Riot unshakeable in Serian, despite missing funds scandal

SARAWAK: For the people of Kuching, Serian, just 45 minutes’ drive from the state capital, is possibly their favourite place to go for a weekend outing.

For many years, the Ranchan Pool, where Serian’s only scenic waterfall is located, has been a favourite picnic haunt for visitors. The township is also a go-to destination for durian lovers as the fruit is abundantly available almost all year round and at reasonable prices.

Serian also holds the distinction of being the only district elevated to a division status by the late Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem.

Sarawak, unlike other states, is divided into divisions which are of higher status than districts. Each division is headed by a resident, the most senior government officer in the division.

In a Borneo Post report dated April 12, 2015, Adenan said Serian would become the first predominantly Bidayuh division.

“Since the Malays already have Samarahan, the Ibans with Betong and Kapit, the Melanaus with Mukah, the Chinese with Sarikei and Sibu, as well as the Orang Ulus with Miri and Limbang, there also ought to be a Bidayuh division.

“You (Serian people) deserve it. You have come of age; you want to be recognised in having a rightful place in Malaysia and Sarawak. Be proud of being Bidayuhs, who are strong in their culture and traditions.

“People of other ethnic groups share the joy of this historic moment with their brothers and sisters from the Bidayuh community,” Adenan said.

Make no mistake about it: the Bidayuhs of Serian are one of a kind – politically, that is. While they are generally loyal to Barisan Nasional (BN), they will not hesitate to vote for a popular independent candidate as well.

Proof of this lies in the 1986 and 1990 general elections, which showed that Serian voters are not necessarily fiercely loyal to BN.

In 1986, an unknown independent, Lainus Andrew Luwak, defeated three-term Serian MP Richard Dampeng of BN/SUPP.

Lainus did not defend the seat in 1990, and it was won by another independent, Richard Riot Jaem.

Only after Riot was enticed into joining SUPP before the 1995 general election did the seat become more entrenched with BN. He scored double-digit victories in five subsequent general elections.

Who would have thought that Riot, a former junior officer with the youth and sports ministry, would now be a federal minister and the first non-Chinese deputy president of SUPP?

It has been said that a politician’s success hinges on perseverance and luck. Riot is blessed with both. For 20 years, he was a government backbencher. It was only in 2011 that he was appointed deputy foreign minister.

In GE13, the Chinese SUPP candidates were all defeated and Riot was the party’s sole MP left standing. That was his luck, albeit at the expense of his party colleagues. After the elections, Riot was rewarded with the human resources ministry.

Last September, Riot suffered a political setback when his political secretary, Peter Runin, was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for alleged involvement in the RM40 million “missing” from the Skills Development Fund Corp (SDFC), managed by the human resources ministry.

Several days later, the minister himself was also questioned by MACC for 10 hours in connection with the case.

However, it is doubtful that the 33,712 voters of Serian, the majority of whom are his fellow Bidayuh, will abandon their long-serving MP in GE14 because of the case, which is still being investigated.

In Riot’s case, his Serian voters seem to know best whether he is right or wrong and how to judge him. Between a DAP or STAR candidate, the majority of them will most likely stick with their own Bidayuh minister. -FMT