Adenan pulls off surprise
CM names 10 candidates from SUPP for Sarawak polls
KUCHING: In a surprise turn of events, Tan Sri Adenan Satem announced 10 candidates from SUPP, including its president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, for the coming state election.
The Chief Minister said he would announce more “from time to time” until up to a week before nomination day, which has yet to be announced by the Election Commission.
“I go party by party. I announced PRS (candidates) the other day. Today it is SUPP’s turn but (the list) is not complete,” he told a packed press conference at his office here.
He had been expected to reveal the list of Barisan Nasional direct candidates for the disputed seats between SUPP and its breakaway party UPP, as well as between SPDP and its splinter party Teras yesterday.
In the past, Barisan direct candidates referred to those contesting under the Barisan ticket without a component party, although Adenan has not made clear the mechanisms of direct candidacies for the coming polls.
Besides Dr Sim, who will contest in Batu Kawah, the other SUPP candidates named are Peter Pau (Padungan), Milton Foo (Pending), Sih Hua Tong (Batu Lintang), Wilfred Yap (Kota Sentosa), Lo Khere Chiang (Batu Kitang), Datuk Francis Harden (Simanggang), Chieng Buong Toon (Bukit Assek), Datuk Sebastian Ting (Piasau) and Datuk Lee Kim Shin (Senadin).
Adenan said he would announce the candidate for Repok when he visits the area in a day’s time.
He also said a consensus had not been reached between SUPP and UPP on seat allocation but the matter was expected to be resolved before nomination day.
Asked whether the seats that remained unannounced yesterday would be given to UPP, he replied: “You can assume anything you want but wait until the day I announce it.”
On why he was announcing the candidates in stages, Adenan said this was due to intense lobbying among potential candidates to use Barisan’s dacing symbol.
“I don’t hear people fighting to use other symbols, including that of the opposition. But because they know they stand a good chance of winning with the Barisan symbol, that’s why they are vying for it,” he said, adding that the candidates’ background and popularity were also taken into consideration.
The announcement puts to rest speculation over some seats claimed by both SUPP and UPP. However, the delay in naming direct candidates indicates that the dispute has yet to be fully resolved.
In the 2011 state election, SUPP contested 19 seats but won only six. Following the party’s split in 2014, when four assemblymen quit to form UPP, SUPP was left with two assemblymen and one MP.