TODAY is the second day of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) triennial general meeting in the state’s capital, where delegates from throughout Sarawak congregate.
While there is nothing out of the ordinary, more routine actually, this convention has a different air to it.
While in other political parties, some would caution against using the T-word. The word in question is transition — meaning a change in the current leadership. Quite the opposite for PBB, they have been very open about it.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has spoken candidly about it, describing the assembly as a “transitional” convention. He recognised that the PBB leadership line-up is senior in terms of age and that younger blood must be groomed for leadership positions in the future.
In a special interview for the convention, Abang Johari also alluded to the leadership of past PBB presidents who facilitated seamless leadership transitions during their tenure.
The Premier was handpicked by former PBB president Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub to contest the Satok constituency more than 40 years ago, paving the way for a lifetime of public service.
Abang Johari said that the time of Abdul Rahman as well as the founding PBB president Tun Jugah Barieng was spent dealing with the early years of Malaysia’s formation and Sarawak’s development within a young country.
Later, during the time of Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, who succeeded Abdul Rahman, the former was able to form a team that he groomed to oversee his famous “politics of development” policy.
Among the leaders who Taib took under his wing was Abang Johari himself as well as former chief minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem.
During PBB’s central delegates’ conference in Sibu last month, the Premier spoke about how his predecessors, Adenan and Taib, ensured smooth transitions where there was no infighting for party posts.
“Leaders may come and go. I want to leave PBB as a strong party,” he said.
Shaping future leadership
In the current political climate where governments change and leaders come and go, the Premier finds himself leading a political mainstay in national politics.
With the fall of Barisan Nasional from grace along with dwindling political support for its components — UMNO, MCA, and MIC — along with the rise of once-opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) to dominance, PBB and GPS remain a constant.
PBB notably has never lost an election and remains in firm control of the Sarawak government since its inception, formerly under BN Sarawak and now GPS.
Currently, it is at the peak of its powers — being the backbone of the state government as well as playing an important role in the federal administration.
It won all 47 seats contested in the previous Sarawak state election and all 14 parliamentary seats in the last General Election.
This is a level of success and dominance that other political parties in Malaysia crave and would give everything for.
The party has found the formula for success with this line-up of leaders but the question becomes: Why change a winning formula?
Possibly it is out of the need to maintain stability in the future. This is a party that has contributed immensely to Sarawak’s development and based on its track record, it is confident that a leadership transition would benefit the party.
While there is no contest for top leadership posts — president, deputy presidents, and senior vice presidents, the race for the vice-president posts in the Bumiputera wing is very much alive.
Six are vying for the four vice-president posts with incumbents Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi and Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, both of whom are ministers seeking to defend their posts.
Deputy ministers Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi and Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee are also defending their posts. Datuk Len Talif Salleh, also a deputy minister, returned to contest as a vice-president candidate after an unsuccessful bid in 2018.
Meanwhile, a new candidate in the race is Satok assemblyman Datuk Ibrahim Baki, a party veteran who has been with PBB for 40 years. From a lawyer, he turned corporate magnate and later, politician.
On paper, it appears to be a tight race with all the candidates being proven leaders in their own right and stalwarts of PBB.
At the same time, elections are underway for the PBB Supreme Council with 20 vying for the 16 positions in the Bumiputera wing while 19 are competing for the 14 seats in the Pesaka wing.
The Women’s wing’s leadership lineup is largely intact as the incumbent Women’s chief Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah retained her post. One notable change is that Deputy Minister Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali is replacing outgoing former MP Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim as deputy women chief.
The Youth wing saw a change with outgoing Miro Simuh being replaced as youth chief by Datuk Martin Ben.
Present challenges
The new PBB line-up of existing and incoming leaders will have their work cut out for them as they enter a term in which the state election is called. This will be their wartime line-up.
The Sarawak state election typically takes place before the conclusion of the five-year state legislature term, with the most recent one occurring in December 2021. Some say that it could be as early as the end of this year, but more conservative estimates would peg it as late as the end of 2026.
The only person who holds the answer to the question is the Premier. The advantage is that the government of the day monitors political trends and picks the most suitable and opportune time for polls.
Ideally, elections are called when there is a positive public perception — the “feel-good” factor, to coin a political phrase, and when there are no major issues that would put the government at a disadvantage.
That said, if it is that simple, all governments would remain undefeated and govern for life if it is all about finding the right timing, because the reality is, that elections are more complex than that.
The narrative changes each and every day, and part of a prudent communication strategy is the ability to read the sentiments on the ground and tailor one’s approach.
These are things that we look forward to in political shake-ups where new leaders come in and bring fresh ideas.
I think political parties in other parts of Malaysia ought to take a page from PBB’s book to ensure politics are sustainable — meaning leadership changes actively bring stability to the nation, not the other way around, causing instability.
I am sure that stability — which is one of the pillars and aspirations of PBB — is exactly what the party will continue to bring to Sarawak, and to some extent, the nation.
PBB has largely been in the political shadows of Malaysia, being a Sarawak-based party fighting for Sarawak interests. Now its unassailable position as a political juggernaut is for everyone to see.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.
