Let’s call a spade a spade

BN won big in Sarawak thanks to an uneven playing field in terms of financing, dissemination of information and the redelineation of constituencies.

COMMENT

By TK Chua

I have read of the many reasons why Barisan Nasional met with such big success in the recent Sarawak polls. Some said it was because peninsula Opposition parties did not understand Sarawakian issues. They could not appreciate that “Sarawak belongs to Sarawakians” first and foremost. They refused to understand that Sarawak had the right to arbitrarily exclude Peninsula Malaysians from entering the state.

Some attributed BN’s win to a low voter turnout. Some said Sarawakians should form their own Opposition parties from which they could then form coalitions with federal Opposition parties from the Peninsula. Some said it was the lack of Opposition unity for which the parties involved must draw lessons from. Of course, some said it was purely the Adenan (Satem) factor.

Seriously, why are we not calling a spade a spade? BN won because there was an uneven playing field in terms of financing, in the dissemination of influence and information, in campaigners present on the ground and in the way constituencies were demarcated. Also, why don’t we attribute BN’s success to a general lack of understanding and tenacity among Sarawakians on the governance issues affecting them?

In a society where cash is king, I think we are being idealistic by ignoring the power of money when campaigning and influencing people. We are being unrealistic when we ignore how logistics and political machinery play a major part at the last minute. Unless and until we are able to rectify and reform campaign financing, it is foolish to ignore this factor.

It is actually a hoax to say that Peninsula politicians and political parties do not understand “Sarawak is for Sarawakians”. We can easily single out communities in Sarawak who do not feel they belong to the state government in term of policies, services and performance.

Asking Sarawak politicians to form their own Opposition parties from which they can then form coalitions with federal Opposition parties is another joke. It shows an acute lack of understanding in challenging an incumbent government well-endowed with resources and power. If federal Opposition parties cannot cause a dent in BN, what hope is there for Opposition parties from within the state, even with guidance and support from Peninsula Malaysia?

We should not accept the state’s immigration power over Peninsula politicians and the court’s decision thus far as fait accompli. It is an abuse of the democratic process which may repeat itself even if the Opposition takes over the state government someday. We need to rectify what is fundamentally wrong, not accept it as a fact of life.

Why are we so easily taken in by the Adenan factor as a major contributor to BN’s victory? In what significant and fundamental way was there change in policy and governance under this man? Why not call a spade a spade – it was the lack of tenacity and understanding among the Sarawakians to look beyond the frills and to focus on the fundamentals.

Of course Opposition disunity and selfishness are major factors that caused the defeat, which I think many already highlighted even before the election. It is time for Pakatan Harapan to stop pretending there are lessons to be learnt from their shortcomings in the 11th Sarawak election to prepare them for the next General Election. There is no time for such luxuries. It is either they cooperate and give in to each other or the nation shall suffer with them.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.