Not all Sarawakians returning to vote
Published on: Saturday, May 07, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: There are more Sarawakians working in other states and the federal capital (including in Singapore) who are not taking up the cheap fares offered by airlines to return just to cast their votes today (Saturday), a social media survey among Sarawakians, here, indicated.James Ling working at a hotel at Mid Valley near Bangsar South, said if the timing of the polling date was just prior to or just after the Gawai holidays in June, he might have booked a ticket to fly back to Sibu to vote. But not on an odd weekend, although it's Mother's Day the next day.
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"I don't expect any change to the political status quo in Sarawak. So my vote or that of a few hundreds here will not really make a big difference ," he said indicating that such thought permeates many Sarawakians in the Klang Valley prioritising their career demands that pay very much better than similar opportunities in Kuching or Miri.Jasmine Sim at a computer service centre at Low Yat Plaza opined that the voter turnout rate could be lower this time, and truly the early voting pattern rate at around 72 per cent probably gave indication that the average turnout rate could be about 75 per cent or so on May 7.Mohd Sabu in a Puchong establishment said even his relatives from Lawas working in Sabah have no need to return as their constituency, Bukit Sari, was already won without contest on nomination day by BN incumbent Datuk Amar Awang Tengah."It has no bearing on their livelihood earning a living in one of Sabah's off-shore oil wells, even if there is a contest," he said.
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Freddy Ak Mujin of a financial services provider, said the new politics has not come to Sarawak. The government includes the opposition in partnership in which all constituencies regardless of whether represented by whichever party are not excluded from development funding, according the voters full freedom to choose their assembly representatives."In the Westminster model of which we inherit, the monarchy's government includes the royal opposition which should not be excluded from accountable and transparent public tax monies funding," he said.
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"We must move away from the politics of personality to that of credible policies," said Diana Nair, Freddy's friend from Kuching studying at a private varsity here."Take for example, the chief minister's assurance of religious freedom as long as he's in office. It should not be that way because the constitution guarantees religious freedom, not because this universal value as in the human rights declaration is contingent on the protection by any politician in power," she opined.She backs the call by churches in Sarawak to end the Allah word controversy affecting some Sarawakians' importation of the Malay Bible and confiscation of private CDs and Christian books and material containing the Allah word.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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