Address people’s disaffection fast

0

Have shoppers got the tax exemption list with them? — File photo

ANYBODY, having read the history of Sarawak in the 1930s, must have come across the name Asun. Asun of Entabai had been appointed a Penghulu for Julau but was sacked for leading his people in refusing to pay the annual Dollar-a-Head/Door Tax imposed by the government of Rajah Vyner Brooke at a time when many people of Sarawak were going through hard economic times. The condition was worse in the rural areas. The natural rubber and its wild cousin, Nyelutung (Dyera costulata) and rattan – the main sources of income for the rural Dayaks – were fetching very low prices.

As a result, there was prevailing among the people of Sarawak a general disaffection. The government was being blamed for the poor prices of their products in the world market.

Actually, this was during the period of the Great Depression worldwide. Dayaks referred to this economic downturn as maya asi bebau tai (time of smelly rice).

Asun and his people would have been happy to continue paying but money was very hard to come by. Out of desperation, he and his supporters resorted to violent non-cooperation. He would have expressed his anger through the WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter if those were available during his time and no rebellion would have taken place.

As it happened, compounding the economic hardship was the problem of public relations on the part of the Rajah’s government. The Tuan Muda, Anthony Brooke, went to reason with Asun personally. As a result, some of his men went over to the government’s side but Asun and his staunch followers, unhappy with the worsening economic situation, opted for the deep jungle.

An expedition had to be mounted to arrest him but it failed to catch him. In 1931, he surrendered voluntarily and was exiled to Lundu for life.

On why Asun and his men rebelled against the government, the Tuan Muda reported: “the difficulties were largely due to the shortage of responsible European officers in the outstations and the presence of too many clerks who insisted on all regulations being punctiliously carried out.

With little or no money coming to them from the sale of their crops, the tribesmen found it hard to pay their taxes; and the clerks were not empowered to offer them a respite, nor were there people who could talk with friendly authority to them and explain matters with easy good manners and jokes that the Dyaks loved.”

If you are interested in finding out more about Asun’s rebellion, read Dr Steven Runciman’s book ‘The White Rajahs – A History of Sarawak – 1841 to 1946’ – Cambridge University Press, 1960.

Some 85 years later, a similar situation has arisen. A new tax is being implemented at a time when the economic condition of the country is not favourable. This was the view of former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, as expressed in his six-page letter to his fellow parliamentarians in October last year. He had asked for a postponement of the introduction of the tax and many others had associated themselves with the sentiments expressed by Ku Li.

Still, the government insisted on introducing the new tax called goods and services tax (GST) because it needs the money badly. True to promise, the law authorising the imposition of the tax came into force on April Fool’s Day.

Despite the numerous seminars and talks about the tax and assurances by the advocates of the tax, there has been in existence a general disaffection on the part of ordinary consumers in the lower income groups and groups with no fixed income. These people never paid income tax in the past but with effect from this month they as consumers will have to pay the GST.

These payers of the consumption tax are envious of the Members of Parliament who have given themselves a steep rise in salaries. This is adding insult to injury. They are asking what has happened to the Campaign to Reduce Prices that was launched with great fanfare in KL by the Deputy Prime Minister last year.

What’s happened to the lists of those goods and services which are not subject to the tax that the government officials had promised to give out to every shopper before April 1 during the numerous seminars? These lists may well be found on the website of the Customs Department but not every shopper is IT savvy or even owns a computer, assuming that there is electricity in their houses. A consumer without this gadget and electricity supply is still a consumer and as such is a taxpayer.

There are also those who have become easy prey for unscrupulous traders since early this month as evidenced by the hundreds of cases of violations of the tax regulations.

Perhaps, Tengku Razaleigh and those of the same mind like his were right in asking for a postponement of the tax implementation. But it’s too late to stop the tax implementation now. Sulk if you must, but don’t do things that Asun did, unless you prefer to run the risk of being exiled to Lundu.

I do not suggest that Sarawakians refuse to pay the GST. Unlike Asun and his warriors, we are in a better position to keep on talking about the ill effects of the tax, hoping that the authorities will find ways and means whereby the economic burden of many people may be alleviated. I hope that the right to talk is not seditious.

I hope the government will adopt the approach mentioned by the Tuan Muda: talk with friendly authority and explain matters with easy good manners.

Unfortunately some politicians, in trying to convince the people to accept the tax, have issued warnings to not to listen to the opposition as if the people were so stupid to be unable to tell the difference in the prices of goods and services which they paid for last year and those they have been paying since this month.

Tax is a compulsory contribution to the country’s funds. So as a compulsory contributor to that country’s funds, a consumer however humble in his station of life expects from that country some service. For me, a reasonable cost of medicine or GST- free parking or a cup of yoghurt.

Also, I want to know where my money goes: if it goes towards expenditure on nation building, to the development of public facilities, to education, to national defence and security, I would be happy to contribute. I would complain, however, if the money goes to private pockets or goes into the drain when a government company cannot pay off its debts and requires a bailout. Then I will think of Asun. Only thinking of him, not thinking about what he did – not by any stretch of the imagination.

Comments can reach the writer via [email protected].