LETTER | I was surprised to read in yesterday's Borneo Post thatSarawak Deputy Chief Minister II James Jemut Masing is missing a “thank you” note from me for the government’s effort in upgrading the Long Luping-Ba’ Kelalan Road.

I am surprised because the so-called “upgrading to R1” category was just in its preliminary stage. Obviously,  the DCM has not visited the area, nor has he received accurate information about the condition of the road.

Yes, after the heavy rains from August to the end of 2017, many areas of the road towards Buduk Nur became damaged and impassable, in particular, the Buduk Bui area. That was the time when Samling machineries came in to help to pull cars out of the mud and cleared away the mud and debris.

Then in January this year, the area at Abpa Pala and up the Demaring hill became so treacherously challenging that vehicles had to travel in groups to ensure none were stuck alone midway. I just received confirmation from my man on the ground a minute ago that the areas along the Demaring, Abpa Pala and Long Ibau are still very bad.

We are yet to see any upgrade, much less the completion of the road to R1 standard, yet Masing is waiting to be thanked!

I find it unbelievable that Masing can be so proud of this type of road that he wants me to thank him for it. Compared with the roads in West Malaysia, our rural roads are nothing to shout about. Even Sabah has better roads than ours.

In the Kundasan area, there is a very good road cutting through the Crocker range. Our mountain elevation is only half as steep, yet we cannot provide a road half as good as theirs.

Last year, I had proposed that the government build a parallel highway along the hinterland and Masing seemed to be supportive of it. As the minister in charge, we hope that he can deliver.

If Masing really wants to be fair, as he is reported to have said, then where is the RM5 million Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) allocation for opposition assemblypersons?

It was clearly stated last year by the Chief Minister’s chief political secretary that the RTP and Minor Rural Project (MRP) funds are not available to opposition assemblypersons.

BN politicians are unashamedly using even the ‘tong biru’ (water tanks), e-Kasih, allocations for flood victims, BR1M as political tools, and this is common knowledge to the people.

Aside from the fact that it is plain embarrassing to expect to be thanked each time for carrying out the government’s responsibilities and duties towards the people, this statement from the honourable deputy chief minister is a reflection of the outdated “towkay” attitude of some of the BN old-timers.

Arrogant attitude needs to go

One cannot help but be reminded of the cringe-worthy state assembly speeches of some of those BN ministers heaping adoration and exaltation on their “beloved” Chief Minister in the days of old.

This arrogant attitude of some of the BN ministers and elected representatives needs to go. They must realise that they are elected to serve the people, and are paid out of the public purse to do so.

They should be the ones who thank the people for putting them in their eminent positions of influence, which are used shamelessly by some to amass great wealth for themselves and their families and cronies. They should thank the people for paying taxes and GST and for putting up with an incompetent government for so long.

Many of these BN politicians live lavish lifestyles that cannot be supported merely by their salaries as people’s representatives and ministers. In contrast, the majority of the natives of Sarawak in the rural areas live in conditions that have hardly changed in the over 50 years of BN rule.

Poor infrastructure, inadequate medical facilities, dilapidated schools, no access to grid electricity and treated water are some of the conditions these people have to put up with.

These BN politicians should apologise to the people for failing them all these years, not only in allowing the federal government to neglect Sarawak for so long but also for being complicit in this shameful neglect.

Proper roads and infrastructure are merely basic rights of the people and a responsible government should provide these as a matter of course. The people should not have to resort to begging and going to the press to shame the government into action, such as the people of Ba’ Kelalan have done last year. And when the government finally bucks up to ‘upgrade’ a road after the failure of the so-called ‘Jiwa Murni’ effort (which isn’t even upgraded), to expect a thank you is simply unbecoming.

There is no need to shout about something as basic as a road, and any minister who does so, and wants to be acknowledged for it, clearly shows political motives. Masing also conveniently forgets that the area he is talking about is under a PBB/BN parliamentarian. I wonder if he has pointed out to the said parliamentarian that a ‘thank you’ is in order!

Nevertheless, if my memory does not fail me, I have acknowledged the government’s efforts where warranted and in particular, I recall commending Masing for his stand on matters such as religious freedom for Sarawakians.

There are more pressing matters to be attended to rather on keeping scores on thank-you notes, the most crucial being the recognition of pulau galau (communal forest reserve) and pemakai menoa (territorial domain) rights of the natives of Sarawak.

If Masing can assist the Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas to effect an amendment to the Land Code to recognise these rights, then not only will I thank him personally, but all the Dayak communities of Sarawak will shout their thanks to the BN government from the river banks to the mountain tops.

Although it would be a little bit late, late is still better than never.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.