By Hafiz Noor Shams
April 15, 2011
APRIL 15 — There is a common denominator to any kind of respectable democratic system. The side with the most votes generally wins. There lies the importance of inclusive politics in a diverse society typical in Malaysia.
It is not enough to appeal to only one specific community in a competitive democracy as a whole. There is always an extra vote somewhere outside of the community that can make a difference. The communal divides have to be crossed just because those who fail will lose the democratic competition.
One of those divides in this country is language. There is no doubt that this divide exists in Kuching.
I have been in the Sarawak capital for nearly two weeks now and I have been trailing the state election campaigns of the DAP very closely. This gives me the opportunity to observe the party’s strategies and operations firsthand with respect to the election.
Kuching of the south bank — Padungan, Pending, Kota Sentosa and Batu Kawa — are Chinese-majority areas. In two of those areas, the Chinese make up no less than 90 per cent of the total voters.
At the same time, it is inevitable for an impartial observer to conclude that the DAP is primarily a Chinese-based party. It is ethnically more diverse than any other political parties in Malaysia, with the exception of its Pakatan Rakyat partner PKR.
That does not negate its Chinese characteristic, however. This statement cannot be any further than the truth in Kuching, where its active membership reflects the demography of the city.
The composition of Kuching makes it only natural for Chinese to function as the primary language in the city. It is not a wonder that the DAP had used only Chinese for its political communication here in the past. There were not too many reasons for the local chapter to change.
While Kuching is so, the overall situation in Malaysia is more diverse. For a party with national aspirations, it has to widen its appeal beyond the Chinese community. It has to face the Malaysian diversity.
Continued reliance of the DAP on a single community that is also shrinking in terms of percentages will have the party boxing itself in a corner and eventually lose the democratic game at the national level.
The DAP knows this and the party is addressing it. Kuching is a perfect example of the party’s try at inclusive politics.
The impression I get so far is that there is a remarkable swing against the Barisan Nasional government here in urban Kuching. Local reception to the DAP’s political rallies in the city has been impressive.
In Sibu and Miri, news of more impressive turnouts was reported. Donations to the DAP meanwhile skyrocketed.
In stark contrast, the rallies of the SUPP have yet to make a mark. It is no exaggeration that the SUPP is lagging badly. The BN component party that is an MCA of Sarawak — the DAP’s foremost rival in the state — faces the possibility of becoming as irrelevant as the MIC, Gerakan and PPP.
With the big swing, Chinese votes alone could possibly guarantee the DAP seats in Kuching’s south bank. Yet, the party is not merely focusing on Chinese votes. It is trying to be inclusive.
For the first time in Kuching, the political messages of the DAP are done in languages other than Chinese. The English, Malay and Iban languages are now being used more widely in its pamphlets and posters.
Concurrently, the party is penetrating Bidayuh and Malay villages on the outskirts of Kuching for the first time ever. These areas were hostile to the DAP previously. This hostility, or perceived hostility, is absent today. Taib Mahmud and his allies are such a lightning rod that there is no anger left for anybody else.
Quite clearly, the situation is just right to grease the advance of the DAP’s inclusive initiatives.
The level of support for the DAP in Kuching has been tremendous so far. Members and volunteers of the DAP are showing exuberant confidence. It is hard not to.
In some small pockets within the DAP, however, there is a call for caution. Whether those supports will translate into actual votes will only be known after the polls close tomorrow.
After a tiring day campaigning criss-crossing Kuching from the relatively modern Batu Kawa shops and to the ill-equipped Kampung Tematu, a high-ranking DAP member sighed with face in his hands, saying: “I hope these efforts with the Bidayuh work.”
It would be a shame for the DAP to lose. Even if it loses though, at least the act of reaching out itself is a brilliant beginning. It is not just a brilliant beginning for Kuching or Sarawak, and not just for the DAP itself. It is simply excellent for Malaysia.
#1 by hallo on Friday, 15 April 2011 - 2:39 pm
The moments have come
For those Justice, Righteous, people out there in Sarawak
We must believe Malaysia should be a land of JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUS, FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS
For the first time the moment of glory CHANGE / UBAH have waited over 30 years, have come to the shore of SARAWAK, people of SARAWAK have a chance to make into MALAYSIA History to turn the VOTE into JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS, to stop the Injustice in our land from the corrupted politicians, continue to rob our native lands, continue to steal our tax money, continue to cheat us into believing their empty promises LIES
We must stretch across all the corners from far to near, from sea to mountains VOICE OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS, your family, your friends, your brothers and sisters, from young to old
To send a message across all the corners we are already to UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE
OUR LAND MALAYSIA will always be JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS, FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS
It is the dream of all righteous Malaysians for so long over 50 years who have been cheated by so many corrupted politician liars
On 16 April, we can achieve to put our hands on the MALAYSIA HISTORY and make a brighter future for all MALAYSIANS
They have waited LONG TIME, on the 16 April because of your determined of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS, what you did VOTE FOR CHANGE, the moment of CHANGE have come to Malaysia for a brighter future
We have seen the CHANGE in our industrial states SELANGOR and PENANG, these two states are our most advance industrial states in Malaysia, the people out there are highly educated and high income, they were brave to elected the PAKATAN RAKYAT (opposition) to rendered their leaders courage, justice and selfless government administration
We should thank to PAKATAN RAKYAT (opposition) leaders their brave, tireless, selfless to campaigned from their hearts, spoken to Sarawak people from urban to rural, for the love of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS, for the crying voices of helpless poor natives in loss of their ancestor lands, we should grateful to them
The Malaysia History of CHANGE would not be happen without the SARAWAK people love of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS
All Malaysians will never forget, the victory of CHANGE of Malaysia History will belong to SARAWAK people, UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE
And we Malaysians know you did it not just to win a state election, you did it because you want to bring JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS to all Malaysians
You did it because you understand Malaysia is urgently need a justice, selfless and fairness government administrators
There are people in rural lives without water and electricity without job, without income and wonder how they going to feed their children tomorrow and worst their ancestor land have robbed by corrupted politicians
There are new jobs need to be created, there are new roads need to build, there are new schools need to build
The job ahead will be long not within a year or a term, but the PAKATAN RAKYAT (opposition) promise to get you there
They (PAKATAN RAKYAT) will be honest along the road ahead, and listen to you when you disagree.
They (PAKATAN RAKYAT) will be fairness, justice and selfless to work with you, ask you to build with them the works of the state, roads by roads, bricks by bricks, hands by hands
The UBAH/VOTE FOR CHANGE is the only chance to offer us to bring a HOPE of JUSTICE, SELFLESS government administrators to Malaysia
It will NOT happen if we continue vote the corrupted politicians as the government administrators
It will not happen without you, without your brave, without your courage, without your VOTE FOR CHANGE
Let call up patriotism love of JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUS among the people near you and friends, from the sea to mountain, not for just to vote ourselves but VOTE for a BRIGHTER FUTURE for each other for a JUSTICE, SELFLESS governors
Let’s us resist the temptation of the CORRUPTED POLITICIANS empty promises to fall back with their lies that has poisoned us for over 30 years
Let’s the Malaysia History remember, it was the people of SARAWAK carried UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE as the voice raised against the corrupted politicians, it will be the VOICE called out to free Malaysians from the corrupted politicians
Make the world believe that Malaysia can UBAH/CHANGE, can be perfect.
What we UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE can give us HOPE of the BRIGHTER FUTURE for many generations to come in Sarawak and Malaysia.
Let’s the 10th Sarawak election will be told for many generations to come that the people of SARAWAK cast their ballot in 16 April 2011 they stood up as one voice to make their voices in this election to be heard for one thing UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE
The voice of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS was silence and dismissed by the corrupted politicians many years. We shall stand up let the voice to speak out and reach for the ballot.
Yes, we can UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE
The world saw the people of SARAWAK conquer FEAR and TEMPTATION from corrupted poltician governors for a new bright future of UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE for a JUSTICE, SELFLESS governors PAKATAN RAKYAT(opposition)
On 16 April, when you are casting you vote, you know you can UBAH VOTE FOR CHANGE for a JUSTICE and RIGTHEOUS a BRIGHTER FUTURE for your children, your family, your friends and all the people in Malaysia,
On 16 April, will be our chance to answer that call voice of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS,
It will be our moment to cast our vote to answer our dream of a land for Malaysia JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS, FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS, for a JUSTICE, SELFLESS government administrators.
To free ourselves from the corrupted politicians, open the doors of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS for our children, to reclaim our ancestor dream of PEACE, JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS for SARAWAK and MALAYSIA.
Yes. We can UBAH … VOTE FOR CHANGE
—————————-
Hope this voice can reach from shore to mountain
Feel free to spread this voice
Glory GOD JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUS
#2 by balance88 on Friday, 15 April 2011 - 4:03 pm
For the sake of Malaysians, Sarawakians, please vote them out and change. Words like justice, rights, corruption are common language.
Malaysia is a land where criminals are rewarded. Just think:
Traffic offenders who don’t pay summons gets rewarded with discounts while law abiding citizens who pay promptly are not.
With a population of over 20m people, the govt make up maybe say, 10% of the total population are corrupted to the core and yet the other millions reward them by voting them into power every election.
Why are the majority millions afraid of the minority hundreds?
Datuks who screen pornographic materials are not apprehended immediately. There are 2 set of laws in this country depending on where you stand on the political aisle.
The choice of vote is really quite simple. Vote out the corrupt and injustices and vote in the righteous. Voters have been taken for granted for decades and suckered into pre-election promises.
THis time, please send a message that enough is enough.
#3 by dcasey on Friday, 15 April 2011 - 4:25 pm
Yes, there’s no doubt about it, the right strategy for the DAP is its image of “inclusiveness”. Like a Multi National Corporation, it must project a brand or “calling” that has no racial borders or limitations. This “inclusiveness” must be made appealing to all races, even as a stand-alone and not just to be seen as being under the umbrella of the Pakatan brand. Good luck to DAP and Pakatan tomorrow. God speed.