By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, Nov 3: The election war drums have sounded for Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) women candidates to go into battle in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Expressing her satisfaction with the number of women candidates fielded for this parliamentary election, GPS Wanita chief Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah pointed out two of the five women are new faces.
The two new faces are Rodiyah Sapiee (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB) who is contesting in Batang Sadong and Dato Sri Doris Sophia Brodie (Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS) contesting in Sri Aman.
Datuk Rubiah Wang (Kota Samarahan) and Dato Hanifah Taib (Mukah) will defend their seats, while Dato Sri Nancy Shukri has been moved from Batang Sadong to Santubong.
GPS chairman and Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg made the announcement at PBB headquarters here this morning.
Sharing her opinion on the five women candidates, Fatimah said everyone started as a new face in the beginning of their political career, including herself.
“In any election, what is important is the machinery and support from the party itself. All these new candidates which Abang Johari announced are standing under one coalition.
“Since this will mark the first time GPS contests in a parliamentary election, (previously its component parties were part of Barisan Nasional), therefore we must win and (win) gloriously.
“We in GPS Wanita must work hard and realise that we need to win this election. In order to win, we need to unite and complement each other regardless of which party as long as they are GPS seats,” she told reporters.
Fatimah, who is also the Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development gave assurance that whenever the Wanita machinery is needed, they will be there.
She added that they will face GE15 with effective strategies and go all out to support all 31 GPS candidates. — DayakDaily
