Sunday, May 17, 2009

An Identity Crisis: who created it?

After reading what our good friend Lucas wrote in Borneo Post today (17 May, 2009) about the Orang Ulu identity crisis, so I thought I would like to express my personal response to his statement.

Is Orang Ulu having an identity crisis at this moment? or is someone out there is having 'crisis of identity' that led to the issue of Orang Ulu to be changed to Lun Daya. What does Orang Ulu mean to you as a Kenyah or Kayan, Lun Bawang, Kiput and etc-etc? is it outdated, out of bound, out of the way or so equal with the Orang Utan living in the jungle of Borneo. why are we so 'gelik' or 'malu' to be named as Orang Ulu. Any person that initiate such a name is having identity crisis himself because a real Kenyah or Kayan or Punan is proud to be called such tribe or name in Malaysia.

Is there anybody wants to be a hero? Is there anybody wants to be 'the Maren of the Orang Ulu like our previous forefathers? For goodness sake let us the Orang Ulu sit down and talk about serious matters like NCR Land problem, education, business opportunities and so forth. I humbly commend that we the Orang Ulu have urgent issues to raise up for a real and sincere discussion then change that 'crisis of identity' name in our symposium, seminars or so forth. The big companies(like KTS, Samling, Shin Yang, SOP, WTK & many more) are encroaching into our NCR Land all over Sarawak and yet we still remain quiet about it. Where is justice and fairness in the distribution of wealth? Though we know very well in our ADAT that MENOA KITAI TANAH KITAI, TANAH KITAI PENGIDUP KITAI (In Iban) yet some people(even our own people) label us as ANTI-development and also ANTI-government. We badly need development but please dont take my land for free and dont think that is yours ok. We have lost our assets found in the forest(orang lain pula yang kaya) and we are going to loss our identity(asset) through the unfair treatment in the development of our NCR land everywhere in Sarawak. Will the name of Lun Daya brings fortune to the Orang Ulu once it is changed? I think the consequence will be just the opposite.

So what makes us into real crisis is our Customary Land is being taken by someone out there who is not supposed to be there at all but yet legally he or she is like a 'rajah' who collects wealth for free or stipend our 'asset' which is the land itself. Think about this and make your your decision as soon as possible before it is too late.