PUTRAJAYA: Kuala Lumpur folk who are hoping to see major changes in the running of the capital city can stem their excitement for now as the Federal Territories Ministry has not yet outlined any new plans.

       Its newly appointed minister Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said the ministry would continue with the existing programmes launched under his predecessor, Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

       "All programmes will be continued. There will be no problems because in the Cabinet, we work as a team.

       "What has been done by my friends, I will continue, even though they have moved to other ministries," said Shahidan.

       The minister was met after his first day of clocking in at his office at Menara Seri Wilayah in Putrajaya on Monday (Aug 30).

       Also present were his deputy Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias and ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Rosida Jaafar.

       Shahidan said he and his deputy had been briefed by the secretary-general and would meet regularly from time to time to discuss matters.

       "We have long-term and short-term plans, we will do our best for the ministry," he added.

       In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Shahidan thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for putting the trust in him to helm the ministry.

       "I am truly honoured to have been given this responsibility and will do my best.

       "I believe that close cooperation among the agencies will inject confidence in our fight against Covid-19," he wrote.

       Shahidan, the Arau MP, was Perlis Mentri Besar from 1995 to 2008, and later became the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department until 2018.

       He replaced Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who is now Multimedia and Communication Minister.

       Jalaluddin, who is Jelebu MP, replaces Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara, who is now Tourism, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister.