Warisan: Appoint Sabah, Sarawak chief ministers as DPMs

Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking says Sabah and Sarawak have been neglected for too long, and this is one way to better bridge the gap between the states and the peninsula.

Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president Darell Leiking says the purpose of the federation is to manage the country together. (Facebook pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) deputy president Darell Leiking today proposed that the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers be made deputy prime ministers in the federal Cabinet.

In an interview with Astro Awani today, the Penampang MP said through this arrangement, the federal government would be better informed of the real situation on the ground in both the Bornean states.

“The purpose of the federation is to manage the country together. Besides, I think this is the best way for them to be able to communicate more effectively and act as a bridge between the federal government and the state government.

“I don’t mind if they are not given allowances, as long as they can take part in the federal Cabinet meeting on Wednesdays and then bring any relevant matters to the state Cabinet meetings on Fridays,” he said.

Commenting on the absence of federal ministers from Sabah and Sarawak, Leiking, who has been touted as the next international trade and industry minister, said he understood that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wanted a leaner Cabinet.

In the previous federal Cabinet, Sabah had six ministers while Sarawak had seven.

Leiking said Sabah and Sarawak should not be treated like other states in the peninsula because the East Malaysian states were equal partners in the formation of Malaysia, together with the Federation of Malaya.

“That means Sabah and Sarawak should also represent the federal government as equal partners. If before this we had six, for me, now seven is better.

“For example, if in the previous federal Cabinet, we had a finance minister II, why not give the post to Borneo because we have to manage the finances in Borneo.”

He expressed disappointment at some accusations on social media that Sabah and Sarawak leaders thought only of their own states when they should be thinking about the federation of Malaysia as a whole.

“That may be true, but they need to understand something. Sabah and Sarawak have been neglected and sidelined for so long. This is the time to make things right,” he said.

Leiking said he did not know whether he would be among those selected, adding however that he trusted Mahathir to make the right decision on the matter.

“My focus is to help Sabah and Malaysia. I know Warisan is not part of Pakatan Harapan but at the same time, I know Mahathir understands the situation in Sabah and what the current sentiment is in the state,” he said. -FMT