Cabinet Reshuffle: Clear Signal Of Unity Govt Moving Forward

By Hamdan Ismail

KUCHING, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday gives a clear signal that the Unity Government always meets the current and future needs of Malaysia for her to move forward.

A sociopolitical analyst at Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) Associate Professor Awang Azman Awang Pawi sees the creation of new ministries by Anwar in his first cabinet reshuffle since becoming Malaysia’s10th Prime Minister as something to be reckoned with.

 "(This reshuffle) increases the efficiency of the country’s administration (with) the aim of giving a more specific focus so that its (cabinet) performance can be improved even better," he told Bernama.

He said the Prime Minister's aim to improve the efficiency of his administration can be seen through his decision to split the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change into two new ministries.

They are the Ministry of Energy Transition and Public Utilities, helmed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, led by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Awang Azman said the inclusion of new faces with experience in the cabinet will also bring fresh inputs that can improve the efficiency of the country's administration and the confidence of investors to come to Malaysia.

"Their expertise is something that has an impact and can increase the people's confidence in this cabinet reshuffle," he added.

Meanwhile, a lecturer at the Social and Management Department, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in  Bintulu,  Dr Abdul Hadi Samsi, said Anwar made a surprise by bringing back into his new cabinet an old face who had been a full minister in the previous government.

"However, this is not a big issue. If they (former ministers) accept the position (as deputy ministers), indirectly, it means that they accept the responsibilities entrusted to them," he said.

Abdul Hadi said that although it is still too early to see the effectiveness of the new ministries, their establishment can have a positive impact if their functions can be well explained to the people.

"If it is not (explained), it will impact negatively on the government which includes a wastage," he added.

-- BERNAMA