Eateries selling popular local Sarawak dishes were crowded with local and foreign tourists indulging in the famous Sarawak laksa and mee kolo last weekend. Understandably, the significant increase in tourist arrivals was due to the school holidays.
Many people were also spotted at bakeries offering the colourful and sweet Sarawak layered cake, with tourists packing many rolls of the different types of kek lapis for gifts and souvenirs, which certainly brought cheer to the business community in the state.
And the entrepreneurs, together with tourism players, can expect the same or bigger number of tourists in March or April next year — the months where Sarawak is expected to go to the polls — as speculated by political observers.
Speculation that the next Sarawak state election will be held during the first quarter of next year gained greater momentum when Parliament passed the motion to increase the number of Sarawak constituencies from 71 seats to 82 seats under the redrawing of electoral boundaries last week.
Political parties from both sides of the divide immediately hit the ground running, as time is of the essence with the mandate of the present Sarawak government to expire on June 19.
As the days unravelled, Sarawak PKR immediately held a press conference to announce its intention to field candidates in 43 state constituencies, including 15 seats deemed “non-negotiable” ahead of talks with partners in their loose alliance with DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).
PKR vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar reasoned that the non-negotiable seats were constituencies contested by the party during the previous state election in 2011.
Nevertheless, there were quarters suggesting that it was a soft reminder to DAP, which is also planning to field its candidates in seats in the interior, to watch their step and respect their political partners.
Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian, whom many journalists here fondly refer to as “Mr Nice Guy”, alluded that all is still not well, when he said that DAP and Amanah have yet to reply to his request for discussion on the seat allocation.
Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen had announced plans by the party to contest more than 30 state seats, including those located in the rural areas.
The opposition parties are still in shambles, which has compelled PKR to deploy former Umno man Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah to find an amicable solution to the Sarawak DAP-PKR seat tussle.
While Chong tried to shift the focus away from the fracas in the opposition pact by dragging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak into the picture, the state polls will also be a test of leadership for the Bandar Kuching member of parliament, who was recently re-elected as Sarawak DAP chairman at the party’s convention.
Universiti Utara Malaysia political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani said there was nothing that could hamper the ruling coalition in Sarawak from retaining a two-thirds majority win similar to previous state elections.
The ongoing bickering among opposition parties and the soaring popularity of Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem would catapult Sarawak BN to emerge victorious again in the next state polls.
“The ruling coalition in Sarawak is a strong front; but, the situation is otherwise for the opposition parties in the state,” said Azizuddin.
“Issues raised by the state opposition camps failed to gain traction, and I don’t see anything to deny Sarawak BN from securing a two-thirds-majority win in the next state polls, even with the additional 11 state constituencies.”
Adenan is hitting the right notes and has been garnering more supporters with his firm decisions and nonchalant humorous speeches.
It has been 21 months since Adenan assumed the chief minister's post and he has announced 46 policies to be implemented by his administration, including the adoption of English as the second official language in Sarawak and the move to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate, both of which have ruffled some feathers, especially among critics from Peninsular Malaysia. Sources suggested that Adenan may announce another five more policies ahead of the polls, but he was tight- lipped when asked to elaborate.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, the leading component party in the Sarawak BN fold, has announced that it will contest 40 state seats. The party also plans to field 10 new faces and to increase the number of women candidates.
Another strong partner for the ruling coalition in the state is Parti Rakyat Sarawak, led by its vocal leader, Tan Sri James Jemut Masing.
The situation, however, is otherwise for the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), which are embroiled in a four-party crisis, with splinter parties — United People’s Party and Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak. To date, there is as yet no solution to the problem, with SUPP and SPDP remaining adamant in rejecting any efforts to establish Sarawak BN-Plus, which will include the breakaway parties.
Time is running out for all political parties, including Sarawak BN, since Adenan recently announced that the ongoing 2016 State Budget session, which will focus on rural development, would be the last state assembly sitting before the next polls.
Although the four parties in crisis will undeniably champion the struggles of Sarawakians for a better future, the entities must find ways not to give critics any doubt over Adenan’s leadership.
As Adenan roars for greater autonomy and rights to be returned to Sarawak, the chief minister needs a solid foundation to push his campaign. This can only be done if the four parties in crisis find a solution in the soonest possible time, to allow the ruling coalition to devise a winning formula for Sarawak BN to emerge victorious in the upcoming state polls.
The writer is NST Sarawak bureau chief