Gabriel (seated third left) flanked by Awang Raduan (fourth left) and Francis and other committee members in a photocall after the press conference.
SERIAN: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Bukit Semuja has a fervent hope that the newly re-delineated seat be given to the party to contest in the upcoming state election.
Its protem committee secretary Awang Raduan Awang Idi said this was due to the party’s strong presence in the area.
He said Bukit Semuja, having carved out from Tebedu and Kedup seats, had 4,073 PBB members – 2,584 from Kedup and 1,489 from Tebedu.
“And since Tebedu and Kedup are PBB strongholds, it is only logical that Bukit Semuja be given to PBB to contest in the upcoming state election,” he told a press conference at the Serian community hall yesterday.
He added it was rather difficult for the party to ‘surrender’ the seat to any other political parties.
“We don’t want to give away our ‘beloved child’ to any other parties,” he said, adding that they were hoping the party’s top leadership would seriously consider their request.
Nonetheless, he said the branch would abide by the decision of the top leadership.
Meanwhile, a Bukit Semuja protem committee has been formed headed by Councillor Gabriel Kajeh Menggu as the protem chairman, Francis Linjas as deputy chairman and Awang Raduan as secretary.
Meanwhile, when asked if SUPP had a basis to contest the seat due to Datuk Seri Richard Riot the Serian MP, Gabriel admitted that Riot was strong in the area.
“Yes, Richard is strong in the area but during past elections the PBB machinery was the front-liner in the election campaign and we are well organised,” he said.
Elsewhere, it is said that PBB Serumbu protem committee will be holding a press conference in Kuching today (Friday).
It is said that the committee intends to express their wish that the new seat of Serumbu be allocated to PBB by the BN top leadership.