‘Cabinet reshuffle shows Abg Johari serious in making S’wak a better place’

KUCHING: The recent cabinet reshuffle by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg shows that he means business.

This is because besides reshuffling the cabinet, the Chief Minister has created new portfolios to realise his dream for a better Sarawak, UPP secretary-general George Lo said.

“Our Chief Minister has shown that he wants to put in place those people he knows that he can trust to deliver his promise to the rakyat and he has said that he will assign key positions to those who have performed well in their key performance index ( KPI),” he said at the UPP Parents’ Day Celebration dinner which was officiated at by its president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh at KTS Garden here on Monday.

Lo pointed out that with Wong and UPP deputy president Datuk Dr Jerip Susil being given important and new portfolios, namely International Trade and ECommerce Minister and Assistant Minister of Transportation respectively, meant that the duo had succeeded in their KPI and performed well in their previous posts.

“Our party president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has been appointed to an additional ministerial portfolio besides being retained as Second Finance Minister.

“The Ministry of International Trade and E- Commerce is a new ministerial position that carries great responsibility as we expect foreign trade and investment that will amount to billions in the years ahead. Likewise, e- commerce is also the pathway to the future and a very important part of the ministerial portfolio,” he said.

In view of this, Lo on behalf of UPP expressed his gratitude to Abang Johari for honouring Wong with this new additional portfolio.

“It is a clear sign that he (Abang Johari) knows that he can rely on Dato Sri Wong to handle an important portfolio such as international trade and e-commerce.”

He also took the opportunity to congratulate Dr Jerip on his appointment as the new Assistant Minister of Transportation.

“The fact that our deputy president is now assigned to be the Assistant Minister of Transport shows the importance with which the Chief Minister has attached to that position and the trust he has on our deputy president to help him bring his dream to fruition such as the LRT.”

Meanwhile, Dr Jerip said the reshuffling of the state cabinet was part and parcel of Abang Johari’s move to shape a new era for the state.

“We must commend our Chief Minister for being very visionary and he has set forth what is required for the next era of development in Sarawak.

“He has also made many bold statements and moves such that those measures that have been taken will continue to put Sarawak on the development map which is far ahead than what we can imagine,” he elaborated and called on all UPP members to put their thinking caps on and learn from one another to see how they can keep up with Abang Johari’s vision.

Also present at the celebration were UPP vice-president and youth chief Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa and advisor Dr Chou Chii Ming.