Rahim, Lajim Deputy Ministers
Published on: Saturday, April 19, 2008
KUANTAN: Two Sabah Umno members have been appointed Deputy Federal Ministers. They are Kudat MP Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri as Deputy Foreign Minister and Beaufort MP Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin as Deputy Transport Minister.Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also announced the appointment of Pahang Wanita Umno chief-cum-state executive councillor, Datuk Maznah Mazlan, as Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister. The appointments will be effective the day they are sworn in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara on April 23 at 4.30pm.ADVERTISEMENT Lajim said his 20 years' experience as a member of the Sabah Cabinet would assist him in carrying out his duties at the federal level. Although transport would be a new area for him, he pledged to perform to the best of his ability in his new post."This is the first time I will be serving the Federal Government but I will use that experience to help develop Sabah," he said, and thanked the PM and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman for their trust and confidence in him.Lajim, 53, has held various posts in the Sabah government since 1986, including the Deputy Chief Minister's post from 1999-2003.Abdul Rahim, the newly appointed Deputy Foreign Minister, pledged to carry out his duties with utmost care and professionalism.ADVERTISEMENT "I am honoured to be appointed. It is a duty that I will carry out diligently," said Abdul Rahim.The Kudat MP, who is in the federal capital to attend the BN MPs' Retreat with the Prime Minister over the weekend, said: "I was informed that I was shortlisted for the post days ago. This morning, the Chief Minister called to inform me about the appointment."
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Abdul Rahim replaces Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar who declined his appointment to the post on March 18.Maznah said she was touched and thanked the PM for his trust in her, and would do her best to assist Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas. For the record, the other Pahang BN assemblywoman is Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin, for Kuala Sentul.Maznah would be sworn in as Senator on April 21, before she takes up her new post, but would remain as Muadzam Shah assemblywoman, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said.Adnan, who is Pahang Umno and BN chief, said he was grateful to the PM and thanked him for appointing a leader from Pahang to the post.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Maznah has been a state executive councillor since 2000, holding the Women, Family and Community Development and Tourism, Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage portfolio.Adnan said he would be seeing the Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Tengku Mahkota Tengku Abdullah, to submit the name of Maznah's successor who might not necessarily be a woman.