Abdul Karim prefers to stay put in Asajaya

KUCHING: Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has confirmed that he will not stand in the Satok seat for the upcoming Sarawak 12th state election.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice-president said he had grown fonder of Asajaya since he started his political career, and if possible, he would like to retain his seat in the same district where he began.
“There is no need for me to move, and if given another opportunity to defend my seat in the upcoming polls, I believe I will stay put in Asajaya.”
He said this during a press conference after officiating at the launching ceremony of ‘Hidden Gems Borneo, Sarawak’ at the Sin Chew Daily office here yesterday.
Abdul Karim, a four-term Asajaya assemblyman, said he had been developing his political career in Asajaya for the past 20 years and that changing seats is not something he had considered.
In the 2016 Sarawak state election, Abdul Karim, who has served as an assemblyman in Asajaya since 2001, defeated Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate Abang Junaidi Abang Gom by a majority of 4,078 votes.
At the earth-breaking ceremony of the road from Lubok Teranggas to Gedong at Dewan Terbuka Gedong on Wednesday, Gedong incumbent assemblyman Datuk Naroden Majais said he was willing to make way for caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to contest in Gedong.
In response to that, Abang Johari, who is also the Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman, said he would consider the matter and decide when it was time.