GPS Statewide Flag Rally: A Good Start to Galvanise Support

When BN Sarawak was dissolved, there were a lot of apprehensions among the component party members and supporters whether the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the successor party, would be registered in time and well before the coming state Election. Their worries were not without foundation after looking at how the previous BN government bullied Pakatan Harapan and refused to register it for the Fourteenth General Election. Alas, there was a sigh of relief, when the worst they feared did’t happend. GPS was registered in timely manner and, though I am rather confused about his political moves in Sarawak, there was reason here to thank Tun Mahathir. At least he is a gentleman in this particular instance.

Prior to this many of my friends have been wondering why GPS was so quiet, as if it was business as usual. I was at a loss on what to say, but felt confident that Abang Jo and the GPS leadership knew what they were doing. After all, they have survived all the political turmoils that happened in Sarawak in the last 50 years and, that PBB the core party actually survived in tact for that long. It has been a case of strong loyalty not only among the party members but also the electorate that consistently supported them.

The statewide flag rally that started from Lawas and culminated at the Indoor Stadium in Kuching was a momentous event that took place last week. The rally was well covered by local press showing warm reception by local crowds of all races at various stops and reached its peak at the indoor stadium which filled up to the brim with crowd of all races from all parts of Sarawak, singing and shouting for Sarawak and Sarawak Rights. Never before one could see Sarawakians openly and spontaneously expressing their love and loyalty for Sarawak.

The MA63 fever or demand for autonomy is indeed starting to catch up among the Sarawak population. The rallying cry Utamakan Sarawak or Sarawak First is starting to get wider audience in the state that used to be among the most friendly to the Federal Government. It is as though Sarawakians have just awaken after a long slumber that saw it stripped off almost everything. Probably this is the heavy price people have to pay for being too trusting, tolerant and friendly. But this is our culture. In this, I am proud to say we differ from the ways of Malaya.

Tun Mahathir’s response to the launching of GPS is as expected. He asserted that Sarawak’s backwardness was because of greed and corruption of Sarawak’s own leaders. It is the same old narative of corruption and greed, that may fit Malayan Politics very well, but here in Sarawak, it should not be a main issue any longer since Abang Jo and the late Tok Nan the Chief Minister before him, are known to be as clean as any politician can be.

Will Sarawakians be duped by Mahathir’s assertions, when his own family wealth is known as among the richest in the country. In fact, a normal extremely wealthy person, overwhelmed by his own past gossips, should feel awkward to hawk around such stories about others. Probably he knows he is addressing vulnerable young people who have no idea about Mahathir’s history and how much his family is worth.

In fact, it is the neglect by the Federal Government, including Mahathir’s administration of 22 years as PM in areas under Federal jurisdictions, namely roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, rural water, rural electricity supply and telecommunication that has caused Sarawak to fall behind Malaya in terms of development and progress. Even now, it is he who cancelled a lot of projects in Sarawak that were initiated by Najib. And I would dare say that he would have cancelled the Pan Borneo Highway project as well, had it not been too troublesome and costly to do so.

In contrast, the Sarawak state government has been doing extremely well in its own areas of jurisdiction which include cities and town development, land and forestry resources management, state Government link companies(GLCs) and state agencies like SEDC, SALCRA, Baitulmal, Pelita, Sarawak Foundation, and many more. In fact Sarawak is the only state in the country that owns huge Hydro Electric dams Bakun, Murum, Batang Air,etc. Sarawak even owns controlling interest in the Bintulu and Samalaju Ports. With these excelllent investments and management records Sarawak has managed to accumulate huge financial reserves which are being utilised for development for the benefit of Sarawakians. Hence, Utamakan Sarawak- Sarawak First is not an empty slogan.

Yet, a campaign slogan by itself will not be enough to counter agressive campaigns by Malayan based political parties like DAP, PKR and the rest of them. GPS should be prepared for a great, consistent and continuous campaign in a great environment complimented by this great slogan if it wants sure victory.

PH being the Federal Government will have big advantage in the traditional mainstream TV and newspaper exposures. For this very reason GPS should make more efforts to make its presence felt in the new media such as the Facebook, whatsapp groups, Youtube, twitter and instagram to reach the younger generation and all those computer savvy Sarawakians. END

DAH IKHWAN