KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hinted that a major reshuffle to his Cabinet is not on the cards but rather, vacancies in ministerial posts to be filled.
The Prime Minister explained that this is because the Cabinet only has about two years to serve.
“I don’t think a major reshuffle needs to be carried out.
“However, I am still considering what steps need to be taken, but filling those vacancies is necessary,” he told reporters after launching Perodua’s first battery electric vehicle, the QV-E, at Menara Miti here.
Anwar has four Cabinet posts to fill: Investment, Trade and Industry; Economy; Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability; and Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives.
Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad had resigned as the economy minister and the natural resources and environmental sustainability minister respectively, in May.
They left their posts following their defeats in the last PKR party elections.
Datuk Ewon Benedick resigned as entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister earlier last month, stating that he would quit if Putrajaya decided to appeal the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruling affirming Sabah’s rights to 40% of net federal revenue derived from the state.
The post of investment, trade and industry minister held by Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz will be vacant after his second term as senator ends tomorrow.
Stating that Tengku Zafrul still has “responsibilities to fulfil”, Anwar said a new role for the former minister will be unveiled tomorrow.
“He cannot just let it go. His last day is Dec 2, and he will continue working (after that). He will continue to work under his new role which will be announced on Dec 3,” the Prime Minister said.
Tengku Zafrul, who has served as a senator since 2020, completes his six-year tenure in the Dewan Negara on Dec 2. He was appointed to the Dewan Negara for a second term in December 2022.
Tengku Zafrul was first appointed as senator to join the Cabinet under then prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and has since served in multiple administrations, including under the government led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
