KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno Youth would continue to respect Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as a leader in the party even though he has been dropped in the new federal cabinet line-up announced recently.
Its chief Yamani Hafez Musa said this is because he still holds the deputy presidential position in Umno.
“As we know the changes in the cabinet line-up are the prerogative of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, aimed at strengthening the team in facing future challenges," he said when hosting his Hari Raya open house here, yesterday.
On the two leaders from Sabah - Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak and Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau - appointed as ministers, Yamani said the people of Sabah have high hopes for them.
"We hope both would be able to conduct their tasks effectively especially when it comes to serving the people. Even though Sabah now lacks one deputy minister (in federal cabinet representation following the cabinet reshuffle), the quota for ministers from Sabah was maintained and we are grateful to the Prime Minister for this.
"In the new cabinet line-up, many young leaders have also been appointed as deputy ministers and we hope they would be given a chance to be full ministers in the future," he added.
In the cabinet reshuffle announced by Najib on Tuesday, Madius who is president of United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko), a Barisan Nasional component, was appointed Science, Technology and Innovation Minister.
Salleh, meanwhile, is Umno Sabah deputy chairman. He resigned as Sabah state assembly speaker to accept the post of Communications and Multimedia Minister.