S'WAK POLLS Things are heating up in the hornbill state, with just 24 hours to go before nomination day. Here is a snapshot of 16 heavily contested seats in the upcoming Sarawak elections.

Tasik Biru (Semi-urban Bidayuh-majority seat, 40km from Kuching)

Chief Minister Adenan Satem's decision to replace four-term assemblyperson Peter Nansian from Teras with SPDP's Henry Jinep has caused some unease among BN. Although billed as a straight fight with DAP's Mordi Bimol, some pundits say Teras may field an independent candidate to show their displeasure with Adenan's choice.

Batu Kawah (Urban Chinese-majority seat, 17km from Kuching)

This seat will witness DAP incumbent Christina Chiew Wang See take on two BN opponents.

Her contenders include UPP leader Liu Thian Leong, who has quit the party to become an independent candidate. This is after Adenan chose SUPP's Sim Kui Hian over Liu, in the hope that the SUPP leader can tip the voters over to the BN side.

Batu Kitang (New urban Chinese-majority seat, 30km from Kuching)

This new seat, said to be a sure win for the opposition, was also a point of contention between DAP and PKR.

54.8 percent of the voters here are Chinese, while another 20 percent are Malay Melanau.

Simanggang (Rural Iban-majority seat, 200km from Kuching)

SUPP will be looking to defend this BN seat with incumbent Francis Harden Hollis against DAP's Leon Jimat.

The constituency is one of the seats coveted by both DAP and PKR, with the latter insisting that it has a candidate who can run there and win it for the opposition.

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian has even said they are willing to make it a three-cornered fight.

Stakan (New rural mixed Malay Melanau, Dayak-majority seat, 25km from Kuching)

Also a new seat, Stakan will be the battleground for a family feud.

DAP is fielding newbie Abdul Aziz Isa Marindo, great-grandnephew of former Sarawak governor Abdul Rahman Ya’kub.

Abdul Aziz will be taking on his granduncle Ali Mahmud, who is also the younger brother of the current governor, Taib Mahmud.

Dudong (Urban Chinese-majority seat, Sibu town)

DAP's Yap Hoi Liong successfully captured the seat from tycoon Tiong Thai King with a slim 317-vote majority in the last election.

Tiong is expected to come back with a vengeance, and has already been hitting the campaign trail, banking on his heart of gold to win over voters.

Bawang Assan (Urban Chinese-majority seat, 30km from Sibu)

Sarawak second finance minister Wong Soon Koh will be defending the seat he has held for 20 years this election.

The UPP president gave DAP's Alice Lau Kiong Yieng a drubbing last round, winning with a 1,808 majority.

SUPP, however, is eyeing the seat too, and may field an independent candidate or make it hard for the candidate from its splinter party.

Bukit Saban (Rural Iban-majority seat, 140km from Sibu)

Federal minister Douglas Uggah is making a comeback to state politics in this Betong seat.

If he wins, the commodities and plantations minister is slated to become Adenan's right hand man, as the next deputy chief minister.

He'll be taking on PKR's Noel Changgai Bucking.

Beting Maro (Rural Malay Melanau-majority seat, 115km from Sibu)

This rural constituency might just be PAS' first seat in Sarawak.

They came close in the last polls, with PBB ahead with a slim 391-vote majority. Pundits say the Islamist party has been working hard to make itself known to voters in the area ever since.

Layar (Rural Iban majority seat, 170km from Sibu)

Long-term assemblyperson and current Sarawak deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu Numpang is vacating the seat to make way for his son Gerald Rentap.

He'll likely be facing PKR's Vernon Albert Kedit in a straight fight. Last election saw this seat in a four-corner tussle, featuring the two parties, as well as the now-defunct SNAP and an independent candidate.

Repok (Urban Chinese-majority seat, 60km from Sibu)

Repok is another seat where DAP is facing a tycoon.

The incumbent DAP assemblyperson Wong Hua Seh beat SUPP in 2011 with a 2,679 majority.

However the new candidate Yong Siew Wei is expected to give the doctor a run for his money.

Piasau (Urban Chinese-majority seat, Miri town)

This seat will see the clash of two secretary-generals, with DAP incumbent Alan Ling squaring off with SUPP's Sebastian Ting.

Ling had been dubbed a giant killer after he beat former SUPP president George Chan in Piasau in the last state polls, leading to Chan's retirement from politics.

Pujut (Urban Chinese majority seat, Miri town)

BN's tycoon power will be put to the test here in a four-cornered fight.

Analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi believes BN's Hii King Chiong, with his wealth and influence, will have an easy time in Pujut against a divided opposition.

The incumbent - ex-DAP assemblyperson Fong Pau Teck - is set to contest as an independent, and could disrupt support for DAP's Ting Tiong Choon.

PAS is also contesting the seat, fielding Jofrie Jaraiee.

Senadin (Urban mixed Bumi Chinese majority seat, Miri town)

Incumbent SUPP assemblyperson Lee Kim Shin has been entrusted with defending the seat, despite almost losing to PKR in 2011 when he won it by a whisker 58-vote majority.

This time he'll be facing DAP's Bob Baru Langub

Marudi (Rural Orang Ulu-majority seat, 45km from Miri)

Former civil servant Penguang Manggil of SPDP will be contesting against PKR newcomer Elia Bit here.

However, the incumbent SPDP-turned-Teras assemblyperson Sylvester Entri Muran had represented this seat for four terms, and replacing him with Penguang may not have gone down well with some quarters.

If the dissatisfaction sparks a revolt, it could be good news for Elia, as Sylvester won by 885 votes in the last election.

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