MARUDI: More than 200 Penans from Long Kevuk, Apoh and the surrounding longhouses registered as members of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) during the membership drive at the longhouse recently.
Telang Usan assemblymen Dennis Ngau, who was obviously delighted with the good response, attributed the large number to the strong and proven leadership of PBB leaders especially party president and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem which had made the Penans realise that the only way to reap benefits from the government’s development programmes was by joining PBB.
Of the total number of those joining as PBB members, youths constituted the majority, a testimony that they were forward looking.
If not for the limited time that the visiting team from the PBB headquarters in Kuching had, more could have registered, said Unong Seman, chairman of the Penan PBB Youth Movement for Akah/ Patah/ Tutoh Apoh region.
The team was invited by Dennis, who is also the party’s assistant secretary general.
In his speech at the launching of the new sub-branch, Dennis said politics plays an important role in everyone’s life, and the only thing to decide on is which party to join.
In this respect, he thanked the new members for their wise decision to join PBB; a party that cares for the people unlike the opposition which had been propagating things that were not meaningful for the people.
As the backbone of the state Barisan Nasional (BN) and state government, he said PBB was the right choice for them.
Telling the Penans to look around and compare what they see today with what they saw 50 years ago, Dennis said they would be able to see development and progress which the Barisan Nasional (BN) had brought.
He told the people to be steadfast in their support for PBB so that it would be easier for the government to bring and implement projects for them.
In addition, he advised them to use their living skills to earn a living by planting vegetables which they can sell at Long Bedian.
Among those present were Temenggong Datuk Hasan Sui, Penan paramount chief Penghulu Juwing Lihan, PBB Telang Usan Youth chief Dominic Nyurang Ajang and Penan chiefs from 11 longhouses.