KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is confident about winning big in the Jepak by-election on Nov 4.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi said GPS candidate Iskandar Turkee from PBB is the right person to continue the work of the late Jepak assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip.
“After much meticulous assessment and thought, PBB has picked Iskandar, a potential candidate who has come out clean to represent GPS in the by-election,” he told the New Sarawak Tribune.
Dr Rundi, who is also Kemena assemblyman, said currently, there was no major issue as development in Jepak has been progressing well.
However, he said, they would not compromise but continue to work hard to retain the seat.
He urged all the GPS component parties and their grassroots to give full support to the GPS candidate to ensure a bigger win this time around.
“Although Jepak is a PBB stronghold, we will continue to work hard and work as a team to deliver the seat – with a stronger majority and ensure the GPS candidate is acceptable to everyone,” he added.
Dr Rundi also respected the decisions of Aspirasi and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) to contest in the by-election as Malaysia is a democracy where anyone can contest in an election.
Aspirasi has named as candidate businessman Chieng Lea Phing, 64, who was born and bred in Bintulu and is a resident of Jepak constituency.
Meanwhile, PBK announced that it had re-nominated businessman Stevenson Joseph Sumbang to contest.
Stevenson, 42, a former police personnel, contested Jepak in the 2021 state election, garnering only 587 votes, against the late Talib (6,277 votes), PSB’s Raba’ah Tudin (2,034 votes) and independent candidate Tuah Kazan (141 votes).
The Jepak state seat fell vacant following Talib’s death on Sept 15 of kidney complications after being admitted to a medical centre on Sept 14.
The Election Commission has fixed Oct 21 as the Nomination Day. Based on the updated electoral roll, Jepak has 22,804 registered voters.
