In the years gone by it was common to hear Bandar Kuching Voters saying,”DAP we vote for Parliament only.State seat we vote for local SUPP” Today in the local political scene its ,”HOW MANY SUPP seats will be losts to the opposition DAP..??”
How times have changed especially in the urban areas where the internet,bloggers and information technology has played its part. The government controlled mainstream media knows that they can only do that much for the ruling government.They will still try and as far as they can to give positive coverage BUT one knows its VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE to hide any news from the more matured urbanised Sarawakians.
DAP needs no introduction as they have been in Sarawak for well over twenty five years and have earned their stripes. Its only a question of how many more they can wrestle from SUPP Chinese areas to put more of their man/women in the State assembly. A political secretary from the northern region was very bothered and he was fearful for SUPP seats as he puts it nicely as,”the TIDE has reached the shores.” So the urban areas will see SUPP facing their arch rivals SUPP.
My dad said SKY meaning Sim Kwang Yang (MP for Bandar Kuching 1982-1995)would have been a welcome addition to the new DAP YBS in the state. He did his part for Sarawak and we must be thankful for him.Its a check and balance or else they will not be Progress for the state. Democracy needs opposition to stir the economics and ensure that the ruling government projects are accountable and transparent enough. If its too lopsided the YBs would not be working for their constituencies. On PAS my dad was quick to point out that its the rural malay/melanau areas which PBB is worried. If not why should Awang Tengah worry…??
Yesterdays english tabloid had this headlines,”PAS no threat to State BN;Tengah” The extract:-” Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice president Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan does not think that Parti Islam Malaysia (PAS) will be a threat to Sarawak Barisan Nasional even if the peninsula-based party were to make its so-called “surprise” in the coming state election. The full article can be read here,”http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=52961
A veteran Iban politician said that it seems that most disgruntled and has been Ibans are turning towards PKR as a vehicle to push their agendas forward. In Batang air it was clearly a mismatch and also HIDDEN HANDS played a very significant part in ensuring the PKR machinery is totally helpless and divided. Lets see how the new YB Mussen will do in the next state elections due very soon..he continued.
If only PKR and Anwar and his team do more Soul searching for a brand new team maybe the Iban areas will see new PKR YBs. If PKR maintains as he said earlier the tested and tried polticians,has-beens it will be a total wipeout in the Iban areas. Its time to turn to the young Iban intellectuals to present a new fight and its not Dayakism anymore but fighting for their own constituencies. If for 45 years a longhouse in Machan is deprived of electricity and used mostly as election gimmicks its time to change the YBs in the areas.
This is part of the extract,” We had been waiting for so long for the government to bring clean water supply to our longhouses,” Ringgit Injing, 62, Rumah Samsudin.
Villager, Mad Injing, 68, said: “For more than 50 years, we have been doing this so we asked our assemblyman to provide piped water to our villages, but somehow our request went unanswered.”
Do I need to explain further to the PKR top guns. In the political world its selfishness and a common agenda which will determine whether that party succeeds or fails. They are no handouts in politics and PKR being relatively new as compared to DAP or PAS and it needs its leaders to be more of politically capable,acceptable,qualified and of a certain calibre who will ensure that the partys policies and mission are carried out. Just take SKY for example and he was fighting the might of the BN in Sarawak. If there are a few Iban SKYs Iban areas will not be so left behind. Look towards the young Iban intellectuals and thats the answer to PKR breakthrough.
Obviously there will be many independants who will try thier luck to win a seat in the State legislative Assembly. But today Sarawak will be a different challenge for Sarawak based parties as they will take on National parties in DAP,PAS and PKR. The line is already being drawn and its up to the Sarawak voters to choose. Time is still on the Sarawak CM Pehin Taib to continue to run the state and he has till 2011. Who would deprive him of that..??
We say as always,”If there are voices from within the incumbent YBs will need to work hard to ensure that they are re-elected or all will be losts .We have signalled you YBs and dont blame us….
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