The Orang Asli or native voters are expected to play a major role in this weekend's by-election in the East Malaysian constituency of Sibu, Sarawak.
Many see the polls as a litmus test for the next state-wide election.
Located on the island of Borneo, Sibu in Sarawak is a semi-urban constituency.
Over 30 per cent of its 54,000 registered voters are native Ibans and the Melanau.
They are traditionally strong supporters of the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government led by Sarawak's longest serving Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is an ethnic Melanau.
Like their ancestors, many of them still live in long houses along side the Rejang, Southeast Asia's longest river.
The Rumah Mujah in Tutus is one of the longhouses accessible by road some 30 kilometres outside Sibu.
It houses some 100 families of ethnic Iban descent.
Kennedy Entiry, whose ancestors were once headhunters, said their lives have improved over the years.
Thanks to BN, he said there are now power generators and a water storage and filter system to harvest rainwater in the longhouse.
"The opposition has never helped the native in Tutus; they've never given us projects nor brought us generators, etc, unlike the Barisan Nasional government," said Entiry, a Rumah Mujah Long House's Resident, Tutus.
Ahead of polling day this Sunday, several BN leaders are visiting the longhouse to canvas for votes.
As wild boar and chickens are slaughtered to welcome them, the natives also told them about their needs.
"All the residents want roads, electricity and water. There is no running water here, we are still relying on rain water for cooking and drinking. If there is a prolonged drought, we are finished," said Entiry.
BN has promised projects and developments to enhance the native's quality of life but a small segment of the community is getting restless.
"We Ibans have been fooled by BN, all these while," said one resident.
But with only 7 days for campaigning, the opposition admits it's an uphill battle to make inroads into the native community that remains solidly behind BN
