Keadilan's sole parliamentary candidate in Sarawak, Wan Zainal Wan Sanusi, who almost turned giant-killer in the 1999 elections has expressed confidence in doing better against the Barisan Nasional this time because "the Malays want a change as they are not happy with the state leadership."

This Kuching-based accountant, described by a local English paper The Borneo Post as BN candidate Fadillah Yusop's "heavyweight opponent" in Petra Jaya, told malaysiakin i that "the wind of change is definitely blowing across the Malay political landscape."

"The Malays are unhappy with (Chief Minister) Abdul Taib Mahmud's leadership," he said, describing some of the issues in this elections among the Malay electorate in Petra Jaya.

In the 1999 elections, Wan Zainal, riding on growing anti-state leadership sentiments, sent shockwaves in this Taib's PBB Kuching Malay stronghold when he cut the then BN incumbent Dr Sulaiman Daud's majority down to only 2870 votes by polling 9008 votes against Sulaiman's 11,878 votes.

Keadilan is also certain to capitalise on the BN's choice of candidate which has created unhappiness among PBB Satok division leaders and party supporters in one of the most sophisticated and educated constituencies bordering Kuching City.

They had expected PBB Satok deputy chief Ibrahim Baki who like Fadillah is also a lawyer to be picked as candidate. Ibrahim is a close ally of PBB deputy president and state tourism minister Abang Johari Tun Openg.

On why Keadilan was contesting only one seat in Sarawak, Wan Zainal explained that the party realised they would not be able to form the government of the day due to the current situation.

"And all we are asking for is just one seat for the opposition so that we could highlight the people's problems in parliament and that will make a difference," he said.

Sarawak Keadilan chief Hafsah Harun told malaysiakini that her party was up against a formidable BN with its machinery on the ground, but she felt confident that the voting trend would continue in this predominantly Malay constituency to give their sole candidate an edge.