PBB Krian branch wants Abang Johari to be retained as president

KUCHING (Oct 13): The Krian branch of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) has called for Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to be retained as PBB president and continue leading the party in the coming state election.

This resolution was reached during the branch’s triennial general meeting at Dewan Sri Krian, Saratok yesterday.

PBB Krian chairman Bell Bernard Aggan, who proposed the resolution when opening the meeting, praised Abang Johari as the ‘Father of Modern Sarawak’, whose vision and initiatives have allowed Sarawak to advance and progress without being too reliant on others.

He noted that since Abang Johari assumed leadership of the Sarawak government and became chairman of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the voices of Sarawakians have been well respected, and Sarawak’s rights under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) are being reclaimed.

“He has proven that only a party from Sarawak can protect the interests of Sarawak now and in the future. PBB has emerged as a dominant party, not only in GPS, but also in Malaysia. It is a highly respected and regarded political party, with many representatives appointed ministers and deputy ministers, and for the first time in history, a Deputy Prime Minister,” said Bell, who is also a political secretary to the Premier.

Bell added that there are those in Sabah and some states in the peninsula who wish to emulate the stability and political unity in Sarawak, where 80 out of 82 state seats are dominated by GPS.

“We must maintain this,” he emphasised.

On a related matter, Bell said the branch has also resolved that the incumbents of the posts of deputy president and senior vice presidents should be retained unopposed in the coming PBB Convention.

“With this proposal, we hope that our party will continue to be strong, our state will continue to prosper and we will always be seen as important,” he added.

All the 82 PBB branches are now holding TGMs in the lead-up to the 16th PBB Convention or General Assembly scheduled in January or February next year.

Themed ‘PBB: The Pillar of Stability, Progress, and Sustainability’, the general assembly is also expected to see elections for the party’s office bearers in the supreme council, women’s wing and youth’s wing.