Former Sarawak DAP chairperson Wong Sing Nang is on Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's list of candidates to contest in the state polls next month.

It is believed that Taib wants Sing Nang to contest in Meradong which is a Supp seat. Therein lies the problem - Supp is rejecting Sing Nang's candidacy.

Meradong's incumbent is Ting Chek Sii, a wealthy businessman from Sibu. Over the weekend, the party's deputy president and Meradong branch chairperson Law Hieng Ding issued a statement to object strongly to Ting being replaced by Sing Nang.

Law's statement is said to have set the Supp to stand united on the matter in what is seen as an open defiance of Taib's wish.

The party's central working committee (CWC), chaired by party president and Deputy Chief Minister Dr George Chan Hong Nam, decided unanimously last night to endorse the party's seven-member selection committee's decision not to field Sing Nang for the Chinese-majority seat in the Rejang basin.

The CWC members were said to have been told that if the party acquiesced to Taib's wish to field Sing Nang, who resigned from DAP in February 2001 and applied to join Supp recently, then members would ask who is the de facto party president.

Wong's application was said to have been supported by Supp Sibu branch chairperson and state second finance minister Wong Soon Koh who handed it to Dr Chan. Last night, Supp said Sing Nang's application will be dealt with according to normal procedures.

For weeks, there had been much talk of Sing Nang replacing Ting in Meradong and that senior branch leaders had indicated he (Ting) might have to give way.

Chief minister's wish

The former DAP leader, when contacted by malaysiakini a week ago for his comments on talk that the BN would be fielding him in Meradong, said: "It looks like it. It's the chief minister's wish." He could not be contacted for comments today on Supp's latest decision.

Meanwhile state DAP chairperson Wong Ho Leng, when contacted, described the latest development in Supp as "an unfortunate episode".

He said he had no contact with his former party leader since the latter quit DAP five years ago.

Supp secretary-general and state assistant minister Sim Kheng Hui told malaysiakini today last night's decision was unanimous to reject Sing Nang's proposed candidacy.

"Everyone agreed, including Soon Koh," he said.

Sim said the party will submit its list of 19 candidates within the next two to three days to the chief minister for his approval.

The question, according to most political observers, is that since he has the final say on who should eventually contest, whether Taib will still insist that Sing Nang be nominated as candidate and what will happen if it comes to that.