MIRI, Aug 23 — A deputy prime minister (DPM) II post should be created under the new federal administration to be filled by a Sarawakian MP from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), said Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).
“SUPP is of the opinion that another post of deputy prime minister II should be created and this Deputy Prime Minister II post shall be reserved for Sarawak and Sabah, as Sarawak and Sabah are indeed the remaining two equal partners in Malaysia.
“Both Sarawak and Sabah have contributed much to the nation building all these years, since 1963,” said SUPP secretary general Datuk Sebastian Ting in a statement yesterday.
Such an appointment would indeed be an open, sincere and genuine acknowledgement of the immense contributions from Sarawak and Sabah, he said, adding that as GPS has 18 MPs, it is therefore appropriate that the DPM II be filled by one of GPS MPs.
“We would like to propose Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who was the senior minister and minister of Works under the previous prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin and GPS Secretary-General Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi who was minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs for the proposed DPM II post,
“Both are highly experienced parliamentarians and had served as minister and deputy minister for many years,” he said.
SUPP also proposed for the new Cabinet to be inclusive of other ethnicities in the country especially the Ibans, Bidayuhs, Orang Ulu, Kadazan-Dusun, Bajaus and others from Sarawak and Sabah.
“More Importantly in the minds of all Malaysians and their expectations would be that the new government must be a clean government, respect the independence of judiciary, practicing the separation of power and continue to preserve, protect and defend the Federal Constitution (sic),” he said.
He added that SUPP extends its congratulations to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on his appointment as the ninth PM. — Borneo Post
