KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will name its 82 candidates for the 13th Sarawak state election on Nov 25.
GPS chairman and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Abang Openg said the list would include candidates from all four component parties.
“We know everyone is waiting for the announcement,” he told reporters after attending the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Southern Zone Convention.
The convention was the last organised by PBB, following earlier gatherings involving the Northern and Central zones.
The premier said the convention provided an opportunity for the party to identify potential leaders among its members, as well as assess developments and the situation in their respective constituencies ahead of the election.
He said PBB, as the backbone of GPS, must continue to strengthen its spirit of unity and cooperation with the other component parties, namely the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
Abang Johari said he was confident the coalition could mobilise its election machinery in a coordinated manner to secure a GPS victory on polling day on Dec 12.
On the possibility of changes to the candidate list, he did not rule out the coalition fielding a mix of new faces and experienced leaders to ensure leadership continuity.
“I do not want to mention names, but we are focusing on the PBB name and carrying out PBB’s mandate.
“Of course, there may be changes, with us fielding young and experienced people as candidates,” he said.
The 13th Sarawak state election will be held on Dec 12, with nomination day set for Nov 28 and early voting scheduled for Dec 8.