Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat has resolved to allow PKR to contest in the possible Balingian by-election in Sarawak and the party has already short-listed two candidates, revealed state PKR chief Baru Bian.

“The state Pakatan held a meeting on Saturday and decided that the seat will be given to PKR and we have at least two names at the moment,” he told a press conference in Kajang today after a central PKR leadership meeting.

Baru said the state PKR has began mobilisation since rumours that Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud would resign surfaced.

“We have given a directive to all the division to activate and start work on the ground,” he said.

Baru declined to reveal their names but said the two candidates will likely be from the Melanau community.

On Wednesday, Abdul Taib, 77 revealed that he will step down on Feb 28.

His party, PBB, had also announced that they will propose him as the new governor.

The current governor, Abang Muhammad Salahuddin, 92 will see his term expire also on Feb 28.

Abdul Taib must resign from his Balingian state seat in order to take up the position of governor, making a by-election imminent.

‘Secession sentiments real’

Baru also commented about sentiments in Sabah and Sarawak for secession from the federation, saying that the feeling was real as the states felt they had not been treated fairly.

However, Baru said secession was legally not possible and would even amount to sedition.

As such, he said the better option for Sabahans and Sarawakians was to choose Pakatan Rakyat which has promised to increase the states oil royalty from 5 percent to 20 percent as well as to give them more autonomy.

He added that a Pakatan Rakyat federal government was prepared to revisit the Malaysia agreement and make amends wherever that is lacking.

Also at the press conference was Sabah PKR chief Lajim Ukin, who also acknowledged that urgings for secession were real but said that Sabahans are largely still loyal to the federation.

He urged any government, regardless of Pakatan or BN, to correct the injustice that Sabahans were feeling.