SIBU: Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee has welcomed the statement by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, on Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) entering a leadership transition phase.
The Nangka assemblyman said the party’s 16th convention serves as a crucial platform for shaping the future and providing opportunities for emerging leaders to carry forward the party’s struggles.
“Abang Johari has emphasised the need for PBB to prepare for new leaders to take over the party’s leadership. Therefore, these leaders must be nurtured from now.
“This is why the upcoming convention is not merely an electoral process but also a platform for selecting future leaders who will continue the party’s mission.
“This is a crucial task, and PBB members must reflect deeply when choosing the leadership line-up this week,” he said in a statement yesterday (Feb 12).
Dr Annuar believes that the PBB president’s message is aimed at ensuring the party remains relevant in championing the rights and welfare of Sarawak’s Bumiputera community.
“I believe the Premier’s message is clear — this convention represents a transition.
“It is an opportunity to select and groom future leaders, placing them in positions where they rightfully belong,” he added.
Earlier, in an interview with Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak, Abang Johari said that the transition of leadership is a reality that must be accepted, especially as the current generation of leaders approaches the end of their service.
“This convention is a transitional convention. If we look at our current leadership in PBB, the majority of them are in their seventies. And the reality is, we cannot serve much longer,” he said.
Abang Johari stressed that the convention will provide an opportunity for grassroots leaders to identify a new lineup that will continue PBB’s 60-year effort in developing Sarawak.
