I am from Sarawak and would like to appeal to all Sarawakians and Sabahans to stand up and be counted as anak bangsa Malaysia .

We East Malaysians tend to regard political developments in Peninsular Malaysia as being of no relevance to us.

It is precisely this sort of attitude of apathy that has resulted in our two states being marginalised by the Umno government for the past 45 years. Can you not see the patronage being pushed down our throats in our daily lives?

Sarawak and Sabah joined Malaya in 1963 to become Malaysia so that we are all anak-anak bangsa Malaysia . We all hold the Malaysian identity card which says we are warga Malaysia . So just like the Malays, the Chinese, Indians, Iban, Bidayuh, Kadazandusun, Orang Ulu, Bisaya, Murut, etc, are all Malaysians.

Our national leaders in Putrajaya make policies and decisions that affect our lives, yet they appear helpless and even unwilling to speak out against negative actions that affect us. The March General Elections and the Permatang Pauh by-election clearly show that the rakyat want a change of government.

Umnoputras are so desperate in their internal power struggle and fearful of Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat taking over that they are doing anything and everything to maintain the status quo.

The last straw being the Ahmad Ismail controversy, the use of ISA on Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Cheng Hoon, Raja Petra Kamaruddin of Malaysia Today , and DAP member of parliament, Teresa Kok.

Hence, towering Malaysians like Haris Ibrahim of the People's Parliament blog have cautioned the rakyat to stay calm. He even went into hiding for fear he was on the list to be detained under the draconian law. An extract of what he said in his blog:

"Whoever’s behind it, we know what they want.They hope to create fear in as many of us as is possible. And they hope to stir angry reactions in some of us. Don’t fear them. Fight them. But we fight them on our terms and on our call. We fight them smart.

"They’ve started to intimidate the MSM with show cause notices to three newspapers and detained Sin Chew’s Tan Hoon Cheng. RPK’s been taken in and word is out that a few other bloggers, myself included, are next. They’re trying to curb news reporting so that they have a greater control on reporting of what might soon follow.

"What might soon follow may well be in some way connected with Ahmad Ismail’s announced road show through the country to explain to party divisions about the controversy. Recall what he has been saying first at the ceramah before the election and at his two press conferences and you would have a good idea of what will be canvassed through the country.

"They are going to try and agitate reactions from us on the ground. Enough reaction for them to lay blame for the same on others that they are targeting to detain our opposition politicians. The very ones who we hope will soon take over the reigns of the federal government.

"And then emergency law. Don’t fall for this. Don’t let this happen. We fight them smart and on our terms. As I write this, I know that Pakatan politicians are hard at work trying to deliver this nation from this evil that is on the throes of death. I know that DAP has got its legal team looking into YB Teresa’s situation. RPK’s legal team has got down to work as I’m sure has the team of lawyers for Hoon Cheng.

"You and I will have to do our part. First, we do not fear them or fall for their agitations. Then, we send messages out to everyone we know and who trust us and tell them the same. BN is going to try and cause trouble so please stay calm and do not react.

"It’s important that we send these messages out. As I write this, initiatives are being planned. They will be announced throughout blogosphere. These initiatives cannot work without your optimum participation."

So, my fellow Sarawakians and Sabahans. Let's stand up and be counted. Together, we account for 50 parliamentary seats. Let us stand up and tell our elected YBs to represent what we want, not what Umno wants. We are all anak bangsa Malaysia and no one race is superior to any other.