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As expected, Sarawak delivered 30 out of the 31 parliamentary seats in the March 8 general election and, in the process, saved the BN coalition from further humiliation when it won by a simple majority at the federal level. Caroline Jackson, Bernama
Amidst the gloomy economic scenario, the year 2008 saw Sarawak once again establishing itself as the traditional Barisan Nasional (BN) bastion.
As expected, Sarawak delivered 30 out of the 31 parliamentary seats in the March 8 general election and, in the process, saved the BN coalition from further humiliation when it won by a simple majority at the federal level.
In the aftermath, widespread speculation continued to surface pertaining to the purported plans of some frustrated BN members of parliament (MPs) from the state defecting to the opposition.
It prompted Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing to remark: "I don't see people jumping around. Sarawak is not a land of frogs, it (Sarawak) is the Land of the Hornbill," when alluding to the failed Sept 16 deadline set by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to wrest power from the BN to form a new government.
But Dr Masing, who was declared by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) as the legal president of the crisis-ridden party in April, was under scrutiny when PRS was alleged to be cooperating with the PKR, especially after Gabriel Adit, the independent state assemblyman for Ngemah joined the opposition last month.
In brushing aside the rumour, the state Land Development Minister was quoted as saying, during the PRS supreme council meeting in Bintulu, that he could not determine where the rumour originated, nor why it had spread around.
By coincidence, the PRS -- the youngest member of the state BN -- is in the process of merger talks with the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), with the possibility of such merger taking place before the next state election due in 2011, according to SPDP deputy president Datuk Peter Nyarok.
In welcoming the move, Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the backbone of the state BN, had said he would not interfere in any effort taken by both parties to consolidate.
Both parties are now focusing on gathering feedback from the grassroots.In August, Taib also said that a major reshuffle of the Sarawak cabinet would be deferred to early next year after the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) holds its Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC) in December.
The meeting, which saw party president Tan Sri Dr George Chan retaining his post, is considered crucial for the state's second largest BN component party, still reeling from its disastrous performance in the 2006 state election.
Contrary to talk fanned by the opposition of an early state polls, Taib had also quashed any such speculation that the 71-seat state legislative assembly would be dissolved by the second quarter of next year, saying that the current economic uncertainty was not the right time to hold it.
Commenting on recent statements from several PKR leaders, including Anwar, that the PKR's next target was to unseat the BN in the coming state election, a political observer said that pertinent issues, such as native customary rights (NCR) land, could be fodder for the opposition to make inroads, especially into Dayak-majority constituencies.
However, most Sarawakians, particularly thos in the rural areas, could afford to heave a sigh of relief following the latest reduction in the fuel price by the government so far this month to ease their financial burden.
Taib was confident that the global economic downturn would have minimal impact on the implementation of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score) while transport subsidy was provided at the height of the fuel hike to encourage more rural folk to visit the nearest towns and bazaars, which acted as rural growth centres (RGCs) to stimulate economic growth in the rural sector.
The year 2008 also marked the state's 45th anniversary celebration of its progress within Malaysia, with July 22 being commemorated as a day of great historical significance for Sarawak and its people because on that date 45 years ago the British government handed over its sovereignty to local leaders.
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The Blogs 
The plutocratic leaders there truly developed their own brand of foreign PERSONAL investments in Australia, New Zealand , Hong Kong etc as they suppressed civil liberties and attacked selected minorities in the name of law and order.
Most of the CPO's who served there were given their rewards at Federal Law entities to carry on their carnage on its own citizens with the corrupt power which went in line with their designed absolve for their benefit.
IF the current leaders there are ever allowed to continue in power--- Sarawak will forever be reserve bank for the guys in the West . The crony there will take care of the itch on this guys back!!
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