BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & JACINTHA JOLENE
KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for maintaining the number of ministers from Sarawak in the federal Cabinet.
He noted that the Prime Minister not only retained the existing ministers from Sarawak but also those parties that are not part of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak coalition.
“I would like to thank the Prime Minister for maintaining the number of ministers from Sarawak, including the additional ones from their parties, even though in Sarawak they are not part of the government because they are from DAP and PKR,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters after officiating at the 2026 Sarawak Budget Conference at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Abang Johari said that the appointments fall under the Prime Minister’s authority.
“Yes, it is the Prime Minister’s prerogative,” he added.
Commenting on questions regarding the appointment of Datuk Seri Mustapha Sakmud, who represents Sabah and Sarawak in the Cabinet, he said the main focus should be on performance.
“Let him work well,” he said.
When asked about a potential reshuffle of the Sarawak Cabinet, Abang Johari denied any plans for a state Cabinet reshuffle at this time.
Earlier, two new Members of Parliament (MP) from Sarawak were appointed, while three others were reassigned as deputy ministers following the reshuffle of the MADANI Government Cabinet announced by Anwar on Tuesday.
The new appointments are Mas Gading MP, Mordi Bimol, and Miri MP, Chiew Choon Man, who were appointed as Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports and Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture respectively.
Meanwhile, three other MPs from Sarawak were reassigned to new portfolios.
Sibuti MP, Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni, previously Deputy Minister of Health, was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, while Mukah MP, Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib, moved from the Deputy Minister of Economy to Deputy Minister of Health post.
Sarikei MP, Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii, was appointed Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities, having previously served as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Sustainability.
