Dr Annuar Rapaee, assistant minister in the Chief Minister’s Office, said the state government had issued the appointment offer letter for the post to Rogayah Jamain, 53, recently.

“I am very grateful to the Chief Minister (Adenan Satem) for giving the opportunity to the Bumiputera, an appreciation of the Sibu bumiputera community for their loyalty to the government all this while,” he told reporters at the Sibu division Malay-Melanau community chiefs gathering here last night.

Dr Annuar, who is also Nangka assemblyman, said he was confident with Rogayah’s ability to perform her duties as deputy chairman as she had helmed a bank in this town.

Hence he said the selection to any political appointment post in SMC, including deputy chairman, was not necessarily from among the ruling political party members.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, which would have seven party members  sworn in as councillors next week, could recommend to the government anyone that it considered as eligible and capable of performing their duties and there were no regulations stating that only party members could be appointed, he said.