UPDATED | Tanjung Papat assemblyperson Frankie Poon Ming Fung has been appointed as the new Sabah Health and Wellbeing Minister.

His former role as state Youth and Sports minister will be assumed by Luyang assemblyperson Phoong Jin Zhe.

In announcing this, Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal has stressed that it was not to be considered a  cabinet reshuffle in his state.

Only empty ministerial positions were being filled, he explained.

The state’s Health and Wellbeing minister position fell vacant after its incumbent Stephen Wong passed away on March 28.

It was also announced by Shafie's office that Sabah DAP treasurer Loh Ee Eng will be sworn in as an appointed assemblyperson to replace Wong, who was both Sandakan MP and an appointed assemblyperson.

Shafie, who is the Warisan president, responded yesterday to reports that Warisan was barring Special Branch personnel from entering its press conferences.

He said he had raised this issue in a cabinet meeting and said that the state government has made no decisions on barring any parties from entering any press conferences by the chief minister or members of his cabinet.

“There are no standard announcements about these procedures. Even if there was a decision, it is not binding because it did not come from me or the Sabah state government.

“The Special Branch can come any time to listen to what we have to say and statements we make.

“Why should we bar them because it will be published anyway? By the next day everyone will know when it’s reported in the newspapers,” Shafie said.