Anifah Aman springs a surprise!

One of the 4 Members of Parliament (MPs) from Sabah who were appointed as Deputy Ministers by the Prime Minister yesterday - Datuk Anifah Aman - sprang a surprise when he issued a statement last night saying that he was declining the offer.

Anifah who recently was re-elected to the Kimanis parliamentary seat said he had served two terms as Deputy Minister and wanted to make way for a younger person.

The brother of the Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman was first elected an MP in Beaufort on a BN (UMNO) ticket in 1999. He was immediately made a Deputy Minister in the Federal Government. In the 2004 election, he moved to the newly-created seat of Kimanis and won. He was re-appointed Deputy Minister.

Meanwhile, Musa said today that he was leaving it to the Prime Minister to appoint another MP (not necessarily from Sabah now) to replace Anifah. If Anifah's place is indeed taken over by a non-Sabahan, then it is a loss for us as the number of our Deputy Ministers will then be reduced to 3. Also because Anifah was to have been Deputy Transport Minister, an important portfolio especially as Sabah is trying to attract more tourists through a better transportation system.

By the way, Anifah was not the only MP to have declined the offer. He had a 'friend' in Tunku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar, the MP from Pahang who also turned down a Deputy Minister's post. Just like Anifah, he too had served more than two terms. Tunku Azlan is a member of the Pahang royal household.

One is brother of the Sabah Chief Minister. One is brother of the Sultan of Pahang. What a co-incidence!