KUCHING: Barisan Nasional (BN) has found a solution to the thorny issue of seat distribution among the coalition’s component and breakaway parties as it gears up for Sarawak’s 11th state election.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who is also Sarawak BN chairman, said he had jointly formulated the solution with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Tuesday night during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur which centred around BN’s preparations for the election.
“The prime minister and I came up with the solution that will possibly please all conflicting parties... it will be announced soon,” Adenan said in an exclusive interview with the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) at his Wisma Bapa Malaysia office in Petra Jaya near here yesterday.
The group was led by Berita Harian group editor Datuk Mahfar Ali.
“That (seat distribution) is one of the issues that Sarawak BN wants to resolve, as we want to avoid any three-cornered contests among parties in the ruling coalition during the polls,” Adenan said.
He, however, did not rule out the possibility of Sarawak BN fielding direct candidates.
“There is that possibility since it has been done before.”
He also did not rule out the possibility of members of the coalition switching seats, adding that this was part of the solution that would be considered.
“Having said that, I do not foresee a lot of it (seat switching) happening... There may be a few,” Adenan said, adding that matters related to seat allocation for Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the backbone of Sarawak BN, and its strongest ally, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), had been finalised.
He made it clear that no members of parliament in the state would be contesting in the state election, which is likely to be held in April.
“The general rule is that MPs will remain MPs and not be state assemblymen at the same time.
“There was a time when I was both an MP and state assemblyman. I had to give up the MP post,” he said, referring to when he was Muara Tuang assemblyman and Batang Sadong MP.
For more than a year, Sarawak BN component parties have been beleaguered by internal bickering after several unhappy leaders and members in the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) quit the party to form a new political entity, friendly to the ruling coalition.
Among them were former Sibu SUPP chairman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, who is also state local government and community development minister, who had initially joined Parti Tenaga Sarawak (Teras), before joining the United People’s Party (UPP).
The internal crisis in Sarawak BN worsened when state Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom quit as Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president to join Teras.
At present, Mawan is the only leader of political parties friendly to BN who is both an MP and state assemblyman. He is the MP for Saratok and Pakan state assemblyman.
“We do not see any drastic changes. However, this issue (involving conflicting parties) needed to be resolved to avoid a three-cornered fight,” said Adenan.
“The opposition is facing the same problem. Unlike them, we have found a solution to our problem that can be resolved before nomination day.”
Adenan said he was confident that Sarawak BN would win with an increased majority in the coming polls, based on its track record and services.
“We are quietly and cautiously confident of winning the state election.
“This is based on our records and popular votes polled by Sarawak BN in the previous election, as well as our services to the people,” the PBB president said, adding that his party had finalised its list of candidates and where, of the 40 state seats, they would be fielded.
“Most have been confirmed except for about five state seats. We will be contesting 40 out of the 82 seats.
“As far as we are concerned, we have agreed with most of the candidates,” he said, adding that possible protests over the chosen candidates would not be unusual in politics.
Adenan, who had in recent weeks been making unexpected announcements concerning the
impending polls, was coy when asked about the likelihood of him doing the same with the list of candidates.
“We will cross that bridge when we get there.”
He also alluded to Sarawak BN being in the midst of preparing its election manifesto, hinting that “Give Adenan a Chance” might be the possible theme.
“I do not know whether it is for me to decide (on the theme of the election manifesto).
“I have always said that I need five more years and I am not asking more than that.
“Five years is enough... I will be 77 years old and I will probably be senile (by then)... I want to retire by then,” Adenan said.
The next election must be held by the middle of this year as the mandate of the present state government expires on June 20.
“Soon, I will be having an audience with the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak (Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud) to seek his consent to dissolve the state assembly.”
Adenan had proposed to the EC that the nomination and polling days for the next state election be
held on April 18 and 30, respectively.