Spread the word on your existence, GPS told
KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must do effective political marketing by erecting billboards and banners at all nooks and corners of Sarawak, apart from carrying out roadshows in both the urban and rural areas to introduce the party and its logo.
“The most important first step for a new political party like GPS is not only introducing the logo but also the objective and main struggle of the party,” political analyst Associate Professor Dr Jeniri Amir told The Borneo Post.
The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas) senior lecturer said GPS must explain to the people the difference between the new entity and Barisan Nasional ( BN) to avoid confusion.
“They must go to the ground, do some kind of roadshows not only in urban areas but also in rural areas including in the longhouses deep in the interior,” Jeniri suggested.
Jeniri said it is important for the people, especially the voters, to know the new entity.
“People must be aware of the new coalition, particularly the logo,” he stressed.
With the villagers so used to the BN logo for more than four decades, Jeniri said educational drive on the party must be carried out for rural folks with very low political literacy level.
“I think they need to drive home the point, knock into their head this thing, do a very simple explanation of the logo for the public, print the logo (for distribution) and put up the banners all over the place and explain, go to the ground,” he said.
Jeniri insisted that visibility is very important for GPS at its infancy stage, given that there are less than three years before the next state election.
Jeniri was commenting on Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s confirmation in his winding-up speech in Parliament yesterday that GPS’ registration had been approved.
In giving this confirmation, Muhyiddin said the Registrar of Societies ( RoS) will be issuing an official letter in the next few days.
“Regarding the application to register GPS, it has already been approved and the letter will be issued by RoS in a day or two, Insya-Allah,” Muhyiddin said.
Muhyiddin was responding to a query by Kapit MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, who is GPS secretary general, on the registration status of the Sarawak-based coalition.
The member parties of the coalition are Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) who had announced to quit BN on June 12 this year.
Meanwhile, socio- politics analyst, Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi from Department of Socioculture of University Malaya, stressed that GPS must focus on development based on the needs of the people of Sarawak.
“GPS must tackle issues affecting the people such as the decision of Pakatan Harapan government to cease giving hardship allowance to fishermen during monsoon season. GPS must help them,” he suggested.
Awang Azman insisted that rural development must be consistent and not ad hoc in nature although the state assemblymen and members of parliament have grants under the Rural Transformation Programme.
“There must be short term plan that must really have impact to benefit the livelihood of the rural populace,” he said.
He said GPS must be present at grassroots level to fulfil their election manifesto promises in order to avoid from being likened to PH.
“Sarawak’s rights issue must be moved consistently and continuously. Action and followup must be expedited soonest possible to avoid being perceived as a cheap political gimmick,” he stressed.
Awang Azman warned GPS that all issues surrounding Native Customary Rights ( NCR) must be dealt with to avoid protest and public resentment.
“As long as the needs of Sarawakians are met, elected representatives not giving empty promises and fulfilling their obligations to the electorate, the people will be happy. If GPS can do all these, any political party, whichever planet or galaxies they may come from, will not be able to change the Sarawak government in the next election,” he concluded.