Joseph Salang Gandum rejects appointment

KUCHING: Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, the PRS information chief, has refused to accept his appointment in the new Federal Cabinet as Tourism and Culture Deputy Minister.

PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing had tried to persuade Salang to accept the post after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the line- up at about 5pm yesterday but it was in vain.

“I tried my best to persuade him. Salang is a man of principle.

“When he says no, it's no. I think he might be unhappy with the line-up,” he told The Star last night.

Salang when contacted said: “No, not that I'm unhappy with my appointment as deputy minister.

If I have to choose between being a deputy minister and my family, I choose my family.

“Unless if it is a higher post or full minister's post which I might have to consider also.

“Now I think it's best to give way to others to have the deputy minister post.”

The PRS supreme council will meet tomorrow to decide what to do with the post left vacant by Salang.

In the previous Cabinet, Salang was the Information, Communications, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister.

Masing also revealed that Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, PRS deputy president, was initially reluctant to accept his appointment as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department but the latter finally relented.