Why Mahathir gave Amanah, PPBM more Cabinet seats

Political analyst Awang Azman believes Mahathir is using Cabinet appointments as a way to draw more PAS and Umno members into Pakatan.

Additional members of the Cabinet took their oaths of office at Istana Negara on Monday (July 2). (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN: Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s cabinet lineup may reflect a strategy to draw members of PAS and Umno into joining Amanah and PPBM, according to political analyst Assoc Prof Awang Azman Awang Pawi.

Awang Azman said the lineup clearly reflected Dr Mahathir’s power as prime minister to make his own choices, as not all those proposed by Pakatan Harapan component parties had been accepted for appointment to his cabinet.

Although PKR and DAP collectively won 73.6% of parliamentary seats, they took up only 50% of the posts.

“This is because he wants to reward Amanah and PPBM, so that more PAS and Umno members will leave their respective parties, and join Amanah and PPBM,” said Awang Azman.

“Of course, this will cause dissatisfaction in DAP and PKR. But as long as Mahathir is the prime minister, he has the power to make the choices and decisions he deems to be the best, and draw more people to join Amanah and PPBM,” he told FMT.

Awang Azman, who lectures at the Academy of Malay Studies at Universiti Malaya, said many PAS members who left to join Amanah were now ministers and deputy ministers. Those sacked from Umno by former prime minister Najib Razak had also become menteris besar and senior ministers.

Earlier DAP Socialist Youth leader Wong Kah Woh had questioned why only six ministers were from the DAP, saying the number did not reflect the “people’s aspirations” as DAP had won the second biggest number of parliamentary seats among PH parties.

Wong also said Mahathir had failed to respect the proposals submitted by a coalition partner.

However, Awang Azman believed that “Mahathir has his own formula and criteria for doing things and making his selections” and that he had taken time to decide on the Cabinet because “he wants to show how serious he is”.

He said there were other candidates, such as Husam Musa of Amanah, and DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong, who are said to be under consideration by Mahathir as additional appointments.

Awang Azman said some choices seemed to reflect Mahathir’s power in making Cabinet appointments.

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen was not chosen as minister but appointed deputy trade minister, although DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang had during the general election campaign said that Chong should be made a minister.

“Chong has been MP for four terms, while the likes of Baru Bian, only a first-term MP, has been appointed as Works Minister. It seems that Mahathir, as the prime minister, has more power in making decisions,” he added. - FMT