Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem wants BN direct candidates in the 11th state election to resign from their respective political parties.

"I suggest that they resign from their parties," he said when approached by reporters after officially opening a youth forum attended by some 2,500 participants at Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching today.

He defined a BN direct candidate as one given the privilege to represent the coalition using its ' dacing ' (weighing scale) symbol.

Nevertheless, he said, it was up to the candidates whether to join the BN component of their choice later on after winning.

"But they must remain pro-BN because it is the BN symbol that has helped them to win," he said.

He declined to comment on what would happen should any of the winners choose to remain partyless later.

"We will cross the bridge when we come to it," he said.

Recently, BN-friendly United People's Party (UPP) insisted that its members and leaders selected to contest in the Sarawak polls would not resign from it.

Earlier when answering questions at the forum, Adenan said the state government would ban not just politicians but non politicians from entering the state if their purpose is to poison the local people's minds to hate each other.

He said Sarawak, despite its racial and religious diversity was the most peaceful and harmonious state in the country.

"I do not want this to be disturbed. That is why the state does not ban politicians alone but also religious bigots and racial extremists," he said.

- Bernama