BINTULU: Expectations are high that the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) candidate for the Jepak state by-election will be officially announced during the PBB 2023 Northern Zone Special Convention which will be held here tomorrow (October 15).
PBB president, who is also the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman and Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg will officiate at the opening of the convention.
The event will take place at the Bintulu Civic Centre and talks are rife that Abang Johari is expected to make the announcement during the event.
The by-election is caused by the death of its assemblyman, Datuk Talib Zulpilip, 72, on Sept 15.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Oct 21 for nomination day and Nov 4 for polling.
Until yesterday, however, most PBB leaders when approached had declined to comment.
PBB deputy president, who is also Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, when met by reporters while inspecting the venue for the convention had also remained tight-lipped.
“For that you (reporters) will have to wait. We’ll leave it to the party president (Abang Johari),” he told reporters.
Awang Tengah, who is the organising chairman for the convention, had earlier attended a rehearsal for the convention at the venue.
The late Talib, who was formerly also a Minister in the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office (Integrity and Ombudsman), had served as Jepak assemblyman for six terms since 1996.
In the 12th Sarawak state election in 2021, he successfully defended the seat with a significant majority of 4,243 votes. He secured 6,277 votes against his opponents Raba’ah Tudin of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Stevenson Joseph Sumbang (Parti Bumi Kenyalang or PBK), and independent Tuan Kazan.
It is learnt that there are at least six aspiring candidates for the seat.
So far, both Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Democratic Action Party (DAP), which are part of the Madani Unity Government have announced their decision to not contest this time around.
PBK, on the other hand, has announced that Joseph Sumbang would be renominated to contest the seat.
