The Sibu by-election result has triple far-reaching implications for Sibu, Sarawak and Malaysia.
Most important of all, the DAP/PR victory in the Sibu parliamentary by-election on Sunday sparks new hopes for a Pakatan Rakyat Federal Government in the next 13th General Election in Malaysia.
In one fell swoop, the Sibu Miracle achieved triple national impacts: viz:
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Steadied parliamentary democracy and strengthened Pakatan Rakyat’s parliamentary position to ensure that the Barisan Nasional does not steal back its previous unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority;
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Sent a clear and unmistakable signal that Sarawak and Sabah are no more Barisan Nasional “fixed deposit” states which had saved the Barisan Nasional federal power in the 308 political tsunami of the 2008 general election and Umno and Putrajaya cannot continue to take the people of Sarawak and Sabah for granted in disregarding their legitimate grievances and discontents.
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Demonstrated growing maturity and effectiveness of the Pakatan Rakyat political alliance. The Sibu by-election is the first foray of Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak comprising PKR,PAS, DAP and SNAP. The campaigning by all Pakatan Rakyat leaders including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Azizah Ismail, Azmin Ali, Saifuddin Nasution, Zuraida Kamaruddin, Fuziah Salleh, Nurul Izzah, Zaid Ibrahim (PKR) and Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Salahuddin Ayub, Mahfuz Omar, Mustapha Ali, Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, Mat Sabu, Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim, Dzulkefly Ahmad (PAS) have demonstrated not only to Sibuans but also to Sarawakians and Malaysians of the quality and nature of the New Politics for a New Malaysia.
What is most promising is the support Pakatan Rakyat received from both voters (including voters who had voted for BN in the by-election) and the young generation who are not registered voters, showing that the future is one that holds great promise provided Pakatan Rakyat parties are prepared to work from now onwards on Sarawak state.
There was a swing of some 6.4% of the Chinese voters from 63% to 69.4% (there would have been a greater swing to probably 75% if not for the Najib factor).
There was interestingly a 2.7% increase of Malay/Melanau vote for Ho Leng as compared to 2008.
The SUPP/BN campaign in the Sibu by-election was most successful in locking up the Iban long houses with the twin politics of money and intimidation, resulting in the DAP/PR candidate suffering a marginal loss of 2.6% of Iban votes.
However, the favourable support the DAP/PR campaign received among both Iban and Melanau/Malay voters demonstrated that both the Iban and Melanau/Malay constituencies are fertile grounds for making inroads for the forthcoming Sarawak state and federal elections.