KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — The presence of new leadership in the Unity Government Cabinet will spur government efforts to provide the best services to the people and the country, in line with the Malaysia MADANI concept, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He was also optimistic that the Cabinet would work as a team in helming their respective ministries to strengthen the economy and boost prosperity of all Malaysians.
“I would like to congratulate all new leaders who have been appointed and taken their oaths as Cabinet members in front of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today,” he posted on Facebook this afternoon.
“I’m convinced that the new leadership can provide the best services with integrity and dedication throughout their tenure,” he posted on Facebook this afternoon following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of a Cabinet reshuffle today.
Anwar added four new faces in the reshuffle – Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan (Finance Minister II), Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan (Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister), Wong Kah Woh (Deputy Education Minister) and Dr Zulkifli Hasan (Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs)).
Amir Hamzah and Zulkifli were appointed senators earlier in the day before their swearing-in as Cabinet members at 2.30 pm, while Ramanan and Wong are currently Dewan Rakyat MPs, for Sungai Buloh and Taiping respectively.
The newcomers are joined by five former ministers, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Gobind Singh Deo, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad and M. Kulasegaran, in the new Cabinet line-up.
Johari is the new Plantation and Commodities Minister, while Gobind and Dr Dzulkefly are returning to ministries they helmed previously – the Health Ministry and the Digital Ministry respectively.
Meanwhile, Noraini has been appointed Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister, and Kulasegaran will serve as Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform).
In another post, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and UMNO president, also congratulated the leadership of both party and coalition, over the appointment of two of their leaders to the Cabinet.
He said the appointments were made based on the experience, competencies and commitment to continue to be together with the Unity Government and develop the country and fulfil the Malaysia MADANI aspirations.
“Only by putting our strengths, thoughts together in a efficient collaboration, can we bring about impactful results for a brighter future for our country,” he posted, as he expressed his hopes that the close cooperation between Cabinet members would bring about a new synergy to create a holistic transformation that would drive the sustainable growth of the country.
The number of BN leaders in the Unity Government administration now stands at 13 following the appointment of UMNO leaders, Johari and Noraini.
