Future elections will continue to be unfair to opposition candidates if the current system of counting votes is not changed, the problem of vote-buying is left unchecked and the tuai rumah (longhouse chief) system is not abolished.

Well-known blogger, Joseph Tawie, in his latest posting in thebrokenshield , said, "Money is power and the government has effectively used it as a ‘weapon' to intimidate longhouse chiefs and their followers."

joseph tawie broken shield Tawie, who is an analyst of Dayak political affairs added that what was more worrying was that vote counting usually took place immediately after polling ended, to ascertain whether voters from longhouses had actually voted for the BN candidate.

But the worst effect of such an unfair system, according to him, was that it would create a government full of corrupt and dishonest elected representatives as well as inculcate into the people a culture of corruption and dishonesty.

Tawie, a retired government officer and pro-tem information chief of the yet to be registered Malaysian Dayak Congress told Malaysiakini today that the opposition will continue to be disadvantaged if the present system is not changed, especially in the 28 Dayak majority state constituencies in Sarawak.

He said although the system can be changed, it would be a costly affair, adding, "Opposition candidates may not have the resources."

According to Tawie, in the longhouse administrative system under the BN government, the tuai rumah plays an extremely important role in every aspect of longhouse life.

In the olden days, he was the head of ngasu-beburu (hunting) and bumai-bekebun (farming) activities, as well as longhouse judge who settled misunderstandings among his followers.

Elected by the longhouse people to be their leader, the tuai tumah was highly respected. He was a man of high standing in society for having a deep knowledge of Iban adat (customs and traditions) and his views were much sought after. Sometimes, the post of tuai rumah was hereditary.

election sarawak Tawie said, "Today, the criteria for becoming a tuai rumah has changed. He must be educated at least up to Form Three and be pro-Barisan Nasional. He need not have deep knowledge of Iban adat as he can learn them from the Tusun Tunggu, a book containing all the customs, traditions and taboos of the Iban people.

"After being elected, a tuai-rumah 's appointment must be endorsed by the government so that an allowance of RM450 per month can be given to him. His duties include being the ‘eyes and ears' of the BN government, a judge, a law enforcer, tax collector, consultant and chairman of the village security and development committee, through which government funds are channelled," he added.

"During election times, the tuai rumah is much sought after by the BN parties. This was especially so in the 2006 state and 2008 parliamentary elections."

Blatant abuse of power

Tawie underscored his claim by citing the example below, which will appear in his book, ‘The Broken Shield Volume Two - The Dayak Dilemma', that will be published soon.

"In this 2006 election, the BN devised an entirely different campaign strategy, which caught the Opposition with their pants down. Previously, the money was passed directly to the voters on the eve of polling. This time the distribution was done through their tuai rumah .

"Three days before polling, all the headmen were summoned for a meeting, where they were coached on what to say to their own people. And on their return to their respective longhouses, they were given some money that was to be shared with the voters of their own longhouses. In addition to this, there were also minor rural development projects that were promised.

"The tuai rumah then called for a meeting of the longhouse folks and ordered them to vote for the Barisan Nasional candidates. Anyone who failed to follow his order or directive would not be given any share of the bounties or any project that the government had promised them. And he was also likely to be expelled from the longhouse.

"The tuai rumah must ensure that his followers vote for the BN candidate, otherwise the BN candidate would report him to the District Officer, the Resident or the State Secretary. As the tuai rumah is like a civil servant, action, including the termination of his tuai rumahship could be taken against him. He might lose his monthly allowance of RM450 per month. And the promised minor rural development projects might be withdrawn.

"In Datuk Daniel Tajem's constituency of Bukit Begunan, he was defeated by a man, Mong Dagang, whom he had picked to replace him in the 1996 state election. Tajem practically lost in all the longhouses in the five polling districts. Before the money came, many longhouse chiefs and their followers had pledged their support to him, who had represented them in six previous elections.

"After the distribution of money and the threats were issued, everything changed; longhouse headmen, their followers and even Tajem's own relatives voted against him. And a similar tale of vote buying had also been reported in other Dayak constituencies."