APRIL 18 — A friend of mine, Cai, who has long settled down in Johor Baru but still very much care for his hometown Sarawak, called his younger brother in Kuching.
His brother had served as a provisional driver of the Barisan Nasional (BN) to send voters to voting centres on the state election polling day. His brother told him that he had been driving around the whole morning but failed to pick up even one voter.
“Two of my friends are facing the same problem. One of them managed to pick up only a few voters while the other one didn’t get even one passenger, just like me,” his brother said.
Cai told me in a low voice: “The atmosphere is very unusual this time.”
Also, tens of thousands of people wearing red shirts had attended a DAP campaign rallies made me feel that Sarawak Chinese voters are really determined this time.
Just as expected, the DAP has won very big victories in Chinese constituencies.
The DAP contested in 15 seats and among the 13 Chinese-majority constituencies, it has won 12 of them. It is now the second largest political party in Sarawak.
As for SUPP, it managed to win only six of the 19 seats it contested. Even its president Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam has been sadly swept away by the strong wind of change.
SUPP has lost 12 Chinese-majority constituencies particularly five of them with over 80 per cent of Chinese voters, namely Pandungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Bukit Assek and Pelawan. SUPP candidates have been greatly defeated and they have lost 6,319 to 8,827 votes! SUPP is a Chinese-based party but it is now facing the same plight as the MCA and the Gerakan, and no longer being recognised by the Chinese community. Why?
Of course, the most fundamental question is, why is the wind of change blowing so strong in the Chinese community? Why are Chinese voters so determined to call for a new pattern? What are Chinese asking for?
The answers are in fact obvious enough.
If elections can really play a role in a turning point of history, then would the collective sentiment of the Chinese this time receive indifferent or attentive treatment? What impact would the post-Taib Sarawak politics bring to the overall political landscape of Malaysia?
Would it be an inevitable development for Umno to enter east Malaysia politics since the DAP has gained a big victory while the PKR has also got a foothold in Sarawak?
East and West Malaysia politics always mirror each other and the differences between urban and rural areas shown in the Sarawak state election this time have led us to think more deeply and urged the ruling and alternative parties to make greater changes! — mysinchew.com
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