Batang Ai By-election coming up

[pywong]

SPR to meet on Mar 7, 09 to decide on polling date. Expect them to set it on Apr 7, 09 to coincide with Bt Gantang and Bt Selambau.

http://malaysiakini.com/news/99152
Support Malaysiakini by subscribing to them.

'Nyabung manok' in Batang Ai
Sim Kwang Yang | Feb 26, 09 4:33pm


The bushfire of by-elections has finally arrived at the shores of my home state Sarawak. It will threaten to burn all the way to the Iban heartland of Batang Ai under the shadow of the mountains that separate Sarawak from the Indonesian territory of Kalimantan on Borneo Island.

The Batang Ai river system has often been described as the Ibans' ancestral home. When the Ibans followed upstream the Kapuas River on the Indonesian side, climbed over the mountain range, the Batang Ai territory was the first place they settled down God knows how many centuries ago, before they moved throughout all other parts of Sarawak.

The Iban language is quite universal in the Land of the Hornbill, although there are peculiar differences in certain words and manners of pronunciation.

It is often said that the Iban tongue spoken by the Ibans from Batang Ai and Sri Aman is till the most refined language of their people. Naturally, the Ibans in the Rejang Basin may respectfully beg to differ.

And now, national attention may yet focus on this remote hilly corner of Malaysia, where people still live by tilling their land, and hunt for whatever there is left in the jungle after logging for many years.

I am not sure if the local residents can find fish in the river nowadays.

Driving from Kuching City, especially in a solid four-wheel drive, you can reach Batang Ai overland through some spectacular scenery in three and a half hours.

Somewhere along the way, you will pass the Batang Ai Hydroelectric Dam; the resettlement of the local Iban villagers in the 1980s had been far from a complete success, a lesson that should be, but has not been, learned by all dam related resettlement projects.

War drums will beat

By the man-made lake behind the dam, there is the Hilton resort, which I am told, is built like a longhouse.

I have never been a guest there because of the prohibitive high room rates. Tourists can make trips in the evening from the hotel (right) to nearby Iban longhouses to enjoy partaking in the local way of life. That is what I call a tourist trap.

If my aging memory serves me right, the last town as you drive inland is the two-horse Lubok Antu town, with dilapidated shops over-looking the limpid river. I am told that beyond that point, communication and transport becomes difficult.

And now the sedate and tranquillity of the ulu landscape in Batang Ai will be disturbed by the war drums of a by-election within 60 days.

The state seat of Batang Ai has been declared vacant following the death of the incumbent Dublin Unting.

I have known Unting personally since the 80s, and during this period of mourning by his family and friends, I will not indulge in any comment on his success and failure during his political career out of respect. This is our Sarawak 'adat'.

Unting fell into coma about nine months ago, following a surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain after a stroke. The Sarawak PKR people have known the prospect of a by-election for a long time. I hear they have held more than a few workshops in the Sri Aman area, and the party structure has been in place at the grassroots level.

Even Anwar Ibrahim went to visit a longhouse in the constituency once. He would have a rough idea of what the party is up against in the forthcoming by-election.

Some have suggested that the polling day in Batang Ai would be fixed on April 7, on the same polling day as Bukit Gantang in Perak, and Bukit Selambau in Kedah.

This move, they suggest, would prevent the Peninsular PKR army of campaigners from descending en masse on the small constituency of Batang Ai. Such is how little confidence some members of the public have in the impartiality of the Election Commission.

Must know Iban tongue

Again, I repeat myself. Politically, as well as socially and culturally, Sarawak is a different universe altogether from this side of the South China Sea.

Ibans make up 95 percent of the voters in Batang Ai. Those in the longhouses probably never read newspapers, and I am not sure there are that many longhouses that would enjoy electricity supply to allow them watch television. I am not sure that there are that many remote longhouses that have TV broadcast coverage.

Most of them would still depend very much on word of mouth and the government controlled radio Iban service for news of the outside world. Political campaign would be best done face to face.

PKR top guns may need to be paraded through the common corridors of the longhouse ruai to spearhead the PKR message in simple bazaar Malay.

But unless the PKR army of by-election campaigners from West Malaysia are well versed in the Iban tongue, there is not much for them to do, except perhaps to take in the spectacular sight and the unimaginable hospitality of the Iban villagers!

Alternatively, selected teams of campaign workers from West Malaysia can tag along with their local PKR members in the Batang Ai by-election. It is a rare opportunity for them to learn about political campaign in Sarawak, in preparation for the next state election due in 2011.

What they can do is to raise as much campaign funds as is possible for the Sarawak PKR

[pywong]

DAYAKS - ARISE, UNITE AND CLAIM BACK YOUR LAND

Posted by admin
Sunday, 01 March 2009 15:21

Taib saw that the land code as a stumbling block for his “Politics of Development“. So, he went on to change the provisions of the land code pertaining to Native Customary Land especially S5(2) not once but FOUR times. The manner in which he passed those amendments is akin to a boat owner fixing leaks in his boat!

In the early 90’s Taib came up with his so called visionary “Politics of Development“. In various gatherings and speeches, he told Sarawakians then that his new found idea would transform Sarawak into a model state in Malaysia.....

.....Twenty-eight years of suffering is too long and losing one’s own land is painful. It is time for the Dayak to get their land back and the only way is to VOTE OUT BN and VOTE IN PKR!

Let's begin the journey of a thousand miles in Batang Ai! and there is no better candidate than Bawin, the guy who was sacked by Taib for supporting Nor Nyawai case!

More… (http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/18672/84/) and More… (http://www.illegal-logging.info/item_single.php?item=presentation&item_id=157&approach_id=15)

[pywong]

Batang Ai joins two Bukits on April 7 vote

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 – Nomination for the Batang Ai, Sarawak, has been set for March 29, with polling on April 7, concurrently with both key days for the two other by-elections in Bukit Gantang, Perak, and Bukit Selambau, Kedah.

More… (http://)

[pywong]

Beware the 'curse of PBDS Syndrome'
Joe Fernandez | Mar 8, 09 11:29am

Green activist, lawyer and ex-Baram MP Harrison Ngau Laing, 49, worries that PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) Sarawak suffers from “the curse of the PBDS Syndrome”.....

.....“There is a dire need to reduce the influence of political has-beens, sore losers, sour grapes, those with a self-serving agenda and others with no record of serving the public. All of them need to be put in their proper places if they want to be in PKR.”

......“Sng is now back again, like a bad smell that follows us everywhere, sponsoring all the PKR dinner functions so far in Kuching, Bintulu, Sibu and Miri while his son, Larry Sng, enjoys Taib’s patronage and remains an Assistant Minister. This is despite him not being in any political party."

........Too much is at stake for PBB. They are already bragging that they know who to buy should PKR take over the state government and we have a situation like that in Perak.”

“Why did Perak happen? It’s because the wrong kind of people were fielded by PKR i.e. people vulnerable to threats and blackmail and lacking in commitment to sincerely serve the people.

"Sarawak could easily turn into another Perak especially when the governor is firmly in the PBB camp.....

More here (http://malaysiakini.com/news/99820) and here (http://sarawakheadhunter.blogspot.com/2009/03/beware-sarawak-headhunters-curse.html)

[pywong]

Here come the goodies.

Lubok Antu folk to enjoy phone, Internet service soon
By Jacob Achoi (Borneo Bost 9th March 2009)

LUBOK ANTU: The people of Lubok Antu will soon enjoy the benefits of Internet and telephone service with the construction of a telecommunication tower and community broadband centre in the area.

Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said the tower would enable the locals to enjoy the services of mobile and fixed telephone lines, while the centre would be equipped with computers and Internet access.

Salang said on Saturday night that the tower to be built at a cost of about RM1.2 million and the centre between RM1.2 and RM1.5 million would come “very soon”.

[pywong]

PKR win in Batang Ai will bring turmoil to S’wak: Jabu

Posted by admin
Thursday, 12 March 2009 08:07

(The Borneo Post) LUBOK ANTU: The political turmoil in the peninsula could creep into Sarawak if Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) wins the Batang Ai by-election, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu warned yesterday.

He said recent incidents in West Malaysia involving PKR and its Pakatan Rakyat partners were evidence that the opposition was disrespectful of culture, customs and even the royal institution.

“Batang Ai must be retained as a BN fortress. Do not give way for them to win here,” he said at the swearing-in ceremony of chairman, deputy chairman and councillors of Lubok Antu District Council (LADC) at Lubok Antu Sports Complex yesterday.........

.......There are altogether nine councillors from PRS, six from PBB, six from Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and four from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). (Admin: No NGOs. How come no one make noise?)

More… (http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/19110/84/)

[pywong]

Whenever BN politicians come out with ridiculous statements, you know they are running scared. And PRS President, James Masing is real scared with the Sarawak bloggers are on the warpath, hunting for his head.

Bloggers warned not to fan communal fires
Joseph Tawie | Mar 11, 09 11:55am

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing has accused Dayak bloggers of playing politics by raising issues concerning the community.

"The bloggers raising issues about Dayaks are pitting members of the community against one another," said Masing, who is state land development minister, when asked to comment on a Malaysiakini report about the role of Dayak bloggers in the coming Batang Ai by-election.

More… (http://sarawakheadhunter.blogspot.com/2009/03/un-rights-of-natives-of-sarawak.html)
.................

Thursday, March 12, 2009
Masing Bullied By Taib Yet Again

As Dayak Nation put it, "This man who said "That is why I think that issue (NCR) will be dropped from now on, as I think you cannot beat a dead horse over and over again…." was forced by his political master UMNO, and PBB to declare war with his own dayak bloggers."
More… (http://)

[pywong]

Masing: It's just a coincidence that the projects are being implemented now....

He thinks the Batang Ai folks are stupid.

.............

RM12 mln for roads in Batang Ai; project state’s priority: Masing

Posted by admin
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 08:58

(The Borneo Post Online) KUCHING: The state has agreed to tar-seal roads within the Batang Ai re-settlement scheme, said Land Development Minister Dato Sri James Masing yesterday.

The cost of upgrading these roads would be around RM12 million, he said when contacted yesterday.

He said the state agreed to implement the project after he had queried why it had not been done after the Public Works Department (JKR) had proposed it under the Ninth Malaysia Plan before. He said he made the query at the Barisan Nasional (BN) supreme council meeting at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters in Jalan Bako here on Sunday.

“Now that the state has the fund out of the second stimulus package, I believe the project will begin soon. The government, too, has treated it as a priority, therefore, we will do it first,” he said.

“The tar-sealing project shows that the government is aware of the needs for infrastructural development in the area. I hope it will commence soon,” he added.

More… (http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/19294/84/)

[pywong]

Mussen the perfect choice: Dr Chan

Posted by admin
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 09:00

SUPP president confident BN will retain Batang Ai because candidate gets nod from all coalition members

(The Borneo Post) MIRI: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan yesterday described the Barisan Nasional’s nominee for Batang Ai by-election, Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, as the “perfect choice”.

Dr Chan said coalition members had been pining for total commitment and cooperation within the BN, thus Mussen’s nomination should be BN’s best chance of winning the April 7 by-election.

“In fact, even now all I hear is unanimous agreement, hence Mussen is the BN’s perfect choice and his candidacy is an assurance that the BN flag will fly high in Batang Ai,” Dr Chan told reporters after attending the 47th Junior Chamber International (JCI) Miri installation and award ceremony at Dynasty Hotel here.

More… (http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/19295/84/)

[pywong]

Some bloggers to monitor:

Dr. John Brian Anthony http://dayakbaru.com/weblog08/

Cobbold John http://dayaknation.com/blog/?p=596

Joseph Tawie @ Jetty http://thebrokenshield.com/

http://malaysiafree2008.blogspot.com/

http://www.rumahpanjai.com/

Pro-BN
James Guang (Uchu Keling)
http://uchukeling.com
http://www.rumahdayak.com/
Closing down soon: http://uchukeling.com/41tahun/community-service/the-final-countdown-for-rumahdayakcom-forum/

[pywong]

Key points:

Ibans account for 95% of the 8,006 registered voters in this 1,341 sq km rural constituency

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing said the state BN had agreed to nominate Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, 49, an engineer with the state agriculture department

Masing has been appointed BN director of operations

BN would do away with the practice of announcing "instant noodle" projects during elections.

Although they may be a bit slow, we can't accuse the BN of being totally dumb. Eventually, the idea seeps in.

107 localities, comprising 238 longhouses and 15 villages, such as Engkari, are remote.

In the May 2006 state polls, when Dublin narrowly beat Nicholas Bawin Anggat of Sarawak National Party by 806 votes

http://www.thenutgraph.com/formidable-battle-expected-in-batang-ai

Formidable battle expected in Batang Ai
15 Mar 09 : 5.27PM

KUCHING, 15 March 2009: With nomination day for the Batang Ai state
by-election barely a week away, the Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) is
expected to be bracing for a formidable battle with Parti Keadilan Rakyat
(PKR) to retain the Iban majority seat.

Poster and flag wars aside, one factor that would affect the BN's
performance is the choice of candidate, as the voters are likely to be more
inclined to support an Iban candidate from a Dayak-based party. Ibans
account for 95% of the 8,006 registered voters in this constituency.

Based on the trends of previous state elections, the majority of the voters
in this 1,341 sq km rural constituency bordering the Indonesian province of
Kalimantan were influenced by "family ties" rather than party symbol in
casting their votes.

Yesterday, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing
said the state BN had agreed to nominate Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, 49, an
engineer with the state agriculture department, as the candidate pending
approval from the national BN leadership.

The Batang Ai seat fell vacant on 24 Feb, after the death of four-term
incumbent Datuk Dublin Unting Ingkot due to a stroke. He was PRS
vice-president and state assistant minister for sports and agriculture.

While Masing has been appointed BN director of operations for the
by-election on 7 April, a political observer felt the BN machinery needed to
be more focused on its campaign strategy to counter the anticipated
opposition onslaught.

PKR has yet to name its candidate for the by-election. However, with its
national leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the Sarawak PKR liaison chief,
it has been trying to woo voters by raising issues such as native customary
rights land, Dayak rights and socio-economic development issues.

In concurring with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's statement
that the BN would do away with the practice of announcing "instant noodle"
projects during elections, a political observer said it was more beneficial
to organise community programmes or sessions to meet the voters
face-to-face.

He suggested that more high-impact programmes, aimed at solving problems
related to development and community welfare, should instead be expedited in
the area.

Some of the constituency's 107 localities, comprising 238 longhouses and 15
villages, such as Engkari, are remote.

Nonetheless, he said the state government's plan, which includes giving
priority to tar-seal the 10km Batang Ai settlement area ring road and two
other roads at a cost of RM42 million, would be most welcomed by the people
as it was long overdue.

The political observer said it was also pertinent that the BN candidate was
accepted by the locals.

He added that the poster war and distribution of pamphlets to explain issues
and government policies could play a role in portraying the position of the
state BN, particularly as it would be a test of the ruling coalition's
solidarity.

In the May 2006 state polls, when Dublin narrowly beat Nicholas Bawin Anggat
of Sarawak National Party by 806 votes, it was said that his reduced
majority was due to protest votes by some BN supporters, who were allegedly
unhappy with the way the BN machinery was run.

It was believed that personal attacks levelled at the incumbent, as well as
the PRS leadership crisis, could have also affected Dublin's majority,
contrary to speculation that Bawin, then the pro-tem president of the
unregistered Malaysian Dayak Congress, was an influential figure in Batang
Ai.

This time around, the talk is that the PKR candidate could either be Bawin,
who is currently the PKR Batang Ai chairperson, or former five-term Lubok
Antu Member of Parliament Jawah Gerang, who recently joined PKR. - Bernama

[pywong]

The propaganda warfare of BN is sooooo pathetic. It's like the Maori making horrible faces to frighten off the opponent. I wonder whether all those talk below are just syiok sendiri. But these 5 articles here tells a different story:

1. Can PRS hope to represent Dayaks?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/100289

2. Masing: We must keep our word
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/16/nation/3487643&sec=nation

3. 'Jabu to keep low profile in campaign'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/100280

4. Umno Youth Will Deny Opposition A Hattrick, Says Hishammuddin
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newspolitic.php?id=396470

5. BN readies RM20 mil 'war chest' for Batang Ai
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/100276

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/100287

Opposition in for a bumpy ride
Joe Fernandez | Mar 16, 09 1:52pm

The opposition is literally in for a bumpy ride in its quest to wrest the
Batang Ai state seat from the Sarawak Barisan Nasional in the upcoming April
7 by-election.

Stressing that the odds are against PKR, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) supreme
council member Tedewin Ngumbang Datu pointed out that the ruling coalition
is also aided by a formidable election machinery.

"The odds will be heavily-stacked against PKR. The logistics, operations and
administration of the campaign will be nightmarish (for PKR), to say the
least," warned the former police officer.

"PKR can never match BN Sarawak in these areas. It is always very difficult
to wrest a seat from an incumbent government which has held it for many
terms," he said.

For starters, he noted that PKR leaders will be busy with their battles in
the two bukits - Bukit Selambau in Kedah and Bukit Gantang in Perak - where
by-elections will also take place on April 7.

Should they make it across the South China Sea and by road up into the wild
country of Batang Ai, he said: "The journey alone will be enough to exhaust
them."

"From the Kuching International Airport, PKR leaders will have to drive
nearly four hours on a bumpy road to Lubuk Antu and then cross the vast
island sea formed by the lake of the Batang Ai dam to visit Delok, Engkari
and Lamanak in the remote eastern stretches of the seat.

"Accommodation is only available at the very expensive Batang Ai Hilton
along an isolated stretch of the lake, if it is not fully booked," he added.

The state BN has apparently fully booked all the accommodation available at
the Sesco Township bungalows, government quarters and the KlingKang Inn in
Lubuk Antu.

For transportation, the state BN can call upon a fleet of locally based
brand-new Eurocopter choppers and other helicopters provided free of charge
by the logging companies for the duration of the campaign.

Voodoo campaign

Apart from this, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu will also make an
effective contribution with his well-orchestrated voodoo campaign to scare
the more superstitious older longhouse folk.

Admin: This guy thinks the Ibans are stupid or what?

He has warned that 'supernatural repercussions' awaited outsiders and
longhouse dwellers who allow them into their biliks (terrace units).

His oft-cited story is that of a longhouse resident who died suddenly of a
mysterious illness shortly after allowing an opposition leader to enter his
premises and launch a party branch.

"These outsiders do not understand that there are certain sets of rituals
that must be strictly adhered to before they can enter a longhouse," said
Jabu to the local media. "They must respect these traditional beliefs or
else the longhouse folks will suffer the repercussions."

In view of this, he urged longhouse residents not to allow outsiders into
their premises.

Meanwhile, PRS president James Masing warned that outsiders in the
opposition may face the same fate as PKR leaders N Gobalakrishnan and R
Sivarasa who have since been blacklisted by the state Immigration Department
and declared persona non grata in Sarawak.

"If PKR misbehaves, it can happen (again)," he said. "Gobalakrishnan was
kasar (rough) and didn't respect the customs of Sarawak."

However, Masing denied that the state Immigration Department would be
deliberately used to keep PKR leaders from Peninsular Malaysia out of
Sarawak.

No to hate politics

PRS secretary-general Wilfred Nissom Rata chipped in: "With more than 24
ethnic groups in Sarawak, I think that arousing sentiments as they do in the
peninsular, with only three races to deal with, is what we must prevent."

"They (the opposition from peninsular Malaysia) are not welcome to spread
their hate politics over here," he said.

On the other hand, PKR has the company of nothing more than a ragtag bunch
of largely faceless Iban bloggers, generally unemployed graduates, plying
their trade most of the time safely far away in the comforts of Kuching.

Victory in Batang Ai for the opposition would mean nothing short of a Dayak
revolution in the making and mark the beginning of the end for the
Taib-Rahman political dynasty which has ruled uninterrupted in Sarawak for
well over four decades.

[pywong]

Where is Batang Ai? (http://anilnetto.com/malaysian-elections/where-the-heck-is-batang-ai/)

Batang Ai statistics. (http://malvu.blogspot.com/2009/03/understanding-p203-n29-batang-air-state.html)

Note: Land area is 1,341 sq km.

Watch James Masing's interview by Al Jazeera at Sarawak Head Hunter (http://sarawakheadhunter.blogspot.com/2009/03/taib-coward-refuses-to-face-aljazeera.html) or at Miri community. (http://www.miricommunity.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19143)

[pywong]

PKR names Jawah Gerang for Batang Ai
Joseph Tawie | Mar 23, 09 10:39am

After a number of delays, the de facto leader of PKR Anwar Ibrahim today named the former member of parliament for Lubok Antu Jawah Gerang as its candidate for the Batang Ai by-election which is to be held on April 7.

Anwar was supposed to have announced the name of the candidate on arrival at the Kuching International Airport yesterday, but adjourned the announcement to today.

More… (http://malaysiakini.com/news/100750)

[pywong]

N29 BATANG AI BY-ELECTION 2009

Batang Ai, a small rural border constituency to the south-east of Kuching, is not a place normally in your radar screen. Previously, its only claim to fame was the Batang Ai Dam. Not anymore! Especially since the untimely death of its previous state assemblyman, Dublin Unting Ingkot.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto007.jpg

The main town in the district, Lubok Antu, population 22,234, is a rustic place nestled in the foothills of the mountain range separating Sarawak from Kalimantan. http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto010.jpg

It spans an area of 1,341 sq. km, which is more than twice the size of Singapore.

A few years back, it was booming due to the smuggling of timber from across the border. That was stopped in 2006 and since then, it has seen better days.

Forty six years of independence has not brought much progress to Batang Ai as can be seen from the statistics above – more than 70% live below the monthly poverty level of RM 850 per month. And the telephone and computer usage is just laughable.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto009.jpg
We should not even talk about internet penetration – there’s hardly any!

Normally, the Batang Ai By-election should not attract much attention. After all the ruling BN coalition commands an over-whelming majority in the State Assembly, controlling 62 out of 71 seats. Losing one state seat to the opposition PKR should not count for much. But ever since PKR declared Batang Ai as a frontline seat in preparation of the state-wide elections which is due by 2011, the stakes has gone up considerably, much to the joy of the town-people. Business is booming! Normally, the shops close by 6pm. Now, they are open as late as 12 midnight.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto034.jpg

The BN has implemented their stimulus budget in Sarawak, with Labuk Antu being the early beneficiary. Almost 3,000 police and para-military forces have been sent to “maintain” the peace. http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto028.jpg

Even the longhouses are playing host to 4 or 5 policemen each, who have suddenly taken a new-found interest in the security of the long-suffering Iban population. By comparison, Kuala Terengganu, with a voting constituency of more than 80,000 only had 8,000 police. The locals joke that Labuk Antu is now the safest place in Malaysia!

In line with its slogan of a loving, caring Government, BN has “invited” all the longhouse headmen (Tuai Rumah) to an intensive Budaya Iban Seminar in Betong, 45 minutes away from Labuk Antu. This is a full-time residential course that is estimated to take 4 days or more, to be conducted by Deputy Chief Minister, Jabu. Of course, it is just a mere coincidence that PKR will not be able to reach the Rumah Tuai to pitch their political message for change.

The poster war has started. http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto031.jpg

and this message on the Batang Ai says it all.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/wpyphoto032.jpg

The anger of the Ibans is palpable. The issue is NCR land. And the BN is very frightened. They have started with the dispensing of money – RM 500 per long-house room on nomination day with another RM 500 after the elections, if BN wins. Despite Najib’s assurance of no instant noodle projects, BN Sarawak has already announce more than RM 60 million worth of road projects.

But the war (have no doubt about it – this is war!) cannot be observed from the surface only. Away from the lime-light, thousands of small battles are going on. NGOs are flooding into the long-houses to explain the issues to the Ibans. Malfrel is conducting courses to educate the voters on the voting process and what are the areas of abuse. Hundreds of people and volunteers are flooding into town to support the beleaguered Ibans who is seeing their land stolen from under their noses.

For the Ibans this by-election is not just any by-election. For the Ibans, this is a matter of life and death over their land.

[pywong]

2. Batang Ai By-election:

Confirmed: A straight fight between BN’s Malcolm Mussen vs PRK’s Jawah Gerang

Batang Ai nomination day in pictures.

17. Start of PKR Procession.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309017.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309017.jpg)

26. PKR supporters marching to the nomination centre.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309026.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309026.jpg)

33. PKR Candidate, Jawah Gerang, followed by Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309033.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309033.jpg)

36. BN supporters in the nomination centre numbering less than 200.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309036.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309036.jpg)

PKR supporters in the nomination centre numbering around 600.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309046.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309046.jpg)

51. PKR supporters raising the stakes.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309051.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309051.jpg)

40. Anti-BN slogan on vote buying.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309040.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309040.jpg)

42. Anti-BN slogan condemning the theft of NCR land from the Dayaks.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309042.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309042.jpg)

49. Independent candidate, Johnny Chuat, withdrew and threw his support behind PKR.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309049.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309049.jpg)

57. Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309057.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309057.jpg)

61. PKR Sabah showing their support.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309061.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309061.jpg)

62. Taib Mahmud & Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309062.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309062.jpg)

65. PKR William Leong (MP Selayang), Khalid Ibrahim, Jeffrey Kitingan (Sabah PKR)
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309065.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309065.jpg)

67. PAS Dr. Mohd Hatta (MP Kuala Krai)
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/th_batangai280309067.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20nomination/?action=view&current=batangai280309067.jpg)

[pywong]

3. N29 BATANG AI BY-ELECTION 2009

The MB with the common touch.

Ask the folks at the longhouses in Lubok Antu.

How often do you get a Mentri Besar to visit you?

Their answer: Never.

Until Selangor Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim came a calling to two longhouses near Lubok Antu – Nanga Mepi and Panya Ruai. The Ibans were so enamoured with the humility of Tan Sri Khalid, which was such a huge contrast with their white-hair Rajah, Taib Mahmud, who has never deigned to visit them before. Now that Khalid has shown the way, maybe Taib will take the hint.

29 Mar 09: Khalid Ibrahim giving a speech at a ceramah to about 100 residents at Panya Ruai Longhouse in Lubok Antu.

His message: The people of Sarawak have waited 45 years of development. All that has happened is that the BN leaders rob the state for their own benefit. It is enough. We must show the BN. No more. We have enough of BN. The time for change is now.

We have governed Selangor for 1 year and have achieved more in 1 year than the BN has in 50 years. Give us a chance to show how it can be done for Sarawak. Let Batang Ai be the catalyst for change.

If BN give you money, take it. But vote for PKR.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309015.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309015.jpg) Selangor MB, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim speaking at Nanga Mepi Longhouse on 28th Mar 09.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai28030970.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai28030970.jpg) Ceramah at Panya Ruai Longhouse on 29th Mar 09.

Selangor MB, Khalid Ibrahim on a walkabout in Lubok Antu on 29th Mar 09.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309075.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309075.jpg)

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309076.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309076.jpg)

[pywong]

4. Barisan Rakyat Bloggers visit PKR Operations Room in Lubok Antu.
30th Mar 09

This morning, the Barisan Rakyat Bloggers paid a visit to the PKR Operations Room in Lubok Antu just after Selangor MB, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, had completed the Operations Meeting.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309074.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309074.jpg) Standing from left to right are Xavier Tan, Dominic and Robert Choo. Each donated generously to the PKR election fund.

Meanwhile, others have donated through PY, namely:
Bong SL (RM 500),
Ng Chak Ngoon (RM 500),
Lian Man Hoong (RM 500),
Faridah (RM 50) and
Angela Ooi (RM 700)

Earlier, during the PKR Campaign Operations Meeting, Khalid cracked the whip at the whole team, stressing to them that the people’s spirit are with PKR and they cannot let them down by not putting their best. If Jawah loses, it is the campaign team's fault and no one else. He directed Pedungan ADUN, Dominic Ng, to assist Nicholas Bawin as Director of Operations to free Nicholas to concentrate on the longhouses where he has tremendous support.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309077.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309077.jpg) PKR Operations Meeting.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309078.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309078.jpg) Khalid stressing a point while Jawah listens intently.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309083.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309083.jpg) Group photo of the campaign team.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309084.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309084.jpg) Khalid is so popular with the press that they even asked for a group photo to be taken with him.

By 3:00pm, Dominic had streamlined the operations with everyone having a clear idea of their duties. The PKR war-machine is back on track.

[pywong]

5. Batang Ai By-election 30/03/09 - BN & the politics of development

BN strategy:

Starve the people of basic infrastructure, roads, electricity, water, communications, health, education, welfare and the like. Provide the minimum that they can get away with. Then dangle the carrots of development during elections to secure the support of the voters.

So, their tired old message at every election is the same:

Vote BN so that our man can lobby projects for our constituency in the State Assembly.

The BN people are so entrapped in this mindset that they don’t think of the implications of their campaign.

Projects are one of the vehicles for a government’s long-term strategy for the development of the state. It cannot be decided on an ad hoc basis dependent on the lobbying efforts of a state assemblyman. If that was the case, it means that the state government does not have a plan for development. All they have is a plan to victimize non BN-controlled areas by starving them of development funds, and another plan to distribute projects among the BN assemblymen only. This is political blackmail. Long-term, no electorate can accept this because the BN is subverting the democratic process.

Eventually, this message will not work.

It will not work when the electorate get so fed-up with the corruption and arrogance of the BN, that they will be rejected them wholesale as shown in the Mar 2008 Tsunami.

Last night, at the SUPP ceramah in Lubok Antu, their message to the Chinese was again veiled in the words of political blackmail.

The Chinese must vote for Malcolm Mussen so that he can go to the state assembly to lobby for projects for Batang Ai. Only with projects, can Batang Ai progress.

This is bad business and bad economics.

The Chinese community own businesses in Lubok Antu. 95% of their customers are Ibans. For the past 45 years, not much development has come to Batang Ai, even though the seat was controlled by the BN. As a result, the poverty level in Batang Ai exceeds 70%!

If the Ibans remain poor due to bad BN policies and corruption, they have no purchasing power. How can that be good for business?

BN candidate for Batang Ai, Malcolm Mussen Lamoh in blue shirt, seated 2nd from left. He is wearing a sour face and is obviously unhappy with the speaker’s message of political blackmail.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/batangai280309086.jpg

The crowd at the SUPP ceramah numbered less than 100, including the press corp and MAFREL. http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309087.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309087.jpg)

MAFREL personnel monitoring the SUPP ceramah.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/th_batangai280309088.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/batang%20ai%20campaign/?action=view&current=batangai280309088.jpg)

[pywong]

The BN is construction a RM58.7 million police complex in Lubok Antu which is scheduled for completion by July this year

This is crazy. The people need jobs and help to survive. And the BN gives them a police complex!

More… (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/21875-lubok-antu-cashing-in-on-election-fever)

[pywong]

Visit www.linasoo.com to get live update on Batang Ai By-election on 7 Apr 09.

Also Tindak Malaysia at this thread.

[pywong]

9:00am Sat 04 Apr 2009

Lubok Antu PKR Operations Room

PKR PROTEST SHIFTING OF BALLOT BOXES OUT OF POLLING CENTRE BEFORE COUNTING.

YB Dominique Ng, Padungan ADUN is currently holding a press conference to protest the SPR procedure whereby 14 ballot boxes are shifted from the polling centre (before counting) to the Central Counting Centre at the Sports Hall in Lubok Antu.

An official protest letter was submitted to the SPR on Friday 3 Apr 2009.

The number of votes affected is 3312, which is higher than the votes cast (2295) for the winning candidate in the last state elections.

PKR has asked for the counting to be done at the polling centre but this has been rejected. Alternatively, PKR has requested that the ballot boxes be accompanied by representatives of both contesting parties. This was also rejected.

PKR has learned that government officials are directed by BN to campaign for BN. Therefore we cannot be confident that the police and SPR officials accompanying the ballot boxes will protect it properly.

If PKR cannot be satisfied with a fair election process, PKR may seek a court declaration to declare this by-election illegal.

[pywong]

BN leading by 389 votes out of 1897 votes cast.

Votes cast PKR BN Spoilt Majority

1897 746 1135 15 -389

14 voting centres in which the opposition won during the last state elections were converted to polling centres only with the ballot boxes transferred to the Sports Hall in Lubok Antu for counting. PKR agents were not allowed to accompany the boxes in the same vehicle that SPR is using. This gives great opportunity to BN to create mischief. SPR and the Police appear to be colluding with the BN to deny the people their right to a free and fair vote.

5:00pm: SK Lubok Antu. 2 buses and 1 van from Kuching and Serian with suspected phantoms voters found. YB Dominique Ng, ADUN Padungan, is interviewing the voters to verify their identity.

[ntbn]

BN leading by 389 votes out of 1897 votes cast.

Votes cast PKR BN Spoilt Majority

1897 746 1135 15 -389

14 voting centres in which the opposition won during the last state elections were converted to polling centres only with the ballot boxes transferred to the Sports Hall in Lubok Antu for counting. PKR agents were not allowed to accompany the boxes in the same vehicle that SPR is using. This gives great opportunity to BN to create mischief. SPR and the Police appear to be colluding with the BN to deny the people their right to a free and fair vote.

5:00pm: SK Lubok Antu. 2 buses and 1 van from Kuching and Serian with suspected phantoms voters found. YB Dominique Ng, ADUN Padungan, is interviewing the voters to verify their identity.



CONGRATULATIONS !!!

BN LOSES in Bukit Selambau & Bukit Gantang.

A well deserved loss for BN

[pywong]

Batang AI: The Tsunami Has Started

The outcome of the Batang Ai By-election showed that the BN won by a majority of 1854 votes. Compared with the majority of 806 votes won in 2006, it would seem that the BN has improved on their performance.

However, that does not tell the whole story. To understand further, we need to study the story of the fourteen ballot boxes – the ballot boxes that were shifted unaccompanied by PKR from the polling centre to the counting centre in Lubok Antu.

In 2006, Nicholas Bawin, standing on a SNAP ticket won in these 14 voting centres by 392 votes. To change the results, the SPR changed the procedure from counting at the polling centre to shifting the ballot boxes to another place (the same old trick that they did in the past in West Malaysia). This time round, PKR lost by 272 votes. This represents a swing of 664 votes and if these 664 votes had been credited to PKR, BN would still have won by 526 votes. Fair enough. That was what was predicted by the bookies anyway.

But it is useful to understand how the SPR tricked PKR.

When the SPR released the schedule of constituencies on nomination day and PKR realized that 14 ballot boxes will not be counted in the polling centre, they protest vehemently to the SPR. MAFREL, the independent elections watch-dog did likewise. But the SPR ignored their protests, stating that it was necessary to ensure that all ballot boxes were counted at the same time and to avoid the early results affecting other polling centres which closed later. PKR offered to delay the opening of the 14 boxes till 5:00pm. Again this was rejected. Both PKR and MAFREL wanted to have their agents accompany the ballot boxes during transit but SPR would not allow it.
Meanwhile SPR announced through Bernama that counting would start at 6:00pm here (http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20090406/tts-batang-ai-ballots-993ba14.html). So PKR planned for the counting agents to be at the centre at 5:00pm.

On polling day, PKR planned to lock the ballot boxes before transit. They managed to lock 4 boxes but were not successful with the other 10.

At the counting centre, the SPR suddenly proceeded to open the ballot boxes around 3:00pm without notifying PKR. The PKR counting agents were not present then, so there was a mad scramble to the counting centre to monitor the counting. In the rush, PKR’s agents did not have the chance to examine the ballot boxes properly to determine whether the seals were intact. In fact, two of the locks were broken and PKR did not protest.

This is where the interesting story starts. Two boxes, Station 16 Jela and Station 25 Gugu, arrived at the counting centre with the locks intact and were opened by PKR’s agents.

Here are the results:

Station 2006 results 2009 results
Nicholas Bawin BN % total by NB PKR BN % total by PKR Swing to PKR
16 Jela 182 126 59.1% 244 122 66.3% 7.2%
25 Gugu 137 154 47.1% 147 59 71.0% 23.9%

That represents an average swing in favour of PKR of 15.5%. If this is translated across the board in Sarawak in the next state elections, Pakatan Rakyat will win the state elections.

[pywong]

http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/20609/84/

[pywong]

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/BatangAiBy-electionAnalysis130409.jpg

[pywong]

During the campaign for the by-election, close to RM200 million worth of projects were promised for the people of Batang Ai.

These projects include:

* A multi-million ringgit hospital
* RM2 million for upgrading and repairing of longhouses
* RM6 million for electrification programme
* RM2.5 million for telecommunication tower and community broadband centre
* RM40.2 million for universal service provision (USP) projects
* RM62 million for tar-sealing the seven-kilometre Lemanak Road, the survey design of Lemanak-Engkari road and the tar-sealing of 10km ring roads in Batang Ai.

More… (http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/batang-ai-why-it-do-not-go-to-pkr/)

[pywong]

BATANG AI POST-SCRIPT: THE GOOD SAMARITAN

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/th_pollingday070409080409069.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/?action=view&current=pollingday070409080409069.jpg) YB Dominique getting off the ambulance after making sure both victims were safe.

19th Apr 2009

It was a lazy afternoon after lunch in Sri Aman. YB Dominique Ng, PKR Padungan ADUN, Tan, Yong and I were on our way back on 8th Apr 09 from Batang Ai after the by-elections. At Km 117 along the Kuching – Sri Aman Road, we saw a row of cars in front of us. Motorists were gawking at a lady in white standing over a man rolling in pain on the grass verge. A couple of CID officers were there looking rather helpless.

It appeared that the lady had driven her car off the road to the opposite ravine on her right. She claimed she saw something flashing in front of her and she swerved to avoid it. By the time her car came to a rest, it had turned turtle. The passenger was badly hurt but both the lady and the passenger managed to crawl out of the car.

We slowed down to see whether we could help. Tan recognized the lady, Misha. She is a PKR member. Immediately, Dominique got down, assessed the situation and asked Yong and I to get off the 4WD so that they could send the accident victims to the nearest hospital in Serian. Yong and I quickly went to the cars behind and managed to get a lift from a car travelling in the same direction.

Meanwhile, Dominique called the police, got connected to the hospital and an ambulance arrived to meet him within half an hour. We were impressed because normally it is rare to get such a quick response from an ambulance.

The two injured persons were quickly transferred to the ambulance, given emergency treatment before proceeding to the hospital with us following behind.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/th_pollingday070409080409063.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/?action=view&current=pollingday070409080409063.jpg) Misha in shock and pain.

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/th_pollingday070409080409064.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/?action=view&current=pollingday070409080409064.jpg) This is one big baby. Four hefty men could barely lift her up onto the ambulance. Dominique complained that he sprained his back in the process.


http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/th_pollingday070409080409065.jpg (http://s416.photobucket.com/albums/pp242/tindakmalaysia/batang%20ai/?action=view&current=pollingday070409080409065.jpg) The male passenger in deep trauma. He’s going to remember to put on his seat belt for a long time.

We stayed on until the family members came to the hospital and the injured were given X-rays to check their bodies. By which time, I had missed my flight out of Kuching to KL.

What was interesting was to observe Dominque’s quick response in a crisis, his willingness to help people in trouble. That’s a good Samaritan for you. Although this incident did not appear in the press, I am sure he has earned some merits for his kind action.

[pywong]

United States Of All-Borneo (http://tunabdulrazak.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/post-batang-ai-in-the-eyes-of-tindakanmalaysiacom-pkr-staff-at-batang-ai/#comments)

Hmmm. Someone has elevated me to the position of Head PKR PACA Team. :D. Didn't know I had closet fans in Sarawak.

.........And YB Dominique's defence of me in the comments section.

Background on issue:

Someone asked me for the names and contacts of all the Polling Agents and Counting Agents (PACA) during Polling Day on 7 Apr 2009. In an election, the priority of any contestant and their supporters is to win the election. The PACA is the last line of defense for an opposition party. Therefore the PACAs are under tremendous pressure to perform and we cannot afford to subject them to any distraction. For security purposes, these PACAs were instructed to communicate with certain members of the campaign team only. We didn't want saboteurs calling them and giving them false instructions.

So, my response to the caller for the PACA details was to politely decline. I had no authority to release those details as it would be a breach of party procedures and could result in me being subject to disciplinary action. I therefore found it strange that the person couldn't understand my position. And now we have someone publishing such a scurrilous article. In fact, I was not even holding any position of authority, merely helping out in the PACA team. The person in charge in the Counting Centre was an AMK (PKR Youth) member, Zaman.

Well, that's life for you.

[pywong]

Which orifice is James Masing spouting this stuff from?

Parti Rakyat Sarawak president James Masing has a piece of advice for the newly elected Batang Ai state assemblyperson Malcolm Mussen if he is to be effective as a people's representative.


"Mussen has only accomplished the first part of the job by winning the by-election. The second half of his job will determine whether he can keep the job as state assemblyperson,"

It would require your stamina, endurance, dedication and patience.

Privacy does not exist. Your time is voters' time, your home is voters' home, and your allowance is voters' allowance. All elected representatives are public property, and you are now officially public property," he told Mussen.

A profession which required him to be a philanthropist, banker, social worker, all rolled into one.

Unless he was prepared to do all this, he could not be an effective elected representative.

More… (http://malaysiakini.com/news/103450)

[pywong]

Change at Batang Ai: So near, yet still so far...

Author, unknown. Friday, 12 June 2009 21:55

The Batang Ai by-election showed us that change will not come easily, especially in Sarawak and Sabah. Still, Batang Ai voters had the last laugh when they managed to squeeze out RM70 million from the BN during the campaign there, as DS observes.

My trip to Batang Ai was an eventful one. The battle for this state seat sparked an invasion on Lubok Antu, a small rural town unprepared to receive some 2,000 vehicles and about 8,000 people. I stayed in a longhouse along with three friends.

Access to Lubok Antu in Batang Ai was closely monitored and Police and FRU personnel seemed to outnumber party supporters.

While at a padang during a ceramah by the contesting parties, I was close to an incident where the police confiscated Pas flags. After vehement protest from Sarawak PKR leader Dominique Ng, they were returned. Both Ng and Pas rep Dr Hatta Ali rallied supporters to beef up their spirits after the police intimidation.

But on the whole, many supporters had a field day during the campaign. Unhampered and unhindered, they were the usual rowdy boisterous crowds.

I took some snapshots of the journey to Batang Ai at the break of dawn. The access road to Lubok Antu was terribly congested.

A curious object was seen on the ground in an open area behind the stadium in Lubok Antu: a powerful unmarked satellite communications hardware, Advent, manned by the military.

Was it a coincidence that mobile communications were frequently jammed?

For their part, the BN was extremely serious about the event. So serious that their campaigners used the latest cameras, walkie-talkies, satellite television, touch-screen phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) to get their message across.

The Opposition would have surely taken note that the BN meant business in this by-election.

I couldn’t help thinking that if the by-election had been held in June around the time of the Gawai celebrations, the atmosphere would have been even more festive as more folks from the peninsula would have come over and taken the opportunity to buy local handicrafts and sample the delicacies. Among the huge range of Dayak delicacies are kuih jala, bamboo chicken and serang semut. Careful about the bamboo chicken. Ask for “manok pansoh” or else you could get end up with iguana on your plate! To wash it down at the end of the meal, tuak and arak are served. Handle with care: it is not for the uninitiated and the arak is potent. Or just watch like I did. Generosity is good but in this case, you might just end up with a different kind of spirit!

All I told the longhouse folks, let’s work, hope, and pray, come Gawai in June, though life may be difficult due to the global recession, there will be reason to celebrate in whatever manner suitable the success of “change” in Batang Ai.

A feverish campaign

Posters were everywhere - even in the river! Brighten up the Great “Ai” a bit... batang or bukit or whatever! I returned to the peninsula a day and a half before polling day. I was told that closer to polling day, the Dayak campaigners went all out and the mood was even more feverish and partisan.

One of the recurrent themes in the opposition campaign was the privatisation of the Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco) in 2005 and the control of the Batang Ai Hydro Dam and its assets and revenue stream. What benefits have the Batang Ai people derived from this? How much have their lives really changed - when there are villages without electricity? Why is the emigration from rural communities still heavy? Are there enough jobs? What happened to food farming? Where has the craftsmanship of the Ibans gone to? Batang Ai residents and villagers knew the answers. The voters knew.

For his critics, the development Taib has boasted about is all about enriching his cronies. What is the use of telecommunications towers for the Batang Ai people when they do not have much support in marketing their farm products outside the area?

At one ceramah, the PKR candidate Jawah Garang said of the BN’s three new telco tower projects: “Infrastructure also not okay, but get three telco towers, haha. Accept it and use it to communicate with PKR and not BN.”

How did the candidates approach the voters? Malcolm, the BN candidate sounded highly strung though vocal and bold in his speeches (“I WILL do it!) in contrast to Jawah, who appeared softer in his speeches (“We will try...”).

If Taib was offering goodies to the voters, that was well and good – except it was being done during a by-election campaign, which violated election ethics. The voters should have received these goodies over the last 30 years. They were entitled to them. This is the crux of the matter - they don’t have to vote people like this BN calun to get such goodies, when they are actually entitled to them!

The BN was definitely serious in making sure the seat was retained at all costs. Thus, a large number of federal and state-level political bigwigs converged on Batang Ai and numerous promises and ‘goodies’ were dished out, undoubtedly to ‘fish’ for votes. The BN win here has boosted the coalition’s morale going into the next state election, due by 2011. A defeat here would have been a slap in the face for the state BN leadership, particularly its Dayak leaders.

The PKR, on the other hand, wanted to capture the seat as a foundation for the bigger task of capturing the state in the next election. Hence, the vigorous efforts by its leaders at both state and federal levels in canvassing for its candidate, going against the might of the BN.

Local issues

For the Batang Ai by-election, local issues were prominent – issues such as NCR land, lack or absence of infrastructure, poor power supply (despite the presence of the Batang Ai Dam), and the overall neglect of the area. Many promises were made – but the big question is will they be fulfilled – or forgotten once the election is over like in the past?

It is not necessary to expand further on the problems and issues - becase these are already known. And there isn’t a need to comment on BN’s typical response (“akan buat, jangan risau” - “tapi undilah BN sekarang, dapat lagi banyak pembangunan”).

But I asked some Dayaks a few questions like do they want to continue to suffer and be left behind? Do they want to be further ‘marginalised’? Do they want to be further ‘condemned?

Their replies varied. One of the longhouse residents said, “We are happy with our humble lifestyles here whilst earning an honest living; we only need electricity; our land and water - the BN is working on this.”

I replied that it was only during the election campaign that the BN was promising the sky but what about before and after the last election; many of the promises remained unfulfilled.

“It would be worse (under PKR – which was understandable unless Pakatan took over the Sarawak state government),” he mused.

I asked myself, how are the people here going to vote for change if they can’t make a sacrifice and start with Batang Ai. They should be fighting against the abuse of power by the BN and struggling for their rights (if Dayaks are to be counted, on equal terms, as Malaysians at all instead of mere ‘bangsa lain-lain’). They need to oust Dayak leaders who fail to protect and care for their own community.

For the people of Batang Ai, now was their time and opportunity to show who’s the master.

I asked a Dayak about his view of Dayakism and of being a Dayak: “What role will it play in modern day Sarawak?”

“Honestly, I would not be able to answer that,” he replied. “For me I am more of a Sarawakian first and the rest comes after that. Why not a Malaysia for all? Will such a Malaysia and Dayakism be able to meet eye to eye? I have to see the BN’s promises on unity thoroughly explained first. It will take time to assimilate, amalgamate and accustomise the concept when one is still arguing that Malaysia is 51 years old versus Sarawak’s 45 years in Malaysia.”

As Jawah Garang said in one of his ceramahs, “My maths may be bad but when a teacher tells you that 2009 minus 1963 equals 52 years old – it’s like reinventing history.” The crowd erupted with laughter.

Astute voters

When I asked one veteran during a campaign whether she had decided which party to vote for, she replied “udah” (sudah) with a coy smile. Of course I did not ask her who she was voting for as that’s a secret. Some quarters believe that elderly voters have no place in the democratic system. But a vote is a vote and it was heart warming to see the elderly folks participate and to know they remain a significant part of what democracy means. Some try to degrade them as mere tools for certain parties. But look at it this way: both sides have their elderly voters and one cannot label one side as being wiser than the other.

My two days in Lubok Antu showed me that voters here are smarter than anyone thinks. They managed to push their development agenda not because of Party A or Party B or Candidate A or Candidate B. The impression I got was that both parties or candidates could not predict the voting trend until the very last vote was counted. The voters played their cards close to their chest.

If anyone thinks they can claim credit for the win or blame some quarters for their loss, the Lubok Antu folks, with 45 years of political experience, will smile at the thought of how they extracted promises of development from the winning party, the BN.

The voters kept the politicians in suspense right until the last moment. Three days before polling, the mood to me appeared favourable to Pakatan. Two days before polling, it appeared 50-50, and a day and a half before I left Batang Ai, the word on the ground was a win for the BN. In the event, the BN won with an increased majority. It may be hard to swallow the results when we think of the RM70 million worth of projects promised by the BN – but it is the voters of Batang Ai who will have the last laugh, having squeezed every last ringgit out from the BN.


Reasons for PKR's defeat

I will not attempt to analyse in detail the results, including the votes of each polling station. Suffice to say that this time the BN managed to maintain their strongholds and more so siphon off votes in areas which, in the last election, were won by the opposition.

I would summarise my thoughts on the possible reasons for the PKR’s defeat as follows:

• The tuai rumah (longhouse village heads) and their ‘anak biak’ (followers) were probably worried that development would by-pass them if they voted for PKR. Here was an opportunity to again demand from the government - despite the failure of the BN to deliver on its earlier promises.

• The fears of the community leaders (penghulu and tuai rumah) of the consequences of not supporting the BN. Remember they are paid monthly allowances and could be ‘sacked’!

• Choice of candidate - is it an issue? It is always easy to say now that this could have been a problem. Perhaps so, with so many ‘missiles’ fired at Jawah for his previous pro-BN statements when he was a BN MP, the PKR campaign was always on the defensive. Or perhaps Bawin could have done better ( bearing in mind he lost by only 800+ votes in the last election). Or perhaps, PKR could have put up a ‘new face’ - with a clean slate to spar against Mussen, the BN newcomer.

• Are the people ready to accept PKR into Sarawak, especially in the rural areas? PKR should do a lot of ’soul-searching’ on how to prepare itself for the next state election. Find a credible leader (a Sarawakian) to lead PKR Sarawak. Find suitable candidates NOW to contest in the next election with a thorough screening of prospective candidates (not just anyone who wants to contest) and devise a ’solid strategy’. Strengthen ties with other opposition parties to establish a formidable Pakatan Rakyat.

• Of course, the other obvious factors include BN’s powerful machinery (aided by government departments and agencies), ‘bottomless’ financial means and the many, many ‘promises’ made by ministers at both federal and state levels.

Having said all this, if only more Sarawakians could have emulated their counterparts in Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang, then PKR could also have won in Batang Ai. But, alas, it was not to be. Still, there should be no excuses for defeat. For the PKR, there’s no point crying over spilled milk (as it were) but it and the other opposition parties have to roll up their sleeves and continue with their long-term struggle.

I leave you with this excerpt from an article spotted on Agenda Daily,

“Kalau tuan menebang jati,
biar serpih jangan tumbang,
kalau tuan mencari ganti,
biar lebih jangan kurang”.

(If you are looking for change, go for real change and not short-term superficial change.)