Sarawak gets three deputy CM, Sim not among them

Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has officially unveiled his new cabinet, featuring three deputy chief ministers, none of whom is Chinese.

Adenan's three deputies are federal minister Douglas Unggah, PRS president James Masing, and PBB deputy president Abang Johari Abang Openg.

The new line-up was announced after a swearing-in ceremony in Kuching today.

In a press conference on April 28, the chief minister had urged the Chinese voters to choose BN instead of DAP if they wanted a deputy chief minister.

“Of course, that is if the people want to be in the government, the only way to do this is to vote for SUPP.

“If you do not want it, you vote DAP. If you want it, you vote SUPP. And then there will be a Chinese deputy chief minister in the cabinet," Adenan was quoted as saying by the Borneo Post.

However, after the elections, the English daily quoted Adenan as saying that while he is happy that Chinese voters had swung back to BN, it would be up to him whether or not to appoint a Chinese deputy chief minister.

Of the Chinese in Adenan's cabinet, the highest position went to former UPP president Wong Soon Koh, who is now Sarawak's second finance minister.

SUPP president Sim Kui Han was made the state's local government minister.

The rest of Adenan's line-up includes Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is the second resource planning and environment minister and industrial and entrepreneur development, trade and investment minister.

Also on the list are youth, sports and solidarity minister Michael Jawong; welfare, women and community development minister Fatimah Abdullah; and public utilities minister Stephen Atom.

-Mkini