Politics

Zahid, Zafrul, Loke, Azalina among inclusions in Anwar's cabinet

PUTRAJAYA: Following more than a week of intense speculation, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today finally unveiled his federal cabinet lineup, albeit not in full.

The highly-anticipated announcement came nine days after Anwar, who is the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and PKR president, was sworn in as the country's 10th prime minister.

The cabinet is also historic as it comprises members of all sides of the country's first unity government, made up of Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional as well as Borneo bloc parties including Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.

In a surprise move, the prime minister, in a televised press conference announced that he would also be helming the finance minister portfolio in his 25-member cabinet.

This will mark the second time Anwar will be assuming the post, having held the position when he was deputy prime minister in the 1990s.

He will be assisted by two deputy prime ministers, namely BN chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as well as Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president and GPS chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

The two will hold dual portfolios, with Zahid also serving as Rural and Regional Development Minister while Fadillah will also assume the role of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke will make a comeback as Transport Minister, a role he first held under the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018.

Parti Amanah Negara president, Mohamad Sabu, will head the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry while PKR deputy president, Rafizi Ramli, will be Economic Affairs Minister.

Former Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming has been appointed Local Government Development Minister while Umno deputy president, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, is Defence Minister.

Alexander Nanta Linggi, who was former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, will now helm the Works Ministry while Pakatan Harapan (PH) secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is Home Minister.

Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, who was initially touted as one of the candidates for the finance portfolio, has instead been appointed as the Minister of International Trade and Industries.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin will head the Education Ministry while PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang is the Science and Technology Minister, and one of the youngest cabinet ministers at 42.

Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, formerly the Tourism Minister, will now head the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

PH vice-president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub has been tasked with managing the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.

Umno's Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, meanwhile, is the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of law and institutional reform.

PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad will lead the Environment and Climate Change Ministry while V. Sivakumar, who is DAP deputy secretary-general and Batu Gajah MP, is the new Human Resources Minister.

Meanwhile, Datuk Ewon Benedick of Upko-Pakatan Harapan is the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister.

Former Perak Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, is making a return as Foreign Minister.

Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing of GPS is the new Tourism Minister while PH strategic director Fahmi Fadzil marks his cabinet debut as Digital Communications Minister.

The education portfolio will be helmed by PKR Women's chief Fadhlina Sidek while Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, formerly Minister of Health II, is the new Unity Minister.

Datuk Dr Na'im Mokhtar, who is the Syariah Court Chief Judge, is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Religious Affairs.

Hannah Yeoh, former Deputy Women's Minister in the previous PH administration, is making her debut in the cabinet with the Youth and Sports portfolio.

Dr Zaleha Mustafa, who is a first-time MP after winning the Sekijang seat in GE15, will spearhead the Health Ministry.

Datuk Amizan Mohd Ali of GRS and Papar MP is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Sabah and Sarawak.

Anwar said the deputy ministers will be announced at a later date.

Anwar had earlier said that he will convene a special cabinet meeting on Monday, and that he would introduce "new rules" on ways to manage the ministry, how to work together with civil servants, ways for cabinet ministers to make announcements on policies, and proper expenditure management to avoid overspending.

The prime minister had presented the full list to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah for consent in the morning.

He then went to Ipoh, where he was granted an audience with Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.

Following the audience, the prime minister then went on a walkabout at the Tanjung Rambutan Market, marking his first return to the Tambun constituency since assuming the prime minister post.

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