FINAL LIST: Taib taking a final look at the list of his state Cabinet line-up before the announcement of the Cabinet reshuffle yesterday. Looking on are Wong (left) and Jabu (right, background).
KUCHING: Three state government agencies, namely Public Works Department (JKR), Agriculture Department and local councils have been revamped to ensure that government transformation programmes and policies reach the target groups more effectively.
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the revamp was vital to transform the government’s machinery and the people’s livelihood as the three sectors were crucial in determining the essence of the new state cabinet which he announced here yesterday.
“This cabinet reshuffle will ensure the government will become closer to the people at the grassroots.
“At the same time, there will be three senior ministers, who have more than 10 years of experience to help in grooming new leaders,” Taib, who is state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, told a news conference here yesterday.
The three newly appointed senior ministers are PRS president and Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Dr James Masing, SPDP president and Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan and SUPP deputy secretary-general and Minister of Local Government and Community Development and Second Minister of Finance Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
Taib, who retained his portfolio as Finance Minister and assumed a new portfolio as Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, pointed out that JKR needed to be revamped to make the department more effective in implanting government projects.
He also said the revamped JKR would need more senior people to monitor and supervise the implementation of its projects.
“Gone are the days when engineers only work for a few years and later leave for other jobs,” he said, adding that this would waste valuable human resource in the department.
For the Agriculture Department, Taib said it needed to be transformed and modernised to be able to transform the livelihood of farmers.
At the same time, he also wanted the department to have better marketing strategies as well as improve its research and development capabilities.
Besides palm oil, Taib said the Agriculture Department must focus on fruit production.
“There will still be subsidies for those who are willing to explore new agriculture sectors,” he assured.
On the local councils, Taib wants to see more involvement of non-governmental organisation (NGO) leaders as councillors to ensure closer rapport between the people and the councils.
He stressed that there should be less politicking at the council level, and more interaction with the local communities.
“As such the district officers will play a more crucial role as council chairmen,” he said.
On a related issue, Taib announced that Tarat assemblyman Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn has been appointed as Deputy State Assembly Speaker with the same privileges as an assistant minister.
Meanwhile, Taib, who is also PBB president, said his successor will be determined by his party when the time comes.
Members of the new Cabinet will take their oath of office this coming Friday, Sept 30.
Among those present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Wong, Masing, Mawan, State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani and State Attorney General Datu Abdul Razak Tready.