KUCHING, Oct 20 — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Women chief Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah today said it is the prerogative of chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg to decide if more women should be picked as candidates to contest in the 15th general election (GE15).
She said the four component parties of GPS are free to submit names for consideration by Abang Johari, who is also the state premier.
“After discussion with the component parties, it is the prerogative of the premier to choose the most winnable candidates, including women, and we have to respect that.
“We go into this election to win,” Fatimah, who is also the state minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, said when asked on whether there will be an increase in the number of women candidates from GPS participating in GE15.
Just before the dissolution of Parliament on October 10, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) had four Members of Parliament, namely Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong), Datuk Seri Rohani Karim (Batang Lupar), Datuk Rubiah Wang (Kota Samarahan) and Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib (Mukah).
In the 2018 general election, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) nominated Rita Sarimah Patrict Insol to contest in Selangau, but she lost to Baru Bian who stood on Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s (PRS) ticket.
Fatimah, who is also PBB Women chief, said GPS Women is ready to face the GE15.
“With the nomination and polling days now known, the GPS election machinery, especially PBB Women, can arrange its strategies and fix its activities according to these two important dates,” she said.
Fatimah said GPS is ready to face the general election as what had been mentioned by Abang Johari.
Earlier today, the Election Commission (EC) fixed November 5 as nomination day and November 19 as polling day.
