THE crowds at Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional ceramah in Kuching were in stark contrast.

At the BN event held at the MJC night market in Batu Kawa, attendees, numbering some 1,500, wore the yellow Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) T-shirt or the dark blue of BN. They looked like they were attending a party convention.

On the other hand, the crowd at the PH event held at Saradise, in the residential suburb of BDC, looked like they were attending a rock concert.

Many came with their own stools, plastic sheets to sit on, and food and drinks.

PH’s ceramah attracted a far larger crowd than the BN event held across the road last week.

Supporters came to listen to candidates Chong Chieng Jen (Stampin) and Kelvin Yii (Bandar Kuching) speak, but above all, they turned up to listen to PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s final address before the 14th general election, which was live-streamed via Facebook.

Chong, the Sarawak PH and DAP chairman, who is facing SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Juan in the polls, told the crowd that it is the “dream of all Malaysians to change the government”.

He recounted his experience at Sibu airport yesterday, where a police officer stationed there stopped him and cried out, “Ubah, ubah” (change, change).

“The policemen want change. Civil servants want change. Even respected (former) Umno veterans, like Rafidah Aziz, Rais Yatim, want change.

“All are saying, ‘Umno tidak boleh pakai lagi’ (Umno is useless).”

Yii, who is facing SUPP’s Kho Teck Wan, said Kuching folk will join other Malaysians tomorrow in making history.

“We will all be part of history, by changing the government.” – May 8, 2018.