The Malaysian Insight

A LIST of 28 ministers and 24 deputy ministers for the Mahathir government has been confirmed as true, with Sabah and Sarawak politicians heading several key posts.

Among the notable appointments are Darell Leiking as international trade and industry minister, Saifuddin Abdullah as foreign minister, Khalid Samad as federal territories minister, Mujahid Yusof as Islamic affairs minister, Teresa Kok as primary industries minister and Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman as the youth and sports minister.

Many of them are now at a Parliament briefing for new MPs, and have stopped short of confirming the list, although Amanah’s Khalid said he had been informed. His party is among the four component parties of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) that won the May 9 polls.

“Yes I did get a call, but it is still subject to change,” he said, smiling while declining to confirm his position.

A highly placed source said the list, now going viral, is final, and the new ministers will join their fellow PH colleagues in taking their oath of office on July 2.

The names on the cabinet tally with a list published by The Malaysian Insight on June 13, but the ministers’ portfolios have been changed since then due to party requests.

However, Hindraf will not sit in the cabinet as earlier speculated.

DAP’s Yeo Bee Yin is the new energy, technology, and environment minister.

The other PKR representatives in the cabinet include its Sarawak chief, Baru Bian, as Works Minister; vice-president Xavier Jayakumar (Water, Land, and Natural Resources); secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution (Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs);

PH’s Sabah ally, Parti Warisan Sabah, will also be represented by its Batu Sapi MP, V.K. Liew (Law) and Silam MP Mohamaddin Ketapi (Tourism), apart from Darell in the International Trade and Industry Ministry.

Bersatu’s Alor Gajah MP Mohd Redzuan Yusof will helm the revived Public Enterprises ministry.

The 24 deputy ministers who have been picked for the various ministries, including one senator, are as follows:

Amiruddin Hamzah, a Bersatu MP from Kedah, is deputy finance minister.  

Other Bersatu deputy ministers are Tanjung Piai MP Md Farid Md Rafik (Prime Minister’s Department, national unity and social wellbeing), Kuala Pilah MP Eddin Syazlee Shith (communications and multimedia), and Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Md Salleh (federal territories).

Azis Jamman, a Sabah Warisan MP, is deputy home minister. His party colleague Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis gets the energy, technology, science, climate change, and environment deputy minister post.

DAP Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh is deputy minister of the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry, while her party colleague Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching will be deputy education minister.

The party’s Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming is set to be deputy minister for international trade and industries, while his colleague, Sarawak chief Chong Chieng Jen, will take on the role of deputy domestic trade and consumers affairs minister.

Other DAP deputy ministers are Raub MP Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji (water, land and natural resources) and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong (youth and sports).

From Amanah, the deputy ministers are Lumut MP Mohd Hatta Ramli (public enterprises), Temerloh MP Annuar Tahir (works), Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar (human resource), Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Prime Minister’s Department, law), and Senator Ahmad Termizi Ramli (housing and local government).

From PKR, the deputy ministers are Gopeng MP Dr Lee Boon Chye (health), Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh (Prime Minister’s Department, Islamic affairs), Sim Tze Tzin (agriculture), Bandar Tun Razak MP Kamaruddin Jaffar (transport), Hang Tuah Jaya MP Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin (primary industries), Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa (rural and community development), and  Balik Pulau MP Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (tourism, arts and culture). – June 26, 2018.