He added this was despite him being one of the first to back Pakatan Harapan (PH) following the hung Parliament after the general election (GE15).
“There is not even one representative from Sabah BN in this new Cabinet, compared with Sarawak, from which five ministers were appointed,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Out of Anwar’s 28-member Cabinet unveiled yesterday, only Upko leader Ewon Benedick and Armizan Mohd Ali of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) were chosen from the state. Armizan is from Sabah Bersatu.
This is in comparison to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), from which Fadillah Yusof, Alexander Nanta Linggi, Tiong King Sing, Nancy Shukri and Aaron Ago Dagang, were made ministers.
Bung pointed out that Sabah BN won the most parliamentary seats within the state in the general election (GE15) with seven, followed by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (6), PH (5), Warisan (3), two independents, and one each by Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM).
“In fact, Sabah BN has the second largest number of seats after Johor BN from the total of 30 parliamentary seats won by the coalition in GE15,” he said.
He also hoped the state’s development would not be badly affected due to the lack of representation, adding that projects like the Pan Borneo Highway project must continue and be expedited.
Bung said the state also required the federal government’s attention in solving issues involving clean water supply, electricity, and transportation in rural areas.
Meanwhile, BN component party Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) also echoed Bung, calling the state the “biggest loser” in Anwar’s unity government.
In a statement, PBRS president Joseph Kurup said he hoped the lack of Sabah MPs in the Cabinet is not a signal that the welfare and development of Sabahans will be sidelined by the new government.
The new Cabinet comprises members from PH (15 seats) through PKR, DAP, Amanah and Upko; BN (6) through Umno; Gabungan Parti Sarawak (5) through PBB, PRS and PDP; and GRS (1) through Sabah Bersatu. Religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar does not belong to any party.