KUCHING, Dec 14 — The PKR candidate for Satok, Datuk Nor Irwan Ahmat Nor, said he is confident that he has what it takes to win over voters despite suffering several blows at the hands of his own party.

His comments come after Petra Jaya PKR Wanita division chief, Nor Dahlia Esapian Eyaw, who was initially the party’s candidate for Satok until the eve of Nomination Day, said the division would not be helping Nor Irwan to campaign at all.

Nor Irwan said the matter was decided by the party president and leadership who changed candidates after hearing that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) president and nine-term assemblyman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg had swapped his traditional seat of Satok for Gedong in the Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency.

"The party has always let anyone, even ordinary members, stand as candidates. But there is also a strategy.

"The party has flexibility, and a strategy to pit candidates with the most advantages against a rival candidate. So this is the party leadership’s wisdom,” he told Malay Mail at his operation centre in Satok here.

Last week, Nor Dahlia had said that she was the initial pick to contest the seat before being replaced at the last minute by Nor Irwan.

She denied speculation that she was once a bankrupt; hence, the reason for the eleventh hour switch-up.

"Yes, I am saddened that all family members, party machinery and voters protested and may not vote.

"I apologise for not helping Nor Irwan’s campaign. It is up to the voters to choose who they think is worthy," she told reporters on several occasions last week.

Nor Irwan refused to comment, saying that he only accepted the candidacy because it was the party’s decision and that he will work to ensure the party has the biggest chance of winning.

He said he is focused on serving the people of Satok, which is part of the Petra Jaya parliamentary constituency — where he was born and raised.

The former senior lecturer of Tun Hussein Onn University of Technology turned businessman said he had been working to help the people there by setting up food banks and distributing aid since 2018, in particular during the big floods in Kuching earlier this year.

"When I am given the responsibility, I do my best,” he said.

Nor Irwan stood for the Petra Jaya parliamentary seat in the 2018 general election against PBB vice-president Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, suffering a 15,017 majority loss to the latter.

PBB’s grip on the Malay-majority area has led observers to conclude that PKR is the underdog with very slim chances of winning.

However, several voters told Malay Mail that Nor Irwan actually had a chance despite being seen as a long shot.

A retired serviceman, who only wanted to be known as Ahmad, said Abang Johari’s replacement Datuk Ibrahim Baki didn’t enjoy as good a rapport with constituents as his predecessor.

"Of course, Ibrahim Baki is no Abang Johari. Some voters here see him as someone who is less trusted than Abang Jo,” he said, referring to the GPS president by his nickname.

His friend, who asked to be named as Abu, also commented that the election is the first time that GPS will be using its own flag, instead of the traditional Barisan Nasional flag.

"If they use Barisan Nasional’s dacing flag, it will be over. But older voters are not used to the new white flag with the hornbill,” he said.

In the last election, Abang Johari won Satok easily by 5,045 votes, defeating PKR’s Mohamed Salleh Shawkatali.

This time around, Abang Johari has decided to stand in Gedong, a rural seat under the Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency, which is a 90-minute drive in good traffic from Kuching.

On December 18, 14,314 eligible voters cast their vote for the new Satok state assemblyman for the first time in 40 years.

Other than Ibrahim and Nor Irwan, another candidate is Awang Badele Awang Ali from Parti Bumi Kenyalang, which also features the hornbill — the state bird of Sarawak — on its party flag.