KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that he will personally control the Finance Ministry in his administration, repeating a practice for which previous Barisan Nasional governments had been criticised.
He also named PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli as the economy minister, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as the home minister, and PKR Wanita chief Fadhlina Sidek as the education minister.
Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was put in charge of the Defence Ministry while party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was given the important rural and regional development portfolio along with being named one of two deputy prime ministers.
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof was appointed as the second deputy prime minister as well as the plantation and commodities minister.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) member Datuk Armizan Ali was chosen as minister in the prime minister’s office (Sabah and Sarawak).
GPS secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi was given the Works Ministry, while his fellow party member Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri will be leading the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development,
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook was chosen to head the Transport Ministry.
Amanah president Mohamad Sabu was given the agriculture portfolio, while Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub was named minister of domestic trade and cost of living.
Another three ministries fell under the purview of DAP members, with Hannah Yeoh as youth and sports minister, Nga Kor Ming as local government development minister, and Sivakumar Varatharaju Naidu as human resources minister.
PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was chosen to lead the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, while PKR communications chief Fahmi Fadzil was named minister of digital communication.
PKR’s Dr Zaliha Mustafa was chosen as health minister and Chang Lih Kang as minister of science, technology and innovation.
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry portfolio will go to Umno member and former finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, while Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said was chosen as law and institutional reform minister.
Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir will be foreign minister, while Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin will head the Higher Education Ministry.
GPS’s Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing will be tourism minister, while fellow party member Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang was appointed minister of national unity.
Datuk Ewon Benedick, who stood in the 15th general election under a Pakatan Harapan ticket, will be minister of entrepreneur development and cooperatives.
Na’im Haji Mokhtar was named as religious minister.
