Cabinet reshuffle: Announcement at 11am, PM confirms

PUTRAJAYA: An announcement on the much anticipated Cabinet reshuffle will be at 11am Tuesday (Dec 12).

Confirming this, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the new line-up will see a larger Cabinet.

“This is because I’m transferring some of the tasks.

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“But it will still be smaller than the previous one (administration),” he said when approached by reporters after attending the Finance Ministry’s monthly assembly.

The Prime Minister, however, did not confirm if any of his current ministers would be dropped.

The Cabinet formed by the unity government in December 2022 consists of 28 ministers and 27 deputy ministers, including the Prime Minister and two Deputy Prime Ministers.

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The portfolio of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister became vacant following the death of its incumbent Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

The position is currently held by Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali who is the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Duties).

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was prime minister for 17 months from March 2020, had appointed 32 ministers and 38 deputies to his Cabinet, while Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who took the reins from Aug 21, 2021, to Oct 10, 2022, had a Cabinet of 31 ministers with 38 deputies.

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Earlier, it was reported that the much-speculated Cabinet reshuffle was expected to take place on Tuesday.

Highly-placed sources said several ministries will be affected.

It was also reported that it could see the return of several senior MPs who had previously served as ministers while a few MPs may make their debut as ministers.

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The reshuffle is taking place a year after the unity government headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim came into power.

The reshuffle will help to strengthen the government as a few ministers have come under fire for perceived poor performance while others say experienced leaders need to come on board.