By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, April 24: It does not seem like Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) will back off from its attempt to win back the Puncak Borneo parliamentary seat from incumbent Datuk Willie Mongin in the coming general election.
Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said as far as the seat is concerned, it is a PBB seat.
“That’s why I appeal to the (PBB) members just now (that) we must work hard (to) make sure (that) a PBB candidate wins the next parliamentary election,” he told reporters after officiating at the Mambong PBB Triennial Delegate Meeting held at Penview Hotel today.
Uggah, who is the PBB vice-president, was also asked whether, by any chance, Willie has applied to join PBB, to which he replied: “Not that I know (of).”
On April 16, it was reported that Willie, the Puncak Borneo MP, was ready to defend the seat and hoped that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) would give him space and opportunity to do that.
The Puncak Borneo parliamentary constituency was previously a PBB stronghold held by the late Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit before the seat was won by Willie, who contested under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket in the 14th General Election in 2018.
Willie, who is also the Federal Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister, left PKR in February 2020 and joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) one month later.
Under the Puncak Borneo seat, all three State constituencies are held by PBB members namely Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn (Tarat), and Miro Simuh (Serembu). — DayakDaily
