Lubok Antu, Selangau to see new faces

KUCHING: Lubok Antu and Selangau parliamentary constituencies will get to see new faces representing Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) in the coming 14th general election (GE14), says its president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing yesterday.

He told The Borneo Post that the party did not receive recommendations from the respective state assemblymen in the two parliamentary constituencies for the two incumbents to defend their seats when the deadline was closed end of last year, thus the party had no choice but to nominate two new faces.

The incumbent for Lubok Antu is Datuk William Nyallau Badak while Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, who is PRS deputy president, is the incumbent for Selangau.

However, four other PRS members of Parliament had been informed that they would be re-nominated to contest in the election, said Masing.

“We have received recommendations from the state assemblymen for four of the seats; namely Hulu Rajang, Julau, Kanowit and Sri Aman and subsequently their names have been submitted to the BN top leadership for endorsement.

“I can tell you that the practice of the party has been that we only send one name for each of our six seats because we believe that we are in the best position to know who our best candidates are to win these seats for the BN,” Masing told The Borneo Post yesterday.

“And since there was no recommendation from the respective ADUN (state assemblymen) for the incumbents of Lubok Antu and Selangau when the window was closed, thus, PRS has nominated two new faces,” added Masing.

When asked whether the party would be split if these two leaders were dropped, Masing said it would not, as it was based on the decision of the party’s top leadership.