THE meeting yesterday between Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pakatan Harapan (PH) component party leaders were on ministerial issues, said Lim Guan Eng, side-stepping questions of a purported cabinet reshuffle.

The DAP secretary-general, however, denied that his party had given the prime minister a list of names on the purported cabinet reshuffle.

“The meeting was based on their (party leaders) capacity as ministers and not as leaders of their parties,” Lim said in Putrajaya today.

He was commenting on several reports earlier today that Dr Mahathir met Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Bersatu and Amanah presidents Muhyiddin Yassin and Mohamad Sabu, and Lim, to discuss a cabinet reshuffle.

Lim, however, did not deny whether the meeting had discussed reshuffling the cabinet.

“It’s not true at all because the cabinet is already there. The existing cabinet will remain… at least from the DAP side.

“The existing list remains and neither me nor DAP sent any list of names,” said Lim after attending the Belanjawan 2020 focus group meeting on housing affordability in Putrajaya today.

He also denied that yesterday’s meeting had discussed the return of former international trade minister Mustapa Mohamed.

“Yesterday’s meeting was about government affairs and is not connected to (appointing Mustapa Mohamed as a minister). It was not discussed at all,” said the finance minister.

Lim also said cabinet appointments were the prime minister’s prerogative.

“That is not for me to decide as I’m not the prime minister. What we discussed yesterday was about government matters. 

“This is under PM and he has answered it many times and you should refer to that. I’m not the prime minister,” said Lim

Meanwhile, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin also denied there was a cabinet shuffle when asked.

“Not at this point in time,” she said curtly when asked. “I’m not one of the selected persons in the committee. I don’t know.”

She added that the PH presidential council had not discussed any cabinet reshuffle. – August 22, 2019.