A Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) division's incumbent youth head known to be a supporter of the party's deputy president Abang Johari Tun Openg has been ousted from the post.

Jolly Merikan, incumbent Demak Laut division youth chief and Kuching City South councillor, is, however, said to be unhappy as he is claiming that he had lost to Wan Hamzah bin Paiee, a businessman, because of delegates from two youth branches which are not registered with the Registrar of Societies.

"He will be submitting an official complaint to the PBB supreme council," a Demak Laut division youth member told malaysiakini today.

When contacted, Jolly said in any election someone has to lose and someone will win. However, he declined to comment on reports that he was unhappy with the manner the youth head election was conducted.

The Demak Laut youth election held recently were presided over by PBB Youth deputy leader Abdul Karim Hamzah, the state assemblyperson for Asajaya and a political secretary to the chief minister. He is a known supporter of PBB senior vice-president Adenan Satem, the federal Natural Resources and Environment Minister who appears favourite for now to be the next party leader and chief minister when Abdul Taib Mahmud steps down.

The branch division is headed by state Assistant Minister of Environment and Public Health Dr Abang Draup Abang Zen and a staunch Johari supporter.

The division will hold its elections on June 19, and there is not expected to be a challenge to the incumbent head in line with supreme council's guidelines that elected representatives are to head divisions in areas where the party is represented either by a state assemblyperson and member of Parliament. Dr Draup is the Demak Laut state assemblyperson.

Eyes on Kuching divisions

Meanwhile, sources at PBB headquarters said they had not yet been notified when the Tupong division, which is headed by another Adenan supporter Abdul Rahman Daud, the state Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Office, will hold its meeting.

But it is widely believed that the division, one of several in Kuching, will be officiated by Adenan while Semeriang division ( headed by a Johari supporter Sharifah Mordiah, the state Assistant Minister of Welfare) meeting a day earlier on June 18, and Demak Laut division are likely to be officiated by Johari.

There has been much interest, especially within PBB circles in the goings-on at the various PBB Kuching divisions, as it could indicate the things to come at the forthcoming party convention in Miri in September.

Some quarters have now suggested that although Johari has already publicly announced there will be no contest for top posts (president, deputy presidents and senior vice presidents), Adenan might have a go at it.

At the same time, it is also being asked why Adenan who lost to Johari in 1999 in the contest for the deputy president post, would take the risk and go against the top leadership's views.

Younger Johari has time

"Adenan has been promised the No 1 post and within the last few months he has made sure with the help of his backers that if there should be party elections he and his backers will win hands down," one source said.

"He is already 62 years old and if he wait longer, it will just remain an elusive dream and the worst that could happen is should he hang on to his federal post until 2009 by which time, he will be 67."

On the other hand, Johari, who is much younger, can afford to wait.

"What we have is a Johari who is in his early fifties who is prepared to be patient enough to wait, and a Adenan whose time will soon not be on his side and therefore he may not have much time to wait," the source added.

Meanwhile, Adenan will officiate at the PBB Padungan division meeting tomorrow evening at a local hotel. The incument division head is Rohani Karim, the Rural Development Ministry parliamentary secretary and a known Adenan supporter which along with her committee members are expected to be returned unopposed at the divisional meeting.

PBB has 62 divisions throughout the state based on the number of state constituencies.

In constituencies represented by elected representatives, the divisions are headed by the elected representatives, including members of Parliament, and in constituencies where the party is not represented by elected reps, senators and political secretaries as well as other party members head the remaining divisions.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.