AT a glance, it appears that Muhyiddin Yassin merged the ideas of having technocrats in his administration and of a unity government with Umno and PAS with his pledge to have a “clean” cabinet.

The structure of the government has changed a bit with the introduction of the post of senior minister – and there are four of them, each in charge of defence, works, international trade and education – presumably in lieu of a deputy prime minister.

From a capability point of view, on paper, it looks stronger than the previous administration in some areas. The finance portfolio is held by an individual with a corporate banking background, and the former foreign minister, who has been given the communications portfolio, is a familiar face in start-up and tech circles.

The question of whether some ministries need a new head is another thing altogether. But the decision to retain some ministers seen as non-performers such as Rina Harun, or one who was ridiculed for using the term “flying car”, calls into question the government’s sincerity in building a cabinet that truly “delivers”. And, will the technocrats be able to withstand the political pressure?

Technocrats have been in the government before, and were not much different from their purely political peers. Our aviation problems were not solved when a former airline boss was made a minister, and there was no dramatic economic improvement when we previously had a former bank CEO in the cabinet. The Transparency International president was a member of the administration under which the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal unfolded.

Political appointees, meanwhile, are not automatically less capable. Daim Zainuddin is arguably the strongest finance minister Malaysia has ever seen, and he isn’t an economist by training, but very much a politician. The same applies to Rafidah Aziz, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim, Zaid Ibrahim and even members of the previous cabinet, like Anthony Loke and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Ministerial positions require a degree of political acumen, the ability to navigate the tricky waters of civil service. This comes with practice, something that corporate personalities might not have as they usually depend on specific departments or lobbyists to do this on their behalf.

At the end of the day, what matters is the political will of the government itself, which, in the Malaysian context, is heavily dependent on the prime minister. Politically speaking, Muhyiddin seems to have consolidated his position. Bersatu now has more cabinet posts, with the “PKR” chunk distributed between those who have left the party, and Umno.

It is an expansionary cabinet, with another four ministerial posts and seven ministries with an additional deputy, bringing the grand total to 70, including Muhyiddin.

At a time of economic uncertainty, and with the over-politicking of the past few months (or even years), having more political posts doesn’t seem like the most prudent thing. Most of those who were instrumental in bringing down the previous administration and forming this new one have been given portfolios. The wisdom in this has yet to be seen, but it really is the strategic thing to do, politically.

With the government not yet fully settled in, and with the looming prospect of a reaction from Pakatan Harapan, stakeholders are still hedging, not fully embracing the nation’s new leadership. This cautious attitude was also seen during PH rule, when there was uncertainty over the handover of power to Anwar.

Still, the appointment of Federal Territories Mufti Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, a moderate figure, shows promise. The appointment of several other moderates indicates the same.

It remains to be seen whether a government comprising leaders who had been unable to deliver on their promises will, in the coming months, sway people’s opinion and cool dissatisfaction over the “coup”, or further agitate a public already weary from political goings-on. – March 11, 2020.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.