BN incumbents will not be guaranteed of contesting their seats as it was decided that only "winnable" candidates would be fielded under the BN banner in the coming state election.

NONE Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president William Mawan Ikom ( left ) said although SPDP had decided to retain all its incumbents for the 10th state election, it was not final yet as it might change at the eleventh hour due to new developments.

"No such thing as the seats going to the incumbents for any component party," he told reporters after receiving the Sarawak Inter-Community Golf 2010 and KGS Captain's Alumni Golf trophies at his office in Kuching today.

Mawan, who is Sarawak social development and urbanisation minister, said even he as a state minister and party president could not be certain that he would be retained by the BN top leadership.

"If BN's chances of winning certain seats may be jeopardised, we have to give way in the interest of BN," he said.

Upcoming election ‘more challenging’

On the state election which is widely expected to be held early next year, Mawan said it would be more challenging than in 2006 as the opposition parties were more coordinated and aggressive now.

azlan Sarawak BN comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and SPDP.

PBB holds 34 state seats, followed by SUPP with 11, PRS nine and SPDP eight, with only SUPP and PRS losing some seats they contested to the opposition in the last state election in 2006, while PBB and SPDP won all the seats contested.

SUPP was allocated 19 seats but lost eight, particularly to DAP, while PRS, which was allocated 10 seats, lost the Ngemah seat to an independent.

The state has 71 constituencies and the current term will expire in July 2011.

- Bernama