Written by: Dr. John Brian Anthony
The Myth
One of BN favorite slogan is BN has a proven track record to govern Sarawak, while Opposition has none. It is a fact that BN has govern this country for a long time since the day of Rahman Yakub and Taib till today since 28 years ago. Well, let us examine BN track record objectively.As I listed BN track record below, I do hope that BN would feel very proud of their achievement while the DayakBaru beg to differ and make a call for Change WE Must to elect a new government under Pakatan Rakyat and led by PKR.I Stand for What I said below. I am totally convinced with the evidence I have collected and thus justify my struggle to bring BN government down in Sarawak at whatever it takes or cost using the democratic framework allowable in this country.

Basic amenities: Water and electricity
Those who live in the interior will testify that the quality of their water has fallen from good to worst. the rivers are polluted from logging and plantation. The fish catches in the rivers are poor and many fish species has disappeared. The rural people cannot bath in the muddy river let alone drink the water.
90% of rural dwelling has no electricity. Whatever they have are small generators that they bought. The price of kerosene and diesel has spiral upward to more then 300% while the rural income has not at all increase and in fact diminishing due to almost nil program to replant rubber, pepper, cocoa or palm oil.
The government track record is to build big hydro-electricity dams and yet do not see the need to provide the rural people with electricity. I hope BN is proud of their insincerity in providing a better quality life to the people.
Rural Income
The government make certain that the rural population do not grow any cash crop so that the government has more land to “rob’ from the people. This lack of economic activities forces the Dayak youth to look for job in the urban areas. Due to their lack of education and training most Dayak Youth ended up with low paying job under unskilled worker category.With low income and scarcity of job the Dayak youth become urban poor and live in shacks and form squatters colony in urban areas. That open the Dayak community to exploitation by businessmen and also the upward trend on social ill not limited to the consumption of cheap liquor but even involvement in petty theft and prostitution in pubs and bars.The more energetic Dayak youth made their way to Malaya and found job in Johor, Klang Valley doing all kind of odd job and live under the national poverty line. Some even work in Singapore and become a source of cheap labour.
The government has a track record of ignoring the need to provide proper vocational training and provide reasonable schools in the rural areas. The Dayak youth cannot compete with other Malaysia due to lack of education.
The BN government has proven itself practicing double standard in providing educational support and program to the people and also practice a policy to ensure that Dayak remain poor for ease of control.
NCR land and native rights
Over two hundred cases still outstanding where the netive people bring action against the government for robbing their land through abuse of power and plain cheating.
The BN government is proud of their policies and practices of not giving away land titles and recognising NCR land. Without legal land ownership the government has effectively reduce Dayak asset value to almost nothing. By this act alone, the BN government keep Dayak landless and poor as whatever land the Dayak own is of little value.The BN is happy to see the Dayak landless (without land title) because this allow the Government leaders to give away land to rich capitalist and to reward political cronies and buying loyalties of political allies. BN government is still working on more mechanism to ensure that the Dayak has no more land and not even the land and that trees are harvested for logs and farm land and rubber garden taken away as oil palm plantation land.
Robbing of the wealth of Sarawak
There is almost no more large track of jungle that is left without a logging license owner. Even Forest Reserves and National Parks has been given to companies to log out the timbers. The ” Pemakai Menua” that ic community reserve and timbers on Dayak NCR land are license out for timber companies to cut and sell the logs. The police force are used to enforce the license literally the native must submit to the point of the GUNS.The BN government is very proud and show the people of Sarawak how strong and powerful the government is in that even the Royal Malaysian Police is being made used off to frighten harass the Dayak. There are too many example to quote but we have cases of natives killed by police by merely opposing to allow timbers to be extracted from their community territory.Rape are happening and very little action is taken to bring the culprit to justice but instead a cabinet member is in the opinion that certain Dayak tribes practices illicit sex openly.The recent log jam in Batang Rejang was attributed to “god’s anger” and thus offering was made to seek forgiveness from the god. Who is this god with bull dozers and chainsaw and even given timber license by the government.The BN Government track record is that one ofdenial and suppression of native rights and individual rights. The BN government continue to act irresponsibly on matters of environmental sustainability.
Abuse of power and corruption
The BN government forte is to exploit any and all opportunities to enrich its leaders. It is alright to buy prime land at rock bottom price and sell it at premium prices thereby making easy money at the expense of the state coffer.
All big development contracts from the Federal government is being hijack by “elite” families and cronies through “direct negotiation”.
It is common for BN government to give government business to their children and sibling.The BN Government are telling the people that they are rich because they work hard, take opportunities with what is provided by the government and even score a distinction of allowing 60% of Federal Development fund allocated to Sarawak to be misdirected or even disappear into thin air.By the way, where did the Petronas 5% royalty money go to.?The BN government is very good at making money disappear and its leaders own big fat account and properties overseas.
Infra-structure
Roads seemed to follow the business interest of the BN Government leaders. Where there is business that is own by the Bn Government leaders, the road will be made available for ease of developing the business.Where ever there are timbers to be harvested it is easy to build road. If there is a Dayak rural community that need the road the government is not able to provide even the most basic of road. Where is the promised Kapit road?The Bn Government has a big track record of making big promises and especially so near election time but has fail to deliver. Batang Ai RM$80 million promised made during a by-election do not seemed to have be met by the government.
Conclusion
I have too many instances to write about BN track record and the BN is very proud of what they did to the people of Sarawak. If the above represent BN success then I cannot understand what is failure. But honestly I would prefer to change this government and have the Opposition take over Sarawak. The Opposition can only do better because the BN government track record is that one of the worst.
Poverty, lack of proper amenities, low income, very little rural infra-structure development, low educational level, lack of job, limited source of income, poor health services are all contributed by BN government. Do we still elect such a poor government.It is time for change and Change We Must to bring back hope into this country. Should we fail to make the change we future generation will suffer from this robber government.