The United People's Party (UPP) of Sarawak expects one of its members to be fielded in the Pujut by-election because the seat was allocated to the party by the BN in the state election last year and also because the seat is vacant now because of the party's efforts.

Moreover, the party has learned from its last electoral outing and knows what is necessary to win the seat, UPP secretary-general George Lo said.

"We are very hopeful we will be given the chance to contest again because the seat was allocated to UPP during the last election. We lost by a narrow margin.

"We have learned from what went wrong the last time. We also have the machinery and resources," Lo told Malaysiakini.

He added that the seat fell vacant after a motion was tabled in the state legislative assembly by UPP president Wong Soon Koh and seconded by UPP deputy president Jerip Susil.

The motion to disqualify Dr Ting Tiong Choon as the Pujut lawmaker on grounds that he was an Australian citizen was adopted and a by-election was triggered.

"So, I think that looking at these factors, the seat should be given back to UPP," Lo said.

Two campaign HQs

During the election last May, DAP's Ting defeated UPP's Hii King Chiong by a thin 1,759-vote margin.

Traditionally, BN would field a Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) candidate in Pujut. However, BN decided to field a UPP candidate, although the party was not in the coalition.

Hii was one of several 'direct candidates' for BN during the state election last year, which was part of a complex arrangement that was unique to Sarawak BN.

However, SUPP has yet to give up hope on being fielded, with the party's president Dr Sim Kui Hian objecting to the continued use of 'direct candidates', arguing that this is not compatible with BN's principle as a coalition based on consensus.

Both UPP and SUPP have launched their respective campaign headquarters.

Meanwhile, Lo said UPP has nominated "more than one" potential candidate to the BN leadership and that Sarawak BN leaders will deliberate on the matter soon.

"Probably this week, if not, early next week," he said.