{
  "id": 17415353,
  "title": "SUPP says Abang Johari will decide on Bawang Assan candidate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/supp-says-abang-johari-will-decide-on-bawang-assan-candidate-17415353",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T13:13:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/31/supp-says-abang-johari-will-decide-on-bawang-assan-candidate"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) has revealed that the selection of the candidate for the Bawang Assan seat in Sarawak will be decided by GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg, according to a statement released today. The party's president, Dr. Sim Kui Hian, disclosed that all GPS coalition partners had agreed to leave the decision of candidates for all 82 state constituencies to Abang Johari. Sim emphasized that \"Who is the chairman of GPS? We leave it to the premier,\" as reported by the Borneo Post. He clarified that this instruction was communicated to everyone involved.\n\nThe SUPP had previously been linked with nominating Kevin Lau, a branch youth leader, as their candidate for the Bawang Assan seat. However, it is now understood that Joshua Ting, a political secretary to Abang Johari, is being considered as the Progressive Democratic Party's candidate for the same constituency. Bawang Assan had previously been represented by Wong Soon Koh for seven terms, before Wong transitioned to the PDP as their senior vice-president.\n\nWong Soon Koh and PDP president Tiong King Sing reportedly met with Abang Johari last week to discuss this matter. In July, it was also reported that SUPP intended to nominate Kevin Lau as their candidate for the Bawang Assan seat. Dr. Sim, who serves as the deputy premier, reiterated his plan to submit the nomination to Abang Johari in July.",
  "summary": "Party president Dr Sim Kui Hian says GPS partners had agreed to leave candidate selection to the coalition chairman.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}