Malaysia

27 ministers in unity cabinet take oaths of office

Former political foes stand shoulder-to-shoulder to swear duty to country

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 03 Dec 2022 4:18PM

27 ministers in unity cabinet take oaths of office — The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah prepare for the federal ministers’ swearing-in ceremony at the Istana Negara today. – Malaysia Information Department pic, December 3, 2022

KUALA LUMPUR – The 27 ministers announced in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity cabinet took their oaths of office before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara today.

The ceremony, which began at 3pm and was telecast live on RTM, was conducted in six groups of ministers, beginning with the two deputy prime ministers, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadhillah Yusof.

Zahid is also the rural and regional development minister while Fadhillah also holds the plantation and commodities portfolio.

Both swore their oaths of office and oaths of secrecy before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, witness the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-appointed cabinet members at the Istana Negara today. – Malaysia Information Department pic, December 3, 2022

The ministers’ swearing was also witnessed by Anwar and wife, Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Anwar had taken his oath of office as prime minister on November 24.

After reciting their oaths, Zahid and Fadhillah signed the instruments of their appointment before Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.

The second group of ministers to swear their oaths were Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

In the third group were Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Home Minister Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, International Trade and Industry Minister Senator Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, and Science and Technology Minister Chang Lih Kang.

Cabinet ministers of the new unity government taking their oaths of duty before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara today. – Malaysia Information Department pic, December 3, 2022

The fourth group of cabinet members were Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.

The remaining ministers also swore their oaths in the same manner. They were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Digital Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Education Minister Fadhilna Sidek, and National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

The final group to be sworn in were Religious Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Amirzan Mohd Ali.

Anwar yesterday said the new ministers will be called in for a special meeting on Monday, where he will set “new rules” for his cabinet. – The Vibes, December 3, 2022