gratitude

Traditional Gratefulness is the dignity of a good honorably respected leader.
Gratefulness must be expressed and shown publicly.Gratitude is an
appreciation for
what a person has contributed either to an individual,a family, a race
or a nation.

Recently many of our well known respectable personalities have left us
for good. Among them were
the late Tun Tuanku Haji Bujang the former TYT Sarawak, Datuk Abang
Yusuf Puteh, Datu James Wong Kim Ming and
Datuk Tra Zenda.The last one was accorded respect by our Chief
Minister through his personal attendance at her funeral.
While on the death of the previous personalities the Chief Minister
was not present.The three have equally contributed much if not even
more than what the last one to the State.Traditional gratefulness has
become a "selective priority" based on social sentiments.
If vindictiveness and revenge are allowed to override human inherent
social values of forgiveness,our society is heading towards
individualism devoid of gratitude built on non tradition respect.This
show of abhorrence is totally unacceptable even in our modern society.

The late Tun Tuanku Haji Bujang was the original initiator of the
party Berjasa together with Tun Rahman and others.
PBB is the off shot of party Berjasa while the late datuk Abang Yusuf
Puteh has bequeathed a good name for creating an excellent
State Civil Service administrative culture. The late Datuk James Wong
was one of the signatories of the Malaysian Independence
with in Malaysia and was also the politician who supported Taib Mahmud
to retain power during and after Ming Court incident.
The Chief Minister's absence at the funeral ceremony in the three
occasions reflects an attitude of ungratefulness.

The culture based on hate and vengeance especially against political
enemies and economic opponents has become part and parcel
of the current leadership attitude. Enemies will be punished until
death.No help nor compromised would be accorded.One should not forget
in politic that today's enemies can be tomorrow' friend.Communists
were once our ardent enemies.Many lives were sacrificed. Today China
the world greatest and powerful economy becomes democratic friend.Why
can our present leaders in the state in particular learned from this
lesson.
In fact right under the nose of the Chief Minister, YB James Massing
and some others were his political enemies during the Ming Court
affairs and today
they become his bosom political friends one of whom broke the Iban
Shield. So in the eyes of the State Leadership, gratefulness
can only be reciprocated upon fulfilling their "secretly designed
functions".It is no longer based on sincerity and communal traditional
respected values.

By not according due respect to those who contributed their service
for the State, the people are feeling disgusted at such attitude.This
is what leadership by example
should not show.The spirit of forgive and forget ought to be shown by
the State Leaders.We should let by gone be by gone.We expect wisdom to
grow gracefully with age
experience, honor,status and dignity of the office held. Traditionally
practiced gratitude should be enriched and showered with human love,
grace and compassion instead of prolong hatred..