NO PLANS FOR SARAWAK CABINET RESHUFFLE - ABANG JOHARI

KUCHING, Feb 16 (Bernama) --  There will be no state Cabinet reshuffle following the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) election results, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Abang Johari, who is also the PBB president, said the party’s elections had nothing to do with appointments to the state Cabinet positions.

“There is no reshuffle, the party election has nothing to do with (Cabinet) reshuffle. We will continue as usual,” he told reporters on the sidelines of PBB’s 16th General Assembly here today.

Earlier today, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he would leave the decision regarding his Cabinet position to Abang Johari following his defeat in the PBB elections yesterday.

Abdul Karim, who holds two ministerial portfolios in the state Cabinet, said matters regarding the appointment of Cabinet members are the prerogative of the Premier. 

Abdul Karim is Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts as well as Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development.

Earlier today, PBB elections chairman Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah announced that Abdul Karim failed to defend his position as vice-president of the Bumiputera wing of PBB in the party’s elections held yesterday.

He garnered 669 votes, placing him fifth out of six candidates. Only the four candidates with the highest votes secured the vice-president posts.

More than 4,000 delegates attended the three-day general assembly that kicked off on Friday (Feb 14). 

-- BERNAMA