Sarawak CM keeps mum on parliamentary seat

KUCHING: Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the country's longest serving Chief Minister, is keeping mum on whether he will defend the Kota Samarahan parliamentary seat in the 12th general election.

“Let see what the people of Samarahan say. There is a lot of movement in Samarahan. I have not called them,'' he said when asked on Wednesday if he would seek another term.

Taib, 71, who returned to Sarawak and became the Chief Minister in 1981 after serving in different ministerial portfolios in the federal cabinet, won the Kota Samarahan seat uncontested in 2004.

Also state Barisan Nasional chairman, Taib has received the lists of recommended candidates from component parties Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

He agreed to the candidates, with the exception of two or three which he asked the parties concerned to reconsider. However, he did not specify which party they were from.

He said PBB's list of candidates was ready.

There are 31 seats available in the state. The coalition won 27 of the 28 seats contested in 2004, losing Bandar Kuching to the DAP.

The Star