Winning or losing of the election is less important than strengthening the country.
– Indira Gandhi, first and only woman prime minister of India
It is election fever again everywhere and our Iban longhouse residents are very much part of this too.
For the record, I first joined the campaign trail in 1976 when I followed Datuk Amar Dunstan Endawie Enchana (now deceased) to campaign for Sarawak National Party (SNAP) which was to be back with the National Front (Barisan Nasional) after opposing since 1974. Then I was just back for semester break from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang and sporting longhair that I tied ala Steven Segal style.
We went to more than 10 longhouses over the three days of sleepless nights with free flow of beer and liquor. Endawie and I were always seated next to each other and had to bear with our smelly bodies after not bathing for at least two days. “I just want you to experience how hard campaigning can be and how interesting too,” he told me.
I recall in SNAP won 18 state seats in 1974. During one of the campaigning evenings, he (who contested for SNAP) sat next to two of his opponents Jelemin Telajan (SUPP) and Alban Melling Jan (Pesaka) at the ruai of Tuai Rumah Tamin at their original longhouse Munggu Embawang – all the three were originally from the same longhouse.
It was such an interesting moment as the three contesting candidates were able to sit next to each other and gave their speeches one after the other. When the results were announced on polling day it was Endawie who was declared the winner while the two obtained just about 600 votes each, thus giving him a big majority.
In 1983, I was a proposer to a candidate – an act that could have cost me my job – and was actively campaigning in longhouses reachable by road along the Ulu Krian route in Saratok. All the longhouses gave us warm welcome but not necessarily the votes. Despite the great effort and last-minute change of strategy our candidate still lost by 400 votes.
Fast forward to 2014, to prepare for the state election (that was finally held in 2016), I followed a close friend and cousin who was likely to be the candidate for the ruling coalition (BN) on many of his trips to Saratok (for the Krian state seat). Our journey in his 4WD brought us to a good number of longhouses in the area – along the road to Ulu Krian and along the main Debak-Sarikei road.
At a few longhouses we helped to deliver schoolbags, school uniform and stationaries to school pupils, courtesy of an organisation. In all, there were at least six primary schools benefitting from the items. As opposed to our trips made in 1976, these trips were very much easier and convenient and that we didn’t have to spend overnight stay at any of the venues.
There was an evening function held at Nanga Drau next to the school where students were involved. A Saratok hotel was our base for three days in Krian area then. We were given awesome welcome at all the longhouses visited – plus photograph taking events too that our cell phones came in handy with the camera.
This time for the GE15, I can imagine that Saratok is busy once more. With the area seeing a three-cornered fight involving incumbent Datuk Ali Biju (PN-BERSATU), Giendam Jonathan Tait (GPS-PDP) and Ibil Jaya (PH-PKR), it is really tough and rough time for all.
I am more interested in focusing on new face Giendam (GPS-PDP). Based on record, he has been going around for quite a while in the three state constituencies under Saratok, especially in Krian accompanied by rep Friday Belik since early this year. These included coming to functions in longhouses and schools, including funerals, one of which was the funerary wake of my former primary school teacher Rambuyan Unggun at Kumpai in upper Krian on April 4 this year, where he handed over some cash to the bereaved family.
Earlier Giendam also came to the funeral of Penghulu Wilfred Empatie at Rumah Andrew Laja, Sungai Menua in Roban on April 1.
Two weeks earlier, namely on March 12, he joined Friday for the launching of the Women’s Bureau of Rumah Kadam at Mudong Tengah in Roban. On March 1, he also attended an event held by Roban Zone Headmasters Association that was declared open by Friday.
As such Giendam used the opportunity to reach out to the attendees, especially primary school headmasters and teachers. These were just a small part of his extensive coverage of the areas in Saratok parliamentary constituency since last this year in which he was given a rousing welcome.
It is an uphill task to unseat Saratok incumbent Datuk Ali Biju who is contesting under BERSATU. At the last state election, despite declaring withdrawal of candidacy (which was not allowed) and helping to campaign for Friday, Ali still received more than 1,000 votes.
On Ibil, an engineer, whom I know quite well, he is likely to get some votes but is not the real contender.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
