Adenan says will iron out state BN problems, seat allocation before nomination day

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said problems affecting two state Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties namely the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) will be resolved before the nomination day of the coming 11th state election.

Adenan, who is also state BN chairman, said this would also include the seat allocation among the four component parties now that the state seats have been increased to 82 from 71.

He told the media this after officiating the 1 AZAM( state government programme to eradicate rural poverty) carnival and the launching of 1 AZAM Aid Information directory, here today.

"The problems will be resolved one way or another," he said.

Internal crisis within the two parties have resulted in the formation of the United People's Party (UPP) for SUPP and Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) for SPDP.

Both new parties have declared themselves as BN-friendly parties.

UPP led by former SUPP deputy secretary-general Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh has four state assemblymen with it while Teras led by former SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom has five.

Both also expect all their assemblymen to be renominated.

But SPDP and SUPP have insisted they have the right to these seats as TERAS and UPP have yet to join the state BN.

Adenan declined to comment if Teras and UPP would be allowed to nominate their candidates to contest in the election or whether they would be given their share of the new seats.

He said as far as his party the Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu(PBB) was concerned it would get the majority of the seats, at 40, which included five new seats.

He said another component party the Dayak-based Parti Rakyat Sarawak(PRS) had more or less decided on its candidate list.

The party led by state Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing has eight seats currently and is hoping to get two or three of the new seats.