A Victory On Low Voter Turnout For Adenan

A Kadir Jasin

IT was a thumping victory seat-wise for Barisan Nasional Sarawak (BNS). The native-based coalition won 72 out of 82 seats in the enlarged state legislative assembly.

The Adenan factor worked. So was money. Cash was still king among the poor rural voters. Brute force still impressed the hinterland dwellers and the outright abuses counted for little.

[SIGN the People’s Declaration Here]

The quarrelling national coalition was shown the broom by the urban voters. It was a complete debacle for the Pakatan Harapan.

It not only that they failed to win additional seats in the enlarged “dewan” they also surrendered three seats won in the last outing in 2011, leaving a meagre 10 – seven DAP and three PKR.

Unless the member parties go back to the drawing board, they could suffer a similar fate at the coming national polls despite the federal BN being weighted down by the Najib’s affair.

For the Chief Minister (Tan Sri) Adenan Satem being different and seemingly brave paid off. He proved that he could do as well as his predecessor, (Tun) Abdul Taib Mahmud.

But it was not a victory any democrat would celebrate unequivocally. The indicators pointed towards a low voters turnout.

Media reports said the Election Commission (EC) chief, (Datuk Seri) Mohd Hashim Abdullah, was silent on the exact turnout rate.

The last known turnout rate announced by the EC was at 4pm at 52 percent of the 1,109,795 registered electors. This was in contrast to the 2011 state polls when the turnout was almost 80 per cent.

"You have to count it yourself," Mohd Hashim was quoted as saying by The Star Online.

The low turnout could signal a boycott of sorts. The urban electors could be unhappy with the quarrel among then Pakatan Harapan members.

While among the BN supporters, many did not come out to vote on the assumption that with or without their votes, the party would win.

So in reality the state BN under Adenan was voted in by a minority of the electors. The rest preferred to stay home and enjoyed the goodies generously dished our by the BN and the state agencies.

Wallahuaklam.