The late Stephen Kalong Ningkan related to me in 1987 that the saddest and most frustrating moment of his long political career was to witness the break-up of the Sarawak National Party (Snap) in 1981.
That year saw the fierce and bitter contest for the Snap presidency between party veteran James Wong Kim Min and his young protege, Leo Moggie. Wong won and Moggie led a big breakaway Snap group to form Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) two years later. Snap was never the same again.
Apai Snap (Father of Snap), as Ningkan was affectionately known, likened the pain he felt then of the break-up of the party he founded to someone piercing a dagger right into my heart . He was totally shattered.
Ningkan became Sarawaks first chief minister in 1963, the year I entered Primary One and was struggling with the alphabet. It was also the year of Sarawaks independence when the state joined the Federation of Malaya together with Sabah and Singapore to form our new nation, Malaysia.
Even as a kid, I remember seeing the chief minister in his limousine very regularly. Rumah Sarawak, the official residence of the chief minister at that time, was less than 200m from where I lived. I remember how I stared in awe every time the Big Shot in his big car passed by my house in Reservoir Road in Kuching. It was exciting to have Sarawaks most important man in the neighbourhood.
It was not until 24 years later in 1987 that I got to know Ningkan more intimately. By then, I was a budding journalist and he, a pensioner but still an active politician nonetheless. As they say, a politician never retires. So it was with Ningkan.
In Ningkans memory
When Ningkan invited me that year to join him on a week-long trip throughout Sarawak in his Land Cruiser, I jumped at the invitation. He wanted to visit Snap members on the ground. The touring groups other members were Rosalind Ningkan and the driver.
The week spent with Ningkan was an unforgettable one for me. It was rich with the history and intrigues of Sarawaks early politics. More importantly, I got to know, understand and appreciate my first chief minister better although he was a political non-entity by then, which was a moot point to me, anyway.
Ningkan was not a particularly good story teller but his honesty and sincerity were overwhelming. At times, I felt his openness was overbearing. He was not one to mince his words on something he felt strongly about. He was articulate and meticulous about issues affecting his Iban community. I am sure many of his peers and others who knew Ningkan well can testify to this nature of the man.
Ningkans recollection of his years in politics, beginning from his struggle for Sarawaks independence, forming Snap, becoming chief minister, getting sacked, losing the elections and finally being a nobody could fill several volumes.
But I have not written a sentence of what he related to me that week in 1987, let alone a book&until; now, that is. It will probably end with this article.
In the light of recent events in Sarawak involving Snap and present and former personalities associated with Snap, I feel compelled to honour Ningkans memory by sharing his thoughts and feelings with those who care and love him and the party he left behind and even those who may have despised him and his legacy, for whatever reasons.
Breakup heartbreak
As I recall some of his words, Ningkan was right about a lot of things he told me 15 years ago. If only he had lived in a different era where he could still hold sway in Snap and in Sarawak politics, things possibly could have been driven towards different and, possibly, better directions.
To begin with Ningkans saddest moment in 1981, he foresaw big problems ahead after he knew that Moggie was adamant about challenging Wong. He revealed that he tried to talk Moggie out of it and allowed Wong, who was then deputy party president, to serve one term as Snap president.
After all, James had already said that he would only serve as president for one term. That is only for three years. James was also older and more senior in the party. Moggie was young. He was not even 40 at that time. He should have been patient. Time, after all, was on his side.
Ningkan admitted that he gave his support to Wong because besides being more senior and much older than Moggie, Wong was a true Snap loyalist.
Never for once did I ever doubt James loyalty to the party since the first day I invited him to join Snap. He had also sacrificed a lot for the party. He deserved to be president, even for a term, said Ningkan.
Unfortunately, the issue at stake in 1981 was racial, something which Ningkan detested and did not want to see in Snap. He made it clear that he founded Snap to be a multi-racial party and it should remain so. This was also an important reason why he backed Wong all the way.
Moggie and his followers in Snap had insisted that the party was Iban-based and should therefore be led by an Iban. Dayakism and Ibanism then made its way into Sarawaks political vocabulary for the first time.
In the end, multi-racialism won. Racial politics were crushed.
Better to close shop
Besides having the support of Ningkan and his own Chinese group in Snap, Wong also had the trust of another senior Iban leader, the late Edward Jeli, Orang Ulu leader Joseph Balan Seling and Bidayuh leader Michael Ben Panggi.
Moggie only managed to get the support of the Iban Young Turks in the party, notable among them were Daniel Tajem, Edmund Langgu and the late Joseph Mamat Samuel. They later became the prime movers in the formation of PBDS.
Leaders of both Snap and PBDS have to concede that their parties are now at a political stale-mate. They are at a dead end. Unless they come up with some drastic changes on their own, the space to manoeuvre within the establishment is limited.
Except for some party leaders who are ministers, senators or holding political offices or well connected with the business bigwigs, the majority of their members and supporters are unhappy.
Both are members of the BN coalition and in the BN set-up, what you see today is what you have. The smaller you are, the less you get. That goes without saying.
No wonder Ningkan was such a sad man in the last years of his life. From holding the reins of the state government alone in 1963, Snap has now been reduced to the most junior partner in the Sarawak BN government.
In 1991, on the 30th anniversary of Snap, Ningkan remarked that it was better for Snap to close shop than to be humiliated by the constant bullying by their partners in the Sarawak BN.
Ningkan was right. Snap was constantly being bullied. It started right from the beginning when the party first joined the state government led by the then chief minister, Abdul Rahman Yakub, in 1976.
Humiliation
Snap was played out when its leaders were given unimportant and powerless portfolios in the state Cabinet then. Fortunately, at that time Snap had stronger leaders who dare to fight back and demand better deals. This led to some unpleasant exchanges with Rahman and many years of mistrust between Snap and the chief minister, until he stepped down in 1981.
In recent years, a weakened Snap leadership saw an increase in the bullying cases against the party.
Most recently, the Sarawak BN showed no respect at all for decisions made by the Snap leadership.
In last years state elections, Snap secretary-general Justine Jinggut was named by the party to be its candidate for the Meluan constituency. In the days before the BN line-up was announced, party president James Wong proclaimed in no uncertain terms that Snaps choice of candidates must be respected.
In the end, state BN chief Abdul Taib Mahmud chose Geman anak Itam instead of Jinggut as the candidate. Snap was humiliated again but its leaders were curiously silent up to this day over the episode.
A senior Snap leader in Kuching, however, echoed Ningkans 1991 sentiments over this latest incident when he said: If our secretary-general is not allowed to contest in the elections, then Snap may as well close down.
It seems that (the chief minister) Taib Mahmud is the president of Snap now, not James Wong, he added angrily.
Apai Snap must be rolling in his grave again.
Onus on political foes
So where does Snap really hope to go from here? One, it can choose to do nothing and continue to be a sitting duck to be fired at from all directions. Or two, it can opt for a salvation plan.
The idea of a Snap-PBDS merger has been toyed around for some time but, sadly, never pursued seriously. Perhaps, this is the best time.
Strangely, the onus to get the merger talks moving seriously is on the two politicians who fought each other bitterly in 1981, James Wong and Leo Moggie.
Coincidentally too, both men are currently facing challenging times within their respective parties.
Moggie, who has been president of PBDS since it was founded in 1983, is now facing increasing pressure to step down immediately. Certain quarters in his party do not even have the courtesy to allow him to stay until his intended departure as party chief next year.
Wong, 21 years as Snap president, may face a challenge to his leadership from the partys Bintulu MP, Tiong King Sing.
Removed recently as partys treasurer-general for alleged failure to obtain TV3 transmission to Bintulu, Tiong is said to be very sore with the party leadership and, with his financial clout, is capable of mounting a serious challenge against Wong.
Wong is now 80. Although he retired as a state minister last year, Wong still insisted on carrying on as Snap president, reasoning that he was still strong and healthy to lead.
Behind his back, everybody is asking and saying, Whatever for? At that age, people prefer to enjoy peace and tranquility for the remaining years of their lives .
Wongs critics had often alleged that the party president has used Snap as a vehicle to promote his family business interests. Whether that is true or not is really up to Wongs conscience to dictate.
As a genuine political veteran and holding the record as Malaysias longest serving state assembly representative until his retirement last year, Wong, of all people, should be able to judge what is politically incorrect or morally wrong.
On the PBDS side, Moggie feels he has enough and is more willing to let go. Like his bitter rival of yesteryears, Moggie also has a record to boot. He is the longest serving Dayak federal minister.
Favourable grassroots response
Moggie and PBDS have also learnt by now that Dayakism does not work in Sarawak. 1981 was the first lesson. Ten years later, the party was provided with its second lecture.
In the 1991 Sarawak state elections, the partys Project KMS (Ketua Mentri Sarawak) to oust Chief Minister Taib Mahmud which adopted Dayakism as its war cry also failed.
It is therefore correct to assume that the majority of the Dayaks in Sarawak reject racial politics although they still consider PBDS a viable vehicle to serve their communal interests.
Like Snap, PBDS today has opened its doors to non-Dayaks. Syn Chee Hua of Kapit and Sim Cho Nam of Engkilili were the first two Chinese state assembly representatives elected on PBDS tickets. Today, Larry Syn remains the only Chinese state assembly representative from PBDS.
PBDS, of late, also seems to lean more towards multi-racialism as evident from its new policies and programmes. The original roots in Snap are sprouting in PBDS.
When talk of a Snap-PBDS merger made its rounds last year, PBDS deputy president Daniel Tajem described it as a good idea which should be pursued .
While the top Snap leadership avoided comment on the subject, it is believed that the party has obtained favourable responses from its grassroots to a merger.
As James Wong and Leo Moggie head towards the twilight years of their political careers, they should own up and admit that both had benefitted politically from their acrimonious fight in 1981 at the expense of Snap and its members.
In order for history to judge them as elder statespersons who had contributed much to the betterment of Sarawak and its peoples, they have to give back what they have taken. And it is not too late for them to do so.
Rest in peace
There are two groups of people in their respective parties they can choose to listen to. One is to continue to protect the selfish interests of the minority who prefer the status quo so that they can continue to reap the benefits before them.
The other is to heed the cries of the majority who have sacrificed and suffered with them all through the years because they believe that one day, things will be better for their children and for the future generations of Sarawakians under a Snap or PBDS-led state government.
James Wong plucked the young Leo Moggie from the Sarawak civil service in the early 1970s to join Snap and supported him financially in his early political career.
Perhaps Moggie should return the favour now that he is expected to retire from the federal Cabinet as a millionaire. Not for James Wong personally but for the many Sarawakians who believe that multi-racial politics through the original Snap was and still is the best bet for Sarawak.
There is no shame for the son to step up to the father and say: Come, let us forget the mistakes of the past. Let us now work together and bring Snap back to its glorious days .
Perhaps then, Apai Snap could truly rest in peace.
FRANCIS SIAH is a former Sarawak newspaper editor and former secretary general of the State Reform Party, Sarawak (STAR).
