KOTA KINABALU – Two Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen have been tipped to become assistant ministers, with their oath-taking to likely take place on January 26.
According to sources, the two assistant ministers are believed to be Kapayan assemblyman Jannie Lasimbang (DAP) and Inanam assemblyman Peto Galim (PKR).
They will replace two of the four assistant ministers from Umno who also served during the previous Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) administration led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Sabah Umno withdrew from its cooperation arrangement with GRS on January 6.
It could not be ascertained who the two PH reps will replace. The four Umno men who are assistant ministers are Mohd Tamin Zainal (industrial development), Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain (local government and housing), Harun Durabi (rural development) and Datuk Andi Muhamad Suryady Bandy (youth and sports).
Lasimbang was appointed as Sabah assistant law and native affairs minister during the Warisan-led Sabah government in 2018.
According to the sources, many of the Umno assemblymen had wanted to switch their support back to Hajiji, but could not due to the top state leadership’s stand.
“I cannot name who they are but they have indicated they want to end their conflict with GRS,” said the source.
“But they cannot do this as of now because two of the state’s top leaders remain adamant with their stand (to sever the pact with GRS).”
A political crisis had lasted about four days from January 6 to 10, resulting in the formation of a unity government comprising GRS, PH and BN.
With the appointments, BN leaders from Umno will have two full state ministers and two assistant ministers, while Sabah PH has two full state ministers and two assistant ministers following the state cabinet reshuffle on January 11.
The full ministers are Datuk Shahelmy Yahya of Umno’s Tanjung Keramat division (deputy chief minister cum works minister), Datuk James Ratib (Umno’s Sugut division; community development and people’s wellbeing minister), Datuk Christina Liew (PKR’s Api-Api division; tourism, culture and environment minister), and Phoong Jin Zhe (DAP’s Luyang division; industrial development minister). – The Vibes, January 24, 2023
