COMMENT Talk of an imminent Sarawak state election has gained momentum as Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem receives accolades for his first year as the state leader.

He took over as chief minister of Sarawak on Feb 28, 2014. The current term of the present state government ends on June 16, 2016.

 

Sarawak is a resource rich state but its human development indicators under 50 years of Barisan Nasional (BN) rule raises questions on who has benefited from the wealth of the state.

 

It is the second poorest state in the country. The Sarawak government says, “There is a long way to go in eradicating poverty in the state and the focus now is on helping the hardcore poor.” Sarawak has only seven rural clinics out of 212 government-run health facilities in the country.

 

But it is the richest state in the federation in terms of per capita GDP. According to an Aliran report citing Statistics Department figures, Sarawak’s GDP per person, a common measure of wealth, amounted to RM30,318 in 2009, higher than Penang’s RM29,569 and Selangor’s RM27,609, and much higher than Johor’s RM18,458.

 

The wealth from oil and gas and timber has not translated into higher living standards for the majority of Sarawakians, The wealth in Sarawak is being disproportionately distributed. Only certain sectors of Sarawakian society are being enriched.

 

Economic issues don't win votes

 

Economic grievances do not necessarily buy votes for the opposition. Many poor countries have sustained dictators for decades while most of the population live in conditions of poverty.

 

Winning elections and ruling are different issues.

 

The world's oldest leader, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, turned 91 on February 21 and on February 28 had a lavish birthday party costing US one million dollars (RM3.6 million.) as his people languish in poverty. His critics, according to news reports, “have condemned as obscene his lavish birthday party as he is accused of plunging the country into poverty.”

 

Despite the allegations and criticisms, Mugabe in addition to being in power in Zimbabwe, currently is also chairman of the 54-nation African Union and the 15-nation Southern African Development Community.

 

Mugabe once quipped that he would rule his country until he turned 100. On TV screens at his birthday party he appears he may be able to achieve that goal! Other dictators that come to mind are Suharto of Indonesia, Ferdinand Marcos of Philippines, François Duvalier of Haiti and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.

 

Former Chief Minister Taib Muhamad held on to power for 33 years with support of his voters. He is currently governor of Sarawak.

 

Taib’s parting words at his last Barisan Nasional (BN) state meeting were “Sarawak for Sarawakians”. Allegations of power abuse and corruption and some of them including tyranny did not see the removal of these various leaders from power soon enough.

 

A reason for their sustained power is in this answer from Governance and Transparency Minister Paul Low.

 

On March 7, 2014 Low had an answer for choice of Taib as governor of Sarawak. He said that he saw no reason to stop Taib Mahmud from becoming state governor after 33 years as chief minister, despite allegations against him for corruption and abuse of power.

 

Low also said that he sided with the GE13 voters, who found no fault with Taib.

Voters matter - their knowledge, educational levels, economic status are factors that influence their voting patterns.

Sarawakians and education

 

A report I had read states that “most telling of all, perhaps, is the low level of education among Sarawak’s people that prevents them from tallying the true costs of their ignorance about how their future was stolen.”

 

The Labour Force Survey Report Malaysia 2010 shows that Sarawak has the second highest number of workers in the labour force with no formal education that is 94,000 workers, which accounts for 22.6 percent of the national total.

 

242,000 Sarawakian workers with only primary education, account for 23 percent of the labour force of Sarawak and 12.8 percent of the labour force of Malaysia.

 

According to researchers, education has the greatest impact on voter turnout. The more educated understand how the system works, how to influence the system and why voter participation is critical for changes and policy reforms.

 

The village heads

 

The village or long house heads were once powerful positions. A circular memorandum dated Oct 21, 1980 states, “The appointment in the ketua kaum service is made at the pleasure of the government and determined by either side on giving one month’s notice or in lieu of notice to pay an equivalent of one month’s honorarium.”

 

This in effect has diluted their independence and power. Today they must be pro-Barisan.

They receive a monthly allowance of RM800. They pass on messages from the government and bring grievances from villagers to the government.

 

NGOs and voter education can go wrong

 

NGOs do not constitute a very well organised sector in Sarawak. They lack financial resources and are generally managed by volunteers. NGOs have mainly been concerned about land, livelihood and environmental issues.

 

Voter education has not featured as an important agenda of NGOs in Sarawak. NGOs engaged in voter education in Peninsular Malaysia have begun to engage with their counterparts in Sarawak.

 

However, occasional talks on elections by an NGO speaker from Kuala Lumpur to a town or a village in Sarawak may not have the desired results. If voter education is not carefully managed and sustained it could have unintended consequences. Researchers have found that vote buying has different meanings to different people.

 

Meanings can vary by class, religion and educational levels. In some places, money given to voters by political parties to cover travel costs was not deemed as vote buying.

 

The Allah issue

 

Christians constitute about 44 percent of the population of Sarawak . The stamping of Malay and Iban Bibles with a warning, and the seizure of hymn books with the word ‘Allah’ meant for Orang Asli Christians, may according to some observers cost BN some votes but will not rock the boat.

 

Adenan’s handling of the Allah issue and Islamic fundamentalism have gone down very well with Christians and moderates in Sarawak.

 

Additionally, Christians in Sarawak are generally happy with the state support for Christian mission schools and churches. People of other faiths such as the Baha’is and Buddhists speak favourably of the state government’s support for multi religious harmony in Sarawak.

 

Festivals matter

 

Throughout history, celebrations are used for political ends. Festivals seem to assist in developing social and economic cohesion that connect local communities and governments together.

 

In Malaysia, prime ministers have never failed to appear on television to wish Malaysians at major festivals.

 

Gawai is an important cultural festival for indigenous communities in Sarawak. Prime Minister Najib Razak joined other leaders at the Kayan longhouse in Long Silat, Bekenu, Sarawak, on June 2 last year.

 

Sarawakians were very pleased when he said, “The success of Sarawak in creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony despite having the most ethnic and sub-ethnic groups among the states in Malaysia makes it a model of social harmony.”

 

He promised more development projects for Sarawak and that BN brought continuous economic growth. The music, dance, food, drinks and presence of leaders brought government and communities together. Will a BN win be assured after the Gawai festival?

 

The clueless opposition

 

While Adenan has managed to bring together a BN riddled with component party conflicts, is the opposition united?

 

The allocation of seats, it seems, may continue to remain a contentious issue between the component opposition parties as it happened in the 13 GE.

 

The Sarawak DAP is proposing a motion to group all indigenous people as Dayaks except the Malays for political purposes. The BN is in agreement with the DAP proposal.

The loss of their individual identity for indigenous people will have social and political consequences for them. Will the loss of the freedom to retain their individual identity as Kelabit, Iban, Kenyah, Bisaya, Bidayuh etc strengthen divide and rule policies of the BN?

 

How this DAP proposal will win votes for the opposition is unclear.

 

Will DAP’s ‘go rural’ Impian Sarawak project that provides micro-hydro dams for rural Sarawak result in more votes for the party. How will this form of political charity empower communities?

 

Will the jailing of Anwar Ibrahim, the Opposition leader have an impact in the Sarawak state elections? Not likely, according to analysts.

 

About 90 percent of Sarawak’s ancient forest is gone. Who has stolen Sarawak’s trees, asks Mutang Urud. The value of the trees exceeds US$50 billion.

Many of the Sarawakians remain poor . These profits have kept the same party in power and is likely to sustain it in the coming state elections.

 

SINAN BELAWAN believes all of us are stakeholders in what happens in Sarawak.