Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s resignation will not cause a split in Parti Pesaka Bumiputera (PBB), the party’s Wanita deputy leader Fatimah Abdullah said today.

Fatimah ( right ), who is the state Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister, said PBB would remain stable and its members united, regardless of the person to be appointed to replace Abdul Taib as chief minister.

Last Saturday, Abdul Taib announced that he would step down as chief minister at the end of the month.

“In PBB, there is a strong will that unite us together to maintain harmony and the party’s strength to ensure it continues to be the lead party in Barisan Nasional in the state,” she told the media when met at the Petronas Chinese New Year programme in Kuching today.

On Umno staying out of Sarawak, Fatimah said that had been the PBB’s stand because its role in Sarawak was the same as Umno’s role in the peninsula.

She said PBB had proven its capability in protecting the interests of bumiputera in Sarawak and ability to work with other BN component parties in the state, namely Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

She said this was proven with the number of seats won by BN in the state elections.

“Hence, there is no need for Umno to come here,” she added.

On a speculation that Special Functions Minister at the Chief Minister’s Office Adenan Satem would be appointed as the new chief minister, Fatimah said the people should wait for an announcement by Abdul Taib himself on the matter.

“PBB and other BN component parties, at a meeting last Sunday, had unanimously agreed for the chief minister himself to choose his successor,” he added.

- Bernama