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PARTI Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), which is the backbone party of the state ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), will field at least 30 per cent new faces in the coming state election.
PBB president Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, in announcing this, said he is mulling the possibility of fielding candidates from among the PBB Youth Wing.
Johari, who is GPS chairman, said he wants to identify youthful candidates who are qualified and capable enough to be in a public election.
"If possible, we in PBB want to have at least 30 per cent new faces for the state election.
"The idea is to have 70 per cent seniors plus 30 per cent new candidates and I call on those in the Youth Wing to prepare themselves.
"Get the necessary experience now by getting close to the rakyat as we prepare for the next state election," he said when attending a gathering with the Youth Wing members in Sibu and the central Sarawak branches.
The next state election is due in 2026 but Johari is adding fuel to talks of an earlier state poll by his PBB candidacy announcement.
Recently the opposition front in Sarawak made up of Pakatan Harapan parties of Sarawak DAP, PKR and Parti Amanah confirmed they would challenge the GPS.
Sarawak PKR information chief Tay Wei Wei, also announced that the state PKR will start an election roadshow next month.
"We in Sarawak PKR and Pakatan Harapan are Opposition parties in Sarawak and we must offer a voice to the rakyat and be of service to them as a check and balance in this state,” he said.
He said they were getting all 31 PKR branches in the state to prepare for the coming state election.
Sarawak has 81 state constituencies, with 78 of them under the control of GPS, two held by DAP's Chong Chien Jen in Padungan and Violet Yong in Pending and one held by Independent See Chee How in Batu Lintang. - October 8, 2024