Chinese shop owners shut businesses to meet Adenan

Almost all of the 100 shops in Marudi in Miri, Sarawak, closed for two hours as shop owners gathered to meet Chief Minister Adenan Satem at a meet-the-people session yesterday.

According to a Borneo Post Online report, about 80 per cent of businesses owned by Chinese were closed from 10am to noon as the shop owners wanted to meet Adenan at the session organised by Penguang Manggil, the likely candidate of the Sarawak People’s Democratic Party (SPDP) for Marudi.


Baram Chinese Chamber of Commerce chairman Chua Sing Yong said while the chamber decided to close for the function, there was no directive for any shop keeper to do the same.

Chua said the chamber wanted to show its support for Adenan and his people-centric policies on religion, Chinese education and rural infrastructure development.

He also said they wanted to show their support for the SPDP candidate and send a message to the Barisan Nasional that the Chinese could support the ruling coalition if a good candidate was selected.

“If the BN candidate is credible, we will give 100 per cent support.

“We can stand united for a good cause,” Chua was quoted as saying.

According to Chua, the Chinese in Marudi either abstained from voting or voted for the Opposition in the 2011 election as they were unhappy with the BN candidate, a move which led to a voting turnout of less than 50 per cent.

There are some 2,000 Chinese voters in the constituency which has been incumbent Sylvester Entri Muran’s fortress for the last five terms.

Previously a member of SPDP, Entri is now a member of BN-friendly Parti Tenaga Sarawak (Teras) and is vying with Penguang for candidacy in the upcoming state election.