UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has stressed that the authority to appoint or dismiss Cabinet ministers lies entirely with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, following remarks by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan that he was prepared to step down if instructed to do so.
"I believe, as I have said, that the appointment of ministers is entirely at the discretion of the Prime Minister.
"If people no longer want you, why wait?" Khaled said.
Khaled, who is also Defence Minister, made the remarks after launching the Barisan Nasional (BN) election machinery for the Johol state constituency ahead of the Negeri Sembilan state election.
Mohamad had earlier said he was prepared to relinquish his Cabinet position if instructed by the Prime Minister, following Anwar's warning that ministers, deputy ministers and government agency leaders must not use their positions to attack fellow members of the Unity Government while campaigning.
Anwar had cautioned that those who failed to comply with the directive could be asked to step down from their posts.
Addressing campaign conduct, Khaled urged all political parties to focus on issues affecting Negeri Sembilan, particularly the state's development direction, rather than turning the election into a platform for personal attacks.
"This is a state election, so the issues discussed should naturally be related to the state and its future direction.
"As emphasised by the UMNO president, who is also BN chairman, campaigns should be conducted responsibly and should not use approaches that could hurt feelings or discredit others," he said.
He said a mature and responsible campaign approach was essential to ensuring the election remained centred on policies, governance and the interests of Negeri Sembilan residents. - July 20, 2026
