Still waters run deep

PAS Sarawak doesn't need to blow its trumpet to get BN and voters' attention.

KUCHING: In the last Sarawak election, every single vote in the district of Beladin – a polling centre in the Beting Maro constituency – was cast in favour of PAS.

Barisan Nasional (BN) eventually won the seat. Shortly afterwards, a stadium, supermarket and mosque sprang up in the area, and the wooden bridges that linked houses together have since been replaced by modern walkways.

All this is evidence that the state government now thinks of the Islamic party as a worthy opponent, according to the belief of Fidzuan Zaidi, the secretary of PAS Sarawak.

“In the last election BN took out a full page advertisement to discredit us but it had the opposite effect,” he grinned. “It promoted our existence as a party strong enough to rattle BN. And we were only contesting in Beting Maro!”

This time PAS has turned up the heat, gunning for five seats – Beting Maro, Tanjung Datu, Muara Tuang, Sadong Jaya and Sebuyau. And it is confident of a fair chance at all five.

Since arriving in Sarawak 15 years ago, PAS has been quietly but steadily working the ground, whether or not it is election season. Its service to the grassroots have included taking on native customary rights (NCR) issues and holding public sessions to educate those who have been victims of land grabs.

“Most of these people are illiterate and the NCR issue is extremely confusing to them, and this makes them vulnerable,” explained Fidzuan. “We’ve now set up a fund to finance legal suits against the developers.”

The hard work has paid off. PAS has gradually endeared itself to the Sarawakians, who were once wary of it.

Yet Fidzuan is aware that there is still a long road ahead.

“Some constituencies like Tanjung Datu have never even heard of us,” he told FMT. “Others think we are an extremist party because they hear about us only through RTM, which paints us in that light. But we’ve been consistent in serving the people, and I think we’re making headway.”

Nowhere is PAS’ growing momentum more evident than in Beting Maro, where its young candidate, Abang Ahmad Kerdee Abang Masagus, is treated like a celebrity. His campaign posters are reportedly hanging in wardrobes and women swoon when he makes his rounds.

“We chose our candidates very carefully to fit the constituency, but even we couldn’t have predicted the response in Beting Maro,” Fidzuan laughed. “That is our most important seat, and I think BN has already written it off after the reception we’ve received there.”

Compared to other Pakatan parties, PAS has been maintaining a low-key presence in this election.

Since nomination day, both PKR and DAP have been holding regular press conferences and crowing over the healthy turnouts at their ceramahs.

Softer approach

PAS held its first press conference only yesterday and has not breathed a word about its ceramahs. Fidzuan (photo) smiled modestly at this observation. “The usual crowd size at our ceramahs is never more than 30 people,” he said. “We weren’t expecting anything larger just because of the election, but more than 100 people have been turning up.”

And while PKR and DAP ceramahs are all fire and brimstone, PAS has adopted a softer approach to match its audience’s temperament. Sarawak Malays, according to Fidzuan, are gentle people who recoil from “harsh and brutal campaigns”.

So instead of giving BN a dressing down, PAS speakers appeal for the voters’ trust, telling them the party can serve them better than the current government.

Fidzuan also pointed out that the Malays’ amiability meant that they welcomed all political parties to put up flags around their houses. But he warned that one should not make assumptions about their political leanings from the flags they fly or the T-shirts they wear.

“The Malays are silent voters,” he said. “In the last election, BN was confident of winning big in the Malay constituencies, but it lost a sizeable chunk of votes. That actually surprised us too because we assumed all those flags would translate into votes for BN.”

Then the subject of Sarawak being BN’s fixed deposit cropped up and Fidzuan’s face darkened.

“Do you know what the top story was on prime time news on nomination day?” he asked, barely hiding his disgust. “The sex tape. The Sarawak state election had begun and the sex tape took precedence in the news. Is this how the government treats its fixed deposit? I’m not saying this as a PAS member, but as a Sarawakian who is deeply offended that our state election isn’t worthy of eight minutes of airtime.”

Satisfied that he had got his anger off his chest, Fidzuan talked about the problems the Malays faced— lack of job opportunities, high cost of living, low spending power and the exodus of young Malays to greener pastures in Johor, KL and Singapore.

“They won’t come home to vote,” he said. “And these are the ones who can help drive the change that Sarawak needs.”

A 49-year-old boatman who identified himself only as Salihin (photo) echoed Fidzuan’s worries. He has been ferrying locals and tourists up and down the Kuching River for the past 20 years and has not seen much change in the lot of the local people.

“I voted for the opposition,” he confessed once the boat was a safe distance away from the dock. “I know nothing will happen to me because my vote is a secret. But those in the villages don’t know this. So they vote BN out of fear.”

RM5 on offer

On one side of the Kuching River are 15 Malay villages strung out along about three kilometres. Shopping complexes and five-star hotels gleam on the other side. The houses closer to the Kuching waterfront are made of brick. Those further down the river or deeper inside are still wooden. Yet Salihin insisted that the villagers live a comfortable life.

“There will always be the well off and the not-so-well-off in every community,” he said. “Most Malays support the government because (Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul) Taib (Mahmud) has helped them in some way.

“They also see how Kuching has developed under his regime. And for many of them he is the only chief minister they can remember. They can’t imagine having someone different.”

Salihin expressed confidence in a strong BN victory, especially in the villages where the heads have signed contracts with the government.

“I will just wait for my RM5 and vote the opposition,” he chuckled.

How did he know he would receive RM5? “In all the past state elections, the people in my village have received RM5 from BN. I’m sure it’ll be the same amount this year too.”