KUCHING: PBB deputy president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said yesterday it was still premature to say whether Barisan Nasional (BN) would field direct candidates in the coming state election.
He pointed out that even though the BN supreme council had agreed to approve associate and affiliate memberships, details were still being studied and would only be finalised at the BN Convention on Nov 28.
“It is still being studied as it is just being agreed two days ago (on Friday)…We’ll wait for the BN convention on 28th (of this month),” he told reporters after closing the organisation management course organised by Registrar of Societies (ROS) yesterday.
Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur that BN supreme council had agreed to amend its constitution to introduce direct associate and affiliate membership with immediate effect.
This has led to speculations among political observers that BN may consider fielding direct candidates in the next state election.
Najib had also said that any decision henceforth concerning associate and affiliate membership would be made only by the BN supreme council, as a condition to prevent anyone with any ulterior motive from joining the coalition.
The amendment is expected to be gazetted at the BN Convention, after which the ROS is to be informed of the date of enforcement.
ROS director general Datuk Md Alias Kalil, who was in Kuching for the closing of the course, said it was BN’s prerogative to amend their own constitution.
However, he pointed out that political organisations, associations or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the country would also need to amend their constitutions accordingly to accommodate affiliated BN membership once the amendment was enforced.
“We also want more details on what is meant by associate and affiliate membership,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari, who is Minister of Housing and Urban Development, when speaking at the closing ceremony, thanked ROS for organising such programme in Sarawak.
“This is in line with the 1Malaysia concept – People First, Performance Now, whereby the government agencies are encouraged to go more to the ground and meet the people,” he said.