EGO weakens the Dayaks; we are our own greatest enemy because we let our hearts rule our heads: Dr Rundi (New Sarawak Tribune, May 26, 2019)
I have not seen anything like that in a long, long time – not from a minister and in mainstream media, anyway.
So yes, I was quite taken aback by the honest-to-goodness statement of Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
But no, I am not disappointed or annoyed or angry or anything of that sort. In fact, I am happy that someone in authority finally gets to say it in the way Dr Rundi said it.
The Dayak ego, according to him, takes out the logic from them and makes them hard-headed, brash and impractical.
He said their ego caused longhouses to split or the “ruai” (open verandah) partitioned and Dayak-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) grow like mushrooms after rain so that they can declare themselves as leaders.
You see, the Dayak ego demands that they become leaders under whatever circumstances, and today, the higher their academic qualifications the more reason they must become leaders.
A few made quite a name for themselves talking about why Dayaks must not play second fiddle in the politics of the state; why the chief minister must be a Dayak and why the state civil service should reflect the majority group, meaning Dayaks. They convinced a lot of people, and so went on to head several NGOs.
Thereafter, they developed this habit of criticising the political leaders for not doing enough for the Dayaks, calling them ball-less and “yes men”, and accusing them of working to line their own pockets. They had nothing good to say about the Pesaka leaders in PBB, saying they were like cows being led by their noses.
“We Dayaks must determine our own destiny,” they clamoured, but the one thing they never did was help Dayak-based parties, let alone join one.
“We Dayaks must determine our own destiny,” and they thought they could do that by joining Pakatan Harapan (PH)!
“These Dayaks are the ones who work to destroy the system, backstab leaders and pull them down so that they themselves go up the social ladder.
“These are the Dayaks who weaken the community to feed their ego. We are weak not because of others. We are weak because of ourselves. Because of our ego we blame others for our predicament,” Dr Rundi was quoted as having said.
Rightly said, but I believe Dr Rundi was just being polite. What he must have wanted to say was not the Dayak ego, but the Iban ego.
Incidentally, a couple of days before Dr Rundi addressed the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) dinner crowd, I read a post by a fellow Iban in a WhatsApp group, which I reproduce here, condensed and edited:
Good evening everyone. I think it is unfair if we talk about DBNA or the Bidayuh’s success without referring to history.
Some 52 years ago, the Malays lived in the coastal areas, Chinese in the towns, Iban and Orang Ilu in remote, inaccessible areas, while the Bidayuh lived rather close to the towns such as Bau and Serian, therefore, exposed to what the Chinese were doing. On the other hand, most Iban at that time were in their comfort zone where there were plenty of wild games in the jungle and tons of fish in the river.
I spent my teenage years in Bau and consider myself close to the Bidayuh to know where they differ from the Iban although both are Dayaks.
In as far as leadership is concerned, the Bidayuh are willing to put their ego aside while the Iban are constantly trapped in their own battles of ego.
The Bidayuh are willing to lose first as long as they get what they want in the long run; on the contrary, the Iban are bent on winning all of the time but not knowing what they are winning. Oftentimes they lose everything in the process of winning an illusion.
Apparently, the Bidayuh have learned the lesson that quarrels will tear the community apart, so today they value compromise and humility. While the Bidayuh have learned the power of the pen, the Iban are still shouting about the glory of cutting heads.
One other thing, the sense of volunteerism runs high among the Bidayuh. The educated and the well-to-do Bidayuh are showing the way in volunteerism, but sad to say most educated and well-off Iban distance themselves from their community. Too few Iban commit themselves to volunteerism and helping the poor and downtrodden in the longhouses.
Now, look at the stride the Bidayuh have made. You may have seen the proud DBNA Headquarters Complex, but have you been to Redeem? Have you attended the Bung Bratak Day? Have you climbed Bung Singai? Have you climbed Bung Jagoi?
Most of the leading tourist guides are Bidayuh and they are talking about other ‘Bungs’?
While the Iban are still crying over Rumah Dayak in Satok, the Bidayuh are already planning the development of other ‘Bungs ‘ in Siburan and Siniawan.
I am not saying that the Bidayuh are better than the Iban. My message is, we Iban should learn from the Bidayuh and emulate them.
The Bidayuh are better organised compared to the Iban.
Battles of ego have made things even worse for the Iban.
I can’t agree more to this. Their ego demands that they drink more and get drunk last but along the way say things that are best not said.
These are the Iban who clamoured for “we Dayaks must determine our own destiny” but dare not fight on the Dayak battlefront.
