The ‘Rhythm of the Pendulum’ finally broken

0

Wong Ho Leng

SIBU: The ‘Rhythm of the Pendulum’ was broken in Bukit Assek last Saturday when Wong Ho Leng not only retained the seat but did it with an astounding majority.

During the election campaign for the 10th state election, the law of pendulum was a hot topic among politicians from both sides of the political divide.

According to the law, Bukit Assek used to swing in favour of one camp to the other in every election, making political observers scratching their heads.

Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng said at a press conference last Sunday that the trend had been like that since 1991 “but this law has been killed on Saturday night, hasn’t it?”

In 1991, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai won the seat with a huge majority. He was eventually made deputy chief minister.

But, in 1996, he was defeated, thus causing him to lose his ministerial post to Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan. After Dr Chan succeeded him as SUPP president, Dr Wong exited from the political arena.

In 2001, SUPP’s Daniel Ngieng wrested the seat from Ho Leng, but in 2006 Ho Leng got it back.

Last Saturday night, when the result of Bukit Assek was announced, Ho Leng retained the seat with an astounding majority of 8,647 votes.

Ho Leng garnered 13,527 votes against SUPP’s Chieng Buong Toon who garnered 4,700 votes. Independent Hii Tiong Huat managed only 180 votes.

Ho Leng, speaking on the pendulum law last Sunday, said the people should not focus their attention on the theory but on political principles.

“I have never been worried by the law. I tried my best in the contest and I won because of the voters, not the pendulum.”

Ho Leng is the only politician who has held the seat for three terms since 1991 when the ‘Rhythm of Pendulum’ worked.

During the 10-day campaigning period, the SUPP camp regularly highlighted the fact that Ho Leng had served in Bukit Assek for two terms and his contribution thus far was naught.

“He just received his gaji (salaries) and went bowling,” accused an SUPP campaign speaker.

Chieng, on the other hand, said he had done so much for Bukit Assek residents in the past two years by clearing the drains for flood mitigation purposes.

Ho Leng, in reply, said he had his own political direction for the people, and the voters would know for themselves his contributions to them.