KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) congratulates Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on their respective appointments as Deputy Prime Minister and Senior Minister (Security).

       GPS secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (pic) said their appointments were timely in view of the current political situation.

       "With the appointments, I hope attention will now be focused on the more important matters of the people's welfare and well-being as well as economic recovery while we grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, " he said in a statement Wednesday (July 7).

       Nanta said he previously worked with Ismail Sabri as his deputy minister in the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and admired his leadership.

       "I believe he has the ability to carry out his role as Deputy Prime Minister with excellence, " he said.

       Nanta also called on Hishammuddin, as the senior minister leading the security cluster, to give attention to security issues in Sarawak.

       He highlighted the May 31 incident when 16 Chinese military aircraft were detected entering the Malaysian Maritime Zone airspace near Sarawak and reports of a China Coast Guard vessel encroaching near Beting Patinggi Ali off Miri in early June.