PUTRAJAYA: MCA’s position in the newly announced cabinet would be determined later as it depends on the stand adopted by the party not to accept cabinet posts if it fared badly in the 13th general election, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The prime minister said the decision of the party, taken at an extraordinary general meeting, would have to be changed if the government were to consider the participation of the party’s leaders in the cabinet.
In drawing attention to the absence of MCA representatives in the cabinet for the moment, Najib gave the assurance that the government would serve all the communities.
“As we hold to the BN (Barisan Nasional) concept, regardless of which party we belong to, we must give consideration to all communities,” he told a media conference after announcing the new cabinet line-up at the Perdana Putra Building, here.
Asked when the MCA representatives could join the cabinet, Najib said it was up to the MCA to determine and added that a ministry (transport) was being held for the MCA until the party could amend its decision.
When announcing the new cabinet, Najib said the post of minister of transport was being held in an acting capacity by Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein who has been named the defence minister.
In the last cabinet, the MCA held four portfolios — transport, health, tourism, and housing and local government.
The MCA only won seven parliamentary and 11 state seats in the general election on May 5.
At an extraordinary general meeting earlier, the party adopted the stand not to accept cabinet posts if it fared worse than in the 2008 general election when it won 15 parliamentary and 32 state seats.
Replying to a question, Najib said the number of ministers in the new cabinet was almost the same as in the previous cabinet, but the number of deputy ministers had been reduced by 11.
“The number of ministers is almost the same because it reflects the large Barisan Nasional family,” he said. — Bernama