news focus

Except perhaps for political parties, their candidates and election agents and workers, there seems to be an unexpectedly high degree of voter indifference towards election matters, more so in the light of the latest developments in the US.

While reporters searching everyday in the run-up to nomination day on September 18 for new leads to make their stories exciting and of interest to readers, politicians are not talking as much as they should during election time.

It would seem that most politicians are reserving their 'ammunition' for the days to come, indicating that perhaps issues for this state elections are hardly new and few and far between. Sarawakians will go to the polls on Sept 27.

Newspaper readers are being treated to near-boring stories which are being repeated daily on internal party disputes over choices of candidates, psychological games DAP is playing to win sympathy votes and Barisan Nasional replying to queries on the chances of it winning all the 62 seats up for grabs.

While the opposition parties lack the resources and facilities to move around, BN stalwarts are wasting little time in getting around to coastal and interior areas by helicopter, boat and four-wheel drives to get in touch with voters on the ground.

Sarawak caretaker chief minister and Sarawak BN chief Abdul Taib Mahmud has, since the state assembly was dissolved on Sept 3, been continuously on the campaign trail.

He started off in his new Balingian constituency, where he was welcomed by large crowds pledging support, before moving to his former Asajaya constituency, where he explained to the people there why he had to leave but that he would still represent them as the member of parliament for Samarahan.

He dispensed a lot of goodies in both places, promising more development and dishing out grants for this and that project.

Meluan problem

The opposition, however, has not been totally immobilised,. They have been to all places they have chosen to contest or will be contesting, both in urban and rural areas. Campaigning in the interior of Sarawak is physically exhausting and a test of one's endurance, as they have discovered.

Today, Taib will fly to Meluan, one of the problematic BN constituencies where incumbent, four-term Geman Itam, of the Sarawak National Party, has rejected his party's decision to replace him with party secretary-general Justine Jinggut.

According to reports, Taib wants to meet the people, talk to them and assess for himself the situation and before making a decision on the spot whether Geman or Justine or another person will be the Snap candidate.

Reports indicate that Wong Padat, a wealthy, local Iban businessman will challenge BN for the constituency. His chances of winning are said to be good, especially if Justine is to stand on a BN ticket. Justine may be persuaded not to contest with something else lined up for him after the elections provided he throws his support behind the BN candidate.

"The BN is only looking for a winning candidate," said a BN leader who preferred not to be identified. "That is what the Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad told Taib and that is what Taib has told Sarawak BN component party leaders."

Except perhaps for the Chinese areas, where the choice is more clear cut for the electorates to decide between opposition and BN candidates, contestants in Dayak areas and to a certain extent Malay areas, will have to play a decisive roles.

Riot target

Abang Abu Bakar, head of a group of independents said to proxies for Umno, is allegedly trying to entice even some BN leaders into his camp, apparently tacitly indicating to them that the group has Umno support and they will lose nothing if they opt to join the group and contest.

One name that has been mentioned in this plot is the BN/SUPP member of parliament for Serian Richard Riot, who according to some observers may be standing in Tebedu against the assistant minister and former state assemblyman for the seat, Michael Manyin. Riot's name has been bandied around for sometime, although he has denied contemplating switching over to any other party or group.

Meanwhile, one senior opposition party leader told malaysiakini to watch out 'for some unexpected developments' a few days before nomination day. With about a week left to that day, opposition parties are trying to ensure they do not clash with one another and spoil their own chances.

Taib, on the other end, is being kept busy, according to sources, trying to finalise the list of all 62 BN candidates including those for several 'doubtful areas'.

He had said recently that there would be 'some surprises' in the final line-up, and political observers have taken this to mean that some familiar names may be dropped in favour of new faces considered to be a better bet.

Although indications are that Sarawak BN will win more than a two-thirds majority come close of polling day, Taib is not taking chances, more so when several of his independent assessors have said that the situation is still fluid.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Kuching correspondent.