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#SarawakElection: Latest Reports…

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8 May 2016

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7 May 2016

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COMMENT More than any other state in Malaysia, Sarawak’s elections have been seen to be determined by money. Vote buying and patronage are deeply intertwined in the state’s political fabric, as many voters look at the election period as one of festivity and entertainment.

Booze is purchased, and bounty is shared. Projects are announced, and even more ‘development’ promises are made in arguably one of Malaysia’s most neglected states.
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One important development in the 2016 Sarawak campaign is the dominance of money from the federal government. The retirement of former chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has reduced the amount of Sarawak-based political resources able to fund the election.

Current Chief Minister Adenan Satem is relying heavily on federal funds for assistance, and this accounts in part for why he has allowed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, under a scandal-clad cloud, to play such a prominent role in the campaign. Money talks, especially in the ‘cash is king’ Najib government.

Funding from the federal government takes multiple forms. Promised ‘development projects’ are the most common. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced this week that federal funds promised to Sarawak reached RM20 billion (US$5 billion) of which RM16 billion is part of a multi-year project to construct the Pan-Borneo highway.
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The use of development to sway Sarawak voters is not new, as it has been a long-standing practice. Voters regularly face the stark choice of losing road access, funds for housing, and a potential new hospital if they vote against the incumbent government. Unlike the peninsula, Sarawak continues to lack basic infrastructure and services, especially in rural areas.

Project announcements are explicitly tied to political support, almost always featuring local BN politicians and a federal minister as the announcer. Najib has been the most prominent ‘gift giver’. This campaign, the amount of money promised has reached new heights. Excluding the highway, voters in Sarawak are looking at an average per voter project allocation of nearly RM5,000 (US$1,250).

The politicisation of development projects takes two forms. They are strategically applied to areas where races are competitive. Consider for example the promised new bridge in Kampong Long Lama in Telang Usan (RM70 million) or the repairs to long houses in Limbang (RM50 million). The closer the contest, the more the promises and visits to hand out largesse.

These political allocations also target specific communities. Najib promised the 341,000 People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) members of Sarawak RM20 million for new uniforms. This is almost a third of the electorate, in a group that is seen to be closely aligned with the government.

Similarly, there are promises to military and government personnel, with announcements of a new headquarters (RM 20 million) in Lanang and RKAT homes in Miri (RM94 million). Security personnel in Sarawak make up 25,022 0f the electorate, as early voters in many competitive contests, such as Dudong in Sibu.

Another key element of the targeting of voters involves strategic allocations to schools, churches, mosques and longhouses. The state government has matched many of the religious donations that now reach over an estimated RM50 million, including promises to 110 churches in competitive Ba’kelalan. In return, posters and flags are often on display, with a striking number of churches in this election flying BN colours.
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A third area where money politics is prominent is in the alliance between the BN and business. In exchange for contracts, land and access, companies and individuals are given favour. It’s a traditional pattern, where the BN relies on the private sector for funding rather than using state resources directly.

The nexus between government and business cronies is well-honed in Malaysia. This practice is still present and common in Sarawak, although a declining share of the overall funds is used to sway the election. Without fail during elections, the BN calls in the cards from the past and future cronies for funds.
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What is also clearly affecting the campaign is where some of the candidates are using their own money. The number of millionaires running is much higher than in West Malaysia. In some cases, as appears in the seat of Repok, the candidate is splashing funds in an unprecedented manner. Some of the wealthy candidates appear to have links to the underworld and are seen as local ‘gangster’ figures. Voters are questioning ties to the underworld and sources of funding.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/340597?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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6 May 2016

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Sarawak Report ‏@sarawak_report 9h9 hours ago

Selangor Chief Minister @AzminAli sent back to West Malaysia #Sarawakelection

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Yin Shao Loong ‏@yinshaoloong 11h11 hours ago

CM Adenan continues to abuse immigration powers. Blocks @AzminAli from entering Sarawak. Escorted back into plane.

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3 May 2016

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Roketkini ‏@roketkini

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mediarakyat ‏@mediarakyatnet 18h18 hours ago

@n_izzah barred fm Sarawak at Miri airport this morning & just arrived KLIA2 just now #SarawakElection @tianchua

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Sarawak Report ‏@sarawak_report Apr 30

When you control media in Malaysia, you can print 56-page supplement to promote your party! #Sarawakelection

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2 May 2016

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Huang Tiong Sii

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Sarawak Report

BN’s Timber Tycoon Candidate For Repok Illegally Plundered Baram – EXPOSE

2 May 2016

Radio Free Sarawak has revealed that Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s direct candidate for the Repok constituency, SUPP business tycoon Huang Tiong Sii, is the man behind MM Golden (M) Sdn Bhd, a company that clashed with the community fighting against the controversial Baram Dam for intimidating locals, blocking them from entering their native lands and illegally plundering timber from the area.

Our revelation comes just days after a press conference, where Chief Minister Adenan Satem, lashed out at critics for not giving him credit for cancelling the Baram Dam circulated on social media.

Anti-dam blockaders remain unsure if the mega-project has been officially cancelled and are waiting for a “black and white confirmation”, so continue to man their blockade. 

In 2014, land owners from Long Keseh and Long Na’ah became aware of logging activities on their native lands by MM Golden and submitted an official complaint to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and lodged a police report against the company, the Forestry Department, Sarawak’s Ministry of Resource, Planning and Environment and the Ministry of Natural Resources on the grounds that their native lands were being illegally logged.

Later that year, the company set up a logging camp near to the proposed Baram dam site, which was often manned by police and forestry officials. It was an issue that was raised by local communities and human rights groups at the time, who expressed concern over an “intimidating presence” in the area. The company also set up a road block to prevent the community from entering their land.

“The role of the police is to stop crime. The extraction of logs in the area of the proposed Baram Dam is a crime because the lands belong to the people of Long Kesseh and Na’ah.” said SAVE Rivers Chairman Peter Kallang

In an interview with Radio Free Sarawak today, Peter Kallang advised listeners:

Don’t vote for this kind of person, don’t give power to the robbers! We don’t want a warlord to govern us.

Up until now, locals have been in the dark about who Mr Huang Tiong Sii was. In fact, his candidacy was a surprise to his own party SUPP, who expressed alarm that Adenan had overridden their own choice for the Repok seat.

Adenan’s dirty candidates

According to reports, Huang Tiong Sii also has timber concessions in Papua New Guinea. A country which has been aggressively destroyed by some of Sarawak’s biggest logging conglomerates, also known as the “big 6″.

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1 May 2016

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THIS IS WORTH WATCHING. WILL IT HAPPEN?

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Chinese politics in the state has never been this complex. The outcome of the election will determine the future landscape of Chinese politics in Sarawak.

Adenan fever: Barisan is asking Sarawakians to give Team Adenan a chance. With the man of the moment (seated) are (from left) Datuk Abang Johari Tun Openg, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
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The Chinese seats are the happening seats in the Sarawak election.

Three rival parties are fighting for Chinese dominance in the Kuching and Sibu regions.

They are SUPP (Barisan Nasional component), BN-direct candidates (as the Barisan-friendly UPP are known) and DAP.

UPP is a splinter of SUPP and they are out to quash each other in the election.

SUPP is upset that UPP has been allowed to contest as BN-direct candidates and to use the powerful dacing symbol.

Janet, together with Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan) and Datuk Tiong Thai King (Dudong), are from UPP but are contesting as BN-direct candidates.

In Bukit Assek, SUPP’s sole candidate Chiang Buong Toon is facing another famous widow, DAP’s Irene Chang, who is hoping to take over from her late husband Wong Ho Leng who died of brain tumour.

The death of the DAP strongman has left a lacuna in the party’s Sibu area. His wife has a good chance of winning but few see her as a worthy successor.

These four high-stakes seats have made the Chinese fight in the Sibu region far more intense than those in the Kuching area.

“Politics and business are intertwined. The Foochows control the state’s economy and Sibu is their nerve centre,” said Calvin Yeo, an executive in a public-listed company in Kuching.

The contests in Sibu seems to have all the ingredients of a successful soap opera – power, money, dynastic politics, ambitious widows, family rivalry and, according to local gossip, a sprinkling of love affairs.
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The lobby for seats in the Sibu area gave Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem a giant headache. It is understood that the top Barisan leadership had tried to get the two factions to compromise but the marriage is irrevocably broken.

“It’s like this – the CM is the husband, SUPP is the first wife and UPP the second wife. No way the first wife will accept the second wife in the same house, all hell will break loose,” said Robert Lau Jr, the SUPP Bawang Assan branch chief.

http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/analysis/2016/05/01/tycoon-politics-in-sarawak/

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30 April 2016

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Scare-mongering

Zikri Kamarulzaman ‏@zikri 10h10 hours ago

@Zahid_Hamidi fears there won’t be Chinese ministers in Srwk gov’t if Chinese don’t vote for Chinese BN candidates

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Khairy Jamaluddin Verified account ‏@Khairykj Apr 24

CM is very popular. Our machinery is well organised. Opposition is fractured. Must guard against complacency. #SarawakElection

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29 January 2016

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#BREAKING Sarawak State Election April 19th, 2016 Polling date April 8th – Nomination of candidates.

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#FLASH Sarawak CM Adenan Satem announced election day on April 30th & nomination day on April 18th.

Adenan proposes Apr 30 for S’wak polls to EC

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11th Sarawak election on Apr 30? Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/01/124781/11th-sarawak-election-apr-30 …

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