analysis

There was clearly disappointment written all over the faces of wannabe ministers when Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud announced the new appointments to the state cabinet, said a source after a state cabinet meeting in Kuching on Thursday.

Local newspapers had earlier speculated on several successful Barisan Nasional candidates in the state elections which concluded on Sept 27.

Two state ministers - Sarawak National Party (Snap) president James Wong Kim Min and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Celestine Ujang - stepped down and were replaced with new faces. One assistant minister, Ramsay Noel Jitam, a Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) vice-chairman, was also removed to make way for a new face.

Naturally it led to a lot of speculation as to who would be appointed to fill up the slots.

What Taib did, after what must be considered as his greatest election victory since taking over as chief minister and as head of the Sarawak Barisan Nasional in 1981, was move two existing assistant ministers - Snap vice-president William Mawan and PBB vice-president Michael Manyin - up to full ministerial rank to fill up the two slots vacated by Wong and Celestine.

Reshuffle not imminent

This left three assistant minister posts to fill - and he brought in SNAP's Dr Judson Tagal, a Lun Bawang from the Orang community and the present deputy speaker of the Sarawak state assembly, as well as PBB's Ambrose Blikau and SUPP's Francis Harden.

They have all been assigned to the same ministries as their predecessors.

Taib left the rest at the status quo, saying that a reshuffle would not come for some time, at least till mid-term in two years' time.

Clearly disappointed at not being promoted were PBB treasurer Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and PBB Youth leader Gramong Juna, the most senior in terms of years of service among the assistant ministers.

Observers had expected at least an assistant minister post for Snap senior vice-president Richard Wong, who won narrowly in Limbang after taking over from his father James Wong Kim Min. Not only was he ignored - his fellow party member and vice-president William Mawan was instead promoted to full ministerial position.

Another PBB member, Aidan Wing, now into his second term as assembly representative, had been tipped, too, to become an assistant minister, but the prediction turned out to be untrue.

At a press conference announcing the new appointments yesterday, Taib said he would not normally appoint a first-term assembly representative into the cabinet.

But, generally, the new appointments and the existing cabinet line-up are seen as reflecting "a fair racial representation in line with the broad-based support given to the BN during the recent state elections".

TONY THIEN is a malaysiakini correspondent based in Kuching, Sarawak.