By Allan, Sarah, Alexandra, Jacintha & Alverdtekoster
KUCHING: The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has announced 31 candidates for the 15th general election (GE15), including 14 new faces.
As expected three incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) and PBB veteran leaders, were not in the list, as they have earlier decided not to seek re-election.
They are Santubong incumbent, who is also the caretaker de facto law minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Batang Lupar incumbent Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim and Betong incumbent Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat.
Wan Junaidi’s Santubong seat will be defended by his former federal Cabinet colleague and caretaker Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister cum Batang Sadong incumbent Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
A new face and a woman candidate Rodiyah Sapiee has been picked in replace of Nancy to defend Batang Sadong.
Also as widely rumoured, Puncak Borneo incumbent Datuk Willie Mongin has been nominated to defend his seat.
Willie, who is also caretaker federal deputy minister of plantation industries and commodities, won the seat under Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket in GE14.
He, however, quit PKR during the infamous Sheraton move in 2020. He later applied to join Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and his application was officially accepted in August.
Aside from Rodiyah, PBB is also fielding two other new faces – Mohamad Shafizan Kepli for Batang Lupar and Dr Richard Rapu for Betong.
GPS chairman and Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced the candidates’ list after handing over the writs to GPS 31 candidates at the PBB headquarters here today.
The line-up also saw, GPS naming two assemblymen from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) to contest in the coming general election. This has not been the norm in previous elections.
They are Batu Kitang assemblymen and Padawan Municipal chairman, Lo Khere Chiang, who will contest in Stampin and Repok assemblyman Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii in Sarikei.
It would be a first for Lo in parliamentary election but a second for Huang, who had contested in the same seat in the 2018 general election. In the election, Huang, however, failed to unseat DAP’s Wong Ling Biu.
GPS longest serving MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem,71, who is also SUPP deputy president, would continue to defend his seat for his eighth term since 1990.
Abang Johari also announced another four new faces from SUPP; Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting in Sibu, Eric Tay for Bandar Kuching, Wong Ching Yong (Lanang) and Jeffrey Phang Siew Foong (Miri).
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), on the other hand, is fielding three new faces. They are the party’s women chief Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Brodie who will contest in Sri Aman, Roy Angau Gingkoi (Lubok Antu) and Edwin Banta (Selangau).
This would be PRS second time in nominating a Dayak woman candidate to stand in a general election.
PRS president Datuk Joseph Salang would be making another attempt in Julau, a seat he had represented for three-term before losing to Datuk Larry Sng, in GE14.
Larry, who is currently Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president, contested in the seat as an independent ticket the 2018 general election.
Meanwhile, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) has named two new faces – Lidang Disen for Mas Gading and Giendam Jonathan Tait for Saratok. The party lost Mas Gading to DAP’s Mordil Bimol and Saratok to Bersatu’s Datuk Ali Biju on the last general election.
Among those who will be defending their respective seats are Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (Petra Jaya), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu), Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (Kapit), Datuk Rubiah Wang (Kota Samarahan), Ahmad Johnie (Igan), Datuk Ago Dagang (Kanowit), Lukanisman Awang Sauni (Sibuti), Datuk Anyi Ngau (Baram), Datuk Hanifah Taib (Mukah), Datuk Ugak Kumbong (Hulu Rajang) and Yusuf Abdul Wahab (Tanjung Manis), Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (Limbang), and Datuk Henry Sum Agong (Lawas).
Of the 31 seats at stake, PBB, the GPS lynchpin, is currently holding 14, while PRS and PDP have two each and SUPP one.
The nomination day for GE15 has been fixed on Nov 5, while polling day on Nov 19.
