Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has pleaded with politicians to adopt 'constructive' and not 'confrontational' politics. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Information Ministry, Senator Zainuddin Maidin has 'advised' Sarawak journalists to stick to the basic rules of reporting of where, when, what and how.

Although the two events in which the remarks were made were unrelated (one was a seminar for Barisan Nasional-elected representatives, the other a gathering for local journalists that Zam addressed), nevertheless they are seen to have one thing in common: Both are addressing election issues.

Taib, who is going to lead the BN team again in the coming state elections that must be held this year, has detected on the ground, the intensity of the opposition's campaign to unseat his many BN assembly representatives.

Chances of unseating his government are remote. And the opposition's best shot is denying victory for the ruling coalition in areas where there are a mixture of Malay, Dayak and Chinese.

Taib himself has admitted privately that for BN to successfully defend all seats could be an extremely uphill mission, given the new mood, especially among younger voters who appear to have a lot of zeal for the opposition's style of politicking and campaigning.

Parti Keadilan thinks its best bet would be some Malay seats in Kuching because of what its Sarawak leaders say, is the growing disenchantment with the present state leadership.

PAS never departs from its religious mode, making apparently strong impressions in Muslim constituencies where there are deep-rooted religious beliefs in Islam and the new ways of the world are seen as alien to such teachings.

And the Democratic Action Party's best chance is to go back to their familiar stomping grounds in Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu - all seats represented by the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP),a component part of the Sarawak BN.

Editorial toned down

At least one Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) assembly representative, Bolhassan Di who is also state assistant minister, appears to have taken on a new look in response to PAS' continued presence in his Benteng-Maro constituency.

He has just returned from pilgrimage and has not totally discarded his haj wear and is frequently spotted wearing his 'new look' in public.

It is understood that Taib has a lot to do with Bolhassan's new look. He is even seen to be sprouting a beard.

All this goes to show just how serious the election campaign has become on the ground after the combined forces of the opposition made their presence felt across the Malay/Muslim heartland.

Possibly the only areas that the opposition - whether PAS or Keadilan - would not be able to make any significant inroads, are those in the Melanau heartland in the Lower Rejang Basin. Taib is said to be eyeing one of the constituencies in this region now.

In recent weeks, Sarawak's new English language tabloid Malaysia Today appears to have toned down, especially after it ran a big bold headline about Parti Keadilan Sarawak leaders having lodged a police report against Taib regarding some remarks the chief minister had made about the opposition.

In the same day, the paper also carried an editorial arguing against the merits of postal voting and recommended some changes to the rules or its complete abolition. Apparently, it didn't go down well with the powers that be and the paper had to let one of its writers go.

Things appear to have simmered down generally across the political spectrum. The ongoing campaign, however, has been joined by another exercise - the registration of new voters from May 2 to May 31.

This has led to speculation as to whether the new voters registered within this period will be eligible to vote in the coming state elections. If so - according to normal procedures - it will take about six months before the new names can be entered into the electoral rolls to be used for the elections.

Unless, of course, the Election Commission (EC) hastens the process and adopts a fast track method by having the new rolls displayed for public inspection on June and then rectified in accordance with the provisions of the Election Act immediately after that and published in the Government Gazette . Then this can take perhaps three months, meaning the earliest elections will be held either in August or September.

This will then push the eventual election date close to the end of the life of the present 62-member Sarawak State Assembly.

'We are ready'

Keadilan legal adviser Dominique Ng has claimed that any further delay will be more advantageous to the opposition. The Election Commission wants the elections held as soon as possible before the Landas season (wettest months - November to February) sets in.

But what they have not reckoned is that the ruling Sarawak BN will not call for elections unless they are 100 percent sure it is time to do so.

"For the moment there does not seem to be any problems from within," according to a BN leader.

"Yes, there is the usual contention among members for the right to contest and to have some incumbents changed. The opposition is always there, and we can take them on," he added.

Another BN leader said Taib, the state BN and PBB leader, is a master in the art of politics. "He has been around long enough to know when to call for elections."

As Ng said recently, he believes the chief minister is playing some kind of a game. "But whatever it is we are ready for elections tomorrow or later."

TONY THIEN is a freelance writer based in Kuching, Sarawak.