By Natasha Jee, Nur Ashikin Louis & Osman Razali
KUCHING: Appointment to the federal Cabinet is not to be taken for granted, but must be borne with full responsibility, said Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) political whip chief Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Petra Jaya MP, has been appointed as Senior Minister of Works in the new federal Cabinet.
“I thank Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for having included eight other MPs from GPS,” he said yesterday.
In his statement, he said his appointment and those of three other full ministers and five deputy ministers from GPS was recognition for Sarawakians by Muhyiddin.
“Although GPS is in the federal Cabinet, GPS remains an independent and friendly political entity. GPS will continue to fight for Sarawak rights and will not join PN,” he said.
He said even under Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, GPS tried not to be antagonistic towards the federal government, but Muhyiddin needed GPS to help govern the country and address the increasingly challenging political and economic situations for the sake of the nation.
Sarawak MPs, especially from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), had a field day when Muhyiddin announced his much-anticipated Cabinet yesterday.
One Sarawak MP was appointed a senior minister, three as full ministers and seven as deputy ministers. There is no deputy prime minister post as it is being replaced by the four senior ministers.
It’s a record since the formation of Malaysia. Sarawak MPs make up 15.9% of the Cabinet members. On the other hand, Sarawak MPs appointed to the Cabinet accounts for 36.5% of the total number of Sarawak MPs.
Altogether the state has 31 MPs, 18 represent GPS, eight from Democratic Action Party (DAP), three ex-PKR MPs, one from Parti Keadilan Rakyat and one from Parti Sarawak Bersatu. Of the 11 MPs appointed, nine are from GPS and two from Bersatu.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah is happy because Sarawak will have a strong representation and voice at the federal level.
Thus, she urged everyone to support them as their involvement would prevent bad compromise on Sarawak rights.
She told New Sarawak Tribune yesterday that full support for the new cabinet was necessary as Malaysians must put national interests first.
As the majority of the members are made up of several experienced former ministers, they ought to be allowed to focus on restoring Malaysia to its former glory.
“I hope that my federal counterpart would have more engagement with us at the state level in areas that concern women, children, the disadvantaged and needy, senior citizens, and community wellbeing,” she said.
“To the new Home Minister, I hope that he would consider reinstating Sarawak Special Committee on Citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution.”
On the appointment of Saratok MP Ali Biju as Energy and Natural Resources Deputy Minister, Kabong assemblyman Mohd Chee Kadir told reporters yesterday hoped Ali to help facilitate development especially basic infrastructure such as supplies of clean water and electricity to longhouses and villages in their area.
Mohd Chee believes that Ali would be an effective representative at the federal level as far as the needs of Sarawakians are concerned.
