‘Nyah’ yourselves, SAMM

Capt. Dr Thiru JR, The Star

An open letter to Solidariti Anak Mahasiswa Malaysia and Che’gu Bard.

DEAR SAMM,

I understand your frustration after losing in the last General Election.

I know you’re still convinced people like me flew secretly to Dhaka to pick up 40,000 Bangladeshis and drop them by parachute to voting centres.

But now you have brought your gutter politics here with your disrespectful Nyah Taib campaign.

Let me list your usual allegations and present the facts.

 

Allegation 1: The CM is corrupt, rich and pays himself a high salary.

Fact: Nothing has been proven so far despite your claims of a mountain of evidence which had mysteriously disappeared (just like the 40,000 Bangladeshis who vanished into thin air). No wonder one of your online newspapers was recently forced to apologise.

About his RM39,000 monthly salary, what if I told you that I get paid exactly the same amount?

(And that’s just for flying a plane, not leading an entire state!)

Frankly, we are quite fed up when you guys cry “corruption” whenever someone buys a house, car or boat.

If it was done with taxpayers’ money, then by all means publish the evidence and initiate legal action.

Otherwise, it’s just mud-slinging motivated by envy, isn’t it?

You claim that he even patrols the state with 14 helicopters. If that were true, then 14 wouldn’t be enough. I think he needs at least 30 helicopters, considering Sarawak’s huge land mass.

At least with better surveillance, we can prevent the “Moron Liberation Front” (sic) from claiming that Sarawak belongs to them after digging up old letters belonging to their great-grandfather’s second’s cousin’s mother-in law’s third stepson.

 

Allegation 2: He’s been in power for 33 years.

Fact: He has also been a parliamentarian for 38 years, which means he has the most experience to continue representing Sarawakians in Parliament.

Still, it’s the substance of his leadership that makes him a good leader, not the number of years of service.

Personally, I admire his strength to go on after undergoing so many trials, including the loss of loved ones.

If it were me, I would have quit a long time ago and retired to a life of tending roses and taking the grandkids out on holidays.

Too many people question the 33-year tenure without seeing it as the sacrifice of a septuagenarian who could retire young and rich, but instead chose to persevere till today.

 

Allegation 3: He usurped his uncle.

Fact: If he really did that, he could have easily pulled a Kim Jong Un stunt, pile up the usual charges of corruption or treason, assemble a kangaroo court, find him guilty and do the unthinkable.

Even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad can be accused of abusing his power by silencing political opponents after Ops Lalang in 1988 if you only look at it circumstantially.

But what the CM did in 1981 was perhaps the most democratic approach ever in the history of Malaysian political crises.

He went back to the people by calling for elections to obtain a fresh mandate.

 

Allegation 4: He practices “cronyism” and “nepotism”.

Fact: A simple question — if you owned a company, would any Tom, Dick or Harry get to run it instead of family or trusted friends?

Even my wife serves as the major equity holder in my company for obvious reasons.

Name every large corporation founded by Malaysians and you will see family in them. Many companies routinely declare millions of ringgit in dividends to their kids sitting as directors.

As long as you paid your taxes, what’s wrong with that?

Don’t forget, even kids need to study finance, business and accounting before making successful corporate decisions.

 

Allegation 5: He took power too quickly.

Fact: He served in government from 1962, from the colonial, transition and formation of Malaysia periods.

The long process in various state and federal portfolios took close to two decades before he took over the mantle of leadership.

Does anyone in SAMM have a better resume than Pehin Sri?

 

Allegation 6: His qualifications are inadequate to lead the economy.

Fact: Academically-speaking, the CM is perhaps the most qualified leader to manage the state.

Following a Law Degree, he pursued postgraduate research at Harvard and a variety of studies in other fields.

He is also one of the very few who had written several books, ranging from Islamic understanding to developing country strategies.

I suppose Che’gu Bard’s blog posts have higher literary value, perhaps even worthy of the Pulitzer Prize?

 

Allegation 7: He fell out of favour with the Barisan Nasional.

Fact: The CM led his party to a clean sweep of seats in the last state elections.

Even with the Barisan’s worst ever performance recently (from SUPP), he delivered at every state and parliamentary election for the Barisan. His track record remains unmatched by any other state leader.

 

Allegation 8: Sarawak is under-developed.

Fact: Manufacturing, industrial and tourism sectors have expanded from the previous petro-centric background for economic expansion and continued creation of jobs in the state. Sarawak GDP growth now exceeds the national average.

The balance disparity is also narrowing between urban and rural areas through large-scale town planning, plantation and land development.

Sarawak is also the first e-government, with a GDP that grew by more than 500% since 1981.

Poverty is now below 5% and hardcore poverty virtually eradicated.

 

Allegation 9: Minorities are ignored.

Fact: Look no further than his defence of Christians during the recent “Allah” issue, assuring that religious curtailment is not binding in Sabah and Sarawak and most of all, his strong stand against racist propaganda perpetuated by some Peninsular Malaysian politicians.

 

Allegation 10: Lack of vision.

Fact: The CM has outlined his vision for Sarawak to become the richest state in Malaysia by 2030.

The state is now investing money to develop higher education to promote a more skilled, serviced-based economy.

Investment numbers will prove that Sarawak’s main draw is her political security, human resource availability and business climate.

You see Uncle SAMM, allegations will surface about every person significant in this world.

But facts will always distinguish between truth and fiction.

For me, I choose to view Pehin Sri as an elder statesman who has struggled and sacrificed much throughout his life.

The least people can do now is to accord him the peace and privacy to call it a day at a time of his choosing.

Never mind if you cannot respect him as an elder statesman, respected leader or senior parliamentarian. At least respect him for his age.

Until then, you can pack up, zip up your kurang ajar politics and Nyah yourselves!