KOTA KINABALU – Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri President Datuk Henrynus Amin has congratulated all Sabahans who have been appointed to their respective Cabinet role as announced on Monday by the newly appointed Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyidin Yassin.
Henrynus, however, expressed disappointment that Dr Jeffrey. Kitingan who is a season politician and expected by his supporters to be appointed a cabinet full Minister was only a Deputy Minister.
“It took guts for Dr Jeffrey to cross the floor to be conspicuously seen with UMNO PAS and Bersatu top leaders at the crucial hour that brought Tan Sri Muhyidin Yassin to power,” he said in a statement today
Dr Jeffrey’s supporters, he said, had expected him to be rewarded and appointed as one of the full Ministers for crucial his role in helping form the Perikatan Nasional Government.
The list of Cabinet appointment from Sabah are;
1. YB Datuk Ronald Kiandee (Beluran) as Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries
2. YB Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (Kota Marudu) as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs)
Deputy Ministers from Sabah.
1. YB Datuk Rahim Bakri (Kudat) as Deputy Minister of Finance.
2. YB Jonathan Yasin (Ranau) as Deputy Home Affairs Minister
3. Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau) as Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
4. YB Arthur Kurup Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department
Henrynus said in spite of having two full Cabinet Ministers and four Deputy Ministers, Anak Negeri is sceptical about the effectiveness of the cabinet role given to Sabah.
“It looks as if Sabah has been shortchanged in terms of the status, significance and relevance of cabinet postings,” he said.
By comparison, he said, the new Perikatan Nasionsl cabinet appointment was in fact a demotion from Sabah’s previous PH cabinet position at federal level.
Previously Sabah YB Darrel Leiking held the trade and industry Ministry now held by Senior Federal Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
Previously Datuk Mohamad Din Ketapi held the Tourism, Arts and Cuture Ministry. But now Dr Jeffrey from Sabah is only the Deputy Minister.
Also previously V K Liew was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department as the de facto Law Minister, a crucial position to implement the constitutional changes necessary to fulfill terms of MA63.
Sabahans are still doubtful of the role of the Sabah Sarawak Affairs portfolio in the Prime Minister’s Department which he said was once created and last held by the late Tun Datu Mustapha Harun.
He said the terms of reference for the cabinet post on Sabah and Sarawak Affairs must be quickly defined and clarified and Dr Maximus to be given space to deal with issues such as Sabah and Sarawak propriety claim on oil and gas resources within their defined border, Sabah 40% entitlement of net federal revenue accrued in Sabah specified under Schedule 10 of the Federal Constitution.
Unless Dr Maximus is able to deliver on these state concerns, his appointment to the cabinet would be seen as mere window dressing to placate local discontents among Sabahans.
Sabah took consolation that YB Datuk Ronald Kiandee from Beluran is now the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries.
But again Henrynus noted that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry is largely relevant to Malaya only since its administrative scope and disbursement of fund would be limited to the Malayan states.
For the record, Sabah has its own Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries fully administered and funded by the Sabah State Government.
He said the appointment of Datuk Rahim Bakri as Deputy Finance Minister, Dr Jeffrey as Deputy Minister of Tourism Arts, and Culture, Arthur Kurup as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Jonathan Yasin as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs may have mitigated local disappointment due to doubtful or rather lack of senior cabinet appointment for Sabah.
“I hope these Deputy Ministers in spite of their limited role will be able to deliver on the needs and aspirations of all Sabahans especially key demands on MA63 state rights, security concerns such as the perennial problem of transient population in Sabah, development needs, and the need to safeguard basic fundamental liberties.-pr/BNN
