KUCHING, Jan 18 — New Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Abang Openg is expected to announce a minor state Cabinet reshuffle tomorrow, mainly involving ministers from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), observers have said.

"He is likely to keep the same formula where Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) will get two deputy chief minister's posts, leaving the other to Parti Rakyat (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing to fill," Professor James Chin, director of Asia Institute at University of Tasmania, Australia, said today.

He said he expects Second Minister of Resource Management and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also PBB senior vice president, to fill the slot left vacant following the appointment of Abang Johari as the chief minister on Jan 13.

"Awang Tengah getting the post tells me that there was a deal done before Abang Johari became chief minister," he said.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, also a senior PBB vice president, is also a deputy chief minister as well as minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy.

Chin said he does not expect Sarawak United People' Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian to get one of the posts as requested by the Chinese community.

"The Chinese polity in Sarawak is still very parochial when it comes to politics, and they think a deputy chief minister's post means power when in fact it counts for nothing," he added.

He said the community is also being unrealistic since the majority of Chinese voters still supported the opposition in last year's state elections.

" In any case, I have always said that the post is symbolic since you do not get any additional power when you become a deputy chief minister," he stressed, pointing out that helming a key ministry is more powerful in terms of control over state resources than being a deputy chief minister.

Chin said he expects Abang Johari to continue with his predecessor Tan Sri Adenan Satem's policies for the simple reason they are both Sarawakian nationalists and that "Sarawak for Sarawakians" ideology is still very popular and was one of the major factors for Adenan's massive victory in the May 7, 2016 state election.

Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS Baru) president Cobbold John Lusoi said he does not expect Abang Johari to rock the boat by making major changes in the Cabinet line-up.

"The high possibility is that he is going to play safe as no one wants making a wrong decision that will trigger instability within PBB, especially at this point of time when the national election is near," he said, expecting that ministers from other component parties are not going to be affected in the Cabinet reshuffle, likely to be minor.

Lusoi said he expects Abang Johari to maintain Adenan's policies on Malaysia Agreement, devolution of power to the state, English as official language, Unified Examination Certificate for Independent Chinese School graduates and injection of more funds for rural development.

"These policies have made Adenan popular among the Sarawakians and won him the state election handsomely

"There is no loss to the new chief minister to continue with the late Adenan's policies, in addition to his own policies," he said.

Lusoi believes that the policies which Adenan had presented are for the benefit of every Sarawakian.

"It is therefore considered a preference to the Sarawak people if such policies are to proceed," he added.

Adenan, 72, died on Jan 11 due to heart complications.