The Sarawak State General Election Of 1991

Abstract

The article examines the basis and veracity of suggestions that Dayak leaders were "racist" or "extremist" in their electoral campaign in the 1991 Sarawak State Election. It finds such suggestions untenable. It further elaborates on the concept of "Dayakism" in an attempt to understand its broad underpinnings and its relevance to the 1991 state election as well as the elections of 1974, 1983 and 1987. The author concludes that Dayakism in a broad sense will continue to permeate all future state elections in Sarawak as long as the socio-economic conditions of Dayaks remain depressed.