KUCHING, Feb 14 — Sarawak Special Functions Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who will assume duties as the fifth Chief Minister of Sarawak effective March 1, said today the current state cabinet members will be retained.

However, he said, there would be a reshuffle in the various ministerial portfolios.

“I will maintain the spirit of team work in the state cabinet,” Adenan, who is also Sarawak Foundation (Yayasan Sarawak) chairman,” told a media conference at the Sarawak Foundation’s premises here.

Nevertheless, he said would discuss the matter with the cabinet members first, including the possibility of the deputy chief minister post previously vacated by Tan Sri Dr George Chan being filled again.

Pledging that he would become the chief minister for the people of all races, including those from the opposition parties, he said: “Even though we differ in political views, regard me as the chief minister because we are all Malaysians and Sarawakians.”

Asked if his appointment, which was announced by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud last Wednesday, was due to his loyalty to his Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and the latter, he replied in jest: “Thank you for the compliments directed at me and I hope it will not make me big-headed.”  

On the challenges he expected to face upon assuming the leadership of the state government, Adenan said he would try to resolve the internal conflicts currently faced by two Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, namely the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).  

He said the internal conflicts being faced by the two BN component parties must be resolved before the 11th state election is held in 2016.

Adenan said he was overwhelmed by the words of praise, messages of congratulations and prayers received from people of all races in the country, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Taib for their confidence in him.  

He also expressed his gratitude to state Tourism and Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also PBB deputy president and Second Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also PBB senior vice-president, for supporting his appointment as the next chief minister.

He said following the support given by the two PBB leaders, he would ensure that there would not be any disunity or factions within PBB even though some outsiders would like to see the backbone of the state BN fragmented.

At the media conference, Adenan, who was flanked by his two sons, Abdul Aziz, 47, and Azizul Annuar, 23, said his selection as the new chief minister was made after the PBB supreme council members at a meeting last Saturday gave Taib the mandate to choose his successor.

“He (Taib) did not want to do so but we (supreme council members) made him obliged to make his choice and thank you lah for choosing me,” he said.

Prior to that, he said Taib had never openly informed him he would appoint him as his successor, and his meeting with the former in Mecca while performing the umrah was a coincidence.

“I did not go there with him (Taib), I happened to meet him there. Actually I had intended to perform the umrah for a long time after I recovered from my illness,” he said.

On his health, Adenan admitted he had fallen ill last year and was warded at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur and Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore but had a clean bill of health now. — Bernama