Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the provision for a Sabahan Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was, indeed, proposed by Pakatan Harapan (PH) but was never fulfilled.
However, he said, Sabah BN would include the position for Sabah in the BN manifesto as promised if it is returned to power the coming general election.
“PH only made empty promises but failed to deliver. We promise to produce an authoritative DPM.
“Matters for the appointment will be made easier,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
He was responding to the statement by DAP Policy Bureau Chief Chan Foong Hin, who said the position of a DPM from Sabah and Sarawak was originally PH’s idea and was to be included in their manifesto way before BN’s recent announcement.
Bung said according to Chan, PH planned on revealing the matter during the PH manifesto launch but now must re-discuss matters following BN Chairman Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi’s offer during his visit to Kimanis last weekend.
He added that the position of a Sabah DPM is to determine matters related to the interests of the people. The appointment of a Sabahan DPM is also to ensure that authority is given to Sabah.
“There would be no point in having a Sabah DPM who plays no role in determining its future development,” he said.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid suggested that Bung include a Sabah DPM position in the Sabah BN manifesto to join future Sarawak and peninsula counterparts.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno President, pointed out that Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration did not have a DPM but four senior minister positions.
Therefore, he said it was not impossible to have three DPMs if BN becomes the dominant coalition after GE15.
In KOTA BARU, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the plan by Barisan Nasional (BN) to appoint three deputy Prime Ministers (DPMs) was a good idea.
The PAS Secretary-General, however, said the appointment must be based on needs.
He said the position exists on the basis of practice, even though it is not in the Constitution.
“PAS found the idea to be good but even if there is no DPM, the government administration has senior ministers who have their respective portfolios and are heads of clusters.
“PAS has no problem with the issue but we believe the appointment of three DPMs should depend on needs,” the incumbent Kota Baru MP told reporters after visiting traders at a night market here, last night.
He said the proposal must also be discussed properly and it needs to get the feedback from the Cabinet.
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