MINISTER of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani has underscored that the selection of ministers and the allocation of Cabinet portfolios are entirely the prerogative of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking to Buletin TV3 following his attendance at the MADANI Executive Dialogue hosted by the Institut Aminuddin Baki, Johari highlighted the Prime Minister’s authority to structure his Cabinet according to his administrative strategy.
“Any Cabinet position is the prerogative of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, as the captain of government, will organise according to strategy. Perhaps he prefers me to handle this task, perhaps he prefers someone else for that. That is all part of his prerogative,” he said.
Johari’s remarks come amid reports linking him to the vacant Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), following the conclusion of Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz’s tenure as Senator, which automatically ended his role as MITI Minister. The Prime Minister is expected to announce Tengku Zafrul’s new assignment today.
Several other names have also surfaced as potential candidates for the MITI portfolio, including PKR Vice-President Datuk Seri R. Ramanan and former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Johari’s statements reinforce the principle that ministerial appointments in Malaysia remain at the discretion of the Prime Minister, reflecting both strategic considerations and political calculus in Cabinet formation. - December 3, 2025
