PBB top leadership decides membership applications

PBB President and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (centre) with from left Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Datuk Roland Sagah, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Deputy Presidents Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Datuk Seri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom, Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Datuk Gerawat Gala, Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Junaidi and Miro Simuh join others in waving the PBB and GPS flags as they sing the PBB March song. Photo: Ramidi Subari

By Goh Pei Pei & Natasha Jee

KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) party leaders have welcomed anyone who is interested to be part of the party to submit their application; however, the final decision lies with the top leadership.

In saying this, PBB vice-president Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed his gratitude to Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Willie Mongin for his confidence in PBB, thus, wanting to join the party.

“Thank you, Datuk Willie, for his confidence in PBB. (But) we will leave this matter (on his application) to the party’s top leadership and supreme council to decide,” he said when contacted today (June 20).

Meanwhile, Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, who is also the party’s vice president, said PBB welcomes anyone who wants to join the party.

However, he said, they must not be anyone that has joined other political parties or had fought against PBB or GPS candidates.

“That’s why we amended our party constitution during the recent PBB convention (where the membership of a member will be revoked immediately the moment he/she joins other political party) to ensure that a member stays loyal to the party,” he said.

He also reiterated that Puncak Borneo parliamentary constituency would remain a PBB seat.

“The Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also the party president, will have the final say on the candidate to contest in Puncak Borneo under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) ticket,” he said.

Meanwhile, PBB Women chief Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah and Youth chief Miro Simuh said they would leave it to the party leadership to decide.

Yesterday, Willie has confirmed that he had submitted his application to join PBB a few months ago, while also denying that he was a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

He had won Puncak Borneo seat under PKR ticket with a majority of 4,005, defeating BN candidate Jeannoth Sinel in the 14th general election.

Willie quit PKR in 2020 and was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities in the Perikatan Nasional federal government.