Ministerial position for PAS? Fake news – DCM

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has dismissed claims that PAS will be granted a ministerial position as ‘fake news'.

“It is all fake news that is designed to cause hate and disharmony,” he said.

Jeffrey also denied that PAS would be given the post of the Law and Native Affairs Minister.

“It is not true. I know the person who will be appointed. It is someone else,” he said to members of the media who went to Wisma Pertanian to witness him clocking-in for the first time as the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister.

He dubbed people who churned the fake news as irresponsible for wanting to rouse such concerns.

“We must be careful what we read in the news, on WhatsApp and FB,” he said, adding that he has also read many fake news and heard fake rumours in the last few days.

He then urged the people not to be worried about the rumours.

Jeffrey also explained that the appointment of the rest of Sabah's cabinet ministers will not be done together, at once. “It will be staggered,” he said. He said however that the appointment will be carried out as soon as possible and indicated that some ministers will be appointed next week.

Jeffrey also said that as for the appointment of assemblymen, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Haji Noor will have the prerogative.

“We will leave it to him,” he said.

He added that proposals as to who should be the appointed assemblymen have already been submitted to the Chief Minister.

However, as to who these persons are, Jeffrey asked reporters to pose this question to the Chief Minister.

“You ask this question to him,' he said in reference to the Chief Minister.

Jeffrey also expressed the hopes and aspirations of members from STAR Sabah where he is the president in relation to the appointments.

“We have a lot of leaders in our party and they also have aspirations and hopes. We hope to be able to help them, not immediately but as we go along,” he said.

He added that he hoped to be able to get his ministry functioning as soon as possible.

“But we have a lot of challenges and we have limited leeway to move because of the trends of the Coronavirus,” he said.

Jeffrey also explained why he delayed clocking-in as the new minister of Agriculture and Food Industry.

He explained that this was because the spouse of one of the ministry's staff was suspected of Covid-19.

However, the person has tested negative and will be undergoing another test to reconfirm the finding.