KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — DAP’s Datuk Chan Foong Hin said he had not expected his change of ministries under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet reshuffle today.
Chan said that when the news was announced, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu teased him to say he was trying to find a way out of the ministry.
“It's just that this was a big surprise, so much so that Mohamad Sabu even jokingly asked if I wanted to leave him when we met at Menara LPP after the oral question session at the Dewan Negara.
“I only knew this news through the announcement of the prime minister earlier. However, I say this is not a permanent separation, and I accept this responsibility with an open heart and ready to face any challenge,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Expressing gratitude to Mohamad Sabu for guidance and support during his tenure at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, he said it was a significant learning experience over the past year.
Chan also thanked the ministry’s staff for the cooperation they extended him during his time there.
Chan was made deputy plantation industries and commodities minister in the reshuffle today while Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup will take over as the deputy agriculture and food security minister.
The Cabinet reshuffle resulted in an increase in the number of ministers from 28 to 31, and the number of deputy ministers expanded from 27 to 29. This adjustment brings the total number of Cabinet members to 60.
