KUCHING: For the first time since 1981, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg will not be contesting the Satok seat in the Sarawak election.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and Sarawak’s sixth chief minister will be Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s candidate at Gedong – a state seat in the Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency.
This was announced at the GPS candidate unveiling ceremony at the PBB headquarters here.
Abang Johari has been Satok assemblyman for nine terms.
In place, Satok PBB deputy chief Datuk Ibrahim Baki will be fielded in Satok.
Of the 82 seats, more than half will be contested by PBB – 47 seats.
Of the other GPS component parties, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) will contest 18 seats, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will contest 11 while Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) will stand at six.
Abang Johari, who addressed the media, said GPS will contest all 82 seats and is fielding 24 new faces.
However, he did not give a breakdown of seats contested by GPS component parties.
“If we look at the list of new faces, there are some female candidates aged 30 to 33; this is GPS, when we talk, we do it.
“Our candidates consist of professionals from various backgrounds.”
Abang Johari also said GPS endorsement letters were handed out to all of its 82 candidates in an earlier meeting.
At the same time, Abang Johari said these new candidates will be trained by GPS veterans and they will be exposed to “Sarawak style politics”.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Azizul Annuar Adenan, the son of the late chief minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, will contest the Tanjung Datu state seat, which was previously held by his mother Puan Sri Jamilah Anu.
“I will bring attention to Tanjung Datu,” said Azizul, who’s also the youngest son of Adenan.
Azizul also said he was confident that he could defend the Tanjung Datu seat for PBB.
“I feel I have my own capabilities and people can judge,” he added.
Kuching South City Council mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng will be taking on the Padungan seat, against state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who was formerly the three-termed Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
Wee admitted that he is still new in politics, but said he is prepared to take on the Padungan seat against Chong.
“But Padungan is not unfamiliar to me, because I’m from Padungan. We expect a fair fight so let’s do it like gentlemen,” added Wee.
Wee also said he had served in various government positions over the past 17 years in Sarawak.
“People can see what I have done,” added Wee.
Nominations for the Sarawak state election will be held on Dec 6. Polling will be on Dec 18.