Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu
KUCHING: Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu will be fielded as state Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Tanjong Datu by-election on Feb 18.
This was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg at PBB headquarters at 3.30pm on Feb 1.
Highly popular with the people of Sarawak who are familiar with her, 62-year-old Jamilah is well known for her charitable and voluntary work.
Jamilah is also said to have contributed much in the areas of education, health, and environment, among others.
She becomes the third woman within the span of slightly more than one year to contest for a seat left vacant by a death of a husband.
The first was Irene Chang, who won the Bukit Assek state seat which was held by her husband, the late Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng. Wong died from cancer in 2014.
The latest was Mastura Mohd Yazid who had no previous experience in politics but bagged the Kuala Kangsar by-election last year.
Her husband, Wan Mohammad Khairil Anuar Wan, died in a helicopter crash just days before the May 7, 2016 Sarawak election.
In the May 7 state election last year, Adenan won the seat with a 5,892-vote majority after defeating PKR candidate Jazolkipli Numan who only garnered 468 votes against Adenan’s 6,360.
The seat fell vacant following the demise of Adenan who passed away due to heart complications on Jan 11 at the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 21(5) of the Sarawak Constitution, the Election Commission must call for a by-election for Tanjung Datu within 90 days from the date of notification on its vacancy.