Sabah, Sarawak kingmakers decide on Putrajaya

The GE13 will likely send more opposition candidates from Sabah and Sarawk to parliament.

KUCHING: Will there be more MPs from Sarawak and Sabah on the opposition bench post-13th general election which commenced at 8am this morning?

It’s a question uppermost on the minds of political observers across Sarawak and Sabah.

After a long, hard two years of campaigning to garner new voters, Sarawak and Sabah will see today more than two million registered voters “consciously” cast their votes to determine the future political course of their respective states in federal politics.

“It’s exciting.. we will be THE kingmakers,” said one observer in a text message to FMT.

Sarawak has 31 parliamentary seats and Sabah 25.

Sarawak had its state election in 2011 which saw an unprecedented 15 seats going to the opposition Pakatan Rakyat.

In today’s polls, the major players here are Barisan Nasional and Pakatan in 31 parliamentary seats. The others are Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) and “insignificant” Sarawak Reform Party (STAR)

In 2008 general election, Sarawak lost one seat –Bandar Kuching. In a subsequent by-election it lost Bandar Sibu. DAP is an incumbent in both these seats.

Since 2008 the numbers of registered voters in Sarawak have increased by 264,000. Of the just over one million voters, 59.22% are aged between 21 and 50 years.

In 2008 polls, Sarawak recorded a low voter turnout of just over 65%.

However this time, due to increased inroads by the opposition, turnouts are expected to be much better.

Sarawak Election Commission (EC) has opened 1,768 polling stations with 2, 727 polling streams throughout Sarawak. Polling centres which opened at 8am today will close at 7pm in most areas. In certain remote areas it will close at 2pm.

To ensure smooth operations, the EC has also commissioned 27 helicopters, 797 boast and 56 speedboats.

Sarawak BN had reportedly identified 11 hot seats which have since come down to seven and caretaker Chief Minister Taib Mahmud has expressed confidence in this battle which is crucial to BN’s survival in Putrajaya.

Sabahans will decide

Meanwhile in neighbouring Sabah, voters are polling their preferences in both state and parliamentary constituencies. Sabah has 60 state and 25 parliamentary constituency.

The opposition here appear likely to put at least eight Sabahans in parliament, a big jump from its one MP in the 2008 general election when Sabah Barisan Nasional under Musa Aman made a clean sweep of its state and parliament seats.

Parliamentary seats that could go “either way” include Sandakan, Beaufort, Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, Penampang, Tuaran, Kota Marudu, Pensiangan, Kota Belud, Ranau and Papar.

But late BN ground reports noted that some seats have since been “nuetralised” and are now favouring BN.

Musa is confident of retaining a two-third majority in the state, while the opposition have maintained that they will win at least 11-15 state constituencies.

This remains to be seen.

Observers have described the political landscape in Sabah as “fluid” with Pakatan and local Jeffrey Kitingan-led State Reform Party (STAR) having made major inroads into Sabah psyche in recent years.

Said PACOS’s founding member Anne Lasimbang: “Opposition have been on the ground and in villagers for two year. People are more aware of the situation now. Many have have decided.”

Meanwhile the Sabah EC has reportedly said that the first result from the state will be known by 8pm. These would probably be from urban seats such as Kota Kinabalu, Sepanggar, Sandakan and Libaran while results from rural and interior areas like Kudat, Pitas and Pensiangan might trickle in much later.

About 17,615 EC officials and staffers from Sabah and Labuan Federal Territory are involved in the general election process in the state.

Ballot boxes airlifted

Meanwhile BorneoInsider reported that ballot boxes were air lifted by helicopters to three remote polling centres within the Penampang parliamentary constituency.

Similar operations were also believed to have been carried in other places statewide.

Penampang returning officer, William Sumpil said transferring the ballot boxes and Election Commission workers to interior settlements in Terian, Buaian and Longkogungan by helicopter early yesterday morning saved time and hassle.

“It would have taken us six hours if we transferred them by four-wheel drive vehicles and again it is an unpredictable journey given the bad terrain. By helicopter, it takes a mere 20 minutes to complete the task,” he said.