Sarawak BN secretary Stephen Rundi said both newly formed party - Parti Tenaga Rakyat Bersatu (Teras) and United People's Party (UPP) are still not yet component parties of BN.

However, he said Chief Minister Adenan Satem had decided to retain all those current ministers and assistant ministers from both parties in his cabinet until the next state general election due in June 2016.

"This was because the period before the election is 'alang-alang' and they are not BN ministers but the state cabinet members," Rundi told reporters after the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera (PBB) supreme council meeting in Kuching today.

"They (Teras and UPP) are not in BN yet so any statement on the parties are from them," added Rundi.

The cabinet members concerned were social development minister William Mawan Ikom, community development assistant minister Peter Nansian, assistant minister for public utilities Sylvester Entrie and

assistant minister for early childhood education and family development Rosey Yunus, had all left the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) to join Teras.

Others were minister for local government and community development Wong Soon Koh and assistant minister for public health Jerip Susil who quit Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) to join United People's Party (UPP).

- Bernama