KUCHING, June 13: The incumbent for Mambong Datuk Dr Jerip Susil has a great chance of retaining the seat in the coming state election, opines PBB Mambong acting chairman Datuk Detta Samen.
According to Detta, there are two main factors — Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)’s strength and Dr Jerip’s own supporters — which will determine the victory.
“Mambong goes to PBB and with the strength of PBB in the area and coupled with Dr Jerip’s own core supporters, he (Dr Jerip) can win the seat for PBB and GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak)” Detta said, when contacted.
Detta pointed out that the PBB Mambong branch is still very much intact and would go all out to support Dr Jerip in the coming 12th state election (PRN12).
Dr Jerip, who is Assistant Minister of Transport joined PBB in October last year after he left Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) in July the same year.
He first was elected as the assemblyman for Mambong (formerly Bengoh) in 2001 as part of Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), a seat which he defended in 2006 and again in 2011.
When he quit SUPP for United People’s Party (UPP), now PSB, he was directed to resign from the party to contest as a Barisan Nasional (BN) direct candidate in the 2016 state election. He rejoined PSB not long after securing victory.
Mambong is a predominantly a Bidayuh area, for which SUPP, a GPS component party, has also declared its intention to contest.
Meanwhile, the village chiefs in Mambong area have been requesting for updates from the sub-district office on the condition of polling centres like the community hall, which may indicate that the state election is on the cards.
The last state election was in 2016 and PRN12 must be held the latest by June next year. — DayakDaily
