Positive response to Sabah and S’wak portfolio

Ministers from Sabah: (From left) Ongkili and Kitingan.

KOTA KINABALU: A Cabinet portfolio for Sabah and Sarawak Affairs under Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili reflects the new government’s seriousness to meet the needs of the two states.

Many see the move as an effort by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in focusing to resolve the rights of the two states under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

The appointment of Ongkili also came as a surprise as PBS agreed to support Muhyiddin without wanting to join the Perikatan Nasional plus GPS government.

Sabah STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said he was happy the ministry for Sabah and Sarawak under the Prime Minister’s Department was reinstated by Muhyiddin.

“It is not really new but I am happy there is a ministry to help Sabah and Sarawak, ” he said, referring to the time when both the states had Federal Cabinet ministerial posts to oversee issues.

“He (Ongkili) is an experienced minister. He knows the issues of Sabah well and so I am sure he’ll be able to do his job, ” said the Keningau MP who was appointed Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister.

PBS has been pushing for state rights and many believe Ongkili, who has been working closely with Gabungan Parti Sarawak, is the right candidate for both the states to deal with the Federal Government.

However, Parti Warisan Sabah vice-president Datuk Junz Wong said the creation of the ministry could see more red tape between the federal and state governments.

“It is not a good development. Sabah and Sarawak should deal directly with the PM, not through another ministry, ” he said.

Political analyst Rahezzal Shah, however, questioned why the position for Sabah and Sarawak was not put under the senior minister’s category as partners of the federation.

“If they fall under the senior minister’s category, it would carry more weight, ” he said.

Ongkili and Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee are two full ministers appointed from Sabah.

Besides Kitingan, the three other leaders who were made deputy ministers were Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah deputy president Arthur Kurup (Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department in charge of the economy), former PKR Ranau MP Jonathan Yassin (Deputy Home Minister II) and Sabah Bersatu’s Kudat MP Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri (Deputy Home Minister II).

Sabah Bersatu deputy chairman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said he hoped the portfolios given to the Sabah leaders would help resolve issues of MA63 and the long-standing migrant problem.