduan Melayu. Tidak pernah terjadi perpadun Melayu semenjak konsep Melayu itu wujud. Tidak mungkin adanya perpaduan Melayu seperti mustahilnya lahir perpaduan China, perpaduan Arab, perpaduan Itali , perpaduan India.

Mito perpaduan Melayu bergerak dengan menakut-nakutkan orang Melayu dari di’telan’ oleh China dan India. Apabila Melayu jadi takut maka akan datang pembantu. Seperti mitos pokok ada hantu. Orang kampong takut pada hantu lalu memanggil bomoh untuk menghalau hantu. Ini cara klasik mitos bergerak. Takut-takut orang ramai. Apabila orang ramai takut maka mereka akan mencari perlindungan. Maka muncul United Malays National Organisation menjadi perlindung walhal yang menimbulkan kerena gerombolan ini.

MITOS KE TUJUH:

Malaysia negara unik. BOHONG. Mitos ini disebarkan untuk membodohkan rakyat negara ini yang malas membaca dan hanya suka mendengar. Mitos ini bertujun untuk menunjukkan hanya gerombolan United Malays National Organisation sahaja yang dapat memerintah kerana Malaysia unik.

Hakikatnya Malaysia tidak unik – bukan Malaysia sahaja dalam dunia ini yang berbilang kaum , yang berbilang bahasa, pelbagai agama dan budaya. Tidak ada negara yang monolith dalam dunia ini – semua ada kepelbagian. Setiap negara dalam dunia ini ada kepelbagaian.

TEKNOLOJI PECAHKAN MITOS

Lihatlah betapa teknoloji dan ilmu pengetahuan telah memecahkan mitos-mitos ini. Betapa internet telah membolehkan kita bersama-sama mencari fakta dan menilai dokumen sejarah.

Kalau dulu kita tidak tahu asal usul lagu Negara-ku – hari ini gambar dan riwayat hidup pembuat lagi ini kita kenali. Kalau dulu ada yang menerima mitos tentang kemedekaan dicapai tanpa tumpah darah. Hari ini mitos ini telah terbarai pecah. Dokument-dokumen sejarah semuanya boleh kita baca melaui internet.

Kemajuan manusia akan terus memecahkan mitos mitos yang lapuk dan berkarat ini. Teknoloji akan membebaskan manusia dari di perangkap dan di belenggu oleh mitos-mitos. Tanpa mitos manusia akan jadi berani. Insan yang berani bebas adalah insan yang berfikir. Manusia yang berfikir tidak akan tunduk kepada sesipa kecuali fikrahnya yang rasional.

Idris Jala:A minister reporting to a minister

There is nothing wrong with Najib's move to appoint Idris Jala as a Minister. Although, Idris probably is not the best CEO Malaysia Airlines ever had, he did fairly well. Despite his rather unexciting HR background, he made waves as a corporate leader. The likes of Tony Fernandes created tsunamis, but Idris Jala just needed to be impactful enough for the PM to stand up and take notice.

What people don't understand is why the Government needs another Minister to look at this thing called KPI. And why is this Minister answerable to another Minister, whose performance thus far has been far from impressive.

"The public is confused here," one of my regular correspondents from abroad pointed out. Najib needs to appoint more professionals to his Cabinet to help him realise the nation's Vision, but as the correspondence has it, "The execution of this strategy could have been better."

A SARAWAK PARTY IN WEST MALAYSIA

In this open spate of verbal boxing between MCA president and Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat and Bintulu MP and BN Backbenchers Club chairman Tiong King Sing, Ong has alluded to the plan by a multiracial party from Sarawak to enter into the fray in West Malaysia.

Ong’s revelation must have alarmed more than a few MCA members. MCA has lost a great deal of electoral real estate to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition in the general election last year. A multi-racial party from Sarawak could serve as a sanctuary for disaffected leaders and members, thereby weakening the MCA even more.

This revelation was confirmed by Tiong himself the next day. A Sarawak party in Peninsular Malaysia would offer an alternative for BN supporters who are unhappy with existing component parties of the BN coalition, according to him.

How credible is this bizarre scheme to bring a Sarawak party to cross the South China Sea to West Malaysla.

Tiong is probably referring to his own party, the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), of which he serves as treasurer. This is a splinter party that was formed in the aftermath of the de-registration of the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) in 2002. The party has four members of parliament and eight seats in the 71-seat Sarawak state assembly.

The SPDP is now in talks with another equally rural and equally Dayak-based party the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) for a merger. The talks are not expected to yield concrete results any time soon because of internal politicking within both parties.

In the eyes of many members of the Dayak intellegentia, both the SPDP and the PRS with eight state seats are the tools used by Parti Persaka Bumiputra Sarawak (PBB) headed by the Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to divide and rule the Sarawak Dayaks. PBB has 35 seats in the state assembly.

Tiong, a business tycoon who has been given the nickname “BN ATM”, has been known in Sarawak to be the man bankrolling the entire SPDP. In rural Sarawak, politics – especially during general elections – is a costly business beyond the reach of average Sarawakians. In the old days, SNAP used to depend heavily on another tycoon, James Wong Kim Min, for financial support. Ironically, Tiong was also said to have played a major role in the 'demise' of SNAP.

The Bintulu MP is also known to be interested in contesting the post of deputy president in the coming SPDP election in November, a position currently held by Peter Nyarok.


So far, not a single top leader from SPDP has openly given his support to Tiong over allegations that his company Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd has been involved in irregularities in the PKFZ scandal. None has come forth to lend credence to Tiong’s claim that the SPDP will attempt to make an entry into peninsular politics. It is the first time Sarawakians have heard of such an outlandish project.

But SPDP president William Mawan had since clarified that the party has no intention to go national and most of SPDP senior leaders are not in favour of Tiong's intention, some even telling him off. albeit behind his back.

Sarawak politicians within BN are usually quite low-keyed in their public statements. They also seem far more comfortable with political matters within the state territory of Sarawak. Their MPs do not speak out much in the Dewan Rakyat! It is hard to see how the SPDP leaders and members can operate in the very volatile contentious and often confrontational political atmosphere in Peninsular Malaysia.

SPDP is also hardly multiracial in substance. Tiong is their only Chinese wakil rakyat elected in the parliamentary constituency of Bintulu where there is an overwhelming Iban majority.

All things considered, the presence of a Sarawak political party in West Malaysia is hardly a viable proposition. It would be like asking a basketball team to go play football on a football field.


* SPDP= Serakup PEMELI DADAK PALUI

MEMO BAKSAR

PERHATIAN KEPADA SISWA-SISWI SARAWAK
www.baksarupsi.blogspot.com

MINGGU PENDAFTARAN ANAK-ANAK SARAWAK

PENDAFTARAN AHLI BARU DAN LAMA

TARIKH: 26 OGOS-4 SEPTEMBER
TEMPAT: FOYER, BITARASISWA, KOLEJ KEDIAMAN & BILIK PERSATUAN
MASA: 9.00 PAGI HINGGA 5.00 PETANG

*Yuran Pendaftaran: RM10 (Wajib)

• Bagi siswa-siswi Sarawak yang belum lagi mendaftar, anda DIWAJIBKAN mendaftar bagi memudahkan pihak BAKSAR mengetahui maklumat anda. Ia sangat penting untuk kebajikan anda semua dan juga memudahkan kami menghubungi anda sekiranya ada program atau isu-isu berkaitan anak-anak Sarawak.

• Selepas anda mendaftar, anda akan diberi kad keahlian BAKSAR dan pemegang kad ini akan menikmati pelbagai kemudahan sebagai keahlian.

• Setiap Program BAKSAR selepas ini akan dibuka kepada semua anak-anak Sarawak dan setiap program akan melibatkan semua tanpa pengecualian.

• Anda boleh membuat pendaftaran dengan menghubungi atau mengambil borang keahlian di:
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ATAU

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2) Bilik Persatuan ( Meja Persatuan Perpaduan)
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4) Foyer KAB ( Malam)

Sebarang masalah hubungi terus:

Richard-0133370672
Samuel- 0137117477

Disediakan:

Samuel Sila Mathew Unjah
Setiausaha Agung BAKSAR “Together in BAKSAR”

Some unfinished business: Untangling the peoples of Malaysia

When Merdeka was granted half a century ago, we inherited a number of items of unfinished business, the most critical of which was the urgent necessity to create a united Malayan nation and, soon afterwards, a Malaysian nation.

The late Tom Harrison, the famous curator of the Sarawak Museum, described Malaysia as “a tangle of peoples” in an article published in the Malaysian Outlook, a small journal I edited in Australia in 1963, in a fit of patriotism. “Konfrontasi” was in full swing then, and, given the dangerously unpredictable and volatile behaviour of Bung Karno of Indonesia, our future as a nation was by no means assured.

Harrison was not thinking so much about the Malays, Chinese and Indians of the Malay peninsula, but rather the often forgotten peoples making up the many different tribal and ethnic groups with their many different customs, religious beliefs and languages inhabiting Sabah and Sarawak. Almost overnight, they found themselves the citizens of a new and, to them, somewhat vague political creation called Malaysia. The Kadazan Dusuns, Bajaus, Punans, Penans, Kayans, Muruts and various others, I fear, still remain very much outside our consciousness, even after more than four decades of Malaysia. Need I say more about this serious lapse of memory? What national unity are we talking about without them?

When the British government responsible for the administration of these two colonial territories decided to bring to an honourable and dignified end of their stewardship and allow the sun to set on these, the last remnants of their Eastern Empire, the newly-proclaimed state of Malaysia took on not only additional responsibilities for her new citizens, but also assumed a new character and identity. National unity with which we had been preoccupied all those years before and since Merdeka took on a new urgency.

Young Malays of my generation, growing up under colonial rule, saw Merdeka as a great opportunity to bring about change, with courage, compassion and wisdom, and rectify those aspects of colonialism that we had considered repugnant to our sense justice, pride and dignity.

Creating a truly united Malayan nation was the number one item on the national agenda, one that was inspired by Tunku Abdul Rahman’s exemplary personal example of inclusiveness in which race was nothing more than an accident in the larger scheme of things Malayan, and later, Malaysian. Tunku saw strength in diversity and did everything possible to drive home the need for all races to unite as one and to show their love and affection for the country of their birth. Those were the early days of independence when the Constitution absolutely guaranteed the citizens their rights. The people felt they belonged and had full confidence in the institutions of government which remained largely unsullied. The same cannot be said of many of our national institutions today.

Looking back now over the last 50 years, we have achieved a great deal in material terms, far more than the most bullish among us would have dared to imagine. If material progress were the only measure of success in creating unity out of diversity, then we could reasonably claim to have arrived. But, have we? Or are we just postponing the evil day by papering over the cracks and glossing over issues that divide us, while ignoring the legitimate concerns, demands and aspirations of our people for a rightful place in the Malaysian sun.

The time to rediscover and re-establish our sense of Malaysian-ness is now and this can best be done by allowing the people of each community, large and small, the freedom to retain their cultural practices, traditions and values, always recognising that with freedom there is a corresponding responsibility to contribute to national unity. In matters of culture and language, people can usually be relied upon to decide for themselves. All cultures must be treated as Malaysian, and celebrated as such. They must not be politicised.

We must, for a start, accept cultural diversity, in the fullest sense, as an article of faith. Merely tolerating the cultural traditions of the other races is simply not good enough anymore for a country that, after 50 years of independence, is still groping for that elusive Malaysian identity. Our aim should be to achieve smooth and seamless integration that will stand the test of time as an essential prelude to achieving the essence of Malaysian- ness, that state of being that defies definition or description, but captures our imagination as nothing else can.

The role of education in nation building and in bringing about social and economic change is not in dispute. We have seen what investment in education has done for thousands of our people, of all races, particularly the Malays who have, within one generation, completely transformed themselves in social and economic terms.

On the debit side, the thousands of unemployable young men and women have hampered efforts to develop and improve our human capital. Our decision to downgrade English more than three decades ago has completely rendered our young people ill-equipped for employment in the new knowledge-based industries. The more serious overall consequence of our policy of neglecting the most important international language makes Malaysia a much less competitive investment destination for the higher-end technologies that could help Malaysia to leapfrog up the knowledge and value chain.

The application of some aspects of the New Economic Policy has not helped in the process of human capital development because by our depriving many non-Bumiputeras of equal educational opportunities and by discriminating against them in public sector employment, there is still today an overwhelming sense of alienation and injustice. I have always subscribed to the view that you could only justify a policy of positive discrimination if it was implemented in strict observance of the aim and spirit of that policy which was, in this case, principally to alleviate the poverty that afflicted many millions of people of all races in our community.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. When it became evident that the spirit of this great social experiment was being violated blatantly to serve the interests of the few politically connected breed of self-proclaimed Melayu Baru instead of improving the lot of the disadvantaged, the NEP tragically lost its legitimacy. But I digress. The point I am making is that unfair policies whether social or political detract from our efforts to develop and enrich our human capital with the result that the essential spirit of common heritage and shared values, of being part of an important national initiative is lost in the politics of discrimination. There is no evidence to suggest that people will give of their best, make sacrifices, and be loyal to the country of their birth when they are made to feel, rightly or wrongly, that they are second-class citizens.

National unity must be predicated on equality of opportunity, justice and equity. Anything less is unsustainable. Fifty years of Merdeka still finds us groping in a tunnel of darkness for that elusive, overarching spiritual experience that defines the essence of “Malaysian-ness”.

It would be unfair to blame the government entirely for the present state of race relations in our country. It must, however, admit that it has not always been energetic and competent in dealing with problems that are largely associated with official policies that are seen as Malay-centric. Policies affecting education, language and culture tend to generate a highly-charged emotional response, and are always divisive. Change has to be managed with compassion and imagination.

A word about our international competitiveness. A stable political system is a prerequisite as is an efficient and incorruptible bureaucracy. We need to ensure a ready supply of trained and trainable human resources, hence the need for investment in developing our human capital. But above all else, we all need to operate in an ethical way, fight and reduce corrupt practices so as to be able to attract investments to sustain our national economic development. Corruption adds a cost to doing business, and it is in our interests to reduce it so that that we can improve our competitive position.

In summary, therefore, the future of Malaysia, given its racial and cultural complexity, depends on our ability to encourage and promote unity in diversity, focus on similarities and values that unite us rather than harping on differences that divide us. We have our work cut out for us as we seek to bring about a convergence of interests as a basis for developing mutual trust, and respect for diversity in all its manifestations.

KEPADA AHLI PERMAS DAN BAKSAR

Kepada ahli PERMAS dan BAKSAR, sekiranya saudara/i ada masalah bolehlah terus menghubungi saya di talian 0137117477 atau email sila_clss2008@yahoo.com.my.
Atau
Anda boleh datang ke bilik Persatuan pada masa:
1) Selasa- 2.00 petang-4.30 petang
( Meja PERMAS)
2)Rabu- 1.00 ptg- 2.30 ptg( Kaunter MPP)
3.00 Ptg- 4.30 ptg
( Meja PERPADUAN)
3)Khamis- 10.00-12.00 pagi (Meja PERMAS)
2.00-4.00 Ptg (Meja Perpaduan)
4) Jumaat- 10.00-12.00 ( Meja PERMAS)
*Sebarang masalah atau cadangan anda dialu-alukan. Jadi jangan malu untuk terus menghubungi saya atau barisan kepimpinan PERMAS dan BAKSAR yang lain..
"Mahasiswa Didahulukan, Kebajikan Diutamakan, Prestasi dipertingkatkan"

How NOT to measure ourselves

Quotes on money

Along side the Bible verses in the posting, instructive to note that Mao Zedung also said “to get rich is glorious”.

It has also been quoted that “Donald Trump doesn’t see money as the measure of a person. He pursues it not for want of it, nor to accumulate it, but merely as a unit of measure.To Trump, money is but a scorecard that tells him he has won and by how much”.

Dayak Earlier ways of measuring success

To the Dayak Iban - antu pala, tajaus, tawaks, tibangs (full of padi) bravery, courage, righteousness … used to be the measured of a man. Until RTM (see John Postil) successfully transform the Iban into commercial creatures with fervent longings for injin padi, injin moto aik, can food, bicycle … as pemansang. Of course, BN (un)wittingly feed the insatiable hunger for materialism at the expense of stunted or denied spiritual growth.

Bejalai / Belelang

Some adventurous Iban young man went on Bejalai to Indonesia to bring back wonderful material stuff -more tawaks, tajaus and basic electrical equipment, to bring back to the long house.

The measure of an Iban man’s worth, his dignity and pride, grew to be determined by his material acquisition. Thus the poor, long house folks envy the well to dos, and despise the poorer folks.

Dayak Ways of transcending Wealth - through knowledge

The Iban leadership, transition beautifully into the commercial world. It used to be the Tuai Rumah gains much respect among his anembiak for bountiful harvest, for knowledge of the Iban adat, and for bringing lots of meat from successful hunting.

Now - it is based on government handouts

In the new world, the Tuai Rumah, would pride himself for getting pemansang, to be shared among his anembiaks - from government, especially during election.

And so, as Mao Zedung said its best, to be rich is glorious. And Donald said - he is not obsessive about money, but he gets high from the action of getting money.

But Perhaps, as the posting and Money Changer said it between the lines: its not the prize (money) thats important - its the highs you get from working for it and the noble motivation for wanting it.

I would add as well, taking a cue from Donald, to remind ourselves not to measure ourselves or others by how much money they have, lest we lose our dignity, and sell our souls (or those of our anembiaks) for a few bottles of chap apek.

Flying Without Wing

Everybody’s looking for that something

One thing that makes it all complete

You’ll find it in the strangest places

Places you never knew it could be – Westlife

Occurrences over the last week or so have brought to mind the fragility of life, the frailty of the human condition and in particular the human body which, for most of us, is softer and more vulnerable than the ground it comes to rest on – when it hits, that is.

In the midst of life, and investigations, we are, indeed, in death.

DEATH - Terry Pratchett’s sombre character, dressed in robes and carrying his all-encompassing scythe awaits us all, and not just those in the Discworld either.

His, for we are assured by his chronicler that he is very much a male, is a public service of sorts, as DEATH collects us all, eventually, and no manner of flight can delay or prevent this.

Baring this in mind, there are, at the very least, two meanings to that oft-misunderstood word, “flight”. One is to flee, as in to scarper, slope off, to skedaddle, and to make yourself scarce, away from persecution and nice men in uniform who insist on having the pleasure of your company. The other is mimicking what birds do best.

It is odd, is it not, that over the years, so many foolhardy people have sought out the forces of government to teach them flight, in both senses, quite unsuccessfully for some, as it turns out.

Somewhere between 43 BC and 18 AD, Oublius Ovidius Naso (Ovid) wrote in his Metamorphoses, concerning Icarus and his dad Daedalus.

These two inventive, yet seemingly hapless, characters were two of the first recorded recruits to the local government (non) flying school. In this case it was the King Minos of Crete (non) flying school – all entrants guaranteed to crash, and Icarus did.

Seemingly Icarus, no doubt mentally humming the very latest popular ditty, did not listen to his dear old dad’s advice and flew too close to the sun. The bee’s wax holding his feathered wings together melted, and Icarus, devoid of other means to keep him aloft, plummeted to his fate. At least that was the official story leaked to the press, by King Minos’s publicity dept.

We are, therefore, according to the KMPB (King Minos Publicity Department), to believe that son Icarus launched himself voluntarily into the incredible blue of the Greek sky and plummeted to his demise, much in the manner of Monty Python’s inquisitive, yet suicidal, leaves.

No doubt, in the Middle Ages, when not looking for the Holy Grail, the infamous Spanish Inquisition, which nobody expects, assisted many ex-prisoners to fly, those that were not drowned by ‘ducking’ that is.

The twisted and mangled corpses heading to open graves attested to the failure of the yet-to-be-found secret of actual flying without wings.

Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and Franco’s Spain, were each, in their turn, pioneers of the secret of flying – down concrete steps – without wings. They became leading experts in the art of releasing prisoners, only for said prisoners to attempt what the birds do best, and discover the hardness of the ground and the softness of their own bodies.

Stalin’s Russia and Mao’s China, too, were to add subtleties to this art, perfecting the alibis and the dialogues which excused them from the acts committed.

Many years later, in the 1970s, Steve Biko of South Africa – a hero in the fight against apartheid, enrolled voluntarily, so it is alleged, in the South African government’s very own (non) flying school.

He too, successfully, took a plunging flight down the security forces steps and winged his way to the next world and martyrdom.

So now it seems that forces closer to home have joined the hallowed ranks of agencies practising their very own (non) flying schools, teaching not just fleeing suspects, but also cooperative witnesses to fly, unsuccessfully, without wings, leaving grieving fianceés to ponder. You can learn a lot from history.

Elsewhere, in fumbling, bumbling Penang, the violence of gangs has erupted, causing chaos and mayhem – chiefly to themselves.

Intend upon beating up a martial arts coach, a gang of bullies and, as it turned out, idiots, became discontent with merely beating but felt that shots from firearms might give more credence to their cause.

While his mates were still laying into their victim with iron bars, sticks and parangs, beating him bloody and causing his girlfriend to run off in fear, one clever gangbanger whipped out a gun.

With a cavalier attitude towards another’s life, the gangbanger shot. He shot the coach in the pelvis, causing him later to be rushed to hospital. But not content with inflicting that injury, the gangbanger continued shooting until he had also gunned down two of his mates, brothers biologically and in gang patois.

Three further bullets the trigger-happy gang member pumped into his friends, enabling the police to catch them much easier. Such is the rule of violence.

Unleashed violence often consumes friends and foes alike, and, in time, also consumes the perpetrator whether he hides behind the corrupt mask of civil duty or excuses his actions by saying “I was told to do it”.

Trainers in the (non) flying schools, men, and it is frequently men, who breach the fragile peace with violence find that they have taken a step too far down the road towards the folly of fascism.

Did he fall or was he pushed? Did a young man enlist in the infamous (non) flying school, to depart this earth by flying without wings, leaving a grieving fianceé who thought their love gave them the only wings they would ever need.

Some find it in the face of their children

Some find it in their lover’s eyes

Who can deny the joy it brings

When you’ve found that special thing

You’re flying without wings.

Sex involve in Ngayap

According to Padoch (1982:p92-3)

“The exact age of Iban at first sexual union is a topic difficult to explore, partially because of the usual reticence of women to discuss the subject, but mostly because of the impossibility of determining precise chronological ages. It is probable that among women in the Engkari region, courtship commences at about sixteen or seventeen years of age, while among men a somewhat later age, of eighteen or nineteen, is indicated. I have found no reason to assume that ages at which courtship begins in Bintulu are different. Whether there has been any change over time in the ages at which young Iban begin to court is uncertain. Several older women assured me that the age at first courting has declined, but there is no possible way of verifying this allegation”.

Gomes (1911)

“The mode of courtship among the Dyaks is peculiar. No courting goes on by day, but at night, when all is quiet, a young lover creeps to the side of the curtain of his lady-love, and awakes her. The girls sleep apart from their parents--sometimes in the same room, but more often in the loft. He presents her with a roll of sireh leaf, in which is wrapped the betel-nut ingredients the Dyaks love to chew. […] This nightly courtship is, in fact, the only way a man and woman can become acquainted with each other, for such a thing as privacy during the day is quite unknown in a Dyak house. If the girl be pleased with her lover, he remains with her until close upon daybreak, when he leaves with her some article as a pledge of his honour, such as a bead necklace, or ring, or a headkerchief, or anything else which he may have about him. This act of leaving some gift with the girl is considered as a betrothal between the two parties, and the man who refuses to marry the girl after doing so is considered guilty of breach of promise of marriage, and liable, according to Dyak law, to a fine”.

Komanyi (1973:p81-2): “An Iban girl may marry when she is fifteen or sixteen years old. Now, however, as educational opportunities improve, marriages tend to occur at a slightly later age, such as eighteen to twenty-two. A period of courtship, called ngajap , which is a uniquely Iban custom, precedes the betrothal”.

Padoch:

“The traditional Iban patterns of courtship (ngayap) , which involve nocturnal visiting of women by men, are a topic mentioned frequently by earlier writers (Roth 1896,I:109-11), among whom there is disagreement on the frequency or occurrence of sexual intercourse during the visiting. A more recent account of the practice (Beavitt 1967), and all informants I encountered, concurred that sexual relations take place often, although not always. It is reported that ngayap is now being replaced among someIban groups, particularly those converted to Christianity, by other forms of courtship not involving sexual union (Beavitt 1967:p409-10). However, the traditional form prevailed in all the communities that were studied during the period of field research”.

“... when a girl reaches maturity, and if there is a suitor, her parents will arrange for her to settle down. Normally, an Iban girl marries when she is seventeen years of age. When a girl attains her spinsterhood, her mother teaches her the ways employed to protect herself. She must be taught to behave and speak courteously to boys who court her at night. She is aware that it has been a tradition for a boy to court a girl. However, the question of getting her to offer herself to the boy depends very much on the girl herself, because he cannot force her to give consent unless they love each other through his kindness and winning ways. These are secretly explained to her by her mother. The mother also emphasises the methods in which her daughter can judge whether or not the boy is sincere enough to marry her”

Dear all leader... DAYAK AIN'T THAT POOR...

The outcry from Dayak leaders in Sarawak against PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for his cawat remarks has not abated – now comes another statement from a Pakatan leader which went down just as bad as Hadi’s with Dayak BN leaders.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s suggestion that Sarawak set up a Dayak Endowment Board (DEB) to help the poor and marginalized Dayaks who earn less than RM200 a month was taken very badly by his Dayak BN opponents in Sarawak

The DEB can run along the same line as Partners Against Poverty programme introduced by Pakatan in Penang, said the Penang chief minister who was in Kuching accompanying the Penang Governor to the Rulers Conference.

lim-guan-eng.pngLeading the attack on Lim was Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu who accused him of being “bankrupt of ideas and such an idea cannot be accepted because it comes from someone who does not know Sarawak.”

Jabu said: “When people are bankrupt of ideas, they tend to say things that are unrealistic.”

Cannot compare Sarawak with Penang

SPDP president and State Social Development and Urbanisation Minister William Mawan said Lim’s idea could not be implemented in the state as “it is not realistic to compare Penang, an urban state, to Sarawak with its rural areas.”

“You cannot say the Dayaks here are poor. The lifestyle here is different from Penang. Our rural communities do not transact cash very much. They rely on farming like rubber tapping, and jungle produce as a source of income,” he told reporters.

PRS president and State Land Development Minister James Masing accused Lim of making just a ‘political promise’.

"To me, it does not sound honest. People who are struck by poverty are not only Dayaks, but Chinese, Malays, Indians and others as well. You cannot propose something like this for the Dayaks only as you have also to cover other races.

“Lim is only making a political rhetoric and I don’t believe in him,” said Masing.

Balai Ringin state assemblyman Snowdan Lawan was very blunt when he told Lim not to look down on the Dayak communities, adding that he knew in his own constituency that some households can earn from RM500 to RM10,000 a month.

He advised Lim to handle his own state first and to take care of his own house before taking care of other people’s homes.

“We Dayaks are civilized people who have good jobs and income. Go to the longhouses and see for yourself that the people can afford at least a Kancil car. One needs to earn more than RM200 monthly income to afford it,” he said.

A courageous idea

But there was support for Lim too, albeit from a lone voice.

SNAP president Edwin Dundang thanked the Penang chief minister for what he described as a ‘courageous idea’ and for showing sympathy to the plight of the poor in the state.

He hoped the suggestion could become a reality “when Pakatan Rakyat formed the next government in Sarawak. “

Dayaks comprise about 60 percent of Sarawak’s population and are the majority voters in 28 state constituencies out of the total of 71.

Both Pakatan and BN are trying to win the hearts and minds of the Dayaks who are expected to play a crucial role in the coming state election, due in 2011.

For myself the Dayak not as they think because more of the Dayak now enter university and most of them became professional after graduation. Dayak not like the other people say. To Mr lim Guan Eng, i suggest better you research the Dayak community society before you say anything abaout Dayak. As The New Dayak who still study in University I not agree with your opinion about Dayak. If you still think the same, lets us debate it.

MPP ke Persatuan

Pening juga kepala saya bila diajukan soalan seperti ini:

1) Samuel kamu tak nak ke bertanding MPP. Dah tiba masanya.

2) Samuel, elok lagi awak bertanding kat Persatuan atau Kelab, baru mencabar.

3) Samuel, saya rasa elok awak bertanding MPP baru lah awak dapat buat perubahan yang
baru.

4) Samuel, setakat persatuan saja, awak takkan berkembang tetapi di MPP awak akan
membantu banyak orang lagi.

5) Samuel, baik kamu bertanding kat Persatuan sebab kamu akan lebih kuat kalau kat
persatuan berbanding MPP. Suara kamu akan lemah nanti.

Kalau yang tadi kawan saya kat UPSI yang kata. Kali ini kawan baik saya, saudara Razzi Masani, Naib Yang Dipertua Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar MPP USM:

" Samuel, awk bertandinglah demi prinsip dan pendirian awak yang ingin melahirkan mahasiswa kelas pertama atau mahasiswa yang ke antarabangsa"

Inilah komen yang dilontarkan oleh rakan-rakan saya semenjak dua menjak ini. Mungkin kerana bahang PRK UpSI dan AGM PERMAS kot diorang banyak berkata sebegini. Namun begitu sebagai seorang yang berpegang pada prinsip saya, saya akan tetap bertanding dalam pemilihan PERMAS akan datang. Namun begitu ada juga yang meminta saya bertanding kat AGM BAKSAR. Sememangnya saya amat meminati BAKSAR tapi kalau bertanding saya terpaksa berfikir dua tiga kali kerana tanggungjawab sangat besar. Namun begitu saya masih lagi menunggu dan lihat kemungkinan berlaku kerana "politic anything can happen".

Buat warga PERMAS, saya sudah bersedia bertanding untuk jawatan Naib Yang Dipertua PERMAS kali ini demi meneruskan perjuangan mengantarabangsakan mahasiswa Sejarah UPSI dan menjaga kebajikan anda.

"Mahasiswa Berkebajikan Inspirasi Mahasiswa Antarabangsa"

Undilah demi masa depan anda........ AGM PERMAS

WHY DAYAK DISUNITED ?

A lot of argument complaining the disunity of Dayak. It is fair to ask some questions and elaborate them in brief for this argument.

1. Why we must talk about unity and why it is important?
2. Have Dayak especially Iban do some professional study, research or analysis regarding the disunity of Dayak?
3. Whose groups within Dayak community are not united? What make those group disunited?
4. Who split the Dayak? What Dayak have been done to the people splitting them? Does the Dayak action is adequate enough to control the attack from the splitter, eliminate the affect of the splitter, even stop the splitter?
5. Does the third party involve influencing the disunity of Dayak? If Yes, who they are? What are their actions before, now and in future? What have Dayak been done before, now and in future?
6. Does Dayak culture and attitude is really stumbling block for the Dayak to United and Progress?
7. What should Dayak do on their unity?

Why we must talk about unity and why it is important?

Unity is the symbol of strength of Dayak Community in all means, politic, education, economic, culture, security and etc. Dayak cannot be strong without unity. It is important to regroup the Dayak in one action, one voice and one inspiration. It is to protect Dayak community fighting within themselves. The Dayak Unity is the highway for the Dayak to move forward, getting the equal progress with other races.

“Bersatu Kitai Teguh, Bepechah Kitai Rubuh.” This is the slogan should be emphasized in Dayak Community at the moment and not “Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban.”

“Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban.”used by the Dayak fighting against the communist is out of dated slogan and not relevant to modern Dayak now a day. Dayak do not have a clear enemy especially in the field of politic in modern world. All are Dayak friends, all are Dayak brothers and sisters. We are only different in ideology that we need to clarify.

Have Dayak especially Iban do some professional study, research or analysis regarding the disunity of Dayak?

Sad to say, there is no professional study and research to analysis the Disunity of Dayak or backward of Dayak. There is NO HOMEWORK has been done or going to be done either by Opposition Party, BN, SDNU and Dayakbaru professionally. No expert from local and abroad has been instructed to do so.

Dayak do not enough funds to sponsor the professional group conduct the study and UMNO government never support this study.

Whose groups within Dayak community are not united? What make those group disunited?

The most disunited amongst Dayak are Iban. Mostly are “Iban Puting Setak” or their descendant. Iban Putting Setak in old Iban Longhouse is referred to low class Iban who are weak in Iban Fighting Spirit.

Maia ngayau-mulau, ngasu-beburu sida tu meh ke diasuh orang nyaga rumah.

The poor fighting spirit amongst their forefather are greatly influent Iban Putting Setak character. Thus character of being a low class and poor group in his old live makes Iban Putting Setak easily become puppet to gain self interest from third party and being used by third party to split the Dayak Community. Secondly, the Third Party able to identify them, able to recognize their role in society, even at the early days of Sarawak joining Malaysia and they quickly make used of them. Send their children to school in late 1960s and now used them as a puppet. But the descendent of great Iban were control very tight by the third party.

Let do some analysis on the present Dayak Leaders. Does mine right of those group assist the third party destroy the Dayak Unity. Who they are? Who are their forefathers? Does they not totally or partially Iban Putting Setak? Does Jabu has tell everybody he partially come from Iban Putting Setak or his room is in one of Putting Setak? Does James Jemut is not the same? Does Leo Moggie are not the same? Only the next generation of puppet Iban will be strong in Dayak Right fighting spirit cos one day they will lost everything like ordinary Iban. They will inspired by their lost.

The descendant of great Iban has gone cos of their next generation are block by third party to the progress world in late 1960s, their children were restricted from further learning, business, politic and social life. There is no continuity to bring out their forefather strong fighting spirit protects the Dayak Right. Iban Putting Setak who become the Dayak leader at the moment are weak Iban in their fighting spirit to protect the Dayak Right and unable to continue the fighting spirit of great Iban. Iban Putting Setak do not dare to fight perhaps they dare to cheat.

Who split the Dayak? What Dayak have been done to the people splitting them? Does the Dayak action is adequate enough to control the attack from the splitter, eliminate the affect of the splitter, even stop the splitter?

Since Sarawak joining Malaysia, it is very obvious that the people splitting the Dayak especially Iban are PBB, SUPP and UMNO leaded by Melanau. Those are Tun Rahman Yacup, Taib, James Wong, Datuk Sung, Mohathir even Anwar when he become DPM. Dayak has doing nothing to stop them, afraid to complain and left it to the Dayak fade, especially the present Dayak leaders. In the beginning of formation of Malaysia, Dayak leader such as Endawie, Jugah, Kalong and Tajem were brave enough to fight against the splitter.

The action done by Dayak fighting against the splitters are very poor and no clue in the future. It is impossible for the Dayak to be united if the Dayak unable to destroy the Third Party jeopardize the Dayak Unity. The main route of Dayak Unity is, the Dayak shall be brave enough, strong enough and must be able to fight against the splitter. The Dayak shall destroy the splitter and fighting against them completely without fear with all means even force. The government can use force to destroy Rumah Nyawin why Dayak cannot do it to destroy the splitter. Do not wait. Do not afraid. Serve your life for your own country and your own people.

“One country will be collapsed if their own army unable to protect their country from attacking by their enemy.”

Dayak best action is keep on as a pressure group, put all the cruelty in book and transform it into physical body without fear. Nobody will be voluntarily transformed this book into physical body if the Dayak themselves not do it. Register more pressure group and call them when ever Dayak need them. Use these groups to pressure any Dayak enemy destroying them with any means. Be the first runner to fight the Dayak Right.

By right, Iban shall do something such as demonstration condemn the third party splitting the Dayak Community or destroying the Dayak Unity. YB Dayak, Dayak leader, Dayak Professional, any organization or individual pro-Dayak shall brave enough to highlight and condemn the third party involve to split the Dayak Community or destroy the Dayak Unity in Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara. It is very difficult for Dayak to construct it back once the Dayak main party and organization has been destroyed by third party. In early 1980s for instant, Dayak Iban shall condemn the third party openly for splitting the Dayak in SNAP, PBDS and SDNU. Iban failed to take action and this is the beginning of the Dayak Disunity and Dayak Backward.

1. Does the third party involve influencing the disunity of Dayak? If Yes, who they are? What are their actions before, now and in future? What have Dayak been done before, now and in future?

So far, the third party are very successful disunited the Dayak professionally, very influential splitting the Dayak Community in sophisticate way, systematically jeopardizing Dayak Unity. By all means they chose Iban Putting Setak as their puppet group fighting against Dayak. By giving position, business, petty cash and ‘ganjaran’ they able to attract Iban Putting Setak joining them destroy Dayak Unity.

Third party will put the Iban Putting Setak go along with them, change Iban Putting Setak leader without put them more stronger or limit their strength. They may do some reform in future to keep Dayak disunited and retain their power. They keep on looking for more Iban Putting Setak joining them and limit their members.

The third party is expected plan to destroy Dayak pressure group with whatever means. By right the other people should be not involved in Dayak Unity, they shall be neutral and not be an effective destroyer. The Dayak will confront with anybody destroy the Dayak Unity with whatever mean. This is the message the Dayak shall give to the third party destroying the Dayak Unity.

Does Dayak culture and attitude is really stumbling block for the Dayak to United and Progress?

Not really. Dayak culture and attitude are not major problem attribute to Dayak non-progress and disunity.

Within (20-30 years) one generation Dayak can adopt new living environment, become Christian, stay in town, leave most of their odd culture, adopt school, hospital, science and technology as their basic live. Iban shall consider as one of the faster community in the world to change from old orthodox life to modern life. The reality is their progress and unity has been jeopardized by third party badly especially the present government.

The Dayak are still united in many ways. They stay together in longhouse, visit each other, helping each other in Johore, live together in Kampong SESCO in Bintulu tho they are poor.

What should Dayak do to their unity?

Every community in this world needs time to change until they mature in all ways. Do not expect Dayak community can change or united overnight.

USA needs 200 years starting from Abraham Lincolm to Barrack Obama to unite destroying the gap of racism.

Dr Martin L. King used his Civil Right and his religious background to fight against the color block. He made one book to record the cruelty against the Civil Right, elaborates the injustice, stated the unfairness and double standard in his book and transformed his idea in the book into physical body to unite the people. Now his speech is still alive and one of the speech that change the world.

Before put into whole life jail, Nelson Mandela become communist hiding himself from government. In the court, Nelson Mandela wrote one Note and transformed it into physical body influencing the whole globe protest against the apartheid government. Without give up, set down in his 27 years jail, he wrote a book to encourage his people united against the apartheid government. He transformed his idea secretly to the world thro his friend abroad and united the whole globe in one voice against the apartheid government in South Africa.

Thro those people above, it is better for Dayak themselves answer their own question on what should Dayak do on their unity and fighting spirit?

Money has NO MEMORY but Experience has

Money has no memory. Experience has.

You will never know what the total cost of your education was, but for a lifetime you will recall and relive the memories of schools and colleges. Few years from now, you will forget the amount you paid to settle the hospitalization bill, but will ever cherish having saved your mother’s life or the life you get to live with the just born.

You won’t remember the cost of your honeymoon, but to the last breath remember the experiences of the bliss of togetherness. Money has no memory. Experience has.

Sometimes even the pocket was empty

Good times and bad times, times of prosperity and times of poverty, times when the future looked so secure and times when you didn’t know from where the tomorrow will come… Life has been in one way or the other a roller-coaster ride for everyone. Beyond all that abundance and beyond all that deprivation, what remains is the memory of experiences. Sometimes the wallet was full… Sometimes even the pocket was empty.

There was enough and you still had reasons to frown. There wasn’t enough and you still had reasons to smile. Today, you can look back with tears of gratitude for all the times you had laughed together, and also look back with a smile at all the times you cried alone..

All in all, life filled you with experiences to create a history of your own self, and you alone can remember them all.

The first time….

The first time you balanced yourself on your cycle without support… The first time she said ‘yes’ and it was two years since you proposed… The first cry… The first steps… The first word… The first kiss… All of your child… The first gift you bought for your parents and the first gift your daughter gave you…. The first award… The first public appreciation… The first stage performance… And the list is endless…

Experiences, with timeless memory… No denying that anything that’s material cost money, but the fact remains the cost of the experience will be forgotten, but the experience never.

Let It Be

So, what if it’s economic recession? Let it be, but let there not be a recession to the quality of your life. You can still take your parents, if not on a pilgrimage, at least to the local temple. You can still play with your children, if not on an international holiday, at least in the local park.

It doesn’t cost money to lie down or to take a loved one onto your lap. Nice time to train the employees, create leadership availability and be ready for the wonderful times when they arrive. Hey! Aspects like your health, knowledge development and spiritual growth are not economy dependent.

Time will pass

Time will pass… Economy will revive… Currency will soon be in current… And in all this; I don’t want you to look back and realize you did nothing but stayed in gloom. Recession can make you lose out on money. Let it not make you lose out on experiences… If you are not happy with what you have, no matter how much more you have, you will still not be happy.

How I feel has nothing to do with how much I have

Make a statement with the way you live your life: work hard with honesty and change we must.

ANTARA BLOG & FACEBOOK, ANTARA ZAMBRY & NIZAR

Kebelakangan ini saya banyak berinteraksi di Facebook. Di sana saya berdiskusi dengan teman-teman mengenai pelbagai isu.

Sekiranya anda belum menjadi kawanan saya di Facebook, dijemput berbuat demikian. Sekadar ingatan, saya hanya menerima kawanan yang berwajah dan mempunyai profil.

Disebabkan ada wajah dan profil itulah agaknya, maka diskusi di Facebook lebih beradab dan konstruktif. Tidak ada yang berselindung di sebalik laptop atau desktop.

Untuk sekian lama, saya membenarkan komen secara anonymous di blog ini. Saya fikir sudah sampai masanya untuk saya mengenakan saringan yang lebih agar hanya komen yang bermanfaat saja disiarkan.

Berdasarkan maklumbalas yang diterima, saya yakin pembaca blog ini tidak berminat membaca maki-hamun, sindiran, "over generalization" dan tuduhan melampau secara rambang. Saya fikir mereka juga tidak berminat dengan komentar yang bersifat propaganda dan tidak boleh menerima pandangan orang lain - "Aku seorang sajalah yang betul."

Saya merasakan sebahagian besar dari sekitar 3,000 pembaca blog ini ingin melihat hujah dan balasan hujah yang matang. Bukan sekadar hujah lawan hujah; lebih dari itu hujah itu dilakukan dalam suasana persahabatan dan berlapang dada.

Bagaimanapun, ada kalanya disebabkan kegersangan hujah, maka ada yang memilih untuk menyerang saya. Kita tidak perlu setuju dalam semua perkara. Anda boleh menyokong Dato Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir dan saya memihak kepada Dato Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin; atau sebaliknya. Itu bukan masalah. Masalahnya ialah apabila kita mempertahankan hujah secara tidak beradab.

Untuk sekian lama, saya membenarkan ini berlaku atas nama keterbukaan. Fikir saya, "Tak mengapalah. Berikan mereka peluang. Rakyat Malaysia sedang belajar menggunakan media baru." Bagaimana setelah berbincang dengan beberapa orang "senior bloggers", saya memutuskan akan hanya menyiarkan komen yang bersifat kritikal dan membina. Biarlah hanya ada dua atau tiga komen, asalkan ia bermanfaat kepada pembaca lain. Sekiranya ada sesiapa yang ada masalah untuk menulis dan berhujah dengan baik, belajar-belajarlah gaya penulisan yang berhemah.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad adalah seorang blogger yang hebat. Dalam tempoh setahun, blognya menerima hampir 20 juta page hits. Hebat! Bagaimanapun, orang membaca blog Dr Mahathir untuk mendengar pandangannya. Seperti kebanyakan orang lain, saya juga tidak membaca komen di blog Dr Mahathir kerana komen-komen tersebut tidak bermutu; bukan semua, tetapi sebahagian besarnya begitu. Sesetengahnya tidak ada nilai langsung. Ada komen yang disiarkan, "Yahoo, saya orang pertama meninggalkan komen di blog Tun!"

Isk, isk .. Kesian kepada orang itu. Dia amat memerlukan perhatian. Tolonglah berikan perhatian kepadanya.

Ada orang bertanya bilakah saya akan menulis mengenai isu DUN Perak. Memang ia satu isu yang menarik untuk diulas. Bagaimanapun, ulasan itu akan bermanfaat sekiranya ia dihujah berdasarkan fakta dan bukannya emosi.

Ada yang bertanya, siapakah Menteri Besar Perak yang sah? Sekali lagi, jawapannya akan ditemui sekiranya kita menghormati hak setiap orang dalam proses demokrasi - hak rakyat, hak Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri, hak Sultan Perak dan hak Mahkamah. Isnin ini Mahkamah akan membuat keputusan dan saya berharap Dr Zamby Abd Kadir dan Mohamad Nizar serta penyokong-penyokoong mereka hendaklah menerima keputusan ini dengan hati terbuka. Usah sokong Mahkamah hanya apabila ia membuat keputusan yang menyebelahi kita sahaja; mencerca hakim apabila keputusan itu memihak kepada lawan.

Inilah keterbukaan yang harus ada. Saya melihat keterbukaan ini ada dalam Facebook, tetapi gersang di blog. Mungkin dalam Facebook kita berbicara sebagai teman, tetapi di blog kita melayani mereka yang tidak sehaluan sebagai musuh!

Kisah pendakian Obama ke White House

SEJAK secara rasmi menjadi Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang ke-44 pada 20 Januari lalu, figura Barack Obama tidak pernah sunyi daripada diperkatakan oleh seantero dunia.

Kejayaan Obama merubah ‘warna’ White House selepas 232 tahun AS mencapai kemerdekaan, adalah satu pencapaian dan perubahan luar biasa di dalam masyarakat AS.

Obama juga telah membina persepsi yang menyenangkan di kalangan masyarakat antarabangsa, sesuatu yang semakin terhakis terutamanya sewaktu era pemerintahan George W. Bush.

Semua itu dilakukan Obama dalam masa yang sangat singkat, iaitu kira-kira tiga tahun selepas beliau dilantik menjadi Senator Illionis. Justeru, adalah sesuatu yang menarik untuk mendalami apakah kekuatan Obama sehingga berjaya mendapat kepercayaan sedemikian rupa, dan buku ini adalah jawapannya.

Buku dengan tajuk asal The Audicity of Hope ini diterbitkan pada Oktober 2006. Ia dikatakan memberi impak kemenangan yang lebih besar berbanding ucapan dan pidato yang disampaikan oleh Obama.

Rakyat AS yang pada awalnya mahu memberikan undian kepada Hillary Clinton dalam pemilihan calon Presiden yang akan mewakili Parti Demokrat, berubah memilih Obama selepas membaca buku ini.

Selepas diterjemahkan kepada lebih 50 bahasa di seluruh dunia, buku ini akhirnya boleh didapati dalam bahasa Melayu hasil usaha keras sekumpulan panel penterjemah di Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia (ITNM). Ia dilancarkan oleh Raja Muda Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah baru-baru ini, sempena Pesta Buku Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (PBAKL) yang berlangsung di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC).

Buku ini sebenarnya lebih kepada sebuah dokumentasi harapan dan hala tuju perjalanan Obama di pentas politik AS.

Ia menyentuh mengenai teori dan gagasan idea bagi merealisasikan impian rakyat AS selari dengan slogan yang didokong oleh Obama iaitu Change: We Can Believe In.

Slogan yang di dalamnya terkandung manifestasi perubahan dan pembaharuan yang dinanti-nantikan oleh kebanyakan rakyat AS.

Judul buku ini sendiri iaitu The Audicity Of Hope adalah lanjutan daripada ucapan pembukaan beliau pada Konvensyen Demokratik pada 2004.

Daripada pidato yang sekitar 20 minit itu, dipanjangkan kepada buku setebal 424 halaman ini.

Tajuk itu juga dipilih Obama berdasarkan khutbah paderi di gereja yang selalu dihadirinya di Chichago.

Obama memulakan buku ini dengan sejarah pendakian beliau dalam bidang politik. Bagaimana beliau berdikit-dikit daripada seorang peguam hak sivil yang berjaya mewakili dewan perundangan Illionis sehinggalah menjadi Senator Illionis.

Pengalaman itu dimulakan oleh Obama ketika beliau masih muda, iaitu baru menjangkau usia 35 tahun.

Begitu juga ketika mengangkat sumpah sebagai Senator Illionis, Obama baru berusia 44 tahun, iaitu umur yang sangat muda untuk seorang ahli politik diterima oleh rakyat AS.

Namun itulah keunikan Obama, yang tidak hanya berjaya meruntuhkan benteng usia, malah merobohkan tembok perkauman untuk dipilih menjadi Presiden kulit hitam pertama AS.

Semuanya dilakukan dalam masa hanya tiga tahun selepas beliau dilantik menjadi ahli Senat, iaitu pendakian ke puncak kuasa yang beliau sendiri tidak mempercayainya meskipun sentiasa berharap untuk membuktikannya.

Bukan rahsia lagi persona Obama di mata rakyat AS adalah kerana kemampuannya berpidato dan meyakinkan orang ramai menerusi ucapannya.

Lontaran suaranya yang padu serta frasa kata yang asli menghidupkan gagasan-gagasan idea dan pemikiran yang disampaikan beliau.

Itulah juga yang dibuktikan oleh Obama menerusi buku dengan judul asal The Audicity of Hope ini. Bab-bab terawal dalam buku ini dimulakan dengan penyelusuran sejarah politik terbaru Amerika.

Obama cuba menjelaskan punca berlakunya kecenderungan memihak yang menyakitkan hati pada hari ini. Sesuatu yang sebenarnya turut berlaku dalam senario politik baru di negara ini.

Perbincangan itu diimbangkan pula dengan kupasan mengenai nilai-nilai, dasar dan kesepakatan yang boleh dikongsi seluruh rakyat Amerika dalam bab seterusnya.

Lebih mendalam kupasan mengenai perpaduan itu disorot dengan pengkajian ke atas Perlembagaan yang merupakan sumber hak individu. Malah ia juga sebagai cara untuk menyusun hubungan demokrasi dalam membentuk masa depan.

Obama seterusnya menyentuh mengenai sesetengah kuasa institusi seperti wang, media, kumpulan berkepentingan dan proses perundangan yang merimaskan ahli politik termasuk mereka yang berintegriti.

Menuju bab-bab terakhir pula, Obama mencadangkan gugusan-gugusan idea dan pemikiran bagaimana beliau dan rakyat AS boleh melangkaui sempadan dalam menangani pelbagai cabaran.

Antara masalah yang diberikan perhatian khusus ialah kegawatan ekonomi, ketegangan kaum dan agama dalam badan politik.

Serta ancaman antarabangsa daripada keganasan sehinggalah kepada wabak penyakit berbahaya.

Kesemua isu ini dibincangkan dalam ruang pemikiran dan pandangan Obama yang sangat sederhana, tetapi sangat mengesankan. Tidak terlalu optimistik sehingga kelihatan retorik, sebaliknya sangat realistik dan penuh harapan.

Menerusi buku ini, Obama memperlihatkan kepada dunia satu lagi cabang kemahiran beliau yang jarang dimiliki oleh politikus lain, iaitu sebagai penulis berbakat.

Obama turut membuktikan bahawa AS masih belum ketandusan pemimpin yang bijaksana dan berilmu untuk menduduki Pejabat Oval.

Adalah satu kerugian kepada pembaca di negara ini kerana buku pertama Obama iaitu Dream of My Father tidak turut diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Melayu.

Buku itu menjadi buku New York Times paling laris terjual selama 142 minggu berbanding buku ini yang bertahan selama 67 minggu.

Judul: Keberanian Menggapai Harapan

– Gagasan Meraih Kembali Impian Amerika

Penulis: Barack Obama

Penerbit: Institut Terjemahan Negara

Malaysia (ITNM)

ISBN: 978-983-068-349-2

Harga: RM45

Pengulas: MOHD. KHUZAIRI ISMAIL


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