Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday defended Sarawak Barisan Nasional members of parliament against criticism by Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that they were “inactive”.
“They are among the hardest-working politicians in the country,” Taib, the state BN chairman, said yesterday after launching the St John Ambulance’s flag day here.
He said the role of Sarawak BN MPs were not just as debaters in Parliament.
“They are service-oriented, talk less and travel a lot in their areas.
“Debates in Parliament are a small part compared to serving their constituencies.”
Junaidi had last week said that Sarawak BN MPs were not active when it came to debating in Parliament. He said they would rather listen than speak.
However, he had said their attendance in Parliament was “very good”.
Junaidi’s criticism, however, did not go down well with some MPs.
Some said they were overlooked when they wanted to speak.
On the state government, Taib said he would only reshuffle the cabinet after a thorough study.
He said the reshuffled cabinet was to prepare for the state election which might be called in 2011.
Taib had, earlier this year, stated that he would reshuffle the cabinet after the state legislative assembly sitting last month.
He had also said he would consider reshuffling the cabinet after the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) triennial delegates conference in November last year.
The last time the state cabinet was reshuffled was last year when Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh and Datuk Michael Manyin Jawaong swapped portfolios.
A major reshuffle, however, took place in 2004, involving several ministers.
