KOTA KINABALU, Feb 1 — The Sabah government is changing the name of two of its ministries.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this was in line with the jurisdiction of federal ministries in Sabah in relation to the respective state ministry.
The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry will now be known as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Ministry (Maffi), while the Ministry of Industrial Development will now be known as the Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship.
“The state Cabinet approved the name change so that the objective, function and role of the ministries would be clearer, particularly on food security and the importance of entrepreneurs, including the small and medium entrepreneurs,” he said in a statement here today.
In line with the reshuffling of the state Cabinet and restructuring of the federal Cabinet, Hajiji said the state government had also decided to align the state ministries with the respective federal ministries in Sabah.
Following the exercise, the federal Agriculture and Food Security ministry will be under the purview of Deputy Chief Minister I/Maffi Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, while the federal Local Government Development Ministry will be under Deputy Chief Minister II/Local Government and Housing Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Newly minted Deputy Chief Minister III/Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya will oversee the state Works Ministry under while the Finance Ministry will be under state Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
The federal Rural and Regional Development Ministry has been placed under the purview of state Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, the federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry under Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe will look after both the federal International Trade and Industry Ministry and Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry while the federal Youth and Sports Ministry will be under the state Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ellron Angin.
State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Arifin Arif will look after the federal Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry as well as the Communication and Digital Ministry, Higher Education Ministry and Education Ministry while state Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib will be looking after the federal Health Ministry, Women Development, Family and Community Ministry, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry as well as the National Unity Ministry.
Meanwhile, Hajiji also announced Kapayan state assemblyman Jannie Lasimbang as the appointed chairman of the Rural Development Corporation or Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) as of January 19 this year.
She replaces Umno’s nominated assemblyman Datuk Raimie Unggi, who was ostensibly discharged following Sabah Umno’s decision to sever ties with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government.
Hajiji also announced the appointed organising chairmen for the various state festive celebrations and events, namely Arifin for Maulidur Rasul, Tilawah Al-Quran, Maal Hijrah and Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Jeffrey Kitingan for Kaamatan, Masidi for National Day, Liew for Malaysia Day and Joachim for the Head of State’s official birthday.
