Journalists gather at PBB HQ for resignation announcement

The waiting game continues for the media fraternity here as they gathered at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters today following swirling speculation that PBB President and Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will announce his retirement during the party's supreme council meeting there. Journalists arrived at the headquarters as early as 9am for the meeting that was supposed to start at 10am. Taib arrived at about 10.06 am and was welcomed by some 200 supporters who carried banners bearing words of support for the Chief Minister. Wearing the official PBB batik attire, Taib was accompanied by the two deputy presidents of the party, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang and Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and several other senior leaders of the party. He was immediately whisked passed through the journalists straight to the meeting hall at an upper floor of the building. Speculation of his imminent retirement mounted since last Tuesday after a national daily, 'Berita Harian', reported that he will be announcing his retirement this week.