KUCHING: Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) is to rebrand itself and likely to be called ‘Gabungan Sarawak’, an independent coalition of components which Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) President wants to be friendly with the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH).
An inside source close to New Sarawak Tribune said the name is fitting for the four parties who will be working towards a common goal to maintain the state government in the next state election.
The four coalition parties namely PBB, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) will discard their association with BN which is one of the reasons why it lost badly in the recent 14th General Election.
Last mid-month, PBB had a meeting and the Chief Minister said they had reviewed its position in BN in order to set up a Sarawak-based coalition.
He said a Sarawak based coalition is a better vehicle to fight for the return of Sarawak rights.
Of the present 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, Sarawak BN controls 19 seats. It won 72 out of 82 state seats in the 2016 state election under the leadership of the late Adenan Satem.
