GEIS-新闻详情

Malaysia's new Cabinet: PM Ismail retains 4 senior ministers, names Khairy health minister

2021-08-29 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-亚洲原网页

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia’s Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has retained a host of senior ministers in the same portfolios as the previous administration. He has also left the deputy premiership post empty, taking a leaf out of predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s book.

The newly minted premier unveiled his Cabinet on Friday (Aug 27) morning, with his own Umno party dominating the line-up.

Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz has been retained as finance minister.

Former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will be helming the Ministry of Health. Under the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration, Mr Khairy was also the coordinating minister of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

With his appointment as the new health minister, the Rembau MP replaces Datuk Seri Adham Baba when PN was in power. Dr Adham, meanwhile, will now take over Mr Khairy’s old portfolio.

Several senior ministers from the previous administration were also retained, such as International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof, Education Minister Radzi Jidin and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

“I hope the appointment of this Cabinet will give new confidence for the country to rise up and unite against Covid-19, as well as liberating the Malaysian families from misery as a result of this pandemic,” Datuk Seri Ismail said in a national televised announcement.

“I will make sure this Cabinet emphasises a high performance work culture. Thus, every ministry needs to make short-term and long-term planning and achieve the target. For that, each ministry needs to prove their achievements in the first 100 days (in office),” he added.

Overall, there are 31 ministers and 38 deputies in the new Cabinet.

The new Cabinet line-up was announced a week after Mr Ismail was installed as Malaysia's ninth premier, following the collapse of the PN administration on Aug 16.

The new ministers will be sworn in on Monday.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last night issued a statement after the Umno supreme council held a meeting, saying it will cooperate with the new administration to jointly address the economic crisis and the pandemic.

The similarity of Mr Ismail’s Cabinet to PN’s line-up has prompted the opposition to question the rationale behind it.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said fresh ideas and new approaches were needed to tackle the country’s Covid-19 and economic crises.

"But the measure that was taken is just recycling of ministers who did not show their capabilities to overcome the problem effectively," he said in a video statement.

The lack of fresh blood would also not restore investor confidence in the country, he added.

Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng described it as a "recycled Cabinet" which is "no different from putting old wine in a new bottle".

"The return of the recycled Cabinet of the previously failed PN government will put into doubt the commitment of the new Prime Minister towards not only winning the battle against Covid-19 and the economic crisis.

"It will also raise scrutiny whether Ismail is genuine about undertaking concrete institutional reforms to protect our democratic and constitutional rights as expressed during the meeting with Pakatan Harapan three top leaders two days ago," Mr Lim said in a statement.