KUCHING, June 18 ― Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) has successfully taken steps to bring Sarawak to an era of development in line with current world trends, said its president Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said the party was no longer limited in its ability to fight for local issues but was driving new potential that could enhance Sarawak's name at the international level.

"PBB is no longer a village party. PBB now has moved forward in line with what is happening in the world... The world has recognised the potential of Sarawak in Malaysia,” he said when officiating PBB's 15th Delegates Congress here today.

Abang Johari, who is also Sarawak Premier, said the party had gone through several tough challenges when he took over the reins of its leadership but with sincere intentions to ensure the state continued to progress, these had been successfully overcome.

These included facing the national political uncertainty that occurred after the 14th General Election where the PBB along with the leaders of three other local parties in Sarawak decided to leave the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Abang Johari said the action taken by PBB together with the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Parti Demokratik Progresif (PDP) to establish the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition had enabled them to make decisions without being bound by the consensus to be followed, while still in BN.

According to him, this also led PBB to fight for the Sarawak First agenda more effectively, especially in regaining the rights of the state under the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.

He said several successes in regaining these rights had been attained in the past five years which enabled Sarawak to increase its income which in turn was used to help all the people of the state.

He said the increased revenue also enabled the GPS government to chart long-term development plans, including a proposal to set up a Sovereign Fund for the benefit of the people of Sarawak.

"From the resources we have, we add value to our resources (to increase income) and thereby we develop the whole of Sarawak. The intention must be right. God will help those who have the right intentions. But if the intention is not right, God is also watching us,” he added. ― Bernama