State BN to resolve candidacy tussles in 4 seats at meeting today
KUCHING: The state Barisan Nasional (BN) has yet to finalise its choice of candidates in four parliamentary seats although it is set to announce its final candidates list this afternoon.
The four seats are Mas Gading, Saratok and Baram which were under Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Hulu Rajang where Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is having trouble persuading five-term MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo to step down .
According to state BN secretary-general Datuk Stephen Rundi, the candidates for these seats would be decided by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at BN supreme council meeting today.
He added that these four seats were very ‘fluid’ as lobbyists were still making a last ditch efforts to convince the BN leadership to field their choice of candidates.
“There has been no decision on candidates for these four seats yet. But it will be settled during the BN meeting,” Dr Rundi told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
Aside from these four seats, Dr Rundi revealed that the two BN component parties, namely Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) had confirmed their line-up.
Mas Gading has hogged the limelight since the incumbent MP Datuk Tiki Lafe was sacked by SPDP early last year.
The party later announced that it had nominated Anthony Nogeh to replace Dr Tiki sparking off a long running tussle for the Bidayuh majority seat which remains unresolved even at this eleventh hour.
The nomination of Krian assemblyman Ali Biju by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to stand in Saratok has raised concern that Jelaing Mersat the incumbent MP might not be able to stave off his challenge.
It is speculated that to save the situation, SPDP has opted for its president Tan Sri William Mawan to face Ali Biju.
Another possible SPDP candidate for the seat is Enturan Luta, a 46-year old engineer and a local.
As for Baram, the seat has been considered ‘hot’ with the proposed Baram HEP dam facing resistance from some locals affected by its construction.
The situation is compounded by the grassroots’ clamour for a new face to replace incumbent Dato Jacob Dungau Sagan to ward off PKR’s candidate, a lawyer and a social activist Roland Engan.
Limbang’s district officer Anyi Ngau has been rumoured to take over from Sagan.
The situation in Hulu Rajang remains frustrating for PRS as Billy Abit Joo still believed that he was still a winnable candidate and refused to step aside for new face Wilson Ugak Kumbong.
When contacted, PRS secretary-general Datuk Wilfred Rata Nissom said he had not been told of any change in its candidates’ lineup.
“If there is a change, the president would have notified me and the others in the party’s election committee,” said Nissom.