KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has the support of the youth as a result of the coalition’s conscious efforts to engage the youth through its policies and programmes.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Women chief, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said GPS always paid attention to the younger generation in addition to also caring for the general public.
“We can’t change a person’s mind in one day – it is a process. With that, our state government has been and is providing a platform and foundation which engages the youth,” she said.
She was responding to questions from the media at a press conference following the PBB Women Supreme Council meeting at PBB Headquarters here on Saturday.
The Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister pointed out that in the recently concluded state election, the support of the younger generation towards GPS was evident.
She gave the situation at polling centres as an example by comparing the response from Channel 1, which is usually for seniors around the age of 50 to 60 and Channel 3, which is usually for the youth.
“If we make a comparison, for example in my own area (Dalat), the support from Channel 1 and Channel 3 is almost the same.
“Our senior citizens give strong support to GPS, and we find that the votes and support towards GPS from the youth are not much different from that of the senior citizens,” said Fatimah.
She said one of the matters discussed during the PBB Women Supreme Council meeting was Undi18 in order to hear the views of council members.
“We will bring these views to a body that is even higher than the Women movement, that is, the main movement. Hopefully, our proposals will be well received later by the relevant committees,” she said.
When prompted to elaborate, she said these proposals would be brought to the relevant committee level for further discussion at that stage.
Meanwhile, a related statement issued by PBB Women said they fully supported the proposal to establish a youth wing for those aged 18 to 28.
“We are of the view that this is in line with the passage of time and given the involvement of young people in the country’s democratic and political system, it is time for our party to be rejuvenated.
“The Women’s movement is also involved in efforts and programmes held to establish this wing,” read the statement.
