Know difference between Cabinet and Presidential Council
KOTA KINABALU: There appears to be a need for Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and its vice president, Datuk Johnny Mositun, to go back to school and learn to differentiate between the State Cabinet and a Presidential Council of the coalition government.
Upko Youth deputy chief Kennedy John Angian, in a statement here yesterday, said that Upko Youth has made the call since Mositun’s statement had shown a total misconception of the two entities.
“Yes, all the parties in the coalition are represented but the Cabinet is solely for the purpose of administering the State Government,” he said.
Kennedy was responding to Mositun’s statement on Christmas Day rejecting the call by Upko Youth chief Felix Joseph Saang on the need for a Presidential Council comprising leaders of parties in the State government coalition.
Describing it as ‘laughable’, Mositun had said that each party leader was already represented in the State Cabinet and have direct access to the Chief Minister.
However, Kennedy said Mositun should know that it is inappropriate for the State Cabinet to discuss about politics during their meetings when they should be discussing about the state’s administrative matters.
“As the former PBS secretary general, Mositun has attended the BN supreme council meetings representing PBS before.
“Based on his logic in demonising Upko Youth’s suggestion, how is it that Mositun had never made the call for the BN supreme council to be disbanded since he said that such entity is not relevant as all the party leaders are already in the Cabinet with direct access to the Prime Minister.
“If it is not relevant, why did he become part of the BN supreme council, a body that is similar in nature to the presidential council that was suggested by Upko Youth to be set up in Sabah,” he said.
Therefore, Kennedy said it is clear that a Presidential Council is imperative in order to further strengthen cooperation among the coalition parties.
“It is also the best platform to address political issues among the coalition parties, which ought to be segregated from the state’s administrative issues,” he said.
Towards this end, Kennedy said the call by Felix was apt in order to ensure a better cooperation and understanding among all the coalition government members.
“Upko Youth hopes that Mositun is clear on this,” he said.
On the issue of Upko leaders having left the party, Kennedy asked Mositun if he is aware just how many of its leaders have left PBS since its inception.
Mositun had ridiculed the present coalition State government but he forgot that their party’s own coalition - Gabungan Bersatu Sabah - has sunk even before it has set sail.
“This becomes more ironic if one considers the fact that the joint-chairman of GBS is also the leader of PBS. Mositun should better devote his attention towards solving GBS internal issues,” he said.
Kennedy added that Mositun should do his own little research first before harping on Upko’s decision to form an alliance with Warisan and Pakatan Harapan.
“PBS joined BN in 1986, left the BN in 1990 and rejoined the coalition in 2002 and then once again ditching it in 2018. Now, we really don’t know just how long PBS will be able to stay in GBS,” he said.
Kennedy concurred with Felix that so much still needs to be done to bolster the State coalition government.
“Upko Youth are not hypocrites like Mositun and we dare to admit about the challenges faced by each party in the coalition.
“But, we are also optimistic that this coalition government will be galvanised to bring the State government and Sabah to a higher pedestal with strong commitment coupled with cooperation from all,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said, Upko Youth is disappointed that a senior politician like Mositun felt it was all right to exploit Christmas Day to launch his political attacks.
“Nevertheless, Upko Youth wishes him a Merry Christmas and hopes he will be given the light of prosperity and peace during these festive seasons,” said Kennedy.