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New faces set to dominate
March
17, 2008 (Source: Daily Express)
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is set to announce his new
Cabinet, albeit a relatively smaller one, by
tomorrow (Tuesday), which will likely see a host
of new faces who emerged victorious in the
just-ended general election.
Early indications show the line-up may consist
of between 26 and 28 ministries from the
previous 31, with some ministries to be merged.
Abdullah has for the past few days held meetings
with all Barisan Nasional (BN) component party
heads to work out the finer details before
making up his mind, a reflection of the need to
adhere to the power-sharing concept of the BN
and take all communities into consideration.
There has been much speculation over the last
few days as to who are the Ministers to be
retained by Abdullah.
The Prime Minister had made it clear that
Ministers, who were defeated in the March 8
election would not be re-appointed, which means
there would not be "backdoor" entries into the
Cabinet via Senatorship.
BN won 140 seats to gain a simple majority in
Parliament, just eight seats short to secure a
two-thirds majority, while the Opposition has
82. In some countries, such a result would be
considered a landslide win.
Sources said several Umno and MCA Deputy
Ministers in the former Cabinet are set to move
up as Ministers.
MCA is likely to have four new representatives
and MIC will feature a new Minister for the
first time since 1979.
"The MIC Minister would be the sole Indian
representative in the Cabinet," said a source,
who hinted that party Secretary-General and
Segamat Member of Parliament Datuk Dr S.
Subramanian may get the job.
The source also said MIC is likely to be given
two Deputy Ministers and two parliamentary
secretaries.
There is also a possibility of one more Deputy
Minister's post reserved for the Indian
community.
Some in the MIC are speculating that Datuk M.
Saravanan (newly-elected Tapah MP) may be made a
Minister.
Another source said from the Umno side that
among the likely candidates to be promoted are
former Deputy Minister of International Trade
and Industry Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Deputy
Information Minister Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid
Hamidi, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin
Mohamad and Deputy Energy, Water and
Communications Minister Datuk Shahziman Abu
Mansor.
Sources are speculating that Shahziman is tipped
to head the Information Ministry, which may see
the communications component taken out from the
Energy, Water and Communications Ministry.
The move is to streamline the information and
communication portfolios under one umbrella.
MCA has submitted four names for ministerial
positions, comprising party Secretary-General
Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, Vice-President Datuk Ong Tee
Keat, Youth Chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai and
Wanita Chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen.
Ka Chuan is expected to take over from younger
brother Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting at the Housing
and Local Government Ministry, while the others
may assume portfolios traditionally apportioned
to MCA, with the Transport portfolio going to
Tee Keat, Human Resources to Liow and Health to
Dr Ng.
If elevated, Dr Ng will be the party's first
woman Minister.
"We are likely to get only four Ministers and
five Deputy Ministers' posts as we have decided
to give up the parliamentary secretaries' posts
and opted for fewer Deputy Ministers," a party
source said.
Prior to the election, MCA had four Ministers,
eight Deputy Ministers, four parliamentary
secretaries and one Deputy Dewan Rakyat
Speaker's post under the "4:8:4 + 1
arrangement".
Gerakan, which managed to retain only two
parliamentary seats, is likely to lose its place
in the Cabinet, as acting President Tan Sri Dr
Koh Tsu Koon had said the party was not asking
for any ministerial position.
BN components from Sabah and Sarawak, which had
performed exceptionally well, having won 24 of
the 25 seats and 30 of the 31 seats at stake,
respectively, may see a higher Cabinet
representation this time.
Sources said Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)
had requested for two more additional Ministers
instead of one in the previous Cabinet.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak Progressive
Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United
People's Party (SUPP) had only asked for their
status quo in the Cabinet and the administration
to be maintained.
PBB won all 14 seats it contested, SUPP six out
of seven, while PRS and SPDP retained all six
and four seats, respectively.
PPB would at least get two ministerial positions
and either PRS or SPDP would get another
Minister's post to better reflect the Dayak
community, the sources said.
Prior to the dissolution of Parliament, PBB only
had a sole representative in Datuk Seri Effendi
Norwawi, who did not contest in the polls, while
PRS was represented by Deputy Minister in the
Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Joseph
Entulu, and Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Joseph
Salang, while SPDP by Deputy Rural and Regional
Development Minister Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.
SPDP had recommended Dr Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading),
Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan (Baram), Datuk Seri
Tiong King Sing (Bintulu), Jelaing Mersat (Saratok)
and Senator Paul Chek Nyuk for Federal postings.
The Orang Ulu community had lobbied for
fourth-term Baram MP Jacob to be considered for
a Minister's post on the rationale that he would
be able to facilitate development in the rural
constituency, which is as big as Pahang, but the
country's least developed due to its remoteness
and vastness.
Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Sabah Progressive
Party (SAPP) had also asked for additional
Ministers after they won most of their seats.
PBS won two of the three parliamentary seats,
United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut
Organisation (Upko) retained all three
parliamentary seats and SAPP won all its two
parliamentary seats.
Other component parties such as Parti Bersatu
Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP) also won their sole parliamentary seats in
Pensiangan and Sandakan, respectively.
The victorious candidates are PBS Deputy
President Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (Kota Marudu),
Upko President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (Penampang),
PBRS President Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (Pensiangan)
and LDP President Datuk V.K. Liew (Sandakan).
Previously, Sabah had three Ministers, one each
from Umno, PBS and Upko. This composition is
likely to be maintained, with several new Deputy
Ministers given to other Sabah BN component
parties.
"Upko is likely to get one Deputy Minister's
post, apart from the existing one Minister's
post," a Sabah BN source said. SAPP, LDP and
PBRS are expected to get a Deputy Minister each.
- Bernama
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