Political analysts today raised the alarm on a rise in the use of racist agenda in Sarawak politics following the outcome of the April 16 state election. This could well be a consequence, following the mould of Peninsular Malaysia, where politics is increasingly framed in the context of Malays and non-Malays post-2008, academicians speaking at a round table discussion on the Sarawak election, organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said.According to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) political scientist Shaharuddin Badaruddin, the outcome of the Sarawak polls shows a trend of Chinese votes moving fast away from BN. "It will continue in the next general election, and the opposition can extend this to 75 to 80 percent even.
"So, Umno and BN will make Malay and bumiputera votes the core of Malaysian politics," he said. However, Shaharuddin warned, this would be a "double-edged sword" for BN, for harping on Malay and bumiputera rights would expose its inability to safeguard matters expected by the Malay community, such as economic equity or native customary land rights of the bumiputera in Sarawak.
Further, he said, continuing to push for Malay votes would lead to greater attacks on Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, which also carried its own set of risks. "If I was speaking in front of Umno, I would say, 'Watch out when playing this game'.
"If they continue with the character assassinations, it could go back to the 1999 (general election) situation (where Malay voters turned on BN)... and if the 2008 and 1999 factors are combined, (BN) will leave Putrajaya," Shaharuddin told an audience of about 30 academicians and political science students.
DAP wearing a mask of new politics? While BN is expected to up the ante on the racial game, others, said Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's ethnic politics lecturer Nizam Sulaiman, are wary that DAP may be playing the same game as well.
"The issues they raise in their campaigns are universal and show new politics, of transparency and good governance, but we don't know if this is their true face, or if they are just exploiting the situation to gain votes. "The death (in custody) of (Customs officer Ahmad) Sarbani (Mohamad) was not raised as much as that of Teoh Beng Hock," Nizam said.
Fellow researcher from the Singapore Management University, Bridget Welsh, agreed that the outcome of the polls may bring about "troubling dynamics of polarised politics". However, Welsh said, the swing of votes pointed not just to racial factors but to economic and social class-related issues as well.
"Lots of Chinese are small-medium business owners who are not dependent on the state and are not happy with the lesser degree of access (to the economic pie). "Many Malay-Melanau work for the government and that is where they cari makan (earn a living) and if you don't vote where you cari makan, you probably will wonder whether you'll be hungry later," she said.
Nevertheless, Welsh pointed out, if one side uses the race card, the other must then find ways to communicate other larger issues with traction. "People understand inequality (although) issues of class, etc, are sometimes tough to explain and build a connection to, compared with the more familiar race issue," she said. 'Pakatan needs to trust the locals'
Both Welsh and Shaharudin agreed that PKR, and along with it the other Pakatan Rakyat members, could have won more seats if they had concentrated their efforts. PKR failed to do so because of its latent distrust of SNAP, and fears that the Dayak party may leave seats uncontested for BN, said Shaharudin.
Welsh added that building local networks and trusting local leaders could also help the peninsula-based Pakatan parties to develop greater inroads in the state. "DAP was contesting in Iban seats without having any Iban speakers at its rallies, that is madness... many Iban don't even speak Bahasa Malaysia.
"There is a lack of understanding between the Pakatan machinery from the peninsula and the local communities. "Whatever you say about BN, it knows Sarawak and this showed in the results... BN did not just win through cheating and money," said Welsh.
Shaharudin said that looking at the just-concluded Sarawak election, Pakatan could hope to win the Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Lanang, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu parliamentary seats in the coming general election.
"They also have potential in areas where they won (one of the) state seats like Saratok (where PKR won Krian) and Lawas (where PKR won Ba'Kelalan) as well as Kapit, because of Pelagus," he said. Pelagus was won by Independent candidate George Lagong.- Aidila Razak
source:malaysiakini
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