Tuesday 3 May 2011

‘Opposition ministers must behave properly’


“It’s a mockery of the multi-ethnic composition of Sarawak.” -Tuan Haji Abdul Karim Rahmah Hamzah

KUCHING: Land Development Minister Dato Sri Dr James Masing said the formation of a shadow Cabinet is not new but the opposition ‘ministers’ must behave properly.

“What they do now will reflect what they will do as a minister if they take over (the government),” said Masing who is Baleh assemblyman

Masing who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president said he believed the voters were wise enough to know what type of leaders they want to govern them.

“If they are rational in their presentation in the state legislative assembly (DUN) then you (people) will have a rational minister. If they behave like monkeys, then you will have monkeys as your leaders,” he said when asked to comment on the newly formed Pakatan Rakyat state shadow Cabinet.

On the state shadow Cabinet to be led by DAP Sarawak chairman Wong Ho Leng, Masing said; “It happens in countries which practise parliamentary democracy. Opposition leader normally is a Chief Minister-designate. In this case it is Wong Ho Leng.”

“Each shadow ministry including the ‘Chief Minister’ will perform their respective portfolio. The public will judge them accordingly,” he pointed out.

Chief Political secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah did not take kindly to the shadow Cabinet. He alleged the current crop of opposition members had made a mockery of the function.

“I thought the Pakatan have indicated previously that Baru Bian (PKR) would be their choice for ‘Chief Minister’ (or leader of the state opposition). But why is the shadow Cabinet having Wong Ho Leng instead as the ‘chief minister’?” he wondered.

Karim, who is State Barisan Nasional (BN) Backbenchers Club chairman also queried whether the state opposition was desperate by appointing PAS state commissioner Adam Ahid as shadow Religious Affairs and National Unity ‘co-minister’ when he is not even elected.

Adam is the shadow minister together with Krian assemblyman Ali Biju who is from PKR.

Karim said: “And who is Hj Adam that they place as co-minister for religion and unity? Was that guy appointed and placed in the shadow Cabinet to please the Malays or Muslims as the shadow Cabinet is almost all comprised of one ethnic group only?”

The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member and Asajaya assemblyman described the shadow Cabinet as “a sham and racialist Cabinet”.

“It’s a mockery of the multi-ethnic composition of Sarawak,” he said when comparing it to state BN.

“I am even unsure that Baru and Ali Biju would take up the offers of this shadow racialist Cabinet,” he claimed.

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