Adenan appoints 3 S'wak Deputy CMs
Published on: Saturday, May 14, 2016
Kuching: Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem (pic) announced Friday his 10-member state cabinet, naming himself also as Finance Minister and Minister of Resource Planning and Environment.He named as three Deputy Chief Ministers former federal minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Parti Rakyat Sarawak President Tan Sri Dr James Masing and PBB Deputy President Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg.The nine ministers took their oath before Sarawak Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud in the afternoon.
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Adenan was sworn in as Chief Minister on the night of May 7, hours after Barisan Nasional (BN) swept to victory in the state election, taking 72 out of 82 state assembly seats.Apart from being a Deputy Chief Minister, Uggah will also be Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy.Masing will head the Infrastructure Development and Transportation portfolio, while Abang Johari will be Minister of Housing and Urbanisation and Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.SUPP President Datuk Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian was appointed Minister of Local Government; Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh as Second Minister of Finance.
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Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan as Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment and Minister of Industrial Development, Trade and Investment; Datuk Seri Michael Manyin as Minister of Youth and Sports and Solidarity; Datuk Fatimah Abdullah as Minister of Welfare, Women and Community and Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom as Minister of Public Utilities.Speaking to reporters after the swearing in, Adenan said there is one more ministerial vacancy to be filled.
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"I will fill the vacancy at a later date and where is a need for it," he said."Under the State Constitution, the composition of the State Cabinet shall consist of the Chief Minister and 10 ministers. However there is no limit as to the number of assistant ministers to be appointed," he added.He said he will announce the appointments of assistant ministers next week.He described his Cabinet as a strong team that can fulfill the pledges made during the state elections. "Fulfilling the pledges is our priority in the next five years. What we pledged we will fulfilled. That is our promises to the people," he said.Adenan denied that he had promised a deputy chief ministerial position for SUPP president Dr Sim if he won in the recent state election. "I did not promise that. What I promised was he would be appointed a full minister," he said.Dr Sim was elected Batu Kawah state assemblyman, defeating Christina Chiew Wang See of the DAP.This is not the first time Sarawak has had three deputy chief ministers (DCMs). It was the norm in the 80s.BN swept 72 of the 82 seats up for grabs in Saturday's election. In the 10th state election in 2011, BN won 55 of 71 seats in the state assembly then.The seats in the state assembly were increased to 82 following a redelineation exercise.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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