PDP expected to announce ‘preferred’ candidate for Saratok tomorrow

KUCHING: Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is expected to announce the party’s ‘preferred’ candidate for Saratok tomorrow.

According to a party insider, the announcement would be made during the ‘Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat’ gathering at Rh Jabu, Ng. Senulau.

The party insider, however, said the final choice of candidate lies with the top leadership of Barisan Nasional ( BN).

“In BN, the respective party president can only announce the party’s ‘preferred’ or shortlisted candidate, but it is BN’s top leadership who will make the final call.

“As far as PDP is concerned, the person is the party’s preferred candidate and its choice was made based on the feedback it had gathered from the ground as of present,” he said.

The party insider added that although the party had decided on its ‘preferred’ candidate, anything could happen between the announcement date and Nomination Day as the state BN chairman Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and national BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak could make a last minute change.

He said the top BN leadership might even put a dark horse at the eleventh hour.

The insider said PDP had identified three names – entrepreneurs Subeng Mula and Basil Thomas, and medical practitioner Dr James Chella – as its potential candidates for Saratok.

He said the names are expected to be narrowed down to one tomorrow.

“It’s either Subeng or Dr James. Let’s wait for the president to make the announcement of the party’s ‘preferred’ candidate for Saratok.

“As I have said, anything can still happen between then and Nomination Day,” he said.

PDP’s supreme council meeting several months ago had decided to retain all its incumbents for Baram (Anyi Ngau), Bintulu (Tiong) and Mas Gading ( Datuk Anthony Nogeh) in the coming 14th general election.

PDP, which was formerly Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), won all the four parliamentary seats it contested in the 2013 general election, including Saratok, which it won through Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom.

Mawan, however, quit the party following internal disputes in May, 2014 to join newly- formed Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

In 2016, he was fielded to defend his Pakan state seat as direct BN candidate, which he eventually won.

Teras then was effectively dissolved on May 11, 2016. Following the dissolution, Mawan because partyless.