Politics

PM Anwar announces list of 27 deputy ministers, with more to come

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced the names of most of the members of parliament who will be holding deputy ministerial posts.

In a televised press conference, Anwar announced that Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Steven Sim Chee Keong would be his deputies in the Finance Ministry.

The ministry is the only one which will have two deputy ministers but this was widely expected as Anwar's responsibilities as both prime minister and finance minister are heavy.

The others include Datuk Rubiah Wang (rural and regional development); Datuk Siti Aminah Aching (plantation industries and commodities); Datuk Hasbi Habibollah (transport); Chan Foong Hin (agriculture and food security); Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib (economy); and, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (local government development).

Also in the line-up are Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad (works); Adly Zahari (defence); Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (home); Liew Chin Tong (international trade and industry); Mohammad Yusof Afdal (higher education); Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup (science and technology); and, Aiman Athirah Sabu (women, family and community development).

Anwar also announced Fuziah Salleh as deputy domestic trade and cost of living minister; Ramkarpal Singh (law and institutional reform); Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii (natural resources, environment and climate change); Saraswathy Kandasamy (cooperatives and entrepreneurship); Datuk Mohamad Alamin (foreign); and, Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan (tourism, arts and culture).

The rest are Teo Nie Ching (communications and digital); Lim Hui Ying (education); Adam Adli Abd Halim (youth and sports); Mustapha Sakmud (human resources); and, Lukanisman Awang Sauni (health).

Anwar also announced that Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong would be a deputy minister in the prime minister's department but did not say what portfolio he would be placed under.

There are three portfolios which have yet to be announced: Sabah and Sarawak affairs; religious affairs and national unity. It can be assumed that Wilson will be placed in the first of the portfolios.

Earlier at 4pm, Anwar was granted an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to present the names of the deputy ministers.

Anwar, the country's 10th prime minister, was sworn in on Nov 24.

He had announced that the unity government would see a smaller cabinet composition.

Last Friday, Anwar had announced a 28-member cabinet lineup.

The cabinet, comprises members from Pakatan Harapan (15 ministers) through PKR, DAP, Amanah and Upko; BN (six) through Umno; Gabungan Parti Sarawak (five) through PBB, PRS and PDP; and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (one) through Sabah Bersatu.

Religious Affairs Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, however, is not a member of any political party.

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