The big crowd at the Majlis Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri in Lawas.
Adenan launches the Majlis Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri.
LAWAS: Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) will likely put up a Kelabit as one of its candidates in the coming state election.
Saying it is to enable the Kelabit community to have a voice in the State Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister and state BN chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, however, did not specify which constituency the Kelabit candidate would stand in.
“The minorities – Selako, Bisaya, Kayans and Kenyahs – are already represented, and most likely, we will allocate the new seat for the Kelabits,” he said at the Majlis Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri held at the indoor stadium here yesterday which was attended by some 3,000 people.
He was commenting on the recent Appellate Court’s decision to allow the proposed re-delineation by Election Commission (EC) which will increase the number of seats by 11, bringing the total number of state constituencies to 82 from the present 71.
Though the chief minister did not specify the seat, many quarters think it is most likely to be the proposed Mulu seat encompassing Kelabit villages in Bario and the predominantly Kenyah community further downstream.
Adenan pointed out that the additional seats would be mostly in rural areas, which augurs well for his plans to accelerate rural development.
At the same time, he announced that incumbent Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan (Bukit Sari assemblyman), Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail (Bukit Kota assemblyman) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau assemblyman) would be re-nominated to defend their seats as BN candidates in the coming state election.
“We will pick a candidate who can beat Baru Bian (of PKR) in Ba Kelalalan,” he added.
Adenan appealed to the people to give him a resounding mandate to enable him to speak with authority to the federal government for more funds, recognition of state rights and greater development in the next five years.
“I have always loved Sarawak all my life and now I am given the responsibility and opportunity, I will do my best,” he said.
Earlier on, Awang Tengah called on the people to give Adenan a strong mandate so that the chief minister can have a stronger voice in fighting for the state’s fair share of development and rights.
“He has the best interest of Sarawakians at heart, and has from the onset stood up for our interests and rights,” he said.
On Ba Kelalan, he called on the people to wrest the seat for BN in the coming state election as a gift for Adenan, who can deliver the goods and meet their aspirations.
Others present at the function included Adenan’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu, DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar and his wife Datin Amar Fatimah Iskandar, Awang Tengah’s wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud, Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Limbang MP Hasbie Habibolah, Bukit Kota assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang and SPDP deputy president and former Ba Kelalan assemblyman Datuk Nelson Balang Rining.