The rotation system for Sabah chief minister has been abolished, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced in Putrajaya today.

After naming members of his new cabinet, the prime minister said the scrapping of the rotation system was the wish of all the members of BN component parties in Sabah.

The rotation of the chief minister's post started in 1994 to enable leaders of Sabah's three main communities to lead the state every two years.

Since its introduction, Sabah has seen seven chief ministers with the seventh, Musa Aman, being sworn in again after the just concluded elections.

State BN leaders have described the rotation system as problematic because by the time a new chief minister learns to do his job, it would have taken at least one year and what is left is only another year for development.

PBS leader back

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that 10 members of the Sabah Cabinet and 14 assistant ministers were sworn in before the Governor Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah at the Istana Negeri in Kota Kinabalu today.

Making the list are Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan (photo), PBS deputy president Dr Yee Moh Chai as well as three other new faces - Masidi Manjun, Ewon Ebin and Hajiji Mohd Noor who was previously an assistant minister.

Musa Aman said he would announce their respective portfolios later today.