The Sibu Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) branch has recommended a 45-year-old lawyer, Robert Lau Hui Yew, as the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Sibu by-election.

Its chairman Wong Soon Koh said had forwarded his name to the party president George Chan Hong Nam, for his sanction.

"I believe Dr Chan will make the announcement soon," he told a news conference in Sibu today.

Wong, who is state minister of environment and public health, said the branch had already made its preparations for the by-election following the death of its five-term incumbent Robert Lau Hoi Chew, the deputy transport minister, on Friday in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Hui Yew, when asked if he was prepared to contest if given the opportunity, said: "At one point in our life, if a decision is made, we may have to take it. But let us wait for the party to make the decision."

Hui Yew, who has been a SUPP member for the past 17 years, is the late Robert Lau's second cousin. He is the branch assistant treasurer.

His father, Lau Swee Nguong, is chairman of the KTS Group of companies, which deals in timber, log exports, plywood manufacturing, oil palm plantations and shipping.

A source said he had long been groomed by the late Lau to take over from him and had been involved in the re-development programme of Sibu mission schools, a project initiated by Hoi Chew, for which the latter would forever be remembered, the source said.

- Bernama