Ismail Sabri picks Hamzah as deputy, keeps finance portfolio for himself, says report

Updated 2 years ago · Published on 25 Aug 2021 9:34AM · 6 Comments

Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin (centre) is reported to have been selected to be the deputy prime minister while also holding on to his former home affairs portfolio. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 25, 2021.

PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will also serve as finance minister in his new cabinet, which is expected to be announced this week, China Press reports.

Sources also told the Chinese daily that Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin will serve as the deputy prime minister as well as keep his old portfolio of home affairs.

Ismail is expected to retain a number of ministers from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government while trimming down the number of members in his cabinet, said the report.

The sources said Ismail will take over the Finance Ministry from Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who is expected to be dropped while Ismail’s former defence post will go to Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid.

Former rural development minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad will replace Adham Baba as health minister. Adham, too, is expected to be dropped from the cabinet.

Former Federal Territories minister will Annuar Musa will be the communications and multimedia minister while Umno Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias will take over his old post.

Hishammuddin Hussein will keep his post of foreign affairs minister.

Former ministers Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (entrepreneur development and cooperative), Khairy Jamaluddin (science, technology and innovation) Zuraida Kamaruddin (housing and local government), Mohd Azmin Ali (international trade and industry), Wee Ka Siong (transport), M. Saravanan (human resources), Reezal Merican Naina Merican (youth and sports) and Alexander Nanta Linggi (domestic trade and consumer affairs) are also slated to keep their portfolios.

Azalina Othman Said, who has resigned as deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker, is reported to have a seat in the cabinet but it is not known which ministry she would helm.

Najib Razak, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Tengku Adnan Mansor and other Umno members facing trial, mostly for corruption, will not feature in the line-up, the report said.

The prime minister is expected to see the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as early as today to submit the list of candidates for the cabinet. – August 25, 2021.

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Comments

  • Same garbage same result! The new PM is the new billionairethats the only difference. Will it 10% or 15% ?

    Posted 2 years ago by Alphonz Jayaraman · Reply

  • Given the prevailing onerous circumstances this is probably the best outcome for Ismail Sabri.

    Posted 2 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • Not Wee Ka Siong again..

    Posted 2 years ago by Debbie Ong · Reply

  • Reminds me of a famous political cartoon during my U. of London days. Picture 1 shows a military dictator in uniform telling the people, " I promise you civilian government".. Picture 2 shows him minus the uniform. "See, I have kept my promise." Will the change of what you wear (in this case a change of PM) make a difference?

    Posted 2 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • sadly, there are no good choices.

    Posted 2 years ago by Anonymous 1234 · Reply

  • Back to the Najib model eh? Look how well that turned out for Malaysia

    Posted 2 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply