Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth, whose 12th general assembly begins on Feb 26, will see for the first time, a contest for the post of Youth chief.

PBB Youth secretary-general Gerald Rentap Jabu said the contest for the post would see a straight fight between incumbent Fadillah Yusof, who is also deputy science, technology and innovation minister, and Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Abdul Karim was the deputy Youth chief for 2002/2004 and is currently political secretary to the chief minister.

"Initially, 17 PBB Youth branches had submitted a motion that the top post not be contested, but yesterday, which is also the final day of nomination, we received one more nominee for the post," he told a press conference at the PBB headquarters in Kuching today.

Rentap, however, said that the final decision pertaining to the contest would be made at the PBB Supreme Council meeting on Feb 21.

Incumbent Youth chief Fadillah said he was not surprised that Abdul Karim is challenging him for the post.

In his statement at the media conference at the PBB headquarters, here this afternoon, Fadillah, who is also the MP for Petra Jaya, said

as a politician he must be prepared to face whatever challenges and obstacles.

He has held the post of PBB Youth head since 2007.

Abdul Karim said he was offering himself for the post at the urgings of young leaders at the grassroots level.

"Many young leaders at the grassroots level want to see a change in the top leadership.

"The contest is a contest within the family," said Abdul Karim, who was the PBB Youth deputy head for 2002-2004.

Sulaiman Taib not defending post

Meanwhile, he said, former deputy tourism minister Sulaiman Taib, who is also PBB Youth vice-chief, would not be defending the post and thus, confirmed that the three vice-chief posts would be contested.

"Only the deputy chief's post, currently held by Daniel Jubang Kenneth, will not be contested," he said.

Rentap said both the PBB Youth and PBB Wanita assemblies would be held simultaneously from Feb 26 to 28, before the party's 12th general assembly scheduled for March 2-4 at the Borneo Kuching Convention Centre in Kuching.

He said PBB Youth would discuss four main motions, namely pertaining to education, economy and development, social and politics, besides preparations for the next state election.

- Bernama