Abd Karim: Fadillah’s appointment acknowledgment of S’wak’s effort in green energy sector

KUCHING (Dec 13): The appointment of Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof as Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilities shows the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement of Sarawak making a big step forward in the energy sector, particularly green energy.

Apart from that, the Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister said Fadillah’s appointment as minister in-charge of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs was also the right decision to ensure more rights are returned to the Bornean states.

“The Prime Minister acknowledged Sarawak being ahead of others in the energy sector so he created that portfolio for Datuk Seri Fadillah.

“Datuk Seri Fadillah has been the chairman of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Technical Committee, so it’s only proper that he looks after that,” said Abdul Karim.

He also pointed out that the fact that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has kept its representation in the latest Cabinet reshuffle showed that its ministers and deputy ministers have performed according to expectations.

“I believe the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) has monitored after one year of appointment that they have performed their duties well,” said the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president.

The Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry is a new ministry split from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC).

The other changes affecting GPS MPs involved Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong and Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii.

Ugak is now Deputy Digital Minister after the Digital Ministry is split from the previous Ministry of Communications and Digital, and Huang is Deputy Natural Resources and Natural Sustainability Minister following the split of NRECC.

Previously, Ugak, who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s (PRS) Hulu Rajang MP, was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, and Huang, who is Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) Sarikei MP, was Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Deputy Minister.

The other GPS members who had retained their portfolios are Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi (PBB secretary general) as Works Minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Progressive Democratic Party president) as Tourism Minister, Dato Sri Nancy Shukri (PBB) as Women, Family and Community Development Minister, and Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (PRS) as Unity Minister.

Also retained are Datuk Rubiah Wang (PBB) as Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister, Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (PBB) as Transport Deputy Minister, Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib (PBB) as Economy Deputy Minister and Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni (PBB) as Health Deputy Minister.

Abdul Karim, who is also the state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister, said he was very happy that all these ministers and deputy ministers were retained in the federal cabinet although there were changes in some of their portfolios.