Nomination: Show of force from Taib
Published: May 9, 2006 12:47 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
It was a show of force by Barisan Nasional (BN) at the nomination centre in Mukah today for the May 20 Sarawak state elections.
It was a show of force by Barisan Nasional (BN) at the nomination centre in Mukah today for the May 20 Sarawak state elections.
Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud was accompanied by about 8,000 supporters and numerous BN heavyweights to file his nomination papers to defend the Balingian seat while his opponent came with five supporters.
Taib is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and state BN chairperson.
According to Bernama, his proposer was former tourism minister Dr Leo Michael Toyad and seconder Ali Suhaili.
Among those who accompanied Taib were Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Kedah Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid, Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Taib and his supporters walked about two kilometres in fine weather from the Setia Raja Mosque in Mukah to the nomination centre.
Taib, who was seen smiling and waving to supporters and people gathered on the roadside, is contesting in Balingian for the second time after having switched over from Asajaya.
In the last state election in 2001, he defeated three independent candidates to win by a majority of 7,391 votes.
The challenger
Taib's challenger this time is Ibrahim Bayau, 40, a former bank officer from Mukah who is contesting on a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket.
Ibrahim was accompanied by five supporters to the nomination centre.
In Miri, Deputy Chief Minister and Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president Dr George Chan Hong Nam submitted his nomination papers at the Dewan Suarah Miri to defend the Piasau seat.
He was accompanied by about 1,000 supporters, including Human Resource Minister Fong Chan Onn and Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui.
In Asajaya, the BN candidate from the PBB, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah submitted his nomination papers to contest the Asajaya seat at 9.20 am at the Dewan Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Abang Ikhwan Zaini.
Abdul Karim, who is PBB Youth deputy head, was accompanied by about 1,000 BN supporters led by Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also BN Youth chairperson.
Ten minutes earlier, Mosidi Sait of the PKR submitted his nomination papers at the centre to contest the same seat.
In Kidurong, BN candidate Paul Yong Khing Yee filed his nomination papers at 9.12 am to contest the seat of the same name, the only seat the BN failed to win in the last election in 2001.
Yong was accompanied to the nomination centre by Transport Minister and MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy.
The DAP candidate, Chiew Chiu Sing, submitted his nomination papers at about the same time to defend the seat.
In Betong, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu submitted his nomination papers at Dewan Kenyalang to defend the Layar seat.
A total of 71 seats, nine more than in the last state legislative assembly, are up for contest in this election.
Map of Sarawak's state seats
Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud was accompanied by about 8,000 supporters and numerous BN heavyweights to file his nomination papers to defend the Balingian seat while his opponent came with five supporters. Taib is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and state BN chairperson.
According to Bernama, his proposer was former tourism minister Dr Leo Michael Toyad and seconder Ali Suhaili.
Among those who accompanied Taib were Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Kedah Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid, Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Taib and his supporters walked about two kilometres in fine weather from the Setia Raja Mosque in Mukah to the nomination centre.
Taib, who was seen smiling and waving to supporters and people gathered on the roadside, is contesting in Balingian for the second time after having switched over from Asajaya.
In the last state election in 2001, he defeated three independent candidates to win by a majority of 7,391 votes.
The challenger
Taib's challenger this time is Ibrahim Bayau, 40, a former bank officer from Mukah who is contesting on a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket. Ibrahim was accompanied by five supporters to the nomination centre.
In Miri, Deputy Chief Minister and Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president Dr George Chan Hong Nam submitted his nomination papers at the Dewan Suarah Miri to defend the Piasau seat.
He was accompanied by about 1,000 supporters, including Human Resource Minister Fong Chan Onn and Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui.
In Asajaya, the BN candidate from the PBB, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah submitted his nomination papers to contest the Asajaya seat at 9.20 am at the Dewan Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Abang Ikhwan Zaini.
Abdul Karim, who is PBB Youth deputy head, was accompanied by about 1,000 BN supporters led by Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also BN Youth chairperson. Ten minutes earlier, Mosidi Sait of the PKR submitted his nomination papers at the centre to contest the same seat.
In Kidurong, BN candidate Paul Yong Khing Yee filed his nomination papers at 9.12 am to contest the seat of the same name, the only seat the BN failed to win in the last election in 2001.
Yong was accompanied to the nomination centre by Transport Minister and MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy.
The DAP candidate, Chiew Chiu Sing, submitted his nomination papers at about the same time to defend the seat.
In Betong, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu submitted his nomination papers at Dewan Kenyalang to defend the Layar seat.
A total of 71 seats, nine more than in the last state legislative assembly, are up for contest in this election.
Map of Sarawak's state seats
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