TAWAU: Sri Tanjong assemblyman cum DAP Sabah publicity secretary Chan Foong Hin has asked whether a reduction in the number of Chinese members in the new State Cabinet is a punishment for the “Chinese tsunami” in the 13th general election.
Chan said the new line-up, which was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman on Friday, surprised DAP Sabah as there was a reduction of Chinese representatives.
“The number of Chinese representatives in the cabinet has been reduced from a quota of three full ministers and three assistant ministers to two for each category. It is unfair to reduce the number of ministers represented by Chinese.
“DAP Sabah is wondering whether the new line-up is some kind of punishment to the Chinese community in Sabah, as the ‘Chinese tsunami’ has been blamed for the 13th general election results,” he said yesterday.
“There is no reason to reduce the Chinese representatives in the State Cabinet simply because there is no such thing as ‘Chinese tsunami’ but rather a multi-racial tsunami in Sabah,” he said.
“We witnessed voter swing towards Pakatan Rakyat from Barisan Nasional in Sabah, not only in Chinese majority seats (Likas, Luyang, Api-Api and Sri Tanjong), but also Muslim Bumiputera majority seat (Klias), non-Muslim majority seats (Tamparuli, Moyog, Kadamaian and Matunggong) and multi-racial mixed seats (Inanam and Kepayan).
Chan said not only Chinese representatives had been reduced, the BN Chinese leaders appointed in fact hold the less important portfolios in the State Cabinet.
“LDP’s Teo Chee Kang holds the portfolio of Special Affairs Minister and his job scope is unclearly defined. How could the 2013 budget tabled at the State Assembly last November reallocated from the Chief Minister’s Department to Teo’s ministry?” he asked.
He said Gerakan’s Tan Suh Kiah accepted the portfolio of Deputy Chief Minister cum Industrial Development Minister and this clearly indicated that all component parties of BN would not let go of any chance to take up any post in cabinet.
Chan also claimed that the new line-up of State Cabinet has once again marginalized Tawau representatives.
“Merotai state assemblyman Datuk Pang Nyuk Min once again was disappointed with the appointment since some thought that he could have the chance to be promoted to full minister.
“Tawau BN chief cum Apas state assemblyman Datuk Tawfiq Titingan’s appointment to hold the full Youth and Sports Minister, apparently can’t bring much development to Tawau except building up stadium and sports facilities,” he asserted.
“Infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity still remain top of the priority list of Tawau. Tawau deserves better representation in those important portfolios such as Basic Infrastructure Ministry, Agricultural Development Ministry and so on,” he said.