Jump to content

2010 Sibu by-election: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 4: Line 4:


This by-election will be seen as a litmus test for the popularity of [[Pakatan Rakyat]] versus [[Barisan Nasional]] over a wide range of issues including land rights, poverty, native displacements and unemployment all over the [[Sarawak]] state.<ref>[http://freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/sabah-and-sarawak/4454-sibu-a-high-priority-poll-for-pakatan-and-bn Sibu - a high-priority poll for Pakatan and BN] Free Malaysia Today</ref> This by-election will also be a test of policies implemented by [[Barisan Nasional]] as claimed by [[Chong Chieng Jen]], the Sarawak [[Democratic Action Party|DAP]] secretary general. <ref>[http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/23/nation/6118183&sec=nation Sibu a test of Barisan’s policies, says DAP’s Chong] The Star</ref>
This by-election will be seen as a litmus test for the popularity of [[Pakatan Rakyat]] versus [[Barisan Nasional]] over a wide range of issues including land rights, poverty, native displacements and unemployment all over the [[Sarawak]] state.<ref>[http://freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/sabah-and-sarawak/4454-sibu-a-high-priority-poll-for-pakatan-and-bn Sibu - a high-priority poll for Pakatan and BN] Free Malaysia Today</ref> This by-election will also be a test of policies implemented by [[Barisan Nasional]] as claimed by [[Chong Chieng Jen]], the Sarawak [[Democratic Action Party|DAP]] secretary general. <ref>[http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/23/nation/6118183&sec=nation Sibu a test of Barisan’s policies, says DAP’s Chong] The Star</ref>

==Background & History==
Sibu, once an important trading and financial centre in Sarawak, has been the stronghold of both the SUPP and DAP in the central region of the state, dominated by Chinese of the Foochow clan. In the [[Malaysian general election, 1982|1982 general election]], the DAP created history by winning the peninsula-based party's first parliamentary seat in Sarawak in this predominantly Chinese urban seat when its candidate Ling Sie Ming defeated Tan Sri [[Wong Soon Kai]], who later become the SUPP president, with a razor thin majority of 141 votes<ref name="history">[http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsprs.php?id=490375 Sibu By-Election To See "Battle Of The Mighty Rejang"] [[Bernama]]</ref>. It was also around this time that the late Datuk Robert Lau made his foray into politics. He contested the Sibu parliamentary seat in the subsequent [[Malaysian general election, 1986|1986 general election]] and won. Lau retained the seat for five consecutive terms before his death on April 9, prompting the by-election.

Thanks to Robert Lau's winning records, the SUPP had not lost in the Sibu parliamentary seat since their loss in 1982. However, it got a rude shock in the 1996 state election when the party was defeated in two state seats, Pelawan and Bukit Assek. The Bukit Assek state seat used to be within the SUPP's stronghold but in the [[Sarawak state election, 1996|1996 state elections]] the then SUPP president and deputy chief minister Tan Sri Wong Soon Kai was unexpectedly defeated by Wong Ho Leng with a majority of 226 votes. The defeat of Soon Kai, once considered one of the most illustrious politicians in Sarawak, in his hometown caused a major blow to the party and eventually brought an abrupt end to his political career<ref name="history"></ref>.

However Ho Leng, despite his remarkable performance in trouncing Soon Kai for the Bukit Assek state seat, was defeated by the SUPP's young candidate, Daniel Ngieng, five years later in the state elections in 2000. Ho Leng made a comeback by wresting Bukit Assek from Daniel Ngieng in the [[Sarawak state election, 2006|state election in 2006]] with a bigger majority of 4,751 votes and subsequently became the opposition leader of the Sarawak state assembly<ref name="history"></ref>.


==Pre-nomination==
==Pre-nomination==

Revision as of 09:34, 17 May 2010

The Sibu by-election, 2010 was a by-election for the Sibu parliamentary seat in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. The election was won by Wong Ho Leng of the Democratic Action Party, winning the seat from the governing Barisan Nasional coalition. The seat fell vacant following the death of Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew on 9 April 2010 to liver cancer.[1] As a result, on April 16, the election commission fixed the nomination and polling day to be on May 8 and May 16, respectively.[2] The Sibu constituency consists of 54,695 registered voters, including 2,537 postal voters and 3,028 new voters. In the previous general election in 2008, the incumbent, Robert Lau Hoi Chew, retained the seat with a 3,235-vote majority against Wong Ho Leng of (DAP) and Lim Chin Chuang of (PKR).[3]

The by-election is also widely known as the "Battle of the Mighty Rejang"[4] between SUPP and DAP. The Sibu constituency consists of three state seats, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, and Nangka state constituencies. The Sibu parliamentary seat was last won by DAP in 1982 by the party's candidate Ling Sie Ming[5]. However since then, the seat has been won continuously by the SUPP.[6]

This by-election will be seen as a litmus test for the popularity of Pakatan Rakyat versus Barisan Nasional over a wide range of issues including land rights, poverty, native displacements and unemployment all over the Sarawak state.[7] This by-election will also be a test of policies implemented by Barisan Nasional as claimed by Chong Chieng Jen, the Sarawak DAP secretary general. [8]

Background & History

Sibu, once an important trading and financial centre in Sarawak, has been the stronghold of both the SUPP and DAP in the central region of the state, dominated by Chinese of the Foochow clan. In the 1982 general election, the DAP created history by winning the peninsula-based party's first parliamentary seat in Sarawak in this predominantly Chinese urban seat when its candidate Ling Sie Ming defeated Tan Sri Wong Soon Kai, who later become the SUPP president, with a razor thin majority of 141 votes[9]. It was also around this time that the late Datuk Robert Lau made his foray into politics. He contested the Sibu parliamentary seat in the subsequent 1986 general election and won. Lau retained the seat for five consecutive terms before his death on April 9, prompting the by-election.

Thanks to Robert Lau's winning records, the SUPP had not lost in the Sibu parliamentary seat since their loss in 1982. However, it got a rude shock in the 1996 state election when the party was defeated in two state seats, Pelawan and Bukit Assek. The Bukit Assek state seat used to be within the SUPP's stronghold but in the 1996 state elections the then SUPP president and deputy chief minister Tan Sri Wong Soon Kai was unexpectedly defeated by Wong Ho Leng with a majority of 226 votes. The defeat of Soon Kai, once considered one of the most illustrious politicians in Sarawak, in his hometown caused a major blow to the party and eventually brought an abrupt end to his political career[9].

However Ho Leng, despite his remarkable performance in trouncing Soon Kai for the Bukit Assek state seat, was defeated by the SUPP's young candidate, Daniel Ngieng, five years later in the state elections in 2000. Ho Leng made a comeback by wresting Bukit Assek from Daniel Ngieng in the state election in 2006 with a bigger majority of 4,751 votes and subsequently became the opposition leader of the Sarawak state assembly[9].

Pre-nomination

On 12 April, the SUPP Sibu branch has recommended Robert Lau Hui Yew to contest in the by-election. Hui Yew is the second cousin of the late Robert Lau Hoi Chew and the son of Lau Swee Nguong while Lau Swee Nguong is chairman of the KTS Group of companies.[10] On 14 April, the opposition has decided that a DAP candidate should contest in the by-election.[11] The national opposition leader and PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited the Sibu town on 18 April.[12] On the same day, he officiated the formation of Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat, an opposition united front composed of DAP, PKR, PAS, and SNAP.[13] The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin made a round town visit on 19 April. He was confident that the political leanings of Sibu people will be on Barisan Nasional side.[14]

The delay in the announcement of DAP candidate for this by-election[15] has sparked an allegation from SUPP that this was due to a split in the party. However, DAP have denied the allegations by saying that the delay is a preparation strategy for the coming by-election.[16] Finally, on 27 April, the party announced Wong Ho Leng, the DAP state chief, as the party's candidate for the by-election.[17]

Election Issues

File:Sibuby-election.jpg
The banners of the two main candidates from the Barisan Nasional & Democratic Action Party

Barisan Nasional

The Barisan Nasional has released no party manifesto for the by-election[18] and largely relied on their traditional supporters besides harping that the fact that the pace of development and physical growth of Sibu was largely due to the leadership of the SUPP and BN.[19] Nevertheless, the BN-SUPP candidate, Lau Hui Yew, himself had released a manifesto at the final leg of his campaigning in which he mentioned that he would "prioritize on getting more investment, job creation, skills training for single parents to increase their income, install more CCTVs in town to improve security and reduce street crimes rates as well as to transform Sibu into a 'wireless' township." [20]

Besides that, the SUPP has also raised the issue of the Democratic Action Party teaming up with Parti Islam Se-Malaysia in the by-election and that “A vote for Rocket is a vote for Islamic State”. Lim Kit Siang, the parliamentary leader of DAP, has said that the issue is a “killer weapon” which could “finish off” the chances of DAP's candidate of winning by frightening off the Chinese and non-Muslim voters in Sibu as it did during the 1999 Malaysian General Election where both Karpal Singh and Lim himself lost their parliamentary seats.[21] Besides that, SUPP has also claimed that if DAP were to be voted in there will no longer be kampua noodles as it would be made with pork, which is non-halal, referring to PAS's wish to establish Malaysia as an Islamic state.[22]

Najib Razak, President of BN and Prime Minister himself, promised voters in Rejang Park, a DAP stronghold, RM5 million to alleviate floods if SUPP’s Robert Lau Hui Yew won the seat. "You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win.” [23]

Democratic Action Party

The Democratic Action Party, on the other hand, raised local economic issues such as lack of job opportunities, severe brain-drain, inflation, introduction of the Goods and Services Tax[24], floods, lack of infrastructure development, land title issues, besides highlighting the positive economic development brought about by opposition-led state governments, especially Penang which is under the rule of the DAP. [25]

On education, the DAP has raised the issue of Sibu not having a university unlike other major cities in the state like Kuching and Miri. DAP also mentioned that the SUPP candidate Lau Hui Yew sent his children to international schools and had no confidence in their own school system.[26]. DAP has also raised the issue of the Laila Taib College, previously known as United College Sarawak, being sold off by the SUPP to the Yayasan Sarawak for the price of a mere RM1, ignoring the local Chinese population who have donated money to fund the college's building.[27]

On the renewal of land leases, Chong Chieng Jen, the election director of the by-election for the DAP, raised the fact that those who decide not to renew the 60 year land lease, the land will go back to the government without any compensation, and that even if the government approves renewal requests, the landowners will have to pay hefty premiums which can amount to thousands of ringgit, depending on the assessment by the Land and Survey Department. Chong then said that the DAP wanted the current state land code to be amended to allow for automatic renewal of all leased land for a period of 99 years and without any conditions attached for renewal.[19]

Besides that, the issue of the Malaysian Government's decision to cede away the oil-rich offshore Blocks L and M in South China Sea to Brunei was also raised by the DAP.[28]

Another issue that was brought up during the by-election was the decision of the Home Ministry to burn the 5,000 copies of Indonesian Bibles confiscated[29] in Port Klang on 20th March 2009. The issue was brought up in May 14, and the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Abdul Razak, attempted to buy off the Christians by announcing a RM 1.7 million donations to three Methodist Churches in the constituency, as Christians make up 52% of the voters.

Results

Out of 54,695 registered voters, there were 37,919 who voted on May 16, 2010, signifying a 70% turnout. There were 395 spoilt votes. DAP candidate Richard Wong Ho Leng beat his nearest opponent Robert Lau Hui Yew with a majority of 398 votes.[30]

Party Candidate Votes %
Barisan Nasional - SUPP Robert Lau Hui Yew 18,447 48.7%
Pakatan Rakyat - DAP Richard Wong Ho Leng 18,845 49.7%
IND Narawi Harun 232 0.6%
Majority 398 1%
Turnout 37,919 70%

See also

References

  1. ^ 11th by-election:Bandar Sibu seat falls vacant after MP Robert Lau dies New straits Times
  2. ^ Sibu by-election will be on May 16, says EC The Star
  3. ^ Sibu polls on May 16 New Straits Times
  4. ^ The battle of the mighty RejangMalaysiakini
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ Sibu by-election to see "Battle of the Mighty Rejang" Sibu By-Election To See "Battle Of The Mighty Rejang" The Star
  7. ^ Sibu - a high-priority poll for Pakatan and BN Free Malaysia Today
  8. ^ Sibu a test of Barisan’s policies, says DAP’s Chong The Star
  9. ^ a b c Sibu By-Election To See "Battle Of The Mighty Rejang" Bernama
  10. ^ Sibu SUPP Recommends Robert Lau Hui Yew For Sibu By-electionBernama
  11. ^ Opposition To Field DAP Candidate In Sibu By-Election Bernama
  12. ^ DAP to talk to PKR over PR candidate for Sibu by-election The Edge
  13. ^ DAP: Sarawak Pakatan formed to promote two-party system The Star
  14. ^ DPM confident BN can retain Sibu New Straits Times
  15. ^ DAP to name candidate for Sibu by-election on April 27 The Star
  16. ^ Sarawak DAP refutes SUPP’s allegation over naming of candidate The Star
  17. ^ BN picks Robert Lau, DAP banks on Ho Leng
  18. ^ BN has no manifesto for Sibu by-election says SUPP publicity secretary
  19. ^ a b Local issues take centrestage The Malaysian Mirror
  20. ^ Sibu campaign enters final stretch
  21. ^ Big guns out to score brownie points The Malaysian Mirror
  22. ^ DAP man eats ‘kampua’ to debunk Islamic state fears
  23. ^ Najib dishes out more money as race tightens
  24. ^ Make a stand on GST, Wong tells Lau
  25. ^ DAP entices Sibu with success stories The Malaysian Mirror
  26. ^ Why SUPP candidate Lau Hui Yew is like other Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders who have no confidence in their own school system by sending their children to international schools or overseas? Lim Kit Siang
  27. ^ Sibu masih memihak kepada BN
  28. ^ BN Government’s action of surrendering oil-rich Blocks L & M : An Act that relinquished the Sovereignty position of Sarawak Wong Ho Leng
  29. ^ Malay bible row as Sibu vote looms
  30. ^ DAP takes Sibu


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=2010_Sibu_by-election&oldid=362586507"