THE Sarawak State election is just round the corner.
Although the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly is yet to be officially announced, ruling and opposition parties have switched into battle mode.
The present Chief Minister has very different political objectives and style compared to his predecessor.
Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has repeatedly expressed his interest in safeguarding the Chinese community in Sarawak. Indeed, he has won goodwill and praises from the community at this key moment vis-a-vis the upcoming State election.
But being liked by the Chinese community and being supported by them during an election are two different things. Last year, under the pressure of many self-serving demagogues, senior government officials had continuously ignored the feelings of the non-Malays and made disparaging racial remarks against them.
This triggered strong dissatisfaction and disappointment among the Chinese voters, and the lingering undercurrents have apparently continued to be been felt since the 308 and 505 elections. The Sarawak BN government is not lost on this and has taken remedial measures within the realm of the State.
If the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous does not narrow and Umno leaders continue to pursue political supremacy, the Chinese voters may not necessarily cast their votes for BN. Hence, the Sarawak State election can be said to be a bellwether of public opinion for the next general election.
As Chief Minister and leader of the largest political party in Sarawak – Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) – Adenan has introduced a number of policies to address issues close to the heart of the Chinese community since taking office, including a firm reassurance and reaffirmation that Chinese Malaysians will never be regarded as outsiders (pendatang) in Sarawak.
Moreover, the State government has recognised the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), allowing UEC holders to apply for employment in the public sector, as well as increased funding for Chinese schools.
Adenan has pointed out the need to include the Chinese in the political mainstream to enable the community to rightly defend their rights. This is, indeed, crucial. Once the Chinese are removed from the political mainstream, interests towards the community will definitely weaken or even side-lined.
During the 1969 and 2013 general elections, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) suffered a big defeat which drastically reduced the party’s representation in the federal cabinet. As a result, many policies not favourable to the Chinese community were enacted.
Since then, the Chinese community have been through a hard time trying to maintain their strength. When MCA failed to enter the Cabinet, many of its officials at the state district levels were substituted by other ‘friendly’ parties. MCA lost almost everything and even if it successfully enters the Cabinet again, it will definitely have limited power.
Since Adenan wants the Chinese to be a part of the State cabinet, he will certainly hope for better showing from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), a long-standing State BN component party. In the last State election, BN announced its victory in Sarawak but at the same time, SUPP announced its defeat.
Now, after the demarcation of constituencies, Sarawak has 11 more seats for a total of 82. PBB will contest 40 seats while the remaining 42 seats will be divided among the component parties.
Under the Adenan’s leadership, PBB is deeply rooted in Sarawak. Indigenous voters still tend to vote for BN and opposition parties from West Malaysia such as People’s PKR and PAS simply cannot shake the foundation of PBB in Sarawak. Only the DAP is expected to keep most of its urban seats.
During the 2011 State election, PBB won 35 seats; SUPP contested 19 seats but ended up with only six; Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) contested nine seats, winning eight, while Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) took six seats.
PR’s DAP captured 12 seats while PKR won three. DAP has said in this coming election, it will contest 13 seats in southern Sarawak which has a total of 34 constituencies. With the addition of 11 seats, DAP and PKR supporters feel the two parties may win more seats.
The people are casting their eyes on the upcoming State election. Sarawak is justified in having the most State seats – at 82 – considering it is the biggest single State in Malaysia.
Adenan will have no difficulty leading PBB to victory but it will be a big test for other BN parties to keep their seats, especially in the case of SUPP whose strength has been greatly reduced after splitting into two with the breakaway faction forming a splinter under UPP.
Other BN component parties are also facing some internal issues. These should be addressed and resolved in good time to ensure a strong united front in facing the upcoming state election. (From Oriental Daily)