KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak based Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has turned down his appointment as Deputy National Unity Minister.
This was confirmed by the party’s secretary-general Datuk Nelson Balang Rining to the Borneo Post today.
Tiong, who is Bintulu MP, was absent when new ministers and deputy ministers were sworn-in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Melawati in Putrajaya this afternoon.
"The post does not befit his position as president of the party. He is very senior in terms of his position in the party and has also served a long time as a Member of Parliament," Balang was quoted as saying.
PDP is a component party of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), which has backed Muhyiddin to become the 8th Prime Minister following the recent political realignment.
Four ministers from PBB, the biggest party in GPS, were named by Muhyiddin in his Cabinet, along with seven deputy ministers from PBB, PDP, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and two independent MPs from Sarawak who quit PKR to support Muhyiddin.
Asked whether the PDP recommended Baram MP Anyi Ngau as Tiong's successor, Nelson did not deny it.
"I do not want to use the word 'successor' but his name (Anyi Ngau) was mentioned at the meeting," he said.
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