In the News
CM: Present victorious full ministers to remain
April 18, 2011
KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud said the final shape of his new state cabinet will be ready in one month’s time.
In the meantime, Taib said all ministers who won the state election will be retained in their posts before he appoints new assistant ministers or re-appoints others.
“The final shape of the cabinet will take one month. As temporary measure, I will maintain all full ministers who have won the election, then only will I decide on who to be assistant ministers,” he said.
Taib, who is state BN chairman and PBB president, said this at his residence in Demak Jaya Saturday night after he was sworn in as Chief Minister for the eighth time at the Astana Negeri. Taib is also Minister of Planning and Resource Management.
After the resignation of several assistant ministers and the dropping of some of them as Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates prior to the state election and also after the defeat of a few ministers in the just concluded election, there are now vacancies in Taib’s new administration.
The defeated BN heavyweights are former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan (BN-SUPP Piasau), former assistant minister of agriculture Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie (BN-SPDP Krian), former assistant minister in the Chief Minister’s Office Tan Joo Phoi (BN-SUPP Batu Kawah) and former assistant minister of agriculture Datuk David Teng Lung Chi (BN-SUPP Repok).
Among the assistant ministers dropped as BN candidates were Larry Sng and Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck. After the defeat of Dr Chan, who is also SUPP president, in Piasau as well as SUPP’s big loss this time around, speculations are now rife that mathematical proportion does not warrant SUPP the deputy chief minister’s post.
SUPP managed to win only six out the 19 seats allocated to it by BN while PBB won 35, PRS (8) and SPDP (6).
A full minister post (deputy chief minister) is vacant and at least six assistant minister posts are up for grabs.
Another speculation is that either BN-SUPP Bengoh winning candidate Dr Jerip Susil or BN-SUPP Simanggang winning candidate Datuk Francis Harden Hollis may rise up to become full minister because of their seniority in SUPP.
On the structure of his new state cabinet, Taib said the state BN will be basing it on the people’s demand through the polls. He said he has yet to study thoroughly the overall election result because he only glanced through it last Saturday.
On SUPP representation in the next government, Taib said: “We will think further about it. We may be basing it on feedback after getting enough views from the people and SUPP or we just have to look at the bigger picture.”
He added that first and foremost the government needed to hear what SUPP has in mind before he can decide on SUPP’s representation in the government.
On another matter, Taib said even though he had expected BN to lose some seats he was surprised that Nyarok, the deputy president of SPDP, lost badly. Nyarok was defeated by PKR’s Ali Biju in a four-cornered contest.
On the defeat of cardiologist Prof Dr Sim Hui Kian in Pending, Taib said: “It is a pity to see that Dr Sim did not win as I thought he can make a good leader.”
Dr Sim lost to DAP treasurer Violet Yong in a straight fight in Pending which is fast becoming DAP stronghold.
On the overall election performance of SUPP, Taib said he has to study the Chinese voting pattern very carefully in order to understand what they are trying to relay to BN.
“But if they (the Chinese) want more racial approach I cannot accommodate them, otherwise this country will be falling into racial politics. And this is bad for the country and its future,” he said. (The Borneo Post)
