FREE DAY 4 What's happening in the state election campaigns around Sarawak today? Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place.
9am: A 'Day of Rage' planned by anonymous organisers on Facebook to protest against Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's never-ending tenure fails to materialse today.
Not a single person can be spotted at Padang Merdeka in
Kuching
where the protest, in imitation of the uprising in Egypt and Tunisia, was scheduled to take place at 10am.
There are also no police personnel, usually expected in anticipation of street demonstrations.
Kuala Lumpur-based social activist Wong Chin Huat was expected to attend the protest but has been barred entry into Sarawak yesterday.
Wong has posted a video statement on Youtube .
9.05am:
Limbang DAP applauds the high efficiency of the Election Commission (EC) for taking down BN posters featuring Prime Minister Najib Razak and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud in the constituency, after DAP’s complaint yesterday.
Limbang DAP election director Thomas Su explains that it is wrong for BN to put up Najib and Taib's posters as they are not the candidates for Bukit Kota, that falls under the Limbang parliamentary seat.
"This morning we found out all posters had been removed. We would like to compliment the high efficiency of the EC," he says in a statement.
9.45pm:
A billboard for the SUPP Padungan candidate Sim Kiang Chiok, situated in front of a low cost flat in Padungan, is found splashed with red paint.
Sim is contesting in a 3 cornered fight in Padungan with incumbent Dominique Ng and DAP newbie Wong King Wei.
10.30am: BN has advertised three full pages in local best selling English newspaper Borneo Post, pledging that they will ensure "a better future for all".
The advertisement focuses on three areas: rural development, urban development and human capital and promises that Sarawakians will enjoy a balanced growth and high income.
10.40am: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin proceeds from Sibu to Bintulu this morning, on the second day of his visit to the state.
He opens a preschool centre of the the Sarawak Economic Development corporation at a longhouse in Sait ak Jaya before touring Bintulu town.
Muhyiddin heads to Bintulu sub-district Sebauh and then Lambir in Miri by helicopter to meet the residents. He is accompanied by State Assistant Tourism Minister Talib Zulpilip.
Muhyiddin is due to return to Kuala Lumpur this evening.
11am: The venue for the 'Day of Rage' in Kuching is still empty. Some say the event may have been postponed to Apr 16 (polling day).
While In Sibu transport minister Kong Cho Ha visits Sibu airport’s RM130 million expansion project, and denies SUPP’s statement that the federal government had once put the brakes on the project and nearly transferred the funds allocation to Mukah due to BN’s Sibu by-election defeat last year.
Kong (
photo, second from right
) says the federal government does not do such things, regardless of poor election results.
With him are incumbent SUPP Sarawak minister and Bawang Assan candidate Wong Soon Koh, Dudong candidate Tiong thai King and SUPP Sibu branch assistant secretary Lau Hui Yew.
Wong had made the statement few days ago on the slowing of funds for the airport project. In response to Kong’s present denial, Wong turns to speak to Lau.
Lau then clarifies that after the Sibu by-election Najib had expressed disappointment, and said he might reconsider the airport project, and that the project “may be” slowed down.
Kong interceded saying the project is ahead of schedule and should be completed by Sept 2012.
11.50am: In Kuching, the DAP campaign team warns supporters not to be over-optimistic and complacent because of big numbers recorded at their ceramah.
DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua (
photo, far left
) says if they take the ground support for granted, they risk losing all four seats that DAP is contesting in Kuching.
"People might feel good because of the ceramah turn out, but this will give a false picture," says Pua who is leading the Kuching campaign team.
"By right we have the upper hand, but there is a threat there."
Pua says he fears complacency may backfire on the party’s chances.
DAP is contesting Padungan, Kota Sentosa, Pending and Batu Kawah. The first three seats were won by Pakatan in the last election while BN took Batu Kawah.
11.55pm: Still at Sibu airport, Kong and Wong turn their attention to Pakatan, saying it is too early to for the opposition to announce PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian as the choice for Sarawak CM should BN fall in Sarawak.
Wong then plays down high Chinese turnout for DAP and PKR ceramah in a few Chinese majority constituencies.
He attributes the huge crowds reported to the curiosity of the locals to what the peninsular politicians had to say.
He claimed Sibu fell to DAP as the people were "shocked" by the sudden deluge of opposition leaders from the West, but that people are now used to this.
"What they said is nothing new, and I hope the voters would think twice before casting their ballot," he added.
When asked if SUPP will likewise call on their peninsular partners, he mentioned Kong and Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Koh Tsu Koon.
12.15pm: Still at Sibu airport, the SUPP Bawang Assan candidate Wong, who said yesterday that Najib was reluctant to come to Sibu out of disappointment over the earlier by-election defeat, now tells reporters that the PM despite his disappointment will be arriving by Apr 13 or 14.
1pm: PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim holds a ceramah in Sebauh (DUN Kemena), followed by one in Tatau (DUN Kakus) at 5pm and Taman Seaview (DUN Jepak), Restoran 96 (DUN Kidurong) and Kampong Jepak (DUN Jepak) in Bintulu from 8pm onwards.
6pm: DAP Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching admits that the situation is rather precarious for DAP Meradong candidate Ting Tze Fui.
"SPDP is going all out in Meradong. Buaya (crocodiles) from Bintulu are swimming here too. Our situation is not good. So Tze Fui fans, please act!" she tweeted.
The post was a response to a 'fan' on Twitter complimenting a billboard of Ting recently erected there.
On the billboard, the sweet-faced incumbent candidate is photographed cuddling DAP's Sarawak polls mascot Ubah.
She is one of DAP's four young female candidates nicknamed the 'beauty assassins'.
7pm: Along the one-hour road from Sri Aman to Betong, PKR candidates' posters are still nowhere to be seen. Only PKR flags are flying along the road. On the contrary, BN candidates' posters are seen at every bus stop and on billboards at every junction.
According to PKR vice-president Fuziah Salleh yesterday, the posters were being delivered statewide from Kuching since yesterday afternoon.
7
.45pm:
In Kuching, an estimated crowd of 1,000 has gathered at a vacant lot near the roundabout with the famous cat statue for a DAP ceramah despite the absence of top national opposition leaders.
A total of four opposition ceramah are being held in the Kuching area - three by DAP and one by PKR.
The Pakatan Rakyat candidates for five seats - Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Kota Sentosa and Batu Kawah - are scheduled to circulate through all five venues tonight.
Meanwhile BN’s five Kuching contenders are at a forum to discuss Pakatan Rakyat’s policies.
8pm: DAP’s Teo Nie Ching has tweeted that the police has suddenly revoked one of DAP’s ceramah permits in Kuching.
“The police are on the way to disperse people now. Ubah is angry!” read her tweet.
8.02pm: In Kuching, incumbent Pending state assemblyperson Violet Yong gets the crowd of about 1,000 to sing her modified version of Grasshopper's "Bao Bei Dui Bu Qi", in which the chorus goes "If Pai Mao (Taib) doesn't dao (fall), the people will eat cao (grass)". [Watch video]
8.06pm: In Sibu, the DAP ceramah in Kg Dato sees a strong crowd of 600. The ceramah kicks off with a rendition of the Sarawak state anthem.
This is followed by Selangor senior exco Teresa Kok making a fiery speech against the wrongdoings of Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Kg Dato is a Malay area located under Bawang Assan state constituency. It is a SUPP stronghold where the incumbent state minister Wong Soon Koh is contesting his fifth term.
DAP Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng is to be the main speaker tonight.
.10pm:
It begins to drizzle in Sibu. However, the crowd appears well-prepared and many people came with umbrellas.
Teresa Kok has just finished her speech. She rushes off to Sarikei, which is an hour drive from Sibu town.
DAP is contesting Meradong and Repok state seats, both under the Sarikei parliamentary seat.
8.15pm:
In another part of Sibu, SUPP ceramah at Jalan Pedada attracted around 250 people.
Expected speakers include Dudong candidate Tiong Thai King, Bukit Assek candidate Chieng Buong Toon and Sibu Municipal Council deputy chairman Daniel Ngieng.
Between the speakers, the emcee also showed an advertisement billboard in Jawi in Kelantan and Kedah, and warned the crowd about the danger of Islamic state.
As Sibu starts drizzle, some of those in the crowd seek shelter in the ‘kaki lima’ (sidewalks) of shophouses nearby.
8.20pm: In Layar , Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim arrives at Kampung Baru Ulu Betong to campaign for PKR's candidate Stanny Embat.
He is the star speaker at tonight’s ceramah but there are only around 100 people, mostly PKR members, present.
Layar is the stronghold of deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu, who is seeking his eighth consecutive term in this state election.
Stanny says he is confident of becoming the 'giant killer'.
"The past candidates were weak but I had visited 82 longhouses since I joined PKR in 2009. I visited some of the longhouses five to six times already," said the debutant.
8.30pm: In Kuching, despite the slight drizzle, the crowd is growing at the 'Car Roundabout' in the city. It is difficult to give a estimate
because the vacant land is large.
8.50pm: In Sibu, the crowd continue to arrive at the ceramah held at Kg Dato, which is under the Bawang Assan state area. The crowd size is now estimated at 2,500.
9pm: Kuching - Despite no star speakers and the slight drizzle since 8pm, the crowd size at the DAP ceramah in Trivillion Commercial Centre has slowly climbed up to about 2,000.
There is no sign of police. The speakers scheduled to speak included four DAP candidates in the Kuching area.
9.05pm:
Kuching - The crowd in PKR Batu Lintang ceramah has grown to 300 people. PKR is using the opportunity to collect signatures of protest against price hikes.
Like the DAP ceramah across town, there is no prominent speakers tonight.
The crowd applauds when PKR Batu Lintang candidate See Chee How tells them that Pakatan Rakyat promises to set up a commission to investigate Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's wealth if it takes over government on April 16.
"In the rural areas, he is taking land in tens and thousands hectares. That's why we estimate more than 1.5 million hectares belonging to him, BN and his cronies," said the lawyer, who is known for his work to defend native customary right land.
9.45pm:
In Sibu, the crowd at the DAP ceramah has grown to around 5,000 people, many stand on the roadside to hear the speakers.
DAP national vice-chairperson Tan Kok Wai urges the voters to reject Taib Mahmud and BN.
"Although he is not the richest in the world, but I think he is the
richest in Asia. Even the Brunei sultan is envious of him."
9.53pm: In Batu Lintang , Kuching - Gopeng MP Dr Lee Boon Chye says: "I got a message, leaked from internal sources in BN, saying that BN will lose 26 seats in election.
"I still think they are overstating BN's strength. I am confident that in the interiors we can get an extra 25 seats and change the government in Sarawak."
The cardiologist said that he knows SUPP Pending candidate Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is a fellow cardiologist.
"They say he's a good man, but good men don't do evil things," he said.
9.55pm:
In
Layar
, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim showcases his achievement after taking over Selangor, including correcting the previous government's mistake in the award of water concessionaire and recovering millions of outstanding debt from BN crony companies.
"(Deputy Prime Minister) Muhyiddin (Yassin) said Pakatan Rakyat cannot govern ... actually, he should learn from me.
"Taib Mahmud can sit beside me to jot down notes, see how I do it (governing the state)," he says.
10.05pm: In Miri, thousands of people attended the DAP ceramah at the town centre, all waiting for party supremo Lim Kit Siang to speak, who is expected to be the last leader to take the podium.
DAP Rasah MP Anthony Loke claimed that the crowd has reached 10,000-strong.
This is the second night in a row that DAP leaders have claimed they have drawn an unprecedented crowd size of 10,000. Yesterday, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim
and Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng spoke at the mammoth rally.
However, observers have put the last night’s crowd at around 4,000.
10.10pm: In Kuching, Pakatan is now actively campaigning against its former assemblyperson and now Independent candidate Dominique Ng in Padungan .
At the ceramah in Batu Lintang , Gopeng MP Dr Lee Boon Chye called to constituents of Padungan (about 15 minutes drive away) who are in the audience to look beyond individuals and vote for Pakatan coalition member DAP.
"It is not about individuals but the future of the people of Sarawak," he said.
PKR has so far managed to collect RM3,200 in donations from tonight's ceramah.
11.40pm: In Bintulu, DAP Kidurong candidate Chiew Chiu Sing claimed the Pakatan ceramah at Taman Sri Gadang has attracted around 3,000 people.
"The political atmosphere is getting hotter, and the response has been overwhelming."
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is among the speakers, along with PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and PAS Kuala Krai MP Hatta Ramli.
11.50pm: In Miri, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang wrapped up the mammoth rally by claiming a record turnout of 12,000. He has set his sights on SUPP boss Dr George Chan's seat of Piasau.
"All await Piasau result - how can Peh Moh survive if George Chan perish?" he asks in a tweet posting.
