(From left) Yap, Benny, Casper, Tiong and Mary.
SIBU: A battle-royal is brewing in Dudong with incumbent Yap Hoi Liong of DAP not only taking on BN direct candidate Datuk Tiong Thai King but also three others.
Dato Sri Dr Benny Lee for one has resigned from SUPP where he was the Dudong branch vice-chairman to contest as an independent candidate.
The two others in the affray are Mary Ting Yiik Hong from STAR and independent candidate Casper Kayong.
The five filed their nomination papers about the same time between 9am and 9.30am yesterday.
Tiong’s proposer was Lai Chiong Ann and seconder, Penghulu Philip Kayak while Benny had Penghulu Enyang Manchol and Ling Hung King as his proposer and seconder.
Koon Yew Choice proposed Yap while Andrewson Sigai seconded.
Mary’s proposer and seconder were Wong Suoi Ing and Ting See Ling while Casper’s proposer was Sawoh Alit and seconder, Usen Banyak.
Tiong, 71, is a businessman while Benny, 49, is an educationist.
Mary, 49, is a businesswoman while Yap, 45, is a lawyer. Self-employed Casper is 64 years old.
Benny opted for `key’ to be his election symbol while Casper chose ‘chair’.
Benny said the key was for him to open the door of the Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN).
For Casper, a chair was chosen because everyone needed a chair.
Meanwhile, Tiong said he had not expected a five-cornered fight.
“I’d expected a three-cornered fight,” he told reporters, accompanied by his wife Datin Wong Mee Sing and a political secretary to the chief minister Maurice Giri.
“It’s good. It shows many people want to serve the people of Dudong,” he said with zest, adding, “I wish them good luck. As for myself, I will try my best to win.”
Benny, on the other hand, said his decision to contest was to get back the seat for SUPP.
Asked if he would rejoin SUPP after the election, he said he’d leave it to SUPP to decide.
Mary, meanwhile, said she would fight with all her heart. “If we got the heart to do it, God willing, we will get the support,” she added.
For Yap, the biggest challenge is not from his four competitors, but from within himself.
He said he would try his very best so that he could continue to serve the people as their representative.
“People in Dudong want an Iban representative,” independent candidate Casper suggested.