My response to formation of Pakatan Rakyat’s Sarawak shadow cabinet
1. The Sarawak Shadow Cabinet line-up was announced on 1st May 2011 after proper consultation at the Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak Council meeting in Kuching.
2. Before it was announced, the line-up was discussed and approved by DAP Sarawak and the PKR State leadership. The PKR state liaison chief Baru Bian was in Sabah and he sent 3 representatives, namely Datuk John (PKR’s National Vice President), Ibi (PKR’s Sarawak Wanita Chief) and Vernon (See Chee How’s Personal Assistant). PAS Commissioner and his Deputy (Haji Adam Ahid and Mohd Shokri) were absent with apologies.
3. Myself as Chairman of DAP Sarawak and Chong Chieng Jen (DAP Sarawak State Secretary) represented DAP Sarawak during the Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak Council meeting.
4. The shadow cabinet line-up was proposed and discussed. In the course of the meeting:
(a) Vernon contacted See Chee How who was said to be on his way to Kuala Lumpur. The latter suggested an amendment to the original line-up to reflect his specialties on matters concerning the environment. It was approved and the Environment portfolio was added to his original portfolios, ie, Tourism and Heritage. Dr Wong Hua Seh, originally in charge of Public Health and Environment is now in charge of the Public Health portfolio only.
(b) Vernon and I consulted Baru Bian over the telephone on matters concerning the Religious Affairs portfolio. It was agreed that Haji Adam be included in the Islamic Affairs portfolio and Ali Anak Biju in charge of the Non-Islamic portfolios.
(c) The written statement was amended twice to reflect the amended line-up before it was read out to the press.
5. The consensus was clearly reached since there was no objection to the amended line-up when I read it out one portfolio at a time in the presence of the representatives from both sides.
6. PAS Commissioner Haji Adam Ahid appreciated and had since endorsed his appointment through his Deputy.
7. Since it is merely a shadow cabinet, no portfolio is ranked more important or senior to another.
8. The interest of the Sarawak people is paramount and must be safeguarded. The purpose of the shadow cabinet is to ensure division of labour on the part of Assembly-persons from the Pakatan Rakyat. It will ensure development of specialties in the respective fields. The primary aim of the shadow cabinet is to ensure alternative views and to provide better and more constructive debates in the Dewan Undangan Negeri.
9. The line-up is not a reflection of the portfolios the elected wakil rakyat will hold should Pakatan Rakyat form the state Government one day. The fact that there are more DAP members in the shadow cabinet is merely because DAP has 12 elected representatives compared to PKR’s 3, and all elected representatives are appointed in the shadow cabinet.
10. A leader from PAS has to be appointed because there was no one from either DAP or PKR to take the Islamic Affairs portfolio.
11. It was also resolved at the Meeting that each party shall nominate 3 additional persons to the shadow cabinet. Although these will not be elected representatives, their appointment will provide them an opportunity to learn and keep tabs on the respective Ministers and Ministries in the state through their portfolios. In that way, more leaders will be groomed to ready themselves for a more vital mission, ie, Pakatan Rakyat to form the next Government and their elected representatives discharge their responsibilities properly and constructively.
12. When Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto leader of PKR and Parliamentary Opposition Leader, said that the Sarawak Shadow Cabinet line-up had not been finalized, it was apparent to me that he had not received full and proper communication or feedback from his Party representatives who attended the 1st May 2011 Meeting. Such lack of communication is unfortunate.
Wong Ho Leng
DAP Sarawak State Chairman
