From Malaysiakini
I don’t know how many seats PKR contested in the last Sarawak state elections, but they won 1.
Now they are gunning for 52 in the soon to be called state election.
Out of a total of 71.
I understand from the Sarawak National Party that they intend to offer candidates in 28 – 30 state constituencies.
And SNAP’s not taking too kindly to Azmin’s declaration, reported in Malaysianinsider, that, in negotiating with SNAP on seat allocations, SNAP would be offered nothing more than 3 seats.
Are we going to see a repeat of the recent Batu Sapi by-election in the Sarawak state polls?
Or will good sense prevail amongst all the opposition parties in Sarawak, holding as paramount a common objective to get rid of Taib and his looting cronies or, at least denying him a 2/3 majority in the new assembly, and with that and that alone in mind, resolving the matter of seat allocations so that we see straight fights in all 71 seats?
Malaysiakini reported on 6th March that the meeting of the Sarawak state leaders of DAP, PAS, PKR and SNAP to discuss the allocation of seats went well.
SNAP’s Jugol went so far as to say that following the discussions, he did not see any problems between the component parties.
Jugol, in my view, also hit the nail square on the head when he said that the allocation of seats should be on the basis of seats being allocated to the party with the best chance of winning the same.
This would necessitate parties disclosing their respective proposed candidates for any one seat and the best, based on an agreed criteria, being picked, whereafter all parties must close ranks and throw their fullest support behind the candidate picked.
Now, if the national leadership of the 3 Pakatan partners could leave it to their respective state leaders to work out the allocation of seats together with SNAP, maybe the spectre of Batu Sapi in the forthcoming Sarawak state polls can be avoided?
The People's Parliament 
Paul Warren
March 8, 2011
Well Haris, why not go one step further. If two or more non-BN party wish to contest in a particular seat – or for that matter all the seats – let them produce the best of their candidates. Then put them one at a time on a stage and let them make their individual presentations. This challenge should help better to ensure the better candidate is picked for the seat. After all we can all use the same criteria to pick the best candidate, but the decision is left to the individual party leaders. also they will be picking the best from the basket that they have got.
Since we are basically dealing with party leaders who are infantile and think they are all God’s gift to mankind, I would have to presume that they are all right in their assertions. Waste of time arguing with them. So if in any one seat there is a deadlock, they should be prepared to have the best of their candidate to pitch against the best of the pick of the next party. Let the pick compete one on one in front of an audience of supporters of both parties and interested independents.
But I guess this they will not want to do. In Malaysia when you are a party leader you don’t submit to minions do you.
AgreeToDisagree
March 17, 2011
God’s gift analogy is in fact LITERALLY applied here. Wan Azizah said that of Anwar before. Just puts everyone off completely. He can’t even hold true to the 66.6% quorom minimum in PKR elections, results of which were accepted at 8.4%. Anyone willing to be an independent candidate? or just all armchair bloggers or even MCLM, not attempting to run in any and ALL by-elections. Lower that deposit from 15,000 to 15.00. Make that stand on APARTHEID. Don’t just talk guys, MCLM, run for5 election, 3 corner 10 corner whatever, just give the voters a choice!
SilentSpeak
March 8, 2011
CANDIDATES SELECTED MUST BE BASED ON CRITERIA OUTLINED BY ALL PARTIES WHICH ALSO INCLUDE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE, TO INSPIRE THE AUDIENCE. EFFECTIVE SPEAKING IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT TO BE A LEADER. WHAT A SHAME TO THE COUNTRY WHEN SOME MINISTERS ALSO CAN’T SPEAK WELL ! ER ER ER UMM UMM
mauriyaII
March 8, 2011
PKR leaders like Azmin suffer from a syndrome known as attitudinal myopia. Their attitude towards other parties especially small ones in Sabah and Sarawak is that of a big bully. They cannot see that those small fries know their constituents and supporters more than the peninsular big guns and their anointed ones in those states.
This big brother attitude can be seen in Anwar Ibrahim and his right-hand man, Azmin who think a peninsular leader or an appointee from HQ is better than a proven ethnic leader from those states.
When Azmin can dictate that he won’t consider more than 3 seats for SNAP just shows what sort of a chauvinist leader he is for Pakatan Rakyat. This is the type of attitude that contributed to the loss of Batu Sapi and the leadership in Sabah.
It is an undeniable fact that Anwar and Azmin style of administering PKR has contributed a marked decline in the support of PKR even in Peninsula Malaysia. Their intractable attitude towards foul play and even seen as imitating the vices of the EC and UMNO in the conduct of PKR elections has brought down the image of PKR.
DAP and PAS are seen to be condoning the excesses of PKR so as to show Pakatan as being a cohesive force. Not many are buying into these shenanigans.
If PKR shows the same attitude in the allocation of seats during the 13th GE just to be able to grab the highest number at the expense of better candidates from DAP and PAS, then Pakatan will be the loser, not just PKR.
It takes political maturity and vision to be able to command the respect of the leaders in a coalition which would culminate in allocating seats to better candidates from whichever component party irrespective of race or religion.
charleskiwi
March 8, 2011
This is Anwar’s illusion !
Anonymous
March 8, 2011
PKR is downright greedy in wanting 52 out of 71 seats. 40 is already too many for them.
Bobby
March 8, 2011
Why not decide which candidate is the best, rather than party wise?
abusyukri
March 10, 2011
The best comment so far…but then since when these
politicians ….have rakyat interest at their heart,
assuming they have one…
Best of luck
Remie
March 8, 2011
Remember. When the gauntlet is finally thrown in the Sarawak ring, NO Semenanjung opposition member will be able to set foot in Sarawak for the duration of the contest.
Azmin & Anwar can scream hoarse, over their mobiles, as much as they like. I am told phone/internet connections can be rather bad between Semenanjung & Sarawak ….. at times.
My2cen
March 8, 2011
Pakatan has lost a lot of support since the last GE. Everybody is tired with Anwar & Azmin, and the unity gang in PAS. DAP has it’s own pests, but it’s a relatively much smaller problem compared to PKR & UMNO-gang in PAS. Now, if PKR still insists on running for all the seats in Sarawak (& Sabah), Putrajaya will be handed back to UMNO in a silver plate. Everybody has to sacrifice and compromise, and while the seats allocation can be decided by DAP+PAS+PKR in Semenanjung, they should all just leave Sarawak (& Sabah) to the locals. We have only 1 chance to deny UMNO the key to Putrajaya, and if we don do it in the next election, if will not happen for another 30 years. Let the local Oppositions sort it out, without interference from the ‘top’.
Honestly, I don see the Pakatan winning in the next GE. The best I can hope for is to deny UMNO 2/3 majority. The Malay votes are going back to UMNO, they were only ‘punishing’ UMNO for their arrogance in the last GE, just like when Rafidah lost the Wanita lead years ago. The women were only ‘punishing’ her for her arrogance, it was not meant for her to lose her leadership. Hence, she won back the leadership in the next Wanita election. The ‘liberals’ and professional Malays are mostly more in tune with UMNO then PAS. PKR is like a declining stock, nobody’s buying.. Best for them to regroup and restrategise, with COMPROMISE in mind when they talk to the other Pakatan parties. Don’t be selfish and grab everything, the Rakyat hates it.
Now, if they were to find Anwar guily and lock him up, then call for elections, that might be a different story…
BaronV
March 8, 2011
Just who the hell does Azmin Ali think he is? What an arrogant bastard!
Malaysian Care
March 8, 2011
PKR is contesting 52 seats. It sounds greedy to me. How many seat they are going to win? If they win only less than 5 seats, would Anwar & Azmin both resign?
Jong
March 9, 2011
It’s proven again and again, you can’t take the umno out of Anwar and Azmin! See their display of arrogance?
PAS and DAP must insist that quality of candidates for Sarawak/GE-13 comes first otherwise Azmin can go fly kite! Show him where he rightly belong. No point fighting for numbers just to have bunch of idiots flying the pkr flag!
mauriyaII
March 10, 2011
Azmin Ali is just another dummy like his sister Ummi. Both are turncoats. Whoever treats them well according to their perceived standards, they will do all the necessary shit. The slight difference in both these characters is one is in love with money and the other is power crazy.
sampalee
March 9, 2011
It is the leadership and PR is doomed to loose with the sick leaders in pkr.Dap is getting more racial by the day and there is the bitter fruit to harvest.
ZhangHo
March 9, 2011
Leaving the negotiations & allocation of winnable candidates for the 71 State seats in Sarawak [or even in Sabah]to the respective PR Coaliation Parties’ Sarawak [or Sabah]State Leaders will see a more matured, reconcialable and practical outcome!
“Political Autonomy” as pledged by the PR Coalition to Sarawakians {and Sabahans] starts from this 1st step of “Give-and-Take” State & Parliamentary Seats Negotiations & Discussions!
Sarawak & Sabah MUST NEVER be allowed to suffer the same fate of Malaysian “Malayans” in Peninsular Malaysia [Malaya] where UMNO Malays/BN has “COMPROMISED” and “USURPED” the Political Rights, Freedom, Fairness and Voices of all its component parties, …. representing the communities of Chinese, Indians, and Natives of different religions!
Sarawak & Sabah MUST BE SAVED FROM THIS “POLITICAL CATASTROPHE”! SNAP & SAPP must work closely with PR!
The PR Coalition & its Sarawak & Sabah Parties “Partners”, must be Realistic, Compromising, Practical and Reconciliable to FORGE a TRULY UNITED, HARMONIOUS FRONT for the coming 13GE Parliamentary and State Elections!
The 13GE “Political Tsunami” CAN & MUST START from Sarawak & Sabah!
Eastern Guy
March 10, 2011
28 seats for SNAP is reasonable, DAP- 23, PKR -18, PAS -2. PKR cannot get much support from Malay/Muslim same goes to PAS. Dayak more to SNAP while Chinese more to DAP.
looes74
March 14, 2011
SNAP contested 28 seats & got 1. Plus, that clown jump over to SUPP. SNAP has been around nong nong time ago. Perhaps, we should ask SNAP why now only got kebangkitan dayak
From 7 to 11 and now to 28…..You miss out the part before Azmin made the speech….SNAP actually boostfully asking PKR to f off…..It’s all over Free Malaysia Today
Maybe Harris here got to talk to SNAP…..Since MCLM is involved in SNAP selection, check out their candidates
Harris has been extremely wrong on Zaid…..Remember
hostage88
March 11, 2011
I support SNAP more than even DAP or PKR. Many Sarawakians have friends in SNAP whom they know before even PKR was registered with ROS and DAP step foot in Sarawak. Such is the sentimental attachment Sarawakians have with SNAP. Given a choice between SNAP and PKR in a constituitency, I would vote for SNAP rather than PKR or even DAP, PAS.
But what I am disgusted is they go around pinching members of other opposition parties some of them are known opportunist. Known only to set up branches similar to setting up a business to solicit for donation and get themselves paid from the donations raised. I also think many PKR leaders have very strong sentimental feelings towards SNAP.
Deep down many harbour hope of wanting to cross over, but it is difficult as by doing so, would mean they will be derailing the platform they have been campaigning on, the past 24 months or even longer than that. …. received via SMS in response to our questionaire
To pro-reform minded Voters, PKR Members and aspiring candidates from both parties, it is a Catch 22 situation.
Hard to see anything work out, unless one really look at winnability of Candidates from both SNAP and PKR.
But 3 seats? This is rediculous and Azmin Ali should be castrated. He should know the animosity Dayaks have towards Malayans. PKR Leaders warming up to him whenever he is Sarawak does not speak for the feelings of the moods on the ground. Many PKR supporters from Sarawak feel betrayed in the controversial PKR National Elections. The Malayans fail to realise that PKR Sarawak do not have the numbers to ensure a Sarawak Leader is voted into the National Leadership on their own merits and this has weakened PKR Sarawak’s leadership and invited an attempted “coup“. Ironically, both proposed leaders camp were courted by the ex-secretary general of PKR, Datuk Salehuddin Hashim.
The Voters, supporters of Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak do not want to be dragged into this dispute.
The supporters of Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak is raring to go to the Polls and vote our Sarawak Barisan Nasional. They do not want to be put in this delima. But if it is the delima of the supporters, it is a delima of SNAP as well in the long haul as they will remain a minority in the opposition coalition. But than who is to blame, ……… the voters are innocent. When the supporters are raring to for change, is it not rediculous that the political parties they intend to vote is still in a final stage of preparation?
It is imperative a solution and a compromise have to be found and a respectable number of seats given to SNAP on condition that they have winnable candidates.
Related article: Bidayuh leaders may quit PKR for Snap. But this are the racist group in PKR. Remember not too long ago, they tried to stay a coup and snatch PKR State Leadership from Baru Bian, resulting in Baru Bian having to relinguish his “Appointed Post” at HQ for an unknown Datuk? Hmmm, you win some you lose some. You give an inch, they want a mile.
For Dayak supporters of PKR, there is Apai Sng’s notorious and his dirty hand to contend with. Apai Sng was the man who broke PBDS and PRS and sold out Batang Ai to Barisan Nasional via the manipulation of Odds and through the betting syndicates. We were there when news that PKR has swept “Postal Votes” were announced by Apai Sng’s agent, resulting in many taking Jawah Gerang to take the seat for PKR. However dead man tell no tales. It is not only ex-PBDS members who do not want to be associated with him. Many who lost money swore never to have anything to do with him. It is Datuk Seri Anwar and Azmin Ali who still see him fit to be friends and associates (more of this will come latter).
As supporters and NGIs helping on the ground, we also feel betrayed by PKR when PKR’s warring faction abandon camp and decide to let Barisan Nasional win Batang Ai.
At the end of the day, there is nothing to gain. But than who knows, they are playing politics, the supporters want change and reform and are the ones voting and dictates who gets elected.
Is it fair that they are put in this delima if there is 3 corner or 4 corner fights?
http://www.cobboldjohn.com/?p=4995
shakuntala
March 11, 2011
The UMNO greed for self interest is also apparent in the other opposition parties in this country.
And individual alliances for some reason or other, within a party…like the Anwar/Azmin partnership,does not promote party discipline, rather makes you wonder if these men have enough broad sense to really work for party cohesion and the Ra’ayat’s well-being.
The image of Taib Mahmud and all that he is doing to deplete the Peoples’ wealth in Sarawak is alone enough to goad the leaders to have better common sense.
Here is someone who HAS to be overthrown…no two ways.
There is a dire need for national and state leaders to get together over the question of right calibre candidates.
patrick anek uren
March 11, 2011
Let not any notion of Anwar getting sent to prison for SODOMY II stands in the way of any planning by any oposition parties in Sarawak preparing to defend against the onslought of BN under the absolute and ruthless leader, Pehin Taib. Nobody will dare sent Anwar to jail based on the flimsy evidence adduced so far in the SODOMY II trial, for sure. And should he be sent to jail at all the impact of such move will be very strongly felt only in Malaya. I would dare presume it might well spell the end of BN as it is today. Probably another Egypt, despite DPM recent outburst alluding to the contrary. However such scenario will not gain any mileage in Sarawak. CM Taib will release his billions to ensuring his continuity, and his dream of putting Bekir on the throne after him soon after the State Election is over. All BN Component including PRS will acquise, what else. At least they get to secure their ministerial jobs?
My point is the Opposition in Sarawak should never be too big-headed. Situations in Malaya differ from one in this state. Racial mix is also in different mould here than in Malaya. Top of it all is we do not have Anwar Ibrahim in Sarawak. Although it must be conceded too that were Anwar a Sarawak born son, I dont think the the local racial mix might accept him as those in Malaya at least at the last GE12. My advice, if it is worthed it at all, each party in the opposition should temper down your expectations. Rather please work real hard on the ground.
Osama
March 14, 2011
Parti Kian Runtuh wants 52 seats which they cannot win? Well, if they are so greedy, let us also vote them out in the Peninsular as well. SNAP has the best chances in winning those Dayaks seats! PKR should be satisfied with nothing more than 25 seats, SNAP 25 seats, DAP 18 seats and the rest to PAS.
Azmin Ali, do not be hard headed, PKR had not made any headway in Sarawak. If DAP had not been more level headed, the only one seat you have would have gone BN’s way!
longkarabin
March 16, 2011
You have not commented on the cat killing and the DAP Aduns unacceptable actions.
I think, as protectors of civil liberties, you should tell us what your stand is on this horrible issue.
Malaysian
March 17, 2011
Now that KITA has intention to field candidates in all Selangor State Assembly seats, there will be a ‘Batu Sapi’ in the State Polls, isn’t it? This will definitely split the Opposition votes.
I’ve pitied Zaid Ibrahim when he left PKR then but now I have my doubts as to his real agenda. Will MCLM still offer its candidate to KITA?
Sigh ….
looes74
March 20, 2011
You think……I think Harris Ibrahim who to rethink the people he supported. He’s been dead wrong about Zaid. Again! Why Zaid go after the area with small majorities. Again, it’s all over in Free Malaysia Today
The sole purpose is BN rules forever. It seems Harris is helping Najib to rule in perpetuity
Antu
March 17, 2011
SNAP is a vessel for Taib to break dayaks’ vote! Thats why they got registered back. If SNAP win any seats the seats will be given wholesale to Taib/BN period! Losers will be PR, MCLM and specifically dayaks. Special prize for Taib in the process will be the scalp of James Masing and PRS. Winners none other than Sng the broker.
looes74
March 20, 2011
Antu,
I know you have written many things about SNAP….It’s time to reeducate Harris or even RPK on SNAP
sarawakian
March 17, 2011
I don’t care either PKR,PAS,DAP or what so ever.Even opposition put a pig as a their contestant . You got my vote. I want to vote Taib out. I hate Taib very much.
AgreeToDisagree
March 19, 2011
@sarawakian
How about YOU @sarawakian run as an independent? It’s your country and your right as a citizen to run for election. If you detest the candidate, then help undermine his support by running against his cliique of assemblymen or MPs. Don’t wait for MCLM (who might be a trojan anyway), you yourself can also do it!
Tom
March 20, 2011
Harris,
Interesting read http://antubeduru.blogspot.com/2011/03/mocs-telanjaika-snap.html
eddikl
March 22, 2011
hope the election runs smoothly and may the best win.
Simon Lau
March 23, 2011
everyone, please read this…this is serious. Haris, can you confirm if SNAP is really doing that behind the scene?
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2011/03/snaps-deal-with-bn-the-damning-evidence/
Simon Lau,
Will make my views known tomorrow
looes74
March 23, 2011
harris,
What the hell MCLM gonna about this? What the hell MCLM doing now? Eat this
http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/from-around-the-blogs/39024-snaps-deal-with-bn-the-damning-evidence