SIBU: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today reminded party members of the struggle of past leaders who had the wisdom to unite the Bumiputera communities in the state.
He said it was because of their advocacy for strong unity that the party has continued to be the backbone of the state government since 1970.
Abang Johari, who is Sarawak premier, also said the party remains strong and united because the members have the spirit to fight for the future of Sarawak.
"We are thankful that the spirit of PBB from the time it was formed to the present day has not weakened," he said at the launch of the Pergerakan Belia PBB (1828) here.
He commended the party for its ability to change with the situation.
"As things have changed, we, therefore, whether we like it or not, must follow the changes. What is good we take, what is bad, we leave behind," Abang Johari, who is the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, said.
"That means that you need to have rational thinking. The members must have rational thoughts in order for you to direct yourselves towards the future.
"At a meeting of the PBB supreme council, we discussed matters such as if Sarawak wants to move forward... if Sarawak is to be recognised by the world, whether we like it or not, Sarawak must shift towards the new environment.
"The first is economic shift, and this is what is happening now. And as a result of economic shift, there must be political shift on how we manage our politics. Third, is PBB must move towards the future.
"If we look at the economic shift, the management of economy must take into consideration the resources that we have; we add value to these resources and our development must be in line with the wishes of the present world economy."
Abang Johari said PBB must look after Sarawak's resources, emphasising on renewable energy and the importance of environment.
"This is what the world wants," he said.
Abang Johari said, in managing the direction of the economy, "we must not be too extravagant, know how to manage our finance, know how to look for funds and we must have high integrity for us to move together with the people."
He said it was not for PBB's sake or interests, but for the people at large.
"This is the core struggle of PBB," he stressed.
He also reminded PBB members of the need to maintain political stability in the party.
He said if politics was messy, the party's strength would be weakened.
"We can only succeed if we have a good eco-system," he said, adding that Sarawak has often been quoted as a good example of having political stability in the country.
Abang Johari also cautioned party members against jostling for positions, saying that they need to be considerate when trying to move up the party hierarchy, adding that it was not the culture of PBB to fight for positions in the party.
He said he welcomed the establishment of Pergerakan Belia PBB for members aged 18 to 28.
"One day, they will be entrusted to serve the state and country," he added.