PUTRAJAYA: The prime minister is expected to name the 10 core ministers by this week.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the formation of the 10 core ministries will be done first in order to hold the Pakatan Harapan government’s first cabinet meeting.
He said he would later fill the 15 vacant positions.
To finalise the list, he said, a PH presidential council meeting would be held tomorrow.
Speaking to reporters at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, he said the formation of the cabinet will take some time.
“We want to hold a Parliament sitting as soon as possible after taking oaths, because we plan to abolish and review certain laws and also discuss government policies.”
This, added Dr Mahathir, included getting details on government roles and issues raised like how to abolish the Good and Services Tax and also to pay back the extra tax collected by the previous government.
On the Anti-Fake News Act, he said: “We must understand the laws first, but we have no plans to keep the act... we are also looking at other acts, including (those concerning) media and freedom of expression.”
On the appointment of women in his cabinet, Dr Mahathir said he would give due consideration to qualified women to be given a place in the cabinet, but had not fixed a quota.
To a question, the prime minister said he might start his duties from the Prime Minister’s Office next week.
On whether he still wanted to be prime minister since there were many issues he had to handle, Dr Mahathir admitted that it was a difficult job.
“It is time and energy consuming. I do not get much sleep. But I have to do it because they appointed me as the prime minister. I cannot complain very much.”--Reports by MANIRAJAN RAMASAMAY, AZURA ABAS, MOHD HUSNI MOHD NOOR and IRWAN SHAFRIZAN ISMAIL