KUCHING: Political bigwigs from both sides of the divide will be descending on Sarawak from today giving more credence to the talk that the 10th state election is imminent.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin are already in town with a high-powered Barisan Nasional team from Kuala Lumpur.
Najib and Muhyiddin will be joined by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in an unprecedented walkabout at Serian town in the Kedup constituency which is a PBB stronghold.
Barisan officials said Sarawak has never seen such a function where two of the country’s most powerful men and the state chief are together. The function will start at 10am.
The three men are also slated to have a joint press conference at the end of the day at 4pm and many speculate that there would be an important announcement then.
Some party officials are expecting the three men to unveil the date of the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.
“They must have something important to say, otherwise why would they go through all that trouble.
“If not the exact date then they would be giving clearer hints as to when it would be,” said one state party official.
Taib, when asked by reporters yesterday whether he had anything important to announce, said: “Wait one more day.”
Others speculate that the important announcement could be about the political future of Taib himself.
They said that Taib might choose to announce in the presence of the two national leaders whether he would contest in the coming polls which must be held before July 24.
Also in town are the three Umno vice presidents Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
All Sarawakian Federal ministers have also come back for the functions.
The leaders of the Opposition parties are also in town led by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who is here together with his state executive councillor Elizabeth Wong and DAP Wanita chief Chong Eng.
They are supposed to hand over a 4WD to some Penans for their use to send their children to school in the middle of Baram.
From here, they will go for a fundraising dinner in Sibu where they would be joined by PKR vice-president Tian Chua.
State PKR information chief See Chee How said his national party leaders have been coming to the state for the past few weeks because of the pending state polls.
He confirmed that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit the state again in the next few weeks and was also here last week for the state party convention.
“Some of our YBs (elected representatives) are already on the ground, talking to supporters and the people,” said See.
PKR national communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who has been in Sibu for the past few days, said his party is ready for the polls.
