The defeat of the Barisan Nasional candidate in the Sibu by-election last year, had kick-started the initiative to look for a possible candidate to replace Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah.
Although the oppositions were quick to claim that it was the strong dislike for the Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud by the Chinese voters was the main cause for the defeat, some PBB leaders disagreed with this view.
