KUALA LUMPUR – DAP and Umno each gained an extra minister in the reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today, a year after forming the government.
Although former human resources minister V. Sivakumar was axed, he was replaced by fellow DAP member and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, who has been promoted from his previous post as deputy finance minister II.
DAP’s new minister is Damansara MP Gobind Singh Deo, who now holds the Digital Ministry portfolio, which has been carved out of the Communications and Digital Ministry.
DAP’s total number of ministers has increased from four to five, with the existing ones being Anthony Loke (Transport), Nga Kor Ming (Local Government Development) and Hannah Yeoh (Youth and Sports)
The Pakatan Harapan component maintained its count of six deputy ministers, with two announced – Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran (Prime Minister’s Department, Law and Institutional Reforms) and Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh (Education).
They replace Ramkarpal Singh, who was dropped from the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms), and Sim, who has been promoted to minister.
Other deputy ministers are Iskandar Puteri MP Liew Chin Tong (Investment, Trade and Industry), Teo Nie Ching (Communications), Lim Hui Ying (Finance) and Datuk Chan Foong Hin (Plantation and Commodities).
Umno increased its six ministers to seven with the addition of Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani as plantation and commodities minister.
However, it lost one deputy minister, Beaufort MP Datuk Siti Aminah Aching, from the plantation and commodities portfolio.
Wanita Umno head and Parit Sulong MP Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad’s appointment as deputy women, family and community development minister maintains the Barisan Nasional linchpin’s count of deputy ministers at six.
Amanah, meanwhile, maintained its count of ministers at two, with Kuala Selangor MP Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad making a return as health minister. Party president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu remains agriculture and food security minister.
PKR increased its deputy minister count from five to six, with the addition of first-time Sg Buloh MP Datuk R. Ramanan as deputy entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister.
Other parties maintained their status quo in terms of the number of ministers and deputy ministers.
Gabungan Parti Sarawak has five ministers and six deputy ministers, while Gabungan Rakyat Sabah has one minister and one deputy minister.
Sabah-based parties Upko and Warisan have a minister and deputy minister, respectively.
The new line-up sees a total of 31 ministers, up from 28 previously, and 29 deputies, two more than previously. In total, there are 60 ministers and deputies, 10 less than in the previous administration. – December 12, 2023