Campaigning period adequate, BN making preparation, said Adenan

The 12-day campaigning period for Balingian state seat by-election this month is sufficient, and we are already making preparation for it, said Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

The newly appointed Sarawak Chief Minister said several names for the by-election candidate were given to him, and he would consult with senior members of the state Barisan Nasional (BN) to discuss the matter soon.

"We are prepared for it, we will select the candidate in due time after I have consulted several senior members of the party, and preferably he (the candidate) is a local.

"An annoucement will be made just a few days before the nomination day. We must give him time to prepare also," said Adenan, who is also state Barisan Nasional chairman, at a press conference after he received a courtesy call from the SPDP Supreme Council at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, here Thursday.

The Balingian state seat fell vacant after Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud officially relinquished the Chief Minister's post to become the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak on Feb 28, and Adenan who was the Sarawak Minister of Special Functions, was sworn in as Sarawak's fifth chief minister to succeed Abdul Taib on the same day.

Earlier in Putrajaya today, the Election Commission (EC) announced that the by election for the Balingian state seat would be held on March 29 while nomination day has been set for March 17.

Asked to comment on the BN chance, Adenan said he was confident that BN would retain the seat, based on past victories in the Melanau-dominated constituency.

Balingian, has been a BN-PBB stronghold for over 40 years, and in the 2011 state election, Abdul Taib retained the seat in a three-cornered fight by beating Suriati Abdullah (PKR) and Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin (Independent) with a majority of 5,154 votes.