PKR finds out Ranau MP jumped ship after Cabinet announcement

KOTA KINABALU: PKR’s Ranau MP Jonathan Yassin has indeed joined the Perikatan Nasional team with Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s group of 11 as he was named Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

Jonathan, whose party members in Sabah said he had denied joining team Azmin, has remained incommunicado with many believing he was still with PKR in Sabah.

With the mystery over his political leaning at an end, Jonathan still could not be reached for comments yesterday after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced his cabinet line-up.

Jonathan was among the six of 10 Perikatan aligned Sabah MPs to be given portfolios in the new line-up.

Former Dewan Rakyat deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee was made Agriculture and Food Industry Minister while Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili was named Minister in Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs.

Ronald is Sabah Bersatu secretary. Also making a comeback to government was Bersatu’s Kudat MP Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri as Deputy Finance Minister I, who previously held the Deputy Defence Minister position in the Barisan government.

First time Pensiangan MP Arthur Kurup steps into the Federal Government with his appointment as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of economy.

Sabah STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is MP for Keningau, was made Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister.