Several Pakatan Harapan lawmakers confirm being offered Cabinet posts

Fuziah (left) and Shamsul Iskandar.

KUALA LUMPUR: Several Pakatan Harapan MPs have confirmed that they received calls from Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on their Cabinet appointments.

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said that she received a call from Dr Mahathir last week, offering her the Deputy Minister post in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of religion.

"I received a call from the Prime Minister who offered the post in charge of religion.

"I initially thought that I was not apt for the post, but I decided to accept it after consulting my party president who said that I should accept it," she said when met after a briefing for parliamentarians at Parliament on Tuesday (June 26).

Asked on the veracity of the "leaked" Cabinet list on social media, the PKR vice-president said that it was likely the list which had been submitted to the King for approval last week.

"The appointment would give me the opportunity to empower women in Islamic perspectives," she added.

Hang Tuah Jaya MP Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin said he received the call from Dr Mahathir on the fourth day of Hari Raya (June 19) offering him the post of Primary Industries Deputy Minister.

"I was offered the post of deputy minister in charge of primary industries," he said.

Although yet to be made official, he noted that Dr Mahathir had given him some tips on how to run the ministry, particularly in following up discussions with Alibaba Group founder and executive chairman Jack Ma, whom he had met on June 18.

Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar also confirmed that he had received a call from Dr Mahathir last week on his appointment to the Cabinet.

The PKR vice-president was named Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister.

Selangau MP Baru Bian remained tight-lipped over his purported appointment as Public Works Minister, but said it would be an apt post.

"If the appointment is official, it would be the post in which Sarawak has been hoping for," he said.

He said the post was apt, as it would allow for better infrastructure development in Sarawak and Sabah, which has been lagging behind.

Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar when asked if he received a call from Dr Mahathir, merely smiled and said that he was in contact with the Prime Minister on a regular basis.

Dr Mahathir confirmed on Monday (June 25) that all names of the full Cabinet line-up have been finalised.

The Prime Minister said the names would only be announced during the swearing-in by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on July 2.

So far, 12 ministers have been named and 13 ministerial portfolios filled, with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail helming the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry as well.