Baru Bian to take oath as Works Minister

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Baru Bian (file photo)

 

LAWAS: PKR Sarawak Chief Baru Bian will be taking his oath as Minister of Works under the Pakatan Harapan government during the swearing-in ceremony next Monday.

The Borneo Post has learned that the Selangau MP was instructed by the Prime Minister’s Department on Thursday  to make himself available for the swearing-in ceremony at Istana Negara on July 2, together with other members of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad.

Baru, who is also two-term Ba Kelalan state assemblyman, accepted the offer in a call from Dr Mahathir early last week, offering the post of Minister of Works.

He has kept it to himself and finally got the official invitation, which was conveyed by the Prime Minister’s Department on Thursday this week.

He finally let the cat out of the bag after the invitation, informing his close circle in the Lun Bawang community in a Lun Bawang language WhatsApp message.

“It is time to tell. Yesterday, I was received a call from the Prime Minister’s Department to attend the swearing-in ceremony on July 2, “ he said.

A devout Christian, Baru appealed to his community to pray for him and be given wisdom in discharging his duties, thanking God for giving him this opportunity to serve in this capacity.

Former Bukit Mas MP and Honorary Consul to Romania Datuk Mutang Tagal, when contacted, said he had congratulated Baru on the appointment and wished him the best in his endeavour.

He said this is a big honour to the community as the first Lun Bawang federal minister and a boon to his home state of Sarawak.

“I am sure he will learn fast and he knows how vital infrastructures are from his personal experience as a boy who walked through mountains, crossing rivers come rain or shine through the jungles to go to school taking a week, “ he said.

Mutang said the Lun Bawang community will be looking forward to a tar-sealed road from Lawas to Ba’kelalan while the people in Sarawak and Sabah are looking forward to the Pan Borneo Highway under his watch.

He added that Baru will have tough decisions to make on the ECRL, HSR and other high-profile but controversial projects in Semenanjung Malaysia.