I received growing unhappiness among members of the public and police force concerning the recent promotions and appointments of police officers to hold key posts in Sarawak. As I could recall, since Malaysia was formed in 1963, only two Sarawakians, that is, Tan Sri Hamdan Sirat and Datu Awang Ehsan Joini, held the top in the Police Force in Sarawak as Sarawak Police Commissioner and no Sarawakian ever held the post of Inspector-General of Malaysia.

If to say that Sarawakians are not suitable or could not be efficient to hold the post of Sarawak Police Commissioner is an insult to people of Sarawak and Sarawakian police officers. Being a police officer myself before I entered into politics and legal practice, I know Sarawak Police Commissioner post is not a difficult one. Even a senior police inspector can perform this job well for Sarawak because Sarawak has always been peaceful, low crime rate and no racial and religious disharmony and no cases of terrorism and subversion.

The fear of Malayanisation was imminent when Malaysia was formed when Sarawak First Chief Minister, Dato Stephen Kalong Ningkan in The Straits Times, 13 January 1964 page 9 said Malayanisation of the public service in Sarawak would be resisted but it seems that this resistance had slid rapidly over the years after Malaysia was formed. Our Honourable Chief Minister Stephen Kalong Ningkan said, “I wish to emphasise that the Sarawak Government intends to see that the terms of the inter-governmental committee report are strictly observed as regards Borneanisation and that Malayanisation will be resisted.”

The Sarawak GPS government should resist Malayanisation of government departments in Sarawak before things goes out of hand.

Sarawak should restore its Sarawak Constabulary and make Sarawak Police force to be for Sarawakians only. This will ensure Sarawakians be given opportunity and priority to serve Sarawak.

In recent promotions and reshuffle of top posts, Dato’ Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri is slotted to take over from Dato Aidi Ismail as Sarawak Police Commissioner, ACP Wong Ing Fung as Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department from Perak. Most often officers from Malaya sit on the top posts for few months or just for a short stint before moving back to Malaya or for another promotion, thus, by passing many eligible, hard working and brilliant local police officers.

VOON LEE SHAN
President,
Parti Bumi Kenyalang,
26 March, 2022