Dissociated In Sarawak

Sarawakians have a chance to free themselves on the 16th of April. And they do not need to resort to the methods employed by Egyptians, Libyans or Ivorians. All they have to do, is mark the X in the right place, for the opposition, on their ballot papers.

They have suffered long enough, and their leaders have been profligate in their excesses enough, that their decision should be an easy one. Yet there are many, who will still vote for the BN in the form of the PBB and the SUPP. Though there will be much less of those who vote for the SUPP.

There are several posible reasons for such self-defeating behaviour. Some may be suffering from a form of Stockholm Syndrome where captives or victims of kidnappings develop positive feelings for their captors. In some cases they will even feel adulation for their tormentors. A key element for this kind of scenario to develop is for the perpetrator to show some form of kindness to the victim. The victims will then, in a bid to protect themselves, focus on the kindness rather than the abuse. This will not happen if the abuser is unremittingly harsh. Lack of abuse may also be seen as kindness.

The BN shows this temporary 'kindness' to Sarawakians every five years or so, during elections. They hand out impermanent goodies when they should be developing the state for the long-term good of it's residents. Mr.Taib Mahmud has shown little interest in doing that. Nor, are we certain, if he actually wanted to, that he knows how.

A Dissociated state, a psychological defence mechanism, may also stop people from acting in their own interests. People become accepting, and dissociate themselves, from the abuse they have to endure, in one form or another. They may not take the chance to escape, even when they can.

These are conditions that also existed in Peninsular Malaysia, until 2008, as they still do, in Singapore. Penang became free then, as did Selangor. Kelantanese had long ago rejected the BN. Both Penang and Selangor are far better off today, than they were under the BN.

It is up to Sarawakians now, to set themselves free.