Adenan doing right by focusing on local issues, say analysts

ANALYSIS Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has taken the right move to focus more on local issues as part of the BN’s state election campaign strategy, analysts say.

Political analyst Prof Jeniri Amir told Malaysiakini that he believes Adenan’s strategy is relevant to the current political developments at national and state levels.

“He does not want to burden himself with such (national) issues that must be deflected. These issues, after all, have no relevance in Sarawak.

“At the same time, he also realises that such issues could have an impact on voters in the urban areas,” Jeniri said.

Adenan yesterday dared the opposition parties - especially the DAP - to challenge the Sarawak BN only on Sarawakian issues, and not to mention the financial scandal surrounding 1MDB or other national issues.

“Don't use national issues like 1MDB to attack Sarawak BN. Those issues have nothing to do with Sarawak," Adenan was quoted as saying by The Star.

During the last state election, Sarawak DAP fielded 15 candidates and won in 12 Chinese-majority urban seats.

In the state election to be held on May 7, Sarawak DAP has doubled the number of candidates it would be fielding - retaining its 12 incumbents and introducing 18 new faces, and including more Dayak candidates in the rural constituencies.

Commenting further, Jeniri (photo) said issues surrounding rural development would best capture the voters’ imagination.

“Autonomous powers, land rights, infrastructure… these are the relevant issues that can be the highlight of BN’s election manifesto.

“Politics of development will continue to be a focus (for BN) because that is what the people need,” he explained.

At the same time, Jeniri also disagreed with the perception that Adenan is afraid of peninsula-based opposition leaders attacking him for supporting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

'Adenan’s popularity at all-time high'

He noted that Adenan’s popularity among voters is now at an all-time high, compared with the situation during the 2011 state election, when there was an overwhelming sentiment against then chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is now the governor.

“Adenan has the ‘people’s touch’… whoever criticises him now, they will get ‘whacked’ back,” Jeniri said.

Among others, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has, in a series of speeches around Kuching on Wednesday, claimed that Adenan banned many DAP leaders from coming in to campaign because he was afraid they would play up his support for Najib, linking it to possible impacts from the troubled state-investment fund 1MDB.

Another political analyst, Prof Jayum Jawan, concurred with Jeniri’s views that national issues such as 1MDB would gain little traction with the majority of Sarawakian voters.

“The people of Sarawak care little about 1MDB, Anwar (Ibrahim) or other such issues. For the Dayak, their main concern is native customary rights land.

“Among the Chinese, they are concerned about limited business opportunities, while the Malay-Melanau look at issues on unity because they want to remain in power,” said Jayum (photo), a Sarawakian who now holds the Tun Abdul Razak Chair at the University of Ohio, United States.

Asked whether Adenan and the state BN leaders have a better understanding of issues that resonate with the voters, Jayum said even the local opposition leaders were aware of the matter but they were more “influenced” by peninsula-based politicians.

“They (local opposition leaders) do not chart their own political paths, nor do they have original ideas to present to the voters,” he noted.

Jayum also defended Adenan’s right to ban certain individuals from entering the state, as part of the autonomous powers on immigration granted to Sarawak and to Sabah as well.

“For me, it is a simple matter: If you are not welcome, don’t come. End of story.

“Find other ways to campaign, to help your friends (in opposition parties) there,” said Jayum, who went on to stress that Adenan is not obliged to explain his reasons for banning peninsula-based politicians and activists from entering Sarawak.

At least a dozen DAP leaders have been barred from entering the state.

The state government has also said it will not release the classified ban list.

Nomination for the Sarawak state election is on April 25. Postal voting is on May 3 while polling is on May 7. -Mkini