[UPDATED] Deputy minister picks to be finalised soon: Rafizi

KUALA LUMPUR – The process of going through the shortlist of names to be appointed deputy ministers is ongoing this week, and likely to be finalised soon.

Economic Minister Rafizi Ramli said that the swearing-in ceremony could take place in a week or two and the process is similar to picking cabinet members.

He added that each party leader in the unity government has to propose their candidates but the number of deputy ministers appointed from each party will depend on how many MPs they have.

In a press conference in Putrajaya today, Rafizi said the prime minister will see who among the proposed candidates – taking into consideration their expertise and qualifications – are suited for which portfolio.

“After the prime minister has taken these into consideration, he will present the names to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to seek his consent.”

Last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the appointment of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as deputy prime ministers.

Anwar is also helming the finance portfolio while Zahid has been given the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and Fadillah takes the plantation industries and commodities portfolio.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry will also be assisted by a team of advisors led by Petronas advisor Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican. 

Pakatan Harapan (PH) took the bulk of cabinet posts, with 15 out of 28 ministers in Anwar’s unity government.

Of the 15, PKR has eight ministers, DAP four, Amanah two, and Upko one.

Barisan Nasional (BN) has six, GPS five, and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) one. Of the five from GPS, three are from linchpin-party Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, one from the Progressive Democratic Party, and one from Parti Rakyat Sarawak.

All six from BN, meanwhile, are from Umno, leaving MCA and MIC without any representation in the cabinet, so far. Deputy ministers, as well as the federal territories minister, have yet to be announced.

The lone GRS representative, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, is a former Umno man now with Bersatu. Sabah Bersatu, despite being a component party of federal opposition Perikatan Nasional, is part of GRS which is supporting Anwar’s unity government.

The sole non-politician in the line-up is Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, who was named religious affairs minister and appointed a senator on Saturday.

Another unelected minister named is Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, the former finance minister who is now international trade and industry minister.

BN’s Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir and PKR’s Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also contested in the 15th general election but lost, and were also appointed senators in order to take up cabinet posts.

With 28 ministers so far, Anwar’s cabinet currently matches the number of ministers in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration when PH held federal power from 2018 to 2022. The PH government then also had 27 deputies. – The Vibes, December 6, 2022