Page 4 - DevelopmentSynergy
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Foreword disappear and must be replaced by local men. Yet, here lies the dificulty,
“Now with the advent of Malaysia, the expatriates will quickly
for it is easier to get a man from London to live in Kapit, than to ind one
of similar qualiications in Sibu, who is willing to do so…It is a melancholy
fact that the higher a Sarawak boy’s qualiications, the greater the
dificulty of getting him away from his family…”
(“Pioneers”, August 31, 1963 issue of The Sarawak Gazette)
T his was one major hurdle that Sarawak faced in the early days of its
independence from the British and as its Civil Service began the process
of Borneonisation - How to recruit suitable and qualiied staff willing
to serve in the remote areas?
The joys of independence was being tempered by some of its burdens as well
and one of these was how to staff outstations – some of which were far-lung
and lacked creature comforts - with capable oficers who were willing to forego
the comforts of life?
The answer was in inculcating in the young elite the twin ideals of “adventure
and service”. It is easy to hire specialists to discharge specialist functions but
when it comes to self-government, for it to have any meaning at all, “the task
of administration,” noted the author of Pioneers, “must be discharged by the
people themselves”.
“ I n d e v e l o p m e n t The recognition that the people of Sarawak would be the driving force
administration, we must expect for economic development was made on the day that the State attained self-
problems; so, we need to work government and by no less a person than the current Chief Minister, YAB Pehin Sri
closely with the people to solve Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, himself. As the then Minister of Communications and
these problems. Problems multiply Works in 1963, he proclaimed in a state broadcast on August 31, that “a nation
because of rising expectations and can only enjoy its independence if it has economic stability and a fair share of
problems are not negative. We must prosperity for at least a majority of the people.”
He called on the people to unite and work together and to give their undivided
look at them as feedback from the loyalty to the State. Making the pledge that the government would initiate
people and so,we need to have development projects and undertake public works for the beneit of the people,
increased dialogues and we must he pointed out, however, that “the Government could only lead. The real
keep on communicating with the advancement of Sarawak rests in the hands of its people.”
people. Problems are part of the He urged the people to cooperate with the government to make Sarawak a
transformation process; we must peaceful and prosperous state. And so it was that when he took ofice as Sarawak’s
go down to the ground constantly.” Chief Minister in 1981, YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, intensiied his
-YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib efforts to attain development in all spheres –socio-economic, political, education,
Mahmud, (Sejiwa Senada) event in health and medical services, information technology – for his beloved Sarawak
Bintulu, July 2010) and its peoples through his Politics of Development philosophy.
Indeed, from day one of his public service career, the Chief Minister has
exempliied the twin ideals of adventure and service.
2 DEVELOPMENT SYNERGY
“Now with the advent of Malaysia, the expatriates will quickly
for it is easier to get a man from London to live in Kapit, than to ind one
of similar qualiications in Sibu, who is willing to do so…It is a melancholy
fact that the higher a Sarawak boy’s qualiications, the greater the
dificulty of getting him away from his family…”
(“Pioneers”, August 31, 1963 issue of The Sarawak Gazette)
T his was one major hurdle that Sarawak faced in the early days of its
independence from the British and as its Civil Service began the process
of Borneonisation - How to recruit suitable and qualiied staff willing
to serve in the remote areas?
The joys of independence was being tempered by some of its burdens as well
and one of these was how to staff outstations – some of which were far-lung
and lacked creature comforts - with capable oficers who were willing to forego
the comforts of life?
The answer was in inculcating in the young elite the twin ideals of “adventure
and service”. It is easy to hire specialists to discharge specialist functions but
when it comes to self-government, for it to have any meaning at all, “the task
of administration,” noted the author of Pioneers, “must be discharged by the
people themselves”.
“ I n d e v e l o p m e n t The recognition that the people of Sarawak would be the driving force
administration, we must expect for economic development was made on the day that the State attained self-
problems; so, we need to work government and by no less a person than the current Chief Minister, YAB Pehin Sri
closely with the people to solve Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, himself. As the then Minister of Communications and
these problems. Problems multiply Works in 1963, he proclaimed in a state broadcast on August 31, that “a nation
because of rising expectations and can only enjoy its independence if it has economic stability and a fair share of
problems are not negative. We must prosperity for at least a majority of the people.”
He called on the people to unite and work together and to give their undivided
look at them as feedback from the loyalty to the State. Making the pledge that the government would initiate
people and so,we need to have development projects and undertake public works for the beneit of the people,
increased dialogues and we must he pointed out, however, that “the Government could only lead. The real
keep on communicating with the advancement of Sarawak rests in the hands of its people.”
people. Problems are part of the He urged the people to cooperate with the government to make Sarawak a
transformation process; we must peaceful and prosperous state. And so it was that when he took ofice as Sarawak’s
go down to the ground constantly.” Chief Minister in 1981, YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, intensiied his
-YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib efforts to attain development in all spheres –socio-economic, political, education,
Mahmud, (Sejiwa Senada) event in health and medical services, information technology – for his beloved Sarawak
Bintulu, July 2010) and its peoples through his Politics of Development philosophy.
Indeed, from day one of his public service career, the Chief Minister has
exempliied the twin ideals of adventure and service.
2 DEVELOPMENT SYNERGY
