Pbb On Final Leg Of Pre Sarawak Polls Tour

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 Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) has completed three rounds of special party conventions with its leader Abang Johari Abang Openg giving the clearest signal yet that Sarawak polls were around the corner.
Abang Johari told party delegates in Sibu yesterday that polls can be held "any time from now," according to the Malay Mail.
"I want to convey a message that the drum will be sounded. I have the wood on standby and also the drum on standby.
"When the drum is struck with the wood at any time from now, we must all go out to defend PBB and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the election," he said.
The fourth convention will be held on Oct 25 in Kuching, ahead of the tabling of the Sarawak government's budget for 2021.
According to PBB vice-president Dr Annuar Rapaee, the conventions were not only an opportunity for party leaders to meet and strategise, but lectures and "train-the-trainer" sessions were also held to help members learn and spread information on the latest developments in Sarawak, to prepare them for the state election.


The 19th Sarawak election will see PBB contesting for the first time without the BN logo. PBB has been the de facto ruling party of Sarawak since 1974, as the dominant party in Sarawak BN.
In 2018, PBB left the BN coalition and formed GPS with former BN coalition partners Sarawak People's Party (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United People's Party (Supp).
Currently, PBB controls 47 seats in the 82 seat assembly followed by PRS (11), Supp (7) and PDP (3).
The main opposition parties in Sarawak are Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) with six seats and DAP with five seats.
Based on Abang Johari's speeches at the Betong and Sibu PBB special conventions, GPS is expected to leverage the party's campaign on its recent success in compelling national oil company Petronas to pay sales tax to the tune of RM2 billion for 2019.


A Reuters report suggested that former Petronas chief executive officer Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin quit in protest over Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's administration's decision to do so.
Abang Johari said his government expects updates by the middle of this month on the state's attempt to seize authority over oil and gas exploration in the state.
The Sarawak chief minister had also promised greater autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and to improve education standards by improving English competency and setting up five international schools.
High performing students, he said, would be gathered in these schools and are promised scholarships if they are selected by international universities. - Mkini

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