It may not be enough to call it a last-ditch attempt, but Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is sparing no effort in trying to change Chinese sentiments which have not been kind to him in recent years.

NONEOn the second day of campaigning for the state elections, the longtime head of government marched right into the Chinese bastion of Sibu, a town that last made national headlines when they voted in DAP’s Wong Ho Leng (right) into Parliament last May.

Albeit with only a slim majority of 398 votes, it is said that winds of change are howling through Sarawak, especially in Chinese areas.

After all, before the by-election, who would have thought that the opposition would win, especially when Sibu was already held by local Chinese-based BN component party Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) through the late Robert Lau who held the seat for five consecutive terms?

Even SUPP leaders have admitted that they are intensifying their focus on the Dayaks and bumiputera, well-established supporters of the BN, in this state polls.

Leaving nothing to chance this time, Taib is blazing into town in an effort to cajole the Chinese voters, long known to be fickle and voting according to sentiments, into swinging to his side.

Making his job easier are the clan associations led by the predominant Foochow, which organised a 170-table dinner at one of the largest hotels in Sibu last night, complete with performances and lucky draws.

With six other clan associations in tow, there is no doubt that there was some SUPP backing, with many of its leaders and local candidates seated in  front-row.

‘Harmonious Night Gala Dinner’ was the theme and the guest-of-honour was none other than Taib himself, who spoke at length on how a vote for BN was the most obvious step in preserving harmony.

Sweet promises and goodies

Taking a leaf from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s playbook of how to deal with Sibu Chinese voters, Taib also slipped in a sweetener or two in his speech to the crowd.

And as if ticking off a checklist of the Chinese voters’ concerns, he addressed them one by one, ranging from the perennial land lease woes, to the rising cost of goods and ultimately the issue of his retirement.

But kicking off his speech was the announcement of a RM100,000 state government contribution to the clan associations's welfare fund.

NONEHe also announced that he is waiving the lease extension fees, charging only a token RM1 for a 10-year extension renewal.

"The government may from time to time help but it’s hard to give premium land. But with this, I will give a 10-year grace period for you.

"If you are not making ends meet, you will only have to pay a token RM1 for 10 years to renew. And after 10 years, we’ll review again," he said to tremendous applause from the crowd.

"As for burial grounds, the committee (of clan associations) should look for approachable land in Sibu. But they will have to provide good transportation because burial grounds must not be too near residential areas.

"It must be further away," he added, referring to the longstanding issue of the need for more land for burial grounds in the town.

“When you help us with the right kind of land, I will help you with your land, okay?” came the clincher.

Veiled threats

Then came the perils of not voting the right way.

Trying his level best to convince the crowd, some of whom probably also made up the over 1,000-strong attendees at the DAP ceramah the night before, he laid out  his own logic on how an opposition lawmaker would just not work in the state.

“I don't think you can remedy the problem of the Chinese by having someone just to bark really loudly or just to lodge complaints. It’s not the olden days any more. If someone says that they can shout for you, then he does not know how to govern,” said Taib.

NONEAddressing the name-calling targeted at him and his allies which Pakatan Rakyat frequently indulged in, he  also moved to defend his SUPP colleagues, endorsing the Bawang Assan incumbent candidate and state minister Wong Soon Koh (left) at the same time.

“It is propaganda that anyone who works closely with me is my stooge or running dog. But you have been in Sibu. You have seen how it grew. Wong and I have worked with each other for so long, we have developed empathy for each other’s problems.

“So I know how hard Wong has worked for the people of Sibu,” said Taib.

“If you want a Chinese leader to be well-represented, you have to vote in one who can work well with the government, and not someone who just barks loudly.

“Believe me when I say that I’m about to retire. But I hate to see the government change its ways and for the races to be in disunity. I still have to see race relations grow strong in accordance with the 1Malaysia concept,” he said.

The Sibu parliamentary constituency is made up of the Bawang Assan, Pelawan and Nangka state seats.

While Nangka is a Malay-Melanau-majority area with 48 percent of voters, Pelawan and Bawang Assan are predominantly Chinese- 89 percent and 39 percent respectively.

With the exception of Nangka, both Pelawan and Bawang Assan will see straight fights between SUPP and DAP candidates.

The neighbouring state seat of Dudong under the Lanang constituency is also a Chinese-majority constituency with 53.2 percent. It will see a three-cornered tussle among SUPP, DAP and an independent candidate.

Sarawak will go to the polls on April 16 after a 10-day campaigning period.