Veteran Sarawak politician and long-time federal minister Dr Sulaiman Daud has finally decided to call it a day.

He said he would not be defending his Petra Jaya parliamentary seat in the coming general election.

Sulaiman is better known in Sarawak political circles as "Mr Clean" for maintaining a humble lifestyle throughout his political career. He is said to one of the few Malay ministers highly regarded by both young and old in the state as an exemplary politician.

In the 1999 general election, Sulaiman defeated his Keadilan rival, Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Sanusi, with a 2,870 majority. He polled 11,878 votes against Wan Zainal's 9008 votes.

Sulaiman, now in his 70's, was dropped from the federal cabinet after the 1999 polls although he was re-elected to parliament.

His last cabinet post was as agriculture minister. He was replaced by a colleague in Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Effendi Norwawi, who is now Special Functions Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Replacement undecided

PBB, the backbone of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional led by Chief Minister and state chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud, is said to be still undecided on the choice to replace Sulaiman in Petra Jaya.

Contenders are Satok division deputy head Ibrahim Baki, a lawyer-businessman, who is backed by PBB deputy president II Abang Johari Tun Openg, and Fadillah Yusof, a successful lawyer-businessman.

PBB is also expected to field a senior academician with Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (Unimas) as a few face for a seat in the Lower Rajang Basin.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) has already named one new face to contest Bandar Kuching. Senator Wee Kok Tiong will replace Song Swee Guan who resigned as Bandar Kuching MP a year ago. The other six Supp incumbents will be retained.

A third state BN component party, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), faces no problem in deciding on its list of candidates. Except for Saratok where a new face will be fielded, the incumbents in Mas Gading, Bintulu and Baram will be retained.

Others in contention

The problem now is with the six incumbents of the de-registered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS). There is no official formula yet on the six parliamentary seats held by the party.

Sarawak National Party (Snap), now declared officially in the opposition, has announced it will go after as many seats as possible but concentrating mainly on four seats it said that SPDP had robbed from it.

State Reform Party (Star) led by former assistant minister Dr Patau Rubis (photo) announced last week that the party would also contest the elections in several constituencies. He did not, however, give details.

Keadilan has not officially announced that it is going to contest in Sarawak. Some of its strong supporters, including former deputy education minister Bujang Ulis, had joined other parties, including Umno.