Supporters of Independent candidate Baru Bian have launched a 'whispering campaign' for the upcoming Ba'Kelalan by-election.

According to them, the campaign will be done through word of mouth and the Short Messaging System (SMS).

Baru, 46, who comes from the Lun Bawang community, is a respected Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) leader.

However, he resigned from the party yesterday to contest in the Sept 18 polls. He will take on Barisan Nasional's (BN) Nelson Balang, 48, ( photo ) in a straight fight.

Three other prospective Independent candidates - Wilson Lio, 39, Frank Samuel Agong, 58, and Mohamad @ Budin Brahim, 39, - had their nomination papers rejected on technical grounds this morning.

'Don't bully us'

Meanwhile, one of Baru's campaign managers said they are going to the ground with a simple message - 'respect the people's choice and don't bully us'.

This was an obvious reference to the disquiet felt in certain quarters, including in the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) over the BN leadership's decision to pick Balang despite SPDP proposing others.

The Ba'Kelalan state seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent and SPDP secretary-general Dr Judson Tagal in a helicopter crash on July 21.

When the announcement on the BN candidate was made, a group of Lun Bawang and Kelabit professionals met privately and even proposed that the Sarawak National Party (Snap) "swallow its pride and stand aside" to give way to an Independent candidate.

Several names cropped up and eventually Baru was picked and this was kept a secret until the last moment.

Late last night, he confirmed that he had resigned from PBDS to contest in the by-election and described his decision as bowing down to the wishes of the locals.

Close fight

Meanwhile, PBDS secretary-general Stanley Ajang told malaysiakini he had received Baru's resignation and accepted it.

He said the party lost a good leader but it respected his decision, which the former stressed had nothing to do with PBDS.

"It was entirely his own decision (to contest)," stressed Ajang.

Most political observers predict a close fight in the by-election, with Baru relying on present local sentiments, especially among the Lun Bawang and Kelabit voters who form the majority.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.