analysis

One of the Malay majority constituencies being closely watched is Satok where Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB)'s deputy president Abang Johari Tun Openg is being challenged in a straight fight by Parti Keadilan Nasional Sarawak youth leader Zulrusdi Mohd Hol.

Several of Umno's and Keadilan's big guns from Peninsular Malaysia have arrived to give a helping hand in speaking at the ceramah (political talks) over the last few days before next Thursday's state elections.

Although most people say Abang Johari - one of Kuching's Malay leaders who appears to have been sidelined in Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's PBB after giving a sound thrashing to Taib's choice as the party's deputy president more than two years ago - is likely to more than scrap through. He is finding that he has to really fight for his political survival.

His dilemma is that he cannot publicly even try to respond directly to the opposition's claim that the Malays are politically and economically marginalised as it could anger Taib as well as provide more ammunition to the opposition, even if he admits to there being some basis to the claim.

So during various ceramah , Johari and some PBB Malay leaders are seen to be avoiding the issue which, according to some party members, is not helping at all.

In the PBB ceramah at Kampung No 5 last night, Johari made references about the dangers of Sarawak Malays, a minority group in Sarawak, of being disunited, and for PBB Malay wing to be weakened if some of its Malay leaders like himself are defeated in this elections.

Confrontational approach

Perhaps in not so many words, he said only PBB Malay leaders would be able to help them protect and promote their rights and interests. He even gave a veiled threat that the Malays could even lose their surau (praying centre) if they chose the opposition candidates, without going into details.

This statement is being interpreted to mean that it would be far better for the Malays to put their faith and trust in PBB Malay leaders like himself instead of PAS or Keadilan Malay leaders who would adopt only a confrontational approach with the federal government and make it worse for the Malays.

Umno vice-president and Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak explained it better to the crowd who gathered at the Kampung No 5 surau .

He said that unlike former PBB deputy president Abang Abu Bakar who is waging a personal war against Taib, Abang Johari, despite the difficulties he is facing, has stayed on and remained loyal to PBB "all in the interest of the (Malay) struggle."

He reminded them of what happened to Muslims in Sabah where the Christian Kadazandusun-led Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBB) was in power for 10 years. He said there was little progress on the physical religious development during the period.

Sarawak Malays form a smaller population (about 25 percent compared with Sabah's 40 percent) and therefore they cannot afford to be further split, as this would only give advantage to the opposition.

The latest assessment on Satok is that Abang Johari appears to enjoy a small lead, but its leaders are not taking chances, so they are working hard on the ground to drive home the message of what could possibly happen if leaders such as Abang Johari should be defeated at the hands of the Keadilan candidate.