KOTA KINABALU: Gerakan Sabah welcomes the appointment of its national vice president, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, as the new Deputy Chief Minister in the state cabinet for the Chinese community quota.
Its liaison chief, Datuk Gordon Leong, said Gerakan Sabah was humbled and honoured that a Gerakan representative was entrusted with this responsibility by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
He however stressed that the Deputy Chief Minister’s post was not a privilege nor a celebrity post but a heavy responsibility, especially to the Chinese community of Sabah.
“We are confident that Datuk Raymond, with his vast experience and proven track record, can serve as an effective bridge and channel between the Chinese community and the government, more so in addressing and resolving pertinent public issues as a whole and issues close to the hearts of the Chinese community in particular, in line with our Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia concept of People First, Performance Now as well as Gerakan’s motto of ‘Move With The People’,” Leong said.
He said this when asked to comment on Raymond’s appointment as the Deputy Chief Minister as announced by Musa on Friday. This is the second time Raymond has been appointed to the post as he held the position when he was still with Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).
Following SAPP’s pullout from Barisan Nasional (BN), Raymond was replaced by LDP’s Datuk Peter Pang but the post went to PBS’s Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai after Pang left LDP to join Gerakan.
Meanwhile, LDP president Datuk VK Liew when commenting on the appointment of its secretary general, Datuk Teo Chee Kang as the minister of Special Affairs and its vice president, Datuk Pang Nyuk Ming, as the assistant minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, said it was good to see that both the party’s incumbent state assemblymen given ministerial positions in the new state administration.
“I remain optimistic and confident that our new minister of Special Tasks, Datuk Teo, will carry out his duties diligently and effectively for the good of the Sabah people. At the same time, I am also confident that our new assistant minister in Tourism, Culture and Environment will be able to assist his minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, as he has vast experience in the field.
“All in all, let’s hope the new line-up meet the needs and aspirations of the people. I have no doubt everyone will perform to the people’s satisfaction. It only leaves me to congratulate Datuk Seri Musa Aman, the Chief Minister, for selecting the visionary team.
“And not forgetting to congratulate him, once again, for such an enviable achievement of leading the Sabah BN for a third consecutive victory,” he said.