Cabinet reshuffle: Five new ministers as number of ministers, deputy ministers rises to 60

PUTRAJAYA: There were six portfolio changes and five new ministers appointed in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s first Cabinet reshuffle, announced on Tuesday (Dec 11).

Anwar’s original Cabinet, which had 28 ministers, has now been expanded to 31, following the split of two ministerial portfolios and the appointment of a second Finance Minister.

Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar was the only minister to be dropped. He will be replaced by Steven Sim, who was the recent Deputy Finance Minister II.

Technocrat and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) CEO Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan was appointed as Finance Minister II.

The reshuffle also marked the comeback of several former Cabinet ministers from the previous Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan governments.

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The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry was split into two - the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry, and the Natural Resources and Sustainability Ministry.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who held the Plantation and Commodities Ministry previously will now handle the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad will helm the Natural Resources and Sustainability Ministry portfolio.

Another ministerial portfolio that was split into two was the Communications and Digital Ministry.

Gobind Singh Deo who was the former Communications and Multimedia Minister in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pakatan Harapan cabinet will handle the Digital Ministry while Fahmi Fadzil will be handling Communications.

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Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has been moved to the now-revived Federal Territories Ministry. Former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad replaces her.

Former finance minister II Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani will helm the Plantations and Commodities ministry.

Meanwhile, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali who was the acting Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister after the demise of the former minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, will continue to helm the ministry.

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has been moved from the Defence Ministry to the Foreign Ministry while Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir will move to the Higher Education Ministry.

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In a three-way swap, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin will helm the defence portfolio.

Five new deputy ministers were appointed while two were dropped.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was prime minister for 17 months from March 2020, had appointed 32 ministers and 38 deputies.

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who took over the reins in August 2021, had a Cabinet of 31 ministers with 38 deputies.