KUCHING: Businessman Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim will not decline the opportunity to contest in Kota Samarahan should he be given the nod to replace his cousin Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib in the 13th general election.
However, Ahmad, who is also PBB Batu Kawah branch chairman, said that he would give his full support to whoever BN pick for Kota Samarahan.
Sulaiman, who had once served as Deputy Tourism Minister, has indicated quite some time ago that he would not be seeking re-election.
“There is no lobbying for me to contest in Kota Samarahan, but there are people there who have me close to their hearts. The reason is that my late father had served that constituency before when he was in Serian. They know his style, his character, and also take into consideration that I am just like him … someone who is close to the people.
“As the Malay saying goes ‘rezeki jangan ditolak, musuh jangan dicari’, it is not good to decline any good fortunes. If given the chance, I will take it,” he told the press after receiving a courtesy call by the 1Malaysia Movie Night committee members at his office in Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce here yesterday.
Among those who tagged along were SPDP Pending branch chairman Audie Chua, the branch’s Wanita chairperson Winnie Lim, deputy chairperson Wendy Ernest, who is the event’s organising chairperson, SUPP Youth secretary-general Wilfred Yap and Wanita SUPP chief Amy Tnay Li Ping
“BN can count on me for total support. I put the BN and PBB first before my personal interest. If we are not united within BN, it will be difficult,” said Ahmad, whose father, the late Datuk Seri Ibrahim Mahmud, once served as superintendent of police for Serian-Samarahan.
Ahmad is seen as the dark horse in the race to become the BN candidate for Kota Samarahan. Word from the grapevine is that the front runners are Asajaya district officer Rubiah Wang or corporate figure Dato Sri Mahmud Bekir Taib, Sulaiman’s brother.
A political greenhorn, Mahmud Bekir had said before that he had always been on the fringe of politics, having been a member of PBB Kuching since he was 19 years old.
Rubiah’s chances look bright because Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is also PBB chairman, had, in the past, said the party would be increasing its women candidates in the 13th general election from the current three – Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim (Batang Lupar), Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong) and Datuk Norah Abdul Rahman (Tanjung Manis).
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