KUCHING: The word has gone out to Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin loud and clear. That Puncak Borneo is a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) seat and that there are capable PBB members who could represent the party in the 15th General Election (GE15).
In declaring this, PBB vice president Datuk Roland Sagah stressed that it is without a doubt that Puncak Borneo is a PBB seat.
“There are more than enough capable, dedicated and well educated PBB members in Serumbu, Mambong and Tarat which form the parliamentary seat of Puncak Borneo who could represent PBB in the coming parliamentary elections,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted on Sunday (Apr 17).
He was prompted for comments on the recent remarks by Willie that he is ready to defend the seat for GPS and hoped GPS will give him space and opportunity to defend the seat.
Sagah, who is also Tarat assemblyman said he hoped Willie instead could give his full support to whoever is going to stand in the Puncak Borneo seat for the sake of the Bidayuh community.
“We should also stick to our principle of not allowing a party outside of Sarawak to represent us. And for that matter not outside of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
“And the voters of Puncak Borneo must go all out to ensure a victory for PBB,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday (April 16), New Sarawak Tribune reported that Willie was ready to defend the seat for GPS in ensuring that Sarawak’s development agenda could be continued.
“This was proven in the last state election, I instructed my supporters to give strong support to the GPS candidates who contested in the Mambong, Tarat and Serembu state constituencies which are under the Puncak Borneo constituency.
“I hope they respond to what I have done and I believe that the cooperation is necessary because it will enable us to go further together,” he said.
He however said he would let the leadership of his party to decide on his candidacy for the Puncak Borneo parliamentary seat in the next general election.
Willie won the seat in the 14th general election (GE14) on a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket with 18,885 votes and a majority of 4,005 votes defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Genot Sinel who secured 14,860 votes and Aspirasi candidate Buln Ribos who polled 795 votes.
The Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister left PKR in February 2020 and joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in March 2020.
