KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has been named as Parti Bangsa Malaysia's (PBM) "president-designate".
The party current president Larry Sng announced this today, saying the decision was made unanimously by PBM supreme council members and its political bureau after their recent meeting following Zuraida's application to join the party on May 26.
Sng said Zuraida's membership was officially approved today.
With the new position, Sng said Zuraida had been given the mandate to chart PBM's development and progress which would include negotiations with other parties for a new partnership ahead of the 15th general election (GE15).
"At the request of PBM's grassroots members, the party's political bureau and supreme council have discussed and unanimously decided to appoint Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin as the president-designate to drive PBM's development and progress in the future.
"In my absence, the president-designate will take charge of the party.
"The PBM supreme council will meet again soon to review the party constitution so that the leadership transition will run smoothly and in an orderly manner," he said during a press conference at Grand Barakah Hotel in Ampang, here, and also aired live on Zuraida's Facebook page today.
Sng said Zuraida's appointment as party president would be official after PBM's general assembly scheduled in August where the leaders and grassroots were expected to amend the party's constitution.
Last month, Zuraida who is the Ampang member of Parliament left Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to join PBM.
So far, her fate as a cabinet member has yet to be officially announced after leaving Bersatu, one of the parties that lends its support to the current government in Parliament.
On Zuraida's ministerial position, Sng said PBM had asked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to consider retaining the Ampang MP in his cabinet lineup.
He said based on Zuraida's performance as a minister so far showed that she was capable of shouldering the responsibility.
"Zuraida is an experienced and dedicated leader with a vision that is aligned to PBM's. We want a holistic change in shaping Malaysia to be a developed nation.
"PBM will continue to champion its Reset Agenda which includes six core initiatives namely to strengthen racial unity, increase youth involvement, empower women's roles, develop the country's economy, generate science and technology development, and improve education quality."
During the media conference, Zuraida expressed delight over her membership and appointment in PBM.
"I will perform my duties responsibly. God willing, I will be of service wherever I am at and I will make sure that PBM becomes relevant in the country," she said.