Opposition takes Anwar to task over new Cabinet size

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional parties panned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for going back on his word during the last general election when he promised that his Cabinet would be smaller than that of his predecessors.

“Previously (during the last general election campaign and at the start of his term), Anwar had stated that he wanted to shrink the size of the Cabinet,” said PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

“What is obvious now is that his Cabinet just got bigger,” said the Kubang Kerian MP.

After he was made Prime Minister in December last year, Anwar had promised a lean Cabinet to cut costs.

Tuan Ibrahim added that the reshuffle did not remove ministers who are considered problematic such as Datuk Tiong King Sing, who heads the Tourism, Arts and Culture portfolio.

“The people want to see the effectiveness of the Cabinet. Yet, problematic ministers like Datuk Seri Tiong are maintained but good deputy ministers like Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad are transferred when the latter should have been promoted to a full minister,” said Tuan Ibrahim.

Over the past few months, Tiong and PAS leaders have engaged in a war of words as Tiong blamed the conservative policies of Perikatan Nasional-governed states for driving away tourists.

PAS is part of the Perikatan opposition coalition which also includes Bersatu and Gerakan.

Tuan Ibrahim also reiterated the opposition’s claim that the unity government is dominated by the DAP after Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying was appointed deputy finance minister.

Lim is the daughter of DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

“The Cabinet changes do not reflect the performance of ministers and deputy ministers but this is more to secure Anwar’s post as the Prime Minister as he fears that there might be unhappy MPs who may retract their support”.

“Also, what is the point of having two ministers to look after communications and digital portfolios separately and with deputy ministers to boot? What is the need?” asked Tuan Ibrahim, referring to how the Communications and Digital Ministry has been split into two –Communications and Digital.

The Communications Ministry will be helmed by Fahmi Fadzil, while Gobind Singh Deo will lead the Digital portfolio, each with their own deputy ministers.

Bersatu information chief Datuk Razali Idris questioned the appointment of a technocrat such as Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan as Second Finance Minister.

“Even though there is a Second Finance Minister, the absolute power is still with the Finance Minister.

“This might cause overlapping of powers and instructions (from two ministers) which will lead to unnecessary bureaucracy – a headache for the Finance Ministry,” he said.

Razali added that Amir Hamzah may also be caught in the middle of political pressures in the unity government despite his sterling track record in government-linked companies and the Employees Provident Fund.

“The former CEO needs to have strong willpower to face the politicians of the unity government. There is no wow factor in this Cabinet reshuffle,” said Razali.