SARIKEI: As Belawai incumbent Datuk Hamden Ahmad is expected to give way to a new candidate in the coming election the guessing game on who his replacement might be is in full swing in the constituency.
One name that is bandied about as Hamden’s successor is Zawawi Embong, a local boy who made it good in the corporate world.
Zawawi is no stranger to local politics as he is Belawai PBB deputy chairman and was the branch Youth chief for five consecutive terms (1990-2005).
An engineer by profession, Zawawi had served as a project manager of Tanjung Manis Development Sdn Bhd for 17 years and from 1996 a consultant engineer of Ranhill Bersekutu (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd .
He is also involved in various NGOs at both the state and national level.
He is deputy president of Sarawak Bumiputera Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of Malaysian Engineers Institute Sarawak Branch; protem chairman of Majlis Permaufakatan Persatuan IbuBapa dan Guru Negeri Sarawak (MPPIBGN) and a councillor of Sarikei District Council.
There is also a chance that Hamden might defend his seat as there are calls from the grassroots to the top leadership to re-nominate him as they felt that he had made invaluable contribution during his 25 years as the elected representative of the area.