Undercurrents over who to replace Shahrizat: Heng Seai Kie or Kamilia?

UPDATED Women, Family and Community Development minister Shahrizat Jalil attended her last monthly meeting at the ministry on Friday. Her Senator's appointment is due to expire on April 8, and with it, her ministerial position.

The 59-year-old Shahrizat will however continue to head the Wanita Umno or the Umno women's wing. Shahrizat is expected to be replaced by either her deputy minister Heng Seai Kie or Kamilia Ibrahim, the Wanita deputy chief.

Although, the decision is not yet final, ministry watchers had expected Seai Kie - an MCA senator - to pip Kamilia for the post, with Prime Minister Najib Razak - the Umno president - deeming it 'too sensitive' to give the job to Kamilia due to the current state of play in his party which has been torn by factionalism and infighting.

For the soft-spoken Seai Kie, if the appointment goes through, it will be a big boost but her tenure will not be long-lived as Najib is expected to dissolve Parliament and call for snap general elections by the middle of June.

"If Heng is chosen, this will help the MCA and Chua Soi Lek save face a bit and show to the Chinese community that they have made progress. But I don't think anybody will be interested in what MCA and BN have to say anymore," PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.

Cooling off period

However, Umno insiders are adamant Kamilia will replace Shahrizat as initially expected. They said there was no reason for Najib not to claim the Cabinet post for their party and pass it to MCA instead, no matter how brief the tenure, adding that there was intense lobbying from the Wanita.

"Wanita is already split over the Shahrizat scandal. To not pass her Cabinet position back to the wing is asking for trouble, they will deem it a slur and create more fuss for Najib which he can ill afford if he is really going for a quick GE-13. I don't think he will dare," an Umno watcher toldMalaysia Chronicle.

Shahrizat has been at the centre of the RM250 million NFC corruption debacle in which her husband, Salleh Ismail, and three children have been accused of plundering from a government soft loan granted to build the national cattle breeding project.

Despite Shahrizat insisting she knew nothing of her family's alleged wrongdoings, there have been angry calls from both the public and Umno itself for her to resign from all positions so as not to tar the party ahead of the 13th general election.

In particular, Kamilia - who heads the Kuala Kangsar women's division - has led the charge in calling for Shahrizat to step down. This may be why there is speculation Najib may decide to put Kamilia on hold until sentiments cooled.

However, even if Kamilia is not selected this round, she is expected to replace Seai Kie if the Umno-BN retains the federal government and a Cabinet reshuffle is held after GE-13.

Press conference on Sunday

Meanwhile, PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told Malaysia Chronicle his party will continue to expose the scandals in the NFC saga.

Earlier this week, Rafizi revealed that Shahrizat's husband and son had 'rushed' to sell off three shop/office lots in upmarket Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas at fire sale prices, accepting a sale price of RM3million when the market value was RM4 million.

"We will continue to expose all the corruption and embezzlement until the full RM250 million has been recovered," Rafizi told Malaysia Chronicle.

Meanwhile according to Bernama, Shahrizat will still attend several ministerial events over the next two days before holding a press conference on Sunday, her last day in office.

Malaysia Chronicle