PUTRAJAYA, Dec 5 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof’s focus will be on implementing various initiatives to foster closer relations between Sarawak, Sabah and the peninsula.

Fadillah, who is also plantation and commodities minister, said the initiative to bridge the facilities and development gap in Sarawak and Sabah was also his main concern after he was entrusted with the role of deputy prime minister representing Sabah and Sarawak region.

According to him, this was one of the directives Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had issued to him during the Unity Government special Cabinet meeting held here today, the first Cabinet meeting for the federal ministers after they took their oath of office on December 3.

"I think we should focus on the gap in terms of relationship between the three regions (Sarawak, Sabah and peninsular Malaysia) so that they can be brought closer together.

"There is also the need to create a true Malaysian spirit which is not region-based and to assimilate the values of the norms and cultures,” he said when met at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office here today.

"Expectations from the Borneo states are quite high. To carry out this task, I need the cooperation of not only the Borneo MPs but we have to work together with all MPs to see how we can bridge the gap between the three regions,” he said.

On today’s special Cabinet meeting, Fadillah said the prime minister made clear the direction that the Cabinet ministers need to take as well as the work that needs to be done especially in dealing with the cost of living challenges and in ensuring good governance.

Fadillah also informed that the actual Cabinet meeting would be held this Wednesday to clarify the functions of each ministry.

"We want to address the overlapping tasks to make them clear because issues over the cost of living involve several ministries,” he said.

Fadillah clocked in at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office in Perdana Putra at 12.04pm after attending the Unity Government special Cabinet meeting chaired by Anwar.

Earlier at 8.30am today he began his official duties at the Plantation and Commodities Ministry and attended a briefing session on the ministry.

The Petra Jaya MP is one of the two deputy prime ministers in the Unity Government Cabinet in addition to Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was announced by the prime minister last Friday. — Bernama