KUCHING, Jan 24 ― Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) anchor Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) will finalise its name list of 40 candidates for the state election in March, before nomination day, party president Tan Sri Adenan Satem said today.

The list will include five people to replace several incumbents who have signalled their desire not step down from public office, he added.

“But I will  not reveal the names of the five incumbents who will be stepping down, but will do so at an appropriate time,” he told reporters after chairing PBB supreme council meeting here.

“There is a possibility that a few members of Parliament may be contesting in the state elections,” he said.

He declined to confirm if PBB will field Petrajaya federal lawmaker and Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, and Betong federal lawmaker and Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah as rumoured.

Fadillah, who is also the PBB Youth chief, has been speculated to run for the Tupong state constituency, taking over from incumbent Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman; while Uggah has been rumoured to a candidate for Bukit Saban, taking over from Lawson Chuat.

Daud, who is also state assistant minister in charge of Islamic affairs, is among the incumbents to be dropped from the candidate list while Lawson is speculated to take over Betong from Uggah.

Adenan said the state BN supreme council will hold its meeting in due course to prepare for the elections.

On the PBB supreme council meeting today, he said it was to review and improve steps that the party has taken to prepare for the elections.

“We have already set up the main committees, including on logistics, transport, publicity and security and the setting up of operations room,” he said.

Despite getting high approval ratings from Sarawakians since becoming chief minister in 2014, Adenan said he does not underestimate the opposition in the coming state elections speculated to be held either in March or April this year.

“No election is easy for the state Barisan Nasional. We have to work hard to win,” he said, adding that it will be wrong to take things for granted without really working for it.

* This article has been updated at 4.15pm to clarify that the number of candidates is 40 instead of 140.