MIRI: Direct candidates representing Sarawak Barisan Nasional in the looming state polls are required to sign a loyalty pledge to the ruling coalition prior to the contest.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who is also Sarawak BN chairman, said the requirement has been enshrined in the ruling coalition’s constitution.
“According to the BN constitution, they (direct candidates) must sign a loyalty pledge to the ruling coalition.
“And as a BN candidates, they will only allowed to use one symbol – which is the ‘dacing’ (scale) – and not the symbol of the party that they belong to,” he told reporters after a meet-the-people session here yesterday.
When asked if direct candidates chosen from other political parties have to relinquish their post, Adenan replied: “According to the BN constitution… yes.”
He went on and reiterated on the requirement imposed on BN direct candidates which require them to sign the loyalty pledge prior to their candidacy.
“For your information, BN is also a party.
“As for direct candidates, they will use the BN symbol. That answers the whole thing. And after that they are free to choose which component party (in Sarawak BN) they want to join. It is up to them.”
Adenan also confirmed that Sarawak BN will field direct candidates in some of the 21 state seats requested by Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), which is up against its splinter entity – the United People’s Party.
“They (SUPP) will not get all 21 (state seats) as some will be contested by BN direct candidates,” he said.
On Wednesday night, Adenan officially announced the first candidate from splinter parties aligned to BN to represent the ruling coalition in the upcoming state polls.
During the launching of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Miri constituency election machinery ceremony, Adenan had announced that Assistant State Early Childhood Education Minister Rosey Yunus of Parti Tenaga Sarawak (Teras) would defend her Bekenu state seat during the polls.
Teras is one of the two breakaway parties, apart from UPP, which is aligned to the ruling coalition.