KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg (pic) will consider contesting in the Gedong constituency in the coming state election instead of his current Satok seat.

       This comes after Gedong incumbent Datuk Naroden Majais said he was willing to give way to Abang Johari in order to speed up the development in the area.

       "I will consider (the offer). I can say thank you to Naroden. He said that he will make way if possible for me to come here, so I will consider it and look at the situation.

       "When the time is right, I will make an announcement," Abang Johari told reporters after performing a ground-breaking ceremony for a road project in Gedong, about 88km from here, on Wednesday (Nov 17).

       Asked if he was considering other seats besides Gedong, the nine-term Satok assemblyman quipped that he did not know.

       "To be honest with you, I am considering more than one seat.

       "Naroden said he wants this area to be developed more quickly and it's true that it will require a large allocation, so I will consider (contesting here)," he added.

       In his speech earlier, Naroden said he had been able to develop Gedong with support and cooperation from the local community and non-governmental organisations (NGO) during his term as the assemblyman.

       However, he said Gedong needed to be developed more quickly so that the impact would spill over to the surrounding areas of Samarahan, Simunjan and Sebuyau.

       "All this requires more power, financial resources and authority to approve projects.

       "Only the Chief Minister has such power. Therefore, I am willing to give way to the Chief Minister if he wishes to contest in Gedong in the coming election," he said.

       Naroden was elected Gedong assemblyman in the 2016 state election after serving five terms before that as Simunjan assemblyman.

       Gedong was one of 11 new state seats created in a redelineation exercise in 2015.