KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has made 12 Cabinet line-up changes and split up two ministries as part of the Cabinet reshuffling he revealed on Tuesday.
The most notable was the appointment of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan as Finance Minister II. Amir, 56, was sworn in as senator in Dewan Negara earlier in the day.
Also noteworthy were the return of three individuals to the Cabinet, namely Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad as the health minister, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani as the plantation and commodities minister, and Gobind Singh Deo as the digital minister.
These appointments confirmed a report by The Edge on Monday, who wrote that the four would be included in the reshuffle, which came a little over one year since the formation of the unity government.
Steven Sim, previously the deputy finance minister II, is now the new human resources minister, while V Sivakumar has been dropped from the new line-up.
Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Khadir saw their portfolios swapped. Mohamad, who was the defence minister, has been made the foreign minister, while Mohamed Khaled takes over his defence portfolio; Mohamed Khaled's higher education portfolio has now gone to Zambry — formerly the foreign minister.
Dr Zaliha Mustafa, formerly the health minister, has been made minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).
Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, who was the acting domestic trade and cost of living minister, after the passing of its incumbent Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub in July this year, is now officially taking over the portfolio.
Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will now oversee energy transition and public utilities — at the same time still overseeing Sabah and Sarawak matters — taking over part of Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad's natural resources, environment and climate change portfolio.
This leaves Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as the minister of natural resources and sustainability.
Fahmi Fadzil, who remains in the Cabinet as the communications minister, will be giving up his digital portfolio, which is now under Gobind.
More swaps at deputy minister levels, with two dropped, one promoted and five new additions
Meanwhile, five individuals were made deputy ministers.
They are: Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh, who was appointed as deputy education minister; Sungai Buloh MP Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan, who was made deputy minister of entrepreneur development and cooperatives, Parit Sulong MP Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad who is now deputy minister of women, family and community development; Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran V Murugeson is now a deputy minister with the PM's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms); and newly appointed senator Dr Zulkifli Hasan, who is also made a deputy minister with the PM's Department (Religious Matters).
A total of 11 current deputy ministers saw their portfolios swapped, including Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying, who has now been made the deputy finance minister, taking over from Sim, who has been promoted to a full minister's post.
Another deputy finance minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, has been moved to the Ministry of Works as its deputy minister.
Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, previously the deputy local government development minister, is now the deputy energy transition and public utilities minister.
All in all, the number of Cabinet ministers has risen to 31, from 28, while the number of deputy ministers has increased to 29, from 27.
Five new additions in the Cabinet line-up:
- Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan (Minister of Finance II — senator)
- Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (Minister of Plantation and Commodities — Umno/BN)
- Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Minister of Health — Amanah/PH)
- Steven Sim (Minister of Human Resources — DAP/PH)
- Gobind Singh Deo (Minister of Digital — DAP/PH)
Dropped from the Cabinet:
- V Sivakumar (previously the human resources minister — DAP/PH)
There are five new deputy ministers:
- M Kulasegaran as the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (law and institutional reforms)
- Wong Kah Woh as the deputy education minister
- Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad as the deputy women, family and community development minister
- Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan as the deputy entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister
- Dr Zulkifli Hasan, appointed as a senator on Tuesday, as the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (religious matters)
Two deputies have been dropped:
- Ramkarpal Singh (previously the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (law and institutional reforms) — DAP/PH)
- Datuk Siti Aminah Aching (previously the deputy plantation and commodities minister — Umno/BN)
Deputy ministers whose portfolios have been swapped:
- Lim Hui Ying is now deputy finance minister (previously deputy education minister)
- Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup is now deputy agriculture and food security minister (previously deputy science, technology and innovation minister)
- Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu is now deputy local government development minister (previously deputy women, family and community development minister)
- Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal is now deputy science, technology and innovation minister (previously deputy higher education minister)
- Datuk Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Sakmud is now deputy higher education minister (previously deputy human resources minister)
- Teo Nie Ching is now deputy communications minister (previously deputy communications and digital minister)
- Saraswathi Kandasamy is now deputy unity minister (previously deputy entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister)
- Datuk Chan Foong Hin is now deputy plantation and commodity minister (previously deputy agriculture and food security minister)
- Datuk Ugak Anak Kumbong is now deputy digital minister (previously deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department [Sabah, Sarawak affairs and special functions])
- Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad is now deputy human resources minister (previously deputy works minister)
- Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan is now deputy works minister (previously deputy finance minister)
Read also:
EPF CEO Amir Hamzah appointed as finance minister II in Cabinet reshuffle
EPF: New CEO will be announced in due course
MOF should not be affected by political pressures, PM says on appointment of non-politician as finance minister II
One more minister doesn't make DAP the biggest winner in Cabinet reshuffle, says Loke
Separation of ministry to empower delivery of information, drive digital economy — Fahmi
PM confirms new Cabinet line-up to be announced today
PM set to announce Cabinet reshuffle tomorrow, EPF CEO tipped to be finance minister II — sources