MIRI, April 7- The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has confirmed that one of seven parliamentary seats it would contest Gua Musang Parliamentin the 13th General Election could possibly see a change of candidate at the last minute.
This would depend on a decision by the top Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership, said party president Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui.
He said, the urban Stampin seat in Kuching City could possibly be the only seat that might see a change of candidate.
“The candidates for the rest of the seats, namely Bandar Kuching, Serian, Sarikei, Lanang, Sibu and Miri have more or less, been confirmed.
“If there is a change (of candidate), I think, (that would be) for Stampin only. So far, I have not received any phone call from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to discuss SUPP candidates.
“Based on that scenario, I can make a conclusion that there is no change in the list of candidates,” he told reporters after launching the Military Community Volunteering Day at the Miri City Council Stadium here today.
Speculation has been rife that Stampin incumbent Datuk Yong Khoon Seng may put on hold his retirement plan to defend the seat again, for the sixth term,
in view of his winnable candidate status, as required by the top BN leadership. What fuelled that speculation was when Yong, 71, said he was willing to reconsider his quit decision, if the prime minister wanted him to continue as
his family had given its blessing on March 31.
In the 2008 General Election, Yong retained the seat after beating Voon Lee Shan from the DAP and See Chee How (PKR) in a three-cornered fight, with a 3,070-vote majority.
However, the three state seats under the Stampin parliamentary seat are Kota Sentosa and Batu Kawah held by DAP, and Batu Lintang under Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
SUPP has picked its youth secretary-general and lawyer, Wilfred Yap, to replace the Stampin incumbent when the party made an announcement last October.
On Thursday, the prime minister was quoted as saying that there would be an “element of surprise” when the BN candidates are announced later.
– BERNAMA
