The Dayak electorate can no longer be taken for granted due to changing attitudes within the community, said University Putra Malaysia professor Jayum Jawan.

Over the past one or two years, he said, the community has become more self-reliant rather than depending on government support.

“There is a general awakening of among the Dayak […] The Dayak over the past 50 years have learned that they have to come together to a common cause.

“It’s because now the Dayak are feeling that they are being left behind. If Sarawak has been left behind, within Sarawak also they have been left behind,” Jayum ( photo ) told a conference on the 13th general elections at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (Unirazak) today.

This trend is growing slowly and has yet to take hold in rural areas, and are hence would have a limited impact on the upcoming state elections with the possibility of the opposition winning a few more Dayak-majority seats.

However, he said this will be a significant factor in the state and federal elections afterwards.

 

Cultural taboo on opposing its leaders

Among the changes, Jayum said the community has been coming to terms with its cultural taboo against opposing its leaders, such as by viewing leadership changes not as opposing the incumbent, but the appointment of a new leader.

He said the culture of not opposing leaders was only relevant when the community chooses its own leaders among themselves, such as the longhouse chief, which is done through consensus and not by majority vote.  

In addition, he observed that in the past couple of years, the community has become more self-reliant rather than depending on government support.

For example, Jayum said the members of the community have been raising funds amongst themselves to provide aid during emergencies, and have been spreading word of any economic opportunities that they may find.

“That spirit is good. Money is always a tricky thing, but I am not looking at the possible abuse. I am looking at that spirit rising among them […]

“It wasn’t there (before) because everyone (would go find) the YB, the minister. But now they say, ‘Never mind. Ministers, let them do what they want, but what can we do ourselves?’,” he told reporters after his presentation.

To a question, Jayum said the change is only slowly taking place now because it is driven mainly by Dayak professionals working in major cities in Malaysia and abroad.

These professionals would only be able to come home and spread their ideas rarely, such as during Christmas, Hari Gawai, and other major celebrations, he said.

By Jayum’s count, 16 of Sarawak’s 31 parliamentary seats are Dayak-majority, none of which were won by Pakatan Rakyat.

The term Dayak also includes the Iban, the Bidayuh, and the Orang Ulu.

Looking to national political parties

Meanwhile, another speaker Arnold Puyok ( photo ) said the last election’s results show that Borneo agenda appears to have fallen out of favour amongst voters, who are looking to national parties to champion their causes at the expense of regional parties.

He said Sabahans, especially the youth, are moving towards discussing bread-and-butter issues and national politics, rather than parochial issues and harping on the 20-point agreement that was drawn up to ensure Sabah’s rights upon joining Malaysia.

Arnold pointed out that the State Reform Party (Star) led by Jeffery Kitingan only managed to win one state seat, while Yong Teck Lee’s Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) failed to win any seats at all.

“It suggests that Sabahans have looked beyond Jeffery Kitingan, beyond Yong Teck Lee, and even looked beyond local-based political parties in order to fight for what is Borneo agenda.

“I would say this is also the nationalisation of local politics, in which political parties such as PKR and DAP are able articulate issues that are related to Sabah,” said the Politics and Strategic Studies Department head from Universiti Malaysia Sabah.