GEDONG – Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg will consider whether to defend his Satok seat in the coming state election or to contest in the Gedong constituency.
Abang Johari said this following the offer made by the incumbent Gedong assemblyman, Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, for the chief minister to contest in the constituency, after the latter implied that he will not defend the seat in the state polls.
“I will consider (Naroden’s offer). Insya-Allah, I will make my decision. I have to also inform the people in Satok first,” he said in his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Lubok Teranggas-Gedong road project here today.
Abang Johari said it is too early for Naroden to announce his intention to not contest in the state election but will still respect the decision if it is final.
“If Naroden does not want to defend his seat, I would like for him to continue assisting me in terms of government planning. I have my own ways, if he is firm (with his decision) to quit, but I do not want him to,” he added.
Naroden, 68, who is also Sarawak SME and Entrepreneur Development assistant minister is the Gedong assemblyman since the constituency was established in the previous state election in 2016.
Prior to that, he was the Simunjan assemblyman for five terms from 1991 to 2011.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari has been the assemblyman for the Satok constituency since 1981. – Bernama, November 17, 2021