Of Elections, The Development Promises, The Betrayal

It is election time again in my corner of the world, general elections, that is. Just the 12th one as my nation turns 50. Polling is on 8th March 2008. Quite a number of livelihood could be changed by the election results.

Somehow, the election this time around is a bit sombre, at least in my Malaysian State of Sabah. It's not the usual circus-like merriment, battle-of-the-posters/banners/billboards with politicos up in arms with fiery rhetorics and blazing slogans. Previously, you always know the 'circus' is coming to town because the banners and posters lining up the graveled and dusty, dusty roads provide a bit more colour to your otherwise dust-colored, quiet and time-forgotten tiny little town. My town couldn't even qualify as a town, I'm sure, because there are only two blocks of occupied semi-concrete shop houses. The supposedly new 'also 2-blocks' of shophouses remained almost unoccupied, and now nearly dilapidated, because there's no consumer buying power that should have been created by our so-called elected leaders to bring in progress and development in the last 40 years or so. Although my town under the Kawang Constituency is a mere 20 km from Sabah's capital of Kota Kinabalu, nothing has changed much since independence (50 years for the nation, and about 45 years or so for the State). The earlier mentioned 2-blocks of occupied shophouses stand on the same foundation which the British built during their administration.

I have always wondered why my town was never developed (I've not even started talking about my village and its neighbours). We have an elected State Assemblyman who was even the Chief Minister for Sabah from 1999-2001. Development projects should be pouring into the constituency by now! Or so we thought, then. Still, our pride that the Chief Minister of Sabah was actually OUR very own home-grown kampung boy got the better of us. So we never really complained nor made much noise. Our representative, being the Chief Minister of Sabah then, will DEFINITELY bring in the long-awaited developments, we keep reminding ourselves. We waited…

And waited…and waited, and hoped and waited some more. Only to wait in vain. Then, in July 2005, we received the answer to the question why our villages and towns in the constituency were never developed. The answer was splashed all over local, national and international media. The extract from published reports gave us the answer:

“The affidavit of the Gaming Manager of The Ritz Hotel Casino (“the Club”) , Robert William Whitehall dated 29^th May 2003, in the suit against Osu, which has not been contradicted by the former Sabah Chief Minister, alleged that Osu had submitted his application for membership of the Club on 8^th July 2000 (when he was Sabah Chief Minister), that Osu “gambled on almost a daily basis” in his various trips to London in February, April, May and September 2002; that on a single day on May 11, 2002, he gambled British Pound 1.5 million with a loss of British Pound 1,499,000; and that Osu was also gambling in other London casinos…”

Can you feel how we felt?! No, of course you can’t because you were never in our shoes!

The reports said he lost RM7.1 million in British casinos. Other reports alleged he gambled up to RM28 million! Is that even humanly possible! Those are supposed to be OUR money, to build schools, roads, bridges and provide water and electricity for us and our children. How can he do that???!! We had elected him to the State Assembly, to give us voice, to give us developments. And he had just handed our people's money to those filthy rich people in Britain!!! To this day, there is no piped water supply to my family house in my village! We STILL depend on gravity water. Can you even remotely understand how we feel?!!!

And hurray! Our former rep even made it to the online wikipedia!

“From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Osu Sukam
12th Chief Minister of Sabah
In office 1999 – 2001
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Political party
Religion

Osu Sukam, or Datuk Seri Panglima Osu Bin Haji Sukam, is an ex-Chief Minister of the state of Sabah, Malaysia. He became the 12th Chief Minister of the state in 1999 and took over the post from .... Following the rotation system in place at that time, Osu, an ethnic Bajau, held the post for two years representing the Muslim bumiputras of Sabah. In 2001, he was replaced …. Until July 14, 2005, he was a member of a ruling United Malays National Organization party, which he resigned from due to gambling debts totalling at least USD$1.8 million he accumulated from Ritz Hotel Casino in London and another casino.^[1] He bears a striking resemblance to Roland Gift, the lead singer of the pop group the Fine Young Cannibals.

Gambling controversy

The casino obtained a judgment in the High Court in England to recover debts owed by Osu. The casino sought to enforce the judgment in Malaysia by registering the judgment in the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in July, 2005. The High Court at Kota Kinabalu refused to register the judgment on grounds of public policy. However in 2007, the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the casino allowing the debt to be recovered.”

So why do I keep harping on an old story, you may ask?

Because, betrayal hits deep. We waited for the promised developments and a better quality of life for us and our children. They never came! Anyway, it is not even an old story. We are still reeling from the effect of that man’s stupidity! Most of my fellow villagers are hardcore poor. Our teenagers tried to help their parents by working with the local cable company…tukang tarik kabel. Some died from work hazards (My 17 year-old nephew was accidentally knocked down by a lorry at this workplace last month, and died instantly on the eve of Chinese New Year). Others turn to stealing, drinking and drugs. A 10 year old student hanged himself because he was too embarrassed by his family’s poverty. That poor boy (God rest his soul!) was attending school in this gambler’s constituency. While this tragedy may have been partly the result of the poor government delivery system in the district, but Mr. Kawang Gambler was the head of the State Government at some point and our elected representative and was in a position to resolve the numerous public sector problems. But he was too busy gambling away the people's money. Shame, shame on you, osu! To Mr Kawang Gambler, remember...karma is real and what goes around, come around. The people in your constituency may not be able to get even with you but there's a higher power who is looking out for us.

And I harp on this too because there should be lessons learnt from this disgusting story of the Kawang gambler. Come this 2008 General Elections, be very, very wise:

· Never choose a gambler as your State Assemblyman just because he is seen as a diehard political party member.

· Cast your votes wisely.

· Don’t become fanatic fools like us!

· Use your head not your heart when voting.

· Don’t be Fanatics who listen to local and national rhetorics!

· Don’t be Fanatics, religious or otherwise!

· Don’t be Fanatics, racial or otherwise!

· JUST DON’T BE FANATICS!

· Use your head, and vote wisely!

So, friends, fellow Malaysians, Sabahans. Come 8^th March 2008, it is time to make better your future. We don't need people who have been around for donkey years and have not done anything to change your village, your community for the better. Look at their track record. What have they given back to you? Think of the future of your community, your children's future and vote OUT the USELESS & GOOD FOR NOTHING politicians! It is your right to choose, to vote. Choose wisely. Cast your vote wisely!