DATUK Seri Najib Razak called the Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election a referendum on his premiership. The justification was rather obvious as it was formerly a Barisan Nasional (BN) stronghold with an ethnic composition mirroring Peninsula Malaysia’s. The campaign was largely fought by Umno, even though the BN’s candidate was from MIC. Sibu has also been […]
Dayak
Divided we stand
LET’s think about the following key words in Malaysian politics: unity government, Sisters in Islam (SIS), Chin Peng, government or PSD scholarships, Utusan Malaysia, and the language in education policy. What comes to your mind? Ethnocentrism? Religious fundamentalism? National disunity? Who hasn’t lamented about why our nation cannot be spared such ethno-religious polemics? Why can’t […]
Dayaks celebrate Gawai
KUCHING, 1 June 2009: The Dayak community in Sarawak celebrated the Gawai festival on a moderate scale today by holding traditional rituals and open houses. Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng and his wife also spent some time visiting the house of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party president, Datuk Seri William Mawan Ikom […]
The Dayak urban-rural divide
THE loss of Jawah Gerang and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in Batang Ai by a shocking majority of 1,854 votes has jolted many party members and supporters to the core. I hear that even on the morning of polling day on 7 April 2009, some of Jawah’s closest associates were still expecting a glorious victory […]
The last Rajah’s battlefield
Police on guard during the Ijok by-election (pic by Danny Lim) THE 7 April Batang Ai by-election actually has more similarities with the 2007 by-election for the Selangor state seat of Ijok than to the other two by-elections in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Serambau that will happen on the same day. Batang Ai is certainly […]
Formidable battle expected in Batang Ai
KUCHING, 15 March 2009: With nomination day for the Batang Ai state by-election barely a week away, the Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to be bracing for a formidable battle with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to retain the Iban majority seat. Poster and flag wars aside, one factor that would affect the BN’s performance […]
