Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has announced his Cabinet.
It is a smaller one -- from 32 down to 27 ministries.
And a smaller women representation.
There are surprises, one of which : Khairy Jamaluddin's not in it, contrary to popular fears. Perhaps here's why. Ok, so this is not such a surprise after all.
Now the real surprise: He dropped Rafidah Aziz (former International Trade and Industry Minister) and Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis (former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister).
Also dropped were Azmi Khalid (former Natural Resources and Environment Minister), Radzi Sheikh Ahmad (former Home Affairs Minister) and Tengku Adnan Mansor (former Tourism Minister).
I'm surprised because Rafidah is Wanita Umno chief and she did win her seat in a state that's now controlled by the opposition, I might add.
(Muhyiddin Yassin has taken over her former portfolio.)
And JJ -- whatever many of you may think of him -- also did win his Pahang seat.
Didn't the PM say that those who won (in the elections) could be sure of remaining in Cabinet? I must have imagined this statement then.
Rafidah and JJ weren't performing in Cabinet?
But just as I was wondering aloud about Wanita Umno's representation in the Cabinet, in came a statement from the PM's Department that Wanita Umno deputy chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had been appointed the PM's special adviser on women's and social development.
The appointment with ministerial rank, will be effective from today (Wednesday, March 19).
Shahrizat who was Women, Family and Community Development Minister, lost her Lembah Pantai seat in the March 8 general election.
She had been MP for three terms since 1995.
In carrying out her duties and responsibilities, Shahrizat will work closely with her previous ministry which is now helmed by Wanita MCA chief Dr Ng Yen Yen.
(Now, if I were Yen Yen, I'd be a trifle stifled.)
Now, what do I make of this? That Shahrizat is Abdullah's preferred Wanita Umno leader in his Cabinet?
Rafidah must be really pissed.
Another surprise? -- Muhammad Muhd Taib's political career has been resurrected. He's been made Rural and Regional Development Minister.
Lucky him! It sure wasn't divine intervention.
And a comeback kid -- Shahrir Samad who is Domestic and Consumer Affairs Minister.
(A bit of a "junior" post, no?)
Abdullah also appointed non-MPs -- lawyer Zaid Ibrahim and corporate figure Amirsham Abdul Aziz.
Here's our Cabinet:
Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Umno)
Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (Umno)
Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (UPKO)
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (Umno)
Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Umno)
Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim (Umno)
Datuk Amirsham Abdul Aziz (Umno)
Deputy Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department
Datuk Johari Baharom (Umno)
Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim (Umno)
K. Devamany (MIC)
Datuk Hasan Malek (Umno)
Finance
Minister - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Umno)
Second Finance Minister - Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Umno)
Deputies - Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, (Umno) Datuk Kong Cho Ha (MCA)
Defence
Minister - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop (Umno)
Internal Security and Home Affairs
Minister - Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar (Umno)
Deputies - Datuk Chor Chee Heung, (MCA)
Senator Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh (Umno)
Housing and Local Government
Minister - Datuk Ong Ka Chuan (MCA)
Deputies - Datuk Robert Lau (SUPP) Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin (Umno)
Works Minister
Minister - Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamad (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Yong Khoon Seng (SUPP)
Energy, Water and Communications
Minister - Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy - Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry
Minister - Datuk Mustapa Mohamed (Umno)
Deputy - Datin Paduka Rohani Abdul Karim (Umno)
International Trade and Industry
Minister - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Umno)
Deputies - Datuk Liew Vui Keong (LDP) Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan
Foreign Affairs
Minister - Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar (Umno)
Education
Minister - Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (Umno)
Deputies - Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Razali Ismail (Umno)
Higher Education
Minister - Datuk Khaled Nordin (Umno)
Deputies - Dr Hou Kok Chung (MCA) Datuk Idris Harun (Umno)
Transport
Minister - Datuk Ong Tee Keat (MCA)
Deputy - Datuk Anifah Aman
Human Resources
Minister - Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam (MIC)
Deputy - Datuk Noraini Ahmad (Umno)
Women, Family and Community Development
Minister - Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen
Deputy - Noriah Kasnon
National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage
Minister - Datuk Shafie Apdal (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Teng Boon Soon (MCA)
Science, Technology and Innovation
Minister - Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy - Fadilah Yusof
Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Development
Minister - Datuk Noh Omar (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Saiffuddin Abdullah
Natural Resources and Environment
Minister - Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas (PPB)
Deputy - Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh (Umno)
Minister Rural and Regional Development
Minister - Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib (Umno)
Deputy - Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, Joseph Entulu Belaun
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Minister - Datuk Shahrir Samad (Umno)
Deputy - Jelaing Mersat
Plantation Industries and Commodities
Minister - Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui (SUPP)
Deputy - Senator A. Kohilan Pillay (Gerakan)
Youth and Sports
Minister - Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaacob (Umno)
Deputy - Wee Jeck Seng (MCA)
Health
Minister - Datuk Liow Tiong Lai (MCA)
Deputy - Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad (Umno)
Information
Minister - Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Tan Lian Hoe (Gerakan)
Tourism
Minister - Datuk Seri Azalina Othman (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib (PPB)
Federal Territories
Minister - Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique (Umno)
Deputy - Datuk M. Saravanan (MIC)
UPDATE:
ANIFAH AMAN has turned down his appointment as Deputy Transport Minister in the new Cabinet line-up.
Read Bernama to know why. Click here.
15 comments:
Nuraina...
I'm not impressed with those new faces on Pak Lah's new cabinet lineup. They are chips from the same rotten block. It won't make any difference.
Malay Women in Malaysia
KJ! It is so sad to see many get all work up with and work thier mind around rumours.
If I am not mistaken, he said, even Ministers who won wont be guaranteed of being retain!
I think among the better appointments is that of YB Sharir Samad. He is a person widely respected especially by the non Malays, a person known for his far sightedness and calm not to mention as one always cognizant of the muhibah spirit that is so much needed in Malaysia now. RAM.
I counted 33 Ministers including PM and DPM. How come the number 27 is being bandied around??
So is Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar, of Foreign Affairs.
A Cabinet of convenience and a stop-gap measure to appease multiple demands beyond the intellectual capacity of this lame and weak PM. Strains are showing and certain parties will start flexing their muscles to demand for specific portfolios. Or else...
Sabah should seriously consider the ouster of UMNO from their state, and only then can Sabah politics be more beneficial for those able-bodied landers below the wind.
Sarawak too should be more aware of their people's aspirations / expectations, and not be subservient to the whims and fancies of the tempestuous and greedy Taib Mahmud & his family which is sucking the state dry!! PKR & DAP should cooperate strategically so as to soundly kick the butts of PBB & SUPP!!
Cheers,
Gerubuk
Ena, I wait with bated breath for the ToRs for both Shahrizat and Yen Yen to see how they differ. Plus I guess there should be no more need for NACIWID (Majlis Penasihat Wanita) among whose members include Prof Sharifah Hapsah, Datuk Rafiah Salim, Datuk Mohaiyani, Aishah Ali, Ivy Josiah and myself. Our role was to advise the Government on women's issues.
There are now only 2 women Ministers, down one from last time and only 5 Deputies, most of whom are new. I'd like to know the rationale for promoting Mashitah Ibrahim from non-performing Parliamentary Secretary to Deputy Minister (via Senatorship).I can't find any records of what she's done since 2004 except take glamorous photos of herself.
When pak lah talks for the first time, he is sleeping, when he talks for the second time, he is dreaming, when he talks for the third time, he is just assuming things. Finally, he knows not what he is talking about. When he tries to remember his last words, he'll get nazri aziz to do the talking, shouting and barking. They are printed in newspapers, that is final.
Next morning, when we read the statements, we all laugh while having breakfast at coffee shops and put the newspaper back in a rack.
And everybody would say, pak lah is a real circus clown.
YES, YOU IMAGINED PM SAID MINISTERS WHO WON IN THE ELECTIONS WOULD REMAIN IN THE CABINET. HE ACTUALLY SAID WINNING DID NOT GUARANTEE THEM A CABINET SEAT!
WITH RAFIDAH IT'S A CASE OF STAYING TOO LONG UNTIL YOU BURN YOUR OWN SEAT WITH YOUR ARROGANCE AND CONDESCENSION WHETHER AS MINISTER OR KETUA WANITA!
ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME WANITA UMNO BREAKS AWAY FROM ITS INERTIA AND CULTURAL ROT AND BECOME THE FORMIDABLE FORCE IT HAS (BY SHEER NUMBERS)THE POTENTIAL TO BE?
BREAK AWAY FROM THE MAK CIK IMAGE AND MENTALITY AND SHOW MALAYSIANS MALAY WOMEN ARE INTELLIGENT, POLITICALLY INDEPENDENT AND PROGRESSIVE INSTEAD OF JUST BEING WEAK LEFT ARMS OF CHAUVINISTIC UMNO MEN!
UMNO WANITA MUST REINVENT THEMSELVES INTO MAK CHIC LEST THEY BE OVERTAKEN BY PUTERI CHICKS!!!
guys,
like i said, i must have imagined that PM said what I thought he said. My apologies.
MarinaM,
I can guess what's really up -- dropping rafidah, and later (like an afterthought), appointing Shahrizat as special adviser...
in all fairness, Rafidah as Wanita chief should be retained. why wasn't she dropped the last reshuffle?
My guess is she's going to be a lot of "problem" for Pak lah i.e her stand on certain international policies. I maybe wrong.
And Mashitah --- that's a good one. Have you gone to Baling where she was its former MP? Mashitah, Mashitah...
Nuraina,
You may have the best Kitchen Cabinet money can buy but if you got a lousy Chef - you might end up eating instant noodles for your daily meals.
Before they start work - please declare all assets including Pol Sec, Press Sec etc and also implement Key Performance Index.
Cili~man.
Looks like the most challenging task of all is the appointment of the new cabinet! Is there such a thing as a "perfect cabinet" line-up for ua opiniated rakyat? With everyone having their own ideas on who should be in and out, would be interesting if anyone out there wants to "illustrate" what the most acceptable cabinet line-up would be? Just see if anyone could finally get it "right" where readers throw in a consensus or reject, reject, reject....guess it is easier for us onlookers( with vested interest though) as worry about the dynamics.
Pak Lah need to look at beautiful things in his daily activities, Mashitah yes, Jeanne no
Ena,
when I read Mashitah's name I was truly shocked! Fell of the chair when I saw Noraini's!
Must be their eloquence during the last UMNO GA that sealed the deal :lol:
Apa nak jadi...
I sometimes wonder if this are being done on purpose, to prove some sicko ideal?
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