KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has been dropped from the Sabah Cabinet.
Tanjung Keramat assemblyman Datuk Seri Shahelmey Yahya from Umno was appointed to replace Bung Moktar.
Shahelmey is now the deputy chief minister and works minister; two portfolios that were held by Bung Moktar.
The swearing-in of the new cabinet ministers in Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's new cabinet was done at Istana Seri Kinabalu this morning.
Sabah's new cabinet line-up also saw several changes that include two state Pakatan Harapan lawmakers.
Shahelmey's previous portfolio of community development and people's welfare ministry is now held by Sugut state assemblyman from Umno, Datuk James Ratib.
Membakut state assemblyman from Gerakan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, is replacing Umno's Karambunai state assemblyman Datuk Yakubah Khan as the state science, technoloy and innovation minister.
Sabah Pakatan Harapan chief Datuk Christina Liew has been appointed as tourism, culture and environment minister which she had held from 2018 to 2020.
Liew replaced Umno's Sukau state assemblyman Datuk Seri Jafry Ariffin, who had previously held the post.
Sabah DAP Phoong Jin Zhe is now the industrial development minister, a portfolio which was held by Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam in previous cabinet.
Dr Joachim, who remained as one of the deputy chief ministers, also taking over local government and housing ministry.
Other portfolios remained as per status quo from the previous administration.
On Monday night, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim met with Sabah political leaders and proposed for a unity government to be formed in the state.
The proposal was made following a political impasse stemmed from Bung Mokhtar's decision to withdraw Barisan Nasional's support from the GRS-BN pact, which previously administered the state.