More than a million voters will hit the polls today to decide on a new state government.
By 8am this morning, hundreds of polling stations scattered across Sarawak will be filled to the brim with voters waiting in line for their turn to cast their ballots.
Just hours before, most towns in Sarawak were still abuzz with activity and many roads were clogged up through the evening.
In Sibu, for example, hundreds of cars piled onto the road leading towards Sibu Town Square, where a few thousand local residents had gathered to attend the opposition’s last mega ‘ceramah’.
Barisan Nasional held an equally grand hustings event just a few blocks away, besides hosting smaller, more private, gatherings with potential voters living in the hinterland.
The same level of high-octane buzz was felt statewide; politicians from both sides of the divide continued blaring over the loudspeakers for hours on end until finally, the clock struck midnight.
With the campaigning period officially over, the million-odd ordinary men and women of Sarawak shoulder an extraordinary responsibility as they head for the polling stations today.
Today is not merely about marking their ballot papers and dipping their fingers in indelible ink; today is about deciding the long-term future of their beloved state.
Will they grant the tried-and-tested BN a two-thirds majority and another term, or will they dislodge the coalition from power despite all the progress brought in by the Federal Government?
Predictions say a landslide victory are on the cards for BN, and the vast rural areas are like impregnable fortresses that will prove difficult for the opposition to penetrate anytime soon.
But the race for several closely contested seats in Kuching, Miri and Bintulu could go down to the wire.
The 15-Chinese majority seats in the urban areas, of which 12 were won by DAP in the last election, will be keenly watched with either side potentially winning with razor-thin majorities.
The challenge to reclaim these seats from the opposition represents the first litmus test for Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, whose popularity has helped improve the Chinese community’s sentiment towards BN.
In 2011, only 20 per cent of the Chinese voted for BN, and analysts say this could go up to 30 per cent this time around.
Despite Adenan's admirable work these past two years, the majority of Chinese still feel that Sarawak requires a stronger opposition for much needed check-and-balance.
Nontheless, Adenan is confident that BN can pull off an upset win in opposition strongholds this time, after setting very high expectations for his team.
But in order for BN to reach the 70-seat target set by Adenan, the coalition needs to retain all 45 seats it won last time, win all 11 of the newly created seats, as well as wrest a few seats from the opposition.
Notwithstanding the results of today’s polls, Sarawak has proven itself to be the quintessence of Malaysia’s vibrant democracy.
And regardless what their political leanings are, Sarawakians will not allow themselves to be treated as stepchildren in the country.
After all, Sarawak is not just a state in the country; it is an equal partner in the formation of Malaysia.
Unbeknownst to them, the people of Sarawak are not just determining the future of their state today.
They are also playing an essential role in shaping national politics in the years to come.