The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) wants to contest in 21 state seats in the upcoming Sarawak state election.

In a statement issued today, SUPP president Senator Dr Sim Kui Hian announced the first list of its 16 'credible and most winnable candidates' for the election.

Sim said SUPP was fully aware that the party had to be strong in order to strengthen the leadership of Chief Minister Adenan Satem and Sarawak BN.

"In this respect, SUPP has identified 21 credible and most winnable candidates for seats in the coming Sarawak election.

"Therefore, SUPP takes this joyous and auspicious Chinese New Year occasion to announce its candidates for the 16 Chinese-majority seats to the Adenan Team within the framework of Sarawak BN," said the statement.

Sim, the cardiologist-turned-politician, said party deputy president Richard Riot Jaem would announce the candidates for the five bumiputera-majority seats.

"These include one new seat allocated to SUPP under BN's sharing formula to be announced together with me in due course. Francis Harden Hollis will represent N32. Simanggang as the incumbent," he said.

In the list of candidates released today by Sim, he is expected to contest the Batu Kawa or Batu Kitang seat.

Besides Sim, another two candidates for Batu Kawa or Batu Kitang are Tan Joo Phoi and Lo Khere Chiang

SUPP also announced Robert Lau Hui Yew as candidate for the Bawang Assan seat, which is currently represented by United People's Party (UPP) president, Wong Soon Koh.

UPP is a spin-off of the SUPP.

The full list of candidates -

N9. Padungan - (to be announced later)

N10. Pending- Milton Foo

N11. Batu Lintang- Sih Hua Tong

N12. Kota Sentosa - Wifred Yap

N14. Batu Kawa - Tan Joo Phoi/Lo Khere Chiang/Sim Kui Hian

N13. Batu Kitang - Lo Khere Chiang/Tan Joo Phoi/Sim Kui Hian

N45. Repok - Teng Ung Wu

N46. Meradong - Ding Kuong Hiing

N51. Bukit Assek - Chieng Buong Toon

N52. Dudong - Lee Chung Fatt @ Benny

N53. Bawang Assan - Robert Lau Hui Yew

N54. Pelawan - Michael Tiang

N68. Tanjung Batu - Soo Li Ching

N73. Piasau - Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew

N74. Pujut - Adam Yii Siew Sang

N75. Senadin - Lee Kim Shin

- Bernama