All is not well for BN in Sarawak

COMMENT Just before the 2006 Sarawak state elections, the federal government reduced the subsidies of fossil fuels across the board.

The increases in the prices of fossil fuel products led to the increases in the prices of other products.

It affected all consumers, especially the lower income groups so badly that they had to drastically adjust their monthly budget.

"The price increases hit us like a Mike Tyson blow to the head," recalled John Leong, a supermarket supervisor.

The consumers had to pay more for goods and services, from small things like a cup of kopi-o to to kolok mee, laksa, and school bus fares.

The State BN leaders, especially from SUPP, described the increases in prices of fossil fuel as an act of betrayal, while the opposition exploited the price increases to the fullest.

The SUPP leaders swore and cursed. The timing was wrong. They were aghast.

Already facing issues like unfair land premiums and leases, corruption and nepotism and lack of business opportunities, SUPP knew that the urban voters would hit back at the government.

And SUPP, being the party contesting in the urban seats, would be hit the hardest.

When the results of the 2006 state elections were out, SUPP was humiliated. The dissatisfied and unhappy urban voters had their revenge.

The party lost eight out of the 19 seats it contested. In the seats they won, the party just managed to scrap through. Even party president George Chan (right) nearly lost.

The BN as a whole could have lost its power base in the rural areas had it not been for money politics.

The rural voters, especially the Dayaks, were especially susceptible.

They forgot that they had to pay more for the goods they required.

They forgot that they had to defend their native customary rights (NCR) lands against the raiders in the forms of the state government and plantation companies.

Land grab

While the issue on fossil fuel might have become dormant, the NCR land grab issue is very much alive and kicking.

In fact, the NCR land issue is gaining momentum, thanks to the likes of Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Awang Tengah Ali Hasan who both deny that any land grabbing is going on.

But at the same time, they are continuing to issue provisional leases on NCR land to plantation companies.

The NCR land issue is essentially a rural issue and will continue to be so as long as the landowners know their rights.

Christian wrath

Then comes the stamping of the Indonesian Language Bible by the Home Ministry, which is now a much-debated issue in Sarawak. It has become the number one issue, so to speak.

The Christians have held their prayer gatherings in large numbers, asking God to show those responsible for the stamping, the right path.

For the April 16, 2011 state elections, not just SUPP, but the other component parties of the BN have to face the wrath of the majority Christians.

The ministry has stamped 30,000 copies of the Bible with "For Christians Only".

The Bibles have been kept by the ministry at its office in Jalan Satok since January 12, this year. The consignee meant to distribute the Bibles, mainly in Saratok and Betong.

Ever since Christianity set foot in Sarawak from the era of the First White Rajah - from 1841 to the end of the British colonial rule in 1963 - the Christians, especially the Dayaks, have been using "Allah" as the name of their God.

The Iban Language Bible was banned by the Home Ministry in 2003 just because of the word "Allah".

 Ban lifted

The ban was lifted by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in his capacity of Acting prime minister as well as home minister, after then federal minister Leo Moggie reminded him at the federal cabinet meeting that the Iban have been using the word long before Malaysia was formed in 1963.

The Iban language Bible was first printed during the time of the Rajah Brooke.

The Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) has been using the Indonesian language Bible to spread Christianity among the Orang Ulu long before 1963.

There was no history or record of protest ever received by the White Rajah or the Colonial Government.

So, when the ban on the use of the word "Allah" in the Iban and Malay Languages Bibles was imposed in Sarawak, it came as a great shock not only to the Christians, but also to the Sarawak Muslims.

Sarawak and its people are known for their high religious tolerance.

They feel that what happened in Peninsular Malaysia should not be spread to Sarawak, and this sentiment was shared by George Chan.

A SUPP Youth member, commenting on the stamping of the Malay Language Bible, suggested that Sarawak might not be a fixed deposit state anymore for the BN, if the issue on the Bible is exploited to the maximum by the Opposition.

The coming state elections will tell if he is right.