The third DAP wave in Sarawak
The new Sarawak state committee elected yesterday will be responsible for launching the third DAP wave in Sarawak for a better Sarawak and a better Malaysia.
The first DAP wave in Sarawak which started under the founding Sarawak DAP Chairman Chong Siew Chiang took 18 years from 1978 to 1996, and finally, achieved the breakthrough of having three Sarawak State Assemblymen elected into the Sarawak State Assembly – Wong Ho Leng (Bukit Assek), Wong Sing Nang (Pelawan) and Wong Sing Ai (Kidurong).
Sarawak DAP’s battle for parliamentary representation was not so arduous as two MPs in Kuching (Sim Kuang Yang) and Sibu (Ling Sie Ming) were elected in 1982.
The Second DAP wave from 1996 to 2021, which took 25 years, saw the DAP winning 12 State Assembly seats in the 10th Sarawak state general election in 2011 under the leadership of Wong Ho Leng.
It ended with the rather poor performance of DAP Sarawak in the 12th Sarawak general election in 2021 where two Sarawak state assembly persons were elected - Chong Chieng Jen (Padungan) and Violet Yong (Pending).
The first DAP Sarawak wave started from zero, the second DAP wave started from three and the third DAP wave will start from two. What is the height of achievement that the third DAP Sarawak wave is capable of – whether it could form the Sarawak state government or part of it?
This is the challenge of the third DAP wave in Sarawak under the leadership of Chong Cheng Jen.
I was disappointed with by the results of the Sarawak state general election last month as apart from Pandungan and Pending, I had expected DAP to win Kota Sentosa, Bukit Assek, Pelawan, Tanjong Batu and Pujut.
I can understand the frustrations and disappointments of the people that the Pakatan Harapan Federal Government did not do more in the 22 months in power before it was undemocratically toppled.
But I disagree with those who suggested that the DAP should break away from the Pakatan Harapan Government without trying to make it work.
We must persevere in our struggle to make a better Malaysia and a better Sarawak – not for our own sake, but for the sake of our children and children’s children.
We have made great progress although we have also suffered great setbacks.
Malaysians have not fully realised the historic significance of the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 when we ended the political hegemony of UMNO.
Now most people are wiser after the event and claimed they had expected the 14th general election result.
If you had asked me on the morning of May 9, 2018, I would say I never expected UMNO to be toppled that day.
According to Roman Bose’ insider account in his book (Tommy Thomas has described Roman Bose as Najib’s spin-doctor), Najib Razak never expected to be thrown out of office that day. In fact, up to the end of polling, Najib was expecting a restoration of UMNO’s political hegemony by winning two-thirds majority in Parliament that day.
The 14th General Election results produced a new political scenario seeking a new political equilibrium where the voices of the people matter in shaping the destiny of the nation resulting in the turmoil which saw four Prime Ministers in five years.
The lesson for Malaysians is to realise that a political struggle to make Sarawak and Malaysia world-class great entities is a long and arduous one and require perseverance and stamina for the long haul.
It has taken half-a-century to break UMNO political hegemony.
Will we need another half-a-century before Malaysia’s Centennial in 2063 for Sarawak and Malaysia to become world- class great entities?
Sarawakians together with like-minded Malaysians must be in forefront to mobilise Malaysians to spearhead the reset of national policies in the next half-a-century to bring about institutional reforms so that Malaysia can be a world-class great nation.
There cannot be a new dawn for Sarawak if there is there no new dawn for Malaysia.
When can a new dawn in Malaysia happen? Not in one or two years, even one or two decades, probably in more than three decades when we practise “Malaysian First” policy for the whole country, and “Sarawak First” policy for Sarawak!
I would like to call the political battle from 1957 – 2018 as “Battle One” which ended UMNO political hegemony which had turned Malaysia into a kleptocratic state.
“Battle Two” will be from 2018 to 2063 for Sarawak to have a new dawn and for Malaysia to become a world-class great nation by Malaysia’s 100th birthday anniversary in 2063.
The Sarawak general election on Dec. 18, 2021 is the opening shot for this Battle Two for Malaysia and Sarawak to become world-class entities.
I will not be around to see the outcome of “Battle of Malaysia II” in 2063, but I call on the youths of Sarawak to stand up and help lead the youths of Malaysia to ensure that the country can become a world-class great nation to ensure Sarawak can have a new dawn because Malaysia has got a new dawn!