S'WAK POLLS | LIVE BLOG DAY 5 The battle for Sarawak continues today, and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is taking the fight to the north of the state.
Najib, together with Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, will both touch down at Miri airport today and head off in separate directions.
Najib will be heading to Lawas, Marudi and Lambir, while Zahid will be in Long Lama, before campaigning at night in Miri town.
Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem, a popular figure, will head to Batu Kawah to campaign for SUPP president Sim Kui Hian.
Meanwhile PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is also back in Kuching today for a two day tour of duty.
Follow our LIVE BLOG as the Malaysiakini team in Sarawak brings you the news as it takes place.
10.45pm - Batu Kawah, Kuching – Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem tells the crowd that he's not 'white hair', noting that the name was disliked by the Chinese community.
"I know last time many Chinese do not like BN (but) this is Adenan, not 'white hair'. I am my own man.
"The only thing is I have a good relationship with 'white hair'. Now he is governor but he doesn't tell me what to do.
"He said, now you are the chief minister of Sarawak, you do it your way," he says.
The Chinese community used to describe Adenan's predecessor Muhammad Taib Mahmud as 'Pek Moh' in the Hokkien dialect, meaning 'white hair'.
‘Sweet as honey Adenan has forked tongue’
10pm – Padawan, Kuching – DAP candidate for Batu Kitang Abdul Aziz Isa is asking voters "not to be afraid" to reject BN.
Describing state BN as corrupt regime, Abdul Aziz tells a cheering audience that "2016 will bring real change" if voters signal they reject BN's "politics of cronyism and racialism".
The crowd has swelled to over a thousand in anticipation of the DAP candidate.
Abdul Aziz condemns chief minister Adenan Satem: "Adenan’s words are sweet as honey but you don't realise he has the forked tongue of a lying snake."
Abdul Aziz says Adenan answers to "his master, the white-haired devil", referring to Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud. Abdul Aziz is Taib's grand-nephew.
He describes SUPP chief Dr Sim Kui Hian as being a "stooge" of Adenan’s, after accepting the allocation of 13 seats instead of the 21 wanted by the party.
Meanwhile, Bagan Dalam state assemblyperson A Tanaskharan, during his speech, calls Adenan a coward for restricting Lim Guan Eng's stay in Sarawak to May 5.
"Didn't he say Lim was well-behaved? He's afraid of DAP. That's the truth," he says.
Zahid praises Pujut candidate
10pm - Miri – Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi showered praise on BN Pujut candidate Hii King Chiong tonight, saying the businessman would help anyone regardless of race and religion.
"I have known Hii for a long time, but I lost to him because of his sideburns; I can't grow mine," Zahid quipped.
Hii has prominent sideburns, reminiscent of a middle-aged version of Marvel comics character Wolverine.
Zahid then warned that if Hii doesn't perform after the elections, he would not have a second chance at contesting in the next state polls.
Dancing to the 'Ubah' beat
9pm - Pelawan, Sibu – A thousand-strong crowd are in excitement as they follow Ubah Warrior mascot, which makes its debut appearance today, dancing to a song.
The event is located at a car park at Medan Mall. This is also the largest crowd since DAP started organising its ceramah after nomination day.
They waved and swayed to the rhythm of ‘Tak Nak BN’, DAP's Malay campaign song for this year’s Sarawak state poll.
A number of organisers came in front of the crowd to show them the steps, including Oscar Ling Chai Yew who led the dance with the Ubah Warrior.
This is followed by ‘Ubah Gangnam Style’, an adapted version of South Korean pop star Psy’s hit ‘Oppa Gangnam Style’.
After failing to Skype with its Peninsular leaders on the first day of the campaign period, this time, DAP managed to livestream national vice-chairperson and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok's speech, with clear audio and image.
Adenan takes crowd by storm
8.30pm - Batu Kawah, Kuching – SUPP is attracting a strong crowd of 2,000 people at its ceramah at Kuching City Mall, held in support of candidate Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The fun-filled political rally sees several music performances before the speeches start.
Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem joins in the merriment as he serenades the crowd with Elvis Presley's 'Can't help falling in love'. The excited crowd cheers him on.
The 72-year-old Adenan then sings 'The young ones' by Cliff Richard as the crowd dances to the tune.
In his speech, the state BN chief stresses that the Chinese are not 'pendatang', but are Malaysian citizens.
'I am Adenan Satem. I don't want the Chinese to be called 'pendatang' in Sarawak,' he tells the audience.
He questions why the Chinese community can be called migrants when they grow up, build a family, and live and die in the state.
'In Sarawak, you can't say (you're from) China; you are the children of Sarawak. You are Malaysians, (and the) children of Sarawak," he says, to loud applause.
#SarawakElection Batu Kawah: #AdenanSatem serenades Kuching folk with 'Can't Help Falling In Love' during SUPP rally pic.twitter.com/TuH3iNzOr1
— malaysiakini.com (@malaysiakini) April 29, 2016
Chiew: The enemy is BN
8pm - Padawan, Kuching – DAP candidate for Batu Kawah Christina Chiew tells voters that the BN candidate in neighbouring Batu Kitang Lo Khere Chiang, who is Padawan municipal council chairperson, should quit his post before contesting.
She claims that Lo had failed to maintain the upkeep of the town.
"Don't forget who the enemy is. It is BN. Do not give be the enemy a chance to take advantage of you," Chiew tells an audience of 300 who stood under a light drizzle.
Meanwhile, state DAP leader Chong Chieng Jen says the support of Sarawak MPs has protected the BN coalition from collapsing.
"Sarawak BN MPs agreed to GST (Goods and Services Tax). Out of 134 BN MPs, 25 MPs from Sarawak agreed to GST. These MPs have supported (Prime Minister) Najib Abdul Razak and will continue to support him. Without Sarawak, Umno would be the opposition today.
"Despite the multiple investigations into why a prime minister has US$700 million in his account, Najib remains invincible.
"And Sarawak BN MPs must share the blame. Do not say this is not a Sarawak issue. The ringgit has dropped only because of corruption," Chong says.
Kit Siang: Adenan as CM or not, vote opposition
7pm - Repok, Sarikei – DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang in a ceramah ticks off federal minister Salleh Keruak for saying that his admission that Adenan Satem will still be chief minister after the election meant that voting for the opposition was a waste.
Lim says if this were true, the tiny opposition when he first joined politics would not grow to what it is today.
He emphasises the need for voters to vote the opposition to ensure there will be effective check and balance against Adenan.
"For the past 50 years that I have been in Malaysian politics, while I started and continued my role in Parliament, at times as virtually a tiny opposition, I had continued to call on voters to support the opposition until it could grow into a powerful force capable of providing an alternative to the Government of the day.
"If I had said what Salleh claimed I had said, i would be repudiating my life work for 50 years," he says.
23 reports under investigation for various offences
3.54pm: Kuching – Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar confirms that police – since nomination day – have received 32 reports, with 23 being investigated.
“Among the cases being investigated are for destroying posters, taking down flags, an incident where a car was broken into and money was stolen as well as a case involving a fight,” Khalid tells reporters outside the Darul Ibadah mosque in Kuching.
The other cases, says Khalid, are related to offences under the Elections Act which will be investigated by the Election Commission (EC).
The top cop also said that no arrests have been made.
On another matter, Khalid confirms that the four Malaysia nationals, who were abducted by armed men in the waters off Semporna, Sabah, are still alive.
He, however, declines to elaborate further due to safety concerns.
“All the victims are still alive. I will not elaborate further as it’s still under investigation but I want to state that we are taking the necessary steps to obtain their freedom.”
The four Malaysians – Wong Teck Pang, Wong Teck Chi, Wong Hung Song and Lau Jung Hien – were abducted earlier this month.
PAS lodges report on missing banners
11am: Miri - PAS has lodged a police after one of its election billboards and supporting flags and banners disappeared in Lambir yesterday.
Their Lambir candidate Arifiriazul Paijo says he's unsure if foul play was involved in the Kampung Beraya incident.
"Maybe it was because of a storm, but normally after a storm the banners don't go missing. God knows," he says at a press conference in Miri town.
Azmin gets - for three days only
11.10am: Kuching – PKR deputy Azmin Ali has managed to enter the state amidst an incessant ban on opposition leaders and activists, but has been given only three days’ stay.
“Sarawak Immigration has asked me to leave Sarawak on May 2. Whose orders are these?” ask Azmin on Twitter.
Imigresen Sarawak mengarahkan saya keluar dari Sarawak pada 2 Mei 2016. Arahan siapa ? pic.twitter.com/g64kA1qsLV
— Mohamed Azmin Ali (@AzminAli) April 29, 2016
Salleh Said Keruak: Don't waste votes on opposition
10am: Kanowit - Minister of Communications and Multimedia Salleh Said Keruak says voters should not waste their votes on opposition or independent candidates since DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has admitted BN would win the state polls.
"This endorsement by Kit Siang indicates that the DAP acknowledges the solid support from the people to BN.
“So why waste your votes on a political party or even a loose group that cannot form the next government?," Bernama reports him saying at a meet-the-people session in the Fung Chin Kung temple in Pedai near Kanowit yesterday.
He adds the opposition has been infighting and “they will not be in a position to form a strong or stable government even if they won."
"There is no need for DAP to urge Sarawakians to change the government as it is already in good hands," he adds.
9.35am: Caretaker Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem says PKR leaders Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nurul Izzah Anwar should ask him politely if both mother and daughter want to enter the state.
According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT) he says he will consider if Wan Azizah ask for permission to enter the state.
“I think she’s a very nice person, except that she belongs to the wrong party," Adenan is reported saying at a press conference last night.
“Same goes with Nurul Izzah. Yes, she’s banned. But if she asks to come politely, and acknowledges our right, I will consider the matter,” he adds.
Nurul Izzah was barred from entering the Borneo state together with a dozens of politicians and activists in the run up to the state polls.
Wong Soon Koh: DAP poses biggest threat
9.30am: Sibu - BN direct candidate in Bawang Assan Wong Soon Koh, who faces a five-cornered fight, says his main rival in defending the seat is DAP candidate Stanley Chiew.
“Although DAP fields a new face in Bawang Assan, DAP’s strength lies in its hardcore and loyal supporters, who only recognise the symbol of the rocket," he is quoted saying in Borneo Post today.
“The identity of DAP’s candidate is not an issue for them. It is the hardcore supporters of the party that we need to face,” he says.
Wong says he is not concerned with other rivals from State Reform Party (Star) Wong Sing Wei and two Independent candidates Watson Bangau and Yeu Bang Keng.
Watsan, who is also the former Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member, was sacked for contesting in the state seat against party orders.
Wong says he is not threatened, as Watson has been absent from the Bawang Assan area for a long time.
Azmin: Something in the air, and it's not haze
9.15am: Kuching – PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is on his way to Kuching, and says his party members have been well behaved during the campaign thus far.
“In these last few trying days, they have maintained the utmost discipline and decorum in speech and conduct and I truly take my hat off to all of them.
“I am going to Sarawak to drink in more of that spirit of conviction and courage to fight for that freedom – freedom from oppression, from exploitation and from decades of victimisation.
I am fortified by the strength, the stamina and that capacity to go the extra mile in this fight. Something is in the air – and it’s not the haze.
“The people of Sarawak are ready. Our leaders are raring to go into the ring,” says Azmin in a statement.
Adenan woos Chinese with promise of deputy CM
8.54am: Kuching – Adenan lures Chinese voters with a promise of a Chinese deputy chief minister, according to The Borneo Post today.
“Of course, that is if the people want to be in the government, the only way to do this is to vote for SUPP.
“If you do not want it, you vote DAP. If you want it, you vote SUPP," he is reported saying.
Meanwhile on the opposition’s claims of land grab, the CM says the Land and Survey Department had paid out RM1.67 billion in compensation to landowners for their acquired land as of March this year.
He adds 42,508 hectares of land was acquired for public purposes such as schools, community halls, hospitals, clinics, drainage, government offices and mosques, reports the Borneo daily.
The department had issued land titles to 217,544 lots under Section 18 of the Land Code and 413,519 lots under Section 13 of the same code.
“As far as the perimeter survey is concerned, we have gazetted 373 areas covering 538,945 hectares out of the total 465 areas covering 748,167 hectares surveyed.
“Figures do not lie, and the opposition did not talk about these figures,” Borneo Post reports Adenan saying.
