Najib’s visit shows Taib has failed, says Anwar

UPDATED @ 05:00:44 PM 10-04-2011

By Clara Chooi

April 10, 2011

Anwar called the attitude of the BN state machinery “lackadaisical”. — Pic by Choo Choy May

KUCHING, April 10 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is basking in reports of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s six-day campaign for Barisan Nasional (BN) in Sarawak, declaring that this is a sign that Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had already failed to defend the state.

“Never in history has the Prime Minister and his entire Cabinet spent that much time and effort.

“For the first time, we see a failure on the part of the state leadership ... and the desperate attempt by Najib to come and blatantly use the entire resources of the Federal government [to campaign],” he told reporters this afternoon.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has structured its campaign to ride heavily on the growing wave of dissatisfaction against Taib, the country’s longest-serving chief minister.

Despite being plagued by countless allegations of corruption and abuse of power, the powerful Taib had insisted on defending his Balingian seat this April 16 and has even pledged to deliver Sarawak for BN.

He has, however, promised to relinquish his position and make way for “new blood” from among his ranks in three years’ time.

“Always, there is this sensitivity in the past that Sarawak should entirely be managed by Sarawakians,” Anwar pointed out today when asked to comment on Najib’s scheduled tour of Sarawak beginning tonight.

“Clearly, there is worry in BN that Taib Mahmud, the CM, and the entire state Cabinet is not capable in ensuring support from Sarawakians for BN, requiring not only Najib but his entire Federal government resources.

Anwar also discussed the Electoral Commission’s alleged impartiality towards BN. — Pic by Choo Choy May

“It is true that the presence of Najib would of course be meant to assist and rejuvenate the lackadaisical attitude of the state BN machinery,” he added.

Anwar claimed that during his visit to the Belaga constituency, he had noticed the “entire ministry of Shahrizat’s” (Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil) on their campaign rounds.

The group, he said, smiling, had been attempting to convince voters of PR’s failed state governments in Penang and Selangor.’

“They said we failed to govern well in Penang and Selangor and the people there are suffering ... they are poorer even than the Sarawakians.
“So I said, perhaps we should send them some video clips or pamphlets or newspaper clippings of Selangor and Penang.

“What a blatant insult to the wisdom and capacity of the Sarawakians,” he said.

He also reiterated complaints of the Election Commission’s alleged partiality towards the BN, claiming that the agency had chosen to ignore the ruling pact’s illegal practice of buying votes.

“There is failure on the part of the EC to observe this [BN’s use of government resources]. They do not notice this or realise that there is a flawed process here.

“The biased media where the opposition has no access at all and the clear massive bribery and corruption has been tolerated by the EC,” he said.

Sarawak has 979,796 voters, with the Malay/Melanau making up 27.5 per cent, Chinese 31.5 per cent, Ibans 29 per cent, Bidayuh eight per cent, Orang Ulus 3.7 per cent and others 0.26 per cent.

BN presently holds 63 seats in the 71-seat assembly, DAP has six and PKR and Parti Cinta Malaysia has one each.
PKR has fielded 49 candidates for the polls while DAP is contesting in 15 seats and PAS in five. SNAP will clash with PKR in 26 seats.

Of the 71 state seats, only 27 will see straight-fights. - Malaysian Insider