Left: Tiong (right) in his Sunday visit to Sebauh longhouses at Rh. Juti while talking to a young father. Right: Tiong (inset) while addressing at Rh. Madil, Sebauh. BINTULU-The practice of democracy must be spread further among longhouse folks to decide the leadership of their homes, minimising longhouse squabbles while facilitating them to obtain assistances from the government. The Member of Parliament here, Dato' Seri Tiong King Sing said that there had been evidences of longhouse folks severing ties among themselves out of their disagreement over the choice of Tuai Rumahs to lead them. "A number of new longhouses emerging because of the feud and if the number grew beyond control, it would be hard for the government to channel assistances to the rural," he told a dialogue session for 17 longhouse headmen in Sebauh, near here recently. To adopt the democratic practice at the longhouse level, Tiong suggested that the choice of candidate for the tuai rumahs should be decided by election where all the eligible residents of each longhouse must be allowed to vote. The election process should also be witnessed by officers with authority from the Resident and District Offices as well as from other relevant government departments and even the people-elected representatives should they are able to be present. Tiong believed that the position of tuai rumah should no longer be regarded similar to a monarchy system where a retiring head could pass down the appointment to his son or daughter. In selecting their heads, longhouse residents were also advised to ensure that the candidate that they would choose would be a person with the ability to work along with the government and guide them to upgrade their standard of living. At the same time, Tiong was in the opinion that any tuai rumah despite their advancing age but is still able to carry out his duties efficiently while enjoying strong support from his people deserved to be allowed to continue his service. "On the other hand, if a Tuai Rumah had been proven to be incapable of controlling his own people and disuniting the longhouse, then he should go," he added. Similar approach should also be applied in the election of the Village Committee for Security and Development (JKKK) where the longhouse folks should have the rights to choose suitable people to hold key positions in the committee. Tiong claimed that he had came across a JKKK in a longhouse where the key positions were held by a single family and he viewed such practice was not healthy as it could lead to suspicion of nepotism or favouritism. "Every decision made by a committee formed by one single family could be dictatorial in nature as the other folks in the longhouse had no say," he added. The longhouse headmen and the JKKKs were also reminded of their role and responsibilities to unite their people strongly under the government while giving no rooms for the oppositions to infiltrate their mind. Tiong warned that the oppositions had been moving around lately to twist the facts and instigating headmen or JKKK members in longhouses in their efforts to extend their political mileage. "The opposition will instigate the people to take confrontational approach in getting assistances but we must always remember that taking the initiative to sit down and negotiate will always bear better results," he added. Pledging that he would continue to re-visit as many longhouses as possible within the constituency that he represented, Tiong advised the residents to take the opportunity from his calls to iron out their problems. "If you are not satisfied with my performance, you can tell me immediately and I will try to improve. Please do not wait until the election time to voice your dissatisfactions when I am trying my best to give as much opportunity as possible for you to speak me all this while," he added. Left: Tiong (2nd right) listening to Tr. Bilong of land dispute grouses. Right: Tiong (inset) while addressing at 13 doors Rh. Entigar, Sebauh.