PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged today that some members of his initial cabinet faced challenges adapting to their new roles.
"My advice to them is to be open to the guidance of secretaries-general and directors-general, and to cultivate a diverse circle of friends for valuable advice and constructive criticism."
Anwar said this during a "no holds barred" dialogue with senior editors from the country's electronic, print and online media.
The session, held at the Kompleks Seri Perdana here, featured journalists from various publications nationwide including Sabah and Sarawak.
For more than an hour, Anwar fielded a host of hard-hitting questions, ranging from the country's economics projection for next year, the unity government's relations with Umno heading into the 16th General Election, his relationship with the incoming agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and others.
Anwar emphasised that ministers should work in harmony with government bureaucracy.
He said that after a year, there is now a better understanding on how some issues transcend a single ministry.
Digital transformation, for instance, spans the entire government and nation.
"Therefore, it has to be in line with present thinking, which means it must be linked to all agencies when it comes to digital issues," he said.
He said in this respect, local talents and expertise must be engaged and complement the government sector, as well as integrating and synergising with foreign experts.
He also commended Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who chaired a committee to integrate TVET programmes.
He said the government spent RM6.8 billion a year for TVET in various ministries and departments.
"Once they are set up, they function like warlords, you don't interfere. There's this understanding.
"But he (Zahid) managed to cut across and have a synergy between TVET and private companies in various fields," he said, citing the collaboration between the government and private sector in the AI field.
In addition, he said the country has the capacity to carry out energy transition, including in green and renewable energy, but Malaysia still needs to have arrangements with foreign companies in terms of sharing of expertise.