WHAT A START!

Ceremahs last night in Kuching, Miri and Sibu had an unprecedented and unexpected perfect start off the blocks .

As always, Penang’s Chief Minister and DAP’s Sec. Gen. inevitably a crowd-puller like his old man, was exuberantly thrilled by an enthusiastic and responsive audience of 5,000 normally unexpected especially on Day 1 of the campaign. The atmosphere atKUCHING’s Premier 101 Commercial Centre was explosive.

Over in MIRI organizers faced the double-standards often inflicted on opposition parties at ceremahs. They attempted to stop the rally on the grounds that DAP’s application for a public assembly had been revoked because SUPP was holding another function at a restaurant nearby. Ceremah organisers demand that the police act fairly and stop the SUPP function as well. After the police backed down, the rally proceeded smoothly and the audience increased to close to 2000 despite a slight drizzle. Teresa Kok remarked that campaigning 5 years ago in Miri, attracting a crowd of 200 was considered good. Of course the speakers played their role. Of course PKR VPs Nurul Izzah and Tian Chua, PAS Khalid Samad and DAP’s Anthony Loke and Gobind and former DAP Kuching MP Sim Kwang Yang spun their magic.

In SIBU, 2000 rally participants spilled over into the street as they attempted to follow speeches by Sarawak DAP chief Wong Ho Leng YB Kit Siang and the three Sibu calons. So elated was the DAP Supremo that he repeatedly tweeted that ceremah attendances at Kuching, Miri and Sibu was not only a good start for Pakatan Rakyat, but a record of sorts.

Local reporters also told Malaysiakini that the mood among the rally goers appeared to be more determined this time as compared to the 2006 state election.

I recalled Kit Siang making this remark during the press conference immediately after the morning’s Nomination exercise: 2006 paved the way for the 2010 Sibu Miracle. This 2011 Sarawak Elections could well predict the outcome of GE13. Maybe!

CEREMAHS TONIGHT IN SIBU

RAJANG PARK

7.00pm

SPEAKERS

Liew Chin Tong

Ngeh Koo Ham

Teng Kok Liang

&

4 Candidates:

Alice Lau

Wong Ho Leng

David Wong

Yap Hoi Liong

Organisers are braced for the eventuality that the authorities will come up with some restrictions to prevent an expected large crowd.

The cabbie I took this morning talked about last night at the Oya Lane ceremah and urged me to attend the ceremah at Rajan Park tonight. I promised him I would.