KOTA KINABALU - Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali says he is committed to working on the Malaysia Agreement (MA63) as one of his priorities as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak).
While acknowledging he faced a challenging task as it was his first time in the Federal Cabinet, Armizan nevertheless considered it an interesting responsibility.
He said this was because the portfolio entrusted to him was directly related to the voice of the people in Sabah and Sarawak, and is 'close' to the essence of his struggle in the political arena.
"The aspirations of the Borneo people who expect these two regions to be given due attention and recognition in the agenda to fill and strengthen the sustainability of the Federation of Malaysia," he said in a statement.
He was among the 27 Cabinet Members who took the oath of office before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at the Istana Negara today.
He said the experience of serving under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and working with Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, who was also a minister in the prime minister's department (Sabah and Sarawak) prior to this, had given him the exposure and useful experience to bear the trust given.
"I am confident that this experience will somewhat be able to help me in carrying out my duties and responsibilities as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak) under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim," he said.
Armizan, 46, had been the senior private secretary to the Sabah Chief Minister since December 2020 before contesting in the 15th General Election, and won the Papar parliamentary seat representing Gabungan Rakyat Sabah with a majority of 12,224 votes in a six-cornered fight. - BERNAMA