Tan Sri Dr James Masing
KUCHING: PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing has labelled Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s recent announcement that PAS would field an Iban candidate in Sibuti in the coming 13th general election as “a political gimmick” and that PAS’ ideology would never be accepted by rational-thinking Dayak voters.
Masing, who is obviously still sore about the PAS president’s utterance during the Batang Ai by-election in April 2009 that Iban voters sided the BN because they were still wearing ‘cawat’ (loincloth), said Hadi Awang’s latest political manoeuvre was merely to entice Iban voters.
“The Iban have not forgotten the insult the PAS president (Hadi Awang) heaped on the Iban after the Batang Ai by-election in 2009.
“Iban voters are much smarter than Hadi Awang thinks. Furthermore, PAS’ political ideology will not be accepted by rational-thinking Dayaks. Therefore, PAS will not succeed in Dayak areas.”
When what Hadi Awang uttered was picked up by the press, BN leaders blasted him for insulting the Iban and for insinuating that this community was stupid.
However, opposition leaders interpreted it to mean that Iban voters were easily influenced by “instant” development projects announced during election time.
Sibuti’s 23,000 registered voters (based on the electoral roll in 2008) comprised more than 45 per cent Malay/Mealanau, Iban (30 per cent), Chinese (22 per cent),
and the rest Orang Ulu and Bidayuh.
Its MP is Ahmad Lai Bujang from PBB, the backbone of the state BN. During the 12th general election in March 2008, Ahmad Lai garnered 8,238 votes while his sole rival Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng of PKR got 4,590 votes. The voter turnout then was 59 per cent.
PAS has never made any significant inroads into Sarawak, either in state or parliamentary elections.