• SPDP had recommended Dr Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading), Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan (Baram), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu), Jelaing Mersat (Saratok) and Senator Pau Chiong Ung for federal postings.
• PBB would at least get two ministerial positions and either PRS or SPDP would get another minister's post to better reflect the Dayak community, the sources said....Bernama News

Early indications show the line-up may consist of between 26 and 28 ministries from the previous 31, with some ministries to be merged.

Abdullah has for the past few days held meetings with all Barisan Nasional (BN) component party heads to work out the finer details before making up his mind, a reflection of the need to adhere to the power-sharing concept of the BN and take all communities into consideration.

There has been much speculation over the last few days as to who are the ministers to be retained.

The Prime Minister had made it clear that ministers, who were defeated in the March 8 election would not be re-appointed, which means there would not be back door's entries into the Cabinet via senatorship.

BN won 140 seats to gain a simple majority in parliament, just eight seats short to secure a two-third majority, while the opposition has 82. In some countries, such a result would be considered a landslide win.

BN components from Sabah and Sarawak, which had performed exceptionally well, having won 24 of the 25 seats and 30 of the 31 seats at stake, respectively, may see a higher Cabinet representation this time.

Sources said Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) had requested for two additional ministers instead of one in the previous Cabinet.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) had only asked for their status quo in the Cabinet and the administration to be maintained.

PBB won all 14 seats it contested, SUPP six out of seven, while PRS and SPDP retained all six and four seats, respectively.

PBB would at least get two ministerial positions and either PRS or SPDP would get another minister's post to better reflect the Dayak community, the sources said.

Prior to the dissolution of Parliament, PBB only had a sole representative in Dato Sri Effendi Norwawi, who did not contest in the polls, while PRS was represented by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Joseph Entulu and Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Joseph Salang, while SPDP by Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.

SPDP had recommended Dr Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading), Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan (Baram), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu), Jelaing Mersat (Saratok) and Senator Paul Chek Nyuk for federal postings.

The Orang Ulu community had lobbied for fourth-term Baram MP Jacob to be considered for a minister's post on the rationale that he would be able to facilitate development in the rural constituency, which is as big as Pahang, but the country's least developed due to its remoteness and vastness.

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) had also asked for additional ministers after they won most of their seats.

PBS won two of the three parliamentary seats, United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) retained all three parliamentary seats and SAPP won all its two parliamentary seats.

Other component parties such as Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also won their sole parliamentary seats in Pensiangan and Sandakan, respectively.

The victorious candidates are PBS deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (Kota Marudu), UPKO President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (Penampang), PBRS president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (Pensiangan) and LDP president Datuk V.K. Liew (Sandakan).

Previously, Sabah had three ministers, one each from Umno, PBS and UPKO.

This composition is likely to be maintained, with several new deputy ministers given to other Sabah BN component parties.

"PKO is likely to get one deputy minister's post apart from the existing one minister's post, a Sabah BN source said. SAPP, LDP and PBRS are expected to get a deputy minister each.

Sources told Bernama that several Umno and MCA deputy ministers in the former Cabinet are set to move up as ministers.

MCA is likely to have four new representatives and MIC will feature a new minister for the first time since 1979.

"The MIC minister would be the sole Indian representative in the Cabinet,” said a source, who hinted that party secretary-general and Segamat MP Datuk Dr S. Subramanian might get the job.

The source also said that MIC would be likely to be given two deputy ministers and two parliamentary secretaries.

-Bernama