A race against time as Sarawak election campaign nears midpoint

Amid tight measures imposed by the Election Commission because of the COVID-19 situation, incumbents and new faces making up the record 349 candidates will be on a desperate dash to sway voters for the 82 constituencies at stake over the next six days left.

"It is a race against time. I know of areas where candidates have yet to cover all, especially the new faces. The urban areas aside, there are 6,000 villages with so many longhouses and these are places where the personal touch still means a lot," says Dr Jeniri Amir, Senior Fellow of the Malaysian Council of Professors.

Physical campaigning is banned in the urban areas and candidates have taken to cyberspace, using popular social media platforms and daily livestreams to spread their messages and draw attention to their track record and promises.

Ceramahs and scaled-down meet the people sessions are still allowed in 64 constituencies where internet links are poor. But the going remains tough over the rough terrain in a state that is 90 per cent the size of Peninsular Malaysia.

The election will see the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) contesting for the first time as a state coalition against a field of nine opposition parties and 30 independents. The main opposition is expected from DAP and new entrant, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) led by former state cabinet minister, Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.

GPS comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) led by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

Kuching-based businessman K.C. Sim has already decided on his choice.

"Of course lah, I know who I want to vote for, some of my friends are still unsure. I think some might not vote, they say whoever wins has nothing to do with them," he said.

Jeniri, a former Universiti Malaysia Sarawak lecturer, is of the view that many voters, especially the Chinese, have already made up their mind.

"But they can still change depending on how effective campaigns are, especially in the grassroots. People in the kampungs are straightforward, they can be influenced by chatgroups among friends and relatives," he said.

While social media is a popular tool for urban candidates, the same cannot be said in rooting for votes in villages and longhouses which can be a long way from each other.

"In areas like these, one cannot underestimate the power of traditional media and the conventional ways like distributing printed materials from house to house, the face-to-face meetings can be a big influence," said Jeniri.

He said while GPS and DAP were moving their election machinery well, PSB is proving to be very aggressive on the ground led by several seasoned politicians in the party.

In 2016, the four GPS parties were instrumental in capturing 72 of the 82 seats while DAP took seven and the remaining seats were won by PKR.

This time, GPS is standing in all 82 seats, DAP in 26 and PSB has fielded 70 candidates.