MUHYIDDIN Yassin’s cabinet will have four coordinating ministers – similar to the practice in Singapore and Indonesia – from the four main parties in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, sources said today.

There will no deputy prime minister, contrary to a list circulating in WhatsApp groups today that had Umno’s Hishammuddin Hussein filling that post, one source told The Malaysian Insight.

“Everyone has agreed there will no DPM. So that’s that,” the source said.

Instead, Hishammuddin is expected to coordinate security matters while Mohamed Azmin Ali will be the coordinating minister for finance and economy. It is learnt that Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) Fadillah Yusof will possibly be in charge of infrastructure while PAS’ Takiyuddin Hassan will take care of social services.

Muhyiddin presented his cabinet list to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong this morning and is having an unprecedented briefing for all PN lawmakers.

He is to announce his cabinet line-up at 5pm.

This unprecedented arrangement is a cultural shift from the way the civil service tackles challenges that cut across multiple agencies

The unconventional structure would allow some flexibility in filling up ministries that require expertise and could improve how policies are drawn up and put into practice.

Muhyiddin was appointed prime minister on March 1 after a week-long impasse that ended with his party Bersatu, joining forces with Umno, Islamist party PAS, and a PKR faction to form the PN coalition. GPS has announced that it is PN-friendly.
 
Critics of PN have branded the coalition a backdoor government after it unseated Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) as the ruling coalition.

Muhyiddin pulled Bersatu out from PH on February 24, leading to the collapse of the 22-month-old PH coalition.

Critics have also expressed concern that Muhyiddin will bring back into his administration Umno leaders on or awaiting trial in court on charges of corruption, money-laundering and abuse of power. – March 9, 2020.