KUCHING: The candidate for the Mambong state seat will be decided through consultation among Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties, says Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

       The Sarawak Chief Minister said there was possibly a slight issue with the seat but it was nothing major.

       "We will discuss it and we can solve it. Actually there is no problem.

       "Maybe (it's a matter of) personality, but that's normal (in elections)," he told reporters after performing the ground-breaking for a new multifuel refuelling station in Batu Kawa here on Tuesday (Nov 23).

       Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman, was asked if there were any problems with seat distribution for the coming state election.

       The Mambong seat is traditionally contested by the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), but its incumbent Datuk Dr Jerip Susil is now with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

       Dr Jerip, who was then in the SUPP splinter party United People's Party (UPP), won as a Barisan Nasional direct candidate in the 2016 state election.

       However, he quit UPP – now an Opposition party known as Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) – in 2019 and joined PBB.

       Dr Jerip has said he will leave it to Abang Johari to decide if he will contest in Mambong.

       Meanwhile, Abang Johari also said GPS would contest all 82 seats in the polls.

       However, he said it was premature to announce the seat distribution and candidates as the Election Commission was only meeting on Wednesday (Nov 24) to decide the election dates.

       "When the time is right I will tell you. There is no need to rush," he said.

       GPS held 68 seats in the state legislative assembly before its dissolution on Nov 3.