KUCHING: Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who was today appointed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives has pledged that he will perform his duties to the best of his abilities.
“I did not expect to be appointed as full minister in the new Cabinet line-up under the administration of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Although I have no experience in field of entrepreneurship, I believe my appointment is based on my background with a doctorate degree in entrepreneurship,” he told Bernama when contacted today.
Armed with almost 40 years’ experience in politics, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, 74, returned to the federal stage as Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives in the Cabinet line-up announced by Muhyiddin today.
The senior politician from Sarawak has held various key posts at the Federal level, the last being Minister of Natural Resources and Environment from 2015 till 2018.
Prior to that, he was Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker from 2008 and 2013, before becoming Deputy Finance Minister from 2013 to 2015.
Wan Junaidi first became Member of Parliament in 1990 after winning the Batang Lupar parliamentary seat in the eighth general election, and defended it in the next two terms, before moving to the Santubong parliamentary seat in the 11th general election in 2004, defending it for three consecutive terms until the last general election in 2018.
In Putrajaya today, Muhyiddin announced the new Cabinet line-up comprising members of Bersatu, Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and PAS.
Besides Wan Junaidi, three other GPS Members of Parliament who were appointed as full ministers were Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof; Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi; and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
Six other Sarawakians were also appointed Deputy Ministers. They were Saratok Member of Parliament Ali Biju who has been made Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Mukah MP Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib (Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) , Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (Deputy Health Minister II).
Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong was made Deputy Rural Development Minister II; Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin made Deputy Minister II of Plantation Industries and Commodities, and Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing Deputy Minister of National Unity. – Bernama
