KUALA LUMPUR: One of the casualties in the cabinet reshuffle scheduled for tomorrow is expected to be V. Sivakumar, who was appointed human resources minister on Dec 3, last year.
Taking over his portfolio is expected to be current Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim Chee Keong.
The 41-year-old DAP lawmaker, who is the party's national organising secretary, had previously served as deputy youth and sports minister in the Pakatan Harapan administration under the then prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, from July 2018 to February 2020.
Sivakumar had faced repeated calls in April this year after an aide and several senior ministry officers were arrested over allegations of corruption.
However, Sivakumar said he would heed the words of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who had said there was no need for any resignation.
Asked what was his response to repeated calls for him to quit, Sivakumar told the New Straits Times: "The PM has already answered that question. Let it be. Let the PM decide on it."
Sivakumar is perhaps best known for his tenure as speaker of the Perak assembly, in particular for convening a sitting under a rain tree on March 3, 2009.
At the time, Sivakumar had called for an emergency sitting to table motions on the takeover of the state government.
He started his political career in 1997 when he joined DAP.
Among the posts Sivakumar has held was as the political secretary to former human resources minister M. Kulasegaran.
His first foray in an election was in the 12th General Election (GE12) in 2008.