KUCHING: The Youth wing of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) is hoping for the Barisan Nasional to retain the Tanjung Datu seat unopposed in the by-election on Feb 18.
Its chief, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, thanked PKR for announcing it would not contest the by-election, and called on other parties to do the same.
“As a tribute to our former Chief Minister, the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem, I request that BN be allowed to retain the seat without a contest," he said to reporters after a first-hand look at the construction of an interchange at the Datuk Temenggong Abang Kipali Abang Akip Roundabout in Jalan Petra Jaya here yesterday.
The by-election for Tanjung Datu has been necessitated by the death of Adenan on Jan 11. The Election Commission has set Feb 4 for nomination and Feb 18 for polling. Early voting will be on Feb 14.
Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Abang Openg is set to announce the BN candidate for Tanjung Datu by-election today.
Fadillah, who is the Works Minister, said the PBB was ready to mobilise its machinery if there was a contest.
He also said that the BN was confident of victory if there was a contest.
Meanwhile, state Election Commission director Datuk Takun Sunggah when contacted today said no one has purchased the nomination form from the state EC headquarters here despite the election date drawing near.
He said there was a possibility that political parties were waiting for the very last minute or a day before the nomination day, Feb 4 to purchase and fill up the forms.
He said this, however, is not an indication that BN would have a walkover win for the seat.
“We are not sure yet (over the uncontested win)...maybe there will be a last minute buyer.” said Takun.
Additional reporting by Esther Landau