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Junaidi Ibrahim of Kota Samarahan in Kuching has been waiting for 14 years. In 1987, the Sarawak government bought a piece of his land - about less than a hectare - with an initial compensation of only RM2,420. On that land now stands a newly built Bomba (fire department) building.

Junaidi said that he is still waiting to be paid the full compensation. His house, which he had built with his own hands, sits on a small plot next to the huge Bomba building. The government wants this piece of land too, but Junaidi is not going to move - not because he doesn't want to, but he simply cannot afford to.

"I have made several appeals to the District Office but until now nothing has happened," said the father of seven.

"They've paid me a pittance for the land, and they have yet to pay for my house. I have asked for at least RM60,000 so I can move, but my appeal has fallen on deaf ears," he added.

Junaidi shares the fate of many who are suffering due to long years of neglect and lack of proper sustainable development in the state, relegating many rural communities to subsistence survival.

The migration of educated youth to towns and the lure of better life and wages in the Peninsula have drained the villages of much needed political and economic leadership.

For two decades, massive logging activities throughout the state has encroached on native land, disturbed the local ecological balance and destroyed the indigenous lifestyle.

Since logging has turned into a sunset industry, the government has set its sights on land for commercial use. As of 1999, over a million hectares of land was said to have been alienated for plantation and other government or commercial projects.

Staunch supporter

However, despite being the only breadwinner in the family - and having nine mouths to feed - Junaidi is a staunch supporter of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

He had refused to attend any of the ceramah (political gatherings) by opposition party Keadilan. He even prohibited his children from attending them.

"I do not want the government to change as there is development," he told malaysiakini .

"Even though they have not settled my land compensation problems, I am patient," he said, adding that the government was fair despite being often slandered for being otherwise.

Kota Samarahan is a tiny village town in the Muara Tuang constituency.

Muara, with 17,015 voters, will see BN's Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu candidate Adenan Satem pitting against Independent Suhaili Hamid, a member of the estrange Abang Abu Bakar Abang Mustapha group tomorrow.

Abang Abu Bakar, who was a PBB member but quit when he was not given a seat at the last general elections, is said to be 'secretly' working behind the scenes to bring Umno into Sarawak. He is reported to field 45 Independent candidates in tomorrow's state election, and has argued that Umno's presence in the state is pertinent to the issue of Malay unity.

Th one-time federal minister has hopes of uniting the Malays-Melanau, Ibans, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and other natives under the Malay race.

'Send message to BN leaders'

Echoing Abang Abu Bakar's concerns, Busrah, an ex-army officer in his 40s, spoke passionately about bringing that message to the present BN leaders. Busrah helped Suhaili to canvass for votes.

"We do not want to topple anyone. We only want to open the eyes of our leaders who are blind. They may be educated, but they are blind," he said.

"There are many issues, especially land issues which must be dealt with. The people here are the victims," he added, when met at the Independent candidate's operation centre in Muara.

Busrah said that the land in Section 47 have been gazetted as Malay reserve land since Merdeka. However, land owners have not been issued official papers by the land office, he said.

"This problem has made many people restless. However, people may still vote for the present leaders because they have power and they have money," he lamented.

Like Abang Abu Bakar, Busrah believed that the issue of Malay unity in Sarawak is an important issue.

He said that Malays in Sarawak have not achieved much unlike in the Peninsula where "Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad does not oppress the Malays".

"Here we often ask 'development for whom?' Development for the government, yes, but the people are suffering," he said.

"These leaders sit in an air-cond rooms and in rest houses. How can they understand the plight of the rakyat ?" he queried.

That is why, Busrah explained, that the Abang Abu Bakar group is urging Umno to spread its wings to Sarawak.

Sarawakians must make the first move, he said, and "We will open the doors for them".

"Mahathir has said time and time again that he wants to unite the Malays. Why doesn't he allow Umno to come into Sarawak?"

However, in Kota Samarahan, residents say that the opposition or the Independents would have a tough time in convincing them.

According to many folks at Muara, the 'opposition is not wanted here".

'They are the government'

Despite complaints about land being 'stolen' from the people, many say there are backing the Barisan Nasional because 'they are the government'.

Linda, 24, who has a restaurant in Kota Samarahan, said she and her family were satisfied so long as they were allowed to run their business.

"You can see that BN has brought much development here. We are also used to them as we have seen their symbol for many years and it doesn't matter that the candidates are different every election year," said the mother of two from Sadong Jaya..

"Perhaps some people feel unhappy because their lands have been taken away from them. Perhaps the more educated people may feel disappointed," Linda said.

"However, the opposition here is new and we are not familiar with them. We also do not know what they can do for us," she added.

Echoing her words1 was an Iban woman from Kampung Melaban, which is also located in the same constituency.

Roselin told malaysiakini that she is satisfied with the development in the state.

"Everything we want from water, electricity, telephone to a church building; we are given, no problems," said the mother of four, who is an Anglican.

"The opposition will not give us the things we ask for. They only make false promises and they cannot even govern themselves," she added.

Roselin said the Ibans and Bidayuhs would never accept PAS as the community is afraid of losing its religious freedom.

"BN is liberal, there is no hassle asking for land for a church," she said.

The 43 year-old homemaker also said that Keadilan will not get the support they are hoping for due to ex-premier Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy and corruption cases.

"Anwar does not know how to manage the government. My husband has been in politics for 18 years and I believe all those things said about Anwar," she said, adding "We may all end up like him if Keadilan comes to power".