Latest cabinet line-up avoids major overhaul

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PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday said he was happy with his current cabinet line-up, which did not require him to undertake a major overhaul.

He said furthermore the cabinet had only been formed for about a year.

“The present cabinet has been formed for just slightly more than a year. You have to give time for them (members) to perform and we will review if necessary when the time comes,” he told a news conference to announce the new appointments to his cabinet here yesterday.

The appointment involved three new full ministers and three deputy ministers comprising Barisan Nasional (BN) component party leaders from MCA and Gerakan.

They are MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai as Transport Minister, Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong and MCA deputy president Datuk Wee Ka Siong as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department respectively.

Also included in the cabinet line-up as deputy ministers are three MCA Vice-Presidents, namely Datuk Lee Chee Leong as Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Chua Tee Yong as Deputy Finance Minister and Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun as Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister.

According to Najib’s statement at the media conference, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to Chiew’s appointment as a member of the Senate for three years starting yesterday.

Najib expected the new cabinet line-up to perform their duties and responsibilities well in executing government policies.

“This is a Barisan Nasional (BN) government, so although we represent our own component parties, in a way our own ethnic group, don’t forget another wider responsibility that we are collectively a BN government, so we have to take into account the interest of all communities,” he said.

He said the cabinet expansion would lead to a meaningful discussion at the cabinet level because they should be able to get a wider range of views.

The prime minister also wanted to ensure that the size of the cabinet would not be a problem, in terms of making and executing any decisions.

On the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 search operation since Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein was no longer the acting Transport Minister, he said discussions would be held between Hishammuddin and Liow on the next course of action regarding it.

Meanwhile on the vacancy of the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department’s (JPM) post following the resignation of P Waytha Moorthy, he said there was no necessity.

He said this was because a Cabinet Committe on Indian Current Affairs was already in existence while all the ministers and deputy ministers who represented the Indian community had been given specific tasks and responsibilities.

“A unit has also been set up in JPM to help, in terms of monitoring new suggestions and decisions to the government so the problems of the Indian community is being given due attention by the government,” he said.

On the additional deputy women, family and community development minister, he said there was such a need for the appoinment to address specific duties especially on women issues. — Bernama