MIRI – Sarawak PKR is telling rural voters across the state to no longer tolerate the many broken election promises made by the oppressive ruling regime for the past six decades.
On the final day of campaigning, PKR leaders are urging rural voters to see past GPS election cash handouts and to opt for a total change of government.
State PKR vice-chairman Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng told The Vibes today that the party is sending a message to the rural folk that they must be bold enough to boot out the incumbent Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government on polling day tomorrow.
“On this final day of campaigning for the state election, PKR candidates are finding it hard to fight the money politics of GPS.
“Their cash handouts have reached every corner of rural Sarawak.
“We in Sarawak PKR have no money to offer the voters we meet.
“But we are asking them to look at the current state they are living in now – without proper roads, poor telecommunications facilities, bad housing conditions, no treated water supply, no proper electricity, broken bridges, etc.
“Election after election, the ruling regime promised to deal with these problems and transform the life of rural Sarawakians.
“They mentioned big yearly budgets in the billions for basic amenities like roads, bridges, houses.
“Year after year, these promises remained only words.
“And in every election, the ruling parties go and give cash handouts, and they buy the votes of rural voters who are desperately poor and who will opt for the few hundred ringgit.
“We are appealing to the rural folk not to be lured by the few hundred cash anymore. Kick out the ruling regime, vote for drastic change.
“It is a sad situation in rural Sarawak, and we in PKR will need time to change the mindset of rural voters,” Dr Teo said when interviewed.
Asked what is the most difficult challenge facing PKR candidates and campaigners in this 12th state election, he said it is the use of money by GPS.
How to fight the large amount of money being dished out freely by GPS politicians?
“It’s an impossible task given the prevailing situation now when the rural folk are living in hardship.
“We in PKR do not blame the rural folk.
“We sympathise with their situation,” he stressed.
Dr Teo said the rural folk have had to endure social and economic oppression for so long that the “victim mentality” becomes something they have accepted as fate.
He added that Sarawak PKR needs time to change the mindset of the nearly one million rural natives in this big state.
PKR is contesting in 27 of the 82 state constituencies with polls due tomorrow. – The Vibes, December 17, 2021
