Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) - the backbone of the state Barisan Nasional (BN) - is undergoing a major administrative revamp in what is seen as a clean-up exercise, especially in regulating its more than 2,000 branches.

According to sources, effective today, the party's executive secretary since 1992 Haji Sepawi Ariffin will be replaced by lawyer Awang Bujang Awang Antek.

The party's registration officer Wan Mohamad Wan Ahmad - a former state Registrar of Societies (ROS) director engaged to help with regularising many of the party's branches - was also removed.

The sources said an executive and management committee headed by State Assembly Speaker Awang Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar has been set up to handle the day-to-day affairs of the party.

PBB Youth deputy chief and state assemblyperson for Asajaya Abdul Karim Hamzah and state assemblyperson for Kemena Dr Stephen Rundi have been appointed to the committee as vice-chairpersons.

"Awang Bujang is known as a close aide of PBB president and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's businessman brother Ali Mahmud who is also the newly-elected state assemblyperson for Muara Tuang," the sources said.

Taib unhappy

The administrative revamp followed recent complaints, especially from Taib, about the staff not performing to expectation in several key job assignments.

He was said to be particularly unhappy with the slowness in the party's membership drive and membership registration. He was also upset that many party branches have not kept their records properly to be submitted to the ROS.

The membership drive and registration of branches were among the major concerns of the party leadership. These had led the party to postpone its convention due last year to September this year.

PBB - born from a merger between the Malay/Melanau-based Parti Bumiputera (PB) and the Dayak-based Parti Pesaka Anak Sarawak (Pesaka) in April 1973 - has about 300,000 members.

As Sarawak's largest party, it has 35 state assemblypersons in the 71-member state assembly and 11 members of Parliament.

Meanwhile, the sources also said present PBB secretary-general Ambrose Blikau, a state assistant minister and state assemblyperson for Katibas, may also step down.

As the secretary-general's post is normally reserved for Pesaka, one likely replacement is Rundi.

The sources said Taib has also been unhappy with PBB deputy secretary-general and assistant minister Bolhassan Di for allegedly not performing as expected.

"You can expect more changes before or during the party convention in September," they said, adding that Taib's may also reshuffle his cabinet soon.