Why so Racist?

Hadi’s ‘cawat’ remarks degrade Dayaks: Mawan
By Samuel Aubrey

KUCHING: The ‘cawat’ (loincloth) issue continued to become a hot topic with Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Dato Sri William Mawan becoming the latest Dayak leader to lash out at PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for making the remark.

He said the comments made by Hadi were very degrading to the Dayaks and a reflection of the opposition’s ignorance of the real situation in Sarawak.

Speaking at the launching of SPDP Muara Tuang Division Saturday night, he was very fiery and animated in his speech especially during the part when he slammed Hadi.

Using hand gestures, the Social Development and Urbanisation Minister said the ‘loincloth were at least put at the right place’ and not at other parts of the body.

But in the present modern times, he went on to say that loincloth is no longer practised and he blamed the PAS president for not understanding the standard of living of the people in Sarawak.

“Our cultural dancers only put on loincloth when performing traditional dances … (That is why) I wonder if he (Hadi) had ever visited Sarawak to understand the lives and living standard of the people.

“(To Hadi), don’t sidestep the main issue (on the factors leading to the loss in Batang Ai by-election) and talk about something else to distract the people, like talking about the loincloth,” he added.

Hadi, in a Malaysiakini report on July 11, was quoted as saying: “In all previous by-elections, the results favoured us. Only in Batang Ai did we lose because they did not know how to vote, still wearing ‘cawat’ (loincloth). I am not trying to insult, but those places dressed nicely, vote for PAS.” The Batang Ai by-election was held on April 7 following the demise of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president Datuk Dublin Unting on Feb 24 after a heart attack. It was held simultaneously with the Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang by-elections.

A political greenhorn from PRS, Malcolm Mussen, defended the seat for the Barisan Nasional (BN) after he won with by a convincing majority of 1,854 votes over Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Jawah Gerang, the former five-term Lubok Antu MP.

It was the only by-election won by the BN after six by-elections following March 2008 general elections.

On a related matter, Mawan also likened the opposition parties to Western folklore legend Pied Piper as they were only good in enticing the people, but yet to prove they could do better than BN.

“On the opposition parties drumming for support in Sarawak, I have great conviction that they will not get anywhere.

“They are just like Pied Piper - playing the flute, entice and lure people to listen to that beautiful music yet leading them down the ravine and to the sea,” he said.

In his advice to the SPDP Muara Tuang Division, he hoped the members could work together with other BN components and form a strong BN front for the coming state election.

Although Samarahan parlimentary and Muara Tuang state constituencies are not represented by SPDP, he said the party could still play a vital role by consolidating the position of the BN in the area and ensuring the victory of BN candidates.

Muara Tuang is currently represented by Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

The adjacent Asajaya seat is held by Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, while the Samarahan parliamentary seat is represented by Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib, both from PBB. Sulaiman is federal deputy tourism minister.

“If you look at the area, SPDP does not have any YB (elected representatives) here. But it is down to us to demonstrate our role as a fellow component in the BN by managing to rally our support in an area that does not have our YB.

“This is the spirit I call for in SPDP Muara Tuang Division - to demonstrate and put ourselves as example to others. Together we can form a strong Barisan team, a united front that will ensure victory in the next election,” he said.

He was happy to see that SPDP had members of all racial backgrounds in Sarawak.

“SPDP is one of the component parties in Malaysia that is truly multi racial. Our committees are multi racial. Our outlook, stand and principle are all multi-racial,” he added.

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