Book Review

Politik Sarawak by Ahmad Nidzamuddin Sulaiman (et al), (in Bahasa Melayu), Kuala Lumpur, 1994: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Ministry of Education Malaysia. Pp 224. ISBN 983-62-4339-9

 

Reviewer: Samsol Morshidi Bujang (putrasarawak)

“Politik Sarawak” is the most prominent book in Malaysian local Institute of Higher Learning. It still relevant until now and being used as the textbook for Malaysian Political Survey in local universities.

            Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia. Composes by 2 million peoples . It was unique in term of ethnicity, and as the multi-racial state it was difficult to unite them as the one entity called Sarawakians. The largest population and Multi-racial ethnic group let them to establish their own entity according their ethnicity, Iban with their  Dayak Association, Melanau with their own, and Malay also uses their own identity to preserve their interest. The division of ethnicity are encourage the different need and makes them interlude in order to develop the state together.

            This book is divided into six chapters. Which written by four prominent Sarawak political scientists  An editor only focused on chapter two until the chapter five, this includes the discussion about the real-politics in Sarawak. This book is quite direct to the political situation in Sarawak during 25 years independence under Federation of Malaysia. It is the best answer to the historians who want to indicate their knowledge in the political situation in Sarawak

            In the chapter two, the article was written by Awang Raduan Awang Omar who anecdotes the Sarawak Political Development in Sarawak until 1991. He says, the political entity for Sarawak is based on the ethnic centric. Due to impress their interest in the Sarawak political scene, the political parties competing each other to get the memberships and their supporters even, it can let them into separation and division. The ‘politik rumah panjang ‘is the best example proof the consequence of the ethnic centric based political parties. Then he add the situation in 1980 until the end of 1980’s when the separation of two largest native parties in Sarawak i.e. Sarawak National Party and Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu of Barisan Nasional (National Front), Sarawak let the development of the opposition parties like Persatuan Rakyat Sarawak in 1987, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) in 1983, Parti Negara Sarawak (NEGARA) 1984 and the Independence candidates who tries to get their popularity among the voters. The Opposition Parties in Sarawak from the beginning are local based organization then in the 1991 state election the national opposition Democratic Action Party comes to acknowledge the democracy system in Sarawak.

            In order to reveal the Dayak ethnic group behaviour in politics, Nielson Ilan Mersat in his article in Chapter three again stress the behaviour of dayakism (racism) let them to the separatism desire. The separatism desire make the Malay-Islam becomes unite in order to take the opportunity in the state leadership. Even, history proves that Malay during 500 years until the colonialisation of British administration tend to rule Sarawak autonomously from the Kingdom of Brunei Darussalam. Sarawak National Party under the leadership of Stephen Kalong Ningkan and Sarawak Native Party (PESAKA) under the leadership of Penghulu Tawi Seli failed in order to maintain the hegemony of Dayak leadership in Sarawak during the first Phase of Independence.

            This book review also the first 20 years of Muslim leadership in Sarawak, starting from the leadership of Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Ya’kub (later, Tun) who has succeeded to unite Muslim into one roof of state ideology in tend to make Muslim in Sarawak become Par-Excellence in every fields of life. Otherwise, Muslim in Sarawak still maintains their life in poverty and remained the status poorest in the state. However, because of his political ambitious, in early 1978, his party (PBB) tends to broke out and disunity. His biasness to the Malay-Muslims officers in order to give the special privileges to the Melanau makes the Malay Muslims in his party insulted and quit from party and established the new alternative party called Parti Jati Rakyat Sarawak (PAJAR). Despite the fact that Abdul Rahman biasness in the party and the administration, PAJAR still failed to get any support from the voters in 1979 state election.

            During the time of Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud (then Pehin Sri) the human developments in Sarawak was develop together with physical development. Muslims in Sarawak was enjoy in his administration and propagate Islam freely and organised many programme during his time. The Organisations based on Islam were established and re-established by the new name and functions to keep the Islamic dignity as a peaceful and charitable religion. The government of Sarawak endeavour the spirit of tolerance in the religious affair.  

            However in term of political scenario Taib (who was inherited the government from his uncle Abdul Rahman) facing a lot of problems not only from the oppositions, SNAP and the independence but his family problem with his uncle who still remains his power as a Sarawak Governor and powerful to interference the state administration. Taib nearly  descent his power by the unbelief vote from the State Assemblymen in order to press him to step-down from the Chief Minister position.

            Personally the full compliment upon this book as the good job by the political scientists and the historians who struggle in their effort to reveal the Sarawak political scenario. Very difficult to get the book which divulge the Sarawak political scenarios in many angles and perspectives. Commonly, many books are published to give the untruth about the political scenes in Sarawak, the biasness in the revealed the facts is the really bad job for certain writers. In order to make it is interesting they leave the principal of historical methodology even what they have revealed is lying and untruthfulness.