Utusan Malaysia has told Barisan Nasional (BN) to ignore the Chinese community for not supporting the ruling coalition during yesterday’s Sarawak elections.
BN’s Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) lost more than two-thirds of the 19 seats it contested in a snub by the tiny but vociferous China commuity.
In its weekend edition Mingguan Malaysia, columnist Awang Selamat stressed that re-elected Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud’s new cabinet will reflect the “reality of the ballot box.”
“The average Chinese voters have rejected BN and supported DAP. Therefore the BN state government can no longer be too generous to give place to representatives from the community. Sarawak cabinet must be reflective of the decisions and attitude of the voters.
“Clear message must be sent. Taib must show gratitude to those that supported him and BN government,” said Awang in his article “New Reality.”
The columnist, whose pseudonym is used by Utusan editors, said that BN leaders must learn from the state election when preparing for the national polls.
“Once again, the attitude of the Chinese voters is clear in rejecting BN. Awang believes that sentiment of Chinese voters in the peninsular is also the same. The reality is that after dominating the economy for so long, the Chinese community wants to have greater influence and become a dominant political force.
“The campaign to change the state government seems to only be accepted by a majority of the Chinese voters. The Bumiputera community still remains strong with BN,” Awang added.
He said that BN must formulate a new strategy without depending on the support of the Chinese voters.
Awang said the ruling coalition must not fall into a trap of granting every demands of the community if they continue to vote for DAP.
“Let the support come naturally. If the Chinese voters continue to reject BN then we should not worry as there will be a way out,” Awang said.
The columnist also said that BN can still win in the general election without the support of the Chinese community.
“What is important is to empower the voters that are already loyal supporters. We should not pursue what we cannot get. The potential for BN to win is still huge with the growing support of the Bumiputeras, Malays, Indian and other ethnic communities.
“If there is additional support from a small percentage of Chinese voters then that is a bonus. All parties must be ready with the new reality,” said Awang.
Last night BN managed to keep its two-thirds legislative majority in Sarawak but the results have shattered the coalition’s invincibility and the notion of a fixed deposit in future elections.
The DAP doubled its presence to 12 in Chinese-majority seats while PKR tripled its representation although the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lynchpin had contested in 49 seats. PAS lost in all five seats it contested while Independent George Lagong took one seat.
The number of state seats to the Opposition pact will spell danger for BN as it could help them win more parliamentary seats when the general election is called by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. PR now has 75 MPs but the Sarawak win could translate into more in the future.
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
MCA and Gerakan,what say you? Still a BN loyalist? Now you are not needed anymore so are your supporters.
ReplyDeleteNow that BN has won the election, I hope BN will fulfill their promises to the people.
ReplyDeleteThey should think what they have done wrong to lose Chinese votes instead of ignoring the fact that the Chinese don't support them anymore.
ReplyDeleteBN should treat the sarawakians equally regardless of their race. Don't let the people down.
ReplyDeleterakyat Sarawak telah membuat keputusan mereka. kerajaan harus memastikan mereka akan memberikan perkhidmatan terbaik kepada semua rakyat Sarawak.
ReplyDeleteInilah keputusan rakyat.
ReplyDeleteno, BN can't win without the support of the Chinese community..
ReplyDeleteTidak perlulah percaya dengan khabar angin seperti ini. Semua ini hanya untuk memecah belahkan rakyat Sarawak. Apa perkara yang baik kia ambil ikhtibar, tapi perkara yang buruk tidak perlu diambil paduli. Kerana tidak akan memberikan kebaikkan kepada kita.
ReplyDeleterasanya itu tidak benar. BN pasti akan adil kepada semua. Tidak kira apa bangsa sekali pun.
ReplyDeletemasing2 telah menjalankan tanggungwb dgn megundi.
ReplyDeleteBN masih lagi mendahalui undian, bermakna rakyat masih lagi percaya dengan BN untuk terus mambawa pembangunan di Sarawak.
ReplyDeleteRakyat Sarawak sudah memilih siapa yang akan memegang tampuk pemerintahan. Tidak perlu pertikaikan keputusan ini kerana ini sudah sememangnya pilihan mereka.
ReplyDeletekeputusan telah pun diketahui. semoga kerajaan yang dipilih oleh rakyat Sarawak akan menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka dengan baik terhadap semua rakyat.
ReplyDeleterakyat Sarawak sudah membuat undian mereka mengikut penilaian dan kebijaksanaan masing-masing.itu adalah hak mereka.menang,kalah adalah sesuatu yang lumrah diterima oleh parti yang bertanding.
ReplyDeleteKenapa surat khabar racist macam utusan tidak dikenakan tindakan ISA?
ReplyDeleteSaya cuma beli utusan untuk bersih taik anjing di rumah.
penilaian rakyat penting untuk isu2 sensitif macam ni. perpaduan perlu ada dalam kehidupan majmuk.
ReplyDeletedin SAPP know that Utusan has been there for so long and it takes 16 years to realise that Utusan a racist party? why they never raise such an issue in the 16 long years when they were with UMNO?
ReplyDeletekeputusan PRN Sarawak adalah atas pilihan rakyat sarawak sendiri.
ReplyDeletewalaupn BN menang dalam PRN ini, namun Bn pasti akan memerintah dgn adil, kawasan yang dimenangi pembangkang takkan diabaikan.
ReplyDeleteUtusan has always been a racist paper.
ReplyDeleteAgain Utusan is analyzing from Peninsular Malays who can't fullfill its own 1Malaysian concept, or that Sarawakian Chinese are Sarawakian first.
ReplyDeleteIgnore Utusan.
ReplyDelete