from left: BN candidates Datuk Awang Tengah Ali, PBB and state BN publicity chief Tan Sri Adenan Satem and Tan Sri Dr. Alfred Jabu at the press conference.
Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Asfia Awang Nasar and two assistant ministers are among those being dropped from the Barisan Nasional (BN) list of candidates for the upcoming state elections.
The two assistant ministers are Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck, who has been replaced by Lanang member of parliament and Sibu mayor Datuk Tiong Thai King, in Dudong and Larry Sng is dropped in favour of Stanley Nyitar, in Pelagus.
Sng has been without a party since he was sacked from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) in 2008.
Asfia is being replaced by Abdullah Saidol in Semob.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will defend his Balingian seat. Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president and Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan will again be defending his Piasau constituency.
PRS president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing will defend his Balleh seat while Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party ( SPDP) president Datuk Seri William Mawan Ikom will also be defending his Pakan seat.
In all, the kingpin of the Sarawak BN, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), is fielding 10 new faces, SUPP seven, and PRS, two.
The BN, however, is unable to release the name of a candidate for Ba’Kelalan.
PBB and state BN publicity chief Tan Seri Adenan Satem, who announced the names of the BN candidates at the PBB headquarters, said the name of the "mystery candidate" will be known before nomination day on April 6.
It is learnt that the incumbent state assemblyman Nelson Balang Rining is deemed to be "not winnable" against Sarawak PKR liaison chief Baru Bian, who has been tipped to contest there.
Adenan, who was initially among those tipped to replace Taib if the latter steps down,S said BN had vigorously conducted investigations on the backgrounds of each the candidates before they were being considered.
