(Left, front to back) Adenan accompanied by Awang Tengah and Assistant Minister of Rural Development and Fisheries Datuk Julaihi Narawai leaving PBB headquarters after chairing the state BN pre-council meeting. At second right is Uggah.
KUCHING: The nine partyless elected representatives who applied to join Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) have been asked to reconsider their move and consult their constituents on whether they should join the state’s biggest party.
PBB president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said the nine elected representatives would be given until the end of June to consult their constituents and they would have to report back to PBB.
“We have asked the nine who applied to join PBB to reconsider their decision (and) to go back to the constituency and ask the constituents what they ought to do.
“If they, after consulting with their constituents, still insist on joining PBB, then we have no choice but to entertain their applications favourably,” Adenan, who is Chief Minister, told a press conference after chairing the party’s supreme council meeting, here, yesterday.
The nine partyless elected representatives are Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (Pakan), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Ranum Mina (Opar), Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkilili), Dato Gerawat Gala (Mulu), Miro Simuh (Serembu) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja).
Mawan, Rosey and Paulus were formerly from Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras), Dr Jerip, Ranum and Rayong
were formerly from United People’s Party (UPP) while Gerawat, Miro and Ilus were formerly from PBB. All nine of them including Gerawat, Miro and Ilus contested as BN direct candidates in the last state election and won.
After the last state election, PBB holds 40 seats, while PRS holds 11 seats. SUPP holds seven seats and SPDP has three seats.
When asked about concern by BN component parties that the acceptance of the nine would defeat the power sharing concept of the state BN, Adenan said: “We will see what happens after they have reconsidered the thing. It is still too early to say.”
Meanwhile, Adenan said based on the political analysis of the recent election result, PBB’s performance had greatly improved. Among those present were PBB deputy presidents Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang and Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, senior vice presidents Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and secretary general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.