KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) hinted at an increase in women candidates for the upcoming 13th Sarawak State Election.
Its Women’s Wing vice-president, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, said she was informed by the PBB information chief, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah, that there will be new candidates introduced in the upcoming election, including women.
Nancy, who is also the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, said she indeed hopes that more women will be given the opportunity to contest in the state election.
"I can only speak and express the desire for more women to be highlighted, but just now I heard that he (Abdul Karim) has already shared it with the media, maybe that's the situation.
"There are some new faces, he said about 10 per cent (new candidates) and among them, there are women," she said when met after the recording of the Ruang Bicara programme produced by Bernama TV at Wisma Bernama today.
On Oct 6, PBB Women’s Wing chief Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah expressed her desire to see more women as candidates in the upcoming election to increase the representation of this group in politics.
However, Fatimah said the decision on candidate selection is the right of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg as the leader of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), after considering various factors, including calibre, merit, and the ability to win the seat.
Currently, only five out of 82 seats in the Sarawak State Assembly are held by women.
-- BERNAMA