The Batang Ai by-election may see a multi-cornered fight if the number of nomination papers taken from the Election Commission is any indication.

Up to today, five nomination papers have been taken for the by-election scheduled for April 7. Nomination day is March 29.

A senior PBB source told Malaysiakini that Linang Merujun, an engineer with a private company, is likely to contest as an independent candidate after his name has been rejected by the BN. Instead the BN has selected Malcolm Mussen Lamoh of PRS.

batang ai state seat past results 110309 A local boy, Johnny Chuat, 38, has indicated his interest to contest in the by-election. A graduate in journalism and communications from Carleton University, Canada, Chuat is currently attached to an oil and gas company. He claims to have the support from his relatives from his own longhouse, Rh Nanga Menyebat and the surrounding villages.

If there is going to be a three, four or even five cornered fight, how will it affect Mussem or Jawah Gerang or Nicholas Bawin of PKR?

Lobbying groups in PKR

Observers say that if there is going to be a straight fight between BN and PKR, it is going to give the opposition an edge over the BN candidate. But if it is to be a multi-cornered fight, it may give the BN a better chance to win.

However, it depends on who are the independent candidates. If the candidates are frustrated BN members, then they may undermine BN chances.

Meanwhile in PKR, there are at least two groups lobbying for their men to represent the party. One group prefers Nicholas Bawin, while the other wants Jawah Gerang. But in a poster printed this week, Jawah gets more prominence with a larger image than Bawin.

It has raised the question of whether the party has already decided on the candidate and that it is trying to tell voters ahead of the official announcement that Jawah is the man.

But Bawin's group is confident that he will be selected by the leadership to represent the party. In fact Bawin and his supporters have been working very hard since the day the Election Commission has announced the date of the by-election.

"Our men are already posted in every longhouse in the constituency," he said, adding that all must support the candidate chosen.

"After all Jawah and myself are more than friends. We belong to the same party," Bawin stressed.