GEORGE TOWN – Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, the country’s longest-serving parliamentarian, has called on Malaysians to pray that the new prime minister is inspired to halve ministers’ salaries.
The Umno veteran, who holds the Gua Musang federal seat, in a brief statement said it is too early to ascertain how Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s cabinet, announced yesterday, will fare.
He stressed that there may have been limited choices.
Umno, which has 10 ministers out of the 31 portfolios, may not be happy with the line-up, he said.
“Perhaps, such persons are the only ones available. But I think Umno is displeased.
“Let us pray that they are paid at least half of the salaries they received under (former prime minister Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin).”
Penang PKR acting head and Balik Pulau MP Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said the line-up does not inspire public confidence.
People are unsure if the cabinet has the means to arrest the rising number of Covid-19 cases, revive the economy, and ensure stability before the next general election, he said.
“Given that PKR, as part of Pakatan Harapan, subscribes to mature politics, there is a need for the other side to consummate the political truce by putting in place policies that breed confidence that the country is back on the right path.
“It is disappointing for now, and we have to see how they (ministers) perform in the future.”
PKR supreme council member Datuk Abdul Halim Hussein said the rakyat’s expectations of Ismail Sabri’s cabinet are the same as the ones they had for the Muhyiddin administration.
“The public may not have the confidence. It is the same (outfit) of people.” – The Vibes, August 28, 2021
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