KUCHING: “I believe a real multiracial party can represent the people of Sarawak – just that it will not happen in my time. I think youngsters today would see it become a reality during their time in the future.” – Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem
That future will be a long, long time away – until there is genuine trust among Sarawakians of different races and religions, until inequalities in the socio-economic and political life of the people are fairly addressed, until there is little grounds for suspicions, and until everyone sees himself as an active player and partner equal in the prosperity game.
That’s going to take a lot of effort, and seeing how the big boys of Malaysian politics – Umno drawing its strength from the Malays, MIC Indians, MCA Chinese – the little boys, meaning the rest, including members of the ruling coalition in Sarawak, can only hope to get a slice of the cake if they play the game the masters play.
But looking at how the power-sharing concept has worked pretty well for Sarawak, the days of race-based political parties may come sooner in the Land of the Hornbills than it can happen in Malaya.
In Malaya, race-based politics is too well-entrenched in Umno, MIC and MCA, there is no way that these big three would want to play a game completely opposed to the one they are playing now.
The Sarawak case is different in that the four parties making up the state BN, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United people’s Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are not single race-based parties as is the case with Umno, MIC and MCA.
From the beginning, starting with Sarawak’s first ruling party, Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Sarawakians have the tendency to favour multiracial politics.
It is no wonder, therefore, that the creators of PBB did not think of setting up a party only for the Malays or the Dayaks, but chose instead to bring the two major racial groups together under the Bumiputra category; while SUPP, though Chinese-based but with a substantial Dayak backing, had even tried to woo the Malays into its fold.
Sarawak is no fertile ground for single race-based parties, the demise of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) after a near 20-year hiatus is ample proof of this.
Clearly, Sarawakians are more comfortable with the multiracial approach, and for a truly multiracial party to come to power, is not impossible.
Like Adenan said, “…not in my time” but “in the future”.-The Ant Daily
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