After doing last minute marketing for the reunion dinner, I was ’seen’ by friends who insisted I join them for their kopitiam talk. Sibu gossip you could call it.
They were in the midst of a heated discussion and Chung Tung was obviously angry at a post in The Borneo Post.
Bengbeng: Why do you get heated up about this matter? It doesn’t make an iota of difference to the political equation. We are all just Mr/Ms Nobody. Zero. Zilch. Period. We cannot make a difference.
Chung Tung ( late 30s male ): ( Angry at me and in a slightly stern voice ) What do we need PKR leaders in Sibu for? There is no place for them in Sibu. They win one seat in Kuching and they think they own the whole wide world. Is it possible Datuk Anwar Ibrahim himself cannot see the reality of politics in Sarawak and will weaken the opposition front by fielding candidates just for the sake of contesting?
Can’t the opposition be united for once? We want to vote for the opposition but in a three cornered fight? The last time there was an election, most voters didn’t even know the PKR candidate. There were practically no posters. Or any means to meet the candidate.
Susan: ( mid 40s female ) What individual? Who? What political ambitions? Don’t bore me with all this talk. Beng, this is new year. Don’t look like that. This is nothing personal against you. Yamseng everybody . Happy new year. Yam…………………………seng.
Personally i believe the voters are more discerning now and have access to the media and more important gossips among friends. Bread and butter issues, and human rights are the most important to them. At the end of the day,it is the pay check which is needed to pay the bills, loans, school fees, groceries for the home etc. By human rights, I mean the right to have equal access to jobs, education, housing and all other opportunities available in an economy and in a country.
It is impossible to stem the tide of public opinion. We all think we know best but in a democracy, what the majority believes has to be recognized as the most acceptable to the most number of people in spite of or despite our own vested interests.
Most eligible voters have made up their minds as to who they want to vote. Of course some vote splitting may occur but at the end of the day, the most deserving party will win eventually. In a worst case scenario, the undeserving candidate will have to lose his deposit and try again in the next elections.
Happy New Year to you and your family!