KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has appointed 19 new political secretaries, which include former Sabah beauty queen Joanna Sue Henley Rampas and DAP’s Luyang assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe.

He warned them against corrupt practices and said he did not want them to be thinking of projects and money and ignoring the people’s needs.

“It is work for the people and don't forget that. You are the bridge with the people,” he said, adding that if they were seen owning luxury vehicles, it would reflect on their performance.

Rampas will be political secretary to Shafie under the state Finance Ministry.

Shafie also said that Parti Warisan and Pakatan Harapan leaders in Sabah should remain focused on delivering promises to the people and ignore the opposition's campaign against the ruling state government.

“We must continue to work for the people. They are the most important in our agenda. We cannot stop doing what is right for the people, just because the opposition tries to spread slander against us,” he said.

Shafie said that the opposition continued to spread false allegations that the government was giving out MyKads to foreigners when in actual fact, such efforts were focused on helping Malaysians mothers or fathers whose children do not even have an identity card.

“Do what we have to, come what may. God Knows what we are doing. We want to help Sabahans, that is our promise and we must do it,” he said.

He said the Chief Minister of Sabah has a lot of powers that must be used for the people.

“It will be foolish of me not use these powers for the benefit of the state,” he said.