Talib Zulpilip comes out top

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Jepak rep garners 780 votes in race for PBB veep post followed by Julaihi Narawi, Wahab Aziz

Datuk Talib Zulpilip

Datuk Julaihi Narawi

Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Talib Zulpilip garnered 780 votes – the highest – in the election for vice presidents of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) last night.

He was one of two new faces for the party vice-presidency. The other newly elected was Assistant Minister of Industrial Development (Investment and Promotion) Datuk Julaihi Narawi, who managed to obtain 552 votes.

The only incumbent retained was Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz, who polled 546 votes to enter his third-term as vice-president.

Dato Sri Dr Muhd Leo Michael Toyad Abdullah and Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman failed in their bid to retain their posts.

PBB election commission chairman Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar announced the election results at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.

In the race for the supreme council posts, Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail garnered 819 votes to head the new line-up.

The others elected were Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi (807 votes), Datu Len Talif Salleh (806), Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud (801), Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (797 ), Ahmad Lai Bujang (784 ), Dato’ Idris Buang (759 ), Ricky@Mohammad Razi Sitam (757), Dr Hazland Abang Hipni (757), Murni Suhaili (680) and Datuk Aidan Wing (629 ).

Met by reporters after the announcement of the results, Talib, who is Jepak assemblyman, attributed his victory to the collective effort of party members and friends who worked hard to ensure his victory.

Talib said it was a tough fight and he was thankful that it was clean and fair.

“I said right from the beginning that let’s have a clean fight, no dirty tricks and my campaign did not touch on personal issues,” he added.

Meanwhile, Julaihi who regarded the contest as a family affair, said the contenders were all his friends.

MOST POPULAR: Supporters carrying Talib aloft after he was elected a vice-president.

Abdul Wahab when met said he was very grateful to the party leaders, especially party president Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who had guided party members to be good and dedicated politicians.

Abdul Wahab had won the vice-president post uncontested twice in the last two terms.

The main body of the party only saw contests at the vice-president level (Bumiputera quota) and supreme council while the top posts including that of the president (Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud), two deputies (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg) and two senior vice-presidents (Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas) were not contested.

The posts for Pesaka quota at all levels of the main body were won uncontested.