Malaysia swears in PM Muhyiddin's new Cabinet ministers in front of King

PUTRAJAYA - The swearing-in ceremony for new Malaysian Cabinet ministers and their deputies was at the Istana Melawati on Tuesday (March 10), witnessed by the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin.

The ceremony began at 3pm and was televised live on national television.

The Malaysian Queen, Tuanku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah was also in attendance.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday announced his Cabinet list comprising 31 full ministers, including four senior ministers.

There are 38 deputy ministers.

Later, it was revealed that only 37 deputy ministers were sworn in. An MP from Sarawak turned down the post and his Progressive Democratic Party - part of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) faction - indicated that Datuk Sri Tiong King Sing deserved to be a full minister.

The officials were sworn in by reading the oath in front of the Malaysian King in groups of between five to seven people. The first group sworn in was the four senior ministers, the finance minister and two ministers from the non-Malay/Muslim community.

PN's four factions comprise Mr Muhyiddin's Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, Umno-led Barisan Nasional, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and the GPS.

Two of the four senior ministers are from Bersatu - Datuk Seri Azmin Ali who is in charge of the economy, and Mr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin who looks after education and social affairs.
Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaacob is senior minister in charge of security and defence minister, and the infrastructure development portfolio is handled by Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof from GPS.

The Cabinet includes Umno figures who were also ministers in the previous BN administration.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is the new foreign minister and Mr Khairy Jamaluddin takes up the science, technology and innovation portfolio

PAS has three full ministers including the environment and legal affairs ministers.