Mat Sabu says PM has final say on Cabinet posts

The Amanah president responds to Rafizi Ramli who questioned the announcement of key Cabinet portfolios for Amanah, PPBM and DAP.

PETALING JAYA: Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu, who was today named by Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the defence minister, has defended the prime minister’s decision to announce him and three others for top Cabinet posts.

Speaking to FMT, Mohamad disagreed with PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli who said that talks were still pending between Mahathir and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim over the choice of Cabinet members, saying the matter had been decided at the Pakatan Harapan presidential meeting.

Mohamad was named by Mahathir for the defence portfolio, while DAP’s Lim Guan Eng is the new finance minister and PPBM’s Muhyiddin Yassin the home minister. PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is appointed as the deputy prime minister as agreed months earlier.

Mohamad said while PH component parties were free to propose candidates for ministerial posts, the prime minister still had the final say.

“It is up to the prime minister to elect. It’s his prerogative,” he said.

Meanwhile, asked about his appointment as the defence minister, Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, said he has a lot to learn.

He refused to state if he would introduce any defence policy, saying he would first discuss with Mahathir.

He also refused to say whether there would be a policy shift on Malaysia’s involvement in the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen.

“We’ll discuss about it,” said Mat Sabu. -FMT