Sabah Cabinet: Change of portfolio after 3 hours? Masidi will tell all after retirement

KUALA LUMPUR: The exchange of portfolios between Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin and Datuk Seri Masidi Manjum in less than three hours after the swearing-in ceremony seems to have a long story behind it.

A tweet by Masidi, who is also the Karanaan State Assemblyman on Twitter, gave the impression that there was a hidden story behind the exchange.

Jokingly, the Deputy Chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sabah said that he would only talk about the matter after retirement.

"Less than three hours after being appointed Minister of Works, I am now the Minister of Local Government and Housing. I swapped jobs with Bung. Please do not ask me why. I will tell you everything after I retire," wrote Masidi.

During the swearing-in ceremony before Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at the State Palace in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday morning, Masidi was given the post of Minister of Works while Bung Mokhtar as Deputy Chief Minister 1 and Minister of Local Government and Housing Sabah.

However, less than three hours after the swearing-in ceremony, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced the exchange of portfolios between the two assemblymen.

Bung Mokhtar was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah I cum Minister of Works while Masidi as Finance Minister ll cum Minister of Local Government and Housing.

Hajiji said he needed Masidi who was experienced especially in helping him to revive the Sabah economy and face the COVID-19 pandemic.