Noel Changgai Bucking
Nicholas Bawin Anggat
KUCHING: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) mulls fielding a candidate in the Iban heartlands of Betong, Lubok Antu, Kanowit and Selangau in the upcoming general election but has yet to make an official announcement.
With no overlapping claims of seats in these parliamentary constituencies, PKR is said to be gauging the performance of their potential candidates, said an insider.
A name bandied about to contest in Betong is that of Noel Changgai Bucking, a businessman with a degree in Economics, who has opted for early retirement from the civil service to enter politics.
PKR information chief Vernon Kedit was suggested earlier but the party’s top leaders were of the view that he (Vernon) should go for any of the state seats in Betong in two years’ time, the insider claimed.
Names bandied about to stand in Lubok Antu is social activist Nicholas Bawin Anggat while insurance agent Joshua Jabeng is eyeing Selangau and former school principal Thomas Laja (Kanowit).
There is no tussling of seats among the Pakatan Rakyat components in these Iban-dominant constituencies.
Businessman Boniface Willy Tumek is said to be eyeing the Bidayuh-majority seat of Mas Gading while IT engineer Willie Mongin is PKR’s potential candidate in another Bidayuh area, Mambong.
PKR is said to be interested in the Malay-dominant areas of Santubong, Kota Samarahan
and Petra Jaya.
However, PKR could not claim these as their ‘confirmed seats’as they were still fighting with fellow state Pakatan Rakyat components DAP and PAS, according to an insider.
PAS, for instance, had expressed their intention of fielding candidate in Kota Samarahan, Petra Jaya and Santubong while the DAP wanted to field theirs in Mas Gading and Mambong.
As for Kota Samarahan, a name bandied about to stand there for PKR is former civil servant Ramlan Rahmat who has a doctorate degree in
business administration and a working experience with cooperatives.
State PKR Women chief Nurhanim Mokhsen is said to be interested in Petra Jaya.
Another businessman Ali Hossen Abang who stood under PKR ticket in the last state election in Demak Laut is said to be canvassing for support in Santubong.
PKR national women vice-chairman Voon Shiak Ni apparently is not giving up hope in Stampin where the DAP may be fielding its state secretary Chong Chieng Jen who is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
Social activist Nicholas Mujah is said to be the only PKR potential candidate in Sri Aman where DAP would also be fielding its DAP Sri Aman chief Leon Jimat Donald.
Stampin and Sri Aman seats are made up of various races and are hot seats as DAP and PKR are still fighting over them.
A few weeks ago, PKR confirmed that Limbang, Saratok, Baram, Hulu Rajang and Batang Lupar are theirs following no indication of overlapping claims fron the its state Pakatan Rakyat partners.
State PKR liaison chief Baru Bian who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman would be contesting in Limbang while Krian assemblyman-businessman Ali Biju (Saratok), lawyer-pastor Abun Sui Anyit (Hulu Rajang), lawyer and social activist Roland Engan (Baram) and businessman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh (Batang Lupar).
SUMBER:theborneopost
No comments:
Post a Comment