According to the report, Benny Lee said his decision to contest was not to challenge the BN, but it was against the choice of the direct BN candidate Tiong Thai King, formerly from the UPP.

Lee also said the voters in the area wanted him to be a candidate as the seat had traditionally been the SUPP’s and that he would reapply to join the BN component party if he won.

In the 2011 elections, DAP’s Yap Hoi Liong edged out Tiong, who was then with SUPP, by a mere 317 votes. Independent candidate Apandi Abdul Rani had garnered 174 votes in the three-cornered fight.

Yap, who will be defending his seat, has previously said he was expecting an uphill battle as PKR and PAS were also eyeing the seat.

Meanwhile, Borneo Post Online reported that BN’s Marudi candidate, Penguang Manggil, and SPDP Youth Information Chief Jaya Ramba reportedly received four death threats, each on Sunday between 1pm and 3pm from four different people.

Both Peguang and Jaya have lodged reports at the Marudi police station.

Penguang said he took the threats seriously and urged the authorities to investigate the matter.

In the coming elections, Penguang, who is from SPDP, will stand for the BN in Marudi, replacing Teras’ Slyvester Entri, who had served as the constituency’s assemblyman for four terms.