ELECTION TALK: In an effort to convince Chief Minister Adenan Satem of their strength in the eight disputed seats, the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) are trying to outdo each other by bringing bigger crowds to their functions.
To them, the large number of people present is a clear indication of their candidates’ winnability in the eight seats - Tasik Biru, Krian, Marudi, Pakan, Meluan, Bekenu, Batu Danau and Ba’Kelalan.
Of the eight, the focus is on three seats namely Pakan, Tasik Biru and Marudi.
This is because Pakan is represented by Social Development Minister and Teras president William Mawan Ikom, while Tasik Biru is by Teras deputy president and Assistant Minister Peter Nansian. Marudi’s incumbent is Sylvester Entri, who is Teras secretary general and also an assistant minister.
From all the functions that have so far been organised in the three constituencies by the two parties, it seems that SPDP was clearly out-maneuvered by Teras. It could bring more people to its functions than SPDP.
The following events are a case in point:
• On March 22, Teras and Entri gathered some 10,000 people including longhouse chiefs to welcome the chief minister at a “meet-the-people” session in Marudi.
• Two days later, Adenan met with 8,000 SPDP supporters in Marudi. Several SPDP leaders were present including its potential candidate Penguang Manggil.
• On March 25, Adenan went to Pakan to assess the support given to SPDP. Some 4,000 people were present. Two days later, he again went to Pakan to meet Teras leaders and supporters. Teras had arranged some 6,000 people to meet Adenan.
• On March 28, Teras leaders organised a function to enable Adenan to assess Teras’ strength and popularity in Tasik Biru. Teras claimed it brought more than 10,000 people to meet Adenan.
• SPDP and its potential candidate Harry Henry Jinep organised a similar function in Tasik Biru on March 30 to enable Adenan to find out its strength. According to reports, some 7,000 were present.
From the look of it, it is obvious that Teras could bring more people to meet with Adenan.
How did their leaders do it?
Firstly, Teras used the “authority” of its ministers to demand the presence of tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs). In Pakan, Mawan is the minister and the incumbent assemblyman, who is given full power over the appointment of community leaders and tuai rumah in the constituency.
These longhouse chiefs have to comply with the minister’s directive, failing which there would be consequences, including termination of their positions as community leaders.
Similarly in Marudi, it seems that Entri is a very powerful assistant minister, who is known to have replaced tuai rumah who go against him and their longhouses have suffered due to lack of development. For fear of being punished or marginalised, they are forced to attend.
The same thing is true in Tasik Biru, where Nansian reigns supreme.
In contrast, SPDP has no ministers and state assemblymen, meaning it lacks any “authority” over the people in Pakan, Marudi and Tasik Biru.
Secondly, Teras effectively used the authority of WAI FM RTM Iban service to send messages to the tuai rumah and their followers to be present at the “meet-the people” sessions.
Although SPDP is a BN component party, it is unable to utilise RTM to send messages to the longhouses. This is a big disadvantage to SPDP.
Meanwhile, Adenan has to go to the ground, particularly the three constituencies of Pakan, Tasik Biru and Marudi, in order to find out the real strength of the two parties before making his decision on the candidates.
The disputes over the eight seats arose when five of SPDP elected representatives namely Mawan, Nansian, Entri, Rosey Yunus, and Paulus Gumbang resigned from the party and joined Teras in 2014.
Being incumbents, they think that they have the right to re-contest the seats.
However, SPDP refuses to give away any of the eight seats including the three seats it lost to the Opposition, because these are its traditional seats.
For Teras, Pakan, Tasik Biru and Marudi seats are very important to its future survival.
What Teras fears is that if its president, deputy president and secretary- general are not given the right to use the BN ticket, it may also lead to its disintegration.
Even if they contest as BN direct candidates, they must also resign from their party, and will not be allowed to return to their party if they win. Nor can they join PBB as PBB has its quota full; they can only return to SPDP or PRS.
But SPDP has indicated that it will not accept them.
This is Teras’ biggest worry.
For Adenan, it is a big headache as SPDP has refused to compromise and Teras is determined to contest the eight seats.
To solve this impasse, Adenan proposed to meet SPDP and Teras separately in Bau, Pakan and Marudi.
But when Adenan saw the large crowds, especially the Teras-organised functions in Bau, Pakan and Marudi, he must have sensed something very unique.
But Adenan is smart. He asked the audience whether they were BN supporters and whether they would support him as chief minister. All raised their hands.
However, when he asked how many of them are voters in Tasik Biru, less than half of them raised their hands.
He told them that he would not announce the name of the candidate for Tasik Biru yet, adding confidently: “Now I know what to do”.-The Ant Daily
