Miro Simuh
KUCHING (Aug 7): It is the prerogative of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council and the PBB Secretariat to accept any application of membership.
This was pointed out by the party’s Youth chief Miro Simuh in a statement yesterday, issued in relation to Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin having been accepted as a PBB member.
“He (Willie) is an ordinary member, same as other PBB members. Anyone, as long as they are the Bumiputera of Sarawak, can apply to become members (of PBB) and it is the prerogative of the supreme council and the PBB secretariat to accept any application.
“Everyone is treated equal based on the application and (they) must follow the correct procedures that have been set by our party,” said Miro, who is also PBB vice president.
He also clarified that Willie’s membership into PBB was made without commitments and conditions.
Miro said this was confirmed by party president Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg during PBB supreme council meeting at the party headquarters last Saturday, after which the announcement was made during a press conference.
Moreover, Miro said the process to become a PBB member must start at the party’s ‘ranting’ (sub-branch or unit) level before the submission of the application to the branch level.
Later the branch committee, during their meeting, would discuss the membership application before sending it to the PBB secretariat for endorsement.
“So, anyone who wishes to join the party, must adhere to the system and the procedures that have been stated by the party. And no privilege (has) been granted to anyone to go beyond it.
“And anyone who has been accepted as a member, must understand the party’s constitutions well and be guided to be a loyal and trusted member,” added Miro, who is Serembu assemblyman.
Willie is the first-term MP for Puncak Borneo, having won the seat as a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate in 2018.
Currently serving as the Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities II in the Federal Cabinet, Willie had claimed that he was ‘parked’ in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) following the ‘Sheraton Move’ in 2020, and that he had applied to join PBB.