CHIN TONG, HUSAM AND … ANWAR? MAHATHIR DROPS BOMBSHELL – 3 MORE MINISTERS TO BE APPOINTED AFTER BEING MADE SENATORS

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today three more ministers would be appointed to bring the number of Cabinet ministers to 29. The three ministers could only be appointed after the individuals had been sworn in as senators, he said, indicating that they might not be politicians but professionals.“We will have (a total of) 29 ministers. We have 26 now, there are three more to go,” he said when approached by reporters after the swearing in of 13 more ministers and 23 deputy ministers before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, at Istana Negara.

Thirteen ministers, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had been sworn in last month.

“So long as they are not sworn in as senators, they cannot be appointed as ministers,” said Dr Mahathir. The first meeting of the first session of the 14th Parliament is scheduled to convene from July 16 to Aug 16.

Dr Mahathir said he would have a meeting with the ministers and deputy ministers who were sworn in today to explain to them their roles and responsibilities.

Asked about the appointment of the new Chief Justice to succeed Tun Md Raus Sharif, the Prime Minister said an announcement would be made after Md Raus completes his service at the end of this month.

The government has a candidate but the announcement could not be made right now, he said.

“He (Md Raus) is on leave now. He will go on optional retirement at the end of this month. Then we can announce his successor,” he said. — Bernama

STILL SOME VACANT POSITIONS IN DR M’S CABINET

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said there are still some vacancies in his cabinet that will be filled by senators in the near future.

“There are two or three more (to go). We are 29 in total,” said Mahathir when met after the swearing in of 13 new cabinet members and 23 deputy ministers at Istana Negara this morning.

It is uncertain at this point if the 29 took into account the fact that deputy prime minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is also the women, family and community development minister.

So far, it can be determined that there is one vacancy for a minister in the prime minister’s department in charge of national unity and social well-being.

A deputy minister for this portfolio – Mohd Farid Mohd Rafik (Bersatu-Tangjung Piai) – was sworn in this morning.

Meanwhile, the deputies to the defence minister, economy minister, foreign minister as well as housing and local government minister have yet to be announced.

It is widely speculated that Amanah vice-president Husam Musa and DAP political education director Liew Chin Tong would be appointed as deputy ministers.

Should Mahathir’s cabinet involve only 29 members eventually, it will be a reduction from the 35 cabinet ministers seen in the previous cabinet.

The previous cabinet had nine ministers in the prime minister’s department while the present currently eventually will have three for religion, law and national unity.

The new administration also appears to have merged the previous “science, technology and innovation” ministry with the “energy, green technology and water” ministry.

Mahathir’s three newly established ministries are economy, entrepreneurial development and primary industries.

– M’kini