KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Mambong has identified three winnable candidates for Bengoh in the coming state polls.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has told the party during a meeting with party leaders recently to look for a winnable candidate if the party wanted to defend the seat for BN.
A party insider said the party shortlisted three names: Bengoh branch chairman Ahkim Sarok, bank officer Andrew Puro and a member of former Bengoh assemblyman William Tanyuh Nub’s family.
The source said among them Ahkim was the frontrunner and stood a greater chance to be recommended by the party as its most winnable candidate.
Asked to comment on the matter, Ahkim, who was the general manager of Damai Golf and Country club, confirmed that his name had been proposed and he was prepared to take up the challenge.
“I have been going around to the ground quietly and I am now fully prepared for the battle,” he said, adding that his probable candidacy had been endorsed by PBB Bengoh.
According to Ahkim, he had met Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dato Sri Dr James Dawos Mamit the PBB Bengoh chairman and the minister had expressed his full support for him to stand in Bengoh in the state election.
“Of course the final say on candidacy is the prerogative of the chief minister as state BN chairman but at the same time we are convinced that he (Adenan) will make a decision based on feedback from the grassroots.
“As such, I will be doing my best to win the hearts and minds of the people because to be a winnable candidate, we need support from everyone,” he said.
SUPP had been searching for candidates for Bengoh following the defection of its incumbent Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
Dr Jerip, who is Assistant Public Health Minister, left the party and formed United People’s Party (UPP) together with three other former SUPP elected representatives, namely Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili).