THE cabinet line-up will be announced at 11am tomorrow, the prime minister’s office said today.

“Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be announcing the cabinet line-up. The new ministers and deputy minister will be sworn in on Monday, August 30 at 2.30pm,” the PMO said in a statement.

This morning, Ismail Sabri met with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah in Kuantan to submit his cabinet list.

Speculation was rife that he would make his announcement after his meeting with the king but the PMO said this afternoon that it would not happen today.

In the week since Ismail Sabri was appointed prime minister, there has been intense lobbying for cabinet posts by parties.

Reports say Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Umno both want their man to be deputy prime minister.

Meanwhile, Gombak MP Mohamed Azmin Ali is said to have threatened to withdraw support if he is not made deputy prime minister, but his aide has denied this.

Yesterday, China Press quoted sources saying that Ismail Sabri will opt for a dual role, taking on the portfolio as finance minister, meaning no return for Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

The Chinese daily also said Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin will become deputy prime minister, while returning to head the Home Ministry.

It was also reported that Ismail is expected to retain a number of ministers from Muhyiddin Yassin’s government with his position as defence minister going to Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid and former rural development minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad replacing Dr Adham Baba as health minister. – August 26, 2021.