PBB branch proposes new name for Ba Kelalan constituency

MIRI (Nov 19): The Ba Kelalan branch of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) is proposing a change in the constituency’s name from Ba Kelalan to Gunung Murud, and for the constituency to be contested by the party’s candidate.

Its Youth chief Steve Lius said this was among the resolutions at its triennial delegates conference (TDC) last Saturday which was attended by PBB deputy president Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and executive secretary Datuk Awang Bujang Antek.

The meeting established that Gunung Murud was a more apt name and better reflected the constituency.

“The TDC also proposed that PBB should be given the opportunity to contest following the string of failures of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties in winning the seat, which has affected the pace of development for the Lawas parliamentary constituency,” said Steve.

Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian has won the seat for three consecutive terms as an opposition: twice under Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and another under Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) in the last state election.

He has since joined Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) which is a GPS component.

Meanwhile, the TDC also resolved that the posts of PBB president and two deputy presidents remain uncontested in the coming party election.

Also adopted as branch resolutions were the request to the Sarawak government for Lawas to be elevated from a district to a division, and for the immediate implementation of all mega projects that have been approved for Lawas.

The resolutions were submitted to Awang Tengah and Awang.