KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Najib Razak is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet after Hari Raya Aidilfitri next month, Umno-owned New Straits Times reported today.
Quoting sources, the English daily said the reshuffle may see several ministers swapping portfolios and one or two others replaced by new faces.
The changes are aimed at strengthening the government's machinery in delivering promises made in the GE13 manifesto, added NST.
Only yesterday senior minister Hishammuddin Hussein denied that there would be any cabinet changes. However, NST's source said that it was normal for Najib to keep matters close to his chest.
The prime minister is expected to raise this matter during the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting tonight. He is also expected to brief the BN leaders on the troubled 1MDB.
After months of being at the receiving end, Najib and 1MDB have finally started to defend themselves through statements issued at their respective blogs.
At the same time, the Auditor-General is also expected to complete his probe into the 1MDB accounts while the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee had started its own investigation.
Najib is expected to keep the BN leaders up to speed on the 1MDB restructuring plan announced by the Cabinet in end-May.
Previously speculations were rife that Najib was ready to drop several Umno ministers, supposedly over their failure in carrying out the government's agenda.
On top of the list was Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan who had been mocked widely over his defence of the unpopular goods and services tax (GST).
In recent weeks, even Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal was said to be on the chopping block over his questions on the 1MDB issue.
Even Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was said to be on his way out, again for questioning Najib on the 1MDB financial issues.
While ministers such as Defence Minister Hishammuddin and Shafie had rejected talk of any imminent cabinet reshuffle, Najib himself had not said anything.
It is the prime minister's prerogative to appoint and drop ministers. He may well make changes to his cabinet but any drastic changes which include the dropping of ministers who are widely seen not to be in his circle would lead to talk that Najib is strengthening his position by surrounding himself with key supporters. - http://www.beritadaily.com/login/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.