DISCUSSING STRATEGIES : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak chairing the BN management meeting in Putrajaya on Thursday in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (third left), Taib (second left) and Awang Tengah (left).
State BN all set for polls, reiterates stand against direct BN candidate but tinkering possible in some seats
KUCHING: The state Barisan Nasional (BN) has “more or less confirmed” its candidates for the 13th general election except for a few seats where the situation is still fluid, revealed State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom yesterday.
The seats are Stampin and Mas Gading where although Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) have nominated their candidates respectively, the door is still ajar for last minute changes.
The state BN has partially solve the long running dispute for the Mas Gading seat between incumbent MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe and his former party SPDP by deciding that whoever represents BN in the election there must be a member of SPDP.
“BN will not create a precedent which will have a negative impact in future. So we will stick with the current principle that there will be no direct BN candidate from Sarawak,” stressed Dr Rundi.
That decision should have put paid to Dr Tiki’s chances of defending his seat on the BN ticket and cleared the way for Anthony Nogeh, the SPDP nominated candidate, but there is still a possible twist in the Mas Gading saga.
When asked whether Dr Tiki could still defend the seat under BN, Dr Rundi said it was up to the prime minster to decide but stressed that if he were to be fielded by BN, he must return to SPDP.
That scenario is almost unthinkable given the acrimonious sacking of Dr Tiki by SPDP.
Dr Tiki has been lobbying to stand in Mas Gading under BN Club, which is not a registered political party but now that route to retaining his seat is closed.
Other former SPDP leaders in the BN Club are Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian Nguse, Marudi assmeblyman Datuk Sylvester Entrie Muran, Bekenu assemblywoman Rosie Yunus and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang who like Dr Tiki were sacked by SPDP or resigned from it.
Meanwhile, the situation in Stampin revolves around lingering BN’s doubts over the ‘winnability’ of Wilfred Yap, the SUPP Youth secretary-general who has been chosen by the party to take over incumbent MP Datuk Yong Khoon Seng.
Dr Rundi said there was a very high possibility that Yong would be re-nominated to defend the seat.
DAP is expected to field its strongman Chong Chieng Jen, who is currently MP for Bandar Kuching to contest in Stampin to wrest the seat from SUPP.
When contacted, Yong said he would leave the decision to the prime minister and at this stage, he preferred not to make any comment on the situation.
Dr Rundi disclosed that the issue of candidacy was the main item in the agenda of the BN management meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Putrajaya last Thursday.
Among the state’s delegates were Chief Minister and PBB president Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, SUPP president Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui, PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan, PBB senior vice-president Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and Dr Rundi himself.
Dr Rundi who is also PBB secretary-general confirmed that PBB would have one new face to replace MP for Kota Samarahan Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib who had decided not to defend the seat.
Asajaya district officer Rubiah Wang has been widely tipped to be fielded in the predominantly Malay seat.