Paulus (seated centre) and his wife Mary (on his left) pose with the villagers of Kampung Anak Bukit and Kuala Awang at the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration.
LIMBANG: Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang is optimistic that his joining PBB would further strengthen the party in Limbang and Batu Danau constituency and put to rest his partyless status.
“I am grateful to the leadership of PBB for accepting me and look forward to strengthening the party in Limbang and Batu Danau,” he said at the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration at Kampung Anak Bukit and Kuala Awang yesterday.
Also present were his wife Mary Sindang, village chiefs Mahat Matali (Kampong Anak Bukit) and Yusuf Timbang (Kampung Kuala Awang), Surau Setia Bakti
Anak Bukit management committee chairman Sepawi Amit and Surau Nurul Fallah, Kampung Kuala Awang chairman Jeffery Gapar.
Paulus was with SPDP before he left the party with a group of leaders after a leadership spat. The group later formed Teras, in which he was appointed treasurer-general.
Paulus resigned from Teras to stand as a direct BN candidate in the May 7 state election and was partyless until PBB decided to accept him and four other state assemblymen Miro Simuh (Serembu), John Ilus (Bukit Semuja), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Datuk Gerawat Gala (Mulu).
PBB currently has 45 out of the 82 seats in the State Legislative Assembly, making it technically possible for the party to form the state government on its own but it has chosen to share power with its BN component parties SUPP, PRS and SPDP.
All direct BN candidates, except in Pujut, won in their respective constituencies. The rest had re-joined UPP while former SPDP and Teras president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom has yet to announce his move.
On Hari Raya Aidiladha, Paulus described it as the best platform for the Muslim and non-Muslim community to strengthen their spirit of solidarity and relationship.
“It provides the opportunity for us to gather apart from fulfilling the religious obligations of sacrifice for Muslims,” he said.
The Batu Danau assemblyman looked forward to more changes and development for the people here, who had given their strong support to BN in the last state and parliamentary elections.
He, however, expressed concern over social ills including the increasing drug abuse cases in the district and called on all quarters to take action.
Paulus advised village development and security committees and parents to keep a close eye on their children to prevent them from being involved in drug abuse.
Earlier on, he donated five buffaloes to Muslims in Kampung Medait, Palas, Kuala Awang, Anak Bukit and Belading.
He also handed over a grant of RM3,000 to Kumpulan Hadrah Kampung Anak Bukit and said he would assist in construction of a multipurpose hall for Kampung Kuala Awang.