Election posters along Sarawak countryside

Travelling to Kuching from Bintulu by way of the Pan-Borneo Highway today, I came across posters that were erected along the remote Sarawak countryside. The 10th Sarawak State Elections results over a one day polling ( Saturday, 16 April) were announced the same day. Out of 71 seats contested the ruling BN party ( Barisan Nasional) garnered 55 seats, DAP ( Democratic Action Party) - 12 seats, PKR ( Parti Keadilan Rakyat) - 3 and Independent - 1 . With more than two -thirds majority, the ruling party continues to control the State Legislative Assembly which would allow it to institute legislative changes and policies involving the administration of the state of Sarawak during the next five years tenure. The BN posters above were seen at the rest area just outside the town of Betong on the Pan- Borneo Highway. Betong is roughly a three and a half hours drive to Kuching - the capital of Sarawak. The pyramidal structure evokes a sense of achievement by building political power from a broad base of ground support and culminating in the apex of political power housed in the august State Legislative Assembly building in the capital city of Kuching.

Ali's posters stood firm on scaffolding pillars. Ali Biju's use of BS scaffolding ( British Standard) remains unique so far because it has set a high standard for advertising structure in remote Sarawak!!

Ali won the stiff fight on the opposition ticket (PKR) in the N.34 Krian seat, beating the BN incumbent Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie. Krian is an exclusively ethnic Iban enclave.

Note: For an in-depth analysis of the election results please go here.

Images of Bintulu Today

Sarawak's 10th State Elections have brought in much fiesta of posters in Bintulu town. The Bintulu division is divided into three constituencies namely N58 Jepak, N59 Kidurong and N60 Kemena. ( N is short for 'Negeri' ( Malay) to mean 'state'. For this 10th state election there are a total of 71 constituencies. The one day voting period will be held this coming Saturday, 16 April. Moving around town today, I caught some glimpses of the respective parties posters.

In the above poster, any layman can understand the message. In the cartoon , the opposition parties from West Malaysia viz PAS , DAP and PKR are characterised as sharks that are bound to 'eat up' the prized land of Sarawak. Sabah - a sisterly northern neighbour as shown in the cartoon has unfortunately become the spoils of these hungry sharks. Will Sarawak be next?

Jalil - PKR ( Parti Keadilan Rakyat) candidate's poster promises 'Change' by giving back the rights of the local natives whose customary lands have been parcelled out, bulldozed or cleared and given away to powerful tycoons related to Taib - the Chief Minister of Sarawak who drives the bulldozer on behalf of the vested business groups as shown in the cartoon.

Kudus- an independent candidate uses the Bintulu Melanau language to attract voters from the predominantly local Melanau, Malay and Kedayan communities of N58 Jepak constituency.

BN's ( Barisan Nasional) - the ruling party's posters capitalise on the image of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The message is cold and calculated (like the official blue colours) :- Vote BN for prosperity.

DAP's ( Democratic Action Party) subtle message is seen in a happy hornbill with chest and tails enamoured in the opposition party's official colours. Sarawak is called the 'Land of the Hornbills' and DAP's choice of a young smiling hornbill bird should ring popular among young voters. Will Sarawak be better under the wings of DAP....it's for the voters to decide.

My Sarawak takes a break

My Sarawak takes a break for this week as I'm on a trip to Kuala Lumpur.

See you all again back at Bintulu next week.