PBB Women to ramp up grassroots efforts to translate GPS support into votes

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By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Nov 4: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Women, alongside other component wings of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), will strengthen grassroots mobilisation efforts to ensure that support for the coalition is translated into votes at the ballot box in the upcoming 13th Sarawak Election.

PBB Women’s chief Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the efforts would focus on identifying voters, understanding their voting preferences and ensuring they turn out to vote on polling day.

She said the role of the women’s wing extended beyond election periods, involving continuous engagement with the public before and after the voting process.

According to her, the wing had long been conducting various grassroots activities alongside elected representatives, the Women’s Supreme Council and women’s bureaus at State constituency and branch levels to engage with communities and understand their concerns.

“Issues that can be resolved will be addressed immediately, while matters requiring further attention will be brought to the relevant authorities,” she told reporters after the PBB Supreme Working Council (MKT) meeting, which was chaired by party president and Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, at the party’s headquarters today.

Fatimah said one of the main priorities ahead of the Sarawak election was to identify voter profiles, including their residential status, current whereabouts and age groups.

She added that the increasing number of voters in each State constituency called for a more structured approach to understanding their voting preferences and level of support.

“This information is important in enabling PBB Women to formulate appropriate strategies to engage with voters and strengthen support for GPS,” she said.

She stressed that getting voters to turn out on polling day would be just as important as securing their support.

“We want to ensure that the support given to GPS is translated into votes at the ballot box. It is not enough to simply express support; they must also come out to vote.

“We also want to ensure that voters understand how to cast their ballots correctly so that their votes are valid and not spoilt,” she said.

Fatimah said the mobilisation efforts would be carried out in coordination with the wider GPS election machinery, including its youth wing and other component wings, with each group playing its respective role.

She added that all 82 PBB branches would be mobilised as part of preparations for the election machinery at the State constituency level.

PBB currently has more than 182,787 women members, which she described as one of the party’s strengths in facing the upcoming Sarawak election.

On the possibility of women being fielded as candidates in the election, Fatimah said the decision rested entirely with Abang Johari.

She said PBB Women had not set any target for the number of female candidates and would respect the party leadership’s decision.

“We do not want to put pressure on the party president. We leave the decision entirely to him,” she said. — DayakDaily

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