Mambong MP picked as deputy tourism minister

Mambong member of parliament Dr James Dawos Mamit has been named by the prime minister as the new deputy tourism minister to replace Sulaiman Abdul Taib who resigned recently.

Mamit, 61, will be sworn in as the deputy minister on Jan 13, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

Mamit, a Bidayuh, is a supreme council member of the Sarawak-based Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

Yesterday Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said that the vacant post must be filled by someone from his party, PBB, adding that he had submitted a name to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Meanwhile, Bernama quoted Mamit as saying that his selection to fill the post was proof of the commitment by Najib towards making the 1Malaysia concept a success.

He said he appreciated the trust placed in him by the prime minister and Taib and pledged to carry out his duties to the best of his ability.

"My appointment is also an honour for the Bidayuh community in Sarawak and I am sure they will be very pleased with this development. This is not to gain popularity but a trust to continue the Barisan Nasional's agenda," he said. 

What's next for Sulaiman?

Sulaiman, 41, who is also PBB Youth vice-chief, was appointed deputy tourism minister on March 19, 2008, when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the prime minister and retained the post when Najib took over as prime minister in April last year.

However, he resigned on Dec 14 citing personal reasons for the resignation following the death of his mother, Laila Taib, about six months earlier.

There have been speculations that Abdul Taib is planning to contest his son at the next Sarawak state election, due by 2011, and begin grooming him as a possible successor.

There were also rumours that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who was overlooked by Najib when he named his cabinet eight months ago, be picked as a minister in a minor reshuffle hastened by Sulaiman's resignation.