Wong (left) shakes hands with a delegate upon his arrival for the extraordinary delegates conference.
KUCHING: United People’s Party (UPP) expresses its appreciation to Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg for the recent appointments of its president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and deputy president Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
UPP secretary-general George Lo said the party thanked Abang Johari for entrusting Wong with an additional new ministerial portfolio, International Trade and E-Commerce, on top of having reappointed Wong as the Second Finance Minister, and giving Dr Jerip a whole new responsibility – Transportation.
“The heavy responsibility, which comes with the two portfolios given to our president and deputy president, shows that the chief minister has faith and trust in Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
“That must only be because they have shown their work and responsibility as (state) cabinet members. They have shown that they are able to deliver, have satisfied the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are required of them,” he said at UPP’s extraordinary delegates conference at KTS Garden here yesterday.
Lo said the ministry monitoring international trade “is very important because it will generate and bring in income to Sarawak, which we expect to be billions (of ringgit) in the years ahead.”
He noted that Wong had been conducting working trips to China, even together with Abang Johari.
“He (Wong) signed a lot of deals and contracts for Sarawak. He has shown to the chief minister that he is capable of delivering. He has contacts in China and is able to negotiate and bring in investments and trade.
“That, I’m sure, is the reason why the chief minister has entrusted this heavy responsibility to him. E-commerce is something new. Our chief minister has said that going forward, digital economy is very important to Sarawak.
“He (Abang Johari) is prepared to invest a large sum of money in digital economy, which will revolve around e-commerce; therefore, it is a sign of how much he trusts our president.
We thank him for that honour given to our president,” added Lo.
On Dr Jerip, Lo said the assistant minister had been looking after the public health sector all these years, but the recent cabinet reshuffle had brought him in to handle transportation.
Lo termed transportation as ‘a very important ministry’, believing that Dr Jerip is tasked with handling all matters regarding all forms of transportation including ‘the brainchild of the chief minister – the proposed LRT (light rapid transit)’.
“For Datuk Dr Jerip to be given that responsibility, is indeed a great honour not just to Datuk (Dr Jerip) personally, but also to the party generally.”