PARTI Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) plans to form a new but “informal” wing to target Undi18 voters and automatically registered voters, party deputy president Douglas Uggah said.

The new wing, to be called Pergerakan Belia PBB or PBB Youth Movement, is to encourage young people join the party, which heads the state’s ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition. 

Those not eligible will be encouraged to join other parties in GPS, either Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

“We do not want to lose them (new young voters) to the opposition,” Uggah said at the joint opening of the party’s youth and women wings in Kuching today.

PBB secretary-general Alexander Nanta Linggi, when speaking to reporters later, said the wing is a logical and appropriate step to take.

Nanta, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, said a special committee was formed to look into this group of voters, and to draw up strategies and programmes to address how they will vote.

The recommendations of this committee will be raised at PBB’s assembly tomorrow.

“It will not be a formal wing,” he said.

It will be part of the party’s existing youth wing and will cater to the younger age group.

“It is to try and absorb these young voters into politics and the party,” Nanta added.

Uggah said when Parliament amended the federal constitution in July 2019 to lower the voting age to 18, it changed the voting demographic landscape with 66% of voters now under 29.

“With 66% of registered voters aged 18-29, we cannot remain silent and allow them to be led by others, especially by the opposition party. 

“Their future is with us, PBB. We must generate programmes that fit their needs and interests,” Uggah said. – June 17, 2022.