New configuration in Sarawak BN may see three DCM posts

After a resounding first landslide victory for Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN), the new cabinet line-up under the leadership of Adenan Satem will likely to see a ‘bloated’ cabinet.

“It will be interesting to see how Adenan solves the issue of ministerial appointments.

“My guess is that he will enlarge deputy ministers and even the state cabinet to keep all in the coalition happy,” University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute director James Chin said to Malaysiakini when contacted.

Senior fellow of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, Mohd Faisal Hazis, also echoed Chin’s opinion and also said the possible decision to appoint three deputy chief ministers is not a peculiar move.

“I think in the past, Sarawak used to have three deputy chief ministers (DCMs) back then.

“It’s not a surprise to have three DCMs, with (James) Masing lobbying since he has the merit of having the second largest number of elected representatives in BN,” Faisal explained.

Faisal also mentioned that before the election, Adenan was already said to be planning to move back to the original configuration of the cabinet by appointing two DCMs, including his promise to appoint one from the Chinese community.

“The promise is to give the Chinese community a DCM if they vote overwhelmingly for BN, that’s the kind of picture he gave to the voters,” he added.

The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president and Batu Kawah assemblyperson Dr Sim Kui Hian is among those likely to be appointed as DCM.

Faisal commented that if in the situation where Dr Sim is not appointed as the DCM, it will be a ‘big slap’ for him and the Chinese voters, especially in the Batu Kawah constituency, because of Adenan’s promise to appoint him as DCM.

“People will keep track of Adenan’s promises and this will be crucial for the state government in the next election under a new leadership since he said it will his be last term.

“If he fails to honour that promise, it could backfire,” he added.

Former SUPP president Dr George Chan lost his seat in Piasau to Alan Ling from DAP in the previous state election in 2011 and the position has been vacant since.

The then-chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud maintained Alfred Jabu as the DCM while appointing three senior ministers instead.

Faisal explains that the traditional DCM post will be appointed from among the leaders of the Pesaka wing from PBB, which was previously held by Alfred Jabu.

The current plantation industries and commodities minister, Douglas Uggah, is touted to be appointed as the next DCM.

Another contender for the number two post is none other than James Masing, who is the current president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS). He led the party and won all 11 seats contested.

“I promised the chief minister to give me 11 and I returned it back to him, and I did. What I promised and I delivered.

“Fifty percent of the job is done during the election, and after election another 50 percent, we should fulfil our promise and we will do that,” James Masing said this after the swearing-in ceremony last Saturday.

PRS is currently the second largest component party after Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

Will Abang Johari move up the chain?

Abang Johari Openg is one of the senior leaders of PBB and he is also the current deputy president of the party.

He was among the three candidates speculated in 2014 to be the successor to Taib, alongside Adenan and Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.

In the recently-concluded elections, Abang Johari led the ‘war-room’ for Sarawak BN as the election director. His success in the election and closing the curtain with 87 percent success will be credited to his effort, Faisal said.

“He (Abang Johari) should be credited for the big win. If he is not appointed as the DCM, he will get a senior position in the cabinet.

“He is becoming Adenan’s right hand man,” he said.

Faisal also pointed out that there will be a reshuffle of important portfolios between Abang Johari and Awang Tengah, who won Bukit Sari uncontested.

He suspected that there might be a change of hands for two important portfolios - Industrial Development and Resource Planning.

When asked about the possible cabinet configuration of having three DCMs and senior ministers, Faisal opined that the appointment of senior ministers may stay put because these positions can be a viable alternative reward.

“If (Abang) Johari is not given the DCM post, he may be appointed as a senior minister.

“At the end day, we may see a bloated cabinet because many people will be rewarded based on their contributions in the elections.”

PBB now forms the largest component party

After the dissolution of Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) announced yesterday, three BN-direct assemblypersons formerly from Teras met Adenan on Wednesday to be formally included in PBB alongside three other BN-direct candidates.

With six new members joining the PBB team, the single largest party of the Sarawak BN will now command 46 elected representatives in the state assembly, dwarfing all other component parties in the state coalition.

“PBB has broken the unwritten convention that it will not cross the 50 percent representation of the state assembly.

“But in reality, PBB always had more than half because some members in other Sarawak BN parties were actually closet PBB members. Everybody knew about this and it is an open secret,” Chin said.

Among the three BN-direct candidates, Gerawat Gala (Mulu) was the PBB disciplinary committee member, Miro Simuh (Serembu) was a PBB Youth supreme council member and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja) was the state administrative officer (SAO).

SUPP bounced back on track as a major component party in Sarawak BN, after they managed to wrest five seats from DAP.

SUPP now holds seven seats in the state assembly, while PRS has the second largest group with 11 assemblypersons.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak Democratic Progressive Party (SPDP) led by Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing is in discussions for a merger with former United People’s Party (UPP) president Wong Soon Koh.

SPDP now holds three elected representatives while UPP has five. A merger between the two parties will place them as the third largest party in the state coalition with eight state assemblypersons.

However, when Malaysiakini contacted UPP’s secretary-general George Lo about the speculation of the dissolution of the party prior to the merger, he denied such rumours.

“Not true. Discussion (between both parties) still going on,” Lo said.

According to sources, the swearing in of the new cabinet will be held tomorrow afternoon, which will see 10 full ministers being appointed. -Mkini