Ismail leaves empty DPM post, keeps senior ministers
Cabinet's similarity to previous line-up leads opposition to question rationale behind it
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Malaysia's Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday unveiled his Cabinet, which more or less mirrors the previous administration, prompting one opposition leader to liken it to "old wine in a new bottle".
Datuk Seri Ismail has retained a host of senior ministers in their portfolios and left the deputy premiership post empty, taking a leaf out of predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's book.
Umno dominates the Cabinet, with 28 of the 70 members, including Mr Ismail, from the party.
Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz has been retained in his post.
Former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will helm the Ministry of Health. Under the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration, he was also coordinating minister of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
With his appointment as the new Health Minister, the Rembau MP replaces Datuk Seri Adham Baba. Dr Adham will now take over Mr Khairy's old portfolio.
Several senior ministers from the previous administration were also retained, including International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
"I hope the appointment of this Cabinet will give new confidence for the country to rise up and unite against Covid-19, as well as liberating the Malaysian families from misery as a result of this pandemic," Mr Ismail said in a national televised announcement.
"I will make sure this Cabinet emphasises a high-performance work culture. Thus, every ministry needs to make short-term and long-term planning and achieve the targets. For that, each ministry needs to prove their achievements in the first 100 days (in office)."
There are 31 ministers and 38 deputies in the new Cabinet. The new line-up was announced a week after Mr Ismail was installed as Malaysia's ninth premier, following the collapse of Mr Muhyiddin's PN administration on Aug 16.
The new ministers will be sworn in on Monday.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last night issued a statement after the Umno Supreme Council held a meeting, saying the party will cooperate with the new administration to jointly address the pandemic and economic crisis.
The similarity of Mr Ismail's Cabinet to PN's line-up, however, prompted the opposition to question the rationale behind it.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said fresh ideas and new approaches were needed to tackle the Covid-19 and economic crises.
"But the measure that was taken is just recycling of ministers who did not show their capabilities to overcome the problem effectively," he said in a video statement.
Democratic Action Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng described it as a "recycled Cabinet" that is "no different from putting old wine in a new bottle". He said it would "raise scrutiny" on whether Mr Ismail is genuine about undertaking concrete institutional reforms.
Mr Ismail met the leaders of the opposition Pakatan Harapan pact on Wednesday and offered reforms and wider measures to combat the Covid-19 crisis, in exchange for their support in Parliament.