Sarawak polls: Adenan names five more BN direct candidates

Sarawak polls: Adenan names five more BN direct candidates
by klpost

Kuching - Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem today announced the names of five more Barisan Nasional direct candidates for the coming 11th state election, bringing to 74 the number of BN candidates named so far.

Four of the five are from the United People's Party (UPP), a BN-friendly offshoot of SUPP, and one is a former member of SPDP.

Heading the list of UPP candidates is its president, Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, who will defend the Bawang Assan seat. Wong is the Minister of Local Government and Community Development as well as Second Finance Minister.

Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King will contest the Dudong seat now held by Yap Hoi Liong of the DAP while Ranum Mina will defend the Opar seat.

A new face, businessman Datuk Hii King Chiong, will contest the Pujut seat now held by independent Fong Pau Teck who was formerly with the DAP.

At the press conference at his office, Adenan also read out the names of incumbents Dr Johnical Rayong and Dr Jerip Susil who have been announced earlier as the candidates to defend the Engkilili and Mambong seats.

The former SPDP member named today as a BN direct candidate is businessman Datuk Pau Chiong Ung, who has been tasked to wrest the Tanjung Batu seat from the DAP.

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The chief minister said all the seven have to resign from their respective parties to comply legally and technically with the Barisan Nasional constitution.

"They must comply, after all they are all going to be BN candidates. They will be at liberty to join any party they want after winning but the most important thing is that their loyalty must lie with the BN," he said.

On the Pelawan and Meradong seats, Adenan said their candidates would be finalised a few days before nomination.

"We have a few things that we have to discuss first before reaching a consensus," he said, adding that both SUPP and UPP are claiming the seats.

On the candidates from SPDP and its breakaway party, Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras), Adenan said they would be finalised before nomination day as well.

"We hope to solve the problems between them soon," he said.

Adenan also gave some advice for the BN component parties and all the BN candidates.

"Now that we have settled (the matter of) most of the candidates, I expect us to stop pointing our cannons at each other but at the opposition.

"I expect no more internal disputes. All our guns must now be trained on the opposition," he said. - Bernama

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