KUCHING – It was formerly known as the State Reform Party, or STAR for short. But for some reason, the stars did not align in the party's favour to bestow it a winning streak.
Not having secured a single seat in any state elections since it was established in 1996, its sparkly star logo was jettisoned earlier this year to make way for a new insignia and name.
For the 12th state election (PRN12), the party – having rebranded and christened itself as Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi) – is hoping to contest at least 22 seats by ‘floating’ across the campaign trail on the wings of a butterfly.
If this sounds familiar, yes, in the coming PRN12, Aspirasi is all set to “float like a butterfly”, but whether or not it can sting like a bee with its new-fangled Rajah Brooke butterfly mascot is another matter.
Party president Lina Soo, a former PKR and Sarawak United People’s Party member, oozes with confidence. The Iron Lady of the state’s opposition pact, Gabungan Anak Sarawak (Gasak), is all tooth and nail, raring to deploy her foot soldiers to the hustings.
But why the butterfly for the party’s identity? Is not a butterfly a squashy, limp and voiceless lepidoptera?
“The butterfly is a deep and powerful representation of life. Many cultures see the butterfly as a symbol of the soul,” she tells The Vibes.
According to Soo, the butterfly chosen for the logo is no ordinary butterfly. She points out that the Rajah Brooke butterfly is native to Sarawak and was first discovered by naturalist Sir Alfred Russel Wallace in 1855.
He named the species in honour of James Brooke, the first Rajah of Sarawak.
“So you can see, the Rajah Brooke butterfly, which is endemic to Sarawak, resonates well with our political ideology ‘Sarawak for Sarawakians’, which has grown to become our rallying call.”
The ‘Butterfly Effect’
She also points out that Aspirasi’s choice of the butterfly logo has a more intense and prolific rationale to it.
“We have borrowed the concept of the ‘butterfly effect’ to give credence to our logo,” she says, adding, “the butterfly effect is an idea that is more commonly used in chaos theory".
“A small change can incite bigger changes or one small incident can have a big impact on the future.
“So here we are, a small party with no seats and very little funds even to roll out our election machinery.
“But we see ourselves as the ‘small change’ that will make greater things happen in the near future for Sarawak.”
In jest, she said two days after the new name and logo was launched, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government collapsed.
Whether or not this is a good omen for Soo and her compatriots, or even if it is a “warning shot” to her rivals – Sarawak’s political Goliaths – who care not a hoot about Aspirasi or its aspirations, has yet to be seen.
On the ground
Despite having had no representation yet in the state assembly, Aspirasi has never remained a silent on the backburner.
“The party has not been sitting on its laurels. We may not be able to take to the podium at the state assembly – being seatless – but we have been working on the ground and touching base with voters,” said Soo.
She said recently, Aspirasi commemorated the appointment of Stephen Kalong Ningkan (1920-1997) as the first Dayak chief minister of Sarawak (1963-1966).
The other, Tawi Sli (1912-1987), had two short stints as chief minister.
The appointment of a Dayak chief minister in the state has also been a long-standing desire of native Dayaks.
The party also took to the streets to re-educate Sarawakians that August 31 is not the state's independence day, but applies only to the Federation of Malaya, which got its independence In 1957.
“We finally succeeded in getting this message across, when in 2016, Sarawak's independence day was finally celebrated for the first time on July 22.
“We pounded the streets, hosting public talks on the very thorny issue of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” Soo added.
She claims credit for the fact that MA63 is on everyone’s lips today.
Aspirasi has also been campaigning for the Sarawak referendum.
“I have been giving public talks to educate the natives on their right to self-determination. This can only be achieved and legitimised through the referendum process – constitutionally, lawfully and peacefully.”
With election fever rising and the voices of politicians pitching up, Aspirasi is also on the go, although the date for PRN12 has yet to be announced.
The party has been touching base with voters since July, holding discourses with the public and participating in community work.
“This is how we get up close with the voters and are able to sense what it is that they aspire. Generally, they feel inspired and are eager to determine their own future and explore the options for the creation of a better Sarawak.”
Peddler of press releases
Where is Soo, if not on the ground? Most likely whipping out a press release for the media.
Soo gets voraciously vocal whenever a national or state issue that creates tumult has to be addressed.
She tirelessly dispatches one press release after another on issues ranging from the Sarawak referendum, the Petroleum Development Act, MA63 and, more recently, Budget 2021.
She described next year's national budget as a mockery of Sarawak and Sarawakians, with only a paltry sum of RM4.5 billion allocated for infrastructure development.
Apart from these concerns, Soo has constantly highlighted bread-and-butter issues, access to basic necessities, such as water and electricity supply, healthcare, food, education, jobs, welfare aid for the underprivileged and business opportunities.
Anyone surfing local news portals or reading newspapers in Sarawak will come across Soo’s self-taken photographs almost every other day.
Her copious press statements are written in the style of a tabloid journalist’s draft text and is never known to be binned by editors, as they make for good copy, at the very least.
So long as Soo regularly dispatches her thoughts through her persistent releases and if editors continue to generously publish them, Aspirasi seems to have already hit the ground running for the upcoming PRN12.
Multiracial ideology
“Aspirasi is not a party based on race nor religion. Aspirasi is for every Sarawakian who subscribes to the concept of a multiracial ideology,” Soo said.
“Our 5,000 strong membership is made up of Bidayuh, Iban, Chinese, Malay and Orang Ulu.
According to her, the main thrust of the party manifesto is to offer hope to every Sarawakian – young or old, men or women.
“The mood in the air is ‘Sarawak for Sarawakians’. This is how we are poised to hit the campaign trail.
“Sarawak’s people have come to a realisation; they are aware that they have power in their hands and exercising their right to vote and to choose the right party will make a difference in their lives and bring most needed change urgently.
“Aspirasi is confident that Sarawakians today, young and old, are politically mature and want to manage the wealth of the state’s resources by themselves and also govern the state and chart their own destiny.”
Battlestations
PRN12 will see Soo contesting the Padungan seat, with party chairman Buln Ribos standing in Serembu.
Other popular seats the party will contest are Pending, Batu Lintang, Kota Sentosa, Engkilli, Pelawan, Tg Batu and Pujut.
In addition, it will pitch its candidates to take on another 12 seats to be announced later.
Aspirasi will be jointly contesting in PRN12 as a component of Gasak. The coalition comprises Aspirasi, Sarawak Workers Party (SWP), NGO Sarawak for Sarawakians, Sarawak Independence Alliance and Parti Bansa Dayak Baru (PBDS).
“PBDS and SWP are rural-based parties. They will lend their strength to take on rural and semi-rural constituencies. Aspirasi will focus its efforts on urban and suburban seats,” said Soo.
She told The Vibes that small parties have a long way to go and must have the stamina to participate not just in one election, but to remain dedicated, consistent and prepared for the long haul.
Soo has spoken enough, but how will her rhetoric measure up on polling day?
In every state election, there is a huge cast, a compelling script and a colourful montage.
Can the wings of a butterfly alone bring Soo good fortune and help ease her litany of laments? Perhaps, she could sail through on the wings of a prayer as well. – The Vibes, November 22, 2020
