The three, Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkili), submitted their applications yesterday.
Their applications follow that of six other direct BN candidates to join PBB, namely William Mawan Ikom (Pakan), Gerawat Gala (Mulu), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), Miro Simuh (Serembu) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja).
PBB executive secretary Awang Bujang Awang Antek told the portal that the result of the nine applications may be known when the party’s Supreme Council meets on June 5.
“As far as PBB is concerned, our door is always open to those who subscribe to the party’s struggles. Further, we cannot close our door to those who need a genuine platform to serve the rakyat,” he was quoted as saying by the Sarawak-based daily.
Should all nine applicants succeed in joining PBB, the party will have 49 members in the 82-man state assembly, and an additional MP, as Mawan is also Saratok MP.
It had been previously reported that the leaders of two other Sarawak BN component parties – PRS President James Jemut Masing and SUPP President Dr Sim Hui Kian – had been vocal against PBB having more than 41 assemblymen, thus being a majority party in the state on its own accord.
Meanwhile, SPDP president Tiong King Sing said that the party’s loss in Ba’Kelalan in the recently concluded state election was not down to the choice of the candidate.
In that contest, PKR incumbent Baru Bian beat SPDP’s Willie Liau.
Tiong, in a statement, refuted PBB senior vice-president Awang Tengah Ali Hasan’s statement that the choice of candidate was to blame for BN’s loss.
Tiong instead blamed “the aggressive and threatening campaigning” by certain leaders in the area which caused voters to resent the ruling coalition.
“Also, please bear in mind that over the years, Ba’Kelalan area had been lacking in care and assistance from Barisan.”
He also noted that bigger parties within BN should not have tried to impose their will on a smaller party like SPDP during the election and disrupt their campaign plans.
He voiced confidence that if SPDP had been given enough time and support to resolve the issues in Ba’Kelalan, it would have won the seat.
On the party’s loss in Krian to PKR, Tiong lamented the BN candidate for that constituency was not the party’s final choice, and that the decision was imposed on the party by the top BN leadership.