BY NURULDAYANA RAFIEE
SEMATAN: There is still no decision on whether there will be any increase in the number of woman candidates Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) will be fielding in the impending 12th state election.
“Whether or not there will be new faces will be left to the discretion of the chief minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari),” said Parti Persaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He was asked on the likelihood of the party fielding any new woman candidate in the coming state election. Abang Johari is also PBB president.
However, Abdul Karim believed as far as PBB was concerned, it was likely that it would retain all five of its incumbent assemblywomen.
“Possibly, at the moment if I’m not mistaken, from the PBB, there are only five. It is possible we retain all five or maybe add some more, at the discretion of the chief minister,” he added when met at the Kasih Komuniti@Tanjung Datu 2021 Youth Programme and the Sarawak Youth Camp 2021 Coach and Assistant Coach Certificate and International Recognition here on Wednesday (Nov 10).
The five incumbent assemblywomen from PBB are Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu (Tanjong Datu), Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali (Samariang), Simoi Peri (Lingga) and Rosey Yunus (Bekenu).
On another note, Karim said the party acknowledged the important role played by women in the development of the state.
“The role of women in the development of the state is very important. So, there must be women candidates,” he said, adding that it was also his hope to see an increased number of woman candidates from the party.
Recently, Fatimah, who is PBB women chief, expressed hope that there would be more women candidates from the party in the coming state election.
She also stressed that as far as possible, there should not be any reduction in the current number of women elected representatives from PBB.
