KOTA KINABALU: Two Cabinet ministers from Sabah have been retained in newly-minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's Cabinet line-up announced on Friday (Aug 27).

       The four deputy minister slots were retained but two new faces - Sipitang MP Yamani Hafez Musa and Kimanis MP Datuk Mohamad Alamin - have been appointed.

       Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili was retained as Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister while Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia MP Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee was retained in the Agriculture and Fisheries portfolio.

       Bersatu first-term MP Yamani Hafez, the son of former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, was named Deputy Finance Minister II replacing Bersatu's Kudat MP Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, who was Deputy Finance Minister I.

       Sabah Umno's Mohamad was named Deputy Education Minister II in the line-up announced by Ismail Sabri on Friday.

       Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) deputy president Datuk Arthur Kurup was selected as Deputy Works Minister from his earlier portfolio as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy).

       Bersatu's Ranau MP Jonathan Yassin was retained as Deputy Home Minister II.

       Sabah STAR's Senator Guandee Kohoi, who was appointed in April this year as Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, was dropped as a deputy minister in the new Cabinet line-up.

       Sabah Bersatu deputy chairman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that the choice of Cabinet members was the prerogative of the Prime Minister.

       "The most important thing is that the Cabinet works as a team to tackle the two major challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic and revitalising the economy.

       "The nation needs to recover and move forward as soon as possible," he said.

       There was no immediate response from the other political parties on the new Cabinet line-up.