Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing opines that there is no need to rush to find a new Second Finance Minister, after Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh resigned from the post recently.
Speaking to reporters during the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) supreme council meeting held at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters here today, Masing the reason why he said so is because he thinks that the critical post is the first Finance Minister and not the second one.
“If the first Finance Minister resigns, then there is a need to find one as soon as possible. I, on the other hand, don’t think it is necessary to find a Second Finance Minister (as soon as possible, at the moment),” he added.
The post of first Finance Minister is currently being held by the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Nevertheless, Masing said it is up to the Chief Minister to decide whether to replace Wong or not and he does not expect the Chief Minister to discuss the matter during meetings.
“I think before rushing to find the replacement for Wong, the Chief Minister will ask for the opinion of others. I think he might ask us one by one, individually, for opinions because if you talk in whole group there is a problem, because you tend to agree among the group,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked on comment on the rumoured state cabinet reshuffle, Masing said the Chief Minister has his own ways of doing things and he might gather opinions from his colleagues should the Chief Minister chooses to do so.
While confirming that reshuffle will happen, Masing, however, refused to reveal whether the rumoured reshuffle would involve just the filling up the vacant Second Finance Minister post or a major reshuffle.
“It (the reshuffle) will be done, but I am sure he (Abang Johari) will do it at his own time as there still a long way to go before the election. April 2021 is still a long way to go,” he said.
There were questions raised on who will replace Wong as Second Finance Minister after the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president resigned from the post and another state cabinet post last month.