KUCHING, Feb 28 — The name change for the posts of Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Assistant Minister in the Sarawak Cabinet to ‘Premier’, ‘Deputy Premier’ and ‘Deputy Minister’, respectively, are likely to be gazetted next month.
In stating this, however, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah neither confirms nor denies the speculation about the gazettement taking effect tomorrow (March 1).
“We just passed the amendment bill in the recent DUN (State Legislative Assembly) sitting, endorsed by more than two-thirds majority.
“The next process would be for it to be gazetted.
“I have been made to understand that the state government is going to do it fast — I think it will be very, very soon.
“I won’t confirm or deny (whether it will be on March 1), but all I can say is that it will be in March,” he told reporters after attending a function at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre in Petra Jaya here yesterday.
Abdul Karim, who is also Minister for Youth, Sport and Entrepreneur Development, said under the gazette, there should be a mention of when the new names would take effect.
“Once the gazette is in place, the chief minister, deputy chief minister and assistant minister would therefore be addressed as premier, deputy premier and deputy minister, respectively.”
The DUN Sarawak, on Feb 16, passed the Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill 2022 to replace the name ‘Chief Minister’ with ‘Premier’, ‘Deputy Chief Minister’ with ‘Deputy Premier’, and ‘Assistant Minister’ with ‘Deputy Minister’. — Borneo Post Online
