DAP and PKR must prove effectiveness of shadow cabinet : Masing

by Samuel Aubrey reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 20, 2011, Monday

WHAT’S NEW: Masing (left) catching up with Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh after the pre-Council meeting.

KUCHING: The opposition has been challenged to prove the effectiveness of their so-called shadow cabinet during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said the DUN sitting from today till June 29 will be an interesting one to watch, especially on whether the shadow cabinet could live up to its reputation.
This shadow cabinet has been doubtful after Pakatan Rakyat component parties were at loggerheads over the lineup.
“I hope they understand the meaning of shadow cabinet if they’re serious about that. I am very interested to watch…it’s going to be interesting to watch.
“Shadow cabinet is supposed to be a training ground for what would be the government in waiting, and whether they behave like a government.
“As I said before, if they behave like a gentleman we will have a gentleman in the next government. Behave like a monkey, we will have a monkey in the next government,” said Masing to reporters at the end of the State BN’s pre-Council meeting at PBB) headquarters yesterday.
On a related matter, Masing, who is also PRS president, said he expected the DUN sitting to be ‘fiery’ due to the bigger number of opposition members.
He opined that DAP reps would be full of fury but at the end of the day their antics “would signify nothing”.
The new DUN sitting, the first after the April 16 state election, will see a bigger representation from the opposition compared to the previous term.
The State BN, made up of PBB, SUPP, SPDP and PRS, won 55 seats while the opposition parties won 15 seats – 12 by the DAP and three by PKR. The remaining seat was won by an Independent.
The opposition’s shadow cabinet was announced by state DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng on May 1 to keep tabs on the performance of state ministers and their policies.
It comprised all the 15 opposition elected representatives and a PAS representative. They were assigned a portfolio each.
However, PKR and DAP have been at loggerheads ever since the lineup was announced which casted doubt on whether the shadow cabinet would play its role during this DUN sitting.
State PKR liaision chief Baru Bian, who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman, had on May 5 rejected the shadow cabinet lineup outright.
Baru had also said he had decided not to accept the shadow cabinet because the committee meeting chaired by Wong had failed to include his opinions.
Wong, in a statement a day later, blamed the problem on some power-crazy people in PKR.