A quarter of Barisan Nasional candidates for the coming Sarawak state election would be fresh faces, said Chief Minister and state BN chair Abdul Taib Mahmud today.

The 18 new faces come in the wake of eight incumbents choosing not to seek re-election, Taib told a press conference in Kuching this afternoon.

He described the new team as possessing the necessary abilities or qualities, which will blend with the old players, reflecting the new trends which would carry the state forward.

Taib's PBB will field 35 candidates, Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) 19, Sarawak People's Party (PRS) 9 and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) 8.

Taib's businessman brother Ali Mahmud is one of the new faces. He will contest in Muara Tuang, previously held by PBB vice-president and former federal minister Adenan Satem.

Party veteran Adenan will be contesting in the newly-carved seat of Tanjung Datu, one of the nine new state seats up for grabs.

However, Taib's son Sulaiman is not on the list of contestants despite speculations that he would be a candidate.

Six women candidates

An unprecedented six women BN candidates will be fielded. The two women incumbents, Supp's Lily Yong (Padungan) and PBB's Fatimah Abdullah (Dalat) will be defending their seats.

PBB Wanita chief Sharifah Mordiah opted out of the race and is being replaced by her lawyer daughter Sharifah Hasida Wan Razali (Semariang).

Other women candidates include Supp's Wong Hie Ching (Meradong-photo), PBB's Semoi Peri (Lingga) and SPDP's Rosie Yunus (Bekenu).

Supp veteran Toh Heng San has stepped down in favour of Jonathan Krai Pilo, son of former Supp leader Michael Pilo.

Incumbent state assemblypersons Stanley Ajang and Gabriel Adit of SPDP have been dropped from the list and will be replaced by Liwan Lagang (Belaga) and Alexander Vincent (Ngemah), both representing PRS.

Three other PBB first-timers include Abu Seman Jais (Jemoreng), Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail (Bukit Kota) and Dr Murnie Suhaili (Daro).

Former state assistant minister and current Kuala Rajang MP Wahab Dolah is said to have willingly stepped down from the Daro seat in favour of Murnie.

Snowdan Lawan of the PRS has been picked to contest the new Iban-majority seat of Balai Ringin.

Three other Supp's new faces are Andy Chia (Pujut), Paul Yong (Kidurong) and Tan Joo Phoi (Batu Kawah). The party's information chief and state assistant minister Alfred Yap moves to the new neighbouring seat of Kota Sentosa.

Former state director of information, Paulus Ngumbang, a Bisaya and SPDP member, is the BN's choice for Batu Danau in Limbang.

Robert Lawson Chuat, a relative of Deputy Chief Minister and PBB deputy president Alfred Jabu, will contest in the new seat of Bukit Saban.

BBS geared up

Meanwhile, the opposition coalition Barisan Bersatu Sarawak (BBS) today agreed to having the yet-to-be-registered Malaysia Dayak Congress (MDC) candidates contest under the Snap banner in all 29 Dayak-majorty seats.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by leaders of both parties today, witnessed by MDC advisor Daniel Tajem, a former deputy chief minister who is expected to contest in Bukit Begunan.

The event took place at the Snap headquarters in Kuching today in conjunction with the unveiling of the BBS' election manifesto. Under the MoU, any winning MDC candidates will join the party if it is ever registered.

State PKR leader Wan Zainal Wan Sanusi told malaysiakini that his party would contest in most of the Malay-Melanau seats as well as four Chinese-majority seats - Padungan, Batu Kawa, Senadin and Piasau.

The BBS will release the names of their candidates on the eve of nomination day on May 9. Poling day is on May 20, where all 71 seats are expected to contested.