KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will reduce the size of the Cabinet once he helms the government that has been given a new mandate in the 15th general election (GE15).

Acknowledging that the Cabinet he inherited after being sworn in as the ninth prime minister on August 21 last year was a bloated one, Ismail Sabri said the ministers picked after this would have various expertise.

“Yes, it’s (Cabinet) too big and for sure I will make my Cabinet smaller,” he said during the “Special Interview on Stability and Prosperity with Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri” aired by Bernama TV and several other local television networks tonight.

Ismail Sabri said in addition to politicians, the formation of a Cabinet with a variety of expertise will also include technocrats.

On August 27 last year, Ismail Sabri announced his “revenue-oriented Cabinet” line-up, involving 31 ministers, including four with senior status, and 38 deputy ministers which he described as a management team that will work with the people.

Without holding any portfolio and without naming a deputy prime minister, Ismail Sabri retained most of the full ministers who served under the leadership of his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

If given the opportunity to continue to govern the country, Ismail Sabri said he would empower all government agencies and departments and deal with extreme bureaucracy in government departments.

“These (types of) approvals sometimes prevent the entry of foreign investors into our country. And when compared to other countries, approvals need long periods (in Malaysia). Bureaucratic red tape is something that needs to be focused on,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said he will also pay attention to changing the country’s foreign policies so that Malaysia can once again stand out at the international level after taking a backseat due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We must return to our past glory in terms of our role in foreign policies. We need to be seen as more involved and that our presence in championing major issues is noticed by the world,” he said.

Aware that the cost of living is now the talk of Malaysians, Ismail Sabri promised to focus on the issue, as outlined in Barisan Nasional’s (BN) GE15 manifesto, but he also acknowledged it being a serious matter caused by global uncertainties.

“Although we have the Special Task Force on Jihad against Inflation and so on, we will improve existing weaknesses because the most important thing for the people is the issue of the price of goods that needs attention,” he said.

Ismail Sabri also stressed that efforts to eradicate poverty were not merely a “cliché”, but rather an issue that needs to be championed, adding that the government has laid out plans to eradicate hardcore poverty by 2025 as outlined in the 12th Malaysia Plan. — Bernama