A medical practitioner said to be a supporter of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice-president Adenan Satem suffered an unexpected defeat in the contest for the Muara Tuang division's deputy head post over the weekend.

Dr Mornie Abu Samat's shocking defeat came when he lost by 12 votes after securing 81 votes against 93 obtained by his opponent, Anuar Hajini, described as a cucur pisang ( banana fritters) seller in Kota Samarahan near Kuching.

Mornie hails from Sebuyau and runs a clinic in Kota Samarahan while Annuar is a local from Kota Samarahan.

Adenan, who is Natural Resources and Environment Minister and the state assemblyperson for Muara Tuang, heads PBB Muara Tuang division which has 51 branches, both Malay and Iban. He was returned unopposed as division head when nominations closed earlier.

Contacted today, Mornie attributed his defeat to what he described as local sentiments. But he said it would not discourage him from continuing to serve the party in some other ways.

According to sources, the same people who voted Annuar had also voted in most of the people associated with him, including the youth chief, into the committee of the division.

Adenan is said to have been backing Mornie and, according to sources, the minister had even tried to dissuade Annuar from contesting against Mornie, the 41-year-old Universiti Malaya medical graduate who went into private practice in 1995.

Annuar is said to have told Adenan he would not withdraw but that he would even take on the minister for the division's top post if he had a chance.

Getting agitated

Political observers have noted that in recent weeks when results of PBB divisional elections did not turn out as he had expected, Adenan had been more than agitated.

His Sunday speech at his own Muara Tuang division meeting did not surprise many people when he talked about people not voting with their head.

"Clearly, he anticipated the results and must have known from feedbacks from the ground, particularly as his wife Jamilah has been quite active in helping to campaign for certain candidates," they added.

Two days earlier, in the Batu Kawa division which he officiated, incumbent Mohd Hashim Yap, who is also Padawan Municipal Council deputy chairperson and PBB supreme council member, managed to pull through with only a four-vote margin in a straight fight for the division head post.

Hashim, a successful rice dealer closely aligned to Adenan, secured 27 votes against his opponent Shaperi Tambi's 23 votes following an active campaign.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.