Yong
KOTA KINABALU: The United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Committees, Sabah (Sabah Dong Zong) is calling for the appointment of Chinese ministers in the newly-formed State Cabinet.
Its chairman Datuk Jimmy Yong Kyok Ming said the Chinese community would not have any channel to convey issues faced by Chinese schools and the community to the State Government if the State Cabinet has no Chinese representative.
Although none of the candidates fielded by the Chinese parties in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was elected in the Sabah polls, he said the Chief Minister has the prerogative to appoint six nominated assemblymen.
“We hope that the Chief Minister could appoint one to two Chinese representatives into the State Cabinet,” he said when asked to comment yesterday.
Yong also hoped that the new State Government would be fair to the people of Sabah, irrespective of race and creed, in the cultural, education and economic arenas.
“If there is no Chinese representation in the State Cabinet, we hope that the State Government will treat all races equally.”
Perikatan Nasional (PN) Sabah president Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Sabah on Tuesday (Sept 29). Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam were appointed as Deputy Chief Ministers. Bung holds the State Works portfolio, Jeffrey helms the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, while Joachim is also the State Industrial Development Minister.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun is State Finance Minister II cum Local Government and Housing Minister whereas Datuk Jahid Jahim is Rural Development Minister.