New Cabinet members sworn in, including country’s first female Deputy PM

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 13 new ministers have been sworn in before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negara here, joining Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the new Cabinet.

They include Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR), who became the country’s first female Deputy Prime Minister, and former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (DAP as Finance Minister.

Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (PKR) who was sworn in as Minister of Economic Affairs, will hold on to his Selangor Mentri Besar post until a replacement is found.

Others are Mohamed Sabu (Parti Amanah Negara) as Defence Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) as Home Affairs Minister, and Anthony Loke (DAP) as Transport Minister.

Dr Maszlee Malik (Pribumi) was sworn in as Education Minister, a portfolio that became controversial because Dr Mahathir had first named himself to that post before stepping back after realising it contradicted Pakatan’s election manifesto, which stated that the Prime Minister should not hold any other ministerial post.

M. Kulasegaran (DAP) was sworn in as Human Resources Minister, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Amanah) as Health Minister, Gobind Singh Deo as Communications and Multimedia Minister and Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR) as Housing and Local Government Minister.

Lastly, Salahuddin Ayub (Amanah) was appointed Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister and Rina Harun (Pribumi) was made Rural Development Minister.