PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he accepted the decision by a Sarawak Member of Parliament to reject a deputy minister's post.

"It is his choice. The King has consented to the appointment. But if he thinks it is not suitable for him, we will accept that. We will find a replacement," Tan Sri Muhyiddin said at a press conference after chairing his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (March 11).

He was responding to a question on Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Tiong King Sing turning down the post of deputy minister of national unity.

PDP is part of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) faction, an ally in Mr Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

Tan Sri Tiong, a senior MP, was absent from the swearing-in ceremony of ministers and deputy ministers at Istana Melawati on Monday (March 9).

PDP secretary-general Nelson Balang Rining has said the party's supreme council had agreed that Mr Tiong should reject the post as it was not befitting of his stature as a party chief and a five-term MP.

Mr Muhyiddin said he will meet Mr Tiong to discuss the matter.

"He (Tiong) still wants to serve the country in a different capacity, so I will meet him tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss this," said Mr Muhyiddin.