Sarawak National Party (Snap) president Edwin Dundang has been nominated by the party to contest in Bukit Saban, a new Iban-majority seat, in the coming state election.

Party deputy president Justine Jinggut told malaysiakini today that Dundang has been assigned to fight for Bukit Saban for the opposition against the Barisan Nasional (BN) "unless something happen at the last minute".

Dundang (right), a former Shell senior executive, has been a Snap loyalist for many decades. He took over as president from James Wong Kim Min three years ago.

On the BN side, one name that is being frequently mentioned as the most likely candidate for Bukit Saban is Robert Chuat, a businessman and nephew of Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu's wife Senator Empiang Jabu.

Chuat, in his early forties, is the son of Empiang's brother from Rumah Samu, Betong. He was recently elected pro tem chairperson of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Bukit Saban Division.

Dundang also comes from the same longhouse as Jabu's wife.

Political observers are saying that whoever is chosen to represent the BN in Bukit Saban will be difficult to beat because of Jabu's strong influence in the Betong area.

However, Jinggut did not agree that the BN is totally invincible.

"Yes, it's always tough for the opposition, but it will depend on how much the people understand the real issues - NCR land, corruption, abuse of power. The BN is not invincible if we have the right candidate and the people are made aware of the real issues," he added.

Engkilili issue

Meanwhile, a PBB division has written to Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) president Dr George Chan urging him to replace the incumbent state assemblyperson Toh Heng San in Engkilili with an Iban lawyer.

It was signed by the division's deputy chairperson Albert Ngumbang and several other committee members. The chairperson whose signature is not on the letter is Richard Tawan, a political secretary to the Chief Minister.

In the petition, the PBB division said Toh who hails from Song which falls under a different state constituency (Katibas) has already served three terms and proposed that Jimmy Simon Maja, lawyer son of a former deputy chief minister Simon Dembab Maja, be nominated as BN candidate for the 80%-Iban seat.

The senior Maja, now a businessman, was at one time the Engkilili elected representative representing Parti Pesaka Anak Sarawak, led by the late Temenggong Juah Anak Barieng, before the party merged with Parti Bumiputera to form PBB.

Engkilili is one of 19 seats that have been allocated to Supp to contest in the coming state election.

But Supp which is meeting this weekend to finalise the list of candidates is unlikely to acquiesce to the PBB division's request, as Dr Chan has publicly announced that all incumbents will be retained.

Supp leaders were not immediately available for comment.