PUTRAJAYA, Sept 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today hinted that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living portfolio in the Cabinet will be filled as soon as possible.

Met by reporters after the One Million Al-Quran Waqf Solidarity event here today, he said the post will be filled after taking into several considerations.

"Insya-Allah, we will fill the vacancy. If you have any suggestions, please write to me as soon as possible... (for) me to consider,” he said when asked about the vacancy in the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living portfolio in the Cabinet following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub last 23.

Salahuddin, 61, died at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah, due to a brain haemorrhage.

The duties of the Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living are currently assumed by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

Regarding the suggestion for him to explain in the Dewan Rakyat the reasons for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi being granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for all 47 graft charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, Anwar said: "Insya-Allah”.

Yesterday, Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) proposed to Anwar to give an explanation pertaining to his alleged interference in Ahmad Zahid’s DNAA case at the Dewan Rakyat, so as to put a stop to the issue.

Prior to this, Anwar stressed that he had never interfered in the court’s decision pertaining to the DNAA granted to Ahmad Zahid, and that it was the Attorney-General who had the full power to decide for the prosecution in the case. — Bernama