Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin unveiled his Cabinet yesterday, with his own Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) as well as Umno dominating the new Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition line-up and without anyone named to the hotly contested deputy premiership.
The Bersatu president took a leaf out of Singapore's and Indonesia's books, creating four coordinating minister posts - calling them "senior ministers" - in a move he said would "ensure a functional Cabinet that will deliver service that is more focused".
"These senior ministers will aid me in my duties as Prime Minister, including chairing Cabinet meetings when I am not in the country. With these senior ministers, there is no current need for a deputy prime minister," he said in the announcement carried live on national television.
Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Azmin Ali, who joined Bersatu after its exit from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition led to the PH government collapsing two weeks ago, was named international trade and industry minister and senior minister in charge of the economy.
The infrastructure development portfolio has been handed to Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Fadillah Yusof, the most senior MP from Sarawak's ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), who will also be minister of works.
Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been placed in charge of security as defence minister. Bersatu information chief Mohd Radzi Md Jidin was appointed education minister, coordinating social affairs.
Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, chief executive of CIMB, one of the region's largest banks, was a surprise choice for finance minister. Former Umno minister Hishammuddin Hussein is the new foreign minister.
Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), which forms part of the PN government, gets three full Cabinet positions. PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man is the new environment minister.
As Tan Sri Muhyiddin indicated last week in his first address to the nation as Prime Minister, no politician with ongoing graft charges - such as former premier Najib Razak, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor - were appointed to the Cabinet.
Mr Muhyiddin has faced scrutiny over the make-up of his government since being sworn in as Prime Minister on March 1, following a week of political impasse after his party and other defectors left PH, triggering the resignation of then Premier Mahathir Mohamad.
Critics have attacked the move, which paved the way for scandal-tainted Umno to return to power. It was less than two years ago that Umno became an opposition party, after its six-decade rule came to an end with its defeat in the 2018 elections.
Concerns have also been raised over the potential of an overtly pro-Malay government due to the majority community's dominance of the PN alliance.
Mr Muhyiddin's Bersatu as well as Umno dominate the Cabinet line-up with 10 and nine ministers, respectively, out of the full list of 31. GPS has four ministers and smaller PN parties like the Malaysian Chinese Association, Malaysian Indian Congress and Parti Bersatu Sabah have one minister each.
Tengku Zafrul, who has resigned from his posts at CIMB effective immediately, pledged to "give his best to the nation" at a time when "the country is facing unprecedented economic challenges".
