The silence is deafening in Sibu, even as politicians scramble to make the most of the last two days of campaigning before the May 16 Sibu by-election.

The enthusiasm of the local electorate has been hard to fire up, and the best the SUPP could do at present is to make a meal of the Kampua mee battle.

NONE The fate of this popular local Foochow dish ( above ) apparently now lies in the hands of the Sibu voters, and the ‘controversy’ surrounding it is the only excitement obvious to the naked eye.     

The SUPP was the first to cook up this storm, telling voters that if DAP were to win the election Kampua mee (which is non-halal) would be doomed, pointing to the opposition party’s support for PAS and its Islamic state agenda.

NONE The DAP hit back with a banner ( right ) saying that white hair will grow out of Kampua mee if SUPP were to win, indirectly slighting Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Sadly, this silent exchange of banners hanging from electricity poles has failed to spark any outward show of interest in Sibu's 54,695 voters.

Christian support critical         

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang has, on his part, claimed in a tweet yesterday that his party has managed to push up its support base to 48 percent.

sibu by election 090510 sibu scared heart church The reality on the ground is, however, hard to predict, as local voters are not keen on making their allegiances known.

A potential gold mine for any candidate is the Christian electorate, constituting 53 percent of the constituency.

The DAP saw its two Christian gatherings earlier this week attracting sizeable turnouts and favourable response.

As if recognising this potential, the police issued a warning the morning after the first gathering, to political parties to avoid raising the 'Allah' issue or face stern action.

The opposition party capitalised on this warning by dropping any direct reference to the issue to its advantage.  

Regulating God

hannah yeoh interview 110608 03 For example, when Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh ( left ) said at the second gathering, "My conversation with God is now being regulated by the government," it was a powerful statement that resonated with those gathered faithful.

It could well galvanise support for the DAP, but its extent is still anyone’s guess.

As opposition candidate Wong Ho Leng explained; "The Christians are keeping quiet. They are not giving anything away."

While the Chinese votes - constituting 66 percent of the electorate - are important, the DAP's chances may hinge on small shifts in Dayak support.

The community, with some 18,000 votes, are recognised as potential kingmakers.

Party insiders say that even if the DAP manages to earn 70 percent support from the Chinese, even an incremental rise in Dayak support is critical to secure victory.

The trend in indigenous votes, however, slants in the Barisan Nasional’s favour, posing a serious challenge to the opposition.

Throwing money at the Dayaks

On the ground, sentiments vary from one longhouse to another, with those having basic amenities most likely to support the  ruling government.

NONE Residents of those longhouses that don't have potable water and 'api' (the Iban term for electricity) are more vocal in their discontent.

Even so, they still perceive the BN as having the funds for development, and feel they have little choice but to support them.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s recent offer of multi-million ringgit projects and allocations to "help" the electorate - the BN's tried-and-tested campaign strategy predicted by the DAP early on - will further entrench this misconception.

Money continues to pour into Sibu like manna from heaven, with the announcement of the RM600 million set aside for flood mitigation earlier this month, and RM18 million given out to Chinese and mission schools yesterday.

NONE Also yesterday, the PM announced  a RM34 million road upgrading project for Pasai Siong in Sibu's rural district, and the approval of 6,000 ha of land for Dayaks to carry out clustered oil palm cultivation.

Unable to compete with the financial deluge in the constituency, the DAP is banking its swing votes on the estimated 15 percent Dayak youths who have left the town to seek work outside.

The challenge is that the timing of the by-election isn’t favourable to the opposition.

Just two weeks before Gawai, the Dayaks' annual harvest festival that is a popular homecoming date for out-of-towners, the by-election is not likely to see Dayaks returning earlier than required just to poll.

SUPP struggle with Chinese

The opposition can only take heart that the SUPP isn’t having a smooth ride either, particularly with the Chinese voters.

Their popularity with this sector will continue to slide with the fracas at the Tua Pek Kong procession on Wednesday night.

sibu by election 120510 najib at temple possession 2 Talk on the ground reveal that devotees at the important religious festival did not appreciate the high-handedness of Najib's security detail, who forcibly pushed back the crowd to pave the way for the premier’s entrance ( right ).

Regardless, whatever figures spewed by pundits or observers will remain conjectural.

As so long as electoral lips are sealed, there is no way yet of establishing for certain who's ahead in the race for Sibu.

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