Frustrated ‘fixed deposits’ look to DAP?

Fifteen years ago, the number of Muslim Bumiputra members in DAP in Sandakan could virtually be counted on the fingers of one hand, but this is changing.

KOTA KINABALU: The Muslim community in Sabah, long seen as the bastion of Umno, may be more flexible politically that commonly assumed.

The community considered as the “fixed deposit’ of ruling Umno-led Barisan Nasional and said to be the poorest in the country, is showing indications of political awakening.

The glimmer of hope that their grouses will be heard after decades of neglect and their support at every election being taken for granted comes following dialogues with the opposition.

According to Sabah DAP leaders in the past the Muslim and Bumiputra community often felt they had no choice over who they should support but this view, they believe, is changing.

DAP Tanjung Papat division chairman Poon Ming Fung said that in talks he had with members of the community they had articulated their dissatisfaction with the status quo (Barisan Nasional).

Poon said the community told him that they were more often than not ignored by the government who took on an attitude “we know best.”

He said several members in the community had spoke about the hardship and exorbitant costs of educating their children, the high cost of living and difficulty in finding rewarding employment in Sabah.

What Pung found worthy of note was the fact that the community had chosen to voice their grievances to DAP representatives in the kampungs.

“Hardly anything is done in the villages. What can be seen as development is how contracts have been parceled out to turn the shabby wooden walkways into concrete ones..

“They complain that their MPs hardly visit the kampungs and their state representative drop in only once every five years or during fasting month,” Poon said.

Venting frustrations

Many of them are struggling to earn a living, having no marketable skills other than driving taxis. Many also complained that they have not received the government aid that has been trumpeted in the media.
Poon said this dissatisfaction has turned the once diehard local community leaders particularly those in urban areas to vent their frustration to the opposition.

Weighing-in these little changes in perception over DAP, Poon feels the opposition has a good chance in wresting the Tanjung Papat and Elopura state seats from BN in the next elections after narrowly missing out in the 13th General Elections.

Both Tanjung Papat and Elopura are state seats within the Sandakan Parliamentary constituency. In the recent GE13, DAP wrested the Sandakan seat from LDP-BN’s V.K. Liew.

The Sandakan Parliamentary constituency though considered a Chinese-majority seat is witnessing a gradual change in its voting population and observers have questioned if the same anti-BN sentiment will be seen in the next elections.

For the opposition to have any prospect of making further inroads in Sandakan, the Muslim-Bumiputra vote is seen as crucial.

While the opposition failed this time in Tanjung Papat and Elopura State the party has bagged the Sandakan parliamentary constituency four times – 1978, 1982, 1986 and 2013.

An opposition candidate was also primed to win the seat in 1990 but lost out after PBS pulled out of BN less than one week before the poll and became part of the opposition.

This was the same year PBS, riding on a wave of anti-federal and BN sentiment overthrew the longstanding DAP parliamentary candidates in Gaya, Tanjung Aru, and Tawau.

Unfulfilled promises

Fifteen years ago, the number of Muslim Bumiputra members in DAP in Sandakan could virtually be counted on the fingers of one hand.

But that has changed today with their membership swelling to about 1,400 in the Sandakan parliamentary constituency and this figure is expected to increase.

Back then, the Bumiputra community saw DAP as incompatible with their views due to its domination by the Chinese community.

This perception has changed over the years.

There are now four Malay branches in Sandakan parliamentary area and the party’s leaders are anticipating more will abandon Umno and other BN component parties in the not too distant future.

The party’s Kg Sim Sim Jambatan 13 and Kg Melayu Bumiputera Berhala Darat Jambatan 15 branch heads, Dayang Zubaidah Haji Datu Tahir and Awang Jaidin Damit respectively agreed that many Muslim Bumiputras in Sandakan felt they have been let down by Umno and BN leaders.

“They have had enough with the unfulfilled promises,” explained Awang Jaidin.

Cyril Lim