S'wak Polls: Lidam has a great chance of winning in Katibas - Nanta

He said GPS candidate Lidam Assan has been working hard and has shown great determination to ensure a win for the state coalition.

"Lidam has been meeting the Katibas electorate and he has been well received, and this is an encouraging sign. I feel he will win easily," Nanta, who is also Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, told reporters after launching the Segar@Mesra programme at the Lanang Barat Petronas station today.

Nanta said Lidam, who is his political secretary, had, in fact, visited almost the entire Katibas constituency when he handed out food baskets to longhouse residents during the recent Movement Control Order period.

Hailing from Nanga Tengadak in Katibas, the 56-year-old Lidam has been described as well-known by the locals.

Nanta said the Sarawak government had brought a lot of development to Katibas but the hard work was scuppered when Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over the Federal government in 2018.

"When Pakatan Harapan was in power for two years at the federal level, there were many cuts and the state government channelled many development projects for the people.

"In Katibas, the Sarawak government brought development projects via the Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA). The people have seen GPS' contributions, especially during that two years (of PH-federal rule)," said Nanta, who is also Kapit MP.

On Saratok MP Datuk Ali Biju's request for GPS to allow him to defend his parliamentary seat in the 15th general election (GE15) on a Bersatu ticket, Nanta said that would depend on discussions between the two parties.

He said Ali's decision to announce his withdrawal from contesting the Krian seat in this state election is a testimony of the strong ties enjoyed between GPS and Bersatu.