Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced 10 Cabinet line-up changes, as well as the splitting up of two ministries as part of the Cabinet reshuffling revealed on Tuesday.
Named as finance minister II is Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, 56, who earlier in the day was appointed as a senator in the Dewan Negara.
Also notable are 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 Malaysia on Monday naming the four individuals to the new Cabinet line-up, which came a little over one year since the formation of the unity government.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying is now the deputy finance minister, while Steven Sim has been appointed as the new human resources minister. Another deputy finance minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, has been moved to the Ministry of Works as its deputy minister.
Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof takes over the portfolio of energy transition and public utilities, at the same time still overseeing Sabah and Sarawak matters.
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Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad now leads the Ministry of Natural Resources and Sustainability, with Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii as his deputy. The two ministries led by Nik Nazmi and Fadillah were split from what was previously the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change.
Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, previously the deputy local government development minister, is now the deputy energy transition and public utilities minister.
Fahmi Fadzil remains in the Cabinet as the communications minister, following the splitting up of the digital portfolio.
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Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who was the defence minister, is now the foreign minister, with Datuk Mohamad Alamin remaining as the deputy.
In Mohamad’s stead, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin is now the defence minister, from his previous higher education portfolio.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Khadir is now the higher education minister. He was formerly the foreign minister.
Dr Zaliha Mustafa, formerly the health minister, now takes on the role of the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).
Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali is now the domestic trade and cost of living minister. The position was left vacant following the passing of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub in July this year after a surgery.
All in all, for the 10 Cabinet line-up changes, Fadillah, Khaled, Mohamad Hasan, Zaliha and Armizan are from the original Cabinet line-up, while the remaining five are new faces:
- 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)
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Additionally, those who are out of the new ministerial line-up include:
- V Sivakumar (previously the human resources minister — DAP/PH)
- 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)
Subsequently, the number of Cabinet ministers has risen to 31, from 28, whereas the number of deputy ministers has increased to 29, from 27.
The reshuffling also includes:
- Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup as the deputy agriculture and food security minister (previously deputy science, technology and innovation minister)
- Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu as the deputy local government development minister (previously deputy women, family and community development minister)
- Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal as the deputy science, technology and innovation minister (previously deputy higher education minister)
- Datuk Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Sakmud as the deputy higher education minister (previously deputy human resources minister)
- Teo Nie Ching as the deputy communications minister (previously deputy communications and digital minister)
- Saraswathi Kandasami as the deputy unity minister (previously deputy entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister)
- Datuk Chan Foong Hin as the deputy plantation and commodity minister (previously deputy agriculture and food security minister)
- Datuk Ugak Anak Kumbong as the deputy digital minister (previously deputy minister in the Prime Minister Department [Sabah, Sarawak affairs and special functions])
- Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad as the deputy human resources minister (previously deputy works minister)
Other new appointments include:
- 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)
This story originally appeared on The Edge Malaysia.
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