KUCHING: Both Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are hopeful that their MPs will be included in the Federal Cabinet which is expected to be reshuffled after the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) annual general meeting in December.
PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing said that since the party’s quota for a deputy minister’s post had not been filled, the party would expect Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to appoint one of its four MPs to fill the slot.
“We have lobbied for extra position since the 13th general election (GE13). We just ask for a position which we rightly deserved. In spite of that we are allocated with one minister similar to those parties which obtained less than PRS.
“That’s not right. I hope that top BN leaders will give a fair consideration on next appointment, otherwise our supporters will be disappointed,” Masing told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
After GE13, Najib had announced that PRS would be allocated with one full minister and a deputy minister’s posts.
However, PRS deputy president Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun accepted his post as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department but PRS vice-president Datuk Joseph Salang turned down the post of Deputy Minister of Tourism.
Salang was subsequently appointed as chairman of the 1Malaysia Sarawak Advisory Council recently, which is under the direct purview of the prime minister.
According to Masing, he had made his nomination to the prime minister.
“It’s up to him to decide. However, PRS choice till now is not for public consumption,” said Masing, a Senior Minister and Minister of Land Development.
PRS has four other MPs, namely Masir Kujat (Sri Aman), William Nyallau Badak (Lubok Antu), Datuk Aaron Dagang (Kanowit) and Wilson Ugak Kumbong (Hulu Rajang).
Masing was responding to Najib’s recent comment that he (Najib) would have to wait until December for the outcome of MCA’s AGM to fill the slot of transport minister currently held by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on a temporary basis.
“Whatever it is, we wait for the AGM first. What is the decision to be made at the MCA annual general meeting (AGM) to be held in December. Subsequently, I will make a decision,” Najib had told Malaysian reporters in London while attending the Ninth World Islamic Economic Forum (9th WIEF).
Najib, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, was asked to comment on the decision of the MCA recently that refused to accept any cabinet post following its severe defeat in the 13th general election.
On Oct 20, a special meeting of the MCA had decided to maintain the resolution.
However, MCA had passed the motion that it will accept the post of senatorship and any post in the federal and state government, including as executive council members (exco).
Meanwhile, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan also hoped that Najib’s administration will accommodate the party’s request in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle.
“Our party always maintained that we will continue to lobby for cabinet appointments for our MPs as currently we have none,” Mawan reiterated.
Prior to the last general elections, SPDP had two deputy ministers — Datuk Jacob Sagan and Jelaing Mersat. SPDP has four MPs.