KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has denied reports of an impending Cabinet reshuffle that was reported by a news portal on Monday (Aug 12).
Anwar said news reports claiming that a Cabinet reshuffle is on the cards is a serious matter and he had not heard about any plans to change his Cabinet lineup.
“I was just told about it (the report). I did not hear about that before.
“Who wants to help me reshuffle? I didn’t hear about this. This is a serious matter,” said Anwar after officiating at the Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY) 2024 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
Asked further if a mentri besar would be taking up a ministerial post as alleged by the report, Anwar remained coy.
“God willing, he (the mentri besar) can be (a minister) after the general election,” he said in jest.
Quoting a “well-placed source”, a news portal claimed that a prominent minister from PKR would either be moved to another ministry or dropped from the Cabinet.
The report also claimed that a mentri besar would take up a ministerial post and several assemblymen were "in the know" about this move.
The report further claimed that the reshuffle would take place by the end of August, with several deputy ministers being elevated to full ministers.
The last Cabinet reshuffle took place in December, one year after Anwar formed the unity government.
It saw an increase of ministers from 29 to 31, with DAP’s V. Sivakumar replaced as Human Resources Minister by Steven Sim.
Amanah’s Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad then returned as Health Minister and Umno’s Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani was appointed Plantation and Commodities Minister.
The Communications and Digital Ministry was split into the Communications Ministry and Digital Ministry, helmed by Fahmi Fadzil and Gobind Singh Deo respectively.
