KUCHING: The call by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) board of control chairman Prof Datuk Awang Sariyan for Sarawak to reconsider changing the chief minister’s title to premier is just a personal opinion, claims a state minister.

       Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said there were views from university professors who felt that it was Sarawak’s right to rename the title.

       “(Awang Sariyan) has the right to express his opinion but other experts might not concur with him,” he told reporters here on Tuesday (Feb 22).

       Karim added that the constitutional amendment Bill to redesignate the post of chief minister to premier was approved by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.

       “You have to respect the (state's) highest law-making body,” he said.

       Earlier on Tuesday, Awang Sariyan urged Sarawak to reconsider its plan, saying it could lead to the perception that there was a prime minister at state level.

       “I was surprised because DBP was not informed and so far there is no official meaning of the term in the dictionary to refer to the prime minister,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.

       Karim tabled the constitutional amendment Bill in the state assembly on Feb 15 to restyle the chief minister as premier.

       The Bill was passed with more than a two-thirds majority as 67 members of the 82-member assembly voted for it and six against.