KUCHING, Jan 26 — Sarawak’s long-time Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang will likely opt out of the coming state elections and will not be defending Layar, a seat he has held since 1974, a close family friend claimed today.
“I have heard them (family members) talking about him not contesting in Layar anymore and I also heard that (Datuk Seri Douglas) Uggah (Betong federal lawmaker) will replace him,” the friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Malay Mail Online.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, is expected to announce the party’s election candidates name list in March.
Uggah, who is also state plantation industries and commodities minister, could not be reached for comment.
Sarawak DAP Betong branch chief Gerald Rogers Anding, who is tipped to contest in Layar in the state polls, said there are already rumours being spread that Jabu would not be defending his seat.
“I have heard from the community leaders and village headmen since Sunday about Jabu stepping down,” he said.
Gerald said he has also heard from Jabu’s relative and one-time political secretary Nelson Kloni two days ago about the deputy chief minister stepping down.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said, however, that he could not confirm the matter.
“Who is contesting or who is not contesting is the prerogative of the state Barisan Nasional head-cum-Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem,” Karim, who is also an assistant minister of housing, said.
“As in any election, there are bound to be old faces stepping down and new faces coming in. Likewise, the forthcoming state election will see these changes, too,” he said.
Jabu entered politics when he contested and won unopposed in a by-election for the Skrang-Engkilili seat in 1973 on a Sarawak Alliance ticket and in the 1974 state elections, he defeated former Chief Minister Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan in Layar.
In 1976, Jabu was appointed Deputy Chief Minister, a post he has held until today.
At a press conference after chairing PBB supreme council meeting last Sunday, Adenan revealed that five state incumbent lawmakers would be stepping down to make way for fresh faces to take over.
He also said that he did not rule out the possibility that a few federal lawmakers would be contesting in the state elections.
It was rumoured that apart from Uggah, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof would also be vying for the Tupong seat, to be vacated by incumbent Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, who has expressed his desire to retire from politics due to health problems.
After the press conference, Jabu was seen by reporters being hugged by PBB deputy president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg, who is also the Housing Minister and Tourism Minister, and PBB senior vice president Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, the Second Minister of Resource Management and Environment, and other senior PBB members.
When asked by reporters about being hugged, Jabu replied that they were congratulating him on his birthday, which was rather strange as it falls on October 26.
