BINTULU: Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip has left it to the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leadership and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to decide whether he is listed or not as a candidate for the 12th state election (SE-12) for the Jepak seat.
The Jepak assemblyman said what is important is that the candidate must be able to bring victory to GPS in its mission of continuing the state’s development.
He said for now, GPS’s big win at SE-12 is more of a priority as compared to personal preference.
“Until today, I am still the Jepak assemblyman, no matter what happens, I hold the trust placed on my shoulder at this time,” he said during a leisure programme with members of the Bintulu Bumiputera Media Practitioners Club (KPMBB) at a hotel today.
Talib became the Jepak assemblyman after winning with a majority of 5,287 in SE- 7 when he managed to get 5,892 votes in a three-cornered contest involving two Independent candidates Awang Abdillah Awang Nassar and Dick Winie, who obtained 605 and 179 votes respectively.
In SE-8, he faced a four-cornered contest with two Independent candidates Bolhassan Kambar and Julaihi Zainuddin and DAP candidate Wan Saimi Wan Dahlan, which saw Talib win with a majority of 4,547 votes.
Talib once again defended the seat for a third term when he won with a majority of 3,179 in SE- 9 of 2006 when he faced DAP candidate Wan Saimi. He garnered 4,997 votes as compared to Wan Saimi’s 1,818 votes.
In the subsequent SE-10 held in 2010, the Jepak assemblyman was involved in a five-cornered contest. He faced Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Abdul Jalil Bujang, Ramli Melaka of Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and two Independent candidates namely Abdul Kuddus Ramlee and Awang Abdillah Awang Nassar. Talib won again by a majority of 3,128 votes.
Meanwhile, in SE- 11, he was again returned as the victor with a majority of 4,201 votes in a five-cornered fight with PKR candidate Abdul Jalil Bujang, Kiprawi Aman of Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS), Mohammed Anuar Abdul Hamid of State Reform Party (STAR) and Independent candidate Wong Hau Ming. He obtained a total of 6,342 votes.
Abdul Jalil received 2,141 votes, Kiprawi (406), Mohammed Anuar (136) and Wong Hau Ming (190).
