As expected, the Sarawakians have shown Pakatan Harapan (Coalition of Hope) what they will get for being arrogant and disunited. It is a punishment well deserved for not only DAP and PKR, but also to other political parties from Peninsula Malaysia trying their luck on the perceived “ignorant and gullible” 1,109,795 eligible Sarawakian voters.

Five years ago, Barisan Nasional won 55 seats out of 71 seats contested – a 78% success rate. Yesterday, it won a whopping 72 seats from 82 seats available – an 88% success rate. That’s an awesome result. In comparison, the then opposition Pakatan Rakyat (now defunct People’s Alliance) won 15 seats back in 2011 but only managed 10 seats now.

 

DAP suffers the worst defeat this round, losing 5 seats from 12 seats it won 5 years ago. From a success rate of 80% in 2011, the party is now staring at a success rate of merely 23%. Its supposedly ally – PKR – retains 3 seats it won in 2011. Because PKR only contested 40 seats this round as compared to 49 seats in 2011, its success rate improves slightly from 6% to 8%.

Really, what are the messages can we derived from the 2016 Sarawak state election?

 

{ 1 } Barisan Nasional (BN) & Election Commission (EC) Will Continue Cheating

How could Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem predict the results so accurately as if he’s a time traveller? It’s called “gerrymandering” and one of the reasons opposition loses so badly was due to the Election Commission’s redelineation last year, deliberately drawn and adjusted in such way that even if DAP could double its 12 seats to 24, BN will still win with two-thirds majority hands down.

The funniest part of this year’s Sarawak state election is this. The voter turnout was pathetically low at 52% around 4pm, an hour before closing at 5pm, but suddenly jumped to 70% at midnight. Election Commission Chief Mohd Hashim Abdullah reportedly refused to reveal the exact turnout at the time when he’s supposed to do so. What was there to hide if not cheating?

 

 

{ 2 } Voters Swing To Give Adenan Satem A Chance

Yes, the Chinese Sarawakians have indeed swung back to BN but the percentage isn’t serious enough to wipe off opposition DAP. Being the most informed and richest voters, they have decided to give a 5-year chance to the Mr Adenan. Because this is a state and not a federal election they also figured it won’t do any harm to punish the opposition to get their house in order.

And since Mr Popular Adenan has promised the moon and sky to the Sarawakians, it’s only fair for not only Chinese but other races – Iban, Bidayuh, Dayak, Orang Ulu, Melanau and others – to give the Chief Minister a final chance. Again, the chief minister will be measured on the deliverables, not empty rhetoric, on the “state autonomy” between Putrajaya and Sarawak.

 

 

{ 3 } Sarawakian-Chinese Wanted The Deputy Chief Minister Back

Traditionally reserved for the leader of SUPP party, ex-SUPP president George Chan was Deputy Chief Minister until he lost in the 2011 Sarawak election. And since Deputy PM Zahid Hamidi promised, out of desperation, to return the post to the Sarawakian-Chinese during his campaign, the voters have reversed their votes in favour of SUPP President Sim Kui Hian.

The ball is now in Adenan’s court. Although the Chief Minister had played dumb and didn’t promise a Chinese Deputy Chief Minister, he’s under pressure to deliver unless he wanted the opposition to twist and play this card in the next state or federal election. Even if PM Najib Razak doesn’t call a snap election this year, the next federal election is a short 2-year away.

 

 

{ 4 } Vote BN For State, Vote Opposition For Federal

The Sarawakian-Chinese are unpredictable but practical and always favour check and balance. Just because they had swung to BN in the state election doesn’t mean they would do the same for the federal election. Unlike other races, they wanted to enjoy the fruits of the state government but will always send opposition to the Parliament as guard dogs.

Therefore, Najib administration is digging its own grave if they think 1MDB and GST aren’t factors influencing Sarawakians, especially the Chinese. The urban votes lost by DAP and PKR yesterday could easily swing back to the opposition in the next federal election. Najib can always raise the GST now before the next federal election and see the results (*grin*).

 

 

{ 5 } Urbanites Can Never Defeat Sarawak BN

Actually, even if 100% Chinese votes go to the opposition, Barisan Nasional will still win, with two-thirds majority. That’s because there’re only 15 seats with Chinese-ethic majority and 5 seats with mixed-ethnic in the Sarawak’s latest seat allocation. Malay-Melanau seats alone, numbering to 28, is sufficient to crush Chinese and mixed majority seats combined.

The strategy of keeping Iban (22 majority-seats), Bidayuh (7 majority-seats), and Orang Ulu (5 majority-seats) dirt poor and extraordinary stupid works in favour of Barisan Nasional. Together with Malay-Melanau, they command 62 seats, more than 7 seats required to form a two-thirds majority government. So, there’s really no chance of overthrowing Sarawak BN.

 

 

{ 6 } Sarawakian-Chinese Are The Kingmakers

Adenan Satem has been working tirelessly to win over the Sarawakian-Chinese since he took over the Chief Ministership in 2014. From recognition of UEC (Unified Examination Certificate), autonomy negotiation, hudud criticism, tolls abolition, English language promotion, he did everything in his power to satisfy and please the Chinese, not other indigenous people.

Heck, Mr Adenan had even called federal government led by Prime Minister Najib Razak “stupid” for not recognizing UEC, never mind he hadn’t championed the Chinese education before becoming Chief Minister despite his decades-old political career since 1976. Obviously, he’s trying to be more Chinese than the Chinese despite the race constituting only 24% of the populations.

 

 

{ 7 } Adenan Is Popular But Fragile

True, Mr Adenan is popular by virtue of being a successor to the highly corrupted Taib Mahmud. Because former Chief Minister Taib Mahmud was so unpopular, Adenan is seen like a knight in shining armour. But at the same time, Adenan is also fragile and vulnerable to real “politics of hatred”, a normal practice by both federal government and opposition, in Peninsula Malaysia.

Adenan knew the consequences of letting DAP and PKR specialists into the state and start blowing trumpet linking him to PM Najib Razak. That’s why the new Chief Minister had barred record numbers of DAP and PKR politicians from entering Sarawak. If sufficient opposition resources are allowed entry to campaign, Sarawakians could be “entertained” to swing their votes.

 

 

{ 8 } Religious Extremists Are Doomed

Playing race and religious cards are suicidal in Sarawak. All the opposition parties dared not being extremists during the election campaign, except PAS. Its president – Hadi Awang – told the Sarawakians that the state must be governed by the Muslim bumiputra during his campaign. His party PAS, however, lost all the 11 seats it contested.

 

 

{ 9 } Money Talks Bullshit Walks

Opposition can bring truckloads of posters and flyers to the rural Sarawakians. But those papers would not translate into any significant votes. What the dirt poor rural people want is a different type of paper – money. And the federal government Barisan Nasional, who controls the national treasure, can easily bring helicopter loads of cash, to buy votes.

 

 

{ 10 } Honest Sarawakians Will Not Take Money And Vote For Others

Just like rhinoceros hornbill, Sarawak indigenous people belong to the endangered species too – they’re super honest with great integrity. Their culture taught them to be grateful and appreciate the hand that feed (or rather bribe) them. Therefore, opposition’s call on the rural voters to “take BN’s money but vote for opposition” doesn’t and will not work.

 

Other Articles That May Interest You …

• Why Terengganu Palace Strips But Keeps Ahmad? It’s Snap Election, Stupid
• Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You – Get Ready For 8% GST Next Year (2017)
• Sarawak Election – Why DAP & PKR Should Be Punished Before 2018
• Snake Oil Salesman Zakir Naik – Preaching Muslims vs Non-Muslims
• Here’re 2 Methods To Skin Najib, But Election Is Not One Of Them
• Dear Hadi: Where’s The Hudud You’ve Been Screaming?
• The Malaysian Dilemma – Choosing Heroes From A Bunch Of Thieves
• Forget About PAS, Here’s How UMNO Could Lose Johor State
• Between Devil & Democracy, The Devil Got Chosen – So Help Us God
• Sarawak Election 2011 – 10 Reasons BN Will Still Win

Tweet

May 9th, 2016 by financetwitter

If you enjoyed this post, what shall you do next? Consider: