Eight new faces are among the 31 Sarawak BN parliamentary candidates for the 13th general election in the state, Sarawak BN chairperson Abdul Taib Mahmud announced in Kuching today.

NONE He said the new faces included a very senior person, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president William Mawan ( right ), who is being fielded in the Saratok parliamentary seat, and Rabiah Wang, a woman candidate and Asajaya district officer, to replace Kota Samarahan incumbent Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib.

Sarawak BN was confident of getting a more than two-thirds majority of the seats, he said when unveiling the state BN candidates list for the 31 parliamentary seats after chairing the state BN supreme council meeting at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters in Kuching.

Also present were Mawan, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing and Sarawak United People's Party Party (SUPP) deputy president Richard Riot, who will defend the Serian parliamentary seat.

Taib, who is also PBB president said, Rabiah was the only newcomer in PBB, the only state BN component to field four women candidates in addition to Batang Lupar incumbent Rohari Karim, Batang Sadong incumbent Nancy Shukri and Tanjung Manis Norah Abdul Rahman.

Apart from Mawan, the new faces in SPDP are Limbang district officer Anyi Ngau in Baram and Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) deputy general manager Anthony Nogeh Gumbek.

NONE The only SPDP incumbent retained is Tiong King Sing ( left ), who will defend the Bintulu parliamentary seat.

Taib said the three SUPP new faces were Sebastian Ting, who replaces SUPP president Peter Chin in Miri, Tan Kai (Bandar Kuching) and Vincent Lau Lee Ming (Sibu).

The sole newcomer in the PRS list is Wilson Ugak Kumbong, who is Masing's private secretary, to replace Hulu Rajang incumbent Billy Abit Joo.

PBB, the backbone of the state BN is contesting in 14 seats, SUPP (seven), PRS (six) and SPDP (four).

- Bernama