KUCHING: Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) will not field any candidates in Sarawak for the 15th General Election (GE15), says Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

The Ampang MP, who is slated to take over the PBM presidency, said the party's focus was on joining Barisan Nasional (BN), and the coalition was not present in Sarawak.

“No, we (PBM) are not (contesting in Sarawak), there is no BN here,” she told reporters at the relaunch of SaraSpice here on Thursday (Aug 25). 

Current PBM president Datuk Larry S'ng is also MP for Julau, which is in Sarikei, Sarawak.

It was previously reported that PBM was planning to stand in 14 seats in GE15 – seven parliamentary seats and seven state assembly seats.

Zuraida also said PBM's application to join Barisan was still under consideration.

“The application has been received and they (Barisan) are in the midst of reviewing it. So, at the moment we are keeping pace with what is going on. 

“We are looking out for the best interests of the party while sticking to our plan (to enter BN),” she said.

BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had earlier said that the PBM application would have to be decided by the coalition's supreme council based on the consensus of all its component parties.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/08/25/ge15-pbm-will-not-field-candidates-in-sarawak-says-zuraida