Change - it's now or never, Anwar tells S'wakians

FREE DAY 9 What's happening in the state election campaigns around Sarawak today? Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place.

Photo Gallery (courtesy of Malaysiakini)

9am: Kuching Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has morning tea with about 250 people from local Chinese associations.

He urges them to vote wisely to ensure Chinese representation in the state government, and to bring Sarawak into the mainstream of development.

It will be a hectic day for Muhyiddin today as he criss-crosses the capital city in the last round of campaigning.

9.20am: In Sibu, Bukit Assek Independent candidate Hii Tiong Huat says he will ask the Sarawak state assembly to arrange an interpreter for him if he were elected as assemblyperson.

“The first thing I do, I will carry this poster (demanding for an interpreter) ,” he says during a press conference at his house at Jalan Hua Kiew.

Hii even shows the poster with the words,”Sila meletakkan seorang penterjemah untuk saya” (Please provide an interpreter for me”).

Hii also challenges his rival BN-SUPP's Chieng Buong Toon and DAP's Wong Ho Leng to debate with him.

“I have arranged a room for both of them at my house to have them experience the real life in Bukit Assek,” he says.

Hii is going to burn DAP publication The Rocket later.

9.45am: Still in Sibu, Bukit Assek independent candidate Hii Tiong Huat burns 19 copies of The Rocket newspaper with a lighter.

However, he later bursts into tears and cries,”Oh, I can't do this, this (The Rocket) is the voice of the people.”

The episode is watched in disbelief by a group of media personnel.

Hii then splashes water on the burning papers and successfully douses the fire.

He says to the media he is sorry to burn “the voice of the people”.

“God, please pardon me... for doing this,” he cries.

This is the second incident where a Bukit Assek candidate has openly cried within 24 hours.

The first incident happened yesterday morning when BN-SUPP candidate Chieng Biong Toon found leaflets with death threats distributed around town, and broke down at his service centre.

Coincidentally, Hii's house is just a few doors away from Chieng's service centre.

Hii is a 60-year-old local social activist who wished to join DAP.

After his application to sell The Rocket was rejected, he demanded that Wong take back the remaining unsold 19 copies, and gave a deadline until today.

Hii, who is a local social activist, had put his bank account number on a billboard, urging members of the public to donate money to his election campaign.

Unemployed at present, he once sold jade jewellery for a living, and had borrowed money to pay the RM8,000 deposit to contest in this election.

10.00am: DAP candidate for Simanggang Leon Donald is set to debate with his counterpart in BN Francis Harden, downstairs at the DAP operation centre located in Sri Aman town.

The challenge for the debate, which is over whether Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's recent announcement to build a new hospital at Sri Aman is another empty election promise, had been sent to Francis a few days ago.

However there is no sign of Francis.

“Maybe he has lost his way,” says the emcee.

10.00am: BN advertisements in local newspapers rail against “outsiders”.

They read: “CHANGE??? We may 'fight' among ourselves. But together we fight outsiders! And together we protect Sarawak's interest. Vote for state BN by truly Sarawakians.”

10.00am: BN continues to buy advertisements in local Chinese dailies. It warns that Sarawak BN will retain power but SUPP is on the brink of great defeat.

Should that happen, the advertisements warn that Chinese would lose the post of first deputy chief minister, all state ministers and deputy ministerships, as well as the power to appoint mayors of south Kuching, Miri and community leaders.

“The Chinese community would be sidelined in the social and political arena.”

The issue of BN protesting DAP for calling them 'orang utan' is widely reported by local Chinese dailies.

A full-page advertisement inSee Hua Daily, allegedly published by “a group of Sarawak Chinese” expresses its strongest protest over “equating a Chinese-majority party with Orang Utan”.

On the other hand, DAP's advertisement today shows a little girl holding the plush toy Ubah, stressing that the voters should vote for change for their future generation.

10.00am: Miri DAP national assistant organising secretary Vincent Wu says their chances in Miri are now 50-50, with DAP in the more favourable position.

But he urged voters not to take part in gambling activities.

“Please don't gamble away our future,” he says during a press conference in Miri.

On the notice of demand issued by SUPP president George Chan to retract the defamatory words in election leaflets and apologise, both DAP Pujut and Piasau candidates Fong Pau Teck and Ling Sie Keong are not afraid and challenge Chan to sue them.

“When I contested in 2006, someone said my hands and legs will be chopped off. So this is nothing compared to that,” says Fong.

“No need (to wait 24 hours and 48 hours for us to apologise and compensate), even one hour is not needed. You can sue us now.”

Ling also stands by the election leaflets and says he is prepared to bear the responsibility.

10.20am: In Sri Aman, DAP turns the debate into a political ceramah after Francis fails to turn up.

After Leon finishes his speech, DAP Klang MP Charles Santiago, who is hosting the 'debate', declares that Leon is the winner.

1020am: Snap is confident, given the prevailing mood, that there will be a drastic change in the political landscape of Sarawak.

“We believe that after this, there will be no BN or Pakatan government. There will be a coalition government,” its Youth chief Dayrell Walter Entrie tells Malaysiakini.

Dayrell is facing a three-cornered contest against BN and PKR in Bukit Saban, an Iban-majority area.

11.00am: The PM gives immediate approval for RM60 million to build a highway linking Marudi and Miri at the request of residents.

11.00am: A pro-BN advertisement published in local United Daily News, attracts readers' attention with its creativity.

The advertisement is drafted like a breaking-up letter with a broken heart logo and titled “Ho Leng, we broke up!”

The letter is penned by “the hurting, bereft of hope yet determined-to-go Bukit Assek”.

“I am Bukit Assek, still remember me?.. 3,600 painful days... you said you will come back to see me, I waited for 10 years... you say you still love me ...”

This advertisement is targeted at DAP Bukit Assek candidate Wong Ho Leng.

In the constituency, banners with the words “Wong Ho Leng, lost for five years” are easily found.

11.00am: Kuching Pakatan Rakyat leaders hold a one-hour meeting with Sarawak church leaders at the Kingwood Inn.

Church leaders include head of the Association of Churches Sarawak (ACS) Bishop Bolly Lampok, who had led ACS in meetings with the chief minister and prime minister over the last two days.

It was revealed that during the meeting, Pakatan leaders did most of the talking, explaining their stand on issues concerning freedom of religion.

According to PAS Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, leaders from the three parties explained, among others, their positions on the Al- Kitab row and stated that they had no objections to the use of the term 'Allah' by Christians.

The meeting was organised by DAP national organising secretary Teresa Kok.

11:00am: Bario @baru_bian: Flight delayed cos Najib coming to Bario. I m witnessing landing of 5 helis. People waiting standing in hot sun since 8.30 am. Poor guys.

11.05am: According to a BN-friendly blog, apparently Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin 'chased away' PKR campaigners at a longhouse in Saribas yesterday because everyone 'flocked to him and abandoned the PKR people'.

12noon: Kuching With 48 hours to go to polling day, SUPP candidate for Pending Dr Sim Kui Hian announces his plans for the Sarawak Health Metropolis.

The Health Metropolis was initially announced by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak last Sunday along with plans to develop the Kuching- Kota Samarahan Corridor.

The high-profile candidate also launches his report card on what he had done in the past month for the locals here.

In the report card, Sim gave himself 100 percent in almost all categories. The only category he cannot score a full mark was “upgrading the Jalan Foochow road system”.

He urges the voters to vote for him so that he can continue to serve the people.

“There is no turning back, I can't do it without your vote and I can't do it if I am a doctor," he says.

"This must be fought for through political power, so everyone should vote me in."

Asked whether this is an uphill battle for him, he says, “Every election is a challenge but we think and hope our message can be conveyed to the people.”

Sim, a former cardiologist, will challenge the DAP incumbent Violet Yong in Pending.

12.30pm: In Sibu, DAP Bukit Assek candidate Wong Ho Leng admits that the alleged SUPP-orchestrated paint splashing and death threat letter has had a severe influence for DAP in four constituncies in Sibu.

He urges Sibu voters to look at the bigger picture, to bring a better future for Sarawak.

Wong said this during a press conference, held daily by DAP.

1.15pm: Still in Sibu, DAP played video footage of alleged postal vote tampering, taken by a DAP polling agent, at the press conference.

Wong Ho Leng says the unknown man shown in the video footage is a health officer from Sibu Municipal Council (SMC), surnamed Wong.

Ho Leng also says the four women captured in the video are teachers who were engaged as election workers.

“I want SMC president Tiong Thai , deputy president Daniel Ngien as well as the Election Commission to answer,” he says, adding that they need to answer why a health officer was there in a prohibited area.

“I know many, many, many teachers have sold their votes, they did not cast ballots themselves, but they are not brave enough to tell,” he says.

The 1minute and 32 seconds video footage was taken between 12noon and 1pm at Sanyan Building at the staircase between the 21st and 22nd floor.

Ho Leng also alleges that money has been pumped into Sarawak from Singapore and as far as Switzerland.

1.15pm: Kuching Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is upbeat about BN's chances with 48 hours before before polls close.

“I think we will have good results. A lot of people will see through the lies and bad stories about BN. I think there is a shift in the voters,” he says.

Abdul Taib is speaking at the official opening of a new school in Santubong, a coastal town some 40km north of Kuching.

1.47pm: Sibu despite incumbent Sarawak CM Abdul Taib Mahmud saying he will step down sooner rather than later, Wong refuses to let him go easily, calling for an inquiry to probe into the wealth Taib and his family had amassed during his tenure as CM.

Meanwhile , DAP election preparation committee secretary Liew Chin Tong demands an explanation for the abnormal increase of the number of postal votes within three days in the Dudong state seat which has increased from 599 to 904.

He explains that postal votes are for people recruited to help out on the election day, who therefore need to vote earlier.

DAP also denies that Pakatan chances of denying BN two-thirds majority has been shattered by the PM's visit to Sarawak, maintaining that Pakatan would able to make the political breakthrough.

"The PM yesterday had said BN's target is winning a simple majority, and retaining a two-thirds majority is an bonus. But later the PM realised that what he said might not help BN's campaign, so he changed his stand again, said Liew.

Najib's current position is that BN is confident of retaining the two-thirds majority.

On the issue that SUPP Dudong candidate Tiong Thai King had threatened that Umno would enter Sarawak if BN Sarawak lost its two-thirds majority, DAP claims Umno's footprints are already in the state.

2.19pm: PKR appears to be making a last minute bid to win over native votes by announcing its plan to increase the pay of village chiefs if Pakatan Rakyat takes over government.

In a statement today, Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian says that the Pakatan government will raise monthly allowances for tuai rumah from RM450 to RM900, penghulu from RM600 to RM1050, pemancha from RM800 to RM1250 and temenggong from RM912 to RM1600.

The current allowances, says Baru, fall under the poverty line for Sarawak which is RM912 per month as stated in the 10th Malaysia Plan.

He adds that Pakatan also plans to index the allowances to annual inflation to ensure that they are raised progressively to a certain cap.

These village chiefs will also receive gratuities when they retire, according to years of service.

3pm Kuching: Muhyiddin is greeted with rapturous applause by about 1000 school children, their teachers and parents at SRJK (C) Sungai Abong.

The school basketball court, located in the Chinese-majority Pending constituency echoes with singing as the children sing '1Malaysia' at the top of the lungs.

BN candidate Dr Sim Kui Hian joins the children and many of their teachers who are waving their hands in the air in time with the song, prompting Muhyiddin to sheepishly raise his hands.

The Chinese primary boasts a considerable number of students from different races, who were spotted happily singing the song together.

3.35pm: Kuching:Muhyiddin announces allocations of RM200,000 to refurbish SRK (C) Sungai Apong's basketball court and RM2 million to fix up SMK Bandar Kuching which burned down five years ago.

"I apologise as this slipped our attention," he says.

He uses his speech to lambast Pakatan whom he says have yet to fulfill their promises in Penang and Selangor, where he claims that the business community is now running to BN for help.

He added that from his visits across Sarawak he is certain that there is a "blue wave" for BN's support.

"People don't come to listen to my speeches because they have heard me many times, they know what I am going to say," he says to explain the poor turnout at BN events.

"(Dr Sim's) face is not as pretty as (his contender from DAP) Violet Yong, but it's okay. Don't look at the face but at the heart, he has a good heart."

The awkward looking but humble Sim is a cardiologist and is campaigning with the tagline "Real Heart, Real Action, Real Change".

7.00pm: Miri: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is expected to attend the Majlis Mesra Rakyat at Jalan North Yu Seng to campaign for SUPP President George Chan and two other candidates.

The trio are facing tough battles to defend their seats due to the strong anti-Taib sentiments in urban areas.

Around 1,000 people are already here, to enjoy the singing and cultural performances and the food prepared by organiser.

According to a news report, the organiser will prepare around 5,000 packets of food for the public.

Besides that, tonight's function is also close to the DAP ceramah, which is just around 300m away, where DAP national chairman Karpal Singh is the key speaker.

7.25pm: Padungan Independent candidate Dominique Wong's campaign leaflets also appeared in a restaurant near the PM's function tonight. It was distributed by a Chinese woman.

The leaflet contains an open letter by the former PKR state assemblyperson, criticising his colleagues in the party for betraying him.

He also says Pakatan is only a "loose coalition", aiming to form the government, but has no vision.

"To achieve their target, they have to make all kind of promises, but the promises made at the general election have not been realised and they are not prepared to realise."

7.25: Sibu SUPP faces off DAP, having organised a ceramah and a concert just 500 metres away from where the opposition party is scheduled to have their ceramah.

While it was advertised that SUPP will be employing popular singer Michael Wong, there is already a crowd of 500 entertained by a female singer.

On the other hand, DAP is banking on crowd pullers such as Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming and Hiew Kuan Yew to bring in the listeners, now growing to about 600 people.

7.30pm: Repok, Sarikei Seven term BN-SUPP candidate David Teng Lun Chi organises a ceramah tonight in front of Nam Leong Supermarket.

The ceramah starts with two sexy singers presenting Chinese oldie songs such as "Give me a kiss" and "Don't go back tonight", which has attracted a crowd of three hundred.

Federal minister Koh Tsu Koon is expected to arrive soon, while Teng has yet to be seen.

Also visible are posters describing Teng as "Son of development".

Some 150 metres away, DAP also holds a ceramah in a coffee shop (below).

8.00pm: Koh Tsu Koon arrives at Repok town and mixes around with the local voters. The crowd has increased to 500. Also spotted is SUPP Sarikei MP Ding Kuong Hiing.

He denies that there is vote buying in Meradong, where DAP Sarawak chief Wong Ho Leng has alleged the cost of each vote had increased to RM1,000.

"SUPP would never do such thing," says Ding.

7.55pm Miri: Speaking to around 2,500 people at Majlis Mesra Rakyat, MCA president Chua Soi Lek has reminded the local Chinese about the painful history of the ruling party during the May 13th incident.

He said DAP is only here to split the Chinese and urged the Chinese voters not to believe the opposition party's rhetoric that SUPP's loss will not affect the Chinese representatives in government.

"During the May 13th incident, MCA also lost badly in the general election. We had then lost the finance minister's post, and the international trade and industries minister's post, Until now we still cannot get it back.

"During that time, it was also DAP who used the Chinese to beat Chinese."

He said the Chinese majority opposition party only contests 15 seats among 71 seats in Sarawak, so they can never form the government.

"Don't wait until Apr 16, to realise that there is no Chinese representation in the government."

He also urged the Sarawak Chinese voters to continue supporting BN especially the three SUPP candidates in Miri.

8.30pm SUPP President and Piasau candidate George Chan banks on the PM to woo voters, stressing that this election is not only to support BN, but to show support to PM's 1Malaysia concept.
"You are not only supporting George Chan but also to support PM."

He also praised the PM who has visited areas in the Borneo heartland such as Ba'Kelalan.

"I think we have never had a PM do like this. This is a PM who thinks of his people."

He also stressed that this election is vital to make sure Chinese community has representatives in government.

"If we want to play an effective role, we must participate in the government."

8.45pm: Repok Koh Tsu Koon tries to persuade voters to support the 75-year-old incumbent Repok candidate David Teng, whose 32-year hold on the seat has been made an issue by the opposition.

Speaking at Teng's ceramah, he repeated BN leader's call for agradual transition otherwise it would be chaotic he said.

"Well, we still have Lim Kit Siang who had been in politics for 40 years, Karpal Singh is 70 years old now," said Koh.

Teng is also the state assistant minister.

Repok is said to be one of the seats that BN is likely to lose this round, partly due to Teng's long reign and his age factor.

Koh also talks about the Islamic state issue and PAS' alcohol ban while the local voters listen closely and nod in response.

8.45pm: Miri Najib reassures the crowd that Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud will step down after he has bred his successor to take over.

"I can assure you the transition will happen, it will happen," he spoke to about 4,000 people in a meet the people session at the town centre.

The issues of Taib's overstay and skyhigh corruption allegations have been Pakatan's main campaign theme and has rung alarm bells for the BN.

However, Taib yesterday said that he would step down within 2 years, after his initial reluctance about setting a deadline.

Najib stresses that BN is preparing for next general election and Sarawak must also prepare its new breed of leaders.

"George Chan said, if I tell him to step down, he will step down. But we need to prepare the new leader who can take over."

"Same as Taib Mahmud," said the PM.

He also urges the voters not to be emotional in voting, saying there is no better alternative than BN.

He also cites the latest interview by notorious blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin to try to paint the opposition leader and Pakatan as unreliable.

"I saw what Raja Petra said, he said this man has lost all credibility. This is not what I said, it is Raja Petra who said it," says Najib.

"If we want to change, we have to know there is a better alternative. But, they are no better alternative."

Najib also touches on the latest sex video issue surrounding Anwar, saying the opposition leader left angrily when a headman asked him about the Omega watch, that the men behind the video screening 'Datuk T' allegedly found.

"Two days ago when he visited Kapit, a tuai rumah has asked him about his watch. He walked away from the longhouse without making any statement."

"Why so sensitive?" said Najib.

He also challenges Anwar to provide his DNA to prove his innoncence on the latest allegations.

"If people want your DNA, just give lah! If people want my DNA, I will give."

"Why do you act here and there? People only want to know, did you do it or not? Just give the DNA (to prove it)."

8.55pm: Sibu At their ceramah SUPP shows a short video clip about PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's history.

The video says that Anwar had brought in “racist policies” during his time in government and in Umno.

The video also questioned Anwar's plan of 'reformasi', that they claimed he never brought up while he was in Umno.

The video also says of Anwar's sacking, that he had betrayed former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The crowd that has swelled up to 2,000 remained unmoved by the video.

9pm: Kuching SUPP is holding a rally at the 101 Commercial Centre, where all five of it's candidates for the Kuching area are expected to speak.

The location is highly strategic as there are numerous open air hawker centres in the vicinity. It is difficult to put a figure on the number of people present because many are diners, but there are about 100 people standing around the stage.

The first speaker is Senator Ezam Mohd Noor who tells the crowd that most of the party founders, including himself, have left PKR.

"My serial number is 007. James Bond," says Ezam.

Ezam argues that the people of Sarawak should vote for BN component parties because they are all local parties.

BN's candidate for Batu Lintang takes the stage and tells voters how a DAP leader was insulting Sarawakians by making fun of SUPP's name with a Chinese pun.

What is now known as the 'Orang Utan row' in the local Chinese dailies has become a major issue for SUPP in Kuching.

Deputy Minister Gan Ping Sieu then takes her turn telling Sarawakians not to take DAP's attacks to heart because MCA and Gerakan had suffered similar dirty tactics in Peninsular Malaysia.

Former MCA president Ong Tee Keat is also scheduled to speak. The speeches alternate with performances from three singers from Peninsular Malaysia.

According to the advertisement for the event, there is also a lucky draw at the event, although the main prizes are not listed.

9pm: Sri Aman DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok gives a powerpoint presentation during a Christian fellowship session at Maranatha Baptist Church, attended by some 80 devotees, mostly Iban.

The Selangor exco member spends one hour running through her 35-page presentation, from national issues such as democracy and corruption, to current issues including the impoundment of the Al-Kitab and the use of the word 'Allah' by Christians, as well as the changes in Selangor after Pakatan took over office in 2008.

She also zooms in Sarawak Report's corruption allegations against Taib and that the CM is surrounded by 'foreign witches'.

"If you don't pray, Taib and bomoh will pray for you," she said, adding that the state election is also a spiritual battle.

Her speech is well received.

9.15pm: Repok Meanwhile DAP's ceramah at a coffeeshop proves a success with over a thousand turning for such a small town.

Outside the coffeeshop, over a hundred are sitting along the road divider, and standing along the main road, causing a traffic jam.

The DAP election preparations bureau publicity chief Hiew Kuan Yau tells the voters to ignore the RM500 vote-buying offer as well as temptation from underground bookies, and instead vote for better Sarawak.

"Yesterday, I bought a pair of red underwear; I know I should be ready," he joked to the bemused crowd.

Hiew had earlier said that if DAP wins all the seats they are contesting, he would travel around Sarawak to give speeches dressed in red underwear like Superman.

"But, if you are greedy and tempted by money, your children will blame you for not being able to make them first grade citizens," he warned.

He also urged the voters to get rid of the shame of their state being called BN's 'fixed deposit' and the ruling party's subservient voters.

"(If you do get greedy) then my red underwear will have to be kept for another 50 years," he said.

9.30pm: Kuching About 10 minutes' drive away from the SUPPevent, some 3,000 are gathered at Taman BDC commercial centre for a DAP ceramah.

The main attraction is Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar tells the crowd that he has toured the rural areas throughout Sarawak, from Kapit to Sadong Jaya on his campaign trail and expresses confidence in Pakatan's chances.

"I am confident that this time Sarawak will make history," he thundered.

Anwar has seven speaking engagements this evening.

9.50pm: Cars are parked for a stretch of road at least two kilometres leading up to the field where Anwar Ibrahim is speaking.

Listening are about 3,000 people, with more filing in. Cars are also still driving about in search of parking.

The BDC field is the second last venue in the opposition leader's five-stop ceramah tour tonight.

10.05pm: At the rally in Batu Kawah, Anwar tells the crowd that he is confident Sarawak can make history on April 16.

"I am confident, this time Sarawak can make history. Enough is enough," he says before leading the crowd to chant "Change" a few times.

He urges the voters not to miss the chance for change, and vote for Pakatan this Saturday.

"Now is the time. It's now or never, you have to do it."

He then leads the crowd of 3,000 to chant "Reformasi" before ending his speech to loud applause.

He is now heading to Malay-majority Samariang.

The crowd then applauds DAP senator P Ramasamy when he announces that he is the Penang deputy chief minister.

People are packed like sardines. Many are seen listening to the speeches from on top of their cars or pickup trucks.

10.05pm: Miri It is raining but around 8,000 people still stay on at DAP's ceramah.

Some have umbrellas while others don't, while some listen from the shelter of the fronts of shophouses.

The crowds' response at DAP's ceramah is noticeably stronger than the PM's meet the people session just 300 metres away.

The star speaker is DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh. Other speakers include national woman chief Chong Eng and Penang exco Phee Boon Poh.

Karpal urges the people to made the right choice on polling day and vote out Sarawak chief minister Taib Mahmud.

"I am also pek moh, but not like Taib Mahmud, he is a bad Pek Moh."

"Let us have a tsunami on Apr 16," said Karpal.

10.30pm: The rain turns into a downpour yet the crowd persists. Karpal however calls for the ceramah to end because of the weather conditions.

10.32pm: Kuching In Kota Sentosa, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang is leading the crowd to shout “Change” in four different languages.

He is starting to lose his voice still manages to get the crowd going.

10.40pm: Miri Although the rain has cut short the DAP ceramah in Miri, under DAP national youth chief Anthony Loke's lead it has turned into a mini concert along the five-foot way of shophouses at the venue, with dozen of supporters waving their hands, enjoying the songs.

10.41pm Kuching: In Kota Sentosa, Lim Kit Siang says it was because of the people of Sarawak who sent six DAP representatives into the state assembly in 2006, that the political tsunami in 2008 resulted.

The crowd is now chanting “4-1-6”, the date of the Sarawak polls this Saturday.

10.15pm: Sibu The SUPP ceramah quickly turns into popular singer Michael Wong's concert, with the crowd of 3,000.

10.50pm: Sibu At the DAP ceramah near Paramount Hotel, Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming leads a brief prayer for "the wisdom of the people of Sibu to vote the right way".

Many others in the crowd also bow their heads.

He then lightens the mood poking fun at the SUPP rally close by.

"They know that they are on their way out. So they invited Michael Wong to give them a farewell concert," he said.

Dressed in a black Superman T-shirt, Nga says that his "intel" revealed that PKR could win 21 seats.

"If that is so, and DAP wins 15 seats, we can then form the next government!" he said.

10.54pm Kuching: In Kota Sentosa, someone in the crowd yells "Yes we can!" when Lim Kit Siang tells them that they need 37 seats to change the government in Sarawak.

Later a middle-aged couple shakes their heads when Lim Kit Siang tells them that the helicopter that tipped over in Sibu a few days ago, fatally injuring the pilot, had flown from Bintangor to Sibu.

"I was in Bintangor and people asked me why the DPM should take a helicopter from Bintangor to Sibu when it's only 30 minutes' drive away?" Lim said.

[More to follow]