Time to use the reshuffle card

Mingguan Malaysia news today [read here] quoted Dato Seri Najib telling Barisan Nasional (BN) not fear the nationwide road tour of Dato Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim. It is meant to revive BN members' spirit, discouraged by the acquittal of Anwar's sodomy case.

Earlier in the week, he made a more alarming call on UMNO members to wake up from their slumber and face-up to the rising opposition wave. A week earlier, he was at a function that attracted a crowd of 1,000 against Anwar's nearby function of 5,000 attendance.

Najib could be too much an aristocratic gentlemen to realise that Theory Y alone is not enough. Motivation and incentives, typically money allocation in UMNO, may not necessarily awake them long enough. It is time for the Theory X i.e. to wield the stick.

In a feudel-cultured organisation like UMNO, it has to start from the top. Najib have ignored the reshuffle call many times before using all sort of excuses. The last being mid-last week.

This time he has to use this card. A major cabinet and UMNO's organisational reshuffle is desperately needed to revive confidence in his government and leadership in UMNO. Political balancing will not be ignored, but it is paramount that he shows what the Najib team is made off.

The reshuffle is the best time to showcase the "pencapaian diutamakan (performance first)" portion of his 1Malaysia slogan.


As earlier as May 2010, there was a pro-UMNO bloggers campaign for a cabinet reshuffle and to revive the Pemuda UMNO.

True enough, it is proven today that Najib's current cabinet akalegacy of slumberjack Tun Dol is laden with Ministers who are either incompetent or shooting Najib's feet or both. While, the Pemuda and Puteri UMNO movements are weak and lethargic.

During that campaign, the bloggers' list was wee bit too long and politically not feasible. Some party position must be given cabinet position.

ABITW is giving our honest no hold barred selective comments on the existing cabinet members, to focus on the UMNO Ministerial list and highlighting only few component party Minister. See below:

Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak (Prime Minister/Finance Minister)

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Deputy Prime Minister/Education)

Prime Minister's Department

Senator Dato Palanivel a/l Govindasamy

Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Unity and Performance Management)
He is not running in next general election. Drop him.Racial unity on the decline. Pemandu is Dato Idris Jala show.

Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz (Law and Parliament)
Well suited for this post but could undertake more senior role.

Brig. Gen. (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharum (Religious Affairs) 

Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Economic Planning Unit) 
Drop and investigate him. Too much controversies. Legacy icon of Tun Dol aka Slumberjack. Return role to Civil Servant.

Senator Dato Seri Idris Jala (Pemandu)His policies are too neo-liberal and not in sync with PM's non Melayu liberal spirit. Look for hs speech at UiTM in a Perkasa do. PM needs to neutralise Idris (and Omar Ong)with more realistic policy thinkers or he will have problem with the Malay constituencies. 

Deputies: Datuk Liew Vui Keong, Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, Datuk SK Devamany, Ahmad Maslan, Senator T. Murugiah (already OUT- no longer Senator)
Drop Dr Mashitah. Potential problem.

Finance
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Time to Finance portfolio. time consuming and reduce his effectiveness. Can cut perceived baggage of Nazir. Suggested replacement Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Could allay rumour of friction between them. If not politically comfortable, suggest Husni Hanazlah.

Finance Minister II: Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah

Deputies: Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussein
Sent Awang Adek to PM Dept till corruption allegation cleared. Should attend Communication 101 class.

Education
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Replaced by Zahid Hamidi. Long shot choice replacement: Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi. The need for continuity in education policy. Teachers are sick with ever changing education policy with changes in Minister. If not considered for Finance, suggest defense.

Deputies: Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi

Transport
Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha
Deputies: Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, ...

Home
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Could adapt to new Home Ministry. Should be rotated for other closely rakyat-related Ministry.
Deputies: Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, Jelaing Mersat

Information, Communications, Arts and Culture
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Drop. Failed in his role. Arrogant and cocky. Suggest Ahmad Shaberi Chik. Long shot suggestion to revive Dato Shahidan Kassim for Information role in preparation for election. If it is Shahidan, suggest re-organise Ministry and split out Communiction. Consider also for UMNO Information Chief.
Deputies: Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Senator Heng Seai Kie
Suggest include young MIC MP for Hulu Selangor, P Kamalanthan

Energy, Green Technology & Water
Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy: Noriah Kasnon

Plantation Industries and Commodities
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Deputy: Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin

Rural and Regional Development
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Deputies: Datuk Hassan Malek, Datuk Joseph Entulu

Higher Education
Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin
Failed. Should be drop. Personal issue is a time bomb. Not clean image and disastrous appointments of VCs, particularly UiTM and UM.

Deputies: Dr Hou Kok Chung, Saifuddin Abdullah
Saifuddin be drop. Disastrous act of accepting memo at PWTC. Interference in police work to protect pro-opposition students breal UUCA law. Expected to lose in Temerloh.

International Trade and Industry
Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputies: Datuk Muhkriz Mahathir, Datuk Jacob Dungau
Mukhriz suited for promotion to replace Khaled. Has long activism record related with University student.

Science, Technology and Innovation
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy: Fadillah Yusof

Natural Resources and Environment
Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Deputy: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Tourism
Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen
Not clean image arising from Dato Mirza controversy. MCA call.
Deputy: Dato Dr james Dawos Mamit

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries
Datuk Noh Omar
Deputies: Johari Baharum, Rohani Abdul Karim
Drop Johari Baharom. Irrelevent existence. Legacy issue. New blood needed.

Defence
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Suggested transfer to other Ministry. Communication 101 class suggested despite having doctoral degree.
Deputy: Datuk Dr Abdul Latif

Works
Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Only Tun Dol legacy cum KJ linked Minister doing fine.
Deputy: Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

Health
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy: Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shilin
Drop. Unhealthiest looking "Minister of Health." Like Khairy, need to focus her work as Ketua Puteri. Message that youth wing leaders no guarantee for Ministerial post.

Youth and Sports
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Suggest move to Foreign Ministry or Information, Communication and Arts & Culture.
Deputies: Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Wee Jeck Seng
Suggest Razali be promoted to Youth and Sports Minister. Too inexperienced for hot seat Johor MB post.

Human Resources
Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam
Deputy: Datuk Maznah Mazlan

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri
Drop. Not effective as Minister. Do not exude perception of confidence. Tun Dol legacy issue. Not expected to survive election in Bera.
Deputy: Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

Housing and Local Government
Datuk Chor Chee Heung 
Deputy: Datuk Seri Haji Lajim bin Haji Ukin

Women, Family and Community Development
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Looks likely to be dropped. Pathetic handling of NFC issue. Uncall for action to drag Wanita UMNO, UMNO and other leaders to her personal issue. Still viable, maintain Ketua Wanita post and lay low from Cabinet for few years. Suggested replacement Senator Kamelia to allay internal politics in Perak. Najib must manage factional problem in Wanita UMNO so as not to upset existing team.
Deputy: Senator Puan Heng Seai Kie

Foreign Affairs
Datuk Anifah Aman
Deputies: Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Senator A. Kohilan Pillai

Federal Territories
Datuk Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin
Need lesson in Communication 101.
Deputy: Datuk M. Saravanan

Although Najib was reported to have denied a Cabinet reshuffle, he better do it or the RAHMAN matrix of UMNO Prime Minister ends with him. That is no two way now; it is either he reshuffle or he goes in the history book.

Not only he should reshuffle his cabinet reshuffle, he has to do sweeping change of the states's MB and CM post. Time to bring in fresh new faces and young ones. Start with changing the state liaison chiefs ...


- Another Brick in the Wall