Supporters of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Sarawak (PBB) in Petra Jaya are reacting angrily to leaked information that lawyer Fadillah Yusof has been chosen over popular grassroots choice Satok division deputy chief Ibrahim Baki to contest the parliamentary seat.

PBB and Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud ( left ) had submitted the proposed list of candidates to federal BN chairperson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Putrajaya on Monday.

A PBB leader, who requested anonymity, said lawyer-cum-businessman Ibrahim has been informed that his name is not on the list.

"PBB leaders had earlier discussed submitting two names (that of Ibrahim and Fadillah) for Pak Lah's consideration. In the end, one name was only submitted," the source said.

While Ibrahim could not be contacted for comment, he is known to be strongly backed by PBB deputy president (2) Abang Johari Abang Openg who is also the Satok division chairperson.

About 85 percent of some 35,000 voters in Petra Jaya are Malays. The seat, deemed to make up Kuching's Malay heartland, was held by Dr Sulaiman Daud, a former federal agriculture minister, who is not seeking re-election.

Alternative plans

Both Abang Johari and Sulaiman have been grooming Ibrahim to take over the Petra Jaya seat, with the former appearing frequently alongside Ibrahim at public functions and visits covering some 80 percent of the villages in the constituency.

A Petra Jaya PBB member told malaysiakini that "Fadillah is a nice person, but he is not from Kuching...and Ibrahim had been widely expected to be the candidate for Petra Jaya".

A Satok division member expressed concern that the decision to nominate Fadillah could result in "the collapse of the grassroots machinery for the campaign".

If this is so, alternative arrangements will have to be made to back Fadillah's campaign preparations. He is known to be supported by PBB senior vice-president Adenan Satem.

In the 1999 parliamentary election, Sulaiman won by a sharply-reduced majority of 2,800 votes against Keadilan's Wan Zainal Wan Abidin, a result that shocked party leaders who had regarded Petra Jaya as a PBB stronghold.

Keadilan has yet to announce its list of candidates, but Wan Zainal is expected to re-contest the seat, this time probably capitalising on the anger and disappointment within PBB.

Meanwhile, Adenan's name has surfaced as the likely candidate to take over the federal ministerial post being vacated by PBB vice-president Effendi Norwawi, who was special functions minister.

However, Taib yesterday declined to confirm or deny this, saying that the candidates' list for Sarawak would be announced (tomorrow) by Abdullah, together with that of the Umno candidates.

Adenan, who was state assemblyperson for Muara Tuang, is now tipped to stand in Batang Sadong which was held by Sukinam Domo. Constituents there had asked for a " new face " this time around.