KUCHING, Feb 22 — Contrary to rumours, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council has not cancelled the appointments of 19 grassroots leaders as parliamentary coordinators in Sarawak, two from the state PKR chapter asserted today.
“No lah,” Sarawak PKR deputy chairman Baharuddin Mokhsen told Malay Mail when contacted to verify a Facebook post under the account holder of man believed to be a state PKR member which made the claim.
He urged Sarawakians not to believe the rumour.
Vernon Kedit, who is press secretary to Works Minister Baru Bian, also rejected the Facebook claim.
“Fake news,” Vernon said.
According to the post, the PH presidential council withdrew the appointments made by Baru who is also Sarawak PKR chairman and claimed a new selection will be discussed later.
Baru handed out the appointment letters to 17 out of the 19 chosen coordinators yesterday.
In his speech during the handover ceremony, Baru, who is also the chairman of State Development Action Council for the federal government, said the 19 appointed coordinators were tasked to ensure that programmes and projects under the federal government’s Five-Year Development Plan were carried out accordingly.
He said they also represented the PH government in parliamentary seats held by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak by promoting and implementing federal government’s policies and strengthen relationships between the government and the public.
“The federal government’s concern on issues faced by the people will be raised and expressed directly through these coordinators who would be responsible for the delivery and implementation of projects set out to meet the needs of the people who were displaced from current development.
“This includes encouraging people to be involved in the planning and implementation of projects in the constituency,” Baru said.
He said each coordinator would receive the Prime Minister’s special allocation of RM500,000 annually, to be approved only by the Director General of the Implementation Coordination Unit and the State Development director.
The allocation is to be utilised during the current year in accordance with the prime minister’s directive.
