Lamoh is Barisan’s choice

By Jack Wong, The Star

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has picked senior government officer Malcolm Mossen Lamoh to be the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Batang Ai by-election.

Lamoh, 49, is an engineer with the state Agriculture Department.

His candidacy, according to sources, has been submitted by PRS to state Barisan chairman Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

PRS president Datuk Dr James Masing confirmed that the party had recommended only one candidate. He declined to name him.

Dr Masing, also state Land Development Minister, has also notified Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak about the party’s nomination.

It is understood that Lamoh is a local known to Batang Ai voters.

He is said to be a close friend of former four-term assemblyman Datuk Dublin Unting Ingkot of PRS, who died last week.

Nomination for the by-election is on March 29 and polling on April 7.

Lamoh is expected to face PKR’s Nicholas Bawin, a former Lubok Anti District Council deputy chairman.

Batang Ai is one of the two state constituencies in the Lubok Antu parliamentary constituency.

In the 2006 state election, Bawin, who contested under a Sarawak National Party (SNAP) ticket, lost to Ingkot by 806 votes in a straight fight.

At a press conference at PKR Satok office here yesterday, Bawin would not confirm or deny that he was the PKR candidate.

He said the party would name the person soon.