KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today asserted his national unity government’s parliamentary strength has now exceeded two-thirds majority with the inclusion of Barisan National (BN) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in his ruling coalition.
Announcing his Cabinet line-up earlier, Anwar said his government’s supermajority in Parliament has thus given him the confidence to form a sturdier Cabinet that will work as a team to direct its focus on driving economic growth and matters of public concern.
“This mandate has given us the confidence to form a Cabinet line-up that is sturdier and will work as a team in driving economic growth and addressing the people’s concerns,” he said during the ‘live’ broadcast.
A two-third supermajority in the Dewan Rakyat of 148 out of 222 seats would allow Anwar’s government to table constitutional amendments without the need to secure bipartisan support.
Earlier, Anwar named Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as his deputies in his national unity government Cabinet line-up.
A total of 28 ministers were announced, four fewer than Anwar’s predecessors Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, but more than the 25 he had targeted.
Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the most seats of any coalition in the November 19 general election but still fell short of the 112 needed for a simple majority to form the government on its own.
After several days of negotiations, PH finally reached an agreement for a coalition federal government with BN and GPS, which Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Parti Warisan joined later.
