SARATOK incumbent Ali Biju will defend his seat in Sarawak on a Perikatan Nasional ticket, a source in his election campaign team told The Malaysian Insight.

Ali won the Iban-majority seat of over 30,000 voters in the 2018 general election as a PKR candidate, defeating four-term Barisan Nasional MP Peter Nyarok.

However, things soon turned sour between the party and Ali, who was among the handful of representatives who were sacked by PKR for their alleged roles in the political coup, widely known as the Sheraton Move, which brought down the 22-month Pakatan Harapan federal government.

Ali joined peninsula-based Bersatu led by then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and not long afterwards, he was appointed deputy minister of energy and natural resources.

He retained the post after Muhyiddin was forced to step down from office, having lost the majority support of MPs.

“He will stand for PN. He is defending his seat,” the source said.

PN is a coalition of Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan.

Ali gave up his state seat of Krian in the December Sarawak elections in controversial circumstances to give Gabungan Parti Sarawak a free run in the constituency he had held for two terms.

He would campaign for the PDP candidate there and GPS would return the favour in the next general election.

That did not happen. Instead, Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg announced that the ruling coalition GPS would stand in all 31 seats.

Abang Johari had said there was never any agreement to get Ali to give up the seat.

“They reneged on the gentleman’s agreement. We still hold to the agreement and (are only defending) our incumbency,” the source said.

On Ali’s chances, the source said, “Let’s not jump the gun. Let the voters decide.

“Do they want to keep their deputy minister who has been servicing them consistently or do they want a newbie without any experience?”  – October 27, 2022.