Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said the element of genuine power sharing must be shown in the distribution of portfolios for the State Cabinet.
The Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation said in terms of the number of representation in the current Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) ruling government, PRS abides by whatever Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg decides.
“He (Abang Johari) knows what is good for GPS when facing the next state election (PRN12) in 2021,” he said.
Masing was reacting to former SUPP president Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan’s call that the Second Finance Minister post should be allocated to SUPP, if one is to take into account the “tradition” of the state ruling government.
When he was the then Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Chan also held the Finance Minister post from 1991 until 2005 when the then Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud shook up the cabinet and took over the post but appointed then SUPP secretary-general Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, second Finance Minister.
Wong continued to hold the post even after he left SUPP to head UPP (now PSB).
Wong on Monday announced his resignation from the State Cabinet and two ministerial posts.
Abang Johari has yet to meet with Wong regarding his decision, so far simply telling the public and others to “respect Wong’s decision“.