'BN or PR?' poll in Sarawak

Taking a respite from campaigning for Pakatan Rakyat, DAP’s young and firebrand MP Chong Chieng Jen today launched an online opinion poll that co-incidentally is appropriate to the Batang Ai by-election as the topic is ‘BN or PR?’

The poll, which will last a month, underscores current interest in the by-election which sees a straight fight between BN’s Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, who resigned from public service to contest, and PKR’s Jawah Gerang, former five-term MP for Lubok Antu.

Chong said even though the poll is limited to those with access to the Internet, it is still important to obtain public opinion, especially from the younger generation.

Very few people have access to the Internet in Batang Ai and even then, the results will only be known long after the by-election which has created considerable interest is over.

The Bandar Kuching parliamentarian said the cyberworld has such an impact on the outcome of the March 8, 2008 general election with the ‘political tsunami’ that installed five states with Pakatan governments and denied the ruling BN of its two-third majority in Parliament.

“Those able to access online could obtain information normally unavailable from other medias and then disseminated the same information to the public.

“The cyberworld played an important role in shaping the thinking of the people and the country. In the topic ‘BN or PR?’ the choice is quite obvious,” he added.

Uphill battle for PKR

Meanwhile, Chong who is also Kota Sentosa state assemblyperson, told reporters that as far as the Bintang Ai by-election is concerned, it was an uphill battle for PKR.

‘We are up against the mighty resources of the BN combined with that of the government,’ he pointed out.

Chong said the use of government facilities was very apparent but there was no point to file any complaints to the Elections Commission as experience has shown it would not act or do anything at all to stop it.

He charged that the BN was literally buying votes in Batang Ai, citing as an example, the RM500 subsidy given to each Iban household which this is not being done in other neighbouring districts such as Engkilili, Betong and Saratok and other parts of Sarawak.

Poll organiser Malaysia Pollster technology director Goh Yong Tat said the poll’s topic ‘BN or PR?’ relates to issues and concerns for all Malaysians since elections and by-elections have been and are being fought over and over again in the country.

“But with the changing political landscape, it is important to feel the pulse of the electorate in order to respond to their expectations and perhaps more importantly, their frustrations,” he said.