AMANAH leaders Khalid Abdul Samad and Mujahid Yusuf Rawa are likely to be appointed to the Pakatan Harapan cabinet, said coalition sources.

Their names will be given to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is in the process of naming the rest of his cabinet after announcing 13 posts last week.

“Khalid will likely be given the post of works minister… it is appropriate based on his professional career as an engineer,” a party source told Malaysia Decides.

“Mujahid, with his background in Islamic studies and experience in inter-religious dialogue, could be appointed as foreign minister.”

Khalid, the party’s communications director and Shah Alam MP, has a degree in fuel and energy engineering from Leeds University in the UK.

Amanah vice-president Mujahid holds an Arabic-language literary degree from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, a master’s degree in human resource management from Universiti Putra Malaysia, and a shariah doctorate from Universiti Malaya.

He became a prominent figure in interfaith dialogues after becoming Parit Buntar MP in 2008 while he was still with PAS.

He was one of the Islamist party’s more moderate leaders who advocated engagement with other faiths and political cooperation with non-Muslim parties.

Currently, the three Amanah MPs in the cabinet are party president Mohamad Sabu, who is defence minister, Salahuddin Ayub, (agriculture and agro-based industry minister) and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (health minister).

Dr Mahathir has said his cabinet will have “no more than 25 to 30” portfolios.

A second PH source said the remaining posts will be divvied up between smaller parties Amanah and Parti Warisan Sabah, as well as Sarawak PKR.

“The Works and Foreign Ministries are being reserved for Amanah. The remaining ministries will be given to Warisan and PKR leaders from Sarawak.

“However, the final decision is in the hands of the prime minister.”

Dr Mahathir chaired the first PH cabinet meeting, following the coalition’s 14th general election victory, in Putrajaya yesterday. It was attended by the 13 ministers who were sworn in on Monday evening. – May 24, 2018.