KUCHING, April 12 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Chief Minister and state Barisan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Adenan Satem today announced the names of 11 more BN candidates for the 11th state election, bringing to 69 the number of the coalition's candidates announced so far.
Eight of them from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), they being Datuk Idris Buang (for the Muara Tuang seat), Awla Dris (Simunjan), Shafiee Ahmad (Daro), Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya (Jemoreng), Mohd Chee Kadir (Kabong), Jefferson Jamit Unyat (Bukit Goram), Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz (Kalaka) and Datuk Ambrose Blikau (Katibas).
Three are BN direct candidates, namely Miro Simuh (Serembu), John Ilus (Bukit Semuja) and Gerawat Jala (Mulu).
Kabong and Bukit Goram are two of the 11 new seats out of the 82 at stake in the election. The Election Commission is scheduled to announce the dates for nomination and polling on Thursday.
Adenan, who is also PBB president, said he had announced all the PBB candidates for the 40 seats that the party would contest.
"So far, we have announced the names of (BN) candidates for almost 70 seats," he told a press conference at his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here.
Dr Juanda Jaya is the former mufti of Perlis.
Adenan reiterated that all BN candidates must sign an oath of loyalty to BN, and the BN direct candidates must resign from their parties as a prerequisite to being fielded.
Asked whether the direct candidates have resigned from their parties, he said some of them have already resigned and some will do so soon.
"It is up to them later, upon winning the election, to join any BN component party of their choice, including PBB. However, they cannot go against BN because they won using the BN symbol," he said.
When asked if they could join PBB, Adenan said PBB made no excuse to being the strongest BN party in the state.
"We have worked very hard for this and for the party. What is important is BN will have more seats," he said.
Adenan also said that the presence of UMNO leaders in the state and those who would come in greater numbers and frequently during the polls was not a problem to the state.
"They are not a liability to the state. They come here to help us. They are holding posts in the federal government," he said.
Adenan said he regretted that certain people had begun to question the state's autonomy on immigration.
"We have to protect the state's interest against unsavoury political and religious elements," he said.
He said the state government would ban some UMNO people from entering the state if they were found to be wanting to act against the state's interest.
-- BERNAMA
