Empiang to relinquish post as PBB Women’s Wing chief at right time

KUCHING: PBB Women’s Wing chief Datin Patinggi Tan Sri Empiang Jabu will relinquish her post to her successor when the time is right.

She said this to reporters after chairing the PBB Women’s Wing meeting at a leading hotel here yesterday.

She was asked whether she would soon follow in the footsteps of her husband Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang who decided to step down as PBB deputy president on Saturday.

“For me... I will have to step down but when the time comes, I leave it to the decision of PBB particularly the decision of our party president,” she said.

During the PBB supreme council meeting on Saturday, Jabu announced his decision to relinquish the post he held since 1974, stating that it was to consolidate and strengthen the mechanism and organisation within the party as well as in the government.

On this, Empiang said she was surprised by his decision but supported him nonetheless.

“It was a good decision because he is no longer directly and actively involved in politics. By relinquishing his post, he is giving way for the younger people who are already in the cabinet,” she remarked.

She added that she was also happy that the “transfer of power had been done very smoothly” and that it was supported by all in the PBB supreme council.

“As Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Jabu himself said...he is no longer the deputy chief minister and therefore he paves the way for others to hold the post as deputy president.

“However, he is still very much a PBB member and will be around to help PBB in whatever capacity he can,” she said.

Meanwhile, Empiang on behalf of PBB Women’s Wing also took the opportunity to congratulate Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg on his appointment as Chief Minister as well as the party’s president.

“We in the Women’s Wing fully support and are solidly behind him,” she said.

She also conveyed her condolence to the family of the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem on their recent bereavement.

Others present during the press conference were PBB Women’s Wing deputy chief Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, vice chief Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim and secretary Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.