KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has welcomed the federal cabinet reshuffle, particularly the removal of V. Sivakumar as the human resources minister.
PSM deputy chairman, S. Arutchelvan, said the new cabinet lineup indicated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has listened to his critics.
He said the changes took into account issues which had been long criticised by many.
He said given Anwar's administration's solid two-third majority, it is hoped that 'real institutional reform' would be carried out and the long due goals of 'reformasi' be instituted.
"The current cabinet has a good layer of matured and experienced politicians. We wish them all the best," he said in a social media post.
Arutchelvan, however, said he was "thrilled" by the replacement of Sivakumar as the human resources minister.
"We have been able to work with all previous HR ministers except this axed minister," he said.
Sivakumar, who hails from DAP, was the only minister dropped by Anwar in his first cabinet reshuffle.
Sivakumar's stint as the human resources minister was marked by a probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into foreign worker recruitmen.
Three of his aides were arrested and later released.
Sivakumar later sacked five of his aides.
Sivakumar will be replaced by Steven Sim, the Bukit Mertajam member of parliament who was deputy finance minister II.