Sibu voter sentiments elections 2008
I noticed an unusual phenomenon amongst my friends. It has never happened before. Many of them are still undecided on whom to vote for. In the past, by this stage of the campaign period they would have already decided. Many are still sitting on the fence.
There is a joke going around that the BN has to resort to providing free meals and inviting singers over to entice voters to come over and listen to political speeches. This is no indication of actual support. Some of my friends, staunch BN supporters say they see no point in attending as they know everything the candidate wants to say. After all the BN controls the media.
It was raining last night. We tried to look for the PKR rally but we couldn’t find the rally. Perhaps we went to the wrong place. We found the BN rally but the candidates were not there. The occasion probably wasn’t important enough. Being the incumbents they were probably very busy else where.
We then drove to Sungai Merah. The crowds were like oh my God. It was so well attended the crowds overflowed into the streets. The situation was compounded by the cars indiscriminately parked at any empty space the people could find. One particular policeman handling traffic was so frustrated when all his attempts to restore some sort of traffic order fell on deaf ears. They had come to hear their candidate. Nothing would stop them.
One thing I noticed which I don’t like are the rumors of money floating around. It is all rumours. However if gambling is involved, it is not a healthy development. Gambling on election results can seriously affect the election results. Anyway I hope all those are just rumors.
Another development is many previously disinterested voters are now very interested in the elections this time. There is however a marginal group who wish to show their displeasure with the government and at the same time disappointment with the opposition. They will stay at home….. I expect a high level of turn out for this year’s election.
Update: I have edited this post as the way I wrote the original post may not reflect what I actually wanted to say.
Bengbeng | Politics and politicians
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Money politics is not a recent development - it has been around for a long long time and it’s not just a rumour. Remember the time (i think it was the 1999 Parliamentary election) when tons and tons of people crowded the RH building in Mission Road after the election? They went there to claim their promised money after voting their candidate into parliament. With money politics around, election in Sibu would never be a free and democratic process.
Irene,
Thanks for the feedback. However there is no concrete proof of the allegations.
There is always “rumours” of money in politics. And “rumours” has it that certain votes are bought everytime there is an election. How true the “rumours” are only the givers and takers knows about it and as you said there is no proof. There are lots of things we cannot write even if we are considered to have freedom of speech and therefore in order for MR BB to continue with interesting blogs to read, I shall end my comments before I get us both in trouble.
thank you
It will be a tight one this year.
we will know soon enough