THE 14th General Election (GE14) may be a more humdrum affair in Sarawak compared to the rest of the country, but still, there is no lack of suspense and drama.
The outcome in Sarawak (the lone state where only parliamentary seats are to be decided) is so predictable as to be almost a foregone conclusion. Barisan Nasional (BN) will romp home with the lion’s share of seats, as it always has in recent general elections.
Still, pre-nomination day suspense saw the deputy president of BN component Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and federal minister Datuk Joseph Entulu Beluan and fellow incumbent member of parliament Datuk William Nyalau Badak sacked from their party. Both had earlier been dropped from PRS’ list of names to contest the party’s allotted six parliamentary seats.
The sacking effectively ended any lingering hopes by the duo that they would still wriggle their way in to defend their respective seats at the very last minute.
In the ensuing political melee, state PKR leader Baru Bian stepped in to throw his hat into the ring in Entulu’s Selangau constituency. In so doing, Baru, an Orang Ulu, challenged conventional political wisdom by migrating from his Baram region to try to wrest Selangau — an Iban-majority seat — away from BN. It is likely to prove a brave, if ultimately futile, effort.
Much more excitement and drama will likely follow the decision of Sarawak United People’s Party president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian to go head to head with state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen for the Stampin seat in Kuching.
Dr Sim, a consultant cardiologist, who is also state minister of local government and housing, is making his maiden foray in a parliamentary contest.
He appears to be the underdog against veteran MP Chong who moved from his Bandar Kuching seat in order to realise this “Battle of Kings” for Stampin.
But, as the sitting state assemblyman for Batu Kawah within the Stampin parliamentary constituency, Dr Sim has some in-built political advantages going into this battle. He will be hoping to ride on the political momentum from his win in the state election two years ago.
As the Chinese-majority party in the state BN, Dr Sim is also banking on his party permanently leaving behind its image as the sick-man of the state ruling coalition.
This ties in with the battle-cry of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Abang Openg’s campaign to gain an even more solid win in GE14 to further his political leverage vis-à- vis the incoming Federal Government in furtherance of the state’s agenda for greater political autonomy, an agenda that even the opposition in the state shares.
It cannot but sit very awkwardly with SUPP, the state’s oldest party formed to push for the state’s rights and interests in 1959, to now be more or less watching from the sidelines in the push for further political autonomy since it had all of one lone MP in the last Parliament.
Dr Sim is, thus, leading the charge to massively improve on its dismal performance from GE13. He is also taking on a huge political risk in waging a personal battle against Chong.
In this monumental struggle, he will also be counting on SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting to similarly build on his winning a state seat two years ago to wrest back the Miri parliamentary seat from the opposition.
A politician with a warm and genuine grassroots feel, lawyer Ting is widely tipped to be appointed as a federal minister if he succeeds in helping BN win a fresh electoral mandate.
GE14 in Sarawak is shaping up to be one themed on preserving the state’s hard-won strong representation in the incoming federal administration.
Sarawak’s representation in the federal cabinet had never been stronger than in the last parliamentary term. The state will be counting on not just preserving such strength but has every expectation of improving on it.
This has only resulted in the state opposition being somewhat wrongfooted, especially after it was announced by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng that Chong will be recommended for a ministerial portfolio should the opposition capture Putrajaya.
The state BN was quick to make hay out of this, pointing out that Chong may likely be Sarawak’s lone federal minister, given that the opposition will not have a deep Sarawak bench for more ministerial appointments even if all its six incumbent MPs — all Chinese — were to be re-elected.
Sarawak BN is represented by six MPs in the current federal cabinet.
The writer views developments in the nation, the region and the wider world from his vantage point in Kuching, Sarawak.