Uda Sulai
PUTATAN: Parti Warisan Sabah’s Penampang member of parliament Darell Leiking and Sepanggar member of parliament Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman could represent Sabah in the federal cabinet, predicted Assistant Law and Native Affairs Minister Uda Sulai.
Uda is confident that Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad has not forgotten the state as it is tradition to appoint Sabah representatives into the federal cabinet.
“If we look at the line-up that has been announced there are none (no Sabahans) yet but we know that Tun Mahathir will give a chance to the Sabah people,” said Uda after the Tadau Kaamatan Kanadaru 2018 officiating ceremony at Dewanraya Kg Kanangan here yesterday.
“We have together toppled the Barisan Nasional, it is not right if we are not given priority or the chance to assume a federal position,” he added.
“I feel that Darell Leiking will not be left behind, he is our MP, and also Datuk Azis Zaman as the Wira chief that had toppled (Datuk) Abdul Rahman (Dahlan in Sepanggar).
“To me, this is my prediction and it is my hope that they will be appointed at the federal level,” added the Parti Warisan Sabah Petagas assemblyman.
Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan Putatan MP Awang Husaini pointed out that it would be premature to comment on Mahathir’s yet-to-be completed ministerial appointments.
“Yes, indeed we hope to be given the appropriate seat. But let not comment yet as it is still in the process,” said Husaini.
“I understand that it will be announced, or what has been announced is the first 10. So we reserve our comments first until it has been completed,” he said.
When asked to predict the names of Sabah representatives in Mahathir’s federal cabinet, Husaini refused to comment.
“Secret, secret,” he quipped.
Dr Mahathir on Friday announced the names of nine more ministers of his Cabinet, bringing to 14 the total number of its initial line-up.
He named PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali as the Minister of Economic Affairs and DAP deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo as the Minister of Communications and Multimedia.
He appointed Simpang Renggam MP Dr Maszlee Malik of Bersatu as the Education Minister; PKR Wanita chief Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin as the Housing and Local Government Minister; DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook as the Minister of Transport and DAP vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran as the Minister of Human Resource.
The others named were Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub, as the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry; Amanah strategic director Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, as the Minister of Health; and Titiwangsa MP Rina Harun of Bersatu, as the Minister of Rural Development.
Dr Mahathir had previously named Deputy Prime Minister and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the Minister of Women and Family Development; Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the Minister of Home Affairs; DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as the Minister of Finance and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu as the Minister of Defence.
Dr Mahathir said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V had given his consent to the appointment of the ministers.
He said the ministers would be sworn in at 11.30 am on Monday, May 21, at Istana Negara.