Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi...
A People-Friendly Administrator

Although Dato Seri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi is a Temenggong of the Malay community in Bahagian Kuching since 1994 when he retired from the Civil Service, he still looks back with fondness to his time, first in the service of the colonial administrators and later in the State Civil Service.

RAKAN Sarawak caught up with a man who has a busy schedule to keep and listen to his many accounts of yesteryears as an Sarawak Administrative Officer and eventually as the Resident of Kuching.

When SAO Encik Yusuf Arbi was transferred to his first posting to Limbang in 1951, he had to carry his ‘tikar bantal' (beddings) on board ship. His ‘deck passage' entitlement as an SAO did not give him the luxury of a cabin. He and his family had to be on the look out for a space on the deck to unfold their ‘tikar bantal' once the cargo has been loaded in the hold.

Dato Seri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi joined the Sarawak Administrative Service in 1951 as an SAO and his first posting was to Limbang, the 5th Division of Sarawak under the colonial administrator Mr. Jack. The District Officer then was Haji Abang Openg, who later became the first Governor of Sarawak when it achieved Independence within Malaysia.

From Limbang, Encik Yusuf Arbi was transferred back to Kuching, then to Simanggang (now Sri Aman), Betong, Sibu, Kapit, Matu, Dalat, Long Lama, Sarikei, Custodian of Enemy property at Pasar Baki (Samarahan Estate), Bau as the District Officer in the 1960s during Malaysia's confrontation with Indonesia and back to Limbang as the Resident. In 1969, he was transferred to Miri, in 1970 to Sri Aman and finally back to his hometown Kuching in 1973 as the Resident of 1st Division until his compulsory retirement in 1983.

As his service was still needed by the government, he was taken on by the Ministry of Planning & Resource Management from 1983 to April 1994 where he was assigned a special duty to implement Resettlement Schemes in Sarawak.

Praise

COLLEAGUE... sitting next to Encik Baijuri Kipli, the then Superintendent of Land & Survey

Temenggong Haji Yusuf is full of praise for the tremendous improvement in the mode of transport in Sarawak today. He couldn't hide his feelings when he narrated about his travelling throughout the length and breadth of Sarawak in the olden days. "Today, government officers on transfer can travel in comfort," referring to motor vehicles and air transport. During his time, on his first transfer to Limbang from Kuching in 1951, he and his family had to board a government launch from the Ban Hock Wharf at 7.00 in the morning and then downriver to Pending to join up with MV Kimanis for the onward journey to Limbang.

"We had to look out for a space on board deck because an SAO was only entitled to ‘deck passage' which means that one can sleep on any part of the ship except in the cabin! So when all the cargo had been loaded into the hold, we would then rush forward to grab the best space on board the cargo deck where the ship will carry us to our destination."

In Limbang, most of the buildings were destroyed after the 2nd World War activities and as there was clearly a shortage of accommodation, he and his family had to put up in the kitchen of Class IV government quarters - the kitchen being the only structure of the quarters left standing. The quarters was situated next to a cinema where its generators were turned on every night starting from 6.00 in the evening until 10.00 at night, every night. "Anyone could easily imagine the drone of the machine 4 hours every night. But we have to put up with that as there was no other choice. It was difficult but we got used to it!"

Duties

PEOPLE FRIENDLY... in Long Lama. The bond established with the local people would enhance goodwill and be a credit to the officer

"During my time in service, I would consider my duty as being on a 24 hour basis – an SAO cannot leave his station without the permission of the DO, the DO cannot leave without the Resident's permission and the Resident cannot leave his post without the authorisation of the State Secretary. If we were to have a gatepost, it should be opened round the clock because the rakyat knows that if there is an emergency we were at their beck and call any time of the day or night"

"I remember one case in Betong during the Fasting month of Ramadhan when I was about to break for fast. Just as the bedok sounded signifying the end of the fast for the day, a knock suddenly came on my door. A villager was in distraught seeking help concerning a family member who was taken ill. So I had to forgo my break of fast to deal with the unfortunate man."

"To get promoted in those days depended very much on commendations from the people whom you served. They are the people who will provide feedback about your services rendered from your office. If they were to be turned away, they will tell the Resident (the colonial officers at the time) that they have been let down and you know next time why that promotion passed you by!"

Circulars

Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf touched on the subject of Circulars issued by the government. "In the olden days, there were not many Circulars issued as compared to the present day administration. This is understandable as the government is determined to intensify efficiency in all aspect of services provided to the public. Time has changed a lot as we move forward into an era of globalisation and strong competition."

Then, departmental heads had to set example for officers to emulate. Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf added that "for instance, in a government department, when the telephone rang, anybody who was there early would pick up the phone and dealt with the person on the other end. Unlike today, when someone were to call up a government department before 8.00 am, the phone will keep on ringing until it is 8.00 o'clock and then somebody will answer. During our time, whoever arrive first in the office will pick up the phone and the caller would be dealt with accordingly."

The same also goes to being punctual at the office. "Back then, as a rule, the head of the department would set an example by almost always arriving well before time so that the officers would be inclined to follow suit. And that seemed to have worked out well."

Bonding

In the olden days, mixing with the rakyat or kampong folks meant getting involved with the glittering ceremony and enjoying the food that was laid out, dancing to the beat of the ‘gendang' or be involved in the ‘ngajat' or similar ethnic entertainment in the villages. This was a form of cultural enhancement by the community in the rural areas.

"If an SAO were to just went to bed after his meal with the people, then he is not a good SAO. He would be considered as arrogant. It is nevertheless a tiring thing to do but one has to be close to the people."

During the colonial era, and even today, a directive was issued that all SAOs must visit long houses or kampongs under their respective districts or sub-districts once every month.

It was during such visit that the SAO, the DO and the Residents will call for a group entourage with other officers from other government departments to join him to visit the people. The Resident can all upon the Agriculture officer, the Police, Health Inspectors, Education officers and such persons to accompany him on the tour ever month. There would be a Question and Answer session at these dialogues and misconceptions on the part of the villagers would be dispelled and put right by the respective officers who accompanied the Tuan Resident on such visits.

"The reason is obvious. Each visit will cement the ties and bond between the administration and the people and this is what I have experienced throughout my term of service with the government. Since our mode of transport then was only by longboat or on foot from one longhouse or kampong to another, we have to spend the night there. We considered we were the Wakil Rakyat or the Ahli Yang Berhormat of today."

"When we arrived in the kampong or the longhouse late in the evening, we were treated with friendly gestures and welcomed with open arms by the folks. A sumptuous meal was laid out for us and thereafter we started a dialogue with the people and enjoyed each other's company till the wee hours of the morning."

"In this way, the relationship between the people and government of the day would be strengthened. Once the people have understood clearly the intention of the government, no third party would be able to come in and influence them in any way. That was the true beauty of such interaction."

Long Lama & Samarahan Estate

STAFF QUARTERS... building of the staff quarters in progress for the ‘Officer in Charge" in Long Lama, 1956

When Encik Yusuf Arbi was transferred to Long Lama in 1958, he was appointed as a Community Development Officer in place of an Australian who was away on home leave for about 6 months. This was in addition to his job as an SAO. There was a scheme that brought together various ethnic groups for courses in carpentry, basic mechanical engineering, etc. which would be useful to these people when they went back to their respective villages.

In 1961, the other type of job which he was given to do and which was different from his assigned duty as an SAO was when he was appointed as the manager of a huge rubber plantation in the Samarahan Estate near Kuching. "The estate was under the ‘Custodian of Enemy Property' during the confrontation period. There were a few hundred workers of Malay, Iban and Javanese origin. All they did was tap the rubber trees, sell the latex and get some money. But my job was to explain to them that the government was ready to offer them a scheme whereby they can own the land and the rubber trees on them."

The proposed scheme was to give each rubber tapper 10 acres ready planted rubber plantation, 2 acres padi land and a _ acre residential land. "I tried my best to persuade these tappers to accept the deal but unfortunately the response was lukewarm because apparently they gave in to the rumours going around that unlike the old scheme where you are free after tapping the rubber and selling the latex, this new scheme would tie them down with a 10% repayment on the package of land that they are supposed to have – which is like a loan scheme – just like putting a noose round their neck!"

This was their belief. And so the scheme which should have been really beneficial in the long run for the tappers did not get off the ground. "I personally felt quite sad at that failure. It would have been a good scheme from the colonial administration under the Agriculture Department."

Bau:

FAMILY MAN... as the District Officer in Bau during the Confrontation period

Encik Yusuf Arbi was pulled out from the Samarahan Estate and appointed as the District Officer of Bau in 1963 just after the declaration of Malaysia and the end of the confrontation period.

"Back in Bau, I again travelled to the Bidayuh kampongs every month. By then we have the Land Rover which was getting to be more convenient as a form of transport but there were not many motorable roads."

Travelling to Kampong Srikin from Bau in those days would mean starting in the morning and onward to a bazaar called Pejiru and then on foot to Srikin, stopping at villages on the way and arriving in Srikin at 5.00 in the evening, a journey which today will take only 25 minutes.

"Arriving late in the evening at Srikin would mean spending the night there and that was when our entourage of government officers would again spent time with the people as we always did during our other visits."

The people would really took time to welcome them and as they talked about government policies including the infiltration of the Clandestine Communist Organisation his entourage would give advise to them not to cooperate with anyone who are plotting against the govt.

"If we were to compare the situation then and now, it takes only 25 minutes to travel from Bau to Srikin now and so no officers would spend the night in Srikin lest they be accused of wasting unnecessary time outside the office!"

"On the one hand I agree with such rationale but for the sake of enhancing better relationship with the people and to disseminate government policies more effectively, personally I think officers should interact more with them by spending those precious time with the people in the kampongs."

"I have heard grouses from kampong people in the rural areas that they do not even know who their DOs are and when I ask why, they said its not like during your time when we spend our time talking and discussing our problems with you and your officers. These days, they come here for one or two hours and then they went back to their stations. Therefore the mixing and learning is not there. Nowadays more than ever, interaction between the people and the government must be stepped up because there are so many elements out there which can sway people's beliefs and attitudes away from government policies."

So it's a good thing. It would be a good thing if the Administrative Officers could plan their journey or visits so as to be able to spend a night or two with the people in any particular village be it Malay, Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu or Chinese.

Resettlement schemes

RESETTLEMENT SCHEME... Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi at work during his tenure as the Resettlement Scheme officer at the Ministry of Planning & Resource Management

Upon reaching his compulsory retirement age in 1983, his service was extended to the Ministry of Planning and Resource Management and his main duty was to resettle about 500 families living near the riverbanks at a place called Semerah Padi.

"It was a very interesting experience," he recalled. When we started to meet with the people and explained the intention of the government to resettle them, we faced many protests from the families there."

"But this was to be expected. Nevertheless, after several meetings, we were pleased to see that the people there had decided to cooperate with the government and they finally agreed to be resettled elsewhere."

As can be expected, the people at first were not happy being uprooted from the area they had called home but in the end when they understood the governments' intention they began to listen. Furthermore they were occupying private property and the owners wanted to take court action to evict them but the government was trying to avoid any unwanted incident befalling some 500 families of squatters.

"The scheme was completed within 2 years. That was my first resettlement experience. Other resettlement schemes such as at Jalan Astana and Kampung Gersik were succesfully implemented later on. And so are the areas like Tudan in Miri and also in Limbang and some other district where the people had requested to be resettled due mainly to congestion in the area.

Temenggong / President of Sarawak Government Pensioners Association

In 1994, Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi was appointed as a Temenggong of the Malay community in the Kuching Division upon his retirement from the Ministry. The appointment was initially for a 4-year term and renewable yearly thereafter.

"When I accepted the appointment of the Temenggong, a number of people remarked that it was a demotion in terms of status but I told them to think again. With the huge number of Malays in the Kuching Division, why would the highest Minister in the Cabinet chose me instead of another person. I would consider that as a great honour and I gladly accepted the appointment with a solemn promise to serve with dedication and sincerity for as long as my services are still required."

"My duty is to serve the community with my past experience with the people during my tenure of service as an Administrative Officer from SAO to DO to Resident. Though the pay is not lucrative, the office of the Temenggong is held in high esteem."

In 2001, Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi was elected as the President of the Sarawak Government Pensioners Association. He took over the post from Tan Sri Datuk Haji Abang Ahmad Urai. As a pensioner himself, he added that "although they (the pensioners) are getting older, they are ‘special' people with a variety of ability who could still play an active role in society by acting as a unifying force in a multiracial society and be a role model to the younger generation."

Reminder

Dato Sri Temenggong Haji Yusuf Arbi ended the interview with a friendly reminder. He advised those in the Civil Service today that no matter how high their qualification and expectation, it would be to their own advantage to travel outside their comfort zone if their services are needed there.

"It will be worth your while to go – you will be enriched with experience nonetheless. When you go back to the places you have served, you will be surprised to learn that many people still remember you BUT, you must serve with sincerity, honesty and dedication. They may be in the rural areas but they can observe your conduct and they will respect you, not because of your rank but your conduct in service."