Ini dia jangan marah

Posted by Brade on September 30, 2004 at 16:40:19:

INTRODUCTION

I wish to start by quoting a few words from Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, from his book entitled Reflections on Asia. He said:

"..I admire the Chinese culture with the stress on commitment to hard work and a strong sense of community. They give less priority to immediate needs. They think over the long term. They are willing to make sacrifices in order to gain later, thus thriving and prospering wherever they are. I also admire Western Culture which believes in organization. The Europeans are disciplined and methodical. They are curious and try to explore and find out things, leading to advancement in science. The Japanese are also very disciplined, brave and patriotic. The cultivation of good values that will contribute towards achieving one's goals is something that must be learnt by everyone…" (Mahathir Mohamad (2000: 93).

The world's richest individual and arguably the world's greatest entrepreneur, Bill Gates of the Microsoft fame, (with a net worth of US$12.9 billion in 1995), in a book entitled "Bill Gates Speaks" by Janet Lowe, was said to have uttered the following words:

"…It seems to me that only strong-minded and strong-willed individuals would see opportunities and rush to capitalize on them. They have a deep culture and a strong sense of competition and success. They work very hard and are intense and do their best and always the survivalists and never giving up whatever the odds and problems. Maintaining focus is a key to success and you should understand your circle of competence, the things you are good at, and spend your time and energy there. These are the real values and cultures of a successful entrepreneur and businessman. Approach business as a kind of problem-solving challenge and thus it is not for the weak, the half-hearted, the doubters and the theorists."

I have deliberately quoted the words of an extraordinary effective and proactive Malaysian leader/politician and an exceptionally outstanding international businessman/entrepreneur because their words should provoke our minds from the beginning and also because we should learn from those who have actually gone through life and succeeded in their chosen vocations, and not from those who operate merely from theories or from the books.

What Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and Bill Gates said are also relevant to the topic at hand - that is, the relationship between culture and economic progress.

WHAT IS A PEOPLE'S CULTURE?

There are so many definitions and explanations of the word "culture" that they can appear to be quite complex but, in actual fact, it is not that confusing. A people's culture is that people's basic values, thoughts and ideas. A people's culture is not just their outward behaviours, customs, traditions and definitely not just their traditional costumes, music, dances and songs. Culture is therefore a people's ways of life - their real characters and how they survive, live and progress.

When we say that the Chinese are a hard-working people and are good at saving and investing, we are in fact saying that it is the Chinese culture which puts focus on grit, thriftiness and expansion of their assets. Also, when we say that the Japanese are a highly determined and patriotic people or the Germans as meticulous and hardy or the Americans as research-minded and full of initiatives, we are telling ourselves of the basic cultures of these peoples.

When people are saying that we Bidayuh are a rural and agricultural-based people, they are quite correct for the vast majority of our people are still involved in agricultural-related activities and much bonded to the land. Impliedly, we are a people who are not very much involved in modern businesses and that much of our thoughts and ideas are still connected with earning of our living from the soil.

At times, it is not very easy for us ourselves to say out what exactly are our cultures and often it is the Non-Bidayuh who do form their impressions of us as a community. Some of the impressions and descriptions of others on us are not very complimentary but there are some truths in what they think of us as a people. Others form ideas about us Bidayuh arising from their comparison of us with other peoples or communities.

If others say that we are not a business-minded or profit-oriented people, they are quite right because, if compared to the Chinese, very few of us are owners or operators of business enterprises in the towns and cities. If others say that we are not a very thrifty people, they are also quite right because many of us with a bit of money spend too much of our time and money on over-drinking of liquor, beer and stout and over-enjoying and over-spending during festivities.

I sincerely believe that we should not be too sensitive of what others say or think of us for, if indeed some aspects of our behaviours and actions or our thoughts and ideas are not progressive or are outdated, we should be strong and brave enough to accept others' comments of us and accordingly change our ways for the better.

Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, for instance, often spoke out very candidly and openly of some of the inherent weaknesses of the Malays in the Peninsular (for instance, their tendencies of taking it easy or making fast and easy money through selling off tenders and contracts obtained from the government). As a leader, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad feels that it is his duty to point out the weaknesses of his own people, hoping that his people will wake up and make amends. He would not be doing his duty well by keeping quiet when knowing that he has to point out what is wrong with his own people.

In this Bidayuh Cultural Symposium, held on the 40th Anniversary of Sarawak's Independence from Colonial Britain and its simultaneous joining of the Federation of Malaysia, it is an opportune time for the Bidayuh to really look into and analyse all the relevant aspects of our cultures which are good (and thus to be retained and perpetuated) and which are not very good or are outdated with the time (and thus ought to be gradually discarded). And to see and adopt good and new core values which can help us to progress and advance like other communities. I believe this is the basic objective of this Symposium and this paper of mine takes cognizance of this fact.

SOME OF OUR OUTDATED CULTURAL ASPECTS

Every now and then, our leaders and Ministers mentioned in the newspapers that we should get rid of the bad habits of over-drinking of hard liquors, gambling and over-spending during Gawai time and other festivities. Our leaders also advised us to try our best to save our hard-earned money, spend as little as possible on the basic things and then invest our savings in financial institutions or in new businesses.

Our leaders have a point. We really must get rid of the bad habit of spending our money on the over-drinking of liquors, beer and stout, as well as gambling and over-spending on festivities. It is a fact that we are a generally poor community and economically left behind and so we really cannot afford to indulge in wasteful habits.

Whatever funds that we have should instead be used for the basic needs and for the education of our children. Any balance should be prudently saved and any accumulation of our savings should be used for opening up businesses and the like. This has what our Chinese friends have been doing from the very beginning and we should emulate them, for their habit has brought them economic success.

We are also a community which is also still very much lagging behind in education, with probably only one to two percent of us being university graduates and professionals. As such, we must save and invest in the education of our children, with a view that the maximum number of our children should one day come out successfully from the universities and colleges with the relevant needed skills and expertise.

Hon. Datuk Michael Manyin ak. Jawong, the currently most senior political leader of our people (as the State Minister of Housing) used to tell us that education was (and is) the passport for us to get out of the vicious cycle of rural poverty and for us to catch up in the professional and business fields like other racial groups in the country. He is of course absolutely right, talking as he does as a former senior educationist and now as a political leader.

We have much to learn from our Chinese friends, many of whom as we all know started off from humble and poor beginnings also from the rural areas or slum areas in the towns. Knowing and realising that they were poor and noting and believing that money was a source of security for them, they earned as much a possible and spent as little as possible and saved as much as possible on the education of their children and or for the setting up of businesses. As Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said, the Chinese sacrificed a lot for the future and forgo current luxuries, and thus they ended up anywhere as a thriving and prosperous people. We should and ought to emulate them and, if we do, we too will be a progressive and successful people in future.

But if we do not believe in saving and investing but instead wasting our funds (which are limited and hard to come by) in over-drinking and enjoying, there is no way for us to rise up from our present economic position. Worse, we may experience a period of retrogression and continue to lag behind other races in all sectors, from education to the economy.

Let us look back over the last 40 years, from 1963 to 2003, and ask ourselves - have we taken the habit of saving and investing seriously? Or have we been spending our hard-earned money recklessly and unwisely? We have to ask ourselves these basic questions and answer them ourselves. Perhaps we can then start from here and then make the necessary adjustment.

From 1841 to 1945 (that is for about 100 years) it was mentioned that our British Colonial masters did try a little bit to bring some formal education to us Bidayuh but, very unfortunately, our people, unlike the Chinese and other races, were very sceptical and doubtful of what modern education would do to them. Thus, only after the Second World War in 1945, did our people start to realize the extreme importance of modern education and then only by our friends in the Singgai and Quop areas. And we are grateful that our Quop and Singgai friends made the first move, enabling them to be our pioneers in many things and many areas.

While our fellow Bumiputera friends, in particular the Malays and Melanaus, started to get seriously cracking on investing and involving in modern businesses as owners and operators since the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971 onwards (despite all odds and difficulties), we Bidayuh do not seem to get started, preferring to see how others fare and let the business world goes by. We seem to take the attitude that things were alright and that, because we are a generally poor community, there was nothing we could do in improving the situation. We seem to accept status quo and are quite fatalistic about our predicament. The end result is that, right up to now (2003), only a handful of us are practicing professionals and very few are in actual business in the urban areas. And the very few of us in business are struggling almost on our own without much morale or other support from anywhere. From the community, there is something of a feeling of disinterestedness and unconcern and, whether we make it or falter in the business field, nobody seems to take any bother.

While our Melanau friends, a smaller community than us, unite and group themselves politically in a Bumiputera-based party and in government, we Bidayuh are found in most if not all the political parties in Sarawak. Being a small minority (of about 8% of Sarawak's population or only about 170,000 in 2003) we are thus not a political force to be reckoned with but we made things worse by splitting ourselves and, if not for the Barisan Nasional, we would be in a completely marginalised position. And specifically, if not for a concerned Chief Minister, we would be truly down in politics, having no Minister and no political say at all. At least under the Right Honourable, Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi (Dr.) Andul Taib Mahmud, we have a full State Minister of Housing and a Deputy Federal Minister of National Unity and Social Development. Many of us do talk about politics but mostly on how to outwit each other for party or election candidates and to scramble for party posts, rather than on what we can do with politics as a collective and group instrument for social and economic progress, although with Hon. Datuk Michael Manyin and Hon. Dr. Tiki Lafe around things are gradually improving for our community, politically speaking.

My point is this - that in the fields of modern education and the modern economy we had played a game of unwise and undue caution and delay, much to our own detriment and disadvantage. That, in the political arena, we have not helped ourselves by trying to get properly united and cohesive befitting our status as Bumiputera. All these have resulted in the Bidayuh now (2003) almost completely not in the modern economic/business mainstream and not having a solid political voice. As stated, if not for the sympathy and concern of Bumiputera leaders like our Chief Minister, I think we would be in a really bad shape. And if not because of the pro-Bumiputera economic policies like the NEP (1971-1990), we would be completely left behind economically and educationally. That, as I see it, seems to be the basic situation for the Bidayuh at the present time.

Why our people have chosen to wait for 100 years to embrace modern education, why they have to see and wait for other Bumiputera groups to be involved in business before they do and why we have to be politically fragmented, I do not have the answers. All I can say is that these may be the ways and styles of our people. If so, these ways do not and have not benefited us at all. Instead, they have seriously impeded our socio-economic progress.

It is pretty obvious that we can no longer retain the attitude of wait-and-see or to let things to go by, allowing ourselves to do the endless discussion, debating and theorising (or romancing, as some say it). Like all the other racial groups in Malaysia, we must go headlong into the educational field and do our best in educating ourselves and our children. We should not offer any excuse on this matter for we do realize that, with good education, we can rise up socially and economically and, without it, we shall be left behind in all fields and all sectors.

With all the chances and opportunities afforded by the Government for the Bumiputera (which include us Bidayuh), by way of educational facilities / places and educational financial support, there is no more reason or excuse for us to slow down. We must make full use of the opportunities to educate ourselves and our children to the very best possible. If, as said, we have our own extra funds to top up, we should do so in the pursuit for the best education. After this Symposium, we have to sit down and work out the plans and strategies on how to get our people to be really serious on the issues of educating themselves and their children. There must be something that we can do apart from talking and deliberating about it.

Similarly, in the modern business field, we should not be contented with knowing and hearing that it is the Government's policy to help the Bumiputera through business special funds or business trainings or business seminars. We should do everything to be involved, as owners and operators of actual businesses (whether as shop-keepers, developers, hoteliers and if possible, as bankers, financiers, builders etc). We should ask ourselves - when and how are we, as individuals and as groups from the community, to make a serious foothold in the fields of modern commerce and industry?

Imagine if all of us were to work as private sector employees or as government servants and none of us are involved in actual businesses, we cannot then say that we are actually and positively involving ourselves and participating in the business/economic sector of the country. We are of course fully aware that it is extremely tough to enter the business world but, if some of our Bumiputera friends like the Iban, Orang Ulu, Malay and Melanau have done it, so can we. If we cannot compare ourselves with our highly advanced Chinese friends, who have gone up very far in the businesses, at the very least we can and ought to emulate our fellow Bumiputras. If we cannot catch up with Hamid Sepawie, Hon. Daud Abdul Rahman or Azman Hashim, at least we should think of how Linggi Jugah and Wan Ullok had done it and see how we can do something in the businesses.

Being not a front-line political leader, I have not very much to say on this area but suffice for me to state that I do look to a day (one day) when the Bidayuh are politically united and no longer have to speak from too many political parties. The sooner we realize the extreme importance of political unity for our further economic progress, the better it is for us. And, even though we are not deliberating about politics in this Symposium, it is not possible for us to completely isolate ourselves from this very vital issue which has direct connection with how we progress and survive - which is, in turn, part of our culture.

For far too long the Bidayuh have suffered from being divided politically and for far too long we have not realised that it is disadvantageous for us as a small minority to be so divided. A strategic direction is truly needed by us in this area. Let us hope that our elected MPs and State Assemblymen in the Bidayuh Forum (Udung Bidayuh) will seriously ponder on this issue and come up with something in not too distant a future.

Just as a mind refresher - let us see and analyse how the smaller minority Melanau have done it and perhaps we can start the emulation from there. Or we can start thinking from this point of realization. Ask ourselves - if the Melanau have used political unity for their social and economic betterment and for building respect and dignity to themselves, why cannot we, Bidayuh?

From 1988 to 1996, in my capacity as the President of the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) and simultaneously as a Board Member of the Sarawak Land Rehabilitation and Consolidation Authority (SALCRA), it took me and fellow Bidayuh in the DBNA Central Exco. and SALCRA officials (like the late Denys Lang, William Jitab, Anthony Nogeh, Dahim Nadot, Alexander Ganyang, Henry Daris etc.) three years, 1988 to 1990, to talk and talk with our people in the villages to accept SALCRA's oil palm estates. Imagine taking three years or so, over many endless talks and dialogues, to convince our villagers to accept a new development which is 100 percent funded by the State Government and all for the benefits of the landowners?

What was worse was that a few (I say a few, not many, fortunately) of our own educated Bidayuh friends who went all out to frustrate what SALCRA tried to do for our own people through the commercial development of our otherwise idle land. The few thought they were doing a big favour to our villagers by saying that SALCRA oil palm estates would destroy the environment, would disrupt village life and would deprive the people of their land but they did not offer any viable alternative. They merely opposed for the sake of opposing but giving no better or workable ideas to our people.

What I am saying is that it is very tough to bring modern economic development to our people. At times, it was also tough in bringing about infrastructural projects, which involved a lot of arguments, discussion and debate, often resulting in undue delays. Our people in the villages are still overly suspicious and doubtful of whatever is new, whether it was education or land development or government policies. A few educated ones do not make things any easier by bringing in too many ideas and even obstacles and objections which are often mere theories which have no hope or chance of implementation or actualisation.

We encountered a similar problem when a State Government agency and a Kuala Lumpur business group were trying to develop the Borneo Highland Resort at the Penrissen Plateau at Upper Padawan and the oil palm Raya Estate between Kg. Selampit and Kg. Kendaie in Lundu District. Luckily as an unpaid Board Member I did not give up, despite all the baseless insinuations and allegations. Now, on looking back, we are happy that there are SALCRA oil palm estates in some of our villages, the Borneo Highland Resort and the Raya Estate - economic projects that are creating some jobs and incomes for our rural people. Imagine, if we were to give up and none of these projects went off the ground - it would be the worse for our people. Without the economic projects we would be always talking of the infrastructural projects and utilities such as roads, bridges, water and electricity supplies, community halls, schools, clinics and the like, which are of course needed but they do not by themselves create jobs, incomes or business opportunities for our people.

It is quite understandable for our rural villagers to be quite careful of those total strangers or outsiders who come into their land and villages (because of past/historical bitter experiences, especially before 1841). However, by now (2003), our people should not be overly doubtful and suspicious for they can and ought to learn, compare and check things out. Many of their children have some education and can verify things.

But if our people in the villages continue on to be too suspicious of whatever is new and if a few of the educated ones exploit that inherent tendency of suspicion, it will be very tough for our people to catch up with modern advancement and development. The extreme suspicion and caution can and in fact has resulted in delays and even frustration of many good things for our people.

We are already very much left behind in education, businesses and all other fields, if compared to our Chinese friends and even with our Malay/Melanau friends and there is no reason for us to impede our own development by over suspicion or doubts of modern progress. In fact, we should accept all the good aspects of modernization as speedily as possible, without wasting any time on the debating, discussing and theorizing. Time, in a way, is running out for us and we can no longer find reasons or excuses to justify why we must go slowly or take it easy or not to take any initiative or any bold moves at betterment.

Our old cultures or habits or tendencies of entertaining too much doubts and suspicion on what are obviously good for us, for example commercial land development, village improvement, education etc. must go. The sooner they go, the better it is for us.

We must really help ourselves by speedily changing with the time, for time and people (other races) do not wait for us. When other people run, we must also run. Thus, it ought to be our new cultures to emulate the successes of other peoples and to adopt how they have achieved such successes, whether educational, social or economic. As said, in the business field we can see and learn how the Chinese have done it and, for politics, we have much to study and learn from our Melanau friends.

There are of course many outdated and unwanted habits that we can do without, including the often-mentioned feelings of negative/excessive jealousies of each other (remember the crab-story), over-talking over matters and issues and never seem to start doing things especially in the businesses, tendencies of over-caution and reluctance on embarking on new things and ideas etc. There are also the risk-adverse mentality, the wait-and-see attitude, the lack of focus and concentration, lack of patience and endurance and many others which some people have purportedly said of being part of our Bidayuh culture.

I am sure the other paper-writers are touching on all or some of these habits of ours and so there is no need for me to repeat them here. It is sufficient for me to focus upon the major disadvantageous habits or cultural vestiges, if you wish to call them as such.

THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Habits, values, traditions, conventions, customs, thoughts, ideas etc. (the people's cultures) are not easy to forget, much less to discard. This is because the people's cultures have evolved through time and over the ages. They are already part of the people, part of their lives and inner selves. However, we are not talking of throwing away all aspects of our cultures or ways of life, just the out-dated and disadvantageous ones, some of which had been touched upon earlier on.

While trying to get rid of the bad habits (such as over-drinking of liquors, gambling, over-spending, lack of saving and investment, over-suspicious of things new, petty jealousies etc.), a person and a community can gradually adopt fresh new habits, attitudes and values.

What are the good values to be adopted? And how to do it?

Definitely, the Bidayuh must think and believe that good formal education is our saviour from economic backwardness and poverty and a vital vehicle for our advancement and progress. We can see that it is our Chinese friends' value in life which focuses on education - that education not only give them skills, expertise and good incomes and a good future but also make them dignified, respected and valued by society. This is one good culture that we can think about.

If each and every Bidayuh parent and children, of the present and future generations, should adopt the above-mentioned attitude towards education, I believe we shall have a much better future. I do not think it is too difficult for us to do the adoption of such value or attitude towards education, especially after repeatedly talking and discussing about it. All is needed is the will-power and determination.

At the moment, the impression is that, while Bidayuh parents do realise the value of good education, too many of such parents in the villages have the tendency to leave the education of their children almost entirely to the teachers and headmasters. This attitude has to be improved. Parents must of necessity be involved in some ways, at least in encouraging and motivating their children with their school work or activities.

We should not be satisfied in seeing our children only obtaining the Penilaian Menengah Rendah or Sijil Peperiksaan Malaysia or Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia Certificates. Our children should go as far as possible, ending with degrees and professional certificates from the colleges and universities. Using the reasons of poverty, hardship and difficulties are no longer valid or acceptable.

Some people had commented that we Bidayuh are an already educated race, but I personally feel that with only about one to two percent of us having degrees and professional qualifications, we are far from being an educated race. We still have a very long way to go.

I personally see that we are still a poorly educated group. We have much to do and achieve. We should not be too easily contented by the praises of other people. True, we do have some university graduates and professionals but it is not sufficient. They are too few. I do not think that we should be satisfied until each and every Bidayuh is well educated and equipped with the right skills, qualification and expertise. Even one university graduate for each family is not enough.

Bidayuh political and community leaders as well as DBNA officials are in the best position to drum up this new thought on education to the Bidayuh parents. Educational talks and seminars are to be held regularly at all levels. Educational awards and incentives must be given to the outstanding pupils and students as a morale booster and the same be given to our undergraduates. This is one area that DBNA can and must play a big role, as expected of it. If funds are needed for this purpose, we have to raise such funds. This is one community project that we all must participate in and contribute when and where possible.

How to make the Bidayuh an enterprising, profit-minded and business-minded people is not an easy thing to do. This is because going into business in itself is very tough and also because it takes a lot of time and exposure as well as grit, patience and determination for a person or people to be risk-takers, investors and entrepreneurs.

In the long run, the Bidayuh need skills and expertise (that is good formal education in relevant disciplines) to be, first, knowing the theories of businesses and the professions and, second, to be gradually exposed to other peoples, their experiences and to the ways of the successful business world.

But educating people is a very long process and also, once well educated, it is not automatic that the educated ones will be businesses-minded or profit-oriented. Education is a mere first and initial step in exposing a person to a world of initiatives. Profit, productivity and economic success are learned from informal education, although the books and theories start the thinking and initiating.

What I think the Bidayuh do really need are, first, political unity and the right political orientation, second, observing, watching and possibly emulating the more successful Melanau and Chinese and, lastly, putting in all what are needed for a successful economic life - hard work, grit, determination, perseverance, strong-mindedness, focus on the future and concentrate on the business at hand (as Bill Gates had said), integrate well with all other Malaysian groups and hope for the best.

Given some of the existing or prevalent cultural vestiges that somewhat impede Bidayuh socio-economic progress and given an already highly competitive business world, it will not be smooth sailing for the Bidayuh. But what choice is there for us Bidayuh? We have got to learn and learn fast and just try to do our best. We cannot wait for each and every one of us to be well educated or for the other Malaysian groups around us to stop and give a helping hand or for others to take pity and do something for us. Our only choice now is - just get cracking and trying our best, instead of waiting, hesitating and merely hoping. A few more of the already educated Bidayuh must get out and take the lead in the actual business world, as a few have already done. This is the challenge for them. Our other Bumiputera friends had done it, so can we.

At the very most, the Government and its agencies will extend what are described as the opportunities and the catalysts (such as oil palm estates, the mills, special business funds, business courses, seminars, trainings etc.). Much of the work and effort for an economic success still has to be done by the Bidayuh themselves.

In other words, those Bidayuh who want to make a success in the business field have to put in the hard work, the learning, the emulation of the successes of others and all the nitty-gritty's of business. There is simply no short-cut. This is as for as I can see it.

As for thinking about loudly and then adopting new and fresh core values, this again will take time. New values in life take years and generations to acquire and only after a lot of experiences. But while starting to adopt the good values which we must of course do, if possible right now, this should not preclude us from doing something positive in the business world right now. We have no time to wait. Nor will time and other people wait for us.

The Chinese culture of hard work, community-mindedness, focus for the future, forgoing immediate needs for the future, patience and perseverance, for instance, do not come about in a matter of a few years but hundreds of years or even thousands and only after some experiences, both good and bad.

But still there is a lot for the Bidayuh to observe and learn from their Chinese friends, absorbing their values that can be absorbed and emulating what need to be emulated. If this is the attitude, this is I think a good starting point.

As for the Western values of discipline, of being methodical, of researching on everything in life, of experimenting on with all new things etc., this again is not something that can be acquired within a few years or easily. But it is worth for us Bidayuhs (and all Malaysians) to take note of. Where we can emulate we must of course do so.

As for fellow Asians' value (the Japanese, for example) of high discipline, good work culture, fine ethics and high patriotism, these again are something that should be noted and, where possible, be emulated. The Japanese inner cultures have brought economic success to them and thus they are worth emulating. We must remember that Japan, before 1861, was a rural and agricultural-based country and the people were simple and primitive gardeners and farmers, probably like the Bidayuh in the villages now in 2003. But because of modern education speedily and seriously acquired after 1861 onwards and because of their core values, they have done the best in Asia in the fields of modern commerce and industry. Also, Japan was devastated by the Second World War (1939-1945) and yet it rose up speedily after 1946, no doubt because of the already existing attitudes and values of the people.

The same can also be said of the South Koreans who have shown great determination and grit in whatever they do. They too had gone through terrible times in the past especially during the Korean War of early 1950's. The Jews too faced persecution and horrible periods in the past especially between 1939 and 1945 of the Second World War and yet they could still rise up and help themselves.

It strongly appears that, once a people (for example the Japanese, Germans, the Jews and Koreans) have the right values and cultures, they can rise up fast and successfully, regardless of adversities, problems and difficulties. There must be something that we can learn or a least read and appreciate from these peoples.

It seems very clear that nothing can stop an already creative and productive people from rising up from the ashes or from the bottom. The Japanese, Koreans, Jews and the Germans have clearly indicated so.

This brings us to the basic point - that what really matters is the core values and attitudes of a person or a people. Education, incentives, opportunities, catalysts and all other things are good and necessary but they are supplementary to the core values of success. The values come first and all other things come later and are supplementary and even consequential.

While I was at the University of Malaya from 1969 to 1971 doing Applied Economics, my lecturers such as Ungku Aziz and Rafidah Aziz used to say that the basic factors of production were labour, land and capital. I was together at the University with Hon. Datuk Michael Manyin ak. Jawong and he could testify so. To a certain extent this is true but now it is clearly shown that, apart from the above - mentioned traditional factors of production, the core values/cultures of a person/people do matter a lot, probably the most.

Land, capital, labour, education, expertise and knowledge are vital but, without the right core values, a person/people can still get nowhere in life. Some economists now do admit that the cultures of the people, particularly their values, are probably the most important factor of production and I tend to agree.

Let us look at ourselves. We Bidayuh are in the majority living in the Districts of Lundu, Bau, Kuching and Serian which are quite close to Kuching City where there exists the educational facilities, business opportunities and many other things that can really give a person/people the head-starts in many things or areas. Yet we Bidayuh are still left behind educationally and economically. Why? I see the answer in us Bidayuh of not yet acquiring the right values and attitudes related to modern commerce and industry and to many other aspects of modernization.

Sorry to say, the majority of the Bidayuh (probably up to 90 per cent) are still quite contented with what we have or do as gardeners/farmers in the villages or as employees in the private sector companies or as civil servants in the Government departments and agencies. As for our involvement in actual businesses as owners and operators, we are found truly wanting. Some fellow Bidayuh may disagree with me on this issue but, honestly, we have a very long way to go and do in the actual businesses and probably we have not really made a start yet. I repeat, not yet.

Some people have described us as a people not wanting to venture out or not daring to take risks or not willing to do things not conventional and traditional, that is, taking it easy and safe. Some have also said that we are an easily contented people. Maybe what some others think of us is quite true in light of our rather pathetic performance in the fields of modern commerce and industry. We are of course not grumbling or bemoaning or complaining against other races or the Government, for what really ails us is our own values and attitudes toward business - something which only we ourselves can solve.

Thus, in this Symposium, it is most timely and useful for us Bidayuh to delve into and see very deeply into our values and attitudes. We must ask ourselves - what are the good aspects of our cultures that we should retain and promote, what are those that are not conducive which we must slowly but gradually discard and what are the new ones that we must really adopt? The answer to these questions will make our Symposium this round a meaningful one.

Let us hope that we must not talk in abstract and in theories and after the Symposium, we do nothing and let the world goes by, as so often happened in the past. After 40 years of political independence, after 40 years being in Malaysia and after 40 years of living in fast-moving Malaysia along with the Chinese and Melanau and other fellow Bumiputras, we really ought to change and learn for the better.

Like many fellow Bidayuh born in the 1940's and raised up as kids in the 1950's and 1960's, I had gone through terrible absolute poverty, difficulties and hardship. I hope I am therefore permitted to say a little bit of my own actual personal experiences in life (without being accused by anyone of blowing my own trumpets), if only to illustrate that we can get out of poverty and illiteracy given the determination and patience.

Life was physically very tough in the 1950's and 1960's and those of us who were school-going kids in those decades know fully well what I am talking about. Our parents were extremely poor simple paddy-planters and we had almost nothing in life, not even the role models to look up to. We had only ourselves to look up to for initiatives to rise up in life.

Despite everything, a number of us ended up as university graduates and professionals but not after going through much tribulations, hardship, difficulties and pains, both physical and mental. I refer to those of my generation who had made it despite everything, including Raphael Nissom, Wilfred Rata Nissom, Gabriel Dan, Dato Sri Robert Jacob Ridu, Michael Aman, Nicholas Gunjew, Anthony Polycarp Munjan, Peter Sallang, Datuk Tenewi Nuek, Dr. Moscow Rueben, Dr. James Dawos Mamit, Datu Wilson Baya Dandot, Andrew Nyabe, William Tanyuh, Hon. Datuk Michael ak. Manyin Jawong, Dr. Andrew Kiyu, Dr. Herman Ritom, Dr. Liding Jonyian, Dr. Eric Munjan, Anna Dreba and many others. And there are many graduates and professionals coming after us, those born later in the 1960's.

The message is pretty clear - that each and every Bidayuh can be well educated and well skilled, provided there is the strong will and the great determination, plus of course the hard work, patience and perseverance. If we of the generations of the 1950's and 1960's could do it, so can the present generation. The more so as things now are very much better, at least physically in many aspects. We must have good education, the best possible, in order to have a good starting point. Hon. Datuk Michael Manyin ak. Jawong had repeatedly said it and we fully agree. Even if he had not said it, we ought to know and realise the extreme importance of formal education to our progress and survival.

Having said something on how I struggled for my education in the 1950's and 1960's, I wish then say how difficult it has been to make a foothold in the modern business world. Again, I hope I may be excused for bringing out my own experience because I do not know how other fellow Bidayuh have actually felt or done it.

I had to work from 1972 to 1980, that is for eight years (first at Bank Negara Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and later in Kuching at the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation), starting with a salary of RM750.00 per month in 1972 rising up to RM2,000.00 by 1980. During those eight years of work in the public sector, whatever I could save, I saved, after spending on the very basics.

In 1981, I decided to work in a private company in which I had a small stake of 10 percent and, in 2000, I started on my own. This was where the real challenges started. To acquire a five-shop lot budget hotel (Penrissen Inn) in Kuching I had to borrow a few million Ringgits from a commercial bank and succeeded only after months of talking, negotiating, cajoling, lobbying and begging both in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. Then I had to use all my savings and some other borrowings for the hotel's fitting, renovating and re-furbishing. Raising the business loan and investing all what you have saved over the years is very tough. Making the hard decisions was also very difficult. But this is the real actual business - it takes a lot of risk, hard decisions and a trust for the future. I do not think that there is any other way or any other easier option. And there was the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) scare, the 11th September 2001 Incident, the Bali Bombing, economic downturn - which all added to a hard life for us in the hotel business. We have to go on. There is no turning back.

Now that I am also going into the building and construction sector I can list out all the difficulties and challenges but I will not do it for fear of frightening budding businessmen from our community. Suffice for me to say that a business life is full of endless challenges and problems. This is the reality which we have got to face. There is no other easier way, except not doing any move or taking it easy or just talking about it.

But there it is - for us Bidayuh, who have nothing or very little, it is admittedly very difficult for us to go into the business world. But some of us must do it for, if not, the NEP (1971-1990) and all the other economic policies, plans and strategies of the Government (wanting Bumiputera to be involved in modern commerce and industry) will mean little or nothing to us. We really want to see that we are positively and genuinely involved in the modern economic mainstream of our beloved country, Malaysia - and not out of the mainstream, as we are now.

The few of us who have ventured into the business world will be very pleased and happy of course if we have the political support (for information, tips, recommendations for Government projects, contracts, tenders, supplies etc.) and for giving the good words to the financial institutions for business loans and borrowings. We need that support and assistance, if any can be possibly given, and we shall greatly appreciate the gestures. We really need our politicians and top administrators to help us who are pioneering in the business field. We really do and we are not shy in saying so.

Our fellow Bumiputera, the Malays in the Peninsular, have shown how some of them have done very well in business for and after being well backed by their top politicians, political leaders and political party, UMNO, and the top Government administrators. Some of them have become big bankers, developers, manufacturers etc. In this sense, political support and political assistance are very vital and I believe we are all fully aware of this fact. If we are not so aware, we must get ourselves out of being coy or naive about it. We can also be permitted to say that some of our Melanau friends who are now doing very well in business are being blessed and lucky for having some very concerned political leaders of their own - leaders who feel it their political mission to help fellow Melanau when and where possible. I believe all of us are quite aware of this fact - the close link between political power and business - but we have chosen not to talk or discuss about it, for whatever reason. But now we should start talking and appreciating this reality.

So our call for a united and solid Bidayuh political voice is not an empty call - it is badly needed for our social and economic progress and advancement, as it is so for the other racial groups in Malaysia. If this call is not heeded or lightly taken I can predict a very hard time for our community in the decades ahead, especially with the increasingly globalised world of high competition and new challenges.

Political unity, involvement in the Government and close liaison with other peoples as well as the right core values and attitudes are simply basic to our socio-economic betterment. We need all these for us Bidayuh to carve a better and solid future in a fast-rising and progressive Malaysia.

THREE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FOR THE BIDAYUHS

Seminar after seminar, we have to admit that we have been talking and discoursing on and around the usual traditional and conventional issues (education, government policies and plans, on problems facing us as a people, land development, ICT and globalisation, basic infrastructures like roads, water, electricity, cultural propagation and protection and the like) but I think that now, after 40 years of political independence from Colonial Britain and after 40 years of being in Malaysia, we should think very loudly of something quite out of the ordinary, something strategic, which may help us to chart our socio-economic future. After a few years of thinking and debating by myself, I have come out with three basic ideas which can be implemented, given the will and determination for the future improvement of the Bidayuh community and which I wish to describe as Strategic Directions. The three strategic directions are as follows:

Requesting for Mixed Zone Land Status for Some of Our Land

I think it is high time for us Bidayuhs, through our political leaders, to request the Government to change the legal status of some parcels of our land near or close or within the periphery of the urban areas like Kuching City, Lundu, Bau, Siburan, Serian etc. and next-door to Mixed Zone land belonging to the Chinese, from its present Native Customary Rights (NCR) status to Mixed Zone status but on the specific request of the concerned Bidayuh landowners. Why should our land, NCR type and next to Mixed Zone land, be remaining NCR status permanently with artificially very low commercial value, when it can be Mixed Zone land with of up to 10 times higher in value? If some of our NCR land near or close to or within the periphery of the urban areas are of Mixed Zone status the value will rise up immediately and business loans from the land (as collaterals) will also increase. This will automatically make some of our Bidayuh landowners financially better off in a short period of time or even overnight. If such landowners should sell their Mixed Zone land, it is up to them, but at least they do so at a much higher value than when such land is of NCR type. The net effect is that some fellow Bidayuh will have some capital, which can then be used for anything such as for business, for the education of their children and for other investments etc. I think this will be a very good thing to our community in the short and long run. This is a radical move but we have to do it for our own good and long-term interest. This is a controversial step but we should not stop at exploring strategic ideas at improving ourselves. Some fellow Bumiputera have done this and they have gone up in life.

New Village Development

If we remain status quo, I do not think we Bidayuh in the rural villages will improve very much in the next 100 to 200 years, even if there are roads, schools, water, electricity and other public utilities. If there is no drastic change, our rural villages will continue on as they are now, reflecting the rather low and disorganised status and civilisation of our people. Why cannot we think of re-grouping our scattered villages into a few strategic areas with proper urban-like planning and with new houses, utilities and facilities? For example, if all the Bidayuh villages in Bau District are regrouped in, say, five (5) new properly planned rural towns (Jagoi, Bratak, Krokong, Singgai and Broih/Serembu) complete with new houses, utilities and facilities as well as shops and Government offices (Police, Bomba, Council etc.) and the vacated areas be turned into massive commercial agriculture areas or any economic development areas. We can talk and negotiate with the Government agencies (say, the LCDA and SEDC) to do both the new rural townships and the agricultural and other economic development, on a mutually beneficial basis, say, on a 30/70 percent value/benefit basis. We can do this if we want to. The other choice is of course for us to go on and on as we are now in the villages, which I think, will not get us much anywhere. Worse, status quo may even bring about retrogression, perpetuation of rural poverty, continued rural backwardness and miseries for our people. Just think about this - the places we now call towns and cities, Kuching City for example, were once rural villages and so were Lundu, Bau, Siburan and Serian towns. If we dare to make this drastic move, steadily our people will get economically and socially improved in all senses and quite rapidly so. This again is something drastic but why cannot we think of it and see the merits and effects on our people.

Political Unity

As already mentioned, we have to emulate the political ways of the Melanau, a fellow smaller Bumiputera community, by one day re-grouping ourselves in a Bumiputera-based and pro-Government (in Government) political party. It has to be Bumiputera-based for we are too small to be on our own. I am not a front-line political leader but I believe that, as long as we are split in so many political parties as we are now, even in the grand coalition of Barisan Nasional, we shall never have any group political voice respected by others and other communities or worthy of note and respect. There is no logic or rationale for us except possibly for crass self-interest to be in so many political parties as we are already a small minority in both Sarawak and Malaysia and an economically weak one at that. Our other choice is to go on as we are now but without much political clout, resulting in us not having the bigger political leverage to bargain or even talk to the Government and other communities. If not for a concerned Chief Minister, we would be in a really hot soup in politics, to put it frankly. It is naive of us to think that political power means nothing or little in our desire for social and economic progress. It means a lot, as we can see among our Malay/Melanau and Chinese friends. They have been utilising their group/collective political power reflected in the respective political parties they are in for their social and economic advancement. If we do not see or accept this reality, we shall never really learn of the political life of this country - which is that each community is using its collective political power for economic progress and advancement. Surely we Bidayuh are not so naive or blind as not to know and realise that a solid political power is vital for a racial group in Malaysia for its socio-economic progress and that, a community which is politically divided, would suffer the dire consequences of being so. And that a small community, if politically united and cohesive as are the Melanau, can do itself a lot of good and wonders.

If, in this Symposium we can freely talk and discuss about the above three (3) Strategic Directions, we shall have something to think about after this Symposium - something to ponder upon about our future in this beloved country. And all the three Strategic Directions can be implemented and actualised and they are not mere theories.

Anyway, what have we got to lose if we have the real and deep desire to think about the drastic changes for the better for ourselves, our children and the future generations? Our current educational and economic status should, I sincerely believe, force us to think strategically.

If the Chinese, in the 18th and 19th Centuries facing all the odds and dangers dared to leave Southern China for a better future and then settled in Sarawak, so can we do something drastic in order to have a better life within the country. If many of the Europeans took the drastic step of leaving old continental Europe for America in the 17th and 18th Centuries for a new country and a new life, so can us Bidayuh. In fact, it is much easier for us Bidayuh for we are not talking of moving out of our country. We are just thinking and doing things in-situ in the country.

It is high time for us Bidayuh to adopt a culture of change - a change from the usual, conventional and the mundane in order to carve out a better future in our own country. The ability and the willingness to take drastic changes (Strategic Directions) is one aspect of culture that we must start to talk and think about. Our culture of always wanting to keep status quo and fearing to make drastic changes is outdated and does not do us any favour, none at all. The three Strategic Directions, if adopted, are in fact is an act akin to a cultural revolution for us Bidayuh.

CONCLUSION

As years go by, the whole world (not just Malaysia and Sarawak) is getting highly competitive, more sophisticated and more challenging. There will be new changes, knowledge, ideas, applications etc. This is expected, unavoidable and inevitable, for it is human nature to move ahead and progress. And those who do not progress and change or too slow at it will either be cast aside, marginalized and even ostracized and probably faced the fate of the extinct dinosaurs, as the saying often goes.

With the use of IT and computers, the world is but one "big village" of shared knowledge and of commerce and industry, often described as being "globalize". We can even say that now, right now, we are already living in a world of globalization.

A globalize world of high competition in modern science and technology, education, IT, new applications, new knowledge etc. is not about to stop and wait for us, for any of us. On the reverse, we have to do everything to catch up with the world and, those who do not do so or do it very slowly and reluctantly, will be sadly left behind and even cast aside or marginalized, much to their detriment. This is the modern day reality. This is the stark reality facing us. This is the very reason why we must use this Symposium to talk of the modern challenges and changes and life as it is now. And really see how we can and must fit in and accordingly re-adjust.

Look around us right here in Kuching - our Chinese, Malay and Melanau friends and a number of Iban and Orang Ulu friends are fast rising up and are doing everything to acquire the shop lots, offices and factories and are involved in all kinds of businesses, from retailing to wholesaling and from finance to insurance. And we then look at ourselves, the Bidayuh, and ask - have we tried hard enough? Have we done enough to catch up with other peoples around us and other races? Have we been merely engaging in talking and theorising without plunging into action? Where are we? We should not be too complacent or contented or naive not to ask these questions. We really must, if only to remind ourselves of how far behind are we in all fields.

The answer, I honestly and sincerely believe, is that we have not done enough. We have not tried hard enough. I also believe that we have made too many excuses not to do this or that or not to be involved in this or that. We have done a lot of talking but have not matched the talks with action. And so we really must do something, drastic ones if necessary, right now in order to rise up and catch up with the other groups around us. We must do so or we shall forever be left behind and then facing the painful consequences.

After 40 years of political independence and after 40 years being in Malaysia, we ought to really shape up and think very hard as to the strategic steps that we must take in at least the two basic fields, that is, education and modern commerce and industry. If we dare enough and take up the three strategic directions as already mentioned, this will be very good indeed. Even if we stumble in trying to help ourselves it is still worth trying and doing, for John F. Kennedy once said, "It is better to be criticized for doing something or trying something than to be criticized for doing nothing or not taking the initiatives."

If we must say out and then adopt new fresh core values to advance and progress like other progressive races, we ought to do it. If we have to take basic strategic steps in order to catch up with the other races, we should also just do it. But, in whatever we do, we must accept the other basic realities in Malaysia - namely, working and living as peacefully and harmoniously as possible with all racial groups, respecting tolerance, the laws and rules and all the good things about our beloved nation.

I therefore pray and hope that this Bidayuh Cultural Symposium of 2003 will be a good starting point and a new benchmark for us Bidayuh to have a new fresh beginning - to become a highly educated and an economically progressive people at the end of the day.