Sibu by-election: BN must woo Sibu Chinese folk

A difficult task lies ahead for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the upcoming Sibu parliamentary by-election as they'll have to go all out to win the hearts of local Chinese folks.

Based on the recently concluded Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election, political analysts predict a huge bulk of the Chinese voters — who make up about two-thirds of the electorate in Sibu — could vote against BN.

So, BN candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew will have to work hard to woo them, said Prof Mohd Agus Yussof of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) — who foresees it won't be smoothsailing for the BN in Sibu.

“I expect a tough fight in Sibu. It’s not going to be easy for the BN because the Chinese are likely to show support for the Opposition, just like in Hulu Selangor.”

For Sibu villagers, Lau’s local council post is his strength

Lau (left) greets residents during his walkabout in Kampung Nangka May 8, 2010

Robert Lau Hui Yew made his first official walkabout today as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Sibu by-election and was greeted by villagers eager to have their problems solved by the local government.

Lau has served as a member of the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) since 2004, and some villagers met at the Kampung Nangka near here have fond memories of his second cousin, Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, whose death last month paved the way for the by-election.