My Longkang

We were on the way to have our regular kampua when the road was jammed due to the crowds and cars parked on both sides of the road at Lane 19, Tiong Hua Road. Upon looking around, we saw that it was an election rally. From the rocket symbols, I guessed it was a DAP rally. Usually i would not bother to attend any election rallies be it opposition or BN as they are usually boring affairs and I am not particularly interested in politics.

I started to look around. The crowds were there, people of all ages and they were standing in the drizzling rain. Some were in the market opposite to the platform where the speaker stood.

Many were giving donations in the form of money to the candidate’s helpers. Mineral water was sold at Rm1.00 to earn money for the campaign. Many just paid without taking the bottles of mineral water. Some people just paid cash outright. Sibu people are very generous. I noticed it too during church functions.

My friends all gave their donations. By the time, I removed my camera and its accessories from my pockets to get to my wallet, the donation box was out of sight. I looked around and saw a quiet waiter-looking-type-of-man dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and dark pants. I went up to him to give him my donation. I paused for a moment to think of a suitable phrase to say in Foochow. In the end I nervously uttered in English, “For your election fund” . He looked so surprised I felt embarrassed and left immediately after shaking his hand

Then when it was time to speak, this same man went up to the platform. So embarrassing. I had mistaken the YB Wong Ho Leng for one of his helpers. I had failed to recognize him. ( I must remind myself to wear my contact lenses at night )

People were holding umbrellas listening intently. There were quite a number of elderly people as well as young people. It was a humbling experience watching the Sibu people listening intently to every word he spoke. He held their attention for a long time. They watched the computer presentation to understand what he said. I could only understand a few words. He seemed to hold a spell over them. A volunteer rushed up to hold an umbrella over the YB lest he be electrocuted as the electrical wires were wet. In the end, they used a wireless mike.

They stood for a long time holding kids etc holding umbrellas, hiding under plastic sheets, awnings etc just to hear him speak tonight. A guy holding an umbrella when he saw me taking the video rushed over to shelter me from the rain. It was a disciplined crowd. I must attend a BN rally too to hear the other side of the coin before I make a decision on whom to vote. But I was impressed by the the crowd’s willingness to bear the discomfort of the drizzling rain.

I could be wrong but I think I saw some representatives of the Non-governmental organisation Malaysian for free and fair election (Mafrel) there at the rally. They could be part of the 15 observers assigned to polling stations in the Sibu and Lanang constituencies on March 8 to record any irregularities.