KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (Bernama)--Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at Istana Negara here Wednesday noon to receive approval for his new Cabinet line-up.
He is expected to announce the line-up later in the day.
According to the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Department Tuesday, the King has agreed that the ceremony to present letters of appointment, as well as for the appointed ministers and deputy ministers to take the oath of office, loyalty and secrecy, be held at the palace at 9.30am on Thursday.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak described his new Cabinet as a delicate balance of experienced hands and fresh blood, with a number of technocrats in the mix.
ReplyDeleteBut the line-up was also based on a simple formula those who delivered were rewarded and those who didn't got nothing. The biggest beneficiaries were the Sabahans and Sarawakians.
ReplyDeleteThe Prime Minister rewarded the loyalty of voters in the two states handsomely, doubling their number of Cabinet members from six to 12. They now make up more than a third of the 32-member Cabinet.
ReplyDeleteOf the eight ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, three are from Sabah and Sarawak, namely Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, Nancy Shukri andDatuk Joseph Entulu Belaun. Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Anifah Aman are joined by a third Sabah Umno minister, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who holds the newly formed Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government portfolio.
ReplyDeleteThe Indian community, which showed strong support for the ruling coalition, was also amply rewarded. MIC, which won four parliament seats at the 13th general election to equal its tally prior to the polls, maintained two Cabinet positions. Party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment while deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam was made Health Minister.
ReplyDeleteIt also retained two deputy minister posts, with the appointment of Hulu Selangor MP P. Kamalanathan (Education) and Tapah MP and party vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan (Youth and Sports).
ReplyDeleteAs a bonus, the community received two extra deputy ministers. Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan from PPP was appointed Federal Territories Deputy Minister while Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy became Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.
ReplyDeleteHeeding the call for a stronger resolve to fight corruption, Najib picked Transparency International Malaysia president Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. Low has a reputation as an anti-graft campaigner who does not pull his punches in his criticisms.
ReplyDeleteTo tackle crime, Najib placed Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the new Home Minister in a direct swap with Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein who takes over the Defence portfolio. The appointment of the no-nonsense Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi just a day after Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar became the new Inspector- General of Police is expected to increase the momentum in the fight against crime.
ReplyDeleteWomen were also represented in the line-up. Nancy Shukri and Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim were appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Women, Family and Community Development Minister respectively. Five others were made deputy ministers.
ReplyDeleteDatuk Seri Najib Razak menekankan kepentingan ketelusan dalam pentadbiran kerajaan kerana ia adalah aspek yang dieksploitasi dan digembar-gembur oleh pembangkang tanpa mengambil kira sama ada ia bersandarkan kepada realiti atau persepsi.
ReplyDeletePerdana Menteri berkata, ketika ini pembangkang hanya tahu bagaimana persepsi boleh mengatasi realiti.
Katanya, dalam mesyuarat khas jemaah menteri yang dipengerusikannya buat kali pertama semalam selepas PRU-13, beliau meminta supaya anggota pentadbiran kerajaan memberikan maklum balas dengan lebih pantas dan lebih tegas terhadap sebarang isu yang dibangkitkan pembangkang.
ReplyDeletePerdana Menteri berkata, beliau turut menegaskan betapa penting bagi anggota Kabinet untuk bersedia menghadapi penilaian awam yang lebih tinggi lagi.
ReplyDeleteMaknanya, jangkaan atau harapan rakyat terhadap tingkah laku kita, sama ada pada diri kita mahupun anggota keluarga, adalah begitu tinggi. Oleh itu, kita mesti menjaga apa saja yang kita lakukan, pembawaan dan cara hidup supaya rakyat tidak mempersoalkan apa saja membabitkan integriti kita sebagai anggota pentadbiran, katanya.
ReplyDeletePagi semalam, anggota Kabinet baru mengangkat sumpah jawatan dan taat setia serta sumpah simpan rahsia di hadapan Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, di Istana Negara.
ReplyDeleteMesyuarat pertama Kabinet baru hari ini berlangsung selama hampir dua jam, sejurus mereka bergambar beramai-ramai di Aras Satu bangunan Putra Perdana, pada jam 3.15 petang.
Merujuk kepada anggota Kabinet baru Najib berkata, beliau melihat mereka sememangnya bersemangat tinggi dan bersedia memikul tanggungjawab sebagai satu pasukan.
ReplyDeleteInsya-Allah kita akan melakukan yang terbaik untuk memenuhi dan melaksanakan segala amanah dan janji kita kepada rakyat, katanya.
ReplyDeletePerdana Menteri berkata, dalam mesyuarat pertama itu beliau juga menegaskan pentingnya untuk menjunjung amanah dan kepercayaan diberikan rakyat kepada kerajaan.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, beliau menegaskan bahawa apa saja disuarakan anggota Kabinet, ia bukan atas nama individu, sebaliknya mewakili kerajaan dan adalah pendirian bersama.
ReplyDeleteApa saja yang kita lakukan, ia mesti atas nama sebuah kerajaan, bukannya kita bergerak dalam compartment (ruang atau bahagian yang terpisah daripada bahagian lain) atau silo masing-masing. Saya tegaskan penting kita menjadi satu pasukan yang jitu, kukuh dan selaras tindakan kita, sama ada dalam negara mahupun di luar negara, sama ada kita berbicara dengan media tempatan mahupun media antarabangsa, katanya.
ReplyDeleteBeliau meminta setiap anggota Kabinet memberi nilai tambah kepada perkhidmatan dengan bukan hanya menjaga kementerian atau kawasan masing-masing, sebaliknya sanggup melakukan lebih daripada itu termasuk menyertai forum bersama dengan rakyat, sama ada penyertaan secara bersemuka, mahupun menerusi media sosial atau tradisional.
ReplyDelete