A Malay legend tells the story of Puteri Santubong, a princess who was the guardian of Mount Santubong.
There is even a song, Puteri Santubong, which was quite a hit in karaoke joints in Sarawak in days gone by. It was also one of the most well-known state songs in the country at one time.
People who pass by the mountain swear they can see the side profile of a woman, believed to be that of the legendary Puteri Santubong.
Santubong is home to one of the national parks in Sarawak, and one of the state’s most sought-after tourist destinations, the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Damai Beach Resort and Damai Central, a multipurpose food, beverage and entertainment complex, are situated at the foot of Mount Santubong.
Also, the nearby Pulau Talang-Talang is famous for sightings of the Irrawaddy dolphins, thus making it another popular tour within easy reach of Kuching.
Politics in Santubong is just as magical — for Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) that is.
PBB, the backbone of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) government, has never lost in this parliamentary constituency since its existence.
Isn’t that magical for the political party! It seems that Puteri Santubong has been jealously protecting PBB in Santubong against other suitors.
The three state seats under Santubong — Tanjung Datu, Pantai Damai and Demak Laut — are all PBB strongholds.
All PBB candidates, since the party was formed in 1973, have never been defeated in the state or parliamentary seats in the area.
The Malay-majority electorate of Santubong are loyalists — they know no other party other than PBB/BN.
The whopping 20,936-vote majority garnered by Santubong incumbent Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar in GE13 is proof that PBB is untouchable in the constituency.
His three opponents, a PKR candidate and two independents, trailed far behind.
Wan Junaidi was actually moved from Batang Lupar to contest in Santubong for the first time in the 2004 general election.
His handsome win then, by a margin of 10,560 votes despite being a newcomer, was a clear indication of PBB’s stranglehold on Santubong.
In 2008, he increased his victory majority to 11,945 votes.
Wan Junaidi has served Santubong well as its MP for three terms and is also well respected at the federal level.
He is a former Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker, a former deputy home minister and is currently federal natural resources and environment minister.
At 72, age may not be on Wan Junaidi’s side and he has confided in friends that he was not sure whether he would be selected again by his party as a GE14 candidate.
Whatever it might be, and if his political career were to end this year, the six-term MP can hold his head high, knowing that he has completed his national service with distinction.
Wan Junaidi can be further comforted that a younger party colleague replacing him in Santubong can almost be guaranteed electoral victory.
Unless, that is, a young, tall, dark, handsome prince from Pakatan Harapan does not suddenly emerge from somewhere to steal the heart of Puteri Santubong.
Until that happens, Puteri Santubong will most likely stay faithful to her old flame.