The Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) has unanimously chosen lawyer Robert Lau Hui Yew as Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Sibu by-election, said its president Dr George Chan Hong Nam.

NONE "The party's Central Working Committee (CWC) today agreed Robert Lau Junior ( left ) to be the Sibu by-election candidate as he is the best candidate," he told reporters after chairing the three-hour CWC meeting at the party headquarters, here, Sunday.

Chan, who is deputy chief minister, said as a contingency plan, the party also had a second choice candidate "in case the BN top leadership thinks that Hui Yew does not merit to be a BN candidate yet".

"We have given another name in case something happens...it is better to have another (candidate) on standby," he said without disclosing the name.

Chan said the names of the two candidates had been submitted to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, the state BN chairman, on Friday for the final decision.

On Supp's chances of retaining the Sibu seat, he said, the party was confident it could secure a thumping win due to the strong unity within the state BN component parties and the people's positive response to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's administration through his 1Malaysia concept.

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Hui Yew, 45, fondly known as Robert Lau Junior, is the second cousin of the late five-term Sibu MP Robert Lau Hoi Chew.

He was widely speculated to be picked as the BN candidate due to his active participation in party work and his friendly approach, especially in dealing with hawkers' problems in Sibu town.

Hui Yew, who has been a Supp member for 17 years, is the Sibu branch's assistant treasurer.

The Sibu parliamentary seat will be held following the death of Robert Lau, who was Deputy Transport Minister, on April 9. The Election Commission (EC) has fixed May 8 as nomination day and May 16 for polling.

Meanwhile, Chan said the party had decided to endorse Serian five-term MP Richard Riot to fill the vacant federal deputy minister post reserved for the party.

- Bernama