KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) will restructure its state leadership line-up during the party congress scheduled for Oct 1, says its president-designate Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.
She said all current appointments, including that of Lahad Datu MP Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi as Sabah PBM chief, were considered pro-tem appointments and would be restructured at the congress.
“At present, the leadership at the state level is still at the pro-tem stage because we are going to hold our annual general meeting on Oct 1.“At the congress, we will restructure and form the official line-up that will be announced after that,” Zuraida told reporters here yesterday when asked whether Mohamaddin’s appointment had been accepted by the party.
On Aug 28, incumbent PBM president Datuk Larry Sng announced that Mohamaddin was appointed Sabah PBM chairman after the Lahad Datu MP and Segama assemblyman officially joined the party.
Mohamaddin, a former Parti Warisan leader, quit the party on Oct 29 last year, then joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia before quitting that party as well to announce he was joining PBM.
On PBM’s request to join Barisan Nasional, Zuraida said it was a small party and was looking at a coalition to support the government of the day.
“We have to move into a coalition, so we are still looking at it,” she added.
Asked on the party’s plans if Barisan does not accept PBM, she said: “We are not worried. We have the strength, we have the people, and we can move into any direction at any time. For now, we are focusing on strengthening our party by recruiting new members.”
Zuraida said for the upcoming 15th General Election, PBM would defend the four parliamentary seats it currently held.
At the press conference, she also announced two new members – Datuk Daud Amatzin, chief executive officer of the Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council; and Jupperi Lenson, president of the Sabah Contractors Association.
She said Jupperi would head the Kota Marudu division while Daud was from Tawau.
