Anwar: S'wak shadow cabinet not finalised

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim today clarified that Pakatan Rakyat's shadow cabinet line up in Sarawak has not been finalised.

Anwar said that the reported 16-member line up announced by DAP on May 1 was merely the latter's proposal.

SNAP not keen to merge with DAP

Sarawak National Party (SNAP) is not keen to merge with the DAP, its secretary-general Stanley Jugol said today.

“We are not excited at the suggestion by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang for the two parties to merge,” he said when asked to comment on Lim’s suggestion on Tuesday.

He said he and other SNAP leaders were surprised with Lim’s comments as the DAP had not cooperated with SNAP in the just-concluded state election.

“They campaigned against our candidates. So, if they wanted to merge with us, they should have been nice to us during the election,” he said.

Jugol said neither Lim nor any other DAP leader had called to discuss the proposal. “The only calls we ever received were from reporters who wanted to get our reaction on the suggestion.”

Behind PKR-SNAP impasse, a battle to be CM

Sarawakians attend Bahasa Malaysia mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Kuching yesterday.

The extensive campaign to highlight alleged land grabs in Sarawak has become a double-edged sword for the opposition, causing restlessness among Dayak voters but also a rift between PKR and the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) in their ambition to claim the chief ministership.

Barisan Nasional (BN) is not expected to lose the 26 Malay-Melanau seats held by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

But should BN be denied the 36 seats needed to retain power, then the opposition party with the most Dayak representatives would be in a strong position to lead a new state government.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will be forced to negotiate with SNAP to form government despite the latter failing to reach an electoral pact with PKR before nominations on Wednesday.

Sarawak polls: Battle for Kuching City seats

Large crowds have seen attending the political rallies organised by the DAP and PKR in Kuching City’s five constituencies -- Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Batu Kawah and Kota Sentosa -- since day one of the campaigning in the Sarawak polls.

The Pakatan Rakyat rallies have attracted an average of 2,000 people, while the ones by Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and the Barisan Nasional (BN) have been more low key, getting an average of 300 to 500 people.

Besides ceramahs, SUPP is also organising dinners in restaurants and private houses to reach out to voters.

However, political insiders point out that attendance figures are not a reliable way to gauge support, as they could be misleading. Instead, going right down to the grassroots and reaching out to voters is the only tried and tested way to find out which party is making headway.

Sarawak Election 2011 in pictures today.

For posterity: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud signing a plaque to mark the opening of St Peter and St Paul’s Catholic Church. Looking on from right are Reverend Father Michael Lee, the diocese priest of Mukah; Mukah Catholic Church Charitable Trust Board chairman Datuk Aidan Wing and Mukah MP Datuk Seri Dr Muhammad Leo Michael Toyad. — RICKY LAI / The Star - 10 April, 2011 - 10 April, 2011

Here is the evidence: Dr Chan (centre) showing The Star report that he and the SUPP had indeed spoken up against the seizure of the Bibles last month. Looking on (from left) are BN candidates Datuk Lee Kim Shin (Senadin) and Andy Chia (Pujut)

Suitable leader: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib greeting guests of a gala dinner organised by seven Chinese clan associations in Sibu on Thursday.

Our pledge: Dr Wan Azizah and Pakatan Rakyat candidates posing during the launching of the Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak manifesto in Kuching

Floating campaign: Barisan Nasional�s Demak Laut candidate Dr Hazland Abang Hipni (second right) greeting villagers of Kampung Bako Hulu in midriver near Kuching Friday. The village is located on the banks of the Bako Rive

 Ready to roll: Othman Amin and Haidiri Nusi preparing Barisan Nasional campaign posters at the Kampung Lintang PBB branch near Kuching.

Meeting the people: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin lending his support to BN-SUPP candidate Tiong (standing, in white shirt) as he greets voters during his walkabout in the Farley shopping complex in Dudong Friday.

 Miri has bcome a city of interesting posters and billboards during the state election.

 Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (centre) greeting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when both met at the Song Kheng Hai hawker centre during their campaigning. Looking on are (from left) MBKS mayor James Chan, DAP candidate for Padungan Wong King Wei and SUPP Kuching branch chairman Datuk Lily Yong.

 

Billboards of SUPP and DAP fight for attention at Sibu Gateway. - 8 April, 2011

SUPP's Pending candidate Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian speaking at a rally in Kenyalang Park. ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / THE STAR - 8 April, 2011





From second left: DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Batu Kawah candidate Christina Chiew, Puchong MP Gobind Singh and Batu Lintang incumbent Voon Lee Shan showing their unity at the end of the ceramah at Kota Padawan on Thursday night,



Home-grown fast food chain SugarBun has come up with a promotion for its beef and cheese burgers in conjunction with the elections. ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / THE STAR - 8 April, 2011









Tourists taking photos of the cat statue complete with flags of the various parties in Kuching.




Fatimah Ali of Taman Senadin Jaya, Miri, arranging he kek lapis Barisan Nasional at her stall in Pasar Malam Saberka





SUPP's candidate Sih Hua Tong (right), PKR's See Chee How (centre) and Independent Soo Lina at the nomination centre for the Batu Lintang seat

 

 Independent candidate Dominique Ng's two daughters, Aubrey and Berrylin, pose in front of a poster of their father in Kuching.



 Party workers putting up BN banners in front of the landmark White Cat Statue in Kuching




A Barisan Nasional worker trying to find a spot to put up party flags at the Famous Buffalo sculpture in Lawas.




Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (second from right) and wife Puan Sri Ragad Alkurdi Taib attend a gala dinner organised by seven Chinese clans association in Sibu




The DAP's rocket symbol at a roundabout in Sibu.

 
 A street vendor making full use of the BN flag in Sibu.




 Objection time: Supporters and media members checking the nomination forms




 
Tight security: Police manning the door to the Kuching City South Council (MBKS) headquarters which housed the nomination centres for three seats




Art of politics: A man wearing a Chinese Opera Mask does a kungfu move as he leads the SNAP group to the nomination centre at Bau Wednesday. At second right is SNAP�s candidate Frankie Jurem Nyombui



Strong support: Three-year-old Patricia Margaret wearing a canary yellow SNAP t-shirt stands with a group of supporters in front of the nomination centre for Tasik Biru.



Joining the action: BN supporters showing their support at Dewan Datuk Merpati Jepang in Satok. - 7 April, 2011



Voice out: A PBB supporter cheering for his candidate, Tupong incumbent Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman at the nomination centre at SMK Petra Jaya.




Full support: Tan Joo Phoi (with necktie) walking to the nomination centre accompanied by more than 200 party supporters.




Independent woman: PKR chief Lina Soo submitting her nomination papers.


 
 Cordial greeting: Datuk Abang Johari Tun Openg (left) and Ahmad Nazib Johari shaking hands after they both filed their nomination papers at Dewan Datuk Merpati Jepang



 Well behaved: All is peaceful as the police keep watch over PKR supporters outside a nomination centre in Kuching




 Personal cheerleaders: Dominique Ng's daughters (From left) Aubrey, Berrylin and Amylea showing their support Wednesda





 A woman walking past flags of Barisan Nasional and DAP in Kenyalang Park in Kuching



 
 Independent candidate Dominique Ng Kim Ho's poster found a strategic location at the city's landmark, White Cat Statue, in Kuching.




 Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud's friends and relatives waiting outside the nomination centre for the Balingian sea




 PKR candidate Suriati Abdullah (centre) at the nomination centre with her proposer Hasni Yahya (left) and seconder Tuai Rumah Inti anak Belang.



 
 A BN worker delivering flags in Kampung Lintang in Petra Jaya, Kuching.





 Morris Randy from Trusan, Lawas, decorates his car with BN and PKR flags outside the Majlis Daerah Lawas nomination centre


 

 Police watching over Barisan Nasional supporters at the SMK Petra Jaya nomination centre.




 Supporters of DAP and PAS outside the Dewan Suarah in Piasau during nomination day.




 

 Supporters of SNAP walking to Pakan district office to support their candidate Jamal Abdullah @ Tedong Gunda during nomination day.




 Ba'kelalan candidates PKR's Baru Bian (left) and BN's Willie Liau shaking hands after filing their nomination papers at Majlis Daerah Lawas




 DAP sec-gen Lim Guan Eng giving a speech at a DAP forum in Kuching.


 

 Family support: Tan Sri Dr George Chan, his wife Datuk Lorna, his grand daughter Shaylin and other family members checking out the SUPP election operations centre in Miri.





 (From left) Chieng Buong Toon, who is SUPP candidate for Bukit Assek, Sibu SUPP chairman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan), Lanang MP Datuk Tiong Thai King (Dudong) and Vincent Goh (Pelawan) showing their cohesiveness for the camera.

 
 Camp tour: Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud and his wife Puan Sri Ragad AlKurdi Taib, accompanied by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister�s Department Datuk Ahmad Mazlan, at the Sampadi Nation-building Camp in Lundu.


 
 A man at Siang Siang Corner in Tabuan Jaya, Kuching, greeting Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin (left) during the latter�s walkabout




 Party workers putting up banners with the Barisan Nasional logo at the PBB headquarters in Kuching as part of preparations for the state election




For posterity: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud signing a plaque to mark the opening of St Peter and St Paul�s Catholic Church. Looking on from right are Reverend Father Michael Lee, the diocese priest of Mukah; Mukah Catholic Church Charitable Trust Board chairman Datuk Aidan Wing and Mukah MP Datuk Seri Dr Muhammad Leo Michael Toyad.



Praying for success: (From right) Padungan Barisan candidate Sim Kiang Chiok, Subramanian and Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce National president Datuk K.K. Eswaran receiving blessings at the Sri Srinivasagar Kaliamman temple.