Sibu Awakes!

Sibu people are not fond of money politics and death threats. Keep the RM5,000,000 because it's someone else's hard-earned money...

It's official. Sibu is now under DAP. The long 1-week campaigns from both sides has ended with these results:

Pakatan Rakyat's DAP: 18,845
Barisan Nasional's SUPP: 18, 447 (after additional +2,000 postal votes)
Independent: 232

I wasted 3 hours waiting with a lot of anticipation for the results to be announced at 9pm Sunday, 16th May 2010. I even paused all assignments to witness how a new history was about to unfold. Things looked bright for the party with the ideology of democratic socialism and social justice...

The Chronology
The Death

• The passing of the late Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew on April 9th 2010 left the Sibu constituent vacant. Wong Ho Leng from DAP and backed by Pakatan Rakyat, came forward to challenge for the seat.

• His main contender was BN's SUPP "fighting cock" Robert Lau Hui Yew (aka Robert Lau Jr. although they're cousins).
• Narawi Haron, representing himself as a Bebas or Independent party entered the fray to evaluate his popularity after his defeat in 1999 election.
  

The Vote-Fishing

• DAP used the 'Allah' issue as well as some native land rights issues to convince voters. Also they managed to slot in the Block L & M (off Limbang), two oil wells the government sold to Brunei in order to maintain Limbang.
  
• SUPP used how they have money and DAP is all talk. Surprisingly SUPP used the 'kampua will be banned" as another twist to gain voters because DAP supports PAS (another Pakatan Rakyat component party) vision of an Islamic state. I for one am offended by this offensive insult. There's halal kampua in Sibu la boss, 5 shops I know sell them e.g. Sunny Cafe near RTM, Mas Corner near Lau King Howe Memorial, that small cafe not far from A-Plus, that smaller cafe near the old Cathay road, and many more random roadside stalls.
• Bebas used, well nothing. The candidate just wanted to win back his pride after he lost in the 1999 election where he lost his deposit. Narawi Haron assumed he could get 4,000 voters and get his votes back.

The Epic Mistake BN Made:

• It is this speech made by PM Najib Tun Razak on Saturday night, less than 12 hours before polling begins. His blunder? Offering a bribe to the Rejang Park people RM5 mil if they vote for SUPP's Robert Lau Jr. That is taxpayer's money man... listen to his speech:
  

The Polling Day
Everything went alright and smoothly. But by 7pm ballot counting began. The ticker went up tremendously at all tweets, blogs, facebook groups and other online site Sibuians, Malaysians and others can access. The world was watching.

SPR (Election Committee) Controversy

• The results were clearly favouring DAP with a 3,000 majority lead (18,000 against 15,000). But the results' announcement was delayed without any clear notification.
• There were rumors of '2 missing ballot boxes' as well as 'miscounting of the postal votes'.
• Postal votes are basically BN's last resort weapon where the votes comes from Sibu government personnel (e.g. army) working outside Sibu. it's like a money cheat code because those outstationed did not get a chance to know how the vote-fishing was going. 2 hours passed with the results 2 hours late...
  
• Speculations about "dark magics" by BN occured with an ironic blackout at the ballot counting station in Dewan Suarah Sibu/Sibu Civic Center.
  

The Rocket Launches

• Finally, and officially, at 11pm DAP won with a majority of 398 even after BN's postal vote reinforcement.
  
• This was a miracle and a WTF moment for the Sibu people as a whole, both DAP and BN supporters.
  
• Drunks were sobbing by the roadside as they lost their bet, Najib and the Deputy Prime Minister left the polling scene, facebook saw a spike of several pro-progress youths and adults alike.
  

The Aftermath

• Sibuians now look forward to the new era of progress under the wings of Wong Ho Leng. Sibu is established as the second DAP base after Kuching.
  
• Despite their lost, BN intends to keep all the promises made by PM Najib Tun Razak (that means you still lose your taxmoney...). As a Sibuian said "u no need to sign that cheque on Monday la Najib"...
  
• No updates from Bebas candidate.

Sarawak Geo-Political Map as of May 2010 AD. With DAP getting a foothold in the south and the new central region, the future looks bright for the democratic socialist party.

• They now can face Sarawak's Pehin Abdul Taib Mahmud's stronghold in Mukah. To the folks in Mukah, please consider voting for progress, because the Sibu-Mukah road has been horrible (read) for many years. Despite the Pehin's presence in Mukah and the millions of RM the government has, I don't see much effort for the road.
• Hopefully our neighbors of Kapit, Sarikei, Betong, Sri Aman and Samarahan would join us in ignoring the money politic and go for progress.
• Bintulu and Miri is still a stronghold for BN in the north, where progress are clear but some are not known e.g. Senadin area, or the deadly e-Mart-Senadin road (read).
• This is just an analysis based on Total War experience.
  

Kampua 4 Life
The inappropriate threat of kampua banning by BN is no more. Kampua is safe again for now, both halal and non-halal. This just shows how we Sibuians cannot be separated from our beloved dry noodle. You have already politicized religions, don't politicize our food bro...

At the end of the day we stood united, no matter what race/religion, despite all the segregation propaganda gimmicks like what they have done in the West. I'm proud to be a Sibuian. Viva la Sarawak!