PETALING JAYA: Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin (pic) will remain in the Cabinet for now, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Prime Minister said the Ampang MP could still attend the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (June 1) as she has not yet tendered her resignation to him.
“She can still attend the Cabinet meeting as she has not resigned and I have not fired her. Until she meets me and has a discussion, she is still a Cabinet minister," said Ismail Sabri.
“Until I make the final decision and elect a new minister, we do not know what will happen yet,” he added at a press conference in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday (May 28).
Ismail Sabri said that various people had given their views on Zuraida’s exit from Bersatu, including her former party’s president, Muhyiddin Yassin, as well as Cabinet colleagues.
“Everyone has different views on this issue. The final decision is mine to make. It is still too early to decide; because I have yet to meet her, I won’t comment further," said Ismail Sabri.
“Wait for me to return (to Malaysia), call her up for a meeting and discuss the matter with her. Then I will make the decision," he added.
Ismail Sabri said that everyone was entitled to give their views and opinions.
"I respect all views given and their views can be the basis for decision-making. But, as of now, no decision has been made,” he said.
Zuraida was among the 11 PKR MPs who quit after the “Sheraton Move” which brought down the Pakatan Harapan government in February 2020. She later joined Bersatu.
On May 26, Zuraida announced that she had quit Bersatu to join PBM.
Zuraida, who was also a Bersatu supreme council member, is currently overseas and expected to return to Malaysia on June 2 after participating in a Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) business mission.
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