The Sarawak BN today denied all claims that it had attempted to bribe several opposition candidates to withdraw from contesting in the general election.

And the ruling coalition has asked the state’s PKR leadership to back their claims by tendering proof of such attempts to ‘buy’ their candidates in Santubong, Kota Samarahan, Batang Sadong, Julau and Lawas.

Yesterday several PKR candidates said that they were being harassed by unknown people offering them money to withdraw from contesting against BN candidates.

Similarly the Sarawak PKR state chief Dominic Ng Kim Ho, the incumbent Padungan assembly person, had also said that he would lodge a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency about the offers.

Responding today, the state BN vehemently denied playing a role in trying to buy these PKR candidates.

“The victory of the five Barisan Nasional candidates is ample proof that the coalition is strong and confident of further victory without resorting to any nefarious activity,” said the state legal panel members Senator Idris Bujang and Peter Minos in a joint press statement today.

The five BN MPs who won unopposed are Norah Rahman (Tanjung Manis), Alexandar Nanta Linggi (Kapit), Joseph Entulu (Selangau), Aaron Ago Dagang (Kanowit) and Wahab Dolah (Igan).

Norah, Linggi and Wahab are from Parti Pesaka Bumiptera Bersatu (PBB) while Entulu and Dagang are from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

The PKR has fielded 12 candidates as compared to five in 2004.

Sweetener followed by threat

Yesterday, PKR’s candidate for Kota Samarahan Hussain Abang Apok lodged a police report on a threat he received via SMS for refusing to negotiate his withdrawal from the contest.

PKR is involved in a three-cornered fight in Kota Samarahan with BN-PBB candidate Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib - the 39-year-old corporate son of Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud - and an Independent.

Hussain received a call from a woman seeking to negotiate with him to withdraw his candidacy but he rebuffed her. This was followed by the threatening SMS from the same number.

Sulaiman is contesting in the election for the first time, succeeding his father who had served as Kota Samarahan parliamentarian for nearly four decades. Taib Mahmud had retained the seat unopposed in 2004.