PETALING JAYA: Najib Razak tonight wondered if the opposition in Sarawak was bereft of ideas after a DAP assemblyman mocked the decision to change the title for the head of government from “chief minister” to “premier”.
The former prime minister also defended the state government’s decision to do so, saying that it reflected Sarawak’s status as an equal partner in the federation, in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He added that many other countries and states also used the “premier” title, including Australia and China.
“Is there no other issue, DAP?
“What’s so funny? Please share with us, don’t just laugh by yourself,” he said in a Facebook post.
Earlier today, DAP’s Pending assemblyman Violet Yong posted a photo on Facebook showing her holding up a picture of Premier brand tissues to mock the bill that was tabled.
The Sarawak assembly passed an amendment to the state constitution to reflect the name change from chief minister to premier and assistant minister to deputy minister with a two-thirds vote today.
During the debate on the amendment, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman (GPS-Tupong) said the “premier” title would distinguish it from the chief ministers of Melaka and Penang.
This morning, federal law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar told FMT that the title change will not see any increase in financing for the head of the state administration, adding it was simply a “matter of status”.
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