PKR names candidates for 15 ‘non-negotiable’ Sarawak seats
(The Malaysian Insider) – PKR has named 15 out of 43 candidates for the coming Sarawak state election, three of whom including state party chief Baru Bian will defend their seats.
Baru will defend his Ba Kelalan seat, See Chee How in Batu Lintang and Ali Biju in Krian), PKR vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar announced in Kuching last night.
Jayakumar made the announcement on behalf of PKR elections director Nurul Izzah Anwar, the Lembah Pantai MP who was barred from entering Sarawak earlier in the day.
He also announced 15 seats the party deemed “non-negotiable”, ahead of talks with partners DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) in Pakatan Harapan.
Jayakumar said the seats, contested by PKR in the 2011 state election, included the three held by the party which will see their incumbents running again.
The rest are the predominantly Malay seat of Tupong which the DAP is also eyeing, the new seat of Batu Kitang where PKR will place its national women’s chief Voon Shiak New, Lingga to be contested by state deputy chairman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh, the Malay-majority seat of Nangka in Sibu, and Dayak-majority seats of Simanggang, Saribas, Layar, Machan, Murum, Marudi, Telang Usan and Mulu.
The full list of the candidates for the 15 seats are: Nurhanim Hanna Dato Mokhsen (Tupong), See Chee How (Batu Lintang), Voon Shiak Ni (Batu Kitang), Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh (Lingga), Norina Umoi Utot (Simanggang), Yakub Daud (Saribas), Vernon Aji Kedit (Layar), Ali Biju (Krian), George Chen (Machan), Abdul Raafidin Majid (Nangka), Abun Sui Angit (Murum), Elia Bit (Marudi), Ronald Engan (Telang Usan), Paul Baya (Mulu) and Baru Bian (Ba Kelalan).
