Sarawak Chief Minister and Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) leader Abdul Taib Mahmud has made what appears to be a conciliatory speech appealing to Malays not to abandon the party in favour of any new Malay-based ones.

Speaking at a large indoor rally rounding up PBB's 40th statewide anniversary celebrations during the weekend in Kuching, Taib said: "PBB is like a big ship. Big and strong. It may need repairs if there is some damage to it."

"There is no need to go to another new ship which has yet to prove itself."

He added it would be "a big loss" to bumiputras, if in their moments of anger they should forsake unity in order to try out something new instead.

This was clearly a reference to the growing threats from various fronts, including Parti Keadilan which in Sarawak is run mostly by former PBB members similar to the Group of Independents led by former PBB deputy president and former defence minister Abang Abu Bakar.

PAS too has been reported to make significant inroads into several of PBB's traditional Malay areas.

Acid test

Most political observers say the coming elections will be an acid test to determine whether PBB can hold on to the crucial Malay support. This will revolve around the 23 predominantly Malay/Melanau seats, which is one-third of the total seats in the 62-member state legislative assembly.

The opposition, especially Keadilan, PAS and Abang Abu Bakar's Independents, are bent on taking away the Malay support from Taib's PBB.

Recent reports, quoting PBB incumbent Abdul Ajis, revealed that Taib has more or less confirmed he will contest in the predominantly Melanau seat of Balingian in the lower Rajang area instead of his old seat of Asajaya, which is predominantly Malay, near Kuching.

Taib pleaded with the Malays to remember what PBB had done for them in the past 40 years. But this had not gone down well with a large number of party members who were disappointed when former chief minister and head of state, Abdul Rahman Yakub was not acknowledged in the party's written annals, alleged to be at Taib's behest.

"They cannot see much sincerity when you don't even want to acknowledge the important role played by someone like Rahman Yakub in the party," a long-time PBB member said.

Political coup

Rahman Yakub who had a serious clash with Taib culminating in the attempted political coup against the latter during the infamous Ming Court affair in 1987, was instrumental in bringing about the merger of the Malay/Melanau-based Parti Bumiputra and the Dayak-based Parti Pesaka with the late paramount chief of the Iban Temenggong Jugah anak Barieng in the 1970s.

In 1970, Rahman resigned as education minister and returned to Sarawak politics and became chief minister in the same year when the then Parti Bumiputra formed a coalition government with the Chinese-based Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), then led by Ong Kee Hui.

Forced to resign in 1981, Rahman Yakub stepped down in favour of Taib and became head of state for a single term and it was not renewed after his relations with Taib nosedived.

But a large section of the new PBB followed Rahman Yakub and this led to the formation of the Permas group which made an unsuccessful bid together with Leo Moggie's Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) to topple Taib in the state elections which followed the failed political coup in 1987.

The other component parties of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional - SUPP and Sarawak National Party (Snap) - rallied round Taib. Soon PBDS returned to the fold and strengthened Taib's position further.

Cronyism and nepotism

In his rally speech on Saturday, Taib denied he had implemented development projects to benefit himself, urging bumiputras "to think rationally about the allegations of cronyism and nepotism" against him before jumping to conclusions.

Taib explained the scenario regarding one of the state's largest low-cost housing project in Semeriang in which his family-linked business Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) is involved.

According to him, the project is "not bringing much benefit to CMS due to the peat soil condition."

"Not many companies wanted to invest in the project because of the high cost involved to prepare the site for the project."

But, he added, the project had to go on to provide housing to the low-income group. "We do not want them to remain without houses and to live far away from the city. That's why we continue with the project."

He also defended his family-linked business role in Bank Utama, saying that many Sarawak bumiputra businessmen had benefitted from it through business loans.

TONY THIEN is a freelance writer based in Kuching.