The word comes around once again and everyone thinks that with it all ills will be alleviated. The word is of course “autonomy.”
Our Chief Minister went to the Federal capital to negotiate for more autonomy in the exercise of powers. Perhaps Sarawak will be all the more powerful.
But some of these rights are ones that the Federal would happily see off its table anyway- like having Sarawakians filling up almost all the teaching posts in the state.
When Malayan teachers are sent to Sarawak and Sabah, they get living allowances and travelling allowances.
Not when Sarawak or Sabah teachers are sent to Peninsular Malaysia. So if the Semenanjung teachers are sent back home, would not the Federal save some money?
Just the right time to save money in this trying economic period.
Dewan Undangan Negeri, the legislative house has never debated about the legal framework for the workings and exercising of these autonomous powers that are brought home.
Once given within Sarawak, it will be difficult to take back, from politicians as well as from private enterprises. Where is the check and balance?
Who is to say that devolution from the federal is any better than accumulation of these same powers within the state? Who is to say that when the current Chief Minister retires, another is as magnanimous?
One thing is certain, however, is that the tone of the current Chief Minister is much more interactive. He has promised to keep the people in the loop on his negotiation with the Federal government.
However, it does look likely to be a drawn out negotiation without much will from the Federal.
The first phase will be on administrative matters, the second to be on rights and constitution, development planning and implementation of Federal projects and the third phase on matter s such as oil royalty.
However, five decades of neglect cannot be overturned overnight. So the people should be able to wait.
But for fruitful negotiation, time frames and what Sarawak expects to get out of this exercise must be determined.
This would allay fears that it is that this is turned into another political gimmick to win votes from the people for the next state election without much thereafter.
On another note, MasWings is terminating its Kuching/Pontianak flight and so we are left in the doldrums in this issue of connectivity once again.
Good luck Hong Kong Airlines for the Kuching/Hong Kong flight. But I fear the worse.
Forget flights for now.
Let us start with capacity-building. We need to build our economy before we can expect more travellers. Relying on tourists is a wrong approach. Every time connectivity to Sarawak is mentioned, everyone says we need more flight, then tourists will come.
If we continue with this approach, then in ten years’ time we will still be harping on the same issue and there will still be no lasting flights into Kuching.
With more robust economy all round, perhaps we may be able to have more business travellers to complement the tourists and save the Ministry of Tourism some blushes. With more robust economy, perhaps there will be more money all round for Sarawakians to travel frequently.
It must be some one’s new fan dangled idea, Free sky over Sibu. So would all Sibu folks be happy if they had an inaugural B747 flight from Hong Kong?
How sustainable is that idea? So what if it falters three months later, it’s nobody’s fault. It is well, just unsustainable. Kuching, the administrative capital of Sarawak is having trouble sustaining flights and we say free sky over Sibu!
On the matter of stimulating tourism over the Kampung Boyan and Kampung
Gersik, a chance meeting with Dr Abdul Rahman, the representative of Pantai Damai, and a “home boy” of the area revealed that he also wants to stimulate economic activity in these kampungs.
He revealed that the government does not intend to apply Section 47 of the Land Code and acquire the area, but would look into pushing the villagers to work and cooperate with established economic entities towards the prosperity of the area. This is excellent good news. The villagers will hopefully reap the benefit of this move.
Then it remains for established businesses to look into a cooperation or “hand-holding” relationship with the house owners to establish sustainable businesses with tourism as the main target industry.
But major challenges lay ahead. Suitability of the buildings for purposes of restaurant or homestay or other businesses, infrastructure to and around the buildings, legal issues such as usage will need to be looked at.
However, these are not insurmountable issues. Heritage Society, and Persatuan Akitek Malaysia as well as local committees should be set up to ensure that the kampong folks are not exploited.
We just need to work on these simple ideas.
Write Straight, Write Sharp!