Pakatan faces acid test in Batang Ai By Tony Thien, Malaysiakini
Unting, a Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president, did not recover from a coma after collapsing from a stroke last May. He died at 1.26am today at a private medical centre in Kuching.
A by-election must be held for a seat if the vacancy - either through death or resignation - occurs more than 24 months to the date of the next state election.
Sarawak last held its state election in 2006, and the next one is only due in May 2011. Unlike other states, Sarawak does not hold its election in tandem with the general election.
In the last state election, Unting was re-elected to Batang Ai after a stiff challenge from Nicholas Bawin Anggat, who contested the state constituency on behalf of opposition Sarawak National Party (Snap).
Unting, who polled 3,295 votes, defeated Bawin (2,489 votes) by 806 votes. The voter turnout was 73.2 percent. Ibans make up 95 percent of the electorate.
Batang Ai is one of the two state seats within the Lubok Antu parliamentary constituency - the other is Engkilili, which was won by Johnicol Rayong, who stood on a Snap ticket.
Rayong has since become an Independent and pledged his support for the ruling BN.
The likely candidates
Batang Ai will be an acid test for both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat in the wake of March 2008 general election. It has been reported that the opposition is getting a groundswell of support from the majority Ibans in recent months.
Bawin, who has recently joined PKR, has been tapped as deputy chief to assist Anwar Ibrahim, the party boss who is Sarawak state chief.
PKR state assemblyperson Gabriel Adit, who won the Ngemah state seat in 2006 as an Independent, told Malaysiakini: “PKR is strong and there is growing grassroots support for the party.”
“We are looking for a winnable candidate,” he said, adding that Bawin is among the frontrunners.
Bawin is former president of the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) as well as former vice-chairperson of the Majlis Adat Istiadat, a state government agency.
Another name mentioned as a likely candidate is popular local Iban politician Jawah Gerang, the former Lubok Antu MP who first won the parliamentary seat on a PBDS ticket.
He later became partyless after PBDS was de-registered and subsequently switched to a rebel PRS faction led by state assistant minister Larry Sng, who is also the state assemblyperson for Pelagus.
Key issues in the by-election
Sources said the BN is likely to pick either former immigration officer Naga Alam or senior civil servant Nelson Mujah Giri, currently the district officer of Lubok Antu.
Mujah is a brother of senior federal minister Douglas Uggah, who is also PBB senior vice-president, and has close ties to the ruling party.
He may be asked to join PRS, which is a member of the BN coalition and the party with the rightful claim to the seat.
Political observers say the opposition has been active on the ground since the last state elections, and particularly after Unting fell into a coma nine months ago.
Among the key issues in Batang Ai is the increasing unhappiness among the Ibans over the lack of recognition of their native customary rights (NCR) to land.
Another is the Batang Ai Dam, which is located in the state constituency. Many of the relocated Ibans have claimed they were given a raw deal when their land was earmarked for the project.
Sarawak assembly speaker Mohd Asfia Awang Nasar is expected to notify the Election Commission of the vacancy in the Batang Ai seat soon.
According to Bernama, EC chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said today that a by-election in Batang Ai is “compulsory” because the term of the present assembly has not completed even three years.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/98956
Prediction by Sarawak Headhunter: If Nicholas Bawin is the PKR candidate, he will win by a 1,200 vote majority with between 75-80% voter turnout. PKR must ensure that they control logistics on the ground and on the rivers. Make sure that they have enough transport both by land and river to campaign and ferry voters - if possible deny the BN the use of all local transport, book them all NOW and ensure enough local stocks of fuel at strategic locations. Book all fuel pumping stations if necessary. If PKR has 1 or 2 helicopters it will help greatly to ensure a bigger win.
PKR please take note, the people of Sarawak (and that includes the rakyat of the Batang Ai constituency) DO NOT want to hear what Taib has done to them, they already know this. What they want to hear is what PKR can do for them.
So, get your act together guys and show the people what PKR can do for them. Sarawak Headhunter would also be very interested to know. DO IT (not duit) for the people and the nightmare of Taib's 28 year rampage will soon be a distant memory.
Following is a comment on Dayakbaru Weblog for all to ponder:
I have few advices for you. I’m a PKR member from the peninsular who knows nothing from Sarawak. But at least we can share some important issues concerning the by-election.
1. Set up a blogging group that will cover the by-election just like we did for Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu. This will make the rest of the nation follow your blogs and will also deny the enemy to manipulate the situation. Furthermore, by having an effective blogging team solely for the by-election, you will influence many people who in turn will influence others. It is called opinion shaping.
2. The team must have cameras to take photos and must upload them daily. Concentrate on the following:
a) Poverty in Sarawak and in Lubok and Batang Ai.
b) Poor housing
c) Poor roads
d) Poor drainage
e) Poor development
f) Unemployment
g) Insecurity
h) Inequality
j) Wealth difference between the poor and the rich. Use photos to explain this like PR bloggers did for KT.
k) Transportation. Take lively photos of BN leaders’s cars, helicopters and etc and juxtapose the poor transportation system of Batang Ai and the bicycles of the poor voters.
l) Have a data on all the above issues so that when BN leaders tell the voters of this and that, you repudiate it immediately and also share with peninsular Malaysians who are following the by-election just like in P.Pauh and KT.
m) Broken promises
n) Subjugation, divide and rule and disunity
o) Land grabbing and cronyism
p) Dams and displacement
q) Failed agriculture
r) Failed leadership
s) Sarawak’s backwardness and selective development
t) Failure of the health system and the un-affordability of treatment by the poor in Sarawak
Important Note:
All the above issues must be covered and carried out daily with photos and relevant pics for wider viewings and also awakening. Then distribute them to the uneducated voters and upload them in your blogs on daily basis for others to read, comment and know as well.
If you aren’t ready to fight like we did in P.Pauh and KT, then you will lose. Spend sleepless nights to deliver and save your Sarawak and move on to a new era where you decide your destiny. Don’t wait for outside help but act NOW and do something drastic. Peninsular bloggers can’t come to Batang Ai due to distance and the need for the two Bukits in Perak and Kedah, plus we are preparing for a showdown in Perak where we want to oust the illegal Umno MB and bring back our legitimate MB Mohd Nizar, though hopefully he will come to campaign in Batang Ai. By April, Pakatan will rule Perak again. Make no mistake about it.
The following bloggers can make a good team, plus the people/bloggers you may choose to work with for collecting information, editing it and taking photos.
1. Dayakbaru.com
2. Dayaknation.com
3. Sarawakheadhunter.blogspot.com
4. Borneo-warrior.blogspot.com
5. Selangaump2008.blogspot.com
6. Tbsbidayuh.blogspot.com
7. Thebrokenshield.blogspot.com
I hope you do something about this. Thanks. We were mistreated and manipulated like you Sarawakians but we woke up and that’s why we are doing our best to liberate ourselves from Umno and its evil institutions. It didn’t come easily. So, pliz work hard like us and you will relish the victory. We have terrified the enemy so much so that Umno can’t face PKR and PAS for Malay vote yet yesterday they were bragging that they are the sole representatives of the Malay people. We rejected Umno and its cronies, it is your time Sarawakians and deliver. Nothing comes easy and dignity has its price. Thanks and may God bless you all.
15 comments:
Some advice for Sarawak bloggers from a peninsular man can be found in dayakbaru.com. Pliz have a look at it. I feel we need to pun into place what he has suggested. (In the commentary section)
Thank you for your suggestion. His comments have been incorporated into the post above.
Al Tugauw,
Pliz remove the "advice" part by editing your post. Thanks. Noted but too sensitive to be read and jot down by the enemy. Thanks again.
A formidable strategy. All that's left to do is the execution. I guess it falls on your shoulders (Al Tugauw) to see this project through.
Sarawak is a pivotal state, is it not?
Ibans and natives and Christians who are mainly found in Sabah and Sarawak can't be allowed to use the word "Allah". This should be our main focus as well apart from many other issues. Our rights are violated and we want to stand by BN, the one that violates and takes our rights in the name of "development." Development is our constitutional right and we owe it to no one and we will thank no one for bringing it bcoz neither Taib Mahmud nor Jabu uses his personal wealth to bring development. It is our money. This is how Peninsular voters think. For us, we think like Stone Age people. Let's wake up before it is too late.
OPEN LETTER TO DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM
Sir,
First of all I would like to congratulate you forleading the Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor,Kedah,Kelantan,Pulau Pinang and previously Perak.Under your leadership,we have seen a dramatic Unity within the Opposition Parties namely PAS,PKR and DAP after the March 8 Political Tsunami.
For me this is your 2nd biggest achievement after the Tsunami.YES,we the Rakyat know that PAS,PKR and DAP has different Political Ideology but I believe that they have a common goal which is “To Sunk the BN Titanic Ship”.For me there is nothing wrong with that as we in Malaysia has different races and religion.
We had also heard of the so called Merakyatkan Ekonomi in the state of Selangor and Kerajaan Kebajikan in Kelantan.Yes,we were very jeolous with the reforms in those state and we have been longing for it for such a long time as you know that we have been in Malaysia for 46 years but not much difference we can see,have or feel in Sarawak.
Yes,there is development in Sarawak but we don’t think it is worth it for us taking into consideration of the 46 years.We should see,have and feel far much more better than now.The reason is very simple,a bad Governance.We the Dayaks has been long neglected,oppressed and marginalized compare to the other races.This all has been done systematically under the so called Politics of Development.All this issue has been lasted and affected us for so long and we believe now is the best time for us to hope or even have a CHANGED,or else we will remain in this situation forever.
Wawasan 2020?its only 11 years to go Sir but what do we have now?where are we now?Its very sad and pathetics to see what has happens to us.What about our future?What about our next generation?our children?our grandchildren?are they going to be “Pengemis di negeri sendiri?”You must think about it Sir if you really sincere to bring a CHANGED or HARAPAN BARU UNTUK DAYAK for we has been promised promises by promises but take a look at us now?
We the Dayaks especially in the rural areas were very scared of the Government.We has
been intimidated and threaten if we dare to speak against the Government.All we want to do is just to voiced out our dissatisfaction and hope that the Government will take some necessary action to solve our problems for the betterment of the Rakyat and not all out going against the Government.
If we vote against the Government,we will punished by all those projects which were supposed to be given to us will be cancelled and certain areas that known as an opposition supporters will be blacklisted and don’t even dream to has any projects being given.Undi Adalah Rahsia?we don’t think so.the ballot were known to which particular polling station and by that way they know who votes against them and they will be punished.As we know Sir,basic amenities like Roads,Electricity and Water Supply is the very basic fundamental needs that any Government has to give to the Rakyat.We were even denied of it and what else can we ask for?
We are not stupid and so the Government.We vote them because we ant them to work for us and we believe they will.But if they don’t,we will voted them out for which we are the one who vote them in and we can vote them out.We has been punished for this.We being punished for wanted to have a CHANGED.as if they are the Government For Ever And Ever.
To most of our Dayaks,Government mean BN.Opposotion mean PAS,PKR,DAP,SNAP and STAR.Yes,we have our YBs to voice out our dissatisfaction or problems but it seems like most of them were to busy to entertain us and this has made us think that the YBs were elected by us to serve us,and the Government were elected by us to take care of us and the they are the servant of the Rakyat and of course the Rakyat is the Master but it is ironically now.
We are slaves to the Government,we has to obey them eventhough our Land is being robbed from us and given to the Towkeys and Tycoon which were their Cronies.There is a lots of outstanding or pending case in the Court which until now seems to be like no ending and the same thing still happens to us.
Some of our longhouse has been demolished by the government by giving an excuses that we has occupy the State Land and our longhouse is built on State Land.For your information Sir,we have been lived there for ages,from generation to generation,from our forefathers and ancestors.Land is our Heart and Soul Sir.This is the only properties that we have and have been descended from our ancestors.
If it were being taken from us,than we no longer can be called Bumiputra or even worse,we going to be just like the Red Indians in America,Maori in New Zealand and the Aborigines in Australia.We the Dayaks has a “Wish List” dedicated to the Pakatan Rakyat under your stewardship.
To have a good government which is
1.free of corruption
2.free of cronyism
3.free of abused of power
4.to recognized our NCR land and not robbed it from us
5.to give the basic needs such as electricity,roads and water supply to all rural areas
6.to upgrade the basic infrastructure and utilities in the rural areas school
7.to upgrade our living standard
8.to served the rakyat well and not being too busy to enriched themselves and their cronies by oppressing the Rakyat
9.to make us on par with other states or even better in living standards and economically(please bear in mind that Sarawak and Sabah is not one of the states in Malaysia.we are an equal partner with the Federation of Malaya.we had join Federation of Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963)
10.to recognized the Dayaks equal participation in the government sectors and also business(we,the Dayaks are equal with the Malays in status as stated in the 20 Point Agreement prior to formation of Malaysia in 1963.but virtually now,no.mybe we can called ourself the 2nd class of bumiputra)
I would like to ask you to explain more about the People Power,NCR Land by Sarawak Land Code Perspectives(Its loopholes),and basic Human Right in your upcoming speech because I believe we,the Dayaks listen to you and believe in you for we also believe that you listen to us.For your information Sir,our Present Leaders were neither Listen or Care about us.
From the Dayaks Hopes and Dreams,
(Pengayau2009) 27 February 2009
AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN!!!!!
operation sarawak I > eliminate BN in Batang Ai and then operation sarawak II > eliminate TAIB
ANANG NYADI URANG IBAN JAKO AJA BESAI LABAN ENTI AMAI KITAK PETURUN BUJANG BERANI ARAM KITAI SAMA SAMA DAYAK ENGGAU LAUT NGELABOH KA TAIB !!!! JAKO MAYOH NADAI GUNA
Sarawak belongs to the people of Sarawak and not Taik Mamud dan kuncu kuncu taik nya
If all the Dayak bloggers united, I think they also can't make any changes especially that involved the Dayak mentality. Dayak are very hard to make any changes and they are also very hard to accept any changes. I'm not deny the roles that played by the Dayak bloggers, they are very concern about the problems and issues that face by the Dayak community. I respect the Dayak bloggers, one thing here is we should know that Dayak community are "blind" in ICT, so, how they can read the blog?
I'm a Kelana Jaya (Selangor) voter. This is my advice to all of you Dayaks and Batang Ai voters or those who will go there to campaign, when PKR picked Loh Gwo Burne as the candidate, there was uproar. People protested and asked many questions. He was not known apart from being the man who recorded the Lingam tapes and worse, he was facing a popular candidate who was 3 term assemblyman but was promoted to the Federal Parliament. Fearing that he may lose, PKR and PR supporters asked many questions and I must admit he was not the best candidate. Furthermore, he couldn't speak in Bahasa Malaysia, a most for a Parliamentarian. The people asked how could we elect someone who even couldn't express himself in the language of the nation and parliament. Later, many people including Haris Ibrahim, Zorro and others tried to argue that we needed a new candidate. Many other voters and bloggers argued of the same. After this, some of us started lashing out the critics and we said: "Our main goal is to defeat BN. Even if PKR has put in there a dog, we prefer a dog to BN." Then we rallied to him and also helped him win convincingly despite being a non-voter. Can you imagine? He himself was not a resgistered voter yet due to our hatred for BN, we simply voted in any man/woman who stood against BN. Are we regretting today? Absolutely not. He is doing a good job an Selangor is making records, all for good reasons. If Batang Ai voters, different PKR factions and interested candidates don't reason like Peninsular voters, if the Dayaks don't stop this cancerous divide tactics where they divide themselves, if the Dayaks don't stop betraying one another whenever they don't agree on candidates, if the Dayaks continue arguing about this and that when the whistle has been blown, if the Dayaks don't stop this stupid mentality of talking too much about candidate and tribal affiliations, then you will be selling your future to Taib Mahmud. Soon he will die and his son will rule you for 40 years to come and by then you would have lost any hope for survival. You will be enslaved for good. And you will blame no one bcoz you want it.
This is my advice, when the candidate is picked, however unpopular he/she is, rally behind him. Your enemy no.1 should be BN and Taib. Forget the candidate, it should be about BN. The candidate can corrected and once he wins, he will know the importance of goodwill, unity and will appreciate those who supported him despite their differences, but BN can't be corrected and nothing can be done to stop their corruption and subjugation. The choice is yours and you better do something drastic about this. Batang Ai should unite all of you. If Bawin or any other is picked, everyone should support him and do his utmost to help him win. But if you start arguing, asking and making noise, then you are telling Taib and Jabu: "We are stupid people who cherish to be enslaved by you and your future children for eternity."
Personal Note to Nicholas Bawin (If you are reading this), our brothers in Florida called and send their regards to you and this what they say " Batang Ai is for you to grab my man! Go for it & ride on bro....."
Well, now is the time for the dawn of a new era
Today i spent 3 hrs conducting an unofficial personal survey/interview at my office and to my astonishment, 22 out of 22 respondents (colleagues) voiced their support for any candidate that is to stand against BN candidate in Batang Ai. And the most popular remark is taib and all his cronies must be toppled at all cost, dictatorship in Sarawak must end.....
wow, intersting finding
To undertaker . Good indications. But if your survey are non voters then the results is no maning as it cant be translated into votes. Dont give false hopes that can cause overconfdence.
5 March, 2009
Isu pembayaran pampasan di Batang Ai itu isu lapuk kata Edwin
Mugshot: EDWIN RAOH
SRI AMAN, Khamis (5 Mac) - Timbalan Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Batang Ai, Edwin Raoh berkata isu pembayaran pampasan tanah kepada penduduk yang terbabit dalam pembinaan projek Empangan Hidroelektrik Batang Ai yang pernah dipersoalkan pembangkang kini tidak lagi wujud.
Beliau berkata, pampasan tersebut telah dibayar kepada penduduk-penduduk Skim Penempatan Semula untuk Fasa I serta II pada tahun 2006 dan kerajaan negeri telah pun menunaikan janji dengan membayar pampasan sebanyak RM4,000 bagi setiap dua ekar tanah milik penduduk itu.
Bayaran terbabit adalah merupakan usaha mendiang Datuk Dublin Unting Ingkot yang telah mengotakan janji kerajaan kepada penduduk dan bukan sesekali disebabkan oleh desakan pihak pembangkang yang gemar membangkitkan isu seperti ini acapkali berlangsungnya pilihan raya.
“Persoalan di sini kenapa Ketua Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Batang Ai Nicholas Bawin Anggat gagal berusaha menunaikan permintaan itu ketika dia menjadi Ahli Lembaga Pembekalan Elektrik Sarawak (SESCo) Batang Ai sebelum ini?” soal beliau.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai laporan-laporan akhbar dan analisis yang mengatakan isu tanah Hak Adat Bumiputera (NCR) bakal menjadi agenda utama pembangkang ketika pilihan raya kecil kelak.
Can we Trust the statement by this bloody guy?
Edwin berkata, pampasan yang diberikan selepas pilihan raya negeri 2006 membabitkan sebanyak 23 rumah panjang dalam skim Penempatan Semula Batang Ai merangkumi fasa I dan II.
Beliau juga memberitahu tanah NCR bukan satu lagi isu yang boleh didagang oleh pembangkang di kawasan berkenaan ketika pilihan raya kecil Batang Ai.
“Sambutan terhadap PKR di Batang Ai sekarang amat dingin tidak seperti mana yang digembar-gembur mereka sendiri,” kata beliau sambil menambah bahawa Batang Ai merupakan antara kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) yang terletak dalam kawasan Parlimen Lubok Antu selain Engkilili.
Menurut beliau, Ahli Parlimen Lubok Antu iaitu William Nyalau anak Badak yang memenangi pilihan raya umum pada Mac 2008 telah menunjukan prestasi kerja yang membanggakan dan disenangi oleh penduduk tempatan.
Edwin juga turut mendakwa bahawa mendiang Dublin cuma menang dengan majoriti 806 undi pada pilihan raya negeri 2006 adalah disebabkan oleh mantan Ahli Parlimen Lubok Antu, Jawah Gerang yang tidak sependapat dengan mendiang ketika hayatnya.
Malah Jawah yang masih bersama BN ketika itu dikatakan mempunyai penyokong di kawasan Batang Ai dan kumpulannya itu tidak memihak kepada mendiang Datuk Dublin.
“Tetapi apabila Nyalau menjadi Ahli Parlimen Lubok Antu dia telah bekerjasama rapat dengan mendiang Dublin. Para penyokong Jawah kini pun senang dengan Nyalau,” tambah beliau.
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