KUCHING: Batu Danau Assemblyman, Paulus Palu Gumbang is the new chairman of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) for the 2017-2021 period.
He takes over from Semop Assemblyman Abdullah Saidol who has been promoted to Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs recently.
In announcing this here yesterday, Abdullah said Sadong Jaya Assemblyman Aidel Lariwoo has been appointed as deputy chairman while Samalaju Assemblyman Majang Renggi is the secretary with Gerald Rentap Jabu (Layar) as his assistant.
He said Batu Kitang Assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang is the treasurer and he is assisted by Shafiee Ahmad (Daro).
He said two new posts have been created, namely organising secretary and deputy organising secretary.
Saribas Assemblyman Mohd Razi Sitam is the organising secretary and Miro Simuh (Serembu), the deputy organising secretary.
There are four other committee members namely Dr Hazland Abang Hipni (Demak Laut), Martin Ben (Kedup), Wilson Nyabong Ijang (Pelagus) and Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing (Meradong).
Abdullah said the new and more structured committee reflected Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg’s aspiration for all 43 BN assemblymen to provide “genuine, quality, effective and even critical check and balance” not just on politics but on economics and other pertinent issues.
“He has many new initiatives that he wants to propose and wants all of them to provide meaningful inputs and feedback.
“Abang Johari is very open and appreciates constructive feedback. Some members of the club have shown they have the guts to be critical of certain issues affecting the rakyat like the state and federal government negotiations on the return of the state’s rights over certain issues and on the rural development status,” he said.
Abdullah said it was not true that only the opposition members were providing the check and balance as they were more vocal in raising issues, most of which were not new to the government.
“Sometimes we are a bit quiet in the assembly sitting, we do not raise our voice or try to be heroes in the debates but we are still playing our roles,” he said.
