Ten women in Sarawak are vying for the parliamentary seats in the forthcoming 14th General Election (GE14). Out of the ten, six are fielded by Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates. The state BN coalition comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS). PBB, the backbone party of the State BN, is fielding four women candidates, namely, in Kota Samarahan, Batang Sadong, Batang Lupar and Mukah. Three of the women candidates – Rubiah Wang (Kota Samarahan), Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong) and Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim (Batang Lupar) – are incumbents for the seats while Dato Hanifah Hajar Taib (Mukah) is a new face.
PRS, another component party of the Sarawak BN, is fielding a woman candidate in Selangau. Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol is also a new face. Meanwhile, SUPP, another component party of the Sarawak BN, is also fielding a woman candidate and a new face, Kho Teck Wan, in Bandar Kuching. Besides, the six women fielded by the state BN in the GE14, opposition party, Democratic Action Party (DAP), is also fielding a woman, Alice Lau for the Lanang parliamentary seat.
A pharmacist by profession, Lau defeated five-term incumbent, Datuk Tiong Thai King of SUPP in the last General Election with a majority of 8,630 votes. Nominated by DAP, she was the first female MP from Sarawak from an opposition party.
In the forthcoming GE14, Lau is facing Kong Sien Chiu of BN-SUPP and Priscilla Lau of Sarawak Peace Party (PEACE) in the battle for Lanang. Opposition party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has fielded a woman, Norina Umoi Utot for the Sri Aman parliamentary seat.
She is facing BN incumbent from PRS, Datuk Masir Kujat, and Cobbold John, President of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB, in the tussle for the seat. Sarawak Peace Party, PEACE, has also nominated women candidates – Priscilla Lau for the Lanang parliamentary seat and Tiew Yew Houng for the Sibu parliamentary seats – in the GE14.
Lau is involved in a three cornered fight for the Lanang seat; her opponents are Alice Lau of DAP and Kong Sien Chiu of BN-SUPP. Meanwhile, Tiew is facing Oscar Ling of DAP and Datuk Wong Kee Yew of BN-SUPP for the Sibu seat. 31 parliamentary seats are up for grabs in Sarawak and half of the BN Sarawak candidates are new. The Sarawak BN component parties have a status quo they adhere to, with PBB contesting in 14 parliamentary seats, SUPP seven, PRS six and Progressive Democratic Party four.
According to political analysts, PBB is “almost certain” to win all 14 seats it is contesting in the GE14. If the prediction comes true, that means all five women- Rubiah Wang (Kota Samarahan), Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong), Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim (Batang Lupar) and Dato Hanifah Hajar Taib (Mukah) – that the party is fielding will be elected to the Parliament.
That will be awesome BN women power from Sarawak in the August House! But the road to Parliament is tough. In the forthcoming GE14, Rubiah is pitted against Sopian Julaihi of PKR-Amanah and Zulkipli Ramzi of PAS in the battle for Kota Samarahan while fellow PBB member, Nancy is facing Othman Mustapha of PKR-Amanah and Asan Singkro of PAS in Batang Sadong. Rohani is also facing a three-cornered fight in Batang Lupar: her opponents are Narudin Mentali of PKR-Amanah and Wan Abdillah Wan Ahmad of PAS. In Mukah, newcomer, Hanifah, daughter of Head of State, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, is involved in a straight fight with Abdul Jalil Bujang of PKR.
If re-elected, Rohani and Nancy, who have been making headlines in the course of their work as federal Ministers, are expected to continue with the good jobs they have been doing They have made Sarawak and Sarawak women proud by carrying out their ministerial duties diligently and well.
In the GE14, hats off to PBB for fielding the most number of women candidates. It is a good start in the face of continuous clamour by the fairer sex for more participation of women in the Parliament and State Assembly and the dire need to address the gender imbalance in decision-making positions in the government and politics in Malaysia.
SUPP, a Chinese based party, also deserves a pat on the back for fielding a woman – Kho Teck Wan – in Bandar Kuching. The new face is facing another new face from DAP, Dr Kevin Yii Lee Wuen. True to his promise, PRS President, Masing has fielded a woman, the party’s first ever woman candidate, to stand in the General Election.
Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol, a corporate legal advisor, will battle State PKR Chairman and Ba Kelalan State Assemblyman, Baru Bian of PKR for the hot and controversial seat. Will all the women candidates vying for the parliamentary seats in Sarawak be elected to Parliament? We will only know on Polling Day, May 9, 2018. If you are a voter, don’t forget to exercise your democratic right that day!
