Monday 17 March 2008

Fresh faces set to dominate Abdullah's smaller Cabinet

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi who has held meetings the past few days with all Barisan Nasional (BN) component party is expected to appoint new faces who won in the just-concluded general election in his new cabinet line-up.

The line-up may consist of between 26 and 28 ministries from the previous 31, with some ministries to be merged, according to Bernama.

There has been much speculation over the last few days as to who are the ministers to be retained by Abdullah. However, he had said in an earlier interview that he had no intention of re appointing those who have lost.

The casualties among the ministers were Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu in Sungai Siput, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abd Jalil in Lembah Pantai, Datuk Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin in Shah Alam and Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin in Sungai Petani.

Umno and MCA deputy ministers in the former Cabinet are set to move up as ministers.

MCA is likely to have four new representatives and MIC will feature a new minister for the first time since 1979.

MIC secretary-general and Segamat Member of Parliament Datuk Dr S. Subramanian is likely to be the sole representative of the party in the cabinet.

The party is likely to be given two deputy ministers and two parliamentary secretaries.

There is also a possibility of one more deputy minister's post reserved for the Indian community.

Former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Deputy Information Minister Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad and Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shahziman Abu Mansor are expected to be made full ministers.

MCA has submitted four names for ministerial positions, comprising party secretary-general Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat, Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai and Wanita chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen.

Gerakan, which managed to retain only two parliamentary seats, is likely to lose its place in the Cabinet, as acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had said the party was not asking for any ministerial position.

Full report: here .

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I dont see KJ' name being mentioned?

Is he finally listening? Pak Lah, I mean.

Anonymous said...

I think if he appoint the infamous son-in-law, it would his gravest political mistakes (not that he is short of it as we speak!)

Anonymous said...

I believe something is cooking behind the scene - that Pak Lah is being asked to step down.

I think the public show of for him is a face-saving, tak nak malukan muka dia.

Padan muka KJ. Pak Mentua tak der, baru hang tau.