PBB Serembu will support any BN candidate for Puncak Borneo — Miro

KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB) Serembu will fully support whoever Barisan Nasional ( BN) nominates to contest the Puncak Borneo seat in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14).

Its branch chairman and Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh said they would respect the decision made by the top leadership regarding the candidacy.

He, however, hoped that BN’s top leadership would pick someone who had the experience in PBB’s and BN’s system and machinery.

“If possible, the candidate must be someone who is a member of PBB and who is familiar and understand the party system and operation.

“The candidate must also understand how PBB’s as well as BN’s machinery works in the election,” he said.

Miro, who is also PBB deputy youth chief, said it was also important for PBB or BN to field a candidate who can work with everyone - from the assemblymen of the three state constituencies down to the party’s sub- branch chiefs.

He said in an election, a PBB candidate cannot afford to ignore any of the sub- branch chiefs, who are important components of the party system and election machinery.

“The assemblymen and the ‘ranting’ chiefs not only have got their supporters but also know the sentiment of the people on the ground.

“Therefore, whosoever BN picks as its candidate for Puncak Borneo, he or she cannot afford to neglect any assemblyman or the ‘ranting’ chiefs,” he said.

Serembu is one of the state constituencies in the Puncak Borneo parliamentary constituency. Others are Mambong and Tarat.

Miro, who is very familiar with the political scene in Puncak Borneo having served as private secretary to the incumbent MP Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit, cautioned that BN had to be very careful when fielding a new person.

Dawos, who is currently Energy, Water and Green Technology Deputy Minister, will not defend the seat due to health reason.

A supreme council member of PBB, Dawos first won the seat, which was formerly named Mambong, in 1999 as direct BN candidate.

Previously, he was Deputy Minister of Tourism from December 2009 and was made Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment after the 13th general election on May 16, 2013.