Anwar Ibrahim reshapes Cabinet for change

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took his time to replace the Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, a position that had become vacant following the sudden passing of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub. This move was widely anticipated by observers, as the prime minister used the opportunity to restructure his Cabinet.

Appointing Salahuddin’s successor was not a major concern for Anwar, as Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, the former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), had been acting in that capacity for some time.

However, there were larger changes at play, including the appointment of a new Second Finance Minister and the creation of new ministries from existing ones.

One of the deputy prime ministers, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who previously served as the Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, had his portfolio changed to Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilities. This new ministry separated from the previous Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change (NRECC) Ministry and is expected to provide fresh impetus to Malaysia’s energy transition roadmap.

Former Second Finance Minister and UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani replaced Fadillah in his former position. Johari’s name had long been mentioned as a potential candidate for Second Finance Minister, a post he held during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration. However, due to political considerations, he was assigned other portfolios in the past.

The coveted position of Second Finance Minister went to Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, the chief executive officer of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), who was appointed as a senator. There are two perspectives on this appointment: one suggests that the prime minister wanted a non-partisan member to be the second-in-command at the Ministry of Finance (MOF), similar to his predecessor’s approach with Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; the other perspective speculates that the prime minister may not fully trust the existing pool of backbenchers and current Cabinet members to serve as MOF 2.

The Cabinet reshuffle also saw the return of experienced figures to the administration. Alongside Johari, former Minister of Communications and Multimedia Gobind Singh and former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, both ministers in the first Pakatan Harapan administration, were appointed. Gobind Singh became the new Digital Minister, while Dr Dzulkefly returned to his previous post, replacing Dr Zaliha Mustafa, who now leads the revived Federal Territories Ministry under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Two former full ministers, one from UMNO and another from DAP, also returned in reduced roles as deputy ministers. Former Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad became the Deputy Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development, while M. Kulasegaran, the former Human Resources Minister, became the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms).

With the addition of experienced individuals to the administration, the prime minister intends to signal to Malaysians that he is serious about his responsibilities. The Prime Minister’s Office emphasized that the new Cabinet, with the addition of five new members (three full ministers and two deputy ministers), still had fewer members than the previous administration, which had 70 members under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and later Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

However, the number of ministers alone does not determine success; it is their ability to deliver on expectations that truly matters. Anwar reminded his appointees and the rest of the Cabinet that there would be no honeymoon period, but whether they can live up to this remains to be seen.

One year into the Madani administration, Anwar is undoubtedly feeling the pressure to fulfil his promises. The challenge for this administration lies not only in economic development but also in maintaining political stability. There may be future challenges and uncertainties, as is the nature of the present political landscape. Anwar’s task is to steer the ship and ensure its smooth sailing.

The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the New Sarawak Tribune.