Keen contest in all seats

KUCHING: All 71 seats in the 10th Sarawak state election are keenly contested with a total of 213 candidates many of whom are involved in multi-cornered fights.
The Election Commission said there were 27 straight fights, 23 three-cornered fights, 17 four-cornered fights, and two five- and six-cornered fights each.
The six-way fights are in Balai Ringin and Belaga, while the five-cornered fights are in Ngemah and Jepak.
The candidates for the seats filed their nomination papers in 69 centres statewide.
When nominations were concluded before noon, Barisan Nasional found for the first time in many years that they did not win any seat unopposed. In 2006, BN won two seats uncontested.
Only in 1987, when there 48 seats, was there a contest for every seat as the now-defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) challenged PBB, SUPP and SNAP in every seat.
However, deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who was present to support Chief Minister and PBB president Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at the Mukah Civic Centre said that the BN had no fear in facing its opponents no matter who they were.
Taib, who is standing for the seventh term, is facing his cousin Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin, a former deputy education minister, and PKR's Suriati Abdullah in a three-cornered fight for the Balingian seat.
Muhyiddin told reporters at Mukah airport before leaving for Kuala Lumpur that claims made by some non-BN candidates in the election that they had the backing of certain federal leaders were false and aimed at confusing voters.
He said this when commenting on claims made by independent candidate Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin, that he (Salleh) had received the blessings of federal leaders to take on Taib in the election.
Commenting on PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement that the Opposition would be satisfied if it could win at least 24 seats, Muhyiddin said:"That's his assumption."
As the PKR de facto leader Anwar was at the nomination centre in Lawas.

In Miri, Deputy Chief Minister and SUPP president Tan Sri Dr George Chan is facing DAP's Ling Sie Kiong in a straight fight for the Piasau seat.
PRS president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing is also involved in a straight fight with PKR's Bendindang Manjah in Baleh, while in Pakan, SPDP president Datuk Seri William Mawan will defend his seat against Jamal Abdullah @ Tedong Gunda of SNAP.
Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian will face his nephew Willie Liau from Barisan in Ba'Kelalan.
Incumbent Dominique Ng Kim Ho is defending Padungan as an Independent against Wong King Wei of the DAP and Sim Kiang Chiok of Barisan Nasional.
Ng, 50, who won the seat as a PKR candidate, resigned from the party yesterday after he was dropped by the PKR leadership.
Another disaffected former PKR member Soo Lina, 52, is standing as an Independent in Batu Lintang, facing BN's Sih Hua Tong and See Chee How of PKR.
In Pending, it is a straight fight between incumbent Violet Yong Wui Wui of the DAP and BN's Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, a cardiologist.
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is feeling confident, based on the positive feedback she received from all 49 PKR candidates contesting in the election.
Wan Azizah said PKR faces BN in straight fights in 14 seats, namely Nangka, Tamin, Baleh, Senadin, Ba’Kelalan, Bukit Sari, Demak Laut, Tupong, Samariang, Satok, Asajaya, Tarat, Batang Ai and Saribas.
The party is involved in three-cornered fights or more in 26 seats against Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and Independent candidates.
She said the core issues to be raised by PR are on Taib Mahmud and his alleged involvement in corruption and abuse of power.